Chapter 1: A Demon's Arrival
Yo yo, been a while since I've updated anything Re:zero related must be weird for you guys as it is for me. I recently caught up with the Demon Slayer anime and let me tell you it sparked my drive to get back into writing. I especially loved the Upper Moon meeting, and in case you can't already guess Kokushibo is my absolute favorite. So, I figured hey you know what would be cool and bam the idea for this story was formed.
Like Demon Slayer itself, this fic is gonna pretty straightforward, with Pleiades taking the place of Kokushibo from Demon Slayer and being summoned to Lugnica. I'm not gonna have some grand mystery or interconnecting plot that has multiple side quests and will take more than fifty chapters to even get barely halfway through. This fic is all about having fun, while taking a look into how Pleiades will rediscover his humanity in the world of Lugnica. So, if that's not your thing no worries, glad you stopped by.
For everyone else though, get ready for some OP Pleiades absolutely cleaning house and looking bored while doing it. That's not to say that will be the entire story, but the first part will defiantly come across like Pleiades will face no real challenge combat wise. Trust me, he will.
Alright, I've ranted long enough so I'll end my thoughts here and let you guys get to the chapter itself. Hope you guys enjoy it.
'Im–impossible! Why?! Why won't my head regenerate?!'
These were the final thoughts of Pleiades, once Natsuki Subaru, as his body began to turn to ash. His severed head seemed to fall in slow motion, his six eyes wide with surprise as he saw his own body slump to the ground. The pain that he would've felt was overshadowed by his sheer bafflement at his defeat.
How? It shouldn't have been possible, he was Upper Moon One, Muzan's right hand, the second most powerful demon in existence. He had managed to even regrow his severed head only moments prior, making him virtually unkillable. So how could he be defeated by mere humans, granted powerful ones, but human, nonetheless. Hashiras, demon slayer marks, bright red blades, none of it should have mattered simply because he had managed to deny death itself.
And yet, his head refused to regenerate.
'Is this it? Hundreds of years of consuming countless people, giving up my humanity, abandoning the way of the samurai and yet…' A strange mixture of rage and melancholy flashed through his six eyes. 'Even with all I gave up, I still lost. Was I really so afraid of death that I let myself become a monster? Did I want strength so badly I would kill others for it?'
As Pleiades' head clattered to the ground, a long distant memory resurfaced to the forefront of his mind. A face he had come to loathe, eyes that made him grit his teeth, and a smile that boiled his blood with pure resentment. Of course, even in Pleiades' final moments the image of his father refused to leave his mind. Reminding Pleiades that his father's shadow still engulfed him even with his death being hundreds of years ago.
'No, it was never about any of that.' A realization struck Pleiades, leading him to narrow his eyes. 'I just wanted to be you…father.'
That's what it was all about, his desire to finally surpass his father, the bane of his existence since his birth. No matter how hard Pleiades trained or how many demons he cut down, it was never enough to get close to the strength Natsuki Kenichi had. Even now, nearly 500 years later, with all the power he gained Pleiades knew in his heart that he still wasn't anywhere near as strong as the man who had raised him.
Perhaps that was the reason that his head refused to regenerate.
Because deep down, Pleiades knew that his efforts were pointless in the end. Would it even matter if he continued to live? Would there truly be a difference if he perished rather than killing the slayers and aiding in Muzan's plan to conquer the sun? Was his sole purpose in life simply to be a pale reflection of Natsuki Kenichi? Though he battled within himself for an answer, Pleiades' still disintegrating head said everything.
'Why…why could I never be like you?' The demon lamented as his vision began to fade. 'Why are we so different?'
The darkness grew bolder in the outskirts of his vision, slowly overtaking his gaze entirely.
'Why…'
The slayers became nothing more than blurry figures.
'Why…'
The last remnants of his body evaporated into nothingness, leaving behind his orange and black kimono.
'Why was I even born into this world?'
Six eyes closed for the last time, a lone tear trailing down a pale cheek before disappearing with the rest of Pleiades' head.
'Tell me…father…'
…
…
…
"I love you."
'What?'
Like a crack of lighting, Pleiades opened his six eyes in surprise from the sound of a woman's voice. For a moment all he could see was nothing more than pure darkness, but then he saw her. A young, beautiful woman standing no more than a few feet away from the demon, her hands clasped elegantly in front of her. Even more strange was that his kimono and katana were back to their original forms as though he wasn't in a battle just minutes earlier.
Amidst the darkness all Pleiades took in her visage thanks to his eyes, but it was her face that truly caught his attention. Her hair was a shining silver, matched only by her bright amethyst eyes that seemed to shine in the dark. Her ears were also strangely pointy, though Pleiades paid that detail no mind. Although, he knew one thing was for certain as he finished his analysis of the woman.
'She's not human but she is no demon either.' Pleiades thought to himself while using the Transparent World. 'How…intriguing.'
"You, identify yourself at once." Pleiades ordered curtly.
"...I love you." Her voice remained the same as the first time she spoke. It was adoration, but Pleiades could tell it was not born out of real love.
"I will not ask again." The Upper Moon narrowed his eyes. "Identify yourself or–"
Before he could finish his sentence a lone hand, shrouded in shadow emerged from her chest. Its claw tipped fingers reached out towards Pleiades in a loving manner as though she knew him, which confused the Upper Moon greatly. Pleiades had never met this woman in his entire life nor does resemble anyone within his memories.
*Schink*
With inhuman speed the Upper Moon drew his katana from his hip, slicing the shadow hand with perfect precision. Like fading embers, the dark limb disappeared into nothingness, leaving only the demon and woman once more. The former had already returned his blade to its sheath before the hand even realized it had been cut. The latter of the two watched with a strange expression on her features. A second later an identical hand appeared, striking far faster than the first.
But Pleiades was faster.
With the same blinding speed, the demon slashed at the approaching limb, his expression unchanging.
"I love you."
Another hand and another cut.
"I love you."
Another.
"I love you."
And another.
"I love you I love you I love I love you I love I love you I love I love you I love I love you I love I–"
"Your useless dribble is beginning to irritate me." Pleiades cut off in a low, menacing tone. His own hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed blade.. "If you do not cease with these pointless attacks I'll simply kill you."
"..."
"I'm sorry."
Pleiades paused momentarily, noticing that the woman's voice was different than before. It was softer, more submissive, and for a reason filled with sadness. The sudden shift caused Pleiades to re-evaluate his initial intrigue with this woman. There was far more to her than meets the eye and he wanted answers now. About whom she was, where they were, and more importantly why he was still alive despite fading into ash.
Unfortunately for the demon, fate had other plans as upon taking a single step towards the silver haired girl Pleiades' vision was filled with black once more. The demon attempted to move but found himself immobile much to his annoyance. However, the feeling did not stay for long, with a single blink the sudden change of scenery caused Pleiades to pause once more.
Pleiades found himself standing in the middle of a cobblestone path, a large fountain flowing behind him. Small tents were lined along much larger stone buildings, the architecture far different from the likes of Japan. The people even wore clothing that reminded Pleiades of the few Westerners he met back when he was still human. Speaking of the people, some were strange, appearing either with an animal trait or appearing as one entirely. The Transparent World revealed that despite their animalistic appearance they still possessed human-like qualities. Though it was not the strangeness of his change in location did not capture Pleiades' attention.
It was the fact that he, a demon, was currently standing directly in the sun with not so much as a burn.
'This is…impossible…' The upper ranked demon thought to himself. Looking in disbelief at his right hand that was engulfed by the light of the sun.
Yet his eyes did not deceive him, his hand remained intact and pale as ever. Pleiades could feel how the light reflected off him and how the heat of the sun warmed his skin. The sensation was odd, at least that was the most applicable word Pleiades could think of. The rays of light kissing his face, the slight heat gathering in his cheeks, all of it was so…odd.
It had been so long since Pleiades had felt these sensations and despite it not causing him pain, the demon found himself uncomfortable. Not because of the sensations themselves, but rather because of the long suppressed memories that resurfaced to the forefront of his mind. Memories that Pleiades would have preferred to stay buried.
But alas, what Pleiades wanted didn't matter, the images began to flash behind his eyes like pictures being displayed one after another. His father smiling down at him underneath the glare of the sun was the first that came to mind. That smile, that damned smile that Pleiades hated so much, reminding him just how worthless all his efforts were. A low 'tch'' sound escaped Pleiades' lips as his fist clenched tightly. The Upper Moon had half a mind to gouge his own eyes out in order to rid himself of such a wretched sight. But as quickly as it came the memory faded, replaced by one that caused Pleiades to let out a choked gasp.
'Mo–mother?!' All of Pleiades' eyes widened as the face of his Natsuki Naoko filled his head. The tension in his body from seeing his father evaporating in an instant.
That face…Pleiades almost wished he died and went to hell instead of being reminded of his mother's face once more. Even now those eyes, filled with nothing but love and warmth despite their scary shape, made Pleiades feel weak to his knees. Would those eyes still be the same if they saw what her son had become? The thought made Pleiades' stomach contort uncomfortably along with his chest feeling heavier.
The Upper Moon did not like this feeling.
'Tch it doesn't matter now.' Pleiades quickly shoved those thoughts deep into the recesses of his mind. 'I need to gather information regarding my whereabouts.' The Upper Rank demon turned his attention to the many people within the plaza.
Those that happened to make eye contact with the demon quickly gained a look of fear before doing their best to get as far away without being too obvious about it. None of them could handle the six blood red eyes that seemed to stare deep into their soul. Even those within Pleiades' general area felt uneasy by his presence. A fact that Pleiades was aware of and had intention of changing to a more approachable aura.
Truthfully, Pleiades had half a mind to grab the nearest person and force them to answer his questions. As tempting as that idea was, the demon knew he would incur far more trouble than what it was worth. The Upper Moon knew that whatever law enforcement existed here would not sit idly by as he threatened one of their citizens. Which was fine by Pleiades, there were a multitude of other methods that he could use in order to attain the information he wanted. Plus, he was not so arrogant as to challenge an entire city all without gaining any sort of information first.
"Hmm, I suppose reconnaissance is an order then." Pleiades muttered to himself.
The demon turned on his heel and began walking in a random direction further into the marketplace. His left arm rested casually on the hilt of his katana as he began his walk, his six eyes scanning his surroundings with inhuman speed. For the most part the Upper Moon noted that these people were very unremarkable and likely provided no information.
From the tidbits of conversation his ears picked up, Pleiades concluded that the people here were more interested in selling their goods than anything else. Somewhat curious as to what these vendor's wares may include, Pleiades stopped at a random stall. This one seemed to be selling food if the bundle of apples on display were any indication.
'Interesting.' The Upper Moon noted to himself as he glanced down at the sign of the stall. 'They speak the same language as me, yet their writing is different. This place…it's becoming more strange by the minute.'
"Oi! I ain't running an art show here!" A gruff voice broke the demon from his musings.
Lifting his gaze up from the sign, his long black hair fell back to reveal all of his six pupils, which instantly locked onto the muscular, middle aged man who was currently glaring at him. Though the look was quickly changed into one of unease as the vendor stared back into the six blood red eyes. Pleiades said nothing in response, simply staring down at the man apathetically.
"Ahem–you uh don't look like you're from around here." The man awkwardly coughed while quickly glancing away. "Your–um– your clothes are pretty weird." He added while doing his best to avoid eye contact.
"Hmm. You could say I'm a…traveler of sorts." The demon answered with a small hum.
"Well uh you looking to buy some appas?" The man asked while nodding over towards the fruit. "Freshest in all of the capital! You won't find ones better anywhere else!" The salesman boasted with a shaky but confident grin.
'Appas and not apples?' The Upper Moon thought with an unamused expression. 'How…asinine.'
"No, I'm merely taking in my surroundings." Pleiades replied back.
"R-right well uh I'm running a business here so–"
"I need details regarding this city." Pleiades cut the man off curtly. "Where must I go to acquire this information?"
"Um–I mean we don't really have a place like that–" The vendor stuttered, feeling very confined at the moment.
"Then who must I seek out?" The demon interrupted again. His eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
"A knight–maybe try asking a knight. They probably know a lot about the Capital." The man spat out the answer quickly.
"A knight hmm?" The Upper Moon let out a contemplative hum. While Pleiades had never seen a real knight before, he was aware of their existence. 'So, this place has a culture similar to that of those from the west. Which means that this place likely has a monarchy as their form of government.'
"Yeah you know, the guys that wear those white uniforms." The salesman nodded rapidly. "There's probably some patrolling around the plaza right now. Shouldn't be too hard to find one."
Recalling his brief time in this new place, Pleiades was able to recall a man with red hair and a white outfit that matched the vendor's description. Though as Pleiades glanced back towards the center of the marketplace, he could find no trace of the knight in question. Unfortunate, but the demon was confident he could track down the man or find another knight entirely.
"Your assistance has been noted." Pleiades apathetically stated.
Without another world Pleiades turned on his heel and resumed his casual walk. Of course, he could use his superior speed to find who he was looking for, but Pleiades wanted to explore this place further first. If his theory proved to be true, then there was a good chance Pleiades would just need the knight for confirmation rather than information.
"...finally…" The vendor let out a small sigh as the demon left his stall. "Fucking freak." He muttered under his breath.
Though it was quiet Pleiades heard the man clearly as though he were right next to him. The Upper Moon toyed with the idea of disciplining the shop owner for his disrespect, but ultimately decided against it. His words were no different than a fly thinking it was better than the spider simply because it had the ability of flight. But like the fly, the man did not know that he only lived simply because Pleiades deemed it so.
Despite how different this place was, it seems that the people here were no different than the ones back home. Continuing down the street, the Upper Ranked demon watched with minor amusement as people cleared out of his way once they caught sight of him. Children flocked to the arms of the mothers, women trembled as he passed, and men tensed up as though they were facing a feral animal. While their fear was not unfounded, it was still a pitiful sight to see how no one had nothing even remotely resembling a spine.
'Despite being stronger than the citizens of Japan they are just as if not more weak willed.' Pleiades thought in disdain as he rounded into an alleyway. 'Pathetic really, I hope their knights have more backbone.'
"Well–well–well what do we have here boys?"
Stopping in the middle of the alleyway, Pleiades wanted to sigh in exasperation but managed to refrain from doing so. The Transparent World had already revealed to Pleiades the three men that were waiting for someone to step into their 'ambush'. The men themselves looked very unremarkable to say the least even with the weaponry the lanky one was carrying.
Turning his head to the side the three thugs froze in place when they were met with three demonic eyes staring back at them. Their breaths caught in their throat, and it felt as though they were being suffocated despite being unharmed. No matter how much the three men tried to move their limbs their body simply wouldn't obey. It was as though there was an invisible force keeping them locked in place. Though that didn't stop the skinny of the bunch from putting on a faux face of confidence.
"If uh if you know what's good for you–you'll cough up everything you got…" The voice of the trailed off as Pleiades fully turned around to face them. Whatever bravado he had evaporated when all six of Pleiades' eyes landed squarely on him.
"Or you'll what?" Pleiades prompted in a low tone.
"We'll uh we'll…" The man stuttered while glancing at his allies. However, the two other men remained petrified, offering no help to their leader.
"If you're going to proclaim your power over another then you must be ready to prove your worth when challenged." The demon commented offhandedly, almost in a bored tone. "Otherwise, you're nothing but an embarrassment to yourself."
"Um…uh–" Despite the casualness of the demon's posture and voice, the trio couldn't help but feel a pit form in their stomachs.
"You know I detest when weaklings like yourself puff out your chest and claim superiority until you are met with someone who is willing to fight back. However, what I despise more than that is having my time wasted on pointless interactions." The Upper Moon revealed monotonously. "Though despite your obvious weakness you three could still have some small use."
The demon began walking towards the three men, intent on absorbing them without having to deal with any consequences. It'll be hard to pin down a crime when there's no bodies left for anyone to investigate. Plus, Pleiades wouldn't mind having a small snack and these three imbeciles could finally be useful for once in their pathetic lives.
However, the Upper Moon stopped in his tracks as his ears picked up the sound of fast footsteps quickly coming from behind him. Glancing behind himself, Pleiades caught sight of a small blonde girl rushing down the other end of the alley. If the panicked expression on her face and rugged clothing were any indication then the girl was likely being chased. A pang of annoyance shot through Pleiades at the sudden appearance of the girl.
'Great, even now fate finds a way to interfere with my plans.' Pleiades slightly narrowed as the girl started to close the distance.
"Move it!" The blonde girl shouted as she rushed towards them. "You guys are in my way!"
Pleiades didn't bother moving as the Transparent world revealed the muscle contractions of the girl, informing the demon that she would have no issue moving around him. So, he watched as she dashed around him before front flipping over the three thugs with ease. Pleiades watched with intrigue as a strange energy briefly coated the girl's legs before disappearing once she made it onto the roof. His interest lasted until she disappeared once more leaving the three men and demon alone once more.
"Now then, where were we?" The Upper Rank demon spoke first, breaking the trio out of their stupor.
"That's enough!" Another girl's voice came from the same direction as the blonde girl.
"What now?" The demon muttered to himself in annoyance.
Turning his attention back to the other end of the alley once more, Pleiades' irritation faded when his eyes finally took in the sight of the newcomer. If it wasn't for the different clothing and the Transparent World, Pleiades might've believed that the girl in front of him was the same he met in the void. Everything about her face looked identical to the other girl, same silver hair, amethyst eyes, and pointy ears. Even just the general shape of her face was similar, causing Pleiades to think the two might be related.
However, upon using the Transparent World, the demon was able to discern that the two girls had no blood relation with one another. Though their initial appearance was the same, their inner workings were vastly different. Yet despite this there was something about the girl that seemed to draw Pleiades in. It was something he couldn't quite put his finger on, but he knew there was something important about this girl. It was the same feeling he got when that other pointy eared girl had a sudden shift in her aura.
'Just like before. Perhaps she holds the answers I seek.' Pleiades thought, completely ignoring the three men behind him.
"Please return what you stole at once! It's very important to me!" She demanded firmly with a glare. "If you do, I'll forgive everything else that's going on! But what you stole is something I can't give up!"
For a moment no one made a move until Pleiades slightly turned his head to acknowledge the three men.
"Leave us. Now." The Upper Moon commanded in a cold tone.
The trio didn't need to be told twice as they rushed past the demon and silver haired girl with such speed it was almost comical. With no distractions Pleiades turned around and gave his full attention to the woman. Upon seeing his face clearly her confidence clearly wavered as he could see her heart speed up in her chest. Yet, despite her obvious apprehension she quickly re-adjusted her posture, standing tall and confident once more.
"Thank you for letting those men go, but I really need you to give back what you stole." She pleaded, doing her best to maintain eye contact with Pleiades.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Pleiades bluntly replied back. "I don't know who you are or what was stolen from you."
"You're very convincing but your lies won't work on me." The girl's gaze faltered for a moment before she shook her head and regained her glare. "Please, I don't want to use force, but I will if I must."
"Sorry to say Lia but it looks like this guy is telling the truth." Suddenly with a flash of green a small gray cat appeared on the girl's shoulder. "Even if he looks scary, he's not the thief we're after." The feline continued while letting out a dejected sigh. "It looks like we lost them."
Pleiades' gaze became fixed on the cat, using his superior sight to gleam into the inner workings of the 'animal'. He watched in fascination at how streams of green power seemed to flow through the cat like an infinite river. Whatever this thing was, the Upper Moon was certain that it was no ordinary animal.
'This energy, it's the same as that blonde girl but it makes up its entire being." Pleiades noted to himself. Ignoring the increasingly red face of the girl across from him.
"E–eh?! B-b-but he was–and that girl–and those men–" 'Lia' quickly hid her blushing face behind her hands. "Ugh! I'm such a dunderhead!" Her words came out muffled as she dragged her palms down her pale cheeks.
"Lia, we really shouldn't just stand around." The cat reminded with a light nudge from his paw. "The thief is still out there you know."
"I know–I know Puck. I just feel so embarrassed right now." The woman lamented before righting her posture once more. "I'm really sorry I judged you so harshly just now. Please forgive me." She apologized while giving a quick bow.
"This thief of yours, they wouldn't happen to be a short, blonde girl with rugged clothing would they?" Ignoring her apology completely, Pleiades cut right to the heart of the matter.
"Ye–yes…how did you know that?" 'Lia' exclaimed excitedly before gaining a suspicious look. "I thought you weren't working with her."
"I'm not." The former samurai replied stoically. "But I do know what direction she went." He continued.
"That's great! Thank you so much!" Her amethyst eyes lit up with hope. "Where she'd g–"
"My answer is not without a price." The demon held up a hand as he cut her off. "I want something in return."
"What–what do you want?" The excitement within the girl's eyes were replaced by apprehension and dread. "I'll do my best–b-but I won't be able to do anything!" She quickly said.
"Yeah pal, it better not be anything…" The cat chimed in with a glare. "Too adult." He added while side eyeing the girl.
"I have no need for such trivial gratification." Pleiades replied back unamused. "You will answer my questions then you will allow me to join you in your search." The Upper Moon stated matter of factly.
"Al–alright that seems fair." 'Lia' agreed with a nod. Her defensive posture dissipated upon hearing Pleiades' demands. "But…why do you want to come with me?"
"First, I desire more information and a better layout of this city." Pleiades said without hesitation. "You seem capable of fulfilling both of these criteria." The answer was not technically a lie, but it wasn't exactly the entire truth either.
"Hmm, he's telling the truth." Puck told the girl while still glaring warily. "I still don't like the aura he's giving off." The cat leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"I know Puck, but he's offering to help us, and we really need to find that girl." 'Lia' whispered back before returning her gaze back to Pleiades. "Ahem, we accept your proposal um uh…I'm sorry I don't think we got your name."
"Ah, I suppose it would be rude of me if I don't introduce myself." Pleiades hummed nonchalantly. "You may call me Pleiades, and you are?"
"Me? Well um I'm–I'm...my name is Satella." The girl gave her 'name' with a conflicted expression. "Just Satella. No family name." From the side Puck gave a disapproving stare but otherwise said nothing.
Of course, Pleiades knew the girl was lying from the second the words spilled from her lips. He didn't even need the sight of her increased heart rate from Transparent World. Although it's not like he cared, considering he relinquished his given name long ago. So, there was no reason to care over something so trivial.
"Well then Satella–" The silver haired girl visibly flinched but Pleiades ignored it. "Before we begin our search, I wish to ask you a question."
"Um ok?" Satella agreed with a confused tilt of her head.
"I wish to know what exactly is your…companion? Whatever he is, it clearly is not a normal cat." The Upper Moon inquired curiously.
"Oh, you mean Puck?" She snapped at attention, looked at the cat then back to Pleiades. "He's my contracted spirit, a great one actually. He's been protecting me for a long time." Satella smiled while giving the feline a loving scratch behind his ear.
"Hmm, how interesting." Pleiades hummed, continuing to observe the floating cat. "Your answer is sufficient." With a nod to himself, the demon casually began walking down the alley past the dumbfounded woman.
"Wait–that's all?!" Satella exclaimed in bafflement. Even Puck looked taken aback by how little effort that took on their part.
"Any other questions I may have you can answer on the way." The Upper Moon stated plainly without looking back. "If this object is as important as you say then I advise you to keep pace."
"R–r-right!" The silver haired quickly jogged to his side as they left the alley.
It didn't take long for an awkward silence to come over the two and it certainly didn't help that they were walking at a leisure pace.
"Um Pleiades?" Satella hesitantly spoke up.
"Hmm?" The demon gave a hum to show that he was listening.
"Could we maybe go a little faster?" She suggested with an awkward tone.
"I believe I stated that I wanted a better understanding of this city." Pleiades answered monotonously. "I cannot achieve this if we are rushing through it. Plus, your thief won't leave the city, so even if your item is sold we can simply track it down from her."
The demon's choice of speed was a conscious one and so far proved to be the right choice as he continued to observe the people and buildings around him. In just a few minutes alone he was able to conclude the general placement of a person's class based on their clothing alone. Not only that, but he was also able to determine that these human hybrids were not seen so favorably by a good portion of the population. Such information could be used to his advantage should the need for it arise in the future.
However, it might also prove to be a hindrance at the moment considering the girl next to him was receiving far more stares than any other hybrid. Of course, once they got a look at his face they immediately turned away, but it still drew Pleiades' curiosity. There was something different about the girl next to him that caused everyone else to avoid the pair like the plague. The Upper Moon highly doubted it was her personality, so that meant it must be her appearance. Which begged the question, why? What made her so different that people either glared or looked on in fear as they muttered underneath their breath?
"...witch…"
"...half-devil…"
"...monster…"
'Hmm, does the other one have something to do with this?' Pleiades mused to himself as he caught every whisper. The demon glanced to his side, watching as the girl in question seemed to shrink in on herself. The pair soon took a turn onto a less busy street, allowing Pleiades to pose the question.
"Why do these people avoid you so?" The Upper Moon asked unashamedly. Subtly was something he never particularly cared for, especially when it came to social interactions.
"O-oh that! It's nothing really." Satella attempted to act unbothered, Pleiades was not convinced. "This happens a lot so it's normal for me but…" The girl seemed to have an internal struggle before sighing and looking away. "I'm a half-elf." She whispered but Pleiades could hear her clear as day.
"Yes, that would explain it." The swordsman coolly replied. He could see Satella tense up as though she was waiting for an insult. "Your physiology is not like that of a human's. This information has proven to answer my curiosity."
"Huh?!" The girl stuttered while looking at the demon with a perplexed expression. "But I'm–I'm a half-elf. A half-elf with silver hair…"
"Your appearance has no significance to me." Pleiades said with pure apathy. "Whatever interest I did have has now been satiated. Now I longer have any care for it."
"..."
A silence fell over the pair as Pleiades' words seemed to fully sink into Satella's head. From using the Transparent World, the demon could see how the half-elf's brain seemed to be working in overdrive. Along with this he also took note of how her once pounding heart had calmed down to a rhythmic beat. If Pleiades was still human he might've found the sound comforting from how steady it was.
"Thank you." Satella sighed, giving the demon a genuine smile.
"Mm." Truthfully, Pleiades didn't care for the half-elf's gratitude, though he didn't outright dismiss it either.
The air seemed to visibly shift from its previous awkward presence, at least it did for Satella, Pleiades didn't care in the slightest. The former for the first time since meeting Puck felt truly at ease, despite the intimidating appearance of the demon next to her. His cold demeanor and indifferent attitude, which would have been off putting in any other context, was a welcomed change for the half-elf.
Even those that could be considered her allies always treated her as though she was an outcast, no matter how hard they tried to conceal it. The only real companion who treated her no differently than anyone else was Puck. So, to have a random stranger treat her just like everyone else? It almost didn't feel real for Satella, but she knew she wasn't dreaming, which made the interaction all the more delightful.
Pleiades was still scary though.
The demon for his part paid the girl no mind, simply continuing to observe his surroundings passively. Frankly, the more he saw the more it seemed like this place was just a downgraded version of Japan, feudal Japan that is. These people were no different than the ones who Pleiades had come across numerous when he was human. Except the peasants here clearly lacked any sort of drive or discipline. They seemed to be content with their current status despite their complaints about how the 'nobility' is running the place. Such blatant lack of determination made the Upper Moon's blood boil in disgust.
The two continued along their path, that is until Satella suddenly stopped and turned her head to the side. Pleiades already knew her attention was drawn by the cries of a little girl with green hair, his ears had picked up her voice minutes ago. The demon had full intention of continuing on but was forced to stop when the half-elf refused to follow along.
"We should help her." She said resolutely.
"Why? You've stated multiple times that your object is of the utmost importance." Pleiades reminded the girl. "Helping her will only serve as a distraction from your goal."
"Because she looks scared and lost." Satella pushed back. "And it's the right thing to do."
"Very well." Sensing that his companion was dead set on this, the Upper Moon followed behind as they approached the little girl.
"Hey there." The silver haired woman began softly. "I'm sorry, I'm not the one you're looking for. What's the matter, did you lose your mom and dad?"
Upon seeing Satella the girl became as pale as a ghost, shedding even more tears than before. Her fear became even more apparent when she turned her gaze to Pleiades and was met with six blood red eyes staring back at her.
"W–wa–wait please don't cry! I promise I won't do anything bad to you!" The half-elf began to panic, waving her hands frantically.
"Your father is the same man who sells those apples." Pleiades stated nonchalantly.
"...y–yeah h-he is." The girl sniffed loudly as she wiped her eyes. "How did you know that mister?"
"My eyes are…special." The Upper Moon answered vaguely. "I can see things that others cannot. You can hold your hand behind your back and I can tell you how many fingers you're holding up."
"What?! No way!" The girl exclaimed before putting both hands behind her back. "How many am I holding then?"
"Three." Pleiades replied instantly.
"What about now?"
"Seven." The demon casually answered. "Now nine."
"Wow mister, that's so cool!" Her eyes were wide with wonder.
"Would you like us to escort you to your father?" He offered plainly.
"Yes please, I lost my mommy."
"Follow us then, we will leave you with your father before retrieving your mother." The Upper Moon turned and began walking down the street.
He looked down curiously when he felt her small hand wrap around the sleeve of his kimono. The girl had apparently decided to take ahold of him and Satella's hand as they walked down the stone path. Though the demon found it strange she was willing to be this close to him despite her previous fear, he otherwise didn't comment on it.
"You know Pleiades, you kinda look like her dad when she's holding onto you like that." Satella teased lightly.
"You wouldn't be saying that if you knew how old I actually was." The Upper Moon said with deadpan expression. Which earned a light giggle from both girls.
Thankfully, the distraction didn't last too long as within a few minutes of walking the girl let go of the two and rushed forward.
"Mommy!"
"Plum There you are!" A purple haired woman said, wrapping the little girl in a tight embrace.
Without a second glance Pleiades turned away and began walking away from the family reunion.
"Wait! Please sir!" The woman called out, causing the demon to turn around once more. She visibility flinched upon seeing his face but otherwise maintained a grateful smile. "Thank you for finding my daughter. Is there any way I can repay the two of you?"
"No–no that really isn't–" Satella waved her hands before being abruptly cut off.
"We're looking for a blonde girl between the ages of fourteen to fifteen with blonde hair, red eyes, and a crimson scarf." The Upper Moon directly questioned. "Any information regarding her or her whereabouts will suffice."
"Oh her!" A look of realization came over the woman's face. "My husband is always going on about a girl like you described from the slums, stealing food and money. Apparently the knights have tried capturing her but haven't had any success."
"Insightful, but we need more information than that." Pleiades continued, staring at the woman intensely.
"Well uh I can take you to him if you want. He probably knows more about it than I do." She offered.
"Thank you, you're too kind." Satella thanked her with a quick bow.
"Oh, I don't mind." The woman smiled. "I want to repay you back for finding my precious daughter."
Without another word the group began walking back towards the plaza, with the woman leading and the other two trailing behind. Pleiades paid the women no mind as he continued to observe his surroundings. Ignoring the curious look that the half-elf was giving him and the conflicted expression on her face. It was likely she had a question of some kind but lacked the confidence to ask it to him. While he would normally be direct, Pleiades did not care enough to initiate a conversation in the moment. If she wanted something from him she could do it herself, he had far more important matters to focus on.
Whatever the silver haired girl's inquiries were, they were put on hold as the group approached the same apple salesman that Pleiades came across.
"Daddy!" Plum squealed happily.
"Plum there you are!" The man reached down and pulled the child into a hug. "You finally found her Raksha."
"No, it wasn't me, dear." The woman gestured to the demon and half-elf. "It was these two who found her."
"Wait? You again?" The salesman's eyes widened as he stared back into Pleiades' eyes. "Ahem–well uh thanks. I'm guessing you want something in return since my wife brought you here."
"Your wife says you are familiar with a blonde thief. We require all the information you have regarding her." The Upper Moon confronted coolly.
"Wait, that's what you want? Fucking finally, someone's doing something around here." The man blinked in surprise before visibly relaxing. "From what I know she's from the slums, using the rooftops to help get around quickly. It's just a rumor but I heard that you could find her at Rom's Loot House."
"This is what we wanted to know." Pleiades nodded once the vendor was done. "Your usefulness has proven to be adequate once more." The demon turned away and began walking away. "We have a specific destination in mind, let us go."
"Right, we should hurry though. I want to get there while the sun is still out." Satella agreed with a determined expression.
"Very well, I've had enough sightseeing for one day." The Upper Moon conceded, turning back to side glance at the salesman. "What is the quickest route to this 'Loot House'?"
"Probably the rooftops. Any other route and you'll get there by evening at the earliest." The merchant answered with a shrug. Pleiades gave a nod and began to walk away but was stopped once more.
"Miss!" Plum reappeared, holding a white flower in her hand. "Please take this for saving me."
"Aww, aren't you sweet." Satella smiled, kneeling down and allowing the girl to put the flower in her hair.
"Enough time has already been squandered." Pleiades reminded flatly. "It's time we track down this thief of yours."
"R–right…um I guess this is where we part ways." The half-elf said, clearly saddened by the idea.
"And what makes you believe such a notion?" The Upper Moon asked, completely unbothered.
"Well it's just…I can sprint through the rooftops, but most people can't really keep up with me." Satella shuffled awkwardly, clearly not trying to offend her companion. "Look, you've been really helpful, but I think–"
"Don't fall behind." Pleiades commanded boredly.
"I–wha–"
For Satella, the family, and every other passerby in the street they were met with the sight of Pleiades standing calmly. Only to then stare in disbelief and shock as the demon's form simply disappeared from view. The only trace that he was standing there to begin with was the faintest gust of wind that could be barely heard. A few seconds passed before Satella's brain finally caught up with her eyes.
Clumsily, which was very unlike her, the half-elf parkoured her way onto the rooftops and began spiriting across with great speed. However, even with all jumping and running she did, the girl was clearly nowhere near as fast as Pleiades. The only real reasons she wasn't blindly running across roofs was Puck whispering directions in her ear and the faintest sight of Pleiades' form. Though whenever she did get a glimpse of the demon, he would disappear in the same moment almost as though he wasn't there to begin with. For Satella it was surreal to see such speed in action. Anyone save for the Sword Saint himself shouldn't even be anywhere near as fast.
But for Pleiades it was child play.
Truthfully if he wanted the demon could have arrived at their destination in less than ten minutes. However, that would mean having to leave behind his half-elf companion, which would prove to be a mistake on his part. Though the Upper Moon was somewhat impressed by her speed despite being so far behind. She'd probably make an excellent Demon Slayer and an even better demon under the right circumstances.
Quickly descending the rooftops, Pleiades landed gracefully in front of the door to the Loot House. Around five minutes later he could hear the sound of Satella's footsteps rapidly approaching his location. A shadow soon loomed over him, and the girl acrobatically landed next to him. A brief once over with the Transparent World revealed to Pleiades that she was only slightly winded despite sprinting for nearly twenty minutes.
'Impressive indeed. I knew I made the right choice in allying myself with her.' The Upper Moon thought with satisfaction.
"Wow! You're really fast, Pleiades!" Satella praised with an awestruck expression. "I'm sorry for underestimating you earlier."
"I have nothing to prove to you, I merely didn't want my time wasted any longer." Pleiades said aloofly. "We're here." He turned to stare at the wooden doors of the rundown shack, seeing the same girl and a giant man on the other side.
"Wait–how do you know that?" Satella asked, confusion written on her face.
"My eyes are special, remember?" The demon reminded without turning to face her.
"O-oh right." The girl mumbled. "Anyway, if it's ok with you I'd like to handle this without resorting to violence." She said with a pleading tone.
"And what do you propose then if not taking back what was stolen by force?" Frankly Pleiades was rather annoyed by the request. Which only proved to prolong their search even more.
"I–I don't know." Satella nervously looked away. "Maybe we can try negotiating with them."
"Then I will follow your lead on this." Pleiades told the girl. "Unless you'd prefer my method of 'negotiation'." The demon added in an ominous tone.
"N–no no that's ok! I'll take it from here!" Understanding the implication, Satella hastily accepted her role without complaint. "Let's go!"
As the pair entered the Loot House, Pleiades cast one last look behind himself before following behind the half-elf. Shutting the door behind them, the attention of the blonde and giant were immediately drawn to the pair. The latter noticed them first, giving a grumble as he pointed at the demon and half-elf
"Aye Felt, these two the client?"
Following the giant's gaze the girl's eyes widened when she locked onto Satella's figure. Almost instantly the girl got into a defensive position, drawing a dagger from behind her back.
"What the hell?! How did you find us?!" The thief shouted in annoyance. Following his companion the man brandished a large club menacingly.
"I'm sorry for interrupting but I really need my insignia back!" Satella firmly declared. "I'll be willing to forgive you if you just give it back!"
"What?! No way!" Felt yelled back indignantly. "That insignia is our ticket out of this shithole!"
"Look girlie, why don't you take your boyfriend here and–" Rom attempted to defuse the situation until he locked eyes with Pleiades.
Red eyes stared passively, but for Rom they might have well been staring into the depths of soul. Those were the eyes of someone who was strong and had no qualms about using their strength to get whatever they wanted. But more than that they were the eyes of a killer, someone who was no stranger to bloodshed. Whoever this guy was, Rom knew one thing was for certain.
He was dangerous.
"...Felt just give them the insignia." Rom ordered slowly, never taking his eyes off the Upper Moon.
"What?! You too old man?!" The thief shouted in betrayal.
"Now please give it back!" Satella repeated while holding out her hand. "I promise I'll–"
*Clang*
Everyone in the room visibly jumped at the sound of metal striking metal, causing them to turn back towards the entrance. There they saw Pleiades with his unique looking katana out and a kukri knife embedded into the side of the wall. A scantily dressed woman with black hair and a creepy smile stood on the opposite end of the room. Her gaze traveling over the occupants like a predator cornering its prey.
"Ara~Ara, and I had such a good angle too." Her voice came out seductively, a wicked gleam in her eyes. She procured two more kukris which she twirled expertly, taking slow steps towards the group. "You must have a great survival sense if you knew I was close by. I guess those extra eyes aren't just for show."
"Hey just who the hell are you?!" Felt exclaimed while pointed at the woman.
"Your client or should I say former client." The assassin smiled sweetly. "But it seems I'll have to kill everyone here seeing as you can't even do a simple job correctly. I suppose it was my fault for believing a gutter rat like yourself was capable of anything else."
"You bitch!" The blonde thief screamed enraged.
"That's no way to talk to a child!" Satella scolded, Puck appearing on her shoulder with a sinister smile. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"
"I guess I owe you a thank you, Pleiades, for protecting Lia." Puck gave the demon a thumbs up.
"Oh, a spirit hmm? How delightful, I've never gutted a spirit before." The woman gained a dreamy haze in her eyes. "I wonder what a spirits' stomach looks like."
"You'll never get the chance too!" Puck taunted, summoning an array of ice shards.
"Puck."
Like a crack of lighting the atmosphere of the room became overwhelmed with a menacing aura, emanating from Pleiades like an unbearable stench. The demon turned slightly, staring at the rest of the room with three of his six eyes. The sight caused even the assassin to pause in her actions as she watched on curiously.
"You are not to interfere; this battle is mine and mine alone." The Upper Moon stated iron authority. Causing everyone, save for the assassin, to look at him as though he were insane. "Do you understand?"
"Uh–yeah I guess–"
"You." Pleiades turned towards the woman, staring at her intently. "I've been yearning to test my skills against the warriors of this city. You appear to be quite strong yourself."
"Oh my how flattering." The woman cooed with a sigh. "You're making my heart flutter."
"Your name. What is it?" The demon demanded curtly.
"My oh my how forward of you." She sultry licked her lips. "You may call me Elsa or as I'm better known as 'The Gut Hunter'." Elsa brandished her kukris. "And who do I have the pleasure of disemboweling today?"
"Upper Moon One: Pleiades." The demon introduced while nodding for her to attack. "Don't disappoint me, Elsa."
"Hehe…"
In the blink of an eye she took off, reaching Pleiades with her knives raised up intended to slash at his abdomen. The rest of the occupants in the room could only watch in shock as the demon easily sidestepped the blow. In the same moment they heard his voice drop into a dark, foreboding tone that sent a shiver up all their spines.
"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace."
And the room exploded in a flash of light.
Why yes I did leave it on a cliff hanger, am I an asshole? Probably.
As always special thanks to Animayson for his wonder artwork for this fic, be sure to check him out if you have any commissions. Also, I think Bowel Hunter is a stupid name, so I'm calling Elsa the Gut Hunter from now on.
Next chapter: Upper One