The Dancing Star
Chapter 35
12Thirtypain03
WARNING: This story is rated M for mature-rated content. If some acts of violence, blood, or anything easily triggering make you uncomfortable, please leave and do not read. Any change to a character, when introduced, killed, changed into a demon/human, or more will be labeled in the chapter of occurrence. If a character has died in a chapter, that chapter will give a cause of death to that character.
Tanjirou, Nezuko, and Kanao
"Impossible! How?!" Rui asked, clearly confused and angered that a small group of demon slayers were enough to kill him. "W-Was I really this weak…?" He asked himself before he turned to face the two demon siblings who had ruined his plans for a family.
"Those two!" Rui stared angrily, "Those two ruined what I wanted! I just wanted a family! And what did they do? What did the rest of the demon slayers do? They slayed me!" He mumbled in his mind, clearly angered by the circumstances that had occurred.
Tanjirou merely eyed the demon in question, angered at the blatant abuse he had done to Nezuko.
"I should skewer you more for the abuse you put not only my sister but also that supposed sibling of yours… I should have known the moment I saw you and your disgusting aura how fake you were." Tanjirou growled, clearly seeing Rui as a terrible individual, on a personal level.
This angered Rui, "How dare you call my family fake…"
"The bonds between me and Nezuko were stronger than any threads you ever once threw towards me and her. Nothing will come through that. Not even fake families and parents who abuse their power, seeing them as weak…" Tanjirou explained, clearly trying to flush out the thoughts of the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his father, and to a lesser extent, his mother.
Rui however, just saw Tanjirou and Nezuko as privileged people. Seeing the two together however, made his more spiteful.
"Long ago, I once heard a wonderful story. There was once a father who died trying to save his drowning child. It deeply moved me. It was such astounding parental love… And with such bonds, this father who drowned in the river fulfilled his role as a parent… And yet, my own parents… My very own parents… They tried to kill me. What do you say to that?" He asked Tanjirou with some force, clearly wanting him to answer.
"I'd say they were terrible parents," Tanjirou responded, not holding back whatsoever.
"So then explain to me. What makes you think your bonds are strong?" Rui asked. "Every family has a job. A father has his role as the father, and the mother has her role as the mother. The father protects the family, the mother cares for the children… The elder brother and sister protect their younger siblings. No matter what, they risk their own lives."
Rui maintained his disdainful expression, "The way I see it if you don't understand your own role, or you cannot even perform it well, there's no reason for you to live."
This made Tanjirou shocked, but he did his best to hide the surprise and shock the statement held to Tanjirou. Nezuko looked to her brother in concern, but seeing how tired she was, she wasn't paying full attention. Tanjirou had to hold onto her.
"And why are you telling me, this?" Tanjirou asked, clearly testing the waters.
"Because I can see the trouble through your eyes. You've gone through hardships, huh? You've gone through pain, perhaps pain that nobody could fathom before, isn't that right?" Rui asked. "You were seen as a useless hindrance of a child in your family right?"
Tanjirou remained quiet at that, before he said, "Don't assume-"
"I'm not assuming, I know." Rui chuckled, "You were just like me…"
Rui coughed, "Just like me… Seen as useless, worthless, everything you did was a hindrance to your family… Your own parents hated you for the amount of resources you wasted for them, all because you were born, huh?"
That got Tanjirou to remain quiet.
"Not only that, but you also couldn't do your job as an elder brother correctly. I can see it now… You're the eldest child of the family."
Tanjirou automatically nodded at that, there was no point hiding it since Rui was getting closer. Even then he felt like he was on autopilot.
"Heh, I might as well be since my mother was pregnant with a younger sibling… There was so much attention and excitement for them, but when it came to me, I was just seen as a liability… I can see how overprotective you are about your little sister, and that tells me you've failed your job before."
Tanjirou's eyes widened. That broke his façade, as he tried to now look at the ground, "You couldn't even properly protect them, and you were the eldest brother… You failed at your own role… Tell me, boy… Why should you be alive? What reason do you have?" He asked Tanjirou.
Tanjirou remained quiet. Even near death, this demon was giving him the worst injuries he could have ever received.
"I've failed before… Everything I did for my family was a failure… I was seen as useless and a liability… But you know what? My own siblings hated me… They always ran away from me because they associated with me harm and bad luck…" Tanjirou gritted his teeth.
"So you didn't save them because of how they treated you prior?" Rui asked, clearly assuming that.
Tanjirou shook his head, "I tried, but I did fail. But even when you fail… Even when you have a catastrophe… A crash… In that wreckage, you may find the fragments of what once remained… you find the small embers that you can still light up into a fire… That vulnerability only makes your resolve stronger than before. It gives a sense of purpose to propel us forward. Protecting what I have left isn't a duty, it defines my resilience." Tanjirou explained.
"That strength and resilience come from the fact I know what it's like to fail. The despair I felt from the loss is the fire that keeps me going, to carry me to a future for what remains of my resilience and strength to protect." Tanjirou added, "So even if I had failed once, that only makes me more determined and knowledgeable about what is at stake."
Rui seemed to have gotten the message, before he chuckled, "Guess I didn't think of that… Anyone in your shoes would have fallen to despair and allowed their darkest thoughts to win over… After all, a man with nothing left to lose is the worst kind of individual you want to encounter, or a mother when their child is in danger…" Rui hoarsely mumbled, reflecting on Tanjirou as an individual.
"I'd like to think there is a bond with the people from the moment you are born or those that are built with true intentions… Only the bond between me and Nezuko was real because nobody else truly cared for me…" Tanjirou solemnly explained, sighing and, at the same time, trying to push back the painful memories of abuse and ostracization.
The two were rather similar, and in his bit of grief through the memories he was regaining, Rui sought out Tanjirou for some form of conclusion and relief.
But as he saw Tanjirou and Nezuko hugging, the memories of his past quickly changed.
All he had to do was reflect and open more on what his parents were doing, not on the action alone.
…
Rui always had a weak body. He was born with one. His body was incredibly fragile, delicate, and easily exhausted. Even doing something like walking and breathing was incredibly difficult for him.
While nobody was sure what the reason for this was, he was told that it was because of a disease that hurt the muscles of his body. The result was that he was in a constant state of lethargy and weakness, and sometimes even muscle paralysis for a brief period.
Rui was a liability for his family, and he knew it.
He felt it.
He was suspicious of that. Whenever his parents would talk about him, he would always try and listen onward for any semblance of something that would prove his point that his parents hated him and that they were secretly trying to get rid of him.
But even if he never did, he still suspected it.
The thoughts never went away.
Unbeknownst to Rui at the time, the thought was more out of his own fear due to his own circumstances.
He wanted to be useful. His parents had actually been very caring to him throughout the years. Even as he remained weak, he was still cared for and loved. But considering he never did anything and sometimes his parents would have to stop any semblance of their enjoyment just to take care of him, it made him slowly despise himself.
And if he himself hated himself, then who could possibly love him? Certainly not his parents and that was his thought throughout the entire time. He just wanted to truly be loved, in spite of his weakness.
But he never accepted the current love and care he ever received. Not to mention that he was always stuck within his house due to the specific weak body he had. He had a miserable life when it came to fun because he would spend up to eighteen hours in bed, all because he couldn't walk, sometimes for no more than two hours.
Even a simple 30-minute walk was a marathon for him. His body was just weak, and it was this body that he felt prevented him from gaining the true connections and bonds he had.
Ironically enough, despite his desires for the bonds, he felt so incapable and unworthy of the exact thing he wanted, that he rejected it whenever it was shown or apparent.
It was a terrible cycle of depression that Rui found himself in.
He felt that with the body he had, there was no hope for his goal, Even with the support his parents gave him, the respect and love, Rui never felt that it was genuine.
In fact, he felt that because he was this weak, because he was so handicapped, and because he was so incapable, his parents only gave him more attention because of this.
Thus, the love, care, respect, and support Rui was given were artificial and forced. Rui didn't want that.
He wanted a true bond with others, something his parents were just not giving him.
He felt that he needed a strong body to be loved, and that, in his current state, he wouldn't receive it, especially if it was forced.
He wanted his parents to love him truly, but he saw the liability and resources that his parents used to support him.
The result was a crucial decision. During the days he was home and able to do anything, he would make sure to walk outside for as long as he could, never venturing out whenever.
But after a particularly bad night, he couldn't handle it anymore.
When a man came up to him, apparently a village doctor, who was apparently recruited by his family to look over, saying he was able to treat the condition for Rui, allowing him to become strong again, they all vehemently agree.
Rui more so than even his parents, because he just wanted to truly be seen as lovable.
He didn't want the forced or added bonds his parents sometimes felt forced to give him just because of his current condition.
He wanted the love he would get as if he were a normal child.
The doctor came in, and Rui was mildly shocked that it wasn't like the usual doctors who had come over to look at Rui's condition. Most were able to help, some were less positive, and others just gave up on his condition.
But all wore stereotypical attire. This man, while formal, looked out of pocket to be a medical professional. But apparently, his parents and the entire village saw him as one, so maybe Rui was just paranoid.
"It seems you have a very weak body, huh?" The man asked, clearly intrigued by this.
"I have ever since I was born," Rui explained as he looked down, feeling ashamed of the circumstances. If only he had a normal body, then he would be capable of the true bonds that he deserved.
"I can make an offer for you." The man explained.
Rui immediately looked up, a bit unsure of how to respond, "Does this mean I'll be able to get a strong body?" Rui asked.
"Of course, that was what I came here for, right?" The man asked with a smile. Rui nodded, as his parents watched.
"I understand, May I please go to the kitchen? I'm going to make a shake full of nutrients to get him started on the treatment." The man explained.
Rui's parents immediately nodded, as the man proceeded to bring back a slightly reddish pink drink.
"What is this?" Rui's mother asked, a bit intrigued.
"A simple strawberry shake, I need him to drink some fluids before the treatment can be most effective." The man explained with a gentle smile.
"Oh, very well. You can take it, Rui." Rui's parents gave him the green light as he drank it. Once fulfilled, the man requested that Rui's parents go out of the room for the next treatment.
The individual doctor then gave Rui some more liquids to drink.
That was when the man explained that he had finished all that he could and that it would take around a few hours to a day for it to take into effect.
Despite this, Rui fell asleep right after.
Needless to say, Rui woke up a completely different person the next day.
He felt stronger. So much stronger that he was able to walk around for the first time without getting tired.
It was a miracle in Rui's opinion, however, when he realized he was only able to go out at night, he quickly went back inside, even in awe at how fast he was able to run now.
He was never able to run before, but now he never felt tired.
He possessed the very body he had desired. He was able to move and be happy.
When Rui's parents saw this, his parents hugged him with joy, knowing Rui would live a better life, and that they could all continue to live an easier life now. Rui would be able to look after himself, and his parents could do stuff for their own enjoyment.
However, all good things come to an end, and for the family, it only lasted quite a bit of time.
For some reason, with this new body, Rui began to crave humans. He had to eat humans to gain strength. To make matters worse, he couldn't actually eat the food his parents would make him.
And so, one night, when a guest had come into his parents' house, he consumed the guest. He attacked the guest and immediately began biting into the newcomer, savoring the taste as he got stronger with it.
Unfortunately, his parents walked into this and were horrified by it.
As Rui was inside the room, consuming the remains of the guest, Rui's parents chose to make the ultimate decision.
"Honey, he's eaten a human… What is he…?" Rui's mother asked.
Rui's father merely looked to the ground and said, "Doesn't matter. We must punish him…"
"But we'll also get punished, you know that?"
"Well, then we'll wait for him."
Regardless of the conversation, the end result was that Rui's own father was to kill his own son, before himself. His mother couldn't bear to see what was to come next. She cried, sobbed, and wept as she waited for her husband to kill both himself and their son.
But instead, her husband was dead, slicing his own neck, but Rui was alive.
And now, Rui's own mother too was slaughtered by her very own son. She did her best to try and look at her son, but what she saw terrified her.
The cat-slit eyes that now resided on her son, were a testament to the evil he had fallen to.
"I'm so sorry, Rui… I'm so sorry…" She sobbed. Even as she knew she was about to pass due to the injuries she sustained, "I'm so sorry, my son…"
But through it all, Rui looked at her mother with apathy. He didn't care for her apologies back then. Not once did he actually think his own mother was genuine.
He thought it was more of the same.
The fact that his own parents tried to kill him proved the suspicions he had throughout his childhood. It proved to him that his parents truly saw him as a hindrance and that he was better off dead.
Throughout it all, Rui merely eyed his mother with no emotion again.
But then again, his mother was crying her eyes out as she died.
Now, Rui was able to see the true lengths of everything. He was able to see why his parents did what they did.
Throughout the entire time, he thought he was out of their own benefit, meaning the bonds he had regarding his family, were fake.
And even as a demon, he was on the search for a family that, while he thought could forge a stronger bond. Even if he wanted a stable family, he wanted the connection.
And through the abuse he created, he thought the repeated interactions would forge stronger bonds, even if it was out of fear.
And he felt that through his strong body, he could properly create a strong familial bond.
Besides, he couldn't even remember. He had only regained his human memories when he saw Tanjirou and Nezuko hugging each other.
Originally thinking his family killed him out of spite, he took Tanjirou's words to heart, and through it, he felt like he wanted to cry.
Throughout this entire time, even his desires as a human remained when he was a human. He understood what he wanted this entire time.
"Why did you try to kill me…" Rui thought in his mind, as he remembered his father's tearful eyes and saddened face as he tried to stab Rui in the neck. His mother's crying in the background, as she wouldn't protect her own child.
And with the father supposed to protect and work for the family, and the mother to properly care for the child, they both failed.
Therefore, the bonds they truly had, were fake. Without a doubt.
The bonds were real. He remembers looking outside at the moon, clearly emotionless as both his father and mother.
"I couldn't give you a healthy body when I was pregnant with you… I'm so sorry, Rui…" His mother's last words were that.
But now, he remembered the actual words his father had told him before he tried to stab his son.
"It's be all alright, Rui… We'll die together…" Rui's father explained. Immediately, Rui's eyes widened.
"Wait… Back then… I couldn't understand what that meant… I was too disturbed by the sheer act of them trying to kill me… I was angered at how fake our bonds were."
But as Rui realized, seeing the actual truth within his parent's words.
All he had to do was open and reflect. Tanjirou was telling him to do that.
"I cut down my actual bonds with my very own hands… The very bonds that were real… I had it the entire time…" Rui mumbled, his eyes widened in realization.
"It was Muzan… He was the one who encouraged me… he was the one who told me to use my strength for my own bonds… He made me think that the bonds of my family were fake… He told me everything was my parents' fault…" Rui thought to himself, clearly distraught, "And I believed him…"
"When in reality, I loved my father and mother every single day… But I felt that I didn't deserve it… the sadness never stopped… Even after I forged and artificially made fake bonds."
"And it was all because I was the strongest… So nobody could actually protect me, nor shield me from my own problems and insecurities…" Rui concluded as he thought about it.
The words of Tanjirou continued to impact how Rui saw everything.
"All I ever wanted was a real bond that I sought after and was superficial. All I could do was stretch my hands out to something I had already lost…" Rui concluded, realizing everything he had done was for the benefit of one man.
He was taken advantage of.
"The bonds I was told I could get, how real they were, was all an illusion because I chose to believe one man when I was alone, and most vulnerable…" Rui mumbled as he revealed
As Rui felt a soft hand on his head, he immediately saw the figures of two people who looked similar to him.
His eyes widened when he realized who they were.
They were his parents.
As Tanjirou noted the sad scent from Rui's head and body, he merely sighed.
"Such a sad scent… How pitiful." Tanjirou looked over, "Though I can pity him for his actions, he did commit some unforgivable sins that cannot be forgiven."
"Even if he had his own problems, he must face repercussions for what he's done, regardless of whether he was manipulated. I can only hope that whatever punishment he faces in hell is remorseful… The only person who doesn't deserve the pity is Kibutsuji himself." Tanjirou thought.
"I hope wherever you go, they are merciful for you considering the actions you've committed. Just because you went through some difficult times doesn't mean you deserve any exemption from punishment. Farewell." Tanjirou explained, as he gently patted the disintegrating head of Rui.
As Rui remembered his entire family, he merely began to cry.
"I'm so sorry… I realize why you two did what you did… I would've done the same…" Rui sobbed, tears running down his eyes as he remembered everything he had done.
"It's alright, Rui…" The sounds of a female, motherly tone soothed him as he continued to cry.
"It's not… I will be going to hell… The burgundy-haired boy was right… All I can do is hope wherever I go is remorseful to me…" Rui explained as he knew what was going to happen. "I've killed mountains of people, so it's only natural…"
He looked down, ashamed and afraid of seeing his parents' reaction. He knew it was ultimately futile, and that there was no point trying to fix what he himself had destroyed.
Ironically, the bonds he had, he broke with his very own hands, never to be fixed, especially after the countless humans he's killed.
"It's alright, Rui… We'll be going with you."
Rui quickly turned his head in confusion, not believing what his father had just said.
"Your parents will be coming to hell with you. We will be going together with you Rui, even if it's hell." His parents boldly responded as the actual morals and reasoning as to why his parents tried to kill him were there.
"I'd already become a demon and killed someone… They both were willing to kill me, just so that we all could have gone to hell together… Fate had already given the damage, and there was no room for redemption at that point… For them to do that… It's heartening… To think that I'm feeling the real bonds I've been missing for so long… I miss this so much…" Rui thought to himself, as his sobbing continued.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Rui sobbed as he hugged his parents. But through it all, his parents never once looked at him, blaming him or looking disgusted at him.
Instead, they all hugged him.
How he missed the hug of his parents…
How he missed the feeling of love… and the realization that he was now connected to the bonds of his family, creating a larger thread similar to a spider's webs…
"Everything was my fault… I'm sorry for making you all have to do this…" Rui cried as he eventually sighed, and looked down.
As Rui continued to say sorry, considering the last thing he saw was the saddened look of Tanjirou.
As Tanjirou looked at Rui's disintegrating head, he merely looked down.
"I can tell from his scent that he was indeed loved by his family, but that it was ruined by him becoming a demon…" Tanjirou sighed.
He then placed a hand on his head, patting it, as the final remnant.
He then began to sing a song for Rui. The voice sounded full of care, giving Rui a sort of sibling-like field to it. And yet, it also showed somewhat of a tired individual. Someone, who despite being so tired, still had the determination of a brother.
He sang, allowing the soft lullaby to enshroud Rui as he disintegrated completely, allowing him to leave the earth in peace.
Rui hugged his parents, sobbing as they were engulfed by the flames of hell.
And through it all, Tanjirou stayed there, with nobody but his sister, Nezuko. He felt the thank you from Rui, with the knowledge oknowing that Rui was at least going with parents who would do anything for him.
Even if they committed something terrible to Rui, they had a virtuous reason.
As Tanjirou stayed there, looking down, he stood there with his sister, with the notion that, unlike Rui, his parents were terrible people, abusing him, demoralizing him, ostracizing him, and forcing him to commit things he never wanted to do.
He stayed there with his eyes closed, realizing that he would never have parents who loved him and truly wanted the best for him. He'd never had parents who wanted to see the best in him, nor parents who saw worth in him, despite the flaws he may have had.
"Why… Why was Rui born with such problems, and still loved by his parents, but I was only seeing as a failure…" Tanjirou looked down, with a haunting realization that he had truly gotten the worst when it came to his parents.
But through it all, at least he had Nezuko. At least he had someone there to help him and someone that he could call family.
And through it all, and the failures, he would do everything in his power to protect Nezuko when necessary.
Which unfortunately seemed to be now.
Quickly realizing that he would never have the life nor experience of having a comfortable family, and loving parents who would show compassion and love to him, the sad reality of the fact he had parents who really looked down on him, to the point of actively abusing him was threatening to make Tanjirou cry.
It was times like these that made Tanjirou yearn for a caring parental figure. The closest one he and Nezuko ever had was Urokodaki, but he too was gone, potentially leaving Giyu, who was a big brother to them.
In the end, Tanjirou mourned rather than celebrated defeating a monumental figure such as Lower Five.
However, even then, it wasn't the same.
And throughout this all, Tanjirou immediately got up, and looked at the butterfly girl, as if realizing now the situation they were in.
His mind was panicking, and the truth began to hit him hard, and reality settled in, for both he and Nezuko had unfortunately failed to heed the warning everyone had given them.
They had both exposed themselves to a demon slayer.
"Nezuko, we need to run," Tanjirou explained.
However, Nezuko, who had closed her eyes, merely looked on with a sly expression. "And why is that?" she asked, as Tanjirou could hear a bit of teasing going on in her voice. "Is it because this girl is too pretty?"
Tanjirou quickly turned to Nezuko very confused about how she had assumed and gotten to that conclusion. While he would usually wipe the sly grin off his sister's face, he knew there were more pressing concerns to deal with at the moment.
For now, they had to find a way to escape before other demon slayers tried to kill them.
"Nezuko, this is serious. Pretty or not, this is a demon slayer, and we have been discovered." Tanjirou focused on that fact, which seemed to catch Nezuko's attention.
"Uh oh… What do we do?" Nezuko asked.
Tanjirou immediately eyed Kanao, not out of what Nezuko suspected to be nervousness, but of skepticism.
He was assuming the worst.
But Kanao was sitting there the entire time, eying the two demons with intrigue.
Especially since she was always told two different views and images of demons. The first one was from Kanae, her eldest sister.
She always held demons out to be tragic creatures. Once humans were bestowed a tragic fate, they were sad creatures that, while wanting to be able to be treated the same, ultimately couldn't, for they needed and would eventually crave humans.
She was empathetic and believed that if there was ever a way for a demon to never have to consume humans, then they would easily be acceptable and live alongside them.
The other, was by her middle sister, Shinobu. Shinobu had a darker perspective of demons. She seemed to have a more apathetic tone towards the demon. She thought they were malicious, wanting to bring as much destruction and harm to everyone.
She thought demons were terrible, and thus were a parasite to the world.
But with that came intrigue for experiments. Shinobu was a proficient experimenter, wanting to analyze and understand why demons were so maniacal. This made for her being into the whole poison and the stuff related.
She was into research, specifically about demons.
If Kanae was here and seeing this, she would be ecstatic to see the demons who've not only saved her but also seemingly seem very pure in their overall appearance. But even Kanao knew to be skeptical since demons could manipulate others well.
As for if Shinobu was here, the demons would probably either be dead or suffering a terrible death at the hands of wisteria.
But this caused a bit of an enigma to form in Kanao's mind.
"Should I follow Kanae's view, or Shinobu's…" Kanao thought to herself as she eyed the two.
She saw how the boy's face immediately rose in fear, as he immediately turned to the girl, his sister, in seriousness.
They weren't speaking, at least by voice, but seeing the two remain still made Kanao think they were somehow.
"Are they speaking in a way for only those two to understand?" She asked in curiosity before she calmly walked to them. She wanted to see what would happen.
Almost in response to that, the boy immediately pushed the girl behind him and brought out his blade, a seven-branched blade that was unusual amongst any within the demon slayer corps. Not once has she ever seen a nichirin weapon of that caliber that other demon slayers would use.
"Well, that rules out the idea that they obtained that weapon from a fallen demon slayer… But if that's the case, they must have gotten that from the corps, considering the materials are exclusive to that…" Kanao thought as she eyed the two suspiciously and curiously.
She truly had found two demons that, while she would quickly kill, were an oddity.
Perhaps she should wait to see what someone else would want them to do.
"Regardless, I was always told by my masters that seeing a demon either meant slaying them, or to be killed." Kanao sighed, and although she felt her hand go to her blade.
But even then, she felt something strange. Especially when the boy tried to speak to her.
"You probably won't believe me, but I'm telling the truth when I say we are a part of the demon slayer corps…" The boy explained, clearly trying to be diplomatic. "We have never eaten a single human, nor shown any desires. We have different ways to survive. Heck, even the master knows us!"
This caused Kanao to stop a bit.
Usually, she wouldn't care, but her vision was among the best.
She could see whether someone was lying or not.
"This boy… He's not lying… But how? Even Kanae admitted that demons cannot survive without human flesh…" Kanao thought to herself.
Coupled with the fact that the two had saved her from the Lower Five, it made Kanao seriously consider what her mind and heart wanted. Not to mention the boy was the one who saved Kanae from Upper Two and survived miraculously.
But something was brewing inside of Kanao. But she wasn't sure what it was. She could have sworn she was feeling her chest aching a bit, with a bit of conflicted opinions.
"My heart…?" Kanao thought to herself. "Why is my heart telling me something different… What do I do?" She asked, as she was having a mental dilemma. "I've never experienced this before…"
The boy seemed to be able to detect the conflicted mind of the individual, and he nervously asked, "Are you having some trouble?" Tanjiro asked cautiously before Kanao continued to ponder.
She immediately turned to the coin, "Heads I fight, tails I do nothing."
The coin landed heads.
She sighed, and immediately re-sheathed her blade.
The boy seemed to have a look of betrayal before he sighed and lowered his blade.
"I don't mean any harm to a human… I'm just as spiteful to the demon race as everyone in the corps. Even though we're demons, we fight for you… I don't know how else I could provide evidence other than assisting you in slaying Lower Five…" The boy looked down, seeming sincere about what he was saying.
But his hands clenched as he raised his head and blade back. "But if I must fight to defend myself and what is left I have to care for and cherish, then I will fight to be the first dead."
With that, Tanjirou eyed Kanao intently, as the two seemed to be about to stare down.
All the while, Kanao struggled with her mind.
"I'm so conflicted… What would Kanae do and Shinobu? They both would do different things!" She thought as she looked at her coin, "But I flipped the coin, I did what Kanae would want me to do, so then why do I not want to fight these demons… Why is something telling me that these two are different…" She thought.
"Even using my head, it doesn't add up how they got a nichirin weapon other than by the approval of the master himself…" She thought as she eyed Tanjirou and Nezuko as if they were supernatural beings not meant to exist.
"Why… Am I so incapable that I can't follow even my coin anymore…?" She asked.
Tanjirou saw the conflicted state Kanao was in, and he continued to try and diplomatically and peacefully resolve anything that they had regarding a misunderstanding.
But Kanao was too quiet, and Tanjiro was too closed off. Even if he was the one speaking, he still held the morals of death and fighting.
But the message was clear: If he had to fight, he'd fight to the death. But he will always prioritize peace over that.
"Brother, we should take this time to run." Nezuko proposed, but Tanjirou stopped her.
"No, this girl is clearly conflicted for some reason on what to do with us… If we run, we may cause her to attack us." Tanjirou explained, warning his sister, as he lowered his blade, but still kept it out.
"What do you want me to do, then?" Nezuko asked.
Tanjirou had to think.
He had to do something. But he knew that fighting this girl was not optimal. Not only because he could be seen as a bad demon for harming someone, but also because it could send the wrong message. If they run and get caught, this could be a problem.
But even then, Tanjirou did tell himself he would sacrifice himself for Nezuko.
"Is this the time for me to serve my purpose?" Tanjirou asked with realization, as he had an idea emerge in his head.
But Nezuko might be distraught. She might oppose and choose to stay, causing her to potentially get killed.
And he couldn't allow that. Otherwise, he would fail as an older brother, something he couldn't do once again.
"So useless, so worthless. When can I be useful and valuable!" Tanjirou growled in his mind before he recklessly decided.
"Nezuko, go. Run, I'll keep her back." Tanjirou abruptly spoke, a serious tone on his face.
"B-Brother, no-" Nezuko mumbled.
"We're monsters, Nezuko. We won't be accepted by demon slayers. Not now, not ever. The best I can do right now is give you time to run. Go back to Lady Tamayo's and live your life there. I'll hold them off." Tanjirou explained.
"Brother, no! I won't leave you behind!" Nezuko exclaimed.
"You will!" Tanjirou yelled, very uncharacteristically, as the stress was accumulating. "Right now, I swore to use my useless life to protect you. I'm nothing! You are crucial for this and I don't want you dying right here. So run!"
Nezuko herself now looked conflicted as she was deciding what to do.
"Go!" Tanjirou motioned for his sister to go, and almost immediately the girl acted.
Kanao noted and saw the conflicted look the girl was giving her brother, when he turned to motion her to run, she saw exactly what they were planning.
She immediately jumped out and kicked out.
The boy immediately noticed this and got between her and the girl, taking the kick to the chest, causing him to groan and fall back.
He seemed shocked at the strength the kick held, but he calmed himself. To Kanao's eyes, the scar? Birthmark? The now flaming mark on the boy's forehead quickly extended below, with new ones coming out of his chin.
As Kanao saw the red eyes of the boy turn to cat slits, even then could see the regret in the boy's eyes, the despair, and the hesitance.
"Is he having the same conflicting opinions as me…?" She asked herself. Even if she told herself to fight, she still had something gnawing at the back of her mind, or heart, telling her to stop.
Regardless, the coin spoke, and she would follow that.
The boy, instead of attacking them, allowed white, shining threads to come between him and his sister.
Blood Demon Art: Blazing Tethers
Instead of attacking her, he had summoned the threads similar to Lower Five, and in his own fashion, used the exact threads to ignite into flames, before separating him and his sister.
"Go! Run!" Tanjirou called out to Nezuko who immediately shook her head.
"No! I'm not leaving you alone! Not ever again!" She cried. "Every day, I always had to watch you be alone, being ostracized because of your lack of progress! Every day I always had to watch you get hurt, and get punished beyond what anyone should feel! I always had to hear our siblings talk about how much of a bad omen you were! I always had to hear the painful sounds of wheezing from you as you tried your best! I always had to watch you suffer, without me being able to do anything to help you! Now, I can! I can help you! I can fight alongside you! You don't need to protect me anymore, brother. We're sticking together! We're going home together! We'll either become humans together, or we die together!"
Tanjirou's eyes widened at that, as despite this, the flames of his threads continued to ignite to life. He didn't know what to do now.
"I can't fail you again, Nezuko. I've already failed this family for being so useless… I couldn't keep up even though I was the oldest… If anything, it made sense for me to take most and the worst of the abuse, since I at least made you all stay away from it… But even then, I was useless…" Tanjirou sighed.
"Stop saying that!" Nezuko teared up, "You're the best brother I could have asked for! You protected us! You protected the younger siblings! You've always been valuable! You've always had a purpose!"
"I never did! I was always looked down upon by others! Everyone always said I was weak and worthless! Everyone is expecting so much from me, and I'm so incapable of committing to it!" Tanjirou yelled out.
"Why do you care so much about what the world wants from you?!" Nezuko asked, "Couldn't you be satisfied with what you find yourself capable of?"
Tanjirou looked up, his face showing tiredness of emotions, a burnout of emotions, "Because I always got punished… I failed at my job, so everyone else died… I failed at progressing, I got beaten. I do one thing right, and I get praise… The world is what determines your worth, Nezuko." Tanjirou explained.
"That's not true… There are such things as doing them for your own satisfaction and desires… I've seen it… You've always done things that other people request, but when it comes to something you want to do, you neglect it for the betterment of others… Why do you care so much for others, over yourself…?" Nezuko sobbed.
As Tanjirou and Nezuko continued to have this conversation, Kanao eyed the boy.
"Why didn't he use the demon art to strike me?" She asked, as she instead continued to engage with the boy.
She struck out to see what the boy would do…
He did nothing.
His eyes showed a lack of fear, a lack of malicious intent, a lack of… anything.
It was almost as if she was seeing a statue.
"Is this another demon art? What is he doing?" Kanao asked. But the boy didn't care. Even when she slashed and stabbed at his torso, he did nothing. Only when she aimed her blade to decapitate Tanjirou, did he react, and even then, he only moved to get out of the blade's trajectory.
The girl behind the flames seemed to be very distressed, as instead of running like the boy wanted, she attacked the boy's blood demon art.
Blood Demon Art: Hematoid Torrent Style
Blood Water Technique, First Form: Crimson Riptide Slash
The girl grabbed her blade, and with her own blood demon art, seemed to have used a red water technique, involving a single surging release of a horizontal strike, mimicking the quick tide and path of water.
The threads disintegrated at the strike, as the blood of the girl, engulfed in a reddish hue, spread to the threads of the boy, causing them to disintegrate completely.
The boy's eyes came back to the realization of what the girl had done. She had chosen to risk death with her brother rather than run.
Kanao sighed, seeing as she continued to strike.
But the boy never once chose to even strike back. If Kanao slashed and stabbed him, he took it without any form of pain showing. He showed no semblance of pain.
The girl, if anything, was the one to fight, which immediately got the boy to act, instead of trying to grab the girl back.
Kanao could see that these two were interesting demons.
And through it all, was still the words of what the boy had told her, how they've never eaten humans, and have been taken in, to the point that even the master knew about.
This acted as a cascade of effects that ultimately led to the words of her eldest sister speaking to Kanao.
"It's alright Kanao… it's alright… Even if I understand your intentions on what you think personally against demons, I would appreciate it if you understood my own intentions… I do believe that one of these days, we will come across a demon who has never harmed a human, a demon who never wants to… A demon who wants to live alongside other humans… If I ever meet such a demon, I'll gladly give them my cherished love until I die…" Kanae's voice echoed in Kanao's mind, as her eyes clearly looked at Tanjirou's eyes, which showed truth and purity, albeit a lot of pain and trauma. Also, guilt? Uncertainty? There was a lot to unpack.
While the purity and eyes Tanjirou held included some form of pain, they still held firm throughout the entire time.
"This demon does seem to fit the bill for what she wants…" Kanao thought to herself, as her body shook, as if something was telling her not to hurt this boy anymore.
"Demons are tragic, hopeless creatures, Kanao… Someday, or one day, peace will come. And when that happens, we must all be prepared, to welcome those wanting to, with open arms." Kanae's voice continued to echo into Kanao's mind.
For Kanao, she now realized why she was hesitating.
"It's because of what Kanae wanted…" She mumbled before she finally lowered her weapon. "I can't do it… I'm still the same indecisive person I always was…"
She sighed. The demon boy, who was sliced by Kanao, but not once booted an eye towards her, finally reacted and sadly smiled. He panted, clearly holding in the pain finally leaning forward, his arms on the ground to hold himself up.
"Thank you…" He sighed, as he finally grunted, allowing himself to show the pain of the injuries he had sustained.
But there was still one issue remaining.
What was she to do with these two demons?
The sound of Giyu made her sigh, knowing the responsibility of these two strange demons was no longer hers. She could just follow the move of someone else.
"Tanjirou… Nezuko…" Giyu immediately went over to the two, whose eyes shined when they noticed the water pillar.
"It's good to see you again, Tomioka." Tanjirou bowed his head, albeit with a bit of struggle, which immediately made Kanao confused.
"Is Tomioka, the master they were referring to?" Kanao asked as she came to the realization that Hashira was holding onto demons. But considering the two demons seemed genuine and trustworthy in their statement of never once harming a human, it made Kanao question everything she thought about demons, and whether Giyu violated the demon corps rules.
"Are you alright, Tsuyuri?" Giyu asked, turning to Shinobu and Kanae's younger disciple.
Kanao nodded a bit nervously, clearly knowing she had to be careful with her words and what Giyu would ask her.
"Did these two hurt you?" He asked once again. When Kanao shook her head, no, Giyu sighed as he turned to face the demon siblings.
"Good job, Tanjirou and Nezuko." Giyu gave the two a nod of appreciation and approval, causing the two to sigh.
"What demon were you all fighting?" Giyu then asked.
"Lower Five." Kanao answered, and immediately Giyu was shocked.
"You three fought a twelfth kizuki…?" He asked, in disbelief, his eyes widened.
"Yes… We did… Nezuko and I found her struggling against the demon, so we interfered and helped her kill it." Tanjirou explained.
"I see. I hope what you two and what Tsuyuri tell me are consistent because the story for explaining how Lower Five's death came will be looked at closely." Giyu sighed, "To think there were two lower moons on the same mountain, killing countless of demon slayers… No wonder many mizunoto's were struggling."
With that, he immediately leaned toward the two demons, who immediately reverted back to their human characteristics. To Kanao, at least for the boy, he really seemed like a human.
"You two will need to head out now. Demon slayers trained by the Hashira are arriving, and unless you both want to find yourself on the opposite end, you better move." Giyu explained. "But you did a good job protecting her. I'm pretty sure two people will be happy about that."
Giyu sighed, "Did your masks get broken again?"
Tanjirou and Nezuko nodded. "Are you sure the demon slayers won't accept us?" Tanjirou asked. He knew the answer, but perhaps there was the smallest chance that the unexpected could happen.
"Yes, I'm sure. Even if Okayata-sama gave you two the green light, we cannot risk your presence being revealed yet, especially to the Hashira." Giyu explained.
"I guess we'll be on our way then." Tanjirou sighed before he then realized. "Oh, right. We found him."
"What?" Giyu asked himself before he asked in person, "Who?"
"Kibutsuji Muzan! In Asakusa! We found him and tried to fight him for a bit, but he did beat us down. We did put up a good fight though." Tanjirou sighed, but there was a small hint of hope. He had laid damage onto the demon king. He could kill him if he kept trying and progressing.
Giyu's mind was at a standstill from the shock of what he was told.
"Both of them found him? They found, fought, and survived against the demon king?! How…?" Giyu asked himself.
"How did you survive a fight with him?" Giyu asked.
Tanjirou sighed clearly trying to think, "I don't know… He struck me down, but he ran away instead of continuing to fight us." Tanjirou explained.
"I guess I'll have to tell Okayata-sama about this…"
"About me and Nezuko? Or about Muzan?" Tanjirou asked.
However, just as Tanjirou was going to continue asking, he suddenly smelt something that made his nose burn.
Shinobu
"Such a shame…" She sighed, "Another demon scum like you, hurting and killing others in gruesome ways." She turned to face the daughter spider demon with an angered expression.
The daughter for her part looked somewhat panicked to have run into another slayer, and so she quickly made up a fabricated story to justify her actions.
"I-I've been forced to do this! Else I'll get abused!" The daughter exclaimed as she tried to cry to be smooth with it.
"How many humans have you killed?" Shinobu asked, clearly wanting answers, and not putting up with any façade. She wanted to kill this demon according to the punishment she deserved.
"O-Only five! But I had to! Else I would suffer and be left out to burn and rot in the sun!" The daughter exclaimed in panic.
"Is that so?" Shinobu asked, skepticism clear in her facial expression.
"Yes! They were under orders!" She added to try to create an illusion of a story.
"Well, I know for sure that is a lie." Shinobu's face turned to more of an angrier one, "Because I've counted eighty cocoons within these trees. Almost, if not every single one of those cocoons has human captives, dead and liquidified."
"I-I didn't kill them! I at the most had a part to do with them, but never directly!" The daughter countered back with more excuses, and Shinobu had enough.
"Shut up." She said at last, which had the correct effect of shutting the daughter up.
"You've killed countless humans. In one area, I've counted fourteen cocoons. Regardless, there is an inconsistent amount of humans you've killed and what you've told me." Shinobu explained. "I'll give you the appropriate punishment, especially since you've lied."
The daughter's eyes widened before she realized that the façade was up. She would have to fight.
"Damnit, just die then!" The daughter demon exclaimed in rage and fear as she lashed her threads towards Shinobu.
Blood Demon Art: Acid Silk Manipulation
The daughter demon quickly tried to wrap Shinobu into her silk, with the intention of trapping her into a cocoon and acidifying it to liquify her, but Shinobu was just too quick.
Insect Breathing, Butterfly Dance: Caprice
Shinobu leaped high into the air, twirling her own blade around, as the flutter of butterflies enshrouded her. Too fast for the eyes can see, Shinobu struck the daughter demon, before tumbling forward, getting up to face the demon.
The daughter demon quickly felt her head still intact with her body, and the injuries she sustained were to her chest, arm, shoulder, and forehead area.
"Wait, she didn't slice my head off? She doesn't have a blade meant to decapitate me… Does that mean that this demon slayer cannot kill me?" The daughter demon thought as she felt a surge of confidence hit her, "I can perhaps get through this alive!"
However, just as that moment occurs, she realizes that the cuts the demon made to her were not regenerating. If anything, they were getting worse.
"W-What…" She mumbled as her head began to ache, her entire body convulsing before she fell.
"W-W-What…." She tried to ask the girl what she did to her but failed.
"Oh, silly me… I forgot to mention I taint my blade with different poisons. Since you've killed countless humans, I only gave you a painful one. Have fun dying." Shinobu smirked as she watched the daughter demon die in front of her eyes.
The daughter demon eventually ceased movement, her eyes dilated and unmoving, her skin having countless purple blotches, all the while blood seeped through countless areas of her body.
Her life ended with a whimper, more than a bang, as she died a pathetic death in the end.
"Well, that's finished. It was time to find out where and what Tomioka found."
She talked to herself, as she made her way up.
That was when she saw something interesting.
As for Tanjirou speaking to Giyu, he immediately smelt something problematic.
"W-What is that terrible smell?" Tanjirou asked before his entire body shook at the idea off before he blocked whatever was charging towards him.
The sounds of two blades clanging made Tanjirou realize it was a blade, specifically Shinobu's. The insect lady.
Immediately, Tanjirou recoiled at the smell of the blade.
"T-That smell, it's wisteria!" Tanjirou exclaimed, realizing he couldn't afford to be struck by her, for that matter, since he would die if he tried to.
"Ara-ara~, this is a surprise, Tomioka; why haven't you protected or saved Kanao yet?" Shinobu asked, clearly seeing the two demons as a threat to her.
Giyu immediately sighed, "They are not normal demons. They have been exempt from the master himself."
"How so? You know, Tomioka, this is what I'm seeing. A demon protected both you and another demon?" Shinobu explained.
"It is exactly what you see. But for the time being, a long story will explain why these demons are important to me and us now."
"Is that so? Weren't you the one who said demons and humans couldn't stand?" Shinobu asked, clearly confused and skeptical of Giyu now.
Giyu instead gave her a firm look, "I said, not when they hurt and kill humans." Giyu corrected Shinobu, who rolled her eyes.
"That doesn't make a difference. What I see here is two demons being close to Tomioka." Shinobu pointed her blade at Tanjirou, who proceeded to cover his nose as his eyes got red.
Shinobu could immediately tell this demon, or demons was somewhat strange.
No demon in their right mind, unless the most collected, would be considerate enough to back down and keep their guard up around Shinobu.
Most would lower their guard after seeing her stature and supposed weakness. Not many demons saw her as a threat, ironically helping her slay the demon as a result.
But these two reacted strongly to Wisteria and were smart enough to keep their guard around her.
"That's odd; I've never seen a demon act like that before to my blade. Usually, they never realize it's covered in wisteria until it's too late." Shinobu thought to herself as Giyu got up. "It's almost like they are aware of their mortality, unlike some demons who wait until they get into that situation."
"My apologies, Kocho, but I cannot let you kill these demons; I won't let you." Giyu firmly told Shinobu, who smiled.
"Well, to expect Giyu Tomioka, out of all people, to be working with demons, that's a surprise." Shinobu held some malice in her tone.
But she did realize another thing. "Do I know them? I feel like I recognize one of the demons, specifically the boy." Shinobu thought.
However, to her shock, her mind was moved past that, as Giyu chuckled. Rather quiet but audible, it was a foreign sound that came from Giyu. It wasn't a noise meant to come out of Giyu's mouth, Shinobu thought.
Nonetheless, it surprised Shinobu so much that the thought of the two demons went straight out of her mind,
A laugh from Giyu. Shinobu had never expected that, nor even thought it was something that could come out of Giyu's own mouth.
"I could say the same thing about you, Shinobu Kocho," Giyu responded to Shinobu, who flinched a bit when Giyu used her full name.
"Why is he talking like that, all of a sudden?" Shinobu thought.
"Ara-ara, are you accusing me of being associated with demons?" Shinobu teased, "You got to have quite the evidence to lay down such a claim."
Shinobu took out her blade with the intention of eliminating Tanjirou and Nezuko, but Giyu stepped in front of them.
"Don't make me do this, Kocho," Giyu explained bluntly, but Shinobu was not having it.
"Well then, I'll g-" She never got a chance to finish, as Giyu had grabbed hold of Shinobu, holding her.
She made a noise of shock before she angrily yelled at Giyu. "Can you let go of me?!"
"You'll just not listen to me if I do. So let me explain." Giyu quickly commented.
"Do the names of Tamayo and Yushiro ring a bell to you? If they don't, then perhaps I can ask your elder sister instead. Lord knows how terrible she is at lying." Giyu smugly added, "Seems the both of you have been hiding something from everyone the entire time."
Almost immediately, Shinobu stared at Giyu with pure seriousness. On the inside, she was freaking out.
"He knows…" That was the only thing going through Shinobu's mind right now. Somehow, Giyu had managed to find out all about the two demons. He found them out and was now using them against her to try and keep herself quiet about his own demon's companions.
If that was the case, why didn't he report this to the rest of the demon slayers? Sure, he wasn't talked to, but anything a Hashira brings up is always crucial. Why didn't Giyu open up if he knew about this?
The only logical explanation was the two demons right beside Giyu.
"I told Okayata-sama." Shinobu explained.
"Wrong." Giyu answered for her, "It was your sister who told the master, you aren't the type to be so open about the smallest of things to people."
Shinobu lowered her head, "I guess you caught me… To think you out of all people would count my bluff. But does the master know about these two?" She asked, regarding Tanjirou and Nezuko.
"He does. He was even there himself to crown Tanjirou and Nezuko to become official demon slayers. Tanjirou is also the masked slayer who saved your elder sister from Upper Two." Giyu explained.
"So… they were the masked slayers all this time…" Shinobu mumbled.
"Yes, and they have quite the record and portfolio when it comes to slaying and killing other demons. These include some in the final selection and through missions. Both Okayata-sama, Urokodaki and I all gave them conditions for them to slay demons." Giyu confirmed.
At this, Shinobu's eyes wandered to the two demons, especially the cut masks on the ground. The demons who apparently assisted Kanao in slaying a lower moon.
"Lower Moon Five, huh?" Shinobu thought. Even if she assumed these demons were bad, the sheer fact they defeated a member of the Twelve Kizuki was a feat of its own. That already met the requirements of being a Hashira, or at least a candidate.
Sort of like her…
Despite this, she ultimately knew they wouldn't be accepted. There was just no way.
Even if Kagaya himself was the one who accepted them.
"For the record, it was Okayata-sama himself who recommended Tanjirou and Nezuko to meet with Yushiro and Tamayo," Giyu revealed that information, causing Shinobu's eyes to widen.
"So… I guess you know everything…" Shinobu mumbled, "Can't believe you out all people would find out before everyone else…"
"Yes." Giyu confirmed, before explaining, "Seems we both have a similar secret when it comes to demon allies from the rest of the Hashira. Despite the master's approval, it is ultimately a risk to tell the other pillars, for we may be seen as traitors. "Giyu explained more, and Shinobu nodded.
"Well… What will we do with the two of them, as she stares at the cut masks?
"Say you, boy." Shinobu pointed to Tanjirou.
"Me?" The burgundy-haired boy asked, and here, she noticed the flame-like marks on the boy's face.
"What are those marks on his face? The girl has them, but seems to be vine-like." Shinobu analyzed and thought before she continued her question.
"Were you at the final selection when it burned down? Did you fight any notable demons?" Shinobu asked.
"Yes." Tanjirou nodded, "The two of us were given the chance to become demon slayers if we managed to slay specific demons."
"No, I mean any strong demons you faced? And you felt you couldn't defeat?" Shinobu emphasized, and Tanjirou's eyes widened.
"Oh yeah, there was. This demon had ice-like abilities and tried to like, damage my lungs with them. I think he eventually got me, and he eventually blew me away with some weird ice move, but at least I managed to save that girl." Tanjirou explained. But as he looked at Shinobu, his eyes widened, in realization.
"The girl I saved, back at Final Selection, wore two butterfly clips. The girl I saved just now also has one… This girl has a butterfly clip as well… I think I get it…" Tanjirou thought.
"Wait, are you and that girl, and this girl? "He pointed to Kanao, "Sisters? Now that I think about it, you all smell very similar…" Tanjirou mumbled.
At this, Shinobu recoiled.
"The boy has a very good sense of smell like my teacher…" Giyu looked down a bit, remembering Urokodaki, but he continued, "His smelling capabilities are shocking in their accuracy."
Shinobu eyed the two demons, and ultimately knew, that these two were demons that were important, especially if Kagaya gave them the green light.
While it seemed that neither of the five individuals facing them all weren't sure what to do, Giyu eventually sighed.
"Do you think the two of you could find refuge with Tamayo?" Giyu asked.
Tanjirou shook his head.
"Why is that?"
Tanjirou sighed, "Once we met Tamayo, she and Yushiro were under the threat of Muzan. Apparently, he sent some demons after us that detected our trails. We can't risk going to see them if it risks their place of solitude."
"I guess that makes sense…"
Giyu then spoke something that surprised everyone. "These two are my tsuguko's, and with the approval of Okayata-sama."
"This is a surprise… So these two are the demons they all are supporting." Shinobu thought before she turned to Kanao.
"Kanao, have these demons done anything to harm you?" Shinobu asked, wanting to hear what she thought.
Kanao looked rather conflicted to explain.
"Kanao, are you alright, these demons didn't do anything to you did they?" Shinobu asked, trying to calm Kanao down.
"I've never seen Kanao act like this before… What happened?" She asked.
Her hands were shaking, as she seemed incredibly conflicted regarding what to do. She was trying to reach for her coin, but seeing as Shinobu and Kanae had completely differing views, she wasn't sure what to do.
"N-No, they saved me from the demon… They helped me fight them…" Kanao explained, at last, at least giving Shinobu some semblance of what happened.
As Shinobu sighed, "Thank god you are alright…" She immediately hugged Kanao, "When you get back to the mansion, make sure you get your wounds treated, and make sure to rest for a while."
Kanao nodded, as she looked towards the two demons. "Sister…"
"Yes, Kanao?" Shinobu asked Kanao. "What is it?"
"For these demons, should I go with what you or big sister wanted?" Kanao asked.
"Wait? What do you mean, Kanao?" Shinobu asked, incredibly confused at what Kanao was referring to.
"Big sister always said to welcome those demons who've never eaten humans, but you always tell me to slay demons regardless of what they are... Those two are demons who've never eaten humans, and not once did he tell a lie. Even when I was hurting the boy, he didn't retaliate… He didn't want to hurt me. And the girl only wanted to protect him." Kanao explained, and it was here that Shinobu realized the conflicting mind Kanao was going through.
The only time she was to use her own coin was whenever neither Shinobu nor Kanae were here. But, she would openly do whatever her sisters told her.
But in this case, she was being told two completely, two conflicted things. She didn't know what to do, because she couldn't overlap what Kanae and Shinobu were telling her what to do.
"No wonder she was struggling…" Shinobu pondered before she sighed.
"Honestly, Kanao, even I don't know what to do… These demons clearly aren't normal…" She mumbled, staring at Tanjirou and Nezuko.
She saw the protective aura Tanjirou was showing off, which was indeed towards Nezuko, and Giyu.
The fact that a demon wanted to protect another demon and human spoke volumes, and through it all, he wasn't showing any semblance of wanting to consume humans.
In fact, Shinobu could tell the two demons were exhausted. Fighting against a Lower Five was not something anyone could just effortlessly perform, especially lower-ranked and newer demon slayers.
If Tanjirou and Nezuko were becoming demon slayers around the same time Kanao had become one, their progress was outstanding.
Giyu sighed, "Are you going to come back to the Master's estate, or will you run?"
Tanjirou sighed, "Perhaps it's best we bite the hurdle now…"
This made Shinobu intrigued. This demon was openly walking towards a death sentence.
"Are you sure, you'll probably get hurt?" Giyu explained.
"If it means Nezuko remains fine, then I'll do it. Besides, I already got a sneak peek from your little sister." Tanjirou motioned to Kanao, who still looked conflicted.
"Well, then le-" Before Tanjirou could take the first boot and head towards his certain deathbed, a crow had quickly come.
A Kasugai crow.
"Caw!" The crow squawked, "The demon slayers are to apprehend and take Tanjirou Kamado and Nezuko Kamado to the Ubuyashiki Estate! Caw! Tanjirou is a demon with burgundy red hair, a mark on his forehead, and rather long, shoulder-length hair! Nezuko is a demon with orange pink and brown hair, with a pink haori! She has vine marks across her arms and legs! They are to be taken into custody! Caw!"
"Caw! These two demons are not a threat to any demon slayer! If spotted, send them to the Ubuyashiki estate immediately!"
Almost immediately, the demon slayers knew what to do now.
"Looks like the master's already gotten something planned," Giyu explained and sighed before he grabbed and piggybacked the now-sleeping Nezuko on her back.
Kanao and Shinobu assisted in grabbing Tanjirou, but he insisted he could walk. However, that was until the kakushi tied him and blindfolded him for safety precautions, despite the order from Kagaya that the two demons were not a threat.
A.N / So a rather more canonical approach considering in the other story, I had Tanjirou and Nezuko meeting the Hashira after the Mugen Train Arc. This time, we'll stick a bit closer to the canon route, as I think this will give us enough time to strengthen and polish the relationship building between Tanjirou, Nezuko, and the others especially since individuals like Zenitsu, Genya, Kanao, and Inosuke all have some form of intrigue and interest in the two. For the time being, we'll see what the meeting holds for the next chapter.
As for Shinobu, her personality is a bit different from the canon. The main difference now that we kept Kanae alive was that Shinobu's personality didn't undergo the change canonically. For the time being, her personality is a mix of her older one, and the canon one. So, she still has her rather usual personality, but she does also show high admiration for her elder sister, especially after the two near-death experiences Kanae suffered, whilst also still being a bit hot-headed and not hiding a smile, because the main reason Shinobu hid her expressions behind a smile was because of Kanae's death.
Also, I tried my own spin on Rui's backstory, so sorry if it doesn't seem proper, it was rather difficult. For the time being, let's explain Tanjirou and Nezuko's blood demon art in a bit more detail.
Character Profile:
Tanjirou Kamado: Male, 14 years old
Status: Alive, Demon
Height: 5'5" (165cm) - 5'10", or 177cm in demon form.
Weight: 140Ibs - 144Ibs in demon form.
Nezuko Kamado: Female, 13 years old
Status: Alive, Demon
Height: 5'2" (157cm) - 5'5", or 165cm in demon form.
Weight: 122Ibs - 130Ibs in demon form.
Kanao Tsuyuri: Female, 16 years old
Status: Alive, Female
Height: 5'2" (157cm)
Weight: 112Ibs
Giyu Tomioka: Male, 19 years old
Status: Alive, Human
Height: 5'10" (178cm)
Weight: 158Ibs
Shinobu Kocho: Female, 18 years old
Status: Alive, Human
Height: 5'0" (152cm)
Weight: 92Ibs
Abilities:
Shinobu Kocho:
Insect Breathing, Butterfly Dance: Caprice: The user here leaps high into the air to perform a single horizontal strike that strikes the opponent multiple times, injecting them with poison.
Tanjirou Kamado:
Blood Demon Art: Tanjirou's blood demon art involves multiple steps. First, Tanjirou must consume sufficient amounts of a demon with their blood demon art. This is the consumption part of the demon art, which can extend to certain parts of a demon's blood demon art itself. Whether it's inhaling or consuming one, Tanjirou will then be able to manipulate and create an altered version of the demon art. We've already seen examples of using Douma's blood demon art after he inhaled his demon art, or even Rui, the Mother Demon, Susamaru, and Yahaba.
Nezuko Kamado:
Blood Demon Art: Nezuko's blood demon art involves the mixed use of her own poisonous blood to other demons in her fighting style. This is different from the canon and is more similar to the Hinokami's Blessing I gave Tanjirou in the old story I had. The poisonous blood properties that once were on Tanjirou are now given to Nezuko. She can combine blood water, or water infused with her own blood to be able to weaken any demon she strikes. This causes her to develop a different form of water breathing altogether, which is more aggressive than water breathing.