The True Colors Of The Wind
Hello everyone and welcome to the latest chapter of Winds, Waves, And Chains! The Mt. Natagumo arc draws to a close this chapter and what a finish it's going to be with more than a couple of surprises. And speaking of surprises, I recently posted a new exclusive on my Pat reon! If you like the idea of Princess Ariel from Mushoku Tensei wielding the sacred gear, Incinerate Anthem, from Highschool DxD, then this intro to a possible future story is just right for you! And that brings us to a close on the announcements, so without further ado, on to the story!
Nighttime: Mt. Natagumo
It was a movement of pure reflex and instinct. As the blade of Mary's sword snapped off closer to the end of the weapon, she shifted her body to the right by the barest of margins. A cut went across her face before the lady slayer fell to the ground and rolled a few times, finally stopping after a few painful moments. "Dammit, how," the mother cursed upon seeing the condition of her weapon. She'd known for a long time it wasn't impossible for the blades to be broken but after cutting through a target that should've proven too much for her during training it was more than a little shocking to see it actually happen.
Jonathan wasn't far behind as he landed next to her, fresh cuts on his own body. 'What's going on here,' the swordswoman tried to gather herself, 'how can this guy's threads be tougher than the skin of that monster we couldn't cut all the way through earlier?' She dodged out of the way of his next attack before trying to get close, only to leap back and then evade side to side to avoid more of the thread's attacks. Jonathan was having an even harder time, trying to roll and jump to avoid the lethal strings.
'And he says he's holding back so he doesn't kill me too easily,' Mary took a labored breath, 'we need to figure a new approach out and fast.' "Well," the demon boy spoke up, "do you still refuse to take back what you said?"
"Don't mock my conviction," she narrowed her eyes, "I couldn't call myself a mother if I agreed to feed your delusion, so bring it on!"
"Very well," he whipped his arm. This time, the threads formed into two massive webs that came at the slayer like nets, incredibly fast lethal nets. 'Shit, I can't dodge around this!' Mary instinctively raised her sword in what she knew was a vain attempt to cut through deadly wires. The attack found a target then as blood went flying. But it wasn't her blood.
"JONATHAN!" The mother cried out as her son stood in front of her, having taken the brunt of the attack. Mary grabbed him as his body went limp and moved to the bushes nearby.
"That's not possible for a human," the spider girl, who'd been silently watching up to this point, spoke in surprise, "I thought he smelled strange. That woman's son, is a demon?" But the elder sister found she had another concern as she spotted the younger brother trembling.
"A demon," he breathed out, "woman! You said that boy was your son?"
"Yeah, what about it," Mary called from her hiding place while trying to reattach her son's nearly severed arm. 'Dammit, he's taken too much damage and used too much strength today, his healing ability is barely working.'
"I see, a son who wished to protect his mother, even after becoming a demon," the look in his eye was starting to become manic.
"R-Rui," the older sister glanced at him nervously.
"What they have is a genuine bond," the demon known as Rui declared loudly, "I want it!" This got Mary's attention as she noticed the desperate look in the demon girl's eyes.
"Wait a second Rui," she begged, "you can't just abandon your older sister! Haven't I played my role like you-."
"You," the demon boy raised his arm, "NEED TO BE SILENT!" He whipped his hand out once again, unleashing a thread meant to slice her down the middle. But that's when the sound of clanging metal met his ears, and his eyes widened. The elder sister fell back on the ground, staring in shock at the person between them.
"Hey, spider girl, what's your name," Mary asked without looking back, a fresh cut on her shoulder. The slayer had gotten lucky that the thread she'd cut was apparently weaker than the one that broke her sword, or maybe she was just that mad now.
"G-Gimiko," the white-haired girl answered hesitantly.
"That's a nice name," the mother nodded while resuming her stance.
"What do you think you're doing," Rui growled while pointing a finger at her.
"That's no way to treat your sister," Mary answered simply, "so I'm parenting."
"Don't be absurd," the spider boy scoffed, "elder sister is the role I gave her to play and she, like the others, has failed to live up to my expectations."
"That's the thing you don't get about family," the swordswoman barked, "a bond isn't about everyone fitting into whatever mold you choose for them. A bond forms when you learn to accept one another, find common ground, and develop a dynamic. That's why no two families are the same."
"And it is that dynamic I want," Rui held out his hand, "since you seem to care for that girl in addition to your own son, perhaps you'd be willing to listen to a proposition?"
"What sort of proposition would you have to give me at this point," Mary questioned while readjusting the grip on her weapon.
"You claim to know all about bonds, you even managed to form one with a demon," the spider boy began, "so I propose an exchange. Give me the one known as Jonathan."
"My son," the mother growled, "why do you want my son?"
"Because I was moved," Rui put a hand over his heart, "your bond is so strong that not only has your son fought by your side even after becoming a demon, he risked his very life to protect you. I don't think words alone can describe how it made me feel, seeing such a thing."
"And why would I agree to something like that," Mary scoffed.
"Surely you realize the situation you're in by now," her enemy chided, "all roads lead to your death tonight, except one." He held up a finger. "Hand over your son to me and take that failure of a sister with you. Do that, and I'll spare both your lives."
"And what do you plan on doing with my son?" Mary felt her anger building once again.
"He shall become my elder brother," Rui answered simply, "You see, he possesses the kind of bond I've been seeking."
"As if I'd actually agree to let you have my son after seeing the way you've treated other people you called family," the slayer spat.
"It is the bond of terror," the demon boy explained simply, "it'll be one stronger than even you have with him."
"Fat chance," Mary took a step forward, "my son's not the type to give into terror, he'll die before giving you what you want!"
"You think the bond of terror is so weak," Rui moved the hair covering his left eye, revealing the kanji for the number five, "I think you underestimate the power of one of the twelve Kizuki. I wonder how Jonathan will react when I kill you? With luck, his spirit will be appropriately broken. Or do you really think you can defeat me and rescue both of them?"
"As long as I'm still breathing, I won't stop trying to take your head," the lady slayer declared resolutely.
"That's the spirit," the spider demon suddenly whipped both of his hands around, manipulating his threads once again. Mary tensed, ready to move at a moment's notice until she realized they weren't coming towards her. Instead, a shadow appeared over her, causing the woman to look up and gasp in horror. "I think this should keep you properly motivated so that the fight will at least prove entertaining."
"JONATHAN!" Mary yelled, temporarily distraught at the sight of her son suspended in the air via thread around his limbs with blood still seeping from his wound. "LET HIM GO!" She rushed forward, dodging more attacks as they came closer and closer, even tearing into her haori. But amazingly, she made it within striking distance this time. Or at least she thought she did until Rui kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying back into a bush.
The swordswoman gasped in pain, but it was overridden by her anger as she leapt back up, only to be struck across the face by the demon boy suddenly appearing in front of her. She didn't fall over but she still stumbled a few feet away, coughing up a bit of blood. "You seem to believe getting close enough to me will guarantee your victory," Rui observed, "allow me to demonstrate how wrong that assumption is. Come and give me your best shot."
Mary snarled and swung, missing the first couple of blows due to the demon leaning away from the blade before striking her in the face with a pair of punches. Mary spun around with the last blow and swung with her shortened blade. But instead of being rewarded with the feeling of cut flesh, she was instead greeted by the sound of clanging metal. "Now do you understand," Rui asked.
In the next instant, Mary felt pain as she was sent flying to the ground by a powerful kick. "My body is more durable than any of my threads," he explained, "if you can't even cut them, you have no hope of cutting my neck." The demon boy looked up then to see Jonathan struggling against his bonds. "And you need to quiet down." He flexed his hand, causing the threads to dig deeper into Jonathan's body.
Her son grunted in pain and ceased his struggle for the moment. "Did he pass out," Rui's face turned contemplative, "just what sort of demon is my future brother?" As he pondered this, Mary was digging her fingers into her other arm, forcing herself to stay calm. 'Remember your training,' she told herself, 'Aggression is only useful when it's properly directed. So think, how can the wind batter away his defenses?'
The answer came to her then upon realizing she had the best form for the job. "Breath of Wind," she stood up shakily, taking her stance, "fifth form." Mary steadied her breathing, concentrating more than ever before. She launched herself forward then.
"You still don't realize how futile it is," Rui sent more threads her way.
"Cold Mountain Wind!" The slayer unleashed circular slashes that grew and grew. By the time they met the first thread, the blade cut through. "That's what I'm talking about!" The form wasn't so dissimilar from the Breath of Water's tenth form, Constant Flux. The circular slashes built on themselves like a gathering wind, growing stronger and stronger until it became a destructive force similar to a tornado.
This meant with enough time and gathered momentum, she could cut through not only the threads but the demon boy's neck! With that thought in mind, Mary continued to rush forward, ready to do just that. "Not bad," Rui admitted, "but you made another incorrect assumption by believing these threads were at full strength." Blood formed on his hands then and traveled up the webs, turning them crimson. "Blood Demon Art: Cutting Thread Cage!"
Crimson webs surrounded Mary then, quickly closing in on her from all sides. The lady slayer's steps faltered just the slightest bit at the change in circumstances. Mary didn't need her feeling of foreboding to know that she couldn't slash these threads. She was doing good just to slash through them as they were before.
Her mind raced desperately, searching for even the slightest chance of escape. She couldn't lose; she couldn't die here! That's when she experienced it, her life flashing before her eyes. Mary saw her recent memories, then the birth of her son, the marriage with her husband, meeting John for the first time, her life as a child. And it was there she found something odd.
An old memory of a dance her family taught her. They said it was something from the homeland. She remembered being amazed watching her grandfather and father perform it, doing the dance for an hour or more until sunrise. Her mother had said it was a dance asking for good fortune, protection from disaster, and a bountiful harvest.
It was supposed to be taught to the eldest son, but her mother had never been able to produce a son before her father had died. So Mary's grandfather had taught her instead, hoping that she would have a son and one day pass it on to him. That had always been something of an issue between her and her mother. It was one of the reasons she'd chosen to go to Japan and raise Jonathan.
Certainly Mary wanted him to understand the history of her side of the family as well as John's, but she didn't want it forced on him like it'd been forced on her. She hadn't practiced the dance for the last couple of years now, content with the knowledge that what they'd taught him so far would be more than enough without relying on anything too superstitious. Looking back now, that seemed to be a mistake. And it was a regret Mary intended to correct.
To do that she would need to live. So, trusting her feelings, Mary Keller adjusted the grip on her weapon once again as her breathing changed. Fire seemed to fly out the sides of her mouth and the winds ignited around her blade. She may not have performed this dance in a long time, but she never forgot the name. "HINOKAMI KAGURA!" She swung the flaming sword and tore through all of the threads surrounding her in a single, all-encompassing strike.
"Let's dance bitch!" Mary resumed her charge, faster and more lethal than before. This time she wouldn't stop or even slow down as she slashed red thread after red thread, ignoring the ones that cut into her body, arms, and legs. The slayer knew instinctively that there would be no second chances with this. So onward she danced, forward she charged, burning through all obstacles in her way.
"Incredible," Gimiko stared in awe, watching as the one who'd held her prisoner for so long and controlled her with fear, now leapt back, afraid for his own safety as a woman she didn't even know pursued him, fighting for both her and her son. Rui threw thread after thread at her while jumping and dodging back. But Mary cut through them all, closing the distance more and more.
"Enough of this!" Rui again tried to draw all of his webs in like a net to cut the woman to pieces. But as he did, there was another voice.
"Blood Demon Art," a flaming chain suddenly swung in from out of nowhere, burning apart the crimson weapons, "Black Flame Chains!" They'd come from the still suspended Jonathan who'd channeled the last of his strength to use his power one more time. 'Impossible,' Rui grit his teeth as Mary emerged from the flames, 'the threads were burned away?! I need to take drastic action fast!'
He was about to move his fingers to manipulate his webs again but suddenly found that he couldn't. "What?!" Rui had just enough time to glance back and see that Gimiko was restraining his hands with her own thick strands of webbing.
"Goodbye, dear brother," she spat. Rui let out a cry of rage and terror as the flaming blade slammed into his neck, but it was drowned out by Mary's own battle cry.
"The bond between my family and I will never be severed!" She declared while tearing into his neck, "not by you, your damn master, or anyone else!" The flaming blade cut all the way through Rui's neck then, creating a shining circle as his body collapsed and his head landed a short distance away.
"No," the lower moon looked on in shock, "this can't be, it just can't!"
"Ow," Mary collapsed to the ground, her breathing labored, "that had to be one of the coolest moments of my life. But now I have to apologize to John?"
"Who is John, exactly," Gimiko asked while kneeling by the slayer.
"My husband," she explained between breaths, "I have to thank my mom for being alive right now. She had reservations about me marrying him. Unfounded reservations but still reservations."
"Is he a nice man," the spider girl couldn't help but ask.
"He's a slayer like me, but we made the decision together to take care of Jonathan," Mary grunted in pain as she sat up, "you probably noticed, but our son isn't like other demons." A sudden thud drew their attention then as the duo looked over. "Oh no, Jonathan!" The threads holding him had also caught on fire but even if they hadn't, Rui's demise would've caused them to disintegrate anyway.
The lady slayer tried to get up and stumbled, only saved from hitting the ground by Gimiko catching her. "Thanks," the tired warrior breathed out.
"You are without doubt the strangest slayer I have ever met," the spider girl remarked while helping her over to her son, "shouldn't you be, I don't know, super uncomfortable with a demon helping you out like this?"
"I'm not worried," Mary smiled, "you don't strike me as the ungrateful type. And I know if you hurt me my husband will find you and slaughter you with an absurd amount of pain. He used to be a hunter, after all."
"In that case, I'll help you with whatever you need," Gimiko smiled with a sweat drop as they made their way over to Jonathan. The demon boy grunted and tried to sit up, appearing a little woozy as he did so.
"Easy Jonathan," his mother urged with a hand on his shoulder, "you had to use your Blood Demon Art again. It takes a bit out of you and that's before your strength was sapped from healing your wounds."
"M-Mo," an odd noise escaped from his mouth then.
"Jonathan," Mary's eyes widened, "are you… trying to speak?" A sudden cry of anger and rage interrupted them as they looked over to see Rui's body crawling towards them.
"I don't understand this!" The lower moon yelled, "How, how did this happen?! Why did my own family betray me?!"
"Why, you're asking why?!" Gimiko let go of Mary before kicking the headless body away, "what did you ever do for us?! You promised us safety and all we got was the threat of pain and death! You said you wanted family, but never once did you take how we felt into consideration!"
"I didn't ask for much," Rui's head defended, "just to play your roles."
"You don't get it do you," the spider girl stomped her foot and glared at the lower moon, "we're demons! We're monsters that kill and eat people to survive, that's it! We don't get to have bonds or friends or families! The only reason we have to group together is so that we're harder to kill and to make it easier to eat more people, and even that is only if that bastard says so! It's pointless to try being something we're not, to try being human again!"
Tears fell freely from her eyes then as she collapsed to her knees and wept. It was true, everything she'd done had been about survival. She and the other demons who'd agreed to be part of Rui's 'family' had not originally been spider demons until he bestowed his strength upon them. Gimiko herself had always been a little reluctant to fight and tear people apart for food, so when she found an alternative, she took it. Even her Blood Demon Art, which cocooned people in a giant ball of web and dissolved them with digestive juices developed out of her desire to avoid getting into a violent confrontation.
But it didn't change the fact that she was still a monster, destined to continue feasting on people for the rest of her existence, never to experience family again. Or so she thought until Mary suddenly hugged her from behind. "Shh," the mother consoled, "it's alright. Just let it out, you don't have to be alone anymore."
"Please," Gimiko tearfully begged, "please stop being so kind to me. Stop trying to make me feel like everything is going to be alright. I've killed so many, and I was ready to kill so many more tonight. I tried to have all of you killed."
"Of course, we came here tonight to kill all of you," the lady slayer acknowledged, "but I can't bring myself to do that now. Call it maternal instinct or just me being stupid tired. Whatever the reason, I have a feeling that killing you would be a mistake."
"The mistake would be letting me live," the spider girl grabbed onto Mary's arms to deepen the embrace, "even if you can hide me, I'll get hungrier and hungrier until I lose all sense of reason. It doesn't matter how much I don't want to do it. Eventually, I'll kill again and then you'll have to kill me."
"You're wrong," Mary whispered, "my husband and I didn't become slayers just to seek the death of demons. We did it to save our son over there. After searching for a bit, we found a doctor with the ability to make a cure. A cure for demonification."
"A cure," Rui's eyes widened, "what sort of nonsense are you spouting?"
"A way for demons to be returned to humans," the slayer released Gimiko and approached, withdrawing the special knife and using it to drain a sample of blood from the Kizuki's body, "it's mainly to return Jonathan to being human, but we also hope it can be used to help others. Unfortunately, a lot more demons are going to die before we complete it. For that, I'm sorry, Rui."
"Why are you apologizing to someone who was trying to kill you and take your son," he questioned.
"Don't get me wrong, I hate the way you treated the others under you, and I hate that you tried to take my son away," her eyes hardened before softening once again, "but I also feel for you. Having a family is a wonderful thing, something I wish you could've experienced again. Right now, though, all I can do is take some of your blood so that others are spared the same fate."
"I," Rui struggled to find the words for what he was feeling right now. As his life faded, memories had begun to flash before his eyes. He remembered at last who he'd been before all of this. The once human boy had forgotten because it had been so long.
He'd been a sickly child, unable to go out and play with other children his age. He spent most of his time in bed, his loving mother and father caring for him. That's when a certain man came, Muzan Kibutsuji. The stranger had offered to heal him of his sickness and Rui, in his ignorance and desire to be more than a sickly child, accepted.
That was how he became a demon. When his parents discovered what he'd become, they tried to kill him. Only now did Rui realize why. The price to pay for his newfound mobility was the lives of others.
It had been his fault all along. He'd killed his parents because he was still reasoning like a child and then, when he'd grown strong enough and Muzan allowed it, forced others to play the roles of people he barely remembered. "I'm sorry," the boy apologized with tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry I made all of you suffer because of my selfishness. I took the lives of my own family; I don't deserve another."
"Shh," Mary rubbed the back of his beheaded body, "I don't know what happened between you and your family, but it's obvious they loved you very much. I'm a mother so I'm certain that they never blamed you, not even once. Even now, I'll bet they're waiting for you on the other side."
Several moments of silence passed then as the lower moon pondered everything which had been said. "Mary Keller," Rui spoke resolutely, "I know I've no right to ask anything of you nor do I have the right to continue claiming myself as a younger brother. But if possible, please, take care of my elder sister."
"Consider it done," Mary stood up, "we'll work to make her human again and give her another chance to have a family."
"Thank you," Rui's head completely dissolved into ash along with his body then, leaving nothing but his white kimono. Gimiko looked towards the swordswoman then.
"Do you really mean it," she asked, trying not to sound too hopeful, "are you really going to take care of me?"
"A Keller doesn't make promises lightly," Mary sheathed the remains of her sword, "and you're not the first demon we've adopted since starting out on this journey." Jonathan approached then, mumbling a few things through his mask. "And Jonathan would be happy to have you too."
"Can you really understand what he's saying through that thing," Gimiko glanced at the slayer, "I was certain he was about to talk a moment ago."
"That's actually the first time he's done that," the swordswoman put a hand to her chin, "it surprised me too. Perhaps it means his odd development is finally coming around to where he can speak." Her son looked like he was about to say something else before he suddenly shoved Gimiko back several feet and jumped away. The reason as to why became obvious when a figure landed between them, their blade barely missing Jonathan.
Mary saw a flash of a white haori with the patterns of a butterfly's wings on it, but that was all she had time to see before another figure dropped down nearby. Reacting on instinct, Mary drew her broken sword and stepped in between Gimiko and her attacker, who she now saw was a girl with a sideways ponytail and a white cape. 'Wait a second,' Mary recalled as their blades met, 'don't I know this girl?' A memory played across her mind then, it was the end of Final Selection.
'That's right, she wore a pink kimono top then,' the lady slayer had time to recall before being shoved back and landing painfully on the ground. 'Shit, Hinokami Kagura and the fight from earlier drained all of my strength. Just blocking that attack used up whatever energy I had left!' This meant only one option remained.
"Gimiko! Jonathan! RUN!" Mary yelled while struggling to get up. Her attacker must've recognized that she was a slayer and not a demon because the pony-tailed girl sped off after the spider demon. Meanwhile, Jonathan was doing everything he could to evade his pursuer, a young and very short woman with purple highlights in her dark hair. He had just enough time to glimpse the butterfly clips holding her hair together as he tried escaping into the forest.
But this slayer was fast, seeming to toy with him by appearing at every possible direction he tried to turn. "Don't leave so soon," the slayer giggled, "the night isn't young but it's still with us." She seemed to skip forward then, effortlessly closing the gap between them. It was only instinct that saved Jonathan as he leaned back just enough that the strange sword of the woman, which was missing most of its blade, struck his mask and not his skin.
Even though it was a glancing blow, the force behind it was still enough to knock the protective gear off his face, causing the demon boy to stagger back. "Now let's see if you can talk properly without-," the woman froze. Jonathan had been forced into the moonlight, revealing his long dark hair and bright blue eyes. The youngest of the Keller family was similarly frozen, staring into the purple eyes of the slayer, transfixed by her gaze.
A word emerged from his mouth, unbidden, half-formed, but unmistakable. "Beau… tiful," it was the first word Jonathan had managed to speak to another person, a word only for her.
"W-What," the young woman stepped back, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest for some reason, "what did you say?"
"Beautiful," the demon boy spoke again while pointing to her. For whatever reason, the butterfly girl now found herself lost for words. She turned around, being sure to keep the demon in her peripherals. 'What is happening to me,' the slayer tried to remain calm, 'is this some sort of Blood Demon Art?'
Taking stock of herself, the slayer discovered that in addition to her increased heart rate and shortness of breath, she also felt feverish and tingly. The symptoms seemed to fade until she looked back at Jonathan, causing them to go crazy again. "I'll," she was only able to glance back for a moment so the rest of her threat was spoken with her looking away, "I will slay you. Just…. Just as soon as I calm down."
The demon boy tilted his head in confusion, currently not believing for a second that this elegant looking lady intended to do him harm. Then he wondered why such an absurd thought was popping into his head when she'd been trying to decapitate him not hardly a minute ago. But a saving grace, of sorts, came in the form of clanging metal. The noise broke the two out of their thoughts as they looked over to see Giyu Tomioka had arrived on the scene.
The reason for the clashing of metal against metal was because he'd blocked the blade of the ponytail girl from taking off Gimiko's head. "Stand down Kanao," the Water Hashira ordered, "there's more to this situation than you know." This seemed to snap the butterfly woman out of her own trance as she pointed her blade at Jonathan again, only for another blade to be pointed at her back.
"Miss, would you kindly not point a weapon at my son," John asked. 'He's injured,' the young woman noted the state of the newcomer, 'how could I let him sneak up on me when he's clearly incapable of using stealth? Was my concentration interrupted this badly?' Fortunately for her, she was able to keep her composure while keeping her attention on Jonathan.
"Your son," the slayer repeated, "you are aware this is a demon, correct?"
"More than aware," the older slayer nodded, "but what you're not aware of is that he's of no danger to you or anyone else. He's been helping us fight demons ever since my wife and I became slayers." Jonathan nodded before showing her some of his nearly healed injuries. "And Giyu over there can vouch for him too."
"Before I vouch for anyone," the hashira called before indicating the spider girl, "am I to assume this demon also means no harm?"
"None of the demons still alive are a danger to us," Mary grunted, trying to get to her feet, "just…. Let us explain."
"You'd best explain fast then," the shorter slayer strongly encouraged, "if not for Giyu over there, I'd assume all of you are under some sort of Blood Demon Art."
"Mean," Jonathan struggled to speak, "No harm. Butterfly girl…. Beautiful."
"On second thought," said butterfly girl turned with a blush on her face while sheathing her sword, "two of you are heavily injured. Let me take a look at you both and make sure it isn't anything too severe. Kanao, get the medical kits out."
"Right away," the ponytail girl bowed. The group would gather then and a rather lengthy explanation would begin.
Several Minutes Later
"So you're not only a slayer, but a hashira, and a doctor," John digested the information while Kanao bandaged some of his wounds, "and at such a young age. I can certainly say I'm impressed."
"I started studying pharmaceuticals after I learned about the effects of wisteria on demons," the young woman, who they had learned was named Shinobu Kocho, explained, "I turned out to have a knack for it and before long I was an expert on both human and demon biology."
"Butterfly…. Smart," Jonathan smiled.
"Could someone explain to me when he started talking," Susamaru pointed a thumb at the youngest Keller.
"Basically five minutes ago," Mary answered, "he's developed quite a bit tonight, probably due to all the crazy things happening around us."
"This certainly has been an intriguing night," Shinobu admitted with a wide, but slightly off smile, "so please, continue your story. What I want to know right now is how you picked up these other two demons?"
"Gimiko joining was also within the last five minutes," the lady slayer cocked her thumb back towards the spider girl who was currently sitting down with her knees pulled to her chest. For obvious reasons she seemed a bit nervous. Hard to stay calm when not one but two hashiras were watching your every move. "But Susamaur's been traveling with us for a little while now. Funny story on how she wound up with the family."
"Would you be so kind as to regal me with the tale," the one known as the Insect Hashira kindly requested. "We've only made it through Jonathan's story so far."
"It's not a long story but I think you'll find it interesting for a lot of reasons," John assured before recounting the events of that fateful night in Asakusa. Shinobu listened attentively, sparing the occasional glance at Jonathan for reasons the father still wasn't quite sure of. They'd told her he'd eaten no one and had been aiding them from the start. If she was going to be keeping an eye on anyone then the newly adopted Gimiko seemed a better choice. But her expression changed by the time they'd finished the story.
"Your son possesses special blood that's not only kept him out of Muzan's control but also seems able to free other demons from his control," the insect hashira noted, "this is certainly something the Corps has never encountered before." She shifted her gaze to Tomioka then, "which begs the question as to why you decided not to inform your fellow hashira about the matter, Giyu." Her smile, while appearing sweet, held an unmistakable amount of annoyance behind it.
"I wanted to be absolutely sure there was something worth reporting before I did," he defended, "while I saw the spark of potential in Jonathan that day, there was no guarantee he wouldn't have turned feral in time. I've checked in with Urokodaki sensei for the last two years and it's only been within the last two months that there's been anything worth reporting at all. Based on what these two have said, Jonathan's development isn't over yet."
"I'm more interested in this demon doctor," Kocho developed a contemplative look on her face, "she must be exceptionally good at hiding to not only escape our notice, but Muzan Kibutsuji's notice as well, especially considering you encountered them both in the same city."
"This family's luck is extraordinarily hard to quantify," Tomioka agreed with a nod, "that they met Kibutsuji to begin with is already an astonishing feat of luck and for it to happen in a situation where he was forced to keep his demonic nature hidden."
"Given what Lady Tamayo told us, Muzan's pretty adamant about staying hidden," Mary crossed her arms once Shinobu was done looking at them. "The only reason I even knew who he was is because of my feelings."
"Pretty useful feelings," Susamaru agreed with a nod, "I've met slayers like Inosuke and Zenitsu with enhanced senses in the past, even a couple with really good instincts. But those feelings of yours were dead on to find the most elusive out of all the demons." The Temari Demon chuckled to herself when she recalled they'd left Inosuke dangling from a rope after he kept trying to challenge Giyu to a fight. They'd need to remember to get him down later.
"I wish I could be proud of that," the mother sighed, "but my feelings don't work on command or anything like that. I can't just be shown a map and point somewhere based on my feelings to locate someone. I have to be where things are happening, and considering Japan's surprising size for an island nation, it could be a long time before we encounter him again."
"I'm sure it'll be sooner than that," the Temari Demon pointed at Mary's earrings, "so long as you got those things, Muzan isn't going to be able to rest easy. Trust me when I say, the man can be impatient and if killing you takes too long, he might just show up and do it himself."
"Too bad we can't exactly predict when or if that'll even occur," John mused before suddenly hearing a biting noise. He looked over to see that Gimiko had, for whatever reason, taken Jonathan's arm and bitten into it.
"Just what in the world," Mary stood up but was beaten to it by Shinobu. The Insect Hashira moved with a swiftness and silence they hadn't seen since witnessing Giyu's speed for the first time. Gimiko didn't even know what was happening until the hashira had her in a surprisingly tight headlock.
"And just what in the world do you think you're doing," she asked with a surprising amount of force behind her voice.
"Just," the spider girl grunted against the slayer's grip, "just wanted to test… a theory."
"Suddenly biting our son without any sort of warning or explanation is not a good start to this relationship," the lady slayer scolded, "I protected you from your tormentor so the least you could do is-BLECH!" Mary didn't get the chance to finish her sentence before Gimiko's mouth suddenly filled with bile and she threw up. But instead of being chunks of meat or bone, it was a black liquid that even Shinobu hadn't seen before if her reaction was anything to go by.
The Insect Hashira released the girl who collapsed to the ground, her body now trembling as sweat beaded down her forehead. Her breathing was labored, and she struggled to move. The next thing anyone knew, Gimiko suddenly rolled over and began convulsing on the ground. She didn't yell out or anything, but it was clear she was in some sort of pain. "What's wrong with her," John asked, "this is different from what happened to Susamaru."
"I'm afraid your guess is as good as mine," Shinobu informed seriously, "I have painkillers that affect demons, though the least lethal ones I have will cause temporary paralysis."
"Do it," Mary urged, "Jonathan's changed again since Susamaru did this. We don't know what'll happen this time. Just please, don't kill her."
"You may find very soon," the hashira moved her weapon around in its sheath a bit before drawing it, "that death could be a mercy in this situation." She stuck the blade into the side of Gimiko's neck then, like an insect stinging its victim. The spider girl suddenly went limp then, falling over and staring up at the sky. Her breathing had slowed now but the demon girl found she still couldn't move.
The gathered slayers and demons watched and waited, observing as veins stood out on her arms and forehead. No one kept track of how much time passed but eventually, the veins retreated and Gimiko's body relaxed even more. The demon girl let out a loud sigh then and tried to sit up. "Easy," Mary helped her get upright, "you really should've asked before you did that. Susamaru's body was in an entirely different condition after she bit Jonathan and went through the whole thing without any sort of painkiller."
"Being fair, I would've lied and said it was relatively painless," Susamaru snickered.
"We really did adopt a devious older sister into the family, didn't we," John shook his head.
"That still has to be one of the oddest things I've ever heard a slayer do," Shinobu remarked while sheathing her sword, "then again, I never expected to be administering medical treatment to a demon tonight, so it's been an evening of odd surprises."
"There's still the most crucial of tests," Giyu reminded before settling his gaze on Gimiko, "we can only allow you to live if you can say Kibutsuji's name without activating his curse."
"Are you sure that isn't a little harsh," Mary raised an eyebrow.
"Right now, it's the only way to ensure she's free from that demon's control," the water hashira pointed out, "you may have tested it accidentally with Susamaru but this should be the way going forward. It's far too risky to allow a demon under any form of control to wander around free." He sent a look John's way, causing the hunter to sigh.
"Do it," he fixed the spider girl with a stern gaze, "I know my wife wished to protect you, but protecting my family and friends is my first priority. If we find we can't trust you I'll take your head, even if Mary objects to it." Gimiko still looked unsure and turned to Mary who nodded for her to go ahead.
"Alright," she took a shaky breath, "M-Muzan…. Kibutsuji." The spider demon closed her eyes and waited, and waited, then waited some more. Eventually, when nothing happened, she opened one eye, then the other. "I…. I don't feel anything. My body is under complete control."
"Believe me if Muzan's curse had been activated, you would've felt it," the Temari Demon shuddered while thinking about the memory, "I've seen what happens to demons who speak his name without his permission. Their own blood demon art turns on them and tears them to shreds. According to that doctor lady, our own cells tear us apart from the inside out."
"Nope, that definitely is not happening right now," Gimiko observed.
"Then that settles it," Giyu nodded, "we should bring you all before Oyakata-san and present our findings."
"That's quite the leap, isn't it," Shinobu glanced at him, "a few oddities are not enough for us to cease the destruction of demons."
"No one's asking you to do that," John assured, "there are still plenty of demons out there that need to be slain. But Giyu's right, we've been exposed now and it's asking too much for you and her to keep this a secret. So instead I'd like to ask this: could you take us before the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"It's not that simple," the hashira shook her head, "we don't just waltz up and-."
"This is an order from Oyakata! This is an order from Oyakata!" A Kasugai crow called suddenly from overhead. "The slayers, John and Mary Keller, are to be brought back to the main headquarters immediately! Furthermore, all demons found traveling with them are not to be harmed and brought to headquarters as well!"
"Hmm," Shinobu mused, "it seems you really do have the strangest luck."
And with that the Mt. Natagumo Arc has come to an end! But make no mistake, the other hashira will not be quite as agreeable to these circumstances as Giyu and Shinobu. But that's for next time. So while you wait for that, let me know what you thought of this arc along with what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters! And, of course, stop by my Pat reon and check out my new exclusive! Last thing, drop by next time as our heroes now face the judgement of the Corps best slayers! 'Til then.