Demon Slayer Enmu - Tumblr Posts
I just finished fighting Mettaton EX and my Enmu funko gave me a heart attack
More information on my Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU!
I really want to elaborate more on my AU, specifically about the demons and how they are dealing with the changes. So, here are some headcanons about them!
Here is the original Mastpost!
Rui
When it came to converting into a half demon, he was rather cautious about the idea, mostly because he didn’t want to lose his “family” and strength
Nezuko managed to convince him by promising to stick by his side while he works out the changes
They spent a lot of time together, which brought them closer and formed a genuine bond
This drove Inosuke insane though
Tanjiro was pretty weary about their relationship, but he eventually grew fond of the little guy
It took quite a while for Rui to truly come out of his shell
But when he did, everyone realized just how touch starved the poor baby is
He melts when given any form of physical affection and he is quite clingy
I headcanon that Rui has OCD, mostly because he likes everything in their proper roles, so I think he would make sure everything is clean and orderly
He tends to get flustered when he is dealing with large messes, so either Nezuko or Tanjiro has to calm him down
Despite the Kamado siblings’ affection and stability, Rui still feels like he’s missing something in his life
That is, until Tanjiro introduces him to Akaza (Tanjiro decided to introduce all the demons to each other)
Akaza and Rui immediately get along and become friends
Eventually, Akaza introduces Rui to the other upper moons (plus Enmu since he’s usually around Douma)
Akaza was rather nervous about introducing Rui due to the moon’s chaotic nature and Rui’s OCD
However, Rui sees that they have a deep connection despite the chaos and decides to stick around
Akaza: Sorry if they’re a bit chaotic kid, bu-
Rui: They’re perfect
Akaza: Huh?!
With time, Rui learns more about the upper moons and they grow on him
Akaza and Kokushibo are Rui’s father figures
Daki and Gyutaro are very close to Rui and they often hang out with the Kamado siblings
Finally Douma and Enmu sometimes drag Rui in one of their pranks or adventures
The Kamado siblings notice that Rui is less tense, more open minded and is a lot happier
Half demons mature and grow, so Rui and Daki do mature and actually get older as time passes
Although he still goes to the Kamadoi’s for comfort, he truly feels like he has a family with the upper moons
Akaza
I feel like he would be more open to becoming a half demon (I mean it’s better than dying, right?) so he takes up on Tanjiro’s offer
Akaza regularly has to pull Douma out of trouble, either it be pranks that have gone too far or making him act like a gentleman
Whenever anyone is sick, you can expect Akaza to come over and try to take care of them
He did NOT like Zenitsu when they officially met, but they became mutual once he learned that Zenitsu wasn’t that big of a pervert (mostly because he’s dating Tanjiro)
Akaza deeply respects Tanjiro and they tend to work together on projects involving the demons
Akaza wanted to repair his relationship with Rengoku (which yes, Tanjiro was able to bring him back) and Rengoku has rather nervous to do so
They became great friends, but Giyuu (who Rengoku is dating) doesn’t really trust Akaza
Let’s just say it took a LONG time before Giyuu trusted him
Akaza gives advice to the women (both demons and humans) on how to defend themselves from perverts
Akaza is typically with Rui and Kokushibo, probably doing some father - son activities
Akaza actually gets with Kokushibo after realizing that Koku could be soft
Akaza is a tsundere, hands down.
He’ll never admit that he likes being the little spoon or that he loves sitting in Koku’s lap.
He also finds Koku’s final form hot. (He doesn’t have a monster kink though)
Akaza: is there a Mrs, Kokushibo?
Douma: Are you fucking flirting with Kokushibo’s final form?
Akaza: He’s fucking HAWT!
During his free time, Akaza usually like to either read or take long walks,
Rui is usually by his side on said long walks
Enmu
As you can probably expect, Enmu did not want to become a half demon
But after a long battle with Tanjiro, he eventually gave in
This is mostly due to his bitterness towards Tanjiro after he killed Muzan
Tanjiro quickly learns about his relationship with Muzan and instantly knows that it was a toxic relationship and Enmu doesn’t see that
Everyone tries to tell him that their relationship was toxic, but Enmu just gets pissed off
Tanjiro notices a strange smell that Enmu has and decides to look into it
He found out that Enmu couldn’t differentiate dreams and reality as a human and that he didn’t feel most pain, which made Tanjiro even more curious
It wasn’t until Enmu pointed out a suspicious flower that Muzan used to make him eat did Tanjiro finally realize what was going on
Turns out, Enmu had been given drugs as a kid and Muzan had kept him on those drugs to stay numb
Tanjiro knew he had to convince Enmu that Muzan was making him take drugs
It took a while for Enmu to believe him, but when he did, Enmu fell into a deep depression
Tanjiro had tried many different ways to make feel better (having him take care of people, saying kind things to him, etc)
Eventually, Tanjiro had him meet the upper moors, which introduced him to Douma!
At first, Enmu was quite distant and confused why Douma would take interest in him, but spending time with Douma made him come out of his shell
Douma showered him with affection, which made Enmu feel special and wanted
They would go on a lot of adventures together and they would pull pranks on people
After a while of this, Enmu started feeling strange and he went to Tanjiro to know what that feeling was
Enmu: What the hell is this feeling?! It feels so strange!
Tanjiro: Awww, that’s love, Enmu!
Enmu: What the fuck is that?
Both Tanjiro and Zenitsu would help him with confessing to Douma
They ended up deciding to confess on Valentine’s Day (There’s simply nothing more romantic than that)
Turns out, Douma was also planning to confess, so they just ended up being a flustered mess while Tanjiro and Zenitsu were giggling in the distance
At first, Enmu didn’t understand how Douma could do something nice for him
He thought that he always would have to do something nice for Douma
So when Douma treats him, Enmu.exe stops working
They go on a LOT of dates (usually little adventures)
Douma
He also didn’t want to convert, so Akaza and Kokushibo had to hold him down and force him to take Tanjiro’s blood
Tanjiro had to keep an eye on him for a while to make sure he wasn’t going to eat anybody
Douma eventually gave up eating people and started pulling pranks instead
He’s the number one troublemaker in the upper moon and can make a normal situation into one of chaos and anarchy
When Tanjiro hosted the demon meet and greet, Douma’s attention immediately went to Enmu, mostly because he found Enmu quite fashionable
When Douma started falling in love with Enmu, he was also very confused
Douma: Whay the fuck am I feeling this way towards a man?!
Akaza: You might be bisexual dude
Douma: *confused screaming*
Douma loves it when Enmu lulls him to sleep with his powers
In turn, Douma takes care of Enmu and makes some fantastic meals
Douma will happily listen to Enmu when he’s either talking about the demon ranks and/or trains
However, Douma can be quite reckless on their adventures, which sometimes causes them to get hurt
One time, Enmu ended up getting severely injured because of Douma’s recklessness
Basically, they entered an area of the Humanoid island where dangerous monsters were found
They barely got away, but they were haunted by an evil being named Kingu Akuma
That was one of the few times Douma actually cried
Despite the heartache of this event, something awakened in Douma that would help him deal with a bigger problem later on
Kingu Akuma harassed them and made them paranoid
He also reminded them of their pasts over and over again
Unfortunately, this made Douma remember the traumatic event that made him lose his emotions
(I’m not going to say what that moment was here since I can explain it better when I write the chapters. Let’s just say it is based on an actual theory. People believed this might’ve happened to him because of how the cult dehumanized him)
However, he also felt a painful feeling that he couldn’t quite figure out
He didn’t realize what that awakened emotion was until he reunited with Inosuke
Although Inosuke didn’t remember what happened to his mother, Douma remembered it vividly
Douma couldn’t understand why he felt so horrible when he was around Inosuke until he confronted Tanjiro about it
Tanjiro was horrified by Douma’s confession, but was willing to help him due to Douma’s willingness to change
Douma then proceeded to tell Inosuke what he did and well Inosuke didn’t take it well (he tried to kill him)
Due his guilt, Douma tried to hang out with Inosuke, but Inosuke was having none of it
It stayed like this until Inosuke was forced to fight off against a rabid ram demon (I’ll elaborate on this fight in a different post)
Inosuke came very close to death, but Douma saved him from getting mauled by the demon
Together, they finished off the ram and came to a mutual understanding
Although Inosuke can’t forgive him for killing his mother, he can understand that Douma is trying to make things up and so tries to develop a deeper relationship with his stepfather
Due to the he harassment by Kingu, guilt, and retrieving his memoriess, Douma went insane and he tried to unalive himself
Akaza stopped him from going through with it and told him that the only way to get rid of Kingu is to face your past
That’s when Douma went to Shinobu for therapy
She saw his memories and was horrified
Shinobu had to rescue a child version of him (his humanity) from Kingu inside his mind
After some time, he gathered the courage to face Kingu and fight him
Douma couldn’t defeat him (since Kingu is the god of chaos and suffering)
However it did end with Kingu realizing that Douma has changed and he leaves Douma (kinda like how Death did to Puss)
Both Akaza and Kokushibo care for Douma, but they often get annoyed by him
Gyutaro hates him due to Douma pestering both him and Daki (They have a typical annoyed child and jerk father relationship)
Douma finds this hilarious and continues teasing them
Daki and Gyutaro
Daki was quite open to converting (mostly because she was convinced by Nezuko)
However Gyutaro had to be convinced by Daki in order to convert
Once they were converted, both Tanjiro and Nezuko wanted to shower them with affection (they felt that they deserved a better life than what they had)
At first they were very off putted by this, but they eventually warmed up
The Kamado siblings taught them more about their relationship and how to properly show love
Gyutaro: What the hell are you doing?
Tanjiro: Giving you something you never got, a hug.
Gyutaro: …
Gyutaro: *gross sobbing ensues*
Gyutaro constantly goes to Tanjiro for advice on how to be a better older brother
Gyutaro has also accidentally called Tanjiro “dad” a few times which sent Daki into hysterical laughter
Although Daki and Nezuko had to work out their relationship, they eventually became best friends
Nezuko would occasionally host a girl’s night out and Daki would be there right beside her
Both Daki and Gyutaro prefer to be around the Kamado siblings (mostly because they find comfort in them)
When they are around the other demons, they are usually dragged into their nutty shenanigans
Daki really loves being around Rui
She is like a mother to him and Daki smothers him in affection like Nezuko does
Gyutaro melts when he’s complimented (especially on his appearance)
Nezuko made Gyutaro a blanket with heating pads so Gyutaro doesn’t get cold and he loves it to death
They are very curious and love learning about the world
Lastly, they both just really love each other and they are learning to accept themselves
Hantengu Clones
I feel like Aizetsu would be the most willing to covert, but the others need some convincing
Sekido was definitely the hardest to convince, no doubt about it
Urogi and Karaku are best friends and they always cause chaos
Sometimes they’ll accompany Enmu and Douma on their adventures
Sekido usually has to pull them out of trouble
Urogi is definitely Aizetsu’s emotional support
Sometimes Urogi can go a bit overboard, but he tries his best to comfort Aizetsu
All the clones see themselves as brothers
Aizetsu and Genya do become friends, but it took quite some time for that to happen
They usually just have really interesting conversations. That’s how they usually hang out
Karaku, Nezuko, and Daki will always make sure that someone looks great for a date!
Sekido is the unofficial eldest brother, the other clones hate this
All the clones may tease Aizetsu, but if anyone else messes with him. They will have hell to pay
Aizetsu prefers to be around the Kamado siblings, they’re just so calming
He just gets overwhelmed easily, so he prefers to be in quiet places
Sekido hides his feelings and he’ll never admit to enjoying anything
Whenever Zohakuten needs to be formed, Urogi and Karaku usually try to have Aizetsu initiate it because he’s a lot more gentle than Sekido
Zohakuten is like a little angry gremlin
He will immediately attack anyone who calls him cute
Zohakuten: I’m not cute!
Zohakuten: I’m into hardcore death metal!
Zohakuten: I’ve got a scar!
Zohakuten: I branded myself with a hot iron once!
Zohakuten: I’m into Big Dumb Sweet Men!
Zohakuten: Don’t judge me, I’m not cute!
Despite Zohakuten’s efforts, Mitsuri still loves him
The wooden dragons are like little puppies that annoy Zohakuten
The only person that Zohakuten truly likes is Rui
You just can’t hate Rui
Hantengu actually prefers to be separated
He lives in constant fear so it’s nice to find happiness in the clones
Kokushibo
He was also willing to be converted (mostly because he’ll still be able to stay alive)
At first, Kokushibo would be incredibly jealous of Tanjiro
Because of this, Tanjiro decided to try to spend more time with him
Tanjiro found out about his brother and decided as a peace offering, he would help Kokushibo learn the various techniques of sun breathing
Although he doesn’t really learn it, they become close and they form a strong friendship
When He, Tanjiro, Douma, and Inosuke were fighting the jaguar demon, Tanjiro basically gave a speech about how no matter how powerful or weak the younger brother is, they will always look up to the older one
Kokushibo was deeply moved by this
Kokushibo deeply respects Tanjiro for defying his fate in a much more honest and honorable way than he did
He is Tanjiro’s right hand man and will always help him with plans
Kokushibo is pretty much the leader of the upper moons when Tanjiro isn’t around
He is like the stern father while Akaza is more of a relaxed father towards the moons
Kokushibo is also very peaceful and prefers to paint and draw alone
He gives great advice to the other demons on how to handle their changes
Kokushibo usually has to get the other demons out of trouble
He has a major sweet tooth, but the only ones who know this are Akaza and Mitsuri
Sometimes, he’ll eat some sweets with Mitsuri
Kokushibo: How the hell did you guys turn a picnic into a forest barbecue?!
Akaza: DON’T LOOK AT ME!!
Douma: *holding the match* I didn’t do it
He always helps Tanjiro convert other demons
(Okay time for some Kokuaka headcanons!)
Let’s be honest, Kokushibo would be dense af. He would have no clue that Akaza had feelings for him and Koku would have no idea that he loved Akaza back
He’d just think that he felt a strange feeling when he’s with Akaza
Kokushibo eventually figures it out after seeing Tanjiro’s and Zenitsu’s and Douma’s and Enmu’s relationships grow.
At the start of their relationship, Kokushibo was very closed. He acted very stoic, believing that this was they way to earn anyone’s affection
Eventually, Akaza softens him up. He makes Koku realize that it’s okay to show emotion
Kokushibo adores warmth (he’ll never admit it though). He loved to be close physically to his friends and always carries heating pads on him.
Kokushibo is actually really good with kids, surprisingly.
Poor babe gets a lot of headaches so he carries medication on him and he prefers to be awake at night
Although he has to put up with the craziness of the upper moons, he still loves them and will always help them
Tanjiro is incredibly proud of them and the progress that they have made
Tanjiro being a proud dad is so freaking cute
I love this AU and I’ve had a lot of fun with it! Speaking of fun, here are some incorrect quotes because why not?
Douma: *chugs mayo*
Enmu: Hmm that looks like our bedsheets
Akaza: *chokes on water*
Kokushibo: *gasps and covers Rui’s ears*
Tanjiro: I’m very uncomfortable with the energy we have created in this room
Rui: Every family has a gay cousin
Enmu: Bitch we don’t have a gay cousin
Enmu: Wait
Enmu: I am the gay cousin oH mY gOd
Tanjiro: Why were you calling me those awful things when we fought?
Gyutaro: Those were auful things?
Tanjiro: *starts tearing up out of guilt*
Gyutaro: WAIT, I’M SORRY!!
Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU
Chapter Six:
The Redemption Project
Warnings: blood and signs of a toxic relationship
Word Count: 5889
With the arrival of the Hashiras, and some of the Kizuki, came many new changes. Aoi and the triplets back at the Butterfly Estate celebrated Shinobu's return with tears and hugs. Mitsuri was able to visit her family and introduce them to her boyfriend, Obanai. However, Sanemi couldn't bring herself to face Genya. He was ridden with guilt for what he did to his little brother.
With all these changes happening, Tanjiro thought about what this could all mean. He thought about how the different Kizuki members reacted to him bringing them back. Akaza and Rui made him the most curious. He expected all of them to treat him with resentment, yet that wasn't the case.
He noticed a strong sorrowful scent that came from them when he brought them back. It threw him off guard, but it ultimately made him curious. It was that reason why Tanjiro put himself here. Sitting in front of Kiriya, discussing plans.
"You want to try to redeem the demons?" Kiriya's voice was soft, yet filled with curiosity. Not a single bit if anger or concern could be sensed. Tanjiro nodded. "I know that it sounds ridiculous, but I believe that they can be redeemed, especially now that I can make them half-demons."
Kiriya looked out the sliding doors to the vibrant outside world. The pedals of the cherry blossoms fell slowly and landed in the crystal blue lake beneath the tree. "Why do you believe this?" He asked softly. "I'm not mad, just curious."
Tanjiro knew that he would have to pitch this idea elegantly. He cleared his throat and spoke with a warm, yet determined voice. "Ever since I started working as a demon slayer, I've met many kinds of people. I know that to many of us here, demons seems like creatures of pure evil. However, I know that isn't true. Many of the demons I've met radiate the scent of pain and sorrow and it isn't narcissistic sorrow either. They've lost so much and it made them turn to Kibutsuji."
Kiriya turns back to him, seemingly convinced. He did still seem wary though. Tanjiro took quick notice of this. "I know it sounds ridiculous...but you should've seen the way Rui held onto me on our way back from Mount Natagumo..the way Akaza destroyed himself during the final battle and how the scent of regret lingered around him."
The speech was quite moving and his words fully convinced Kiriya. "This won't be easy.." Kiriya said, almost as if he was thinking to himself. "Both the majority of the slayers and the demons will most likely reject the idea at first." Tanjiro nodded, understanding the harsh circumstances. "I know, but the greatest things in life do come with severe risks."
Kiriya smiled, warmly. "Yet you're willing to do this anyway, despite the risks." He sighed with relief and tranquility. "Alright. I'll let you start this redemption project. Just don't let them devour any humans, alright?" Tanjiro smiled and brightened like the sun. "Thank you, master! Thank you so much!" He got up and bowed, filling Kiriya's heart with happiness. "It's no problem, young Kamado."
Tanjiro turned to leave, but he stopped himself before walking out the door. "Oh! One last thing, master." Kiriya tilted his head, curiously. "Hm? What is it?" Tanjiro turned back to him. "I know that I'm able to bring others back, so.." He seemed to get nervous. "Would you..like me to bring back your father, mother, and sisters?"
A wave of grief and surprise came over Kiriya. He did want his family to be whole again, but he couldn't make a rash decision here. This would be an instant "yes" if it weren't for his father's disease. Kiriya knew that if his father, Kagaya, still had the side effects of his disease, he would be absolutely miserable.
"Young Kamado..as much as I would love to have my father back, I unfortunately have to say no. We don't know if he would still suffer from his symptoms as a half-demon. Plus, knowing my father, he probably would rather accept his life in heaven. My mother would want to stay by his side as well."
Kiriya wiped the tears from his eyes. "But...could you bring back my sisters? They were too young to die and my father would want them to come back." Tanjiro smiled with empathy. "Of course I can. It's the least I could do." He crouches down in front of Kiriya and opened his arms, offering a hug. Kiriya almost threw himself into Tanjiro's arms, sobbing.
Despite Kiriya being the master of the Demon Slayer Corps, he was still a kid. "I'm sorry, young Kamado. I should be stronger." Kiriya's voice was muffled, due to him burying himself in Tanjiro's chest. "It's okay, master. I know that it hurts. There's no shame in grieving." Kiriya looked up at him with a warm smile on his face. "Thank you, Tanjiro. Thank you."
The first people that came to Tanjiro's mind when it came to redemption were actually the Shabana siblings, Daki and Gyutaro. This is because they had one of the strongest scents of sorrow out of any of the demons he's encountered. They were also the only demons who genuinely loved and sacrificed themselves for another. Therefore, Tanjiro did actually respect them.
Nezuko was also surprisingly open to the idea. She too remembered the way they fought and protected each other, so she decided to accompany him. The voluminous moon shone brightly down on them as they headed to the Entertainment District on foot. This took a lot longer to get there then it would have to get someone to ride them there, but they didn't want to risk their demon selves being snuffed out.
A lamp that Tanjiro decided to bring with them, was glowing brightly in his grasp. It lit the night and led them to the recovering Entertainer District. Since the time they fought Undermoon Six, the district has been recovering at a steady pace. Many of the houses and shops have already been rebuilt and were now in full swing.
Tanjiro shuddered at the sight of the place. He hated the way this place treated women and how it used their desperation. Nezuko hid behind him, feeling nervous from the environment. Her brother gently took her hand into his and looked back at her. "Don't worry, Nezuko. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
Nezuko smiled in response, but she still hid behind him. Tanjiro sniffed the air, looking for the demon duo's unique scent. "I've got it." He said softly yet excitedly. Both the Kamados sped their pace as they made their way through the center of the Entertainment District. This lead then to the back area of the district.
Houses were being rebuilt from the rubble from the fight. The further south they went, the more destruction they came across. "The battle left everything in shambles." Tanjiro's voice was gripped with guilt. "I know, brother. At least they're recovering quickly, right?" Nezuko said, trying to cheer him up. Tanjiro turned to her and smiled. "Right."
They followed the scent past the rubber and destruction and it led them to an empty spot in the middle of ruins. "We're here, Nezuko." Tanjiro whispered, looking around him. Once again, he saw the red ashes that would form the two demons. Nezuko followed his gaze, having a vague idea of what he's looking at. "Alright, brother. Good luck!"
Tanjiro smiled at her before slicing his hand with his claws, letting the blood drip on the ground. "You're going to have Miss Kocho pump some blood into you by this end of this." Nezuko said, worriedly. "You're probably right." Tanjiro half-heartedly chuckled. The red ashes made themselves visible by glowing brightly and moving closer towards the blood.
Tanjiro closed his eyes and remembered the battle with vivid accuracy. This caused the ashes to come together. They slowly melded into each other, creating the forms of the demon siblings. Nezuko skipped to her brother's side when their forms were almost completely built. The red lights glowed brightly before dying down, revealing Daki and Gyutaro.
Daki stretched her arms while Gyutaro shook his head like a dog. "Where are w-ah!" Daki shrieked as she opened her eyes. "It's you two! What have you done to us?!" She snarled aggressively. Tanjiro raised his hands. "It's alright. No one is going to hurt you."
"Why should we believe you?" Gyutaro made a low growl as he put an arm in front of his sister. "You killed us.." Tanjiro nodded, understanding their concern. "I understand why you don't believe me. You have every reason to be skeptical." The Shabana sibling narrowed their eyes, not believing him for a second.
"He's telling the truth. My brother wants to bring the demons back, so he can try to help them." Nezuko smiled innocently. "That makes no sense! How would he be able to bring us back in the first pla-" Daki looked into the older Kamado's eyes and immediately trembled in fear. "Brother...He..He's the..new Demon King." She gripped her brother's arm like a scared child.
Gyutaro looked back at her, then back at the Kamados. "What do you plan on doing to us? Do you plan on torturing us?! For all that we've done to you?!" Gyutaro tried to mask his fear by growling at them. "Don't you touch my little sister! If you're going to torture someone..torture me." He knew that he couldn't defeat them, so Gyutaro just wrapped his arms around his sister.
Both of the Kamado's shook their heads. "That's not why we're here." Nezuko said softly. "Then why did you bring us back?" Gyutaro spoke in an oddly soft voice, not being sure on how to feel. "We brought you back to give you a second chance." Tanjiro smiled with empathy, catching the demon siblings' attention.
"I can tell that you two must've had painful lives. You wanted others to suffer just like you two did. It must've taken a lot of suffering to get you to that point and I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. Although what you did to innocent people was unforgivable, I do want to give you a second chance. Demons were once human after all and I can tell that you two truly love each other."
Gyutaro lowered his arm as he listened to Tanjiro. Daki wasn't convinced though. "You're a liar..You don't want to help us! You only want to us-" Gyutaro stopped her by lightly squeezing her hand. "Ume..please." His voice was really soft at this point. Daki turned to him. "Do you really believe him?" Gyutaro nodded. "What other slayer would do this for us?"
This made Daki really put things into perspective. She turned away, closed her eyes, and sighed. "I guess if you believe him..then I suppose I'll stay by your side." Both Gyutaro and Tanjiro smiled at her. "Thank you, Miss Daki." Nezuko beamed. Daki only huffed in response.
The Shabana siblings were quickly taken to the Infinity Castle, where all the other Kizuki members were located. Most of them seemed to be pretty neutral towards them. That is, except for Douma. He seemed to adore them when they returned, much to their dismay.
Tanjiro knew exactly where he needed to go next, the Swordsmith Village! He talked about visiting the village with the same Kakushi that transported him there. "You know..since Muzan Kibutsuji was defeated. You don't need to have someone take you to the village anymore." The Kakushi said in a matter of fact tone.
"Really?" Tanjiro tilted his head. "Well that does make sense, since that was the whole reason why you had to blindfold me." The Kakushi nodded. "Since you may not know how to get there, I still think it would be best if I took you." Tanjiro nodded and smiled. "That would be great! Thank you!"
And with that, the Kakushi led the Kamado to the mysterious world of the Swordsmith village. The beautiful forest around them radiated with mystique and wonder, capturing the essence of beauty in every leaf and shred of grass. "Here we are, Lord Kamado." The Kakushi turned to them. "I'll be here when you want to return."
Tanjiro beamed happily. "Thank you! We'll be back shortly!" Both of the Kamados waved to them as they ran off into the village. All the damage that the village had sustained was now completely fixed. The wrecked houses were rebuilt and every settlement that was destroyed was restored, restoring the town to its natural beauty.
Tanjiro squeezed Nezuko's hand lightly. She looked up at him to see him smiling. "I'm glad you're still with me." He muttered, making Nezuko return the smile. Tanjiro sniffed the air, catching the old, wooden scent of Hantengu. "Over here, Nezuko." He carefully led her to the location of the scent. Nezuko was humming the whole way there.
The scent led them to the same valley where Hantengu was defeated. The red ashes circled around them as they traversed through the grassy plains. Tanjiro looked at her and she nodded. He nodded in response, cutting open his palm to start the revival process. Hantengu's form was completely rebuilt within a matter of seconds.
Hantengu rubbed his eyes as he slowly came to consciousness. Without a warning, the demon shrieked when he saw Tanjiro and Nezuko. "Ah! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He crouched down and covered his head. Tanjiro sat on his knees in front of him. "Hey, it's alright. I'm not going to hurt you."
"You aren't?" Hantengu lifted his head. "Why wouldn't you?" Tanjiro smiled and tilted his head. "Well, I believe that the demons can be redeemed." Hantengu seemed surprised, yet willing. "Wait. You would do that for us?" Tanjiro nodded. Hantengu stared off at the horizon. "Why..thank you."
Tanjiro purred with warmth. "Of course." Hantengu looked back at Tanjiro. "There's one other Moon here." Tanjiro nodded, already knowing who this demon is. "Uppermoon Five, I'm guessing?" Hantengu looked around their surroundings. "Yes. His name is Gyokko. He should be over there." He points to the shrouded, dark forest close to the entrance of the village.
Tanjiro stood up and bowed politely. "Thank you. I'll meet back up with you once I bring him back." He patted his leg, calling for Nezuko. Nezuko stood up and went to her brother's side. Hantengu watched her, regret gripping at his heart. "Tanjiro?" The young slayer turned to him. "I'm..I'm sorry.." Hantengu said softly. Tanjiro smiled at him. "I have faith in you in becoming a better person."
Tanjiro turned back to Nezuko, who was humming and swaying her arms. He couldn't help but ruffle her hair and grin. "Come on, Nezuko." Tanjiro said softly, leading the both of them to where Hantengu pointed at. Low and behold, he was right. Red ashes filled the area and they circled around the Kamado siblings.
Tanjiro slit his palms and performed the same trick that he used many times before. Gyokko's form quickly came together from the red ashes..which turned to be an absolute shock to the Kamado. During the battle at the Swordsmith Village, Muichiro was actually the only slayer to have seen Gyokko. So, his appearance was startling to say the least.
Nezuko hid behind her brother as he confronted the misshapen demon. Gyokko shook his head, causing the small arms on his head to flail. "Hyo, hyo, hyo! What have we here? A new Demon King?" His voice was completely devoid of fear or even anger. He seemed..excited?
Tanjiro sniffed the air. Unlike with the others, there was no scent of pain or sorrow. Even Douma had one. A buried scent, but it was still a scent! Alas, Tanjiro wanted to be fair with all of them. "Yes, I am the new Demon King, Gyokko."
Gyokko clapped his small arms together. "Splendid! What kind of art are you planning to make? Oh please tell me!" Tanjiro was weirded out by Gyokko's strange persistence. "We don't eat or kill humans...My goal is to redeem the demons." Gyokko looked disappointed, if you can call his droopy mouth eye an expression. "Oh..how disappointing."
Tanjiro's anger flared at his statement, but he kept it under wraps. "Would you like to join us?" Gyokko stared off to the side before turning back to him. "Well, I guess it is better than my own personal death." Tanjiro raised an eyebrow. "You won't eat any humans, right?" Gyokko raised his tiny hands. "I won't.. I can probably make art in other ways.." A sinister chuckle came from him.
Tanjiro huffed in annoyance. "Just don't hurt anyone." He took a deep breath and stood up. "Can you put yourself in your pot? It's the best way I can get you out safely." Gyokko laughed wickedly. "Of course I can! Don't you worry, young king." He slipped his body into the pot below him, causing it to rattle slightly.
Tanjiro sighed as he picked up the pot. Nezuko was tugging on his haori in a worried manner. He turned to her. "I know, Nezuko. Try not to worry." He gave her a reassuring smile. This gave her a bit of comfort, but she was still nervous.
They made their way back to Hantengu, who was just peacefully watching the sun. He looked at them when he heard their footsteps. "Looks like he joined you." Tanjiro nodded slowly, seemingly either deep in thought or perhaps just upset. "Is something wrong, master?" Hantengu asked with genuine concern. "No, I'm fine." He smiled warmly. "We just need to make our way back."
Hantengu nodded. "I can shrink myself, if that'd make it easier." Tanjiro grinned with excitement. "That'd be great! Thank you!" Hantengu stood up and shrunk himself down to only a few inches. Tanjiro bent down and put his free hand down on the ground, so Hantengu could climb on. He did just that and Tanjiro lifted him up and held the small demon close to his chest. "Alright. Now let's take you back to the Infinity Castle."
Their journey back was a smooth one. The Kakushi wondered where Tanjiro received the large pot, but Nezuko told them that he had bought it as a gift for someone. This seemed to convince the Kakushi well enough. Nezuko was a better liar than her brother after all.
The duo or Upperrank demons were quickly returned to the Infinity Castle. Once again, the Kizuki members that were already there felt pretty neutral about their return. Luckily, Nakime showed them where their new rooms were, so the settling process was rather simple.
Tanjiro knew where his last stop would be and he dreaded the idea of going there. The Mugen Train was the last place where a deceased Moon was located. Unfortunately, the demon there not only caused Tanjiro the most pain, but there was a high possibility that he would retaliate. Still, Tanjiro had to be fair with him. He also wanted to be fair with Shinobu, since he had to bring back the one who tormented her the most.
And so, the Kamado siblings made their way to the crash site of the Mugen Train. The sun was setting upon our heros as the night soon began to take shape. Stars littered the skies like diamonds on a black dress. The moon beamed down on the Kamados with mysterious intent as they traversed through the night.
They eventually made their way to where the Mugen Train crashed. The only thing that remained from the wreckage was the tracks that carried the train. It seemed like the train was picked up and repaired for future rides. Whether anyone decided to ride on it again was a complete mystery, but that wasn't the goal of this mission.
Tanjiro, who was holding Nezuko's hand, stopped dead in his tracks when the red ashes were all around them. "We're here, Nezuko." His voice was oddly cold and upset. "Brother? Are you okay?" Nezuko squeezed his hand gently, rubbing the scar on his palm with her thumb. "I just hope this won't take too long."
Thus, he began the revival process. His blood splattering on the ground, the ashes glowing as they were attracted to the blood, and the ashes circling around them to form the titular train demon. Enmu slowly opened his eyes as his form was completed. "Hm? Where am I?"
He looked up to see the Kamado siblings sitting in front of him. "Am I in hell?" Enmu's voice sounded flat and empty. "No" Tanjiro sounded like he was about to growl. "I brought you back." Enmu tilted his head, confused. "How would you be able to do that? You're not a de-" He then caught sight of Tanjiro's shimmering scarlet eyes.
"You..you killed him.." Enmu's eyes widened as he put a hand to his chest. "Muzan Kibutsuji was a ruthless and uncaring leader. He didn't care about your or any of the others' wellbeing. He just used you to get what he wanted." Tanjiro's reasoning was valid and also completely true.
Enmu gritted his teeth. "You're wrong..He cared about me..He gave me purpose..so I had to repay him for all the kindness he gave me!" Tanjiro knew this kind of talk all too well. Muzan used him..he used them all. Tanjiro sniffed the air and there he found it. The same pained scent that had been buried beneath the sands of time.
What once was cold skepticism now turned to understanding empathy. "Listen, he only gave you a false sense of purpose. Muzan just wanted to use you for your power and loyalty." Tanjiro's voice spoke with warmth. "Liar! You don't understand how much he cared for me! You never will!" Enmu growled as he dug his claws in the ground. Tanjiro knew that this poor demon had been manipulated for years.
Enmu growled as he tried to swing his claws at the young slayer, being too flustered to use his Blood Demon Art. Tanjiro jumped up, which startled Enmu since he was much larger than when they last met. The young slayer took this opportunity to grab both of Enmu's hands with one of his own. Tanjiro then shoved him with his foot and pushed Enmu into the ground, immobilizing him.
Nezuko watched all this in awe. He really has gotten stronger! This was a stark contrast to what Tanjiro was capable of back when he originally fought Enmu. Enmu himself was also alarmed by his strength. He wasn't in awe though Enmu was frightened.
He tried to squirm, to break himself free from Tanjiro's grasp, but it was futile. Enmu's hand moved fruitlessly in Tanjiro's. The Demon King bent down and snarled. "I wouldn't do that. If I were you." Enmu stopped struggling out of fear. Instead, he shook with terror and began to panic.
Tanjiro could smell the demon's fear and took a deep breath. "Listen, I didn't mean to scare you, but you must know that what I'm saying is true. I only want the best for you. I promise.." Enmu knew that there was no way out of this. "Fine..I'll join." He closed his eyes in defeat. "I don't want you to think of this as betrayal. He betrayed you by not showing any real love for you."
Enmu didn't listen to Tanjiro's concerned words. "Let's just go.." His voice was absent of any excitement or emotion. Enmu just sounded tired. Tanjiro let go of the demon and took his foot off of his chest. Enmu stood up and dusted himself off. "Is the Infinity Castle still there?"
Tanjiro nodded as he picked up Nezuko and placed her on his shoulders. "Yes, I was actually going to take you there." Enmu looked out at the dark horizon. "Lead the way then.." Tanjiro made a soft rumble as he walked beside him. All of them heading to the demons' refuge.
Now almost all of the Moons that Tanjiro and his friends have encountered were known at the Infinity Castle. Of course, the poor boy was extremely exhausted by the end of this. Not only did he have to travel many miles, but he also lost quite a bit of blood. So, both Tanjiro and Nezuko decided to rest at the Butterfly Estate.
Shinobu had resumed her position as the Corps doctor and medical adviser. So, she was the one taking care of the Kamados. Shinobu constantly insisted that Tanjiro needed to rest so that he could recover the blood he lost. That was what she was doing now.
Tanjiro was sitting up in his designated medical bed. He was telling Nezuko, who was sitting next to him, stories from his adventures that she missed out on while she was a demon. Shinobu then came in with some medicine and tea. "Oh! Thank you, Miss Kocho." Tanjiro smiled at her while she put the items down on the nightstand beside him. "I didn't mean to cause you any trouble."
"You're not causing me any trouble." Shinobu's wings fluttered slightly. "You need to rest and it's my job to take care of you while you're injured. Besides, you could use the break. You've been through a lot these past few days, Young Kamado."
Tanjiro hummed softly. "Thank you. You're too kind, really." Shinobu smiled back. "I should be the one thanking you. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you." She looked out the window for a moment. "I do have one question for you though."
Both of the Kamados looked up at her. "Sure! Whatever you need." Shinobu nodded. "I know that you told me about your project yesterday and that the master is going to discuss it with the rest of the Hashira...but I just want to know, do you really think that it's going to work?"
Tanjiro went silent for a moment before speaking. "I believe that it will. They were treated poorly, not only by Muzan but also by the people around them when they were human. Granted, some of them will fight me at first, but I believe that over time they will learn and grow as people. They were human before being turned."
That last sentence of his speech reminded Shinobu of someone she held very dear to her. "You sound just like her." Shinobu whispered. Tanjiro and Nezuko looked at her with worry as she shook her head. "I myself don't really believe that they can change.." Tanjiro frowned, but he understood why she would say that.
"But your heart is in the right place." The Kamados looked up at her in surprise. "As long as you can keep them under control, I'll support you with anything you need." Shinobu smiled at him with motherly intent. Tanjiro returned with happiness and excitement. "Thank you so much, Miss Kocho."
"Ehem, Lady Kocho?" Aoi popped her head in the room. All three of the half-demons turned to her. "Yushiro is here and he wants to visit Tanjiro." The Kamado siblings lit up when they heard Yushiro's name. "Of course! Send him in." Shinobu smiled eagerly. "We should check in to see how he's doing."
Aoi's head disappeared as her voice was then heard talking to the familiar demon. Then , Yuishiro walked in. He didn't have his usual stern look, but instead he looked tired and somber. "Hello, Kamado." His voice was soft as he tried to smile softly.
Tanjiro knew that Tamayo's death hit the poor demon hard. He gave him a soft smile. "Hello, Mister Yushiro. How are you feeling?" Yushiro only turned his head and made a soft hum. "I'm so sorry. I know that it hurts." Tanjiro's voice was warm and empathetic. "It's not your fault. She had to do it."
Shinobu walked over to him and took his hand. Yushiro followed her beside Tanjiro's bed. "I know that things have been rather busy for you." Yushiro looked up at Tanjiro. "I just came here to make sure that you're okay." Tanjiro nodded. "I'm fine. A bit tired, but otherwise okay. I'm more concerned about you."
Yushiro shrugged. "I'll be okay..eventually." That statement made everyone's heart break. They knew that Tamayo was the only person that Yushiro had left over then Chachamaru. Then, Tanjiro started to think. He knew that he was able to separate Shinobu's DNA from Douma and Muzan absorbed Tamayo right before his essence was transferred to Tanjiro. So what if Tamayo's DNA was still inside him? Could he possibly bring her back?
There's no other way to find out than trying. Tanjiro filled his mind with memories of Tamayo. He focused all his strength and energy and imagined that Tamayo was there with them. Then, a sharp pain spread across his body, causing him to let out a vicious scream.
Everyone immediately sprang up to try to help him. Shinobu ran to get some pain medicine while Nezuko tried wrapping Tanjiro up in the blanket. Yushiro didn't exactly know what was going on, so he just panicked. Strangely, purple specks of light rose from Tanjiro.
This threw everyone off guard. Nezuko figured out what her brother was trying to do, but Yushiro was just alarmed. "What's he doing?!" Yushiro's heart throbbed with panic. "He's doing this for you." Nezuko said softly.
Tanjiro's body felt like he was being torn apart as he roared in pain. The purple lights slowly started to come together to form the demon doctor. Yushiro's eyes widened as he saw the love of his life slowly being restored. Tanjiro's screaming died off as the process was completed. He then slumped over in the bed, groaning in pain.
Tamayo then opened her eyes. She looked around the medical room. "Wh-where am I?" She spoke with a daze. "Lady Tamayo?" Yushiro was in complete disbelief at what was in front of him. Tamayo turned to him, her eyes widened. "Yushiro?" The demon's assistant buckled to his knees and started to cry. Tamayo immediately went over to him and hugged him tightly.
"I missed you.." Yushiro sobbed into her shoulder. "I missed you too." Tamayo said softly and she hugged him. Shinobu then came in with the pain medicine. She looked up at the scene in front of her and almost dropped her medicine out of surprise. "Tamayo? Is that really you?"
Tamayo turned to look at Shinobu. "Shinobu? You're here.." Tamayo smiled at her. "I'm so glad." Tanjiro groaned in pain as Nezuko tried her best to comfort him. Everyone turned to them. "Oh my..What happened, young Kamado?" Tamayo stood up and went to his side, followed by Yushiro.
"I had..to bring you back..it was the least..I could do for you.. and Yushiro." Tanjiro winced weakly. Tamayo smiled at him and started to pet his head. "Thank you. You didn't have to put yourself through so much pain just for me." Tanjiro only closed his eyes in response. Shinobu went over to him and helped him sit up. She took a spoonful of the medicine and gave it to him. "There. That should help him."
"Thank you." Nezuko hugged her weak brother. "Of course. He's probably going to have to stay here for a few more days then." Shinobu sighed. "I could stay here to help him." Tamayo offered. "Just to make sure he gets better." Shinobu nodded and smiled. "That'd be great. Thank you so much." Tamayo gently ruffled Tanjiro's hair. "It's the least I can do."
It was a good thing that she offered too, since Kiriya ordered for the Hashira meeting the next day. The master waited patiently for all the Hashira to arrive. Which they did so rather quickly. Shinobu was the first to show while Tengen and Sanemi were the last. Rengoku walked in with Giyuu and Mitsuri did the same with Obanai. Gyomei walked in with Muichiro by his side. Then, they all took their place in front of the master.
"Good morning everyone." Kiriya beamed. His two sisters, who had originally died in the explosion with their parents, were now sitting next to him as half-demons. "Good morning, master!" Rengoku boomed positively. The others followed suit in greeting the master.
Kiriya smiled softly as they finished. "As we all know, Tanjiro and the majority of you are now half-demons." The ones who were converted nodded. "Well, I have gathered you today to tell you of a new project that Tanjiro is starting up." They all looked at each other curiously, except for Shinobu of course.
Kiriya took a deep breath. "Tanjiro is going to try to rehabilitate the demons." Most of the Hashiras looked at each other with confusion. "What?! With all do respect master, there's no way that Kamado seriously believes that those things can be redeemed!" Obanai hissed angrily as his tail wrapped around Mitsuri's waist.
Kiriya nodded. "I understand your concerns, but don't worry. Tanjiro has complete control over them." Rengoku smiled and huffed. "He's right! Young Kamado already has a demon who's already changing for the better!" Sanemi looked at him crossly. "You mean that Lower Moon runt?"
"Sanemi..there's no need for language like that." Kiriya's voice was strict and venomous. "Well, I've met him and he seems very sweet! He is just a child after all." Mitsuri chirped. "That doesn't change the fact that he's still a danger." Obanai hissed aggressively.
"He passed the blood test." All the Hashiras turned to Kiriya. "I cut my arm to see if he would take it, but he didn't. Rui has no bloodlust." They all looked at each other. "Is that really true?" Muichiro asked. "It is. I was there when it happened, and so was Shinazugawa." Giyuu said in his usual stoic voice. Sanemi just turned his head and remained silent.
"Still..this project of his is going to be a failure." Obanai scoffed, crossing his arms. "Maybe, but then again, maybe not." Gyomei spoke softly. "We won't know exactly how successful this can be. He sees something in them that most don't. I wish only the best for him."
"I hate to say it, but Himejima's right." Tengen spoke. "Who knows how successful this could be. Plus, Kamado is more powerful now than he ever was. So, he'll be able to keep a hold on them." Sanemi sighed. "Do we have to get directly involved?"
Kiriya shook his head. "Not in the redemption process, no. However, I will be sending you on missions to convert other demons. If they consistently refuse, then kill them. Just don't kill them just because you want to." Obanai huffed irritably. "I guess that's better than working with them."
"Don't give him a hard time. Young Kamado just wants them to have better lives. Who knows what they've been through." Rengoku said, trying to convince them. Both Obanai and Sanemi scoffed. "Just keep them away from me."
Kiriya sighed, tired from all the fighting. "I know that this is a lot to digest, but I promise you that you won't be taken away from your families again. Try to live the life you want to live." All the Hashira nodded. Giyuu then looked up at the ceiling. "That's what Tanjiro wants for everyone."
Author's note: This is the last of the introductory chapters. The majority of the chapters going forward are going to be more episodic with continuous character arcs and plot lines.
Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU
Chapter: Eight
The First Meeting
Warnings: None!
Word Count: 3570
The brilliant sun was beaming down on Kanao was she was making her way through the forest. A wicker basket, that was covered with a small sheet, swayed in her right hand. The basket itself was for Muichiro Tokito. Thus being the reason why Kanao was heading to the Mist Estate in the first place.
Shinobu had prepared the basket with various berries and ointments. Some of them being pain relief medicines while others were for various types of illnesses. Kanao had no idea why she was doing this since none of the slayers were going on any dangerous missions anymore and the half-demon transformation didn't seem to be painful.
What made this even stranger was that Shinobu had been refusing to speak for the last few days. She claimed that this was due to a sore throat. However, this seemed to go on longer than any normal sore throat. Plus, weren't demons not supposed to get sick? Kanao shook her head, reasoning that half-demons must have a slightly different biology.
She quickly reached the entrance of the Mist Estate. The large mansion reflected the calmness of the Must Hashira himself. The white window covers were a sharp contrast to the brown, wood walls. Yet, the white matched the upper level of the house. Kanao knocked on the door with her free hand.
"Tokito? Are you home?" Kanao said in a soft voice. She heard some rather heavy footsteps approaching the sliding door. The door slid open to reveal..Genya? What was he doing here? His black eyes gleamed as he looked down at her. "Oh, hey Kanao. How are you?" His voice was a lot friendlier than usual and his face was slightly red. It seemed like he was setting down since the battle.
"I'm fine." Kanao said warmly. "I'm just here to deliver this basket to Tokito." She held up the basket for him to take. Genya carefully took it, his face blushing even more. "Do you wanna come inside?" Genya asked, not wanting to be rude. "Sure. I have plenty of time." Kanao smiled as she walked inside with him.
The mansion was well lit by the sunlight and looked rather colorful. Although the walls and furniture were the traditional brown color, there were also many paper figurines of various colors. Kanao knew that Muichiro loved to make Origami figures, so she figured that he made them himself. Genya took a quick left and led her to the living room.
A low-lying table with two gray cushions sat in the middle of the room. The wall to the right had small shelves that were lined with Origami swans and cats. "He's rather talented." Kanao said in awe as she scanned the shelves. Genya put the basket down on the table and looked at the shelves as well. "Oh yeah. Tokito had been making these figures for years. They're quite impressive really."
Kanao then turned to face Genya. "By the way, why are you here? I don't mean to be rude. I'm just curious." Genya looked nervous, almost embarrassed to say it. "I've been helping Muichiro adapt." Kanao raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Is he losing control of himself?" Genya shook his head. "Not quite. We've just been learning what his Blood Demon Art is...and a few other things.."
Kanao's confusion was only made worse by the sound of distressed mewing. "Do you own a cat?" She asked curiously. Genya sighed and put a hand to his head. "No..here. Let me show you." Genya then walked out of the room with Kanao cautiously following behind him.
The further they went into the mansion, the louder the mewing got. Kanao could tell that this was a male creature by the sound of it. Genya led her to the right room at the end of the hallway. He put his hand up to tell her to stop. Kanao decided to peek into the room when Genya went inside. She gasped at the image she saw.
Muichiro was on his knees with a hand over his throat. He was trying to rub it, seemingly to soothe it. Genya knelt down beside him. "It's aching again?" Genya asked, voice filled with concern. Muichiro nodded and..mewed? He was the one who was making those noises! "Is he alright?" Kanao asked as she walked into the room. Muichiro looked up at her and immediately covered his mouth.
"Don't worry. His vocal cords are just changing." Genya said this as if this was completely normal. "How? I've ever heard any demons make those noises." Genya hugged Muichiro as he sighed. "Let me explain.."
"When I devoured a demon for the third time, I lost control of my vocal cords. I couldn't speak any human language and I could only make animal noises. No matter how much I tried to speak, I just couldn't. I was just as confused as you are. After all, demons don't talk like this. That was also the longest time that I was turned. It ended after a few days and by then my voice box adapted to make those noises and to speak. From what I'm guessing, that's just what demons go through when they're turned."
Kanao put a hand to her chin, thinking. "That's why Shinobu isn't speaking.." Genya nodded. "All of the fallen Hashira must be going through this. It'd just a natural process, so there's nothing to worry about." Kanao looked up at the two slayers. "So, did he call you over because he didn't know what was going on?" Both of the boys nodded.
"He sounded pretty terrified in his letter." Genya made a soft purring noise as he held Muichiro. Kanao smiled as she walked over to them. She crouched down and petted Muichiro's head. "Don't worry, Tokito. Everything will be alright." Muichiro smiled at her and mewed in response.
News of the truth of these strange noises spread across the corps. All of Hashira-and even Tanjiro himself-were dealing with these noises. They had a strange unique sound to each person as if they were associated with a specific animal. Some were obvious like Rengoku making gritty roars and chuffs like a tiger and Shinobu making soft trills and buzzes like a butterfly. However, some weren't exactly expected like Tanjiro making powerful huffs and growls like a bear and Muichiro making sweet kitten-like mews.
Regardless of all things, they eventually adapted within a few days. Although, Tanjiro did have some questions. "Do you think the Kizuki might know where these strange noises come from?" Tanjiro asked. He was sitting as a low desk with Nezuko on his right side and Zenitsu on his left. "I'd say that's gonna be your best bet." Nezuko said as she stroked Matsuemon-who was cawing happily.
"I don't trust them. I mean..what if they try to kill you?" Zenitsu almost sounded like he growled. "It's okay, Zen." Tanjiro hummed softly as he stroked the blonde's head. "I'll be fine. Besides, we already have some friends!" Zenitsu rolled his eyes. "You mean those siblings? They're cruel. Trust me..I've seen it myself."
Tanjiro rumbled disappointingly. "I know what they've done is unforgivable, but I really do believe that they can change." Zenitsu looked the other way. "I just don't want you to get hurt." Tanjiro could feel Zenitsu grabbing his arm with a tight grip. The Demon King placed his hand over Zenitsu's arm and smiled. "Don't worry. I know that everything will be okay."
Nezuko hummed softly. "It might be best to have a meeting with them. Not only to set some ground rules, but also to learn more about them." Tanjiro nodded. "That sounds great! Matsuemon, could you inform the demons? The meeting will start in an hour." The crow cawed. "I could! Good thing all the demons are in the castle!" The crow turned around, opened his wings, and took off.
The hour passed as quickly as sound. Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Zenitsu we're heading to the dreadful Infinity Castle. The Kamado siblings were very hesitant to bring Zenitsu along at first, but the blonde insisted. Saying that he just wanted to make sure Tanjiro was safe. With that, the siblings ended up caving.
The warm forest shimmered beautifully as the trio traversed through it. Nezuko was humming a soft tune as she skipped in front of the two boys. Tanjiro enjoyed watching her, but Zenitsu was only thinking. His mind was a deep ocean of doubt and concern. It was put through a storm when Tanjiro disappeared. Now, it seemed like an entirely new, lovely ecosystem. Zenitsu watched him carefully and they scaled the mountain.
The Infinity Castle soon came into view. It looked like a traditional, small house with brown walls and white windows. The trio walked up the steps and Tanjiro knocked on the sliding door. "Hmm?..Who's there?" A deep, intimidating voice said from behind it. This caused Zenitsu to yelp and hide behind Tanjiro. "It's me, Tanjiro Kamado." Tanjiro said. Some shuffling was heard behind the door.
Then, Kokushibo slid the door open. "Good morning..young king." His voice was cold and unreadable. "You must be here..to start the meeting." Kokushibo looked down at the other two with him. Squinting his middle pair when he laid his eyes on a cowering Zenitsu. Tanjiro nodded as he squeezed Zenitsu's hand gently. "Yes. That's exactly why we're here."
Kokushibo turned back to Tanjiro. "Follow me..." He turned around and walked off into the castle. The trio quickly followed him, shutting the door behind them. The world of the Infinity Castle was more like an infinite maze of hallways and rooms. It wasn't as confusing or disjointed as it was before, but it was still difficult to navigate. Rooms seemed to line the walls and various bridges and stairs connected them.
Kokushibo walked with some speed, which made the others have to jog in order to catch up with him. "I don't think he likes you." Zenitsu whispered to Tanjiro. "Be nice. He's probably just not used to a new king." Kokushibo grumbled softly to himself when he heard this. There was much more to this issue.
Within a few minutes, the grouped reached a rather strange room. Most of the base was a normal light tan floor, but a fourth of the room's floor was raised. "The biwa lady designed this..to be the meeting room." Kokushibo said as they walked inside. All of the reincarnated demons, both Lower and Upper moons, were there. Surprisingly, none of them were talking to each other.
Everything was quiet and still. Chills creeped up Tanjiro's spine. "Is this normal?" Tanjiro asked Kokushibo. "To an extent..yes." He replied. "We are normally quiet..Strangely though, Douma is talking..He's usually the one who causes a stir." Tanjiro looked around to see Douma. He was on his knees, swaying. "The floor..is yours." Kokushibo said with stillness.
Tanjiro smiled at him and nodded before walking up on the raised platform. Kokushibo looked at him for a few seconds, then walked away. His eyes scanned the room before spotting Akaza-who was sitting alone near the right side of the room. Kokushibo sighed as he made his decision. He walked over to Akaza and took a seat next to him. Akaza widened his eyes and tilted his head. He was about to ask him something when Tanjiro cleared his throat.
"Hello everyone!" Tanjiro hummed with excitement. All of the demons' attention was directed towards him. Zenitsu and Nezuko stood on each side of him. Zenitsu held his hand and trembled as he looked upon the sea of demons. Tanjiro squeezed his hand gently. "I know that this is a major change for all of us, but I hope that we can develop a great relationship together."
No one cheered. No one growled. No one even responded. Tanjiro could feel his heart sink a little, but he's not going to give up. "I thought that it would be best if I set some guidelines for us. We are an entirely new species after all."
"First off, no one will try to kill each other. If there are any fights, we can try to understand where the argument came from and how to stop it. Secondly, you are free to do as you please. There will be missions, but they will most be missions to refill supplies and to convert other demons. I want this to be a welcoming community, but it's important that you also take care of yourself. Find your hobbies! Have some fun! Practice whatever you like to practice! I'll also make sure that none of you ever go hungry or have horrible living conditions. You are people and deserve to be treated as such. Last thing, never ever eat any humans. You don't have to eat humans anymore, so no harm shall come to the innocent."
The demons murmured amongst themselves. They all expected that last rule, but the others were decently surprising. "Does anyone have any questions?" Tanjiro asked. Hantengu raised a trembling hand. "Will any of the slayers be after us?" Tanjiro shook his head. "Absolutely not. Master Kiriya informed them of the situation, so no harm will come to you. In fact, Miss Shinobu actually set up therapy sessions for everyone!"
Most of the demons weren't quite happy with this. Some of them sighed or even growled. "We also know that some of the Hashiras..won't be exactly friendly." Kokushibo huffed. They all nodded. "I can't lie to you. That is undoubtedly true, but don't worry. I'll make sure that no harm comes your way. They won't attack you unless you attack a human."
This seemed to clear some confusion as the murmurs died down. Akaza raised a hand. "What do you plan for us? What is your goal?" There wasn't a rude tone in his voice, more like a servant's. "I just want to see you live the lives you deserve. Many of you were treated unfairly in your lives and Muzan only used your pain against you. I will not punish you for making mistakes. We are human. We will make mistakes. All I ask from you is to understand yourselves and to move on from your pain."
They all tilted their heads. "You mean that there's no goal? Nothing you want us to hunt for?" Douma asked, resting his head in his hand. Tanjiro and Nezuko nodded. "Well, what do you know? Guess we got lucky then." Douma chuckled as he continued to sway.
"I do have a question for you though." Tanjiro said. "When we were adapting to our form, our voice boxes underwent some changes. We were able to make strange animals. Is that normal?" The demons murmured for a second before Gyutaro spoke up. "Every demon has gone through that. We are all able to make various animal noises."
"The reason why you haven't heard those noises before is because Muzan actually told us to mask them." Daki piped in. Tanjiro raised an eyebrow. "Mask them? Why? They seem harmless." Rui sighed. "We honestly have no idea why. He just seemed to hate the noises and everything else that came with them."
This only made the trio more confused. "What else did Muzan hate?" Nezuko asked. "Well..We do have a variety of other characteristics that we had to bury. Truth be told, our attributes are quite strange." Akaza huffed as he remembered Muzan. "They may be, but are they harmful?" Tanjiro asked, wanting more answers. The demons seemingly didn't know what to say. "Well he told us that they were harmful and idiotic." Gyutaro said with a growl. "But I've never found anything wrong with them."
Tanjiro felt a fire burning in his heart. Why would Muzan tell them to hide these instincts? What would he tell them to hide who they really are? This was infuriating! "Well, you don't have to hide them from me." Tanjiro smiled reassuringly. Despite this reassurance, the demons only gave him awkward silence. "I'm not sure..if they can come back.." Kokushibo said flatly. "It's been too long.."
"Maybe, but maybe not. We'll just have to see." Tanjiro smiled. "I just hope that you all can live a happy life. It'll be rough, but I have the utmost faith in you." All the demons bowed slightly signaling the end of the meeting. Tanjiro stepped down from the raised platform. "I do encourage you to talk to the others. You might find some great friends!"
The demons looked around at each other awkwardly. Douma looked around the room before someone caught his eye. A lonely Lower Moon by sitting by the door. He had heard of him before, as he was the strongest Lower Moon, but Douma had never seen him. Douma stood up, dusted himself off, and walked towards him.
Enmu looked up at the Upper Moon slovenly. "Hey there!" Douma chirped in a cheery tune. "What are you doing by yourself?" Enmu looked away. "You must be an Upper Rank demon. How did you manage to get so close to Muzan?" Douma couldn't help but laugh. "Oh don't be so kind! He didn't really like me, but he considered me useful!"
Enmu glared at him. "He had to like you for some reason." Douma only shook his head. "Not really. Just my power." Enmu raised an eyebrow. "Then, why are you not upset?" Douma shrugged. "That's just what everyone wanted from me. Why should I expect any different?"
Enmu was perplexed by this strange demon. Wouldn't he want for someone to care about him? Maybe he was just desensitized. Enmu sighed before staring off, right at Tanjiro-who was speaking to Gyutaro. Douma followed his stare.
"Ah~You must not like the new king. I think he's quite cute. Definitely naive, but it's nice to see someone who isn't mean for a change." Douma's gleeful tone was grading. "He doesn't deserve to be king." Enmu growled. Douma tilted his head. "Hm?"
"I mean he knows nothing about us! What gives him the right to disrupt our society.?" Enmu knew that this was the most aggressive he had ever been. "Well, we can't really control how he rules, but it doesn't seem to be that bad." Douma said, obliviously. "You don't understand." Enmu huffed in annoyance.
Douma put a hand to his chin, thinking. "I like you. How about we head to a nearby Udon stand? I've been dying to try some human food and it looks like you could use something to cheer you up." Enmu sighed, resting his arms on his knees. "I guess I could. I have nothing better to do." Douma clapped his hands together. "Great!"
While all this was happening, Akaza turned to Kokushibo. "Why did you decide to sit next to me?" His voice trembled with suspicion. All six of Kokushibo's eyes stared at him. "I mean no harm to you..Truth be told..I respect you the most..out of everyone here." Akaza raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you would rather stay away from us."
"You're not wrong..however it felt rather awkward..to stay away..Besides..I've noticed that you haven't..been acting like yourself." Akaza looked down at the floor. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing that you should concern yourself with." His voice didn't have a rude tone surprisingly. Akaza's voice was instead soft and miserable. Kokushibo knew something was wrong.
Kokushibo sighed as he stood up. "Would you like to spar sometime?..I know that's how you cool off.." Akaza hunched defensively. "Don't worry..there is no trick..and neither of us..will die.." Akaza sighed as he stood up. "Sure. It hasn't been a while, hasn't it?" He smiled at the six-eyed demon. "Indeed it has.."
Hantengu was being consumed by his own thoughts. The last few days have been unbearable for him. It was like how he was as a full fledged demon. He hated how much his fear ate at him. Hantengu looked around at the other demons conversing. He wished he could do the same, but he couldn't bring himself to.
His body trembled and his heart pounded. Hantengu knew that this wasn't normal and he hated it. It had led him to steal. It had led him to kill. Hantengu knew he had to change this, but how? Then, an idea popped in his head.
Hantengu stood up with shaky legs and walked over to Tanjiro. Zenitsu yelped when he laid eyes on the demon, thus alerting Tanjiro. "Oh, hello Hantengu." Tanjiro said as he turned around. "Hi, master. I..umm..wondered if you could do something for me." Hantengu shook nervously. "Of course! What is it?" Tanjiro smiled.
"Could you..summon my clones?" Hantengu asked. Tanjiro tilted his head, curiously. "Oh? How come?" Hantengu flinched, thinking that he was criticizing him. "Well, I hate how I'm constantly afraid. It makes my life miserable and it also makes me do terrible things. I know that my main four clones aren't like that. I..might be happy then."
Tanjiro nodded, understanding the thought. "Are you sure? You might lose yourself as you proceed through this." Hantengu put a hand to his jaws. "I'd be willing to take that risk. This is for the best." Tanjiro smiled with warmth. "Alright, Hantengu. If this is what it takes to make you happy, then I'll do it."
Author's Note: Hiya! Sorry if this chapter was rather boring. I used this to set up some mysteries and potential romances! I do hope you like it regardless!
Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU
Chapter: Nine
New Emotions and
Discoveries
Warnings: Some blood, swearing, a toxic relationship, mention of drugs.
Word Count: 3539
The idea of bringing the clones back into the playing field, but it did cause some concern for Tanjiro. It wasn't that he worried that they might be dangerous, he was worried that Hantengu might lose himself completely. Since he wants the clones to basically have their own lives and that would lead to them becoming their own people. Luckily, Hantengu fully understood these risks, yet he still wanted to go through with it. Thus, Tanjiro decided to go through with this.
The two walked through the newly designed Infinity Castle, Hantengu mostly led the way. Tanjiro marveled at the stellar atmosphere that Nakime has created. It felt more welcoming and the lighting of the warm lanterns made everything feel more inviting. The upwards spiral of platforms connecting to rooms looked more confusing than it actually was. So, Tanjiro was able to get a quick handle on how and where everything was.
"We're here, Master." Hantengu said, sheepishly as they approached a door on the fourth level. "This is my home." He opened the door and led his new king inside. It seemed like Hantengu didn't have much since his room took in a more minimalist approach. A futon was laid near a nightstand-that had a lantern sitting on top of it. The only other piece of furniture was a small desk.
"Sorry if it seems empty. I'm not really used to having a room." Hantengu said. "It's fine! Your room looks quite nice." Tanjiro smiled softly. Hantengu tried to return the smile before he sighed, knowing what was going to happen. "Just please make this quick." Tanjiro crouched down and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I know how to make this painless."
This seemed to ease Hantengu's worries. "Alright." His voice was much less anxious than it was before. Tanjiro pulled his black blade out from its sheath. "Water breathing: Fifth form. Blessed rain after the drought." With a swift slice, Tanjiro cut off Hantengu's head.
The boy was right. This technique was completely painless. Bliss and tranquility was the last things Hantengu felt before two beings grew from his severed parts. As how it went back in the Swordsmith village, Karaku formed from the head while Sekido formed from the body. However, Tanjiro knew that these two weren't all the clones. So before they could realize what happened, Tanjiro slice their heads off once more.
This time, Urogi and Aizetsu formed from the heads. Sekido huffed as he shook his head. Aizetsu looked around him, seemingly curious. "Wow! Never thought we'd be here again! Haha!" Karaku laughed. Urogi, on the other talon, flew up in the air and landed on Tanjiro's shoulders. "Hiya!" Urogi chirped as he bent down to look at Tanjiro. "It's been a long time since I've seen you! And wow, you've gotten taller since the last time we've met!"
Tanjiro smiled at Urogi's enthusiasm. Sekido, however, noticed Tanjiro's shimmering scarlet eyes. "Get off of him, you idiot!" Sekido gritted his teeth. "He's the new Demon King!" Karaku shifted away from Sekido, huffing in annoyance. Tanjiro raised his hand. "Don't worry about it, Sekido. He's not doing anything wrong."
Urogu chirped happily as he patted Tanjiro's head. This only seemed to alert Sekido more. "Don't do that! We're supposed to mask those instincts!" Urogi looked rather disheartened, as if he failed at something. Tanjiro shook his head. "You don't have to mask them. I don't mind them at all." Sekido seemed to be a bit surprised by this. "Really?" His voice was much softer than before. "If you're sure.."
"Why did you bring us out?" Aizetsu tilted his head. "Well, Hantengu thought that he would be happier if he split off into you four." Tanjiro explained with a smile. "So..the main body can't be truly happy? That's truly sad.." Aizetsu winced. "It's alright, Aizetsu. Tanjiro put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "He'll be happy. You will make him happy." Aizetsu softly smiled at Tanjiro's words. "I hope what you're saying is true. It'd be nice to really experience life for once."
"Hell yeah!" Karaku broke from his annoyance. "All we've been used for was fighting, so this is going to be awesome!" Tanjiro chuckled, lightheartedly. "Just don't attack any humans. "Don't worry, king. We won't." Urogi chirped, swaying on Tanjiro's shoulders. "I'll make sure if it." Sekido growled. This made Karaku snarl in response, causing the other clones to be surprised.
Tanjiro noticed this and whispered to Aizetsu. "Does he normally act like this?" Aizetsu shook his head. "No..he's never aggressive. Karaku may not listen to Sekido all that much, but he isn't aggressive." Urogi tilted his head and flew over to his fellow clone. "Are you alright, Karaku?" He asked. "Yeah. I'm fine." Karaku huffed. "Hey! Wanna go look around the Infinity Castle?" Urogi nodded eagerly, flapping his wings. Sekido rolled his eyes as the two rushed to the door.
As they opened the door though, someone yelped in surprise. Rui backed up when he saw the two clones. "Oh! Hey, pup!" Karaku grinned. "Hey.." Rui said shyly. "Is Tanjiro in there?" Urogi nodded. "You betcha!" The two clones moved out of the way so Rui could walk in. Tanjiro looked at Sekido and Aizetsu in confusion. "Why did he call Rui a pup?" He asked. "Demon children are called pups." Sekido explained. Aizetsu nodded in agreement. "That makes sense." Tanjiro smiled.
Rui walked up to Tanjiro and lightly tugged on his haori. "Master, mind if I ask you something?" Tanjiro bent down and picked Rui up. "Of course! You can ask me anything." Rui looked to be in a rather somber mood, seemingly full of guilt. "Have you..tried to bring back the rest of my family. I wish I could've done better for them."
Tanjiro's expression shifted to guilt as he hugged him. "I tried. I went to Mount Natagumo to revive them, but I didn't see any more red specks. I don't really understand why. They all had Blood Demon Arts and I am able to bring back demons that weren't Moons." Rui raised his hand. "Actually, their powers weren't theirs'. I shared my powers with them." Tanjiro widened his eyes. "So, they didn't really have any Blood Demon Arts?" Rui shook his head.
Tanjiro sighed, disheartened. "I also tried to bring back Mister Rengoku's mother, but I couldn't. The only difference between her and the others that I've brought back was that her body was severely decayed." The poor king looked like he was on the verge of tears. "At least you tried, Master." Aizetsu reassured him. "You may not be able to bring everyone back, but the fact that you can revive people is still a miracle."
"He's right." Rui wrapped his small arms around Tanjiro. He patted the young pup's back with a chuckle. "Thank you. I guess it really is a miracle." Sekido turned to them and surprisingly, gave him a smile. "It really is."
Nakime showed Kokushibo where the new training room was when she had built the new Infinity Castle. So, it didn't take too long for him and Akaza to find it. It was located on the third floor, in between Akaza's room and the kitchen. This information put a small smile on Akaza's face, but he still didn't seem as enthusiastic about it as Kokushibo hoped he would be.
"Are you..ready?" Kokushibo said as he opened the sliding door. "Ready as I'll ever be." Akaza sighed with a hint of staleness, causing Kokushibo to worry even more. This just wasn't like him...
The training room was just like they expected. The floor was sleek and perfect for moving across it. It was mostly empty say for a few weapon racks that were hung up on the side walls. Training poles were placed underneath the racks. Although Akaza would have no use for these items, Kokushibo figured that he could use them later.
Akaza headed to the other side of the room, making a small echo as he walked. He stretched his flexible muscles as Kokushibo pulled out his strange blade from its sheath. The six-eyed demon inhaled, preparing to use his breathing technique. "Alright..let the battle begin.."
As always, Akaza was the first to try to land a hit. He leapt from his position, cranking his fist behind him to build power. Kokushibo quickly saw through his technique and swung his blade. "Moon Breathing: First Form..Dark Moon, Evening Palace.." Crescent-shaped blades sliced through the air, hurdling towards Akaza.
Akaza was mostly able to dodge the blades and was even able to use them to propel him forward. However, one of them hit his left elbow, sliding his arm off completely. Neither one of them thought much of this since they both knew that Akaza can just regenerate it in a matter of seconds.
Yet, his arm didn't regenerate right away. Safe to say, this threw both of them off. Akaza jumped back to inspect his arm. The bloodied stub grew back rather slowly, taking much longer than it normally did. "What the fuck?" Akaza grunted.
This made Kokushibo think for a moment. He tried extending his blade like he did at the Final Battle. Similar to Akaza's regeneration, Kokushibo's Blood Demon Art wasn't nearly as impressive as it was back then. The blade of his sword only reached halfway of the length it used to reach.
"It seems like..being a half-demon..has hindered our demon abilities..." Kokushibo said. "I would be lying..if I said I didn't expect this.." Akaza grinned like a madman. "Doesn't stop us from being powerful!" Kokushibo gave him a small nod. "Agreed..We just have to.. be more careful.."
The ground beneath Akaza glowed and took the shape of a snowflake. "Technique Developed: Destructive Death - Compass Needle!" Mass amounts of energy erupted around them as Akaza went in, hoping for close combat. Kokushibo swung his sword once again and created a shallow slice across Akaza's chest. Despite this, Akaza managed to grab his sword and deliver a swift kick to Kokushibo's chin.
"Your techniques..have certainly improved.." Kokushibo said as he created a small blade from his forearm. He swiftly dug his blade into Akaza's foreleg. Akaza jumped away and pulled out the severed blade. He laughed excitedly, leaping into the air once more. "You're not so bad yourself!"
Their battle was truly a spectacle to see. Both demons were incredibly powerful and quick. They more or so deflected each other's attacks than actually land hits. Then again, they did this on purpose. Neither of the demons wanted to kill each other after all. Still, it didn't take away from how truly incredible the battle was and it lasted for quite some time.
Time did start to wear on them as they fought. Neither one of them really paid much attention to this though. The only thing that seemed to be on Kokushibo's mind was just observing how much joy Akaza felt during their fight. It made him think about all the other times they had been together. Why was it that he was only happy here? In the heat of battle? He just had to know.
Akaza ran in for a hit to Kokushibo's chest, but the six-eyed demon deflected it. He swung his sword at Akaza's feet, making him fall on his back. Before Akaza could get back up, Kokushibo stepped on his chest and put the edge of his sword to his neck. "It was a nice battle..Akaza..but I'll always be the victor."
Akaza only chuckled. "I'm fine with that. This was just for fun." Kokushibo tilted his head, curiously. "You're right..this was rather amusing..It's nice seeing you..being a good sportsman..." Kokushibo removed his foot from Akaza's chest and put his sword back in its sheath. Akaza sprung up to his feet and shook his head.
Kokushibo closed his eyes and hummed softly. "Akaza..do you mind..if I ask you something?" Akaza turned to him, wiping off the blood from his fists. "Sure. What is it?" Kokushibo reopened his eyes. "Why is it that you're only joyful..during these spars?..Seeing your joy elsewhere..is seldom.."
Akaza looked down at his bloodied fists, not knowing exactly how to answer this. "As a human, I used to train in a dojo. I fell in love with the art.." Kokushibo could tell that there was more to the story than Akaza was letting on. "Is that why..you became a demon?..To become stronger?.,"
Akaza shook his head. "I didn't ask to become a demon. He killed me before turning me." His voice was filled with an underlying anger that made Kokushibo's skin crawl. "I'm sorry..You're a much better man..than I am." Kokushibo attempted to make him understand that he truly felt sympathy for him.
Akaza didn't turn to face him. "No, I'm not. If I was, I could've saved.." He stopped himself and recentered. "I wouldn't have killed so many." Kokushibo knew that he was definitely hiding something now. "I know that you can't make amends with all you've harmed..but you can still make it up to some."
This did seem to lighten his spirits slightly as Akaza finally turned to see Kokushibo. "Yeah. I guess I probably should, huh?" He said with a soft smile. Kokushibo tried to return the smile. "Yes..both you and I have people to make amends with.." Akaza's grin only grew wider. "Hey! I've never seen you smile before!"
Kokushibo covered his mouth. "Is it off putting?.." Akaza shook his head. "Not at all. I actually wish that you smiled more." Kokushibo could feel his face heat up as he lowered his hand. "I guess I really could use it more..thank you..Akaza.."
The lights of the streets shone down brightly upon Douma and Enmu. The titular Lower Moon sat on the bench in front of the small noodle shop, legs swaying in the wind. Douma was patiently waiting for the soba, tapping his claws on any hard surface he can find. A savory smell filled the air as the noodle shop owner worked vigorously on their order. Small bushels of dark flowers bulbs surrounded the bench Enmu was sitting on. They added a relaxing touch to the noodle shop.
Enmu's gaze was fixated on the beautiful night sky above. He was lost in the stars. Lost in the space inside his head. His human life seemed only a blur to him, his childhood especially. So the only memories he could fixate on were his memories as a demon.
"Here's your tea, Lower Moon One." He remembered a harsh, deep voice saying that as someone handed him a cup of freshly made tea. "It's quite a miracle really. That this is the only human food that demons can consume." Muzan Kibutsuji stood in front of Enmu in that particular moment in time. "Ah~ Thank you, Master!" Enmu said with a puppy dog whine.
He still remembered the taste of the tea. Very natural, yet sweet. A mixture between a floral blend with the sweetest honey. "You better drink all of that." Muzan growled. "I don't want a single drop of that tea going to waste." Every single time Enmu drank that tea, life felt like a blur. He could feel every muscle in his body easing to an unnatural level.
Enmu chuckled and purred uncontrollably. Normally, Muzan would've punished any other demon who didn't mask those noises, but he let his prized Lower Moon release these instincts. Just this once..just for him. "You will please me." Muzan grinned as he scooped his hands around Enmu's cheeks. "You will be successful. You don't want to fail me, do you?"
Enmu remembered shaking his head rather slowly. "No, master..I..I will not..fail you." Muzan gave him a twisted grin. "Good. You will not fail me, Enmu..Enmu..ENMU!" Enmu snapped back to see Douma holding their hot bowls of Soba. "Sheesh, where did you go? Dreamland?"
Enmu merely shrugged and sighed heavily. "No. Just some old memories." He took his bowl and chopsticks from the much larger demon and shifted over so Douma could sit. "Ooh! What was it about? If you don't mind me asking." Enmu slowly began to eat his Soba, not really paying attention to the taste. "Muzan and I..he used to give me tea every week. Saying that it "made me stronger."
Douma did a double take. "Really? I've never heard of that! Sure, I drink tea, but Muzan didn't make any of us Upper Moons drink it." Enmu looked up at him. "No? But that's what he told me.." Douma shrugged it off. "Maybe he was just trying to implement a new practice." Enmu turned back to his food. "Possibly."
Douma made a soft cooing noise as he ate. "Speaking of which, why do you like Muzan so much?" Enmu blushed just thinking about the old demon king. "Oh~ unlike all the other Lower Moons, he always told me how much potential I had. Lord Muzan chose me! First as his meal, then as a member of his army. He put his faith in me. He loved me, but..I failed him. You Upper Moons must truly be something special in his eyes."
Douma only gave him a disturbed look. "Well..actually, he didn't think much of us at all." Enmu looked up at him in utter disbelief. "He didn't? But how?! You were his most prized demons!" Douma shook his head. "You got it all wrong. We may have been powerful, but he couldn't care less about us. He just wanted our strength and that's it."
Enmu was just shocked that Douma was acting so nonchalant about this. "Doesn't that bother you?" Douma only shrugged. "Nah. I'm used to it. I mean I make my living from listening to the problems of my worshippers." He said with a laugh. Enmu only looked defeated, as if someone stabbed him in the chest.
"Hey! It's alright. He's gone now. You don't have to worry about him anymore." Douma patted Enmu on the shoulder. He shivered under Douma's touch. "No! You don't understand..I was special to him! He said so himself!" Enmu scanned the environment, laying his eyes on the dark flowers. "Muzan used to put these flowers into the tea he gave me. They added a rather nice scent to it." He put his food beside him, bent down, and put put his hands around one of the bulbs.
Douma nearly choked on his food from the surprise from the news. "Enmu? Do you know what those are?" Enmu looked back at Douma with a confused expression. "They're just poppies, aren't they?" Douma shook his head rapidly. "Those are Opium Poppies..they're a drug flower."
Enmu's vision went blurry as Douma's words only sounded like muffled speech. "No..no he..he wouldn't drug me." Enmu's voice went weak as he fell limp on the bench he was previously sitting on. "He..he wouldn't." Douma felt a strange pang in his heart for the demon. Sympathy. He reached out his hand and carefully took Enmu's hand. "It's..it's alright, Enmu. He's gone." Enmu only snarled defensively. "NO! Lord Muzan would never drug me! Wo-would he?"
Douma slowly nodded. "I'm afraid that he would." Enmu couldn't say anything more. He just broke down. The poor demon put his hands up to his face and sobbed. Douma didn't really know what to do, so he just did what he thought was best. He wrapped his arms around Enmu and pulled him close to his chest. "It's alright. He can't hurt you."
"No..no..Why would he? I don't understand..I must've not been good enough for him." Enmu sobbed into Douma's chest. "It's not your fault. He hated all of us." Douma tried his best to console him. With each passing moment, a strange feeling grew inside of Douma. One of sorrow. One of guilt. One of shame. It was truly overwhelming.
"I just don't get it." Enmu sniffled as he looked up at Douma. "Why would he do that to me? He said he cared for me." Douma shook his head. "I know that this is hard to hear, but he didn't. He said that to many of us to get us to join him. Muzan was just manipulating you." This all seemed too familiar to Douma..as if..he's heard these words before.
Enmu curled up into a tight ball. "I'm sorry..for not being good enough." With that, Enmu fell asleep in Douma's arms, tears streaking on his face. Douma cradled the smaller demon's body in his arms, slowly rocking back and forth to sooth him. His mind was swimming with many thoughts. Douma knew that Muzan was nothing more than a scumbag, but he never thought that he would sink this low.
Douma sighed as he rested his back against the bench. Another thought was swirling in the ocean of his mind. Where did he hear those words before? Why did he feel a strange, dreadful feeling? Why did this situation seem so familiar? Then, Douma's eyes widened in realization. "Inosuke.."
Author's Note: I know this chapter is quite heavy, but this series will contain some pretty heavy themes. Tanjiro also does have limitations on his revival powers. There are three rules: 1. The demon must have a Blood Demon Art. 2. The human can't be too decomposed, and 3. The human's head must be intact. The third one will come into play later. Also, the next chapter will introduce two of the few original characters in the series, so keep your eyes peeled!
Enmu fans come get y’all’s food
Imagine your an upper rank and your lower rank demon Enmu disobeyed you by raising his voice at you and now you have to spank him. Ripping his pants off and kneeding his ass like squishy dough before slapping a hand on his right cheek ripping a moan out of him. Hitting the other cheek he moans again. You continue hitting his ass while tears prick from his eyes as he begs for mercy. Almost telling you to stop? And you took that as disrespectfully. You kept him down with your blood demon art as you stroked him off starting his oversimulation punishment. Poor him... That'll teach him to shut the fuck up💙
(I might make this into a fanfic.)
I cannot stop imagining what will happen when we come back…i wonder if you will be in the making of pt 2…(if there is one ofc) 🤨🤨
hii!! 🪶anon here again :3 I dunno if my other ask got sent- buttt anyways what about enmu x boobs (I'm 18+, i just dont feel fully comfortable w/ my age yet even tho its anonymous (• ▽ •;))
-🪶 anon :3
Hiiiii yes! Absolutely!!! This is also at the request of #1 Enmu ass-slapper @starfishoverdrive 🥰 also tagging @anxious-chick
side note: this gif of him is so cute.
Content Guidance: NSFW. Biting, blood, psychic somnophilia?? Is that a thing? It is now.
Enmu x Boobs
You were a passenger onboard an overnight train from Nagasaki to Tokyo.
Enmu noticed you the moment you arrived, his breath catching in his throat as he observed you. The way you moved, the way your lovely, soft chest bounced when the train lurched into motion, ohh... you were intoxicating.
Soft, alive, so ripe and sweet. He desired nothing more than to pluck you from the rest of the crop and enjoy your sumptuous flesh.
His mouth and his cock were watering.
It pained him to wait until you were actually ready to slumber, until you retired to the private roomette and locked yourself away from the other humans.
Oh, he could very easily use his blood demon art and put you to sleep, but waiting, yearning, hungering was just as delicious as manipulating you to his whims.
However, the moment you drifted off in your cozy bed for the night, he wound his way into your subconscious and gave you the most beautiful dream he could conjure.
He introduced himself to you, and repeated your name in his delicate voice after you gave it to him.
Such an unusual human... normally people were aghast to see a demon prowling though their dreams, but not you.
"Mmmh..." he chuckled, leaning into you, his face so close to yours he could feel your breath on his lips. "Tell me, why aren't you afraid, human? Are my fangs not sharp? Do you not feel the primal, subconscious terror of knowing I could so easily consume you? I could... pop you between my teeth like a ripe berry."
He wasn't sure if he was annoyed or delighted, but the hunger in his eyes was mirrored in your own.
Oh, you little deviant, you were most certainly determined to have a pleasant dream with him, he could practically feel the desire flowing through you.
Slowly, and of your own free will, you pulled off your top, exposing your bare breasts to him.
Enmu found himself completely consumed with a very human desire, one he couldn't simply drown out. He fell to his knees before you and took your nipple into his mouth, guided by your gentle hand at the back of his head.
There was nothing for him to gain from it. It made no sense. He couldn't lick and suck you into his belly like this, and yet... yet he was compelled to do it, simply to hear you moan, to watch your head loll back and your pretty, almost pained expression of pleasure as he swirled his tongue around and around your hardening nipple.
"Ohhhh~ they're so soft... so delightfully warm. And so very, very sensitive, aren't they my dear?"
His fangs penetrated your soft flesh, pulling an elated, agonized cry from you. Your grip on him tightened as he lapped your blood from the plump flesh of your breast.
You coiled the longer black and teal tufts of his hair around your fingers as you gazed down at him, enamored with the sight of him suckling. His mouth was eager, sloppy, his eyes rolling back as he lost himself to the intimacy and pleasure of it all.
He adored you in that moment, especially when you pulled his head back to witness his crimson-stained lips and the little rivers running down his pale chin. And then pressed your breast back into his mouth so he could continue his feast.
And he wasn't doing a thing to encourage you; that was the enigma of it all... you let him feast on you freely, at least in your dream. Whether you would be so amiable upon waking was another matter... one he was just as excited to explore.
He grinned up at you as he let the blood drip down your flesh, watching it form perfect droplets on the end of your nipple before sticking his tongue out to lap it up, chuckling as you shivered and moaned with every lick.
And then suddenly the dream wasn't enough anymore. Oh, yes, he could very easily absorb you this way, manipulate his flesh to consume your sleeping body while he filled your head with nightmares and amused himself with your terror. But... it wouldn't be enough.
No, he needed to feel your nipple on his tongue in the flesh, he needed to smell the arousal emanating from you as he sucked your breasts raw. He needed to break your skin with his fangs and feel you cling to him, your thighs wrapped around his generous hips. He needed his cock inside you, he needed your blood inside him.
"Awaken, love," he cooed in your ear.
The train rocked steadily, the clackity-clack the only sound aside from your labored breaths.
"It was a dream," you said, the disappointment in your voice so utterly delightful he audibly whined.
And the moment your mind pieced it together, the moment you realized that the pretty demon gazing down at you as he straddled your body was as real and as tangible as you, he smelled the flood of arousal coursing through you.
"Don't stop," you whispered, exposing your breasts to him, even lovelier than in the dream. "Enmu..."
Oh! His name on your tongue was as sweet as your blood on his.
He lay in you arms until the sun came up, lapping at your flesh, feasting on your pleasure and your essence as if both sustained him in equal measure.
His cock stayed buried inside you, alternating throughout the night between languid thrusts as he kissed your saliva-slickened skin, and pounding into you so hard and fast he was sure the two of you might derail the carriage.
That a dream could pale in comparison to consciousness... Enmu had never known such a thing. But there you were, flooding his senses, permeating the core of him.
By the time the train pulled into Tokyo his heart ached to see you disembark, every cell in his body desperately pulling toward you even as the deadly sun beat down on the platform.
"Come back to me, my dream," he sighed, condemning himself to eternal pining for the crime of letting you go.
Little did he know, you were in the process of purchasing a return ticket
★ Enmu & Susamaru Iconz !
★ . ★ . ★ . ★
Same bitch different font
