Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU

Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU

Chapter Eleven:

Old Scars

Warnings: A panic attack and some angst

Word Count: 6260

  Zenitsu walked through the halls of the Infinity Castle with a fast paced heart. His walking speed was rather quick and he tried to avoid even the sight of the Kizuki. Matsuemon flew above him, seemingly careless of the demons around him. "Run, Zenitsu!" He cawed. "Lord Tanjiro wants to speak with you!"

  "I know that!" Zenitsu snapped. "I'm going as fast as I can! Without looking weird of course." Matsuemon laughed. "Then why are you taking the long way? It would've been much more efficient if you went through the main lobby! Caw!" Zenitsu shook his head. "You wouldn't want to be in there with all those hungry demons, would you?"

  Matsuemon flew closer to Zenitsu's head. "They don't bite! Lord Tanjiro prohibits it!" Zenitsu sighed in annoyance. "Who knows if they're faking or not.." Matsuemon tilted his head. "It seems like you have some animosity towards them! Why is that?" Zenitsu looked down towards the ground.

  There was a plethora of reasons why Zenitsu never told Tanjiro about Kaigaku. He knew that his ashes were floating around here somewhere, but he hoped that Tanjiro never found them. In all honesty, he had no idea if redemption was possible for the demons. He still remained supportive in spite of this, yet he still urged Tanjiro to be cautious. Nearly loosing him once tore Zenitsu's heart out and he didn't want to truly lose him.

  Despite all the anger he had for Kaigaku and the demon species as a whole, he still longed for the connection he could've had with him. Zenitsu wanted to trust in Tanjiro's ability to persuade. There were so many conflicting feelings that created such confusing turmoil. If redemption was truly possible, then maybe..

  "Caw! Giving me the silent treatment, huh?" Matsuemon cawed, snapping Zenitsu back into reality. "Whatever! I'm a crow, not a therapist! Caw!" Zenitsu only rolled his eyes at the crow's statement. He then skidded to a stop in front of a sliding door. "He's here. His gentle sound is here." He said with a soft, admiring voice.

  Matsuemon laughed. "You sound like you're in love!" Zenitsu's face immediately turned as red as a tomato. "I'm not in love with him! You don't know what you're talking about!" The crow only made a "Mhm" sound and flew through the room as Zenitsu opened the door.

  Tanjiro sat in the middle of his newfound office with Nezuko by his side. A small desk stood against the right wall while a rocking chair was sitting near the left. A small, open bookshelf was set up behind the two. Warm light radiated from two lanterns that hung from the side walls. A journal laid open in front of Tanjiro, who held a quill in his hand.

  "Hey, Zenitsu." Tanjiro said with a bright smile. Zenitsu couldn't help but return it. "Hi, Tanjiro." He sat in front of the new Demon King. "Why did you call me here?" Matsuemon flew past him and sat atop Tanjiro's shoulder-receiving an annoyed look from Zenitsu. "Just to talk, really." Tanjiro sighed. "A lot has happened recently.."

  Zenitsu nodded in agreement. "Are you okay?" He asked with a soft voice. Tanjiro's sound was off pace. The breakdown Tanjiro had after he killed Ran'yō seemed like it ripped open some old wounds. His sound reflected that. Strifles's situation just seemed to hit Tanjiro in an extremely sensitive spot. Zenitsu had an idea of why, but he didn't dare to bring up that old scar.

  Despite this, Tanjiro replied with a warm smile. "I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me. I'm more worried about Inosuke and Strifles. Speaking of which, how is he doing?" Zenitsu huffed irritably. "Despite him having broken ribs, the stupid boar was running around when I visited the Butterfly Estate. Poor Aoi was chasing after him, saying that he absolutely refused to rest." Tanjiro chuckled lightly. "I'm glad to see that he's still being his rambunctious self." Zenitsu rolled his eyes. "I guess you could say that."

  "Have you been able to learn anything about that ram?" Zenitsu asked, changing the subject. "Unfortunately, no. Nobody knows anything about him. Douma told me that this ram knew Muzan and he was supposedly as strong as Kokushibo. I'm not sure if that's exactly true though. Their Blood Demons Arts have been severed in half by becoming a half-demon. Still, that ram nearly killed Douma and Inosuke with ease."

  A shiver crawled down Zenitsu's spine. This ram was clearly dangerous and the lack of information about him only made Jackyll that much more terrifying. "Hey, brother." Nezuko spoke up with a soft voice, turning Tanjiro's attention to her with a soft rumble. "I spoke with Strifles to try to help him and he did give me some information about Jackyll."

  "Really?" Zenitsu asked, widening his eyes. "What did he say?" Nezuko held onto her brother's arm. "He told me that Jackyll sought them out because both he and his brother were half Humanoids. Strifles doesn't know exactly what that means, but he made it clear that they were rare. He also said that at the end of every month, Jackyll would give Ran'yō a dead jaguar for.." Nezuko put a hand over her mouth. "For Strifles's flesh."

  Tanjiro winced from disgust and anger while Zenitsu closed his eyes and turned away with a furrowed brow. "That's just disgusting." The blonde said, gagging. "That poor kid is just a baby! Who knows what hell that ram put him through." Zenitsu's words cut into Tanjiro's heart like a knife. He gritted his teeth and growled. "We need to find out more about him..to stop him from causing anymore harm."

  "But how?" Nezuko looked at him with worried eyes. "I even asked Mister Kokushibo if he knew anything, but he said that he had no clue." Tanjiro nodded. "Yes, but I do believe that there might be one other demon that might know." Nezuko's eyes widened and nodded. "Tamayo."

  "Who's that?" Zenitsu asked, raising an eyebrow. "She's the one who created the medicine that helped us defeat Muzan and the medicine that attempted to turn demons into humans, alongside Miss Kocho of course." Tanjiro explained. "As of now, She's the oldest person alive. If anyone is going to know who these Humanoids are, it's her."

  Zenitsu closed his eyes and nodded. "Alright, but I'm going with you." Tanjiro gave him a warm smile. "I wouldn't mind that at all." Zenitsu's heart fluttered when he saw Tanjiro's smile. "So umm.." He stuttered, face turning red. "I guess we should go, huh?" He grinned. Tanjiro nodded and both he and Nezuko stood up. "Yeah. Let's get Strifles. It would probably make more sense if we brought him with us."

  Zenitsu nearly jumped to his feet and walked right next to Tanjiro. "Of course!" Nezuko giggled to herself as she watched the boys before following them. Matsuemon flew over to her and landed on her shoulder with a laugh.

  Strifles sat in his room with his undead, Maine Coon cat, Nibbles, resting in his lap. His fluffy brown and black fur was well groomed by his owner. The bone of the cat's nose was exposed, but it didn't bother him much. "I'm glad you're still with me." Strifles hugged the large cat gently.

  Strifles's ears twitched as he heard small, soft footsteps approaching. Rui peeked his head around the door. A book was gripped in his hand. "Mythical Monsters From Around the World" was inscribed onto the front cover. "Hey, Strifles." He said softly. "I have something for you." Strifles's tail flicked with curiosity. "You do?"

  Rui nodded as he shifted the collar of his kimono, which seemed to look fine to Strifles. He walked in and sat on his knees in front of Strifles. He held the book out for Strifles to take. "I found this book while I was organizing the books in my room. The color coordination was an absolute mess!" Strifles lightly chuckled as he took the book. He flipped through the pages, looking at all the drawings of the various monsters. "Thank you."

  Rui smiled as he shifted the collar of his kimono once again, catching Strifles attention. "Is there something wrong with your kimono?" Rui made an uncomfortable rumble. "I don't really know. It just never feels right." Strifles tilted his head. "It looks fine to me. Is it too tight?" Rui shook his head. "I'm not sure what it is. It's strange, really. I also feel the same way about my room. It never really feels clean, kinda like myself."

  "But you look and smell great!" Strifles mewed as he curled his tail around his legs. Rui chuckled. "Thank you, but that doesn't really change how it feels." He stared off for a second. "Despite all that, I would like to show you something." Strifles's ears perked up. "Oh? What would that be?"

  Rui then hummed before his body began to change. His skin changed from a white color to a normal, pale skin tone. His hair changed to a dark black and his eyes changed to a dark, navy blue. He held his arms close to his chest and shivered in disgust before looking up at Strifles. "Apparently half-demons have human disguises. I accidentally found this out while I was thinking about my past." His voice was soft and uncomfortable.

  Nibbles meowed, sensing Rui's discomfort. Strifles sensed this too. "That seems cool, but is it hurting you?" Rui shook his head. "Then, what's wrong?" Strifles asked. "I hate how I feel. When I was human, I was severely sick. It still feels like I'm filthy, no matter how many times I take medicine or clean myself. I probably sound crazy." Rui shrugged as he turned back to normal.

  Strifles's ears drooped with worry. "No. It's okay! I may not completely understand, but you're not crazy for thinking like that." Rui smiled softly. "It doesn't help that we've been going through major changes. Hardly anything is stable and in proper roles, except for the times that we eat." The young spider demon's breathing quickened slightly and lowered his head. "Sorry..I didn't mean just to dump that onto you."

  "Don't worry." Strifles purred as he wrapped his arms around Rui. "That's how you feel and that's okay. Things will get better soon" Rui was taken aback by the gesture. Luckily, he was able to rest his arms around Strifles's back. He smiled and purred with gentle relief. "Heh..thank you."

  Once they split off, Strifles looked at Rui with a wide grin. "How did you use your human disguise?" Rui scratched the back of his neck. "Just imagine how you looked as a human. That's really all you need to do." He smiled. Strifles closed his eyes and his tail flicked. He focused on a distant memory. It took place when his parents were still alive..when they were having dinner..when they weren't hunted.

  Strifles's skin turned to a light tone and the black in his eyes turned to a normal white. Unlike Rui, he didn't feel any disgust or shame about his new, yet old, form. "So, how do I look?" Strifles grinned, raising his arms. Unfortunately, Rui's reaction was nothing like he expected. The spider demon had wide eyes and his hand nearly covered his mouth.

  Strifles's arms dropped to the floor as a frown dropped on his face. "I'm guessing it must be bad." He sniffled. Rui shook his head rather quickly. "No. That's not it at all." Strifles raised an eyebrow. "Then, what's wrong?"

  "Is your human form supposed to have the jaguar parts?" Rui asked with worry, clutching the front of his kimono. Strifles nodded slowly. "Yeah. Everyone in my family had them." Rui let go of his kimono as he sighed. "Sorry..I just assumed that they came with your demon transformation."

  Strifles giggled as Nibbles mewed softly, "Don't say sorry! My mom told me that we weren't like other people. I didn't know why, but I guess I do now." He gave Rui an uncertain smile. "That's probably why we lived in the middle of the woods." Rui tilted his head with a guilty expression. "Oh..I don't mind that you look like that. It just took me by surprise is all." He smiled warmly. "It doesn't make me think any less of you."

  Strifles's eager smile returned to his face as his tail flicked happily. "Really? Thank you!" The small pup giggled as he hugged his beloved cat, who seemed rather tranquil. Rui couldn't help but return the eagerness. He chuckled softly as he watched their pure joy, not minding to fix his kimono once more.

  Then, a soft knock came from the door, causing them to turn their heads. "Hello? Strifles? Are you in there?" Tanjiro's soft, muffled voice called out to them from the other side. "Yeah! Come in!" Strifles mewed enthusiastically. Tanjiro gently slid open the door with Zenitsu and Nezuko behind him. "How are you feeling?" The Demon King asked with a soft voice as the trio walked into the room.

  "Better. Mostly thanks to Rui." Strifles took Rui's hand, causing the spider demon's face to redden. "That's good to hear." Tanjiro said with a soft smile. He then tilted his head, noticing Strifles's new form. "Is that what you looked like as a human?" Nezuko asked. "Yup!" Strifles raised his arms. "Apparently, half-demons have human disguises!" Nibbles mewed as he jumped away to wreak havoc.

  The trio looked at each other with curiosity. "How do you do that? That might actually be helpful for us whenever we go on missions." Zenitsu said as he looked at the Kamado siblings, who seemed to be just as intrigued. "Just imagine yourself as a human! That's basically it!" Strifles purred.

  The Kamado siblings looked at each other, nodded, and did as the pup said. A memory of their frosty mountain flooded their minds. Nezuko smiled warmly at the memory, but Tanjiro seemed to be more distressed. He quietly winced as his smile faltered, something only Nezuko and Zenitsu noticed. With these memories in mind though, their eyes returned to their human-like appearance and their fangs and claws disappeared. Nezuko's ivy patterns and horn also receded back into her body. The only thing that didn't change were their heights.

  Zenitsu watched this unfold with curiosity and a little worry. Tanjiro's wincing only reinforced the notion that something in him was causing him to suffer. When Tanjiro opened his eyes though, a flood of nostalgic memories hit Zenitsu. He was reminded of their first interaction, which he held now with great affection. Zenitsu's heart fluttered as the memories were filled with newfound appreciation.

  The Demon King sniffed the air, seemingly caught off guard, and turned towards Zenitsu. His human eyes shimmered in the light of the lanterns. "Are you alright?" He asked softly. "There's a strong, warm scent coming from you." What he didn't tell him was that the scent was similar to the one that Zenitsu had when he first met Nezuko. "I'm fine." Zenitsu said with a smile. "I was just reminded of when we first met."

  Tanjiro smiled sweetly and nodded. "Alright." Nezuko eyed Strifles jaguar attributes. "He can't retract them." Rui explained. "Strifles had them before he was a demon. His whole family did." Strifles nodded in agreement. "They do look cute though." Nezuko grinned, walking over to the pups. She scooped up Strifles in her arms. He purred and mewed in response, making her smile.

  She went back to her brother and held out Strifles to him. The pup wiggled his body a bit with a goofy expression. Tanjiro couldn't help but chuckle as he took Strifles in his arms. The pup nestled into Tanjiro's side. "How are we going to hide his jaguar parts?" Zenitsu asked flatly. Tanjiro thought for a moment before pulling something out from his uniform pocket with his free hand. It was his blue scarf that he had for a few years. He wrapped his scarf around Strifles's neck and hid his Jaguar ears underneath it, making the scarf like a hood.

  "There!" Tanjiro smiled confidently. "That should do for your head. Now for your paws and tail.." Tanjiro shuffled the pup in his arms. He took his haori off and wrapped the young pup in it. "Oo~" Strifles purred and sniffed the haori. "It's warm and it smells like pine!" Tanjiro chuckled as he cradled the pup in his arms. "I'm glad you like it."

  Tanjiro then turned his attention to Rui. "I also heard Miss Kocho wants to see you." Rui widened his eyes. "She does? Why?" His voice trembled. "Don't worry." Nezuko said softly. "She just wants to do an evaluation. Just to see how you're doing." Rui's tension seemed to ease. "Okay.. I'll go see her. She is at the Butterfly Estate?" The trio nodded. "Yes, but Aoi will help you get there. She's at the front door." Tanjiro explained. Rui nodded as he fidgeted with his haori.

  "It's okay." Nezuko gently took Rui's hand. "We'll lead you there." Rui smiled softly as he was led by Nezuko. They walked through the Infinity Castle with a steady pace. The group walked past many of the other half-demons, busily scurrying from one place to another. Eventually, they found themselves at the front door.

  Just like Tanjiro said, Aoi was right there, leaning against the wall of the Infinity Castle. Once she saw them, Aoi stood up straight and went to them. "Is he ready?" She asked in a flat tone. Rui shivered in fear, looking up at her. "He is." Tanjiro said before turning to him. "It's okay, Rui. She's not going to hurt you." Aoi nodded. "He's right. You're going to be okay." She stretched her arm out for him. Rui gently took her hand and waved at the group. "Good luck on your mission!" He said.

  "Good luck to you too!" Tanjiro called out as they waved, walking away. The twilight sky loomed above them as a chilly breeze rose in the air. "Winter must be coming." Zenitsu said to the others. "We better start stocking up soon, I guess it's a good thing we make good money." Tanjiro smiled as the others nodded.

  The atmosphere of the city was still very overwhelming to Tanjiro, despite him being here once before. He huffed and rumbled like an uncomfortable animal. Zenitsu seemed to share the sentiment as he tried leaning his head against Tanjiro's chest. Nezuko and Strifles were unfazed, but tired. Yet, the group prevailed.

  "Don't go into the alleyways." Tanjiro whispered, a shiver going down his spine. "Why not?" Zenitsu asked, absolutely oblivious. "You don't wanna know." The Demon King rumbled, gagging like a cat.

  Tanjiro sniffed the air, catching the smooth floral scent that was just the right one he was looking for. "This way!" Tanjiro quickened his pace, hoping to get to Tamayo's as quick as possible. Nezuko was able to catch up with ease and Strifles was enjoying the ride. Zenitsu, though, had a hard time keeping up. "Wait for me! I've got little legs!"

  "Lady Tamayo's mansion is hidden, so follow my lead." Tanjiro called out as they ran. He then took a swerve, heading into a wall. "Wait! You're gonna-" Zenitsu tried to call out. Instead of seeing him hit the wall, Tanjiro and Nezuko fazed right through it. "What the-?" Zenitsu skidded to a stop. "How are you able to do that?!"

  Nezuko peeked her head through the wall. "It's just Mister Yushiro's Blood Demon Art." Zenitsu slowly nodded. "That's really the only way that it makes sense." With a deep breath, Zenitsu walked through the wall.

  Zenitsu's jaw dropped when he saw the massive mansion before him. Tanjiro and Nezuko were already close to the front door. "How are they able able to hide this massive mansion?!" Zenitsu squeaked, raising his arms for emphasis. Nezuko turned around and deviously grinned. "Magic!"

  Someone must've heard the commotion as light footsteps could be heard from the over side of the door. Yushiro slid the door open with a furrowed brow until he saw who it was. "Ah! Young Kamados! It's nice to see you again." He smiled, waving at them. His eyes then laid on Zenitsu. "Is that your friend?"

  Tanjiro and Nezuko nodded as Zenitsu quickly walked to their side. "This is Zenitsu Agatsuma." Tanjiro introduced him. "He's a good friend of ours and fought hard against Muzan Kibutsuji." Yushiro nodded as he turned to Zenitsu. "Well it's nice to meet you, Young Agatsuma." Zenitsu waved shyly. "It's nice to meet you too."

  Yushiro turned his attention back to Tanjiro. "I'm guessing you must've come to see Lady Tamayo?" Tanjiro nodded. "Yes..about this little pup." He leaned his arms forward, showing Yushiro the small, sleeping bundle that was Strifles. Yushiro widened his eyes before clearing his throat. "Oh..of course..right this way." He then turned around, heading straight into the mansion.

  The group followed him. Yushiro's surprise when seeing Strifles created unease amongst them. Were they in over their heads? Was there much more that they were missing? Only this meeting could tell them. The group trailed nervously behind Yushiro as they made their way through the mansion.

  Eventually, Yushiro led them to the same room that Tanjiro spoke with them on his last visit. Tamayo was sitting on her knees, patiently waiting for them. She hummed softly when she saw them. "Lord Kamado, welcome." Tamayo bowed to them. "There's no need to treat me like royalty." Tanjiro sweetly smiled as both he and his group sat in front of her. "You have seniority over we and you know much more than I do."

  "Yes, but you are the new Demon King. I would much rather follow you than our last leader." Tamayo said with a calm smile. Tanjiro chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. "Why, thank you." Tamayo cleared her throat, and the meeting began. "What exactly has troubled you?" She asked in a soft, motherly voice.

  Tanjiro set Strifles down in between him and Tamayo. "This is Strifles." Tanjiro explained. "We rescued him from his abusive brother, but we decided to come here because..we think he might be apart of a new species." Tamayo raised an eyebrow, slowly unwrapping Strifles from his bundle. "What do you mean by that?" Nezuko spoke up. "He has jaguar parts like a tail and ears. We originally thought that it was just because he was a demon, but he apparently had them as a human. He was told us that a ram demon said that he was half humanoid."

  Tamayo lightly gasped and stood still once she heard the word "humanoid." Strifles was completely unwrapped from Tanjiro's haori, his jaguar parts on full display. Tamayo put a hand to her mouth. "Humanoids?" She asked, slightly shaking. "Yes." Tanjiro said. "Do you know what they are?" Zenitsu clutched into Tanjiro's arm.

  Tamayo nodded slowly. "I thought they went extinct..." The group widened their eyes. "Extinct?!" They all said simultaneously. Strifles shook his head, waking from the loud noise. "Yes, extinct." Tamayo said as she pet Strifles. "Muzan used to talk about them...about their version of demons anyway."

  Everything felt so confusing, so they needed to take this one step at a time. "What is a humanoid?" Nezuko asked. "A humanoid is a hybrid of an animal and a human. It's basically if an animal was able to walk and talk and wear clothes." Strifles looked up at Tamayo and tilted his head. "This little pup here is only partially humanoid since he only has the ears, tail, and paws of one."

  "I see." Tanjiro said with a pant. "What about the demons?" Zenitsu asked. "You said something about them having demons." Tamayo nodded. "Yes..they did have demons. Muzan Kibutsuji used to vent about them. Here's the basic information that I know."

  "The humanoid demons were the original demons, existing long before Muzan and even me. They only feasted on humanoids and had the same weakness to the sun as full fledged demons did. Muzan hated them, saying that "they didn't care about their weakness, only about their desire to wreak havoc." I'm not sure why or how they created Muzan or even what they look like, but they are dangerous. Maybe even more so than the Kizuki. If one or more is still out there..may the gods save us all."

  Zenitsu trembled as he held onto Tanjiro. Nezuko whimpered in fear. Tanjiro held onto both of them to comfort them. Even Yushiro looked extremely frightened, placing a hand over his face. "So..the ram was a humanoid demon?" Strifles whimpered, tears streaming down his face. "I don't know." Tamayo gently let the pup's head. "I thought they all went extinct. Did he have any kenji on his tongue?"  Tanjiro gulped nervously. "He did..it said "Upper Beast One."

  Tamayo closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "So he's at least on par with Kokushibo.." She looked up at them with a determined look. "Now knowing that the humanoids may still exist, We need to find where they are. I'm not exactly sure where they might be, but it's our only shot of knowing more. Find them and sent out parties to hunt this ram down."

  Tanjiro nodded, holding both Zenitsu's and Nezuko's hands. "Understood. This may take a while since we don't know much about them. Do you know why they were thought to be extinct?" Tamayo shook her head. "That I don't know. You'll have to ask them."

  Strifles hobbled up to Tamayo. "Do you think they'll be able to do it?" Tamayo smiled sweetly at the pup. "Oh, little one. You have nothing to fear." She petted him gently. "They're strong and they'll keep you safe."

  "She's right." Tanjiro spoke softly. Strifles turned to face him. "We will defeat him and you'll never be hurt again. I promise." He said with a sweet smile. This seemed to reassure Strifles as he went over to Tanjiro and hugged him, which Tanjiro returned. "Thank you..big brother." This made Tanjiro smile softly as he hugged Strifles tightly. He looked like he was about to cry.

  Despite this cute moment, Zenitsu was able to hear a tinge of pain from Tanjiro's heart. He looked at him worriedly, but didn't speak. "I only hope the best for you." Tamayo said. "This will be difficult, but I know you can do it." Tanjiro looked up at her. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

  The walk home was dark and cold. Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Strifles were able to turn back into their demon appearances once they left the city. Strifles returned to his position as a bundle during the walk. Tanjiro and Nezuko could only think about the new discovery, but Zenitsu could only think about Tanjiro's wellbeing.

  They arrived at the Infinity Castle, shivering and tired. Tanjiro knocked on the door and was answered by a blushing Gyutaro. "What happened to you?" Zenitsu asked, raising an eyebrow. "Oh nothing." Gyutaro tried to chuckle it off, but Daki peered over his shoulder. "Brother's got a-" Gyutaro put a hand over her mouth. "Shut up, Ume. We just met." Daki then grinned mischievously as she skipped away.

  The group just looked confused. "What's going on?" Tanjiro asked. "Don't worry it's nothing important." Gyutaro shrugged his shoulders. "I do have something to tell you though. It's about Rui's evaluation." Strifles perked up from his bundle. "Is he alright?" Tanjiro asked. "Shinobu asked him several questions and had him do a few tasks. She diagnosed him with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. I'm not quite sure what that is though."

  Tanjiro only grew more worried. "What can we do for him?" Gyutaro crossed his arms. "She's still looking into it since it's a new thing. Shinobu did say though that we need to understand why he gets anxious and help him from there. That's the best we can do." Strifles looked up at Gyutaro. "Will he be okay?" Gyutaro smiled and scooped up Strifles in his hand. "He will and he'll lead a happy life." He unfolded Tanjiro's haori and scarf from Strifles and handed it back to him.

  Tanjiro took the items and slowly put them on. "Thank you." Gyutaro looked Tanjiro up and down. "You look tired. Here, I can take this little one. You three need to go to bed." Tanjiro tilted his head. "Are you sure?" Gyutaro nodded as he held Strifles. "Yeah. Go on. Even kings need rest." The group smiled as they waved their friend goodbye. "Bye! Have a good night." Tanjiro called out as they walked away.

  The Kamados decided to let Zenitsu stay at their place for the night. He was just too frightful of running into Jackyll if he walked to his place alone. Tanjiro set out one of their guest futons in the living room. "You really didn't have to do that." Zenitsu said. "I could've done it myself." Tanjiro shook his head as he finished. "It's alright. You're our guest."

  Before Zenitsu could make a rebuttal, Tanjiro left the room and went into the kitchen. Instead, Nezuko walked in and headed over to the fireplace. She began to try to start a fire. Zenitsu sighed, thinking that this might be the perfect time to discuss his concerns. "I'm worried about Tanjiro." Zenitsu said softly so Tanjiro couldn't hear.

  Nezuko turned her head to face Zenitsu. "I know that he overworks himself. I'm trying to get him to stop that as much as you are." Zenitsu shook his head. "It's not just that. He sounds like he's in pain. It only has gotten worse since the battle with Ran'yō." Nezuko made a sad "hmm" as she worked. "He's probably just upset after seeing how Ran'yō treated Strifles."

  Zenitsu knew that he had to get to the heart of the issue. "How does he cope?" Nezuko turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "I mean it." Zenitsu kept pushing. "He's been through a lot and I have yet to see him truly deal with the pain." He looked down at the ground. "He seems to just..occupy himself."

  Nezuko looked back at the fireplace, not letting him know how she's feeling. "It's..fine.." Nezuko said softly. Zenitsu turned to her. "It's fine." Her voice has more conviction this time. "I try my best to help Tanjiro and I try to make sure that he's okay during the day." Zenitsu didn't really know if that truly answered his question. He did notice though that Nezuko was growing more distressed, so he decided not to push any further.

  "Alright. Thank you." He said softly as he tucked himself in the futon. Nezuko shut off the lamps and headed out. "Good night." She whispered. "Good night." Zenitsu said as he rolled over in his blanket.

  Zenitsu tossed and turned in his covers. A pained cry had filled his dreams and wouldn't leave him alone. It sounded like a wounded bear. One that was crying out for help. Zenitsu then bolted awake in a cold sweat. The noise wasn't just in his dreams. It was in the house.

  With trembling hands, Zenitsu picked up his blade and stood up. "Where's Tanjiro and Nezuko?" He thought to himself. Luckily, there was no creaking as Zenitsu stepped. Yet it did not ease the atmosphere. Based on the volume of the sound, Zenitsu was able to pinpoint it in one of the bedrooms.

  He tiptoed slowly through the dark house. The only light was the moonlight that poured in through the windows. Zenitsu gripped his sword tightly and he held his breath. "Tanjiro? Nezuko?" He whispered in a hushed voice. "Where are you?"

  The painful howl only grew louder and louder as Zenitsu came closer. He could tell that the creature was in incredible pain, which made his heart ache. Eventually, Zenitsu arrived at the intersection between Tanjiro's bedroom and Nezuko's. Zenitsu widened his eyes when he realized where the sound was coming from..Tanjiro's bedroom.

  He turned his head with a tremble. "Tanji?" Zenitsu choked, swallowing his fear. He couldn't hardly see anything inside the room. The limited light from the moon showed that there was no sign of a bear inside the room. However, the moon's rays shone down on Tanjiro, who was thrashing and squirming in his blankets. He was making the noises.

  "Tanji!" Zenitsu immediately dropped the sword and ran to Tanjiro's bedside. Tanjiro's breathing was harsh and irregular as tears streamed down his face. He roared in pain as Zenitsu went to him. This horrific sight broke his heart and so Zenitsu tried his best to help. He gripped one of Tanjiro's hands and lightly squeezed it. "Tanji. Look at me. Look at me."

  Tanjiro opened his eyes. His scarlet eyes shimmered with tears as he gazed upon Zenitsu. "It's okay, Tanjiro. I'm here. What's going on?" Tanjiro only made a pained mew. "Tanji?" Zenitsu raised an eyebrow, confused by the lack of a response. "He can't speak normally."

  Zenitsu turned to see Nezuko with a worried expression. She's carrying a tray with tea and a soft blanket was slung over her shoulder. "What?" Zenitsu said softly. "He can't speak any human language when he's having a panic attack." She approached her brother and wrapped the blanket around him. He sobbed harshly as she did so.

  Zenitsu moved closer to him, having a tight hold on his hand. "Breath, Tanjiro. It's okay. We're here." Tanjiro sniffed as he looked at his friend. He winced and whimpered with tears drenching his cheeks. "I know something was wrong..and I never did anything about it." Zenitsu said softly, guilt gripping at his heart. He looked at Nezuko. "How often does this happen?" Nezuko looked at the ground, ashamed. "Almost every night. He cries for them."

  Zenitsu widened his eyes. "Almost every night?! Why did nobody tell me?" Both Nezuko and Tanjiro winced, looking away. "Brother told me not to tell anyone. He didn't want to worry anyone." Zenitsu turned back to Tanjiro. He cupped his hands under Tanjiro's chin. "Why, Tanji? I know that you had good intentions, but you're just hurting yourself."

  Tanjiro mewed as he gently put his hand over Zenitsu's. "He says that he didn't want to worry you. You worry about so much already and he didn't want to stress anyone else out with his grief." Zenitsu sighed as he raised an eyebrow. "You can understand him?" Nezuko nodded. "The animal noises we make aren't just random noises. It's a language."

  Zenitsu gripped the edges of Tanjiro's haori. "But what about you?! You deal with the most stress out of all of us! Not only have you been beaten and battered, but you're also dealing with the HUGE responsibility of being the Demon King!" He let go of his friend's haori. "I'm sorry..I'm so sorry, Tanjiro." Zenitsu's voice trembled. "All those nights I slept near you..all those days I've spent by your side. I never heard your cries until now..I'm a terrible friend." Tanjiro mewed as a rebuttal. "He said that you aren't a terrible friend. You help to ease the pain." Nezuko sounded like she was about to cry.

  "Tanji..you need to take better care of yourself. You're in so much pain and you're too kind to let that continue." Tanjiro mewed and rumbled softly. "He says that doesn't want you to worry." Zenitsu shook his head. "You not taking care of yourself will worry us! We love you and we don't want to see you in pain." Zenitsu wrapped his arms around Tanjiro and he did the same. "This is what I've been telling you, brother. You care so much for others that you neglect to take care of yourself." Nezuko said as she petted his head.

  Tanjiro made a guilty rumble as he slightly tightened his hold on Zenitsu. "Tanjiro please..take care of yourself..not just for you, but for the others around you." Zenitsu looked up at him. "You deserve to be happy, just like everyone else." Tanjiro nodded as he nuzzled Zenitsu's cheek, seemingly soothed. He cradled Zenitsu in his arms as he made a lighthearted mew. "I think you're going to be his teddy bear for tonight." Zenitsu blushed slightly and smiled. "I don't mind that."

  A soft, delicate knock came from the front door. "I'll get it." Nezuko chirped as she got up. She walked with a quick pace through the dark house. Strangely when she opened the door, no one was there. Nezuko looked side to side, but found only a basket by her feet. In it was a small tray of rice crackers, a bottle of sweet honey, and a medium sized candle that smells like pine and frost.

  Nezuko picked the basket up and examined it. "Who made this?" She asked before pulling out a note. It read, "This is for Lord Tanjiro. I know that the battle must've hurt him, so here are some items to help calm him down." Nezuko smiled sweetly. "Whoever you are, thank you so much!" She called out before going back inside.

  In the trees, Daki sat watching her. Her yellow eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She sighed when she saw Nezuko bring the basket in. "Sleep well, young king. You deserve it." She said quietly. Daki then used her Obi sashes to sneak off into the night.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry for taking a while. My mental health has been at its absolute worst, but I'll treat you all to another chapter this weekend. Thank you for your patience.

💚✨🌙 SEND THIS TO OTHER BLOGS THAT YOU THINK ARE WONDERFUL!! KEEP THIS TREND GOING!!💚✨🌙

Hehehehd! Thank you friend!

*Rui carefully scoops strifles up and puts him on his shoulders* "Ready to go into town and go shopping?" *he asks as he now has a burgundy haori on over his kimono and a small leather pouch attached to his obi*

Strifles nodded as he started to purr. Yes! It’s been so long since I’ve been in town, so this will be fun! He holds onto you so he doesn’t fall out.

Strifles looks around him, rounded ears perking up. His curious eyes stared any new sight with incredible interest. Woah..He said in awe.

*Rui carefully scoops strifles up and puts him on his shoulders* "Ready to go into town and go shopping?" *he asks as he now has a burgundy haori on over his kimono and a small leather pouch attached to his obi*

Strifles nodded as he started to purr. Yes! It’s been so long since I’ve been in town, so this will be fun! He holds onto you so he doesn’t fall out.

💚✨🌙 SEND THIS TO OTHER BLOGS THAT YOU THINK ARE WONDERFUL!! KEEP THIS TREND GOING!!💚✨🌙

(⁠｡⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠｡⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♡ I love your au

Awwww!!!! Thank you so much!!! I’ve been putting a lot of effort into it and chapter 11 should be releasing this weekend!

Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU

Chapter Ten:

The Battle of The

Jaguar Demon

Warnings: Blood, some gore, child abuse, and angst

Word Count: 7919

  After the unfortunate events at the noodle shop, Douma had carried a sleeping Enmu home in his arms. He was confused by the aching feeling inside his belly. It felt like something was gnawing him on the inside. Despite how much this feeling hurt, Douma wanted to know more. He wanted to understand it. He wanted to feel it.

  Thus after he laid Enmu down into his futon-that was in his room of the Infinity Castle-Douma instantly went looking for Tanjiro. Luckily, it didn't take too long to find him. Tanjiro was surprisingly still in the Infinity Castle and was in the new kitchen, cooking some strange stew.

  "Hey, young king." Douma tried putting on a cheerful smile. "How have you been? I hope that the others haven't given ya a hard time." Tanjiro turned to look at him with a sweet smile. "Oh, hey Douma. I've been fine. A bit tired, but fine. The others seem to be pretty awkward around me though.."

  Douma put a hand to his hip. "Oh, don't worry! They'll warm up to you eventually!" Tanjiro then made a soft, relieved rumble. "I hope so..By the way, is Enmu okay? He seems to be more aggressive and quiet than usual." Douma sighed heavily, resting his head in his hand. "He..just found out something rather..devastating."

  A small yelp came from Tanjiro as he completely turned around. "What happened?" Douma scratched his neck. "Well..turns out..Muzan used to drug him. I don't really know the reason why, but he used Opium Poppies to do so." Tanjiro gritted his teeth and growled. "I've never met someone so evil. Maybe he drugged him to manipulate him?" Douma nervously shrugged. "I have no clue. He did seem to be very loyal, so drugging him just doesn't seem to make any sense."

  Tanjiro turned back to the stew with an angry huff. "Maybe he's going through withdrawal. That would explain his aggression." Douma nodded, agreeing, "That and blind loyalty." Tanjiro nodded. "He really did mistreat you all, didn't he?" Douma shrugged. "I guess you could say that.." He knew he was no better. Douma knew that he had committed similar evil sins.

  "Hey..young king, mind if I ask you something?"  Tanjiro looks at him. "Of course. Whatever you need." Douma stretched his arm out and sighed. "I need to talk to someone, but I would like you to go with me. I just don't want things to get too ugly between us." Tanjiro raised an eyebrow, taking the stew pot off the heated portion of the gas stove. This kitchen was a newly installed "System Kitchen", which made everything able to be made while standing up. "Who might that person be? If you don't mind me asking."

  Douma ran his claws through his long, platinum blonde hair. "It's Inosuke.." Tanjiro stopped in his tracks and looked at him cautiously. "Are you sure he's going to listen to you?" He seemed to be genuinely sympathetic. Tanjiro knew that if Douma was really trying to reach out, something was clearly happening within him

  "Probably not, but I want to try to apologize. I don't know why, but there's a gnawing feeling inside of me. It's strange and it hurts, but I really do want to understand it." Tanjiro looked at him and gave him a small smile. "He may not forgive you, but he may want to start something new with you if you're really trying to change." Douma nodded eagerly. "I am! I really am..I want to understand the things you feel.."

  Tanjiro picked up a wooden serving spoon and started scooping the soup into a plethora of bowls. "That's good. We'll leave once I'm done giving this out to everyone." Douma sniffed the air and made a happy yap, not caring about masking. "That smells great! What is it exactly?" Tanjiro purred with appreciation. "It's Nikujaga. Aoi actually showed me the recipe."

  Douma tilted his head with a warm smile. "I haven't had that in a long time.." He could remember when he was really young, back when his parents were still alive. Douma remembered that his mother used to make that exact same stew for him. It was his favorite..back when he truly could feel joy. Come to think of it, there was a section of his life that he couldn't remember.

  "Hey, Douma. Do you know when or how you lost your emotions? You do seem to have some knowledge of them, so it seems like you lost them rather then not having them at all." Tanjiro seemed to be on the same page as Douma. "Well, you're right. I used to have emotions when I was really young. However, there's a strange gap in my memory. Then, I never felt emotion again, not until you revived me anyway. Yet even then, there are exceptions." Douma made a dissatisfied rumble.

   Tanjiro turned to look at him as he finished putting the soup in the bowls. "Don't worry. We'll help you understand them." Douma smiled at him. "Heh, thank you, Lord Tanjiro." Tanjiro returned the smile as he caught the scent of someone else entering the kitchen. "Oh hey, Mister Kokushibo!" He turned to see the six-eyed demon with a wicker basket in his arms. There seemed to be many different snacks in it as well as colorful paper and a small watermelon.

  "Good evening..Kamado..I'm about to leave..to go visit someone." Tanjiro beamed with excitement. "Douma and I are also leaving to visit someone. Would you like to come with us? I could show you how to get to wherever you need to go." Kokushibo put a hand to his chin and shrugged, knowing that he didn't know how to get to his desired destination. "I don't see..why not."

  Tanjiro smiled and purred as he put all the bowls onto a tray. "Don't worry about each one of us individually." Kokushibo said, putting a hand on Tanjiro's shoulder. "Muzan was able to communicate..with us telepathically. You might be able..to do the same." Tanjiro raised an eyebrow. "How would I do that?" He asked with a curious tone.

  "Oh! Oh! Just think of talking to the others and come up with what you would say to them!" Douma said excitedly. Kokushibo nodded. "That's basically all there is to it." Tanjiro closed his eyes and imagined a scenario where he was standing in front of all the half-demons. "Hello everyone! I actually made some stew for all of you. I have to leave with Kokushibo and Douma, so the stew is in the kitchen." He originally didn't expect to hear anything back..

  "Guess you must've figured out how to communicate with us telepathically, huh?" Akaza's voice rang through his head. "Woah.." Tanjiro almost felt dizzy from sudden overstimulation. "It's alright, young king. You'll get used to it." He heard Aizetsu say, reassuringly. "Yeah! Thanks for letting us know though!" Urogi chirped happily as always. "You're..welcome.." Tanjiro shook his head, hoping to get the telepathy to stop.

  "Sorry..I didn't mean..to cause you..any distress.." Kokushibo said, slight guilt in his voice. "It's fine, Mister Kokushibo. You were just trying to help." Tanjiro gave him a soft, weak smile. He could already smell the other half-demons heading into their direction. "We should probably go. Some fresh air might help you!" Douma said with a grin.

  Tanjiro put a hand on his head and nodded. "Yeah..that's probably for the best." Kokushibo and Douma joined Tanjiro's side as all three of them made their way out of the Infinity Castle.

  Once outside, Tanjiro took a deep breath to clear his mind. "Feeling..any better?" Kokushibo asked. Tanjiro nodded his head. Then, a strange scent caught his attention. He swerved his head over to where the scent was coming from.

  Hidden in the darkness, tossed into the bushes, was a metal jar. It reeked of a foul odor that Tanjiro recognized from the many battles he had fought with other demons. He picked up the jar and gagged like a cat. "Hm? What is that?" Douma asked, tilting his head. "It's..blood. Muzan's blood.." Both Kokushibo and Douma widened their eyes in surprise. "Some of it..survived?" Tanjiro nodded before gagging again.

  "Why would he keep this? It reeks!" Tanjiro asked, wincing in discomfort. "He used to..experiment on his blood..Muzan wanted to..find out its limitations..." Douma put a hand to his mouth, holding himself back from laughing. "You must have a really strong nose, huh?" Tanjiro weakly nodded. "Do you want me to take it inside?" A strange voice said from above.

  All three of them looked upwards to see Gyokko in the trees. His vase was lodged into a tangle of branches. "Oh, hey Gyokko!" Douma waved with a friendly smile. "What are you doing here?" Gyokko chuckled. "Just getting back to have some dinner. I received your message, so I came in a hurry."

  Kokushibo made a soft growl, seemingly untrusting of Gyokko. "Why..do you suppose..we keep it?"  Gyokko tilted his head. "Well if we just throw it out, someone might be able to find it and use it." Tanjiro nodded. "He has a good point." Kokushibo squinted his eyes. "Fine..Give it to the biwa lady..She will know the best place..to hide it.." Gyokko made a dissatisfied rumble. "Alright. Will do."

  Tanjiro quickly gave Gyokko the jar of blood, seemingly happy to get rid of it. Gyokko took it, dove into his pot, and rolled off the branch and into the Infinity Castle. "Let's not waste..anymore time." Kokushibo looked up to the sky. It was slowly turning a fiery orange. "It's getting..late." Both Tanjiro and Douma nodded. "Alright!" Tanjiro said. "Let's go!"

  Giyuu sat alone while the other Hashira ate together. This was their first dinner that they were able to have together since Rengoku's passing. While all the others were chatting happily, Giyuu couldn't bring himself to join them. There was always a level of anxiousness that came over him whenever he was with them. He had no idea why, but he felt like no matter how much he wanted to, Giyuu just couldn't get close to them.

  Rengoku then walked in with a bento box in his hand, his usual warm smile shone brightly. He scanned the room, waving at the other Hashira. Strangely though, his eyes made their way over to Giyuu. The Flame Hashira made a soft, soothing rumble as he walked over to where Giyuu was sitting. "Good evening, Tomioka! How have you been?"

  Rengoku's booming voice caused Giyuu to jump slightly. "I'm fine, Rengoku." He said in a quiet voice. Rengoku tilted his head and leaned in. "I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you." Giyuu took a trembling breath. "I said that I'm fine." He said, raising his voice.

  The Flame Hashira smiled at him. "That's good! Do you mind if I sit next to you?" Giyuu lowered his head slightly and scooted over. Rengoku purred rather loudly as he sat down next to him.

  "Don't you want to be with the others?" Giyuu asked him, finicking with a piece of salmon. "I should be asking you that." Rengoku said as he opened his bento box. "You did seem really joyful when you saw all of us coming back, so why the sudden hesitation?"

  Giyuu looked away, feeling shame creeping up onto him. "It's not like I don't care about you..it's just.." His voice went soft once more. "Don't worry, Tomioka. I know that you do care. I've just noticed that you've been more anxious. I just want to make sure you are okay." Rengoku said as he took a bite of his bento. "UMAI!"

  Giyuu nodded his head, not saying anything. He did truly feel anxious, but he couldn't quite put his finger on the reason. He looked up to see Tengen at the other table talking to someone he couldn't see. The other Hashira looked tense with their still bodies. Even Obanai was making an audible hiss, thus making Tengen's conversation hard to listen to.

  Eventually though, Tengen stood up and walked over to the two of them. "Hey uhh..Rengoku..there's someone here who wants to see you." Rengoku turned his attention away from his food and looked up at him. "Oh? And who might that be?" It was then that the mysterious person revealed themselves from behind the wall.

  Akaza-the one who had previously killed Rengoku at the Mugen Train-walked out with a nervous and guilt ridden expression on his face. The other Hashira-except for Mitsuri and Gyomei-stared him down as he made his way over to the Flame Pillar. It was then that Giyuu felt a rising anger in him. However, for the sake of keeping the peace, all he did was give Akaza a death glare.

  "Hey, Kyojuro." Akaza said in an anxious tone. "Long time, no see." Rengoku looked at him with an unreadable expression. "Good evening, Akaza. What brings you here?" Akaza then sighed with a heavy heart, bent down and bowed to the Flame Hashira, catching every Hashira off guard. "I'm sorry..for what happened at the Mugen Train. I really do regret what I did to you..what I did to all those men. I have come to ask for your forgiveness."

  Rengoku tilted his head and made a soft rumble. "Do you really mean it?" His voice didn't sound stern, it was soft and it sounded like it had warmth to it. "I do. I mean every word." Rengoku then closed his eyes and smiled warmly. "Well, then I forgive you!" He roared in a cheery voice. Akaza looked up at him and smiled with relief.

  "Wait, what?!" Sanemi and Obanai yelled simultaneously. "Why would you forgive him?! He killed you!" Obanai hissed angrily. "I can tell that he genuinely regrets what he's done. Besides, I know that there's more to him than we know." Akaza stood up with hopeless relief. "And what makes you believe that?" Sanemi gritted his teeth. "Well..he did use his Blood Demon Art to end his own life." Giyuu spoke up with uncertainty in his voice. "My point exactly!" Rengoku said.

  Sanemi and Obansi just grumbled in frustration. "Relax, you two." Shinobu scolded them. "If he forgives him, then he forgives him. There's no need to make a fuss." Akaza gave Rengoku a sweet smile. "Thank you, Kyojuro. I mean it." Rengoku returned the smile and chuckled. "No need to thank me! I don't think that you're truly evil! Say, would you like to join Tomioka and me?"

  Akaza scratched the back of his neck. "Thank you, Kyojuro, but I already ate." Rengoku chuckled once more. "Oh don't worry! You don't have to eat! I just figured you'd like the company." He was right about that, Akaza really could use the friendship, so he sat down next to the Flame Hashira.

  However, Giyuu felt rather torn by this.  On one hand, he was glad that Rengoku was able to forgive Akaza. Yet on the other hand, he doesn't feel like either of them should trust him. The knotting feeling in his gut only grew stronger, making Giyuu lose his already weak appetite.

  Rengoku looked at Giyuu and slowly started to put the pieces together. He took the Water Pillar's hand and gently squeezed it. "Don't worry, Tomioka. I'm not going anywhere. None of us are." Giyuu looked up at him with wide eyes. "Are you sure?" Rengoku nodded and spoke softly. "I'm positive." A slow drowsiness crept up on Giyuu as he leaned against Rengoku's shoulder. Finding himself getting comfortable on the Flame Hashira's warm body his body eased into a light slumber.

  Then, a screeching call echoed through the dark sky..

  Gyutaro and Daki had finished their dinner rather early for they had plans that night. For the first time in a century, the Shabana siblings were able to take a calm stroll in the woods. Unlike their first trip to the Infinity Castle, they were well prepared and were aware of the directions and the area they had chosen to walk in.

  "Alright. We're just taking a stroll, so don't burn the castle down." Gyutaro snickered as both he and Daki slid open the outside door. "I won't make any promises!" Urogi chirped, flapping his wings excitedly. Nakime just shook her head. "Don't worry, you two. The castle will still be here." Gyutaro and Daki looked at each other, chuckled, and left, closing the door behind them.

  Daki immediately stretched as she felt the cool air hitting her lungs. "It feels great to finally have some time to ourselves, huh?" She said with a cheeky smile. "Hell yeah it does." Gyutaro returned the grin. "Truth be told, I have never felt this free before." His voice was soft and filled with an unfamiliar warmth.

  Daki seemed to return the same sediment. "You're right about that. Having a stable and comfortable place to live, not having to sell myself for whatever money we could get, and not to mention the great food!" Gyutaro cackled. "I know! How did that slayer even learn how to cook anyways?" Daki just shrugged as she walked beside her brother. "Don't know. It definitely has something to do with that nose of his."

  Gyutaro nodded. "Yeah, definitely." Daki hummed with child-like enthusiasm as the pair walked. The stars shone with a bright warmth that illuminated the siblings' path. The trees around them provided a sense of comfort and freedom that the two had never felt before. Now they could truly enjoy each other's company.

  "The next thing we need to do is to get you a lover." Daki said in a semi-teasing tone. "Oh please! No one besides you can love this ugly mug." Gyutaro rolled his eyes. "Besides, you'd just get jealous." Daki shook her head. "No I wouldn't! I would love to see you get a lover! You of all people need one!"

  Gyutaro just huffed. "Yeah right. I'm way too toxic to be a truly loving partner." Daki sighed with a little bit of frustration. "You're just selling yourself short, brother. There's someone out there just for you. I know it." She turned her head, looking straight into the dark woods.

  Strange dirt mounds covered the area. It made it look like the site was an unmarked grave yard. The strange sight caused Daki to get goosebumps. "Hey, brother.." Gyutaro looked at her with a "Hm?" "What are those dirt mounds for?" Gyutaro looked up to see the mounds. Dozens and dozens of them covered the area, making the scene even more uneasy. "I..don't know."

  Then, the sound of rustling leaves alerted them to the path in front of them. The sibling duo quickly summoned their weapons and growled menacingly. "Who's there?" Gyutaro gritted his teeth. A small, bloodied demon pup fumbled their way out from the bushes.

  The pup looked like he was part jaguar for he had a black spotted tail, rounded ears, dark spots on his neck, and his hands and feet looked more like paws than normal appendages. He was wearing a navy blue kimono that had white borders on the wrist cuffs and neck hole. The strange thing was, the kimono looked like it was too big for him as it was sliding off his shoulder. The pup was also wearing black pants over his digitigrade legs. He had short, dark brown hair that was curly in the front and fluffy throughout.

  Both Gyutaro and Daki yelped when they saw him. "A pup?" Gyutaro whispered. "They're rare..What's one doing here?" The pup turned to look at them with black eyes that had dark blue pupils. His body was beaten, battered, and covered in deep scratch marks.

  The small pup-who looked like he was nine or ten-ran to them with tears in his eyes. "Please! You need to help us! My brother and I are in danger!" He cried out as he tugged on Gyutaro's pant leg. Gyutaro winced as he looked down at the pup. "You're the only one that looks hurt, little one." He picked up the young pup and held him in his arms.

  "Where's your brother, dear?" Daki said in a sweet voice as she pet the pup. He shuddered under her touch. Then, a loud, rash voice roared through the night. "Strifles! Where are you, you little shit?!" A large male demon ran out from the bushes. He looked very similar to the smaller pup. The male demon had the same jaguar-like qualities and kimono-except it seemed to fit him better-as the pup. The main differences were his muscular, yet sleek build and long and wild hair that was tied into a low ponytail.

  This demon looked to be completely untouched, unlike the small pup. However, there was blood lathered on his hand paws. He looked at the siblings' and smiled. "Ah! Thank you two so much for finding my brother, Strifles." His voice was raspy and harsh as he spoke.

  "Who are you?" Daki hissed, raising her Obi sashes. "Woah! Woah! No need to get fussy, miss. I'm Ran'yō, the jaguar demon." Daki squinted her eyes. "He said you two were in danger." Ran'yō chuckled eerily. "It was just another demon. Don't worry. I took care of it."

  Gyutaro was looking at Strifles's wounds as Daki and Ran'yō were talking. His examination revealed that these scratches were not what they seemed. They were thin and deep, which contrasted normal demon claws which are wide and shallow like fingernails. These claw marks were more like a cat's than a demon's.

  Gyutaro then slightly squeezed Strifles's paw fingers to see his claws. Alarms went off in his head as he saw the cat-like claws extend out. He then looked at Ran'yō. He also had the same claws. Not to mention, they were covered in blood. Everything then clicked.

  "What the hell were you doing to this pup?" Gyutaro growled as he hugged Strifles close to his chest. Ran'yō's grin faded. "Just defending him from a rabid demon. What else?" Strifles winced I fear as he heard his brother mention a rabid demon. "Bull fucking shit!" Gyutaro roared. "These claw marks aren't those of a normal demon! They clearly came from a large cat and you are the only one here that has bloody paws!"

  Ran'yō growled, clenching his paws. "It's none of your damn business! Strifles! Come here!" The young pup shook his head. "I'm not going with that evil ram!" Ran'yō growled as walked towards them. "You little-" Gyutaro then swung one of his sickles and lodged it into the jaguar demon's jaws. "You will not lay a claw on him, you bastard!"

  Gyutaro looked at Daki in a panic. "Take the pup, Ume!" She immediately scooped up Strifles with her Obi sashes. Ran'yō huffed angrily as he jumped back. "I will not lose my life to you low lives! Jackyll will get his eternal food source! One way or another!"

  The ground beneath all of them shook as the dirt mounds began to burst open. "Blood Demon Art.." Ran'yō cried out. "Cat Call!" Large jaguar corpses emerged from each of the dirt mounds. They were rotting, yet still had the agility of their living counterparts. "What the hell?! Jaguars aren't native to Japan!" Gyutaro growled as he drew his sickles. "You're right." Ran'yō laughed. "A friend of mine has been giving them to me in trade for my brother's flesh!"

  The Shabana siblings felt absolutely sick. "That's just disgusting!" Daki yelled. The undead jaguars roared victoriously as they ran towards Daki and Gyutaro. Gyutaro yelled with anger as he swung his blood coated sickles at the undead felines. Daki swung whatever Obi sashes she had left at the jaguars as well.

  What they didn't account for was how many jaguars there were. There seemed to be hundreds! They all leaped at the duo, severely cutting them with their sharp claws and fangs. Strifles yelped with fear as the jaguars advanced upon them. "God damn it!" Gyutaro roared, striking at the jaguars. "My Blood Demon Art isn't as effective as it was."

  "It's not just that!" Daki gritted her teeth as she used an Obi sash to block a jaguar's snapping jaws. "There's too fucking many of them!" Ran'yō laughed as he watched the chaos. "I will get my brother back! I will continue to grow my jaguar army!" Gyutaro used his blood sickle to slice a jaguar in half. However, the dead feline was able to reconnect itself and continue to attack. "Are you that much of a coward?! That you need to use dead puppets to fight?!" Gyutaro growled.

  "Oh trust me..If you think this is hard, wait until he shows up." The plethora of jaguars continued to rip and tear at the Shabana siblings. Strifles was sobbing from fear as the jaguars snapped at both him and Daki. "Brother! We need to call Tanjiro! There's just too many of them!" Gyutaro growled, slicing a jaguar's head off. "He's fucking busy! I can handle this! You need to run back home!" Daki yelped as a jaguar with a sagging face bit down on her leg. "We need him to convert these two anyways! Just call him!" Gyutaro huffed, looked to the skies, and roared like an angry red fox.

  When the daylight was still out, Tanjiro headed to the Butterfly Mansion with Kokushibo and Douma by his side. The young Demon King lead them to the estate with his sharp memory and sense of direction. Douma messed with his hands nervously and Kokushibo seemed to be deep in thought on their way there. Eventually, that made it to the estate.

  "Alright. I'll make sure that nothing gets too ugly between you two, but please understand that he's going to be hostile." Douma nodded as he listened to the king. "I understand completely." Tanjiro then took a deep breath and knocked at the door. "I got it!" He heard Inosuke's raspy voice from behind the door.

  The boar slayer opened the door rather recklessly. "Monjiro!" Inosuke yelled in a happy tone. "Where have you been?" Tanjiro smiled sweetly. "I been helping the other demons. I hope you've been alright." Inosuke laughed. "Everything's been fantastic!" He tilted his head to the side and saw Douma.

  His cheerful demeanor immediately shifted. "What's he doing here?" Inosuke said with a soft growl. "Douma..wants to talk you." Tanjiro sighed as he moved out of their way. Douma slowly approached Inosuke with shaky steps. "What the hell are you doing here?" Insure gripped the handle of one of his sword's tightly.

  "Inosuke..I've been feeling these strange feelings recently..and they've been tearing me apart." Douma spoke with a soft and hushed voice. Inosuke didn't say anything. "I know that I've done unforgivable things..and I know that you can never forgive me."

  "You're damn right..You killed my mother!" Inosuke yelled with fury. "Inosuke..I really did care about you and your mother. I wanted her to live her full life, but she found out about my secret." Inosuke only growled. "And you couldn't have fought back against Muzan?! You couldn't have broken away from him?! That's no excuse!"

  These words felt like sharp, piercing daggers. "I know! I know that they can't change anything! You're right..I should've stood up for her..I should've made myself better for her..better for you..but I was too much of a coward!" Tears were streaming down Douma's face. "Quit your lying! You never cared about her!"

  "Inosuke." Tanjiro spoke with a soft voice. Inosuke turned to him. "He's not lying, Inosuke. A scent of sorrow and truth is coming from him." Inosuke huffed as he turned back to Douma. "He seems to be..telling the truth..little one.." Kokushibo said as he observed Douma. "He's never..shown with much..emotion before.."

  "Please...Inosuke..I'm not asking you to forgive me..I just want to start anew." Tears continued to stream down his face. At this point, Inosuke didn't know what to feel. He truly wanted a father figure in his life and if Douma really means what he's saying, he could possibly get it. However, Inosuke didn't know if he could trust Douma. He doesn't want him to stab him in the heart like he did all those years ago.

  "I can't forgive you for what you've done." Inosuke said in a much more calm voice. "But..maybe we could start over..that is, if you really mean what you say. Do you actually care about me?" Douma nodded, too weak to say anything. Inosuke turned away from him. "You'll have to prove it then. I need more than words to believe you."

  Douma wiped the tears from his eyes. "I understand, Inosuke. I'm so sorry.." Inosuke crossed his arms. "No amount of apologies can fix this." Douma nodded. "I know.." Tanjiro walked over to Inosuke and crouched down. "Are you alright?" Inosuke swayed a little bit. "I just hope he means what he says." Tanjiro gave him a soft smile. "I believe he does."

  Now, the night had settled in. The stars shone brightly above them. Yet, the beautiful night was disturbed by a terrified roar, alerting the group. "Someone's in danger.." Tanjiro said as his eyes slitted. He then ran off with the rest of the group following behind him.

  The roars became louder and louder as Tanjiro, Inosuke, Douma, and Kokushibo came closer to the source. Blood covered the forest floor as the jaguars tore at the Shabana siblings. "Draw your weapons!" Tanjiro yelled as he drew his sword. The others quickly did the same. Tanjiro managed to land the first hit, slicing three jaguars in half.

  Ran'yō growled in annoyance. "More intruders..No matter!" Some of the jaguars turned their attention to the group and dove in for the attack. The fierce felines scratched and bit at all the group, both half-demons and slayers. Luckily, everyone was able to sustain their ground. Kokushibo, Tanjiro, and Inosuke sliced and diced the jaguars with their swords while Douma and Gyutaro were able to fend off others with their unique weapons. Daki was able to climb a tree with Strifles in her arms.

  "Damn it..I can't have them getting close to me!" Ran'yō said to himself as he watched all the others slowly advancing on him. Then, the sound of a ringing bell echoed through the woods. Ring..ring..ring..It's ringing causing the hair on everyone's neck to stand up. Ran'yō grinned wildly. "Hahaha! He's here! The ram is here!"

  "Who's the-ack!" A blur of energy rushed toward Inosuke and threw him further into the woods. "INOSUKE!" Douma cried out, running after him. The jaguars were able to overwhelm the others now. "Oh no.." Tanjiro said as he gripped his sword, watching the jaguars advance upon them.

  Douma sped to where Inosuke had landed by following a path of his own blood. Whatever that was had thrown Inosuke extremely far! The blood ran along the forest floor like a strange marking.

  Inosuke hit his back against a tree. He groaned in pain as he stood up. His boar mask had fallen off when he was flung, so his human face was exposed. "Looks like I was mistaken." A deep, cackling voice spoke with a chill. Inosuke looked up to face the powerful being.

  The voice belonged to this strange ram creature. It had the legs and head of a ram, but it also stood up on two legs and had arms like a human. Its fingers were hoof-like claws and it's coat was flat black. The creature's horns were striped with green, blue, and purple and it's hooves were also the same colors. A strange "X" shaped scar covered the edge of its snout. The strangest parts abothis creature was its golden piercing eyes, and a golden bell that was tied around its neck with a red sash.

  "You are not the kind of food I want." Its deep voice sent chills down Inosuke's spine. The creature pressed its hood down on Inosuke's chest, causing him to gasp for air. "Who..are you?" The ram smiled with sharp pointy teeth. "Why, I'm Jackyll. The only true demon you've probably seen!"

  Jackyll's hoof started to crush Inosuke's ribs. He yelled in pain as he tried to swing his sword at the ram. But the ram was fast and he quickly caught the sword. "Trying to fight back, are we? Well don't worry! I'll make this painful!" Jackyll cackled wickedly as he sunk the sword straight into Inosuke's femur, causing him to scream.

  Blood squirted and poured out from his wound. Jackyll twisted the sword in his leg, making the bones crunch and the muscles tear. Inosuke screamed in absolute agony while Jack cackled in amusement. "You pathetic humans think you're so strong." Jackyll grinned as he twisted the sword. "You don't know who the true apex predators are! Don't try to convince me that those Moons are anywhere close to being the strongest!"

  Jackyll jumped back with a strong kick. "I will slaughter all of you, so that my species will rise again!" Visible energy danced on the ram's body as his horns started to glow. "Say goodnight!" Jackyll roared as he ran towards him. Inosuke closed his eyes and accepted his fate.

  Yet, instead of feeling any more pain, Inosuke felt warm blood drip onto his legs. "You will not kill my son!" Douma's voice roared at the ram. Inosuke looked up to see Douma standing in front of him. Blood dripped from the large scratch wound on Douma's chest. Jackyll bared his fangs and snarled. "A human demon?! How dare you filthy creatures further interfere with my life!"

  Douma drew out his deadly fan as his wound slowly healed. "What the hell are you talking about?!" Jackyll grinned as he ran towards Douma and grabbed his arms. "Looks like Muzan never spilled the tea about us Humanoid Demons! You and your kind nearly drove us to extinction!"

  The jaguars viciously bit and scratched at the half-demons. Tanjiro's haori was almost completely shredded. Kokushibo kimono had been ripped off and Gyutaro looked like a severely used scratching post. Daki was the least damaged, but both her and Strifles were cornered by the undead felines.

  Kokushibo huffed and grunted with each cut and bite. "There's too many..of them..I have to..No..I can't..but.." He looked up at the others, watching them fight for their lives. He now knew what he had to do. Kokushibo morphed his body into the monster form he took during the final battle and was able to slowly tear through the jaguars.

  "Listen!" Tanjiro called out to Ran'yō. "We don't have to fight! I can free you from the burden of eating humans! I can help you!" Ran'yō snarled before laughing maniacally. "I'm not interested in eating humans! That ram demon gives me a jaguar every month in trade for flesh."

  Strifles jumped down from Daki's arms. "No, little pup!" She yelled as Strifles ran towards his brother. A strang,  brown Maine Coon cat ran beside Strifles, seemingly defending him from the jaguars. The cat didn't have a nose and its fur was ragged and torn, but it clearly wanted to aid the pup. Strifles was successfully able to reach his brother and tugged on Ran'yō's kimono.

  "Brother please! Maybe he can help us! Maybe he can free us from the ram!" Ran'yō snarled. "Shut up, you little bitch!" The jaguar demon kicked Strifles in the chest and sent him into a tree, causing the pup to release a pained cry.

  Tanjiro widened his eyes and gritted his teeth. "How dare you? HOW DARE YOU?!" Something inside of him felt like it was burning with absolute fury. The ground shook beneath everyone. Then, a large dragon made from the ground water burst through the earth.

  Tanjiro's hand was raised as he stared at Ran'yō with pure hate. "Hydrokinesis." Kokushibo whispered as the water dragon loomed above them. This was a part of Tanjiro's Blood Demon Art. "How dare you hurt him like that?! He's just trying to save you!" Tanjiro's roars were filled with rage.

  "You have no idea what it means to be a loving sibling, do you?! How dare you hurt an innocent pup?! Let alone, your own brother! He doesn't deserve to be beaten and kicked! He has never bore the blood of the innocent! I can smell it! You, on the other hand, have borne only his blood and for what?! More power?!"

  Tanjiro looked at Strifles, who was curled up on the ground, crying. "No matter how much damage you do to him, your little brother has always looked up to you! He always loved you! And you used that love against him! You let that ram torture him for lord knows how long!"

  Rage consumed Tanjiro as he roared into the night, startling Ran'yō and making him back up. The water dragon then roared. It's aquatic body turned into solar flames. Kokushibo widened his eyes in awe, both at Tanjiro's power and speech. Gyutaro was also impressed, but quickly took action. He saw a shallow trench by the tree where Strifles was and scooped up the young pup.

  Daki followed him and took the pup into her arms once they were in the trench. "Stay here." He said in a hushed voice as he jumped out. Kokushibo flung the jaguars that were behind Tanjiro in front of him by using his tentacles. All of this in preparation for Tanjiro's attack.

  Douma was struggling to hold his own against Jackyll. The ram demon pushed him back by using his powerful digitigrade legs. Douma tried to use his Blood Demon Art, but he couldn't freeze the air without killing Inosuke. "Your kind are useless wastes of space!" Jackyll pushed Douma's arms back, causing the bones to break and rip out of his skin.

  Douma screamed in pain as his elbow bones were exposed. "You have no idea who I am..Let me show you!" Jackyll stuck out his long tongue, revealing Kenji that read "Upper Besst One." Douma widened his eyes. "You're a fake! A phony!" Jackyll's laugh was wicked and cold. "Is that so? Then how am I absolutely destroying Upper Moon Two?"

  Douma closed his eyes and roared in aggravation. "I will not let you hurt my son!" He kicked the ram in his stomach, which only pushed him back slightly. A strange, fiery light emitted from behind them. Douma turned to see the massive flame dragon. Then, he had an idea. Douma heaved Jackyll by his middle and quickly threw him into its pathway.

  The solar flame dragon roared angrily and Tanjiro roared as well. Before anyone else could react, the dragon burned its way through the pathway. The Maine Coon cat was standing in the way. "Mr. Nibbles!" Strifles cried out with outstretched arms. Gyutaro saw the car and dove after it. He tumbled into the trench with the cat in his arms and held Daki close to his chest. "Don't look at the flames, Ume!" He managed to roar above the sound of the blast.

  The solar flames burned everything in their path. The jaguars, Ran'yō, and even Jackyll. Tanjiro roared angrily as the dragon incinerated everything in its path. Kokushibo stood behind him, both looking in awe and in horror.

  The light died down and the smoke cleared. Corpses of burned jaguars were strewn around the area. Ran'yō's skin was horrifically burned to the point where he was almost unrecognizable. He groaned in severe pain as his body was stiff.

  Tanjiro walked through the burned area and towards Ran'yō. He squinted his eyes in disgust as he looked at the pitiful demon. "Strifles will never be put in that kind of pain again." He growled before slicing off Ran'yō's head with his black blade. The jaguar demon's body disintegrated almost immediately once his head was decapitated.

  Tanjiro looked up to see Jackyll, who was severely burned. Unlike Ran'yō, Jayckll shook off the burned skin and regenerated quickly. He looked up at the sky and snarled. "You're lucky the sun is coming, otherwise you'd all be dead! That half Humanoid pup will be my food source..and I'll destroy your bloodline.." Before Tanjiro could make another move, Jackyll's bell rang and he sped away in a blur.

  Tanjiro looked over at his group. "Is everyone okay?" Gyutaro and Daki emerged from the trench with Strifles and the cat in their arms. Kokushibo stood up and dusted himself off.

  Douma immediately went over to Inosuke once the dragon passed. "Inosuke! Are you alright?!" Inosuke looked up at him with blood dripping down his face. "You saved me..thank you." Douma smiled with relief and carefully hugged him. "I'm just thankful that you're alive!"

  Douma had to pop the bones back into his arms before he could lift Inosuke up on his shoulders. He grunted in pain with every step that he took, but he made sure to pick up Inosuke's boar mask along the way. A plethora of different scents hit Tanjiro's nose as a herd of footsteps was audible.

  All the Hashira-plus Akaza, Zenitsu, and Nezuko-ran to the scene of the battlefield. "What the hell happened here?!" Sanemi said with widened eyes. "This area has been incinerated!" Tanjiro turned to look at the Hashira. "There was a demon..a jaguar demon..one who abused his brother."

  Gyutaro and Daki walked into the clearing, Strifles shivering in Daki's arms. "Oh my.." Mitsuri covered her mouth with shock and horror. "That poor pup.." Obanai squinted his eyes. "Even for a demon, that's low. Purely vile!" Gyutaro and Daki walked over to Tanjiro-who outstretched his arms-and handed Strifles over to him. He looked into the young pup's saddened eyes.

  Tanjiro hugged the pup close to him. "I'm so sorry, Strifles..I'm so sorry." His voice cracked with sorrow and regret. "I didn't want to take your brother away from you." Nezuko and Zenitsu quickly hurried over to Tanjiro. "Brother, it's not your fault." Nezuko winced. "You just had to do what you needed to do to keep him safe." Zenitsu said in agreement.

  The Hashira then examined the battlefield. Rengoku looked across the scorched landscape. "Young Kamado, did you do this?" Tanjiro only looked up at him. "He did.." Kokushibo spoke up. "He was..infuriated by the pup's abuse..and scorched the earth.." Rengoku nodded. "You have gotten immensely stronger, Young Kamado. There's no denying that."

    Akaza walked over to Kokushibo with a curious expression. The six-eyed demon turned away in shame. "Don't look at me..this form.. is hideous.." Akaza only tilted his head in confusion. "Hideous? What do you mean hideous?" Kokushibo turned back towards him. "This form.."

  Akaza raised an eyebrow and blushed slightly. "I don't think it's hideous." Kokushibo could feel his face turning red. "You..you don't think so..?" Akaza nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah! I actually think it's rather cool." Kokushibo covered his blushing face with a clawed hand. "I guess..if you like it..it must not be..all too bad.."

  Everyone who was injured was quickly escorted to the Butterfly Estate. For most of the group, their wounds recovered quickly due to them being half-demons. However, Inosuke remained in the mansion for a while longer. Jackyll had broken four of his ribs and completely shattered his left femur.

  However, the person who had received the most damage was Strifles. For a while, he refused to eat and couldn't hardly sleep without crying. Luckily, he had been converted by Tanjiro and many of the half-demons tried to help him, but nothing seemed to work.

  Strifles was huddled inside his room, not making a sound when someone knocked on the door. "Hello?" Strifles mewed in a weak voice. "Are you Strifles?" A soft voice replied from the other side. "Yeah.." Strifles buried his head in his arms. The door slid open, revealing that the person who was behind the door was none other than Rui.

  "Hello there." Rui gave him a kind smile. Strifles waved as his tail curled around his legs. "I just wanted to check up on you. I heard what happened to you and wanted to see if I can help you." Rui said as he sat down next to him."

  "There's nothing you can do, but thank you." Strifles buried his head in his arms once more. Rui winced with sympathy for the poor pup. "I know it hurts, Strifles, but I promise you that you're better off without him." Strifles began to sniffle. "Why didn't he love me? I tried to make him happy, yet he still hated me." Tears streamed down his cheeks as Strifles burst into sobs.

  Rui quickly wrapped his arms around the jaguar pup. "No, Strifles. It's not your fault. He was the scumbag that tortured you. You didn't do anything wrong." Strifles sobbed into Rui's kimono. "I just wanted him to love me! That's all!" Rui then nuzzled his tears away, fully indulging in his instincts. "Don't worry. You deserve love and I promise you'll be loved by many here."

  Strifles looked up at him, tears dripping from his eyes. "Do you really mean that?" Rui only hugged him tighter. "Of course I do. I wouldn't lie to you." Strifles hugged Rui as well and slowly, yet surely, fell asleep.

  The night was cool and dark as Kokushibo traversed through the land. For now he was finally aborigines deliver the wicker basket of goodies. The destination slowly came into view, making Kokushibo sigh in relief. He tenderly approached the steps to the Mist Estate and put the basket down in front of the sliding door.

  "Tokito..Genya...I regret everything that..I've done to you..and to all the others..I hope..you take my offering." Kokushibo said in a low whisper. He then turned and started to walk away.

  "Hey, six-eyes." A stern, cold voice called from behind Kokushibo. He turned around to see no one other than Sanemi Shinazugawa. "What the hell are you doing here?" He gritted his teeth. "I just came here..to deliver gifts.." Kokushibo said softly. Sanemi looked at the basket then turned back. "I don't trust anything you say.."

  Kokushibo nodded. "I understand that..I've hurt you..deeply." Sanemi clenched his fists. "Look here, I'm not going to kill you because of Master's orders, but if you even come near my brother ever again, you will be gutted." Kokushibo sighed. "I've made..many mistake..I know this..I just wish to amend..the mistakes I can amend."

  Sanemi narrowed his eyes. "If he forgives you, for some fucking reason, then I'll leave you be. If you try to attack him, I will skin you alive and feed you to the crows, got it?" Kokushibo nodded, regret creeping up on him. "Oh, and by the way, that ram demon is still at large. Do any of you have any clue of who he might be?"

  Kokushibo shook his head. "His name is Jackyll..he's supposedly a different species than us..and he used to devour Strifles's flesh..That's all..but we're still looking into it." Sanemi huffed angrily. "You better. From what we know that ram is extremely dangerous." Kokushibo nodded. "He is...and he's truly..a mystery.."

Author's Note: Oh Lordie, this one was long! I'm also introducing two reoccurring OCs in this chapter! Strifles and the main antagonist, Jackyll! There's still two other OCs that will play a big role in this story!