Demon Slayer Kokushibo - Tumblr Posts
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!!
More Incorrect Quotes For My Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU!
Enmu: Douma says a lot of things in his sleep, okay?
Douma: *sleeping* I put a whole bag of jelly beans up my ass..
Akaza: Enmu, what do you see in this man?!
Kokushibo: WHY IS YOUR REPORT CARD ON THE CEILING?!
Douma: You said to bring my grades up.
Kokushibo:.. I did say that, let me see
Urogi and Karaku: CALIFORNIA GIRLS WERE UNFORGETTABLE. DAISY DUKES, BIKINIS ON TOP!
Sekido: SHUT THE FUCK UP!!
Tanjiro: Guys! Be quiet. You’re scaring the baby..*is holding Aizetsu bc he’s crying.*
Akaza: Guess you ended up taking my advice after all, huh?
Rengoku, who is now a half demon: I’m not fighting you, Akaza
Akaza: Awwww, man.
Hear me out..
Demon Slayer X Puss in Boots: The Last Wish AU
Don’t worry this isn’t overtaking my Half Demon! Tanjiro AU. I just thought this was neat!
Roles:
Akaza - Puss (Akaza would have an arrogant personality and he definitely would love to be known as a legend. I can also see him saying many of the things Puss says)
Kokushibo - Kitty (Koku is very serious like Kitty and he would definitely have a grudge if Akaza abandoned him. It’s also an excuse for me to ship them lol)
Tanjiro - Perrito (What can I say? They both have a pure heart and they love to help anyone around them)
Rui - Goldie (This is obvious. They both want a family and they’re very bossy.)
Sekido - Papa Bear (both are very aggressive and tough)
Aizetsu - Mama Bear (This boy definitely would act like a mother to Rui fr fr)
Urogi and Karaku - Baby Bear (the more argumentative moments are Urogi while the funny ones are definitely Karaku’s)
Douma - Jack Horner (Both are soulless monsters)
Zenitsu - Jiminy Cricket (I can just see Zenitsu in those moments the cricket has with Jack)
Gyutaro - Death (The sickles are perfect. His build is perfect. His personality is perfect. Just about everything is perfect! And Gyutaro with red eyes is just badass!)
Just some food for thought. This is definitely a fun idea though!
I just had an idea!
Ma just randomly appearing out of nowhere and scaring the heck out of one of your HDT characters!
It would be so funny!
Tanjiro: Woah! What the-? I’m sorry!
Zenitsu: Aaaah! Who are you?! Tanjiro!
Inosuke: Who the hell are you?! Fight me, you monster!
Nezuko: Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you there.
Genya: What the hell?! What even are you?!
Kanao: Oh? Sorry, you startled me.
Kokushibo: Hmm? Who are you, ghost creature?
Douma: Eh?! Oh sorry, ha! I thought you were Akuma for a second
Akaza: Woah! Hey, you’re kinda cool! Do you know how to fight?
Sekido: Huh?! What are you doing here?!
Karaku: Hehehe, you look like you’d be a lot of fun to mess with..*Sekido slaps him*
Urogi: Oh? Yay! Someone to play with!
Aizetsu: You seem lost, how sad..
Gyutaro: What the?! Are you some kind of ghost demon?
Daki: Jesus! What the hell are you?!
Kerido: Oh, a new friend! Who might you be?
Rui: You don’t..seem natural..
Enmu: Eep! Wait, you’re not the goat man, are you?
Strifles: *squeals and hides under table*
Rengoku: Jesus, you really scared me!
Giyuu: *stares at him with wide, yet blank eyes*
Shinobu: You quite a peculiar little thing aren’t you?
Mitsuri: *yelps* Oh, sorry! Awww, you’re such a cutie!
Obanai: What..are you?
Muichiro: Are you a ghost..or a demon?
Gyomei: Oh, my apologies. I didn’t know you were here..*cries*
Sanemi: What the?! Eh?! What the fuck are you?!
Tengen: AAH! *screams like a baby*
Jackyll: Ew. *eats you*
I literally headcanon that Kokushibo loves sweets, so this makes me so happy!!!
Still in a funk :-[, heres Koku eating some yummies..
Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU
Chapter Five
Coming Home
Warnings: Quite a bit of blood.
Word Count: 4627
The shimmering moon shined down on the group of half-demons and slayers as they traversed through the night. Their mission planted firmly in their minds. Tanjiro’s ability brought them new hope that they would see their loved ones again. They were not sure of his full capabilities and limitations, but they were excited for what was to come in store.
The journey from the Butterfly Estate to the ruins of the Ubuyashiki Mansion-and by that extent the Infinity Castle-wasn’t too long. Rui has nestled against Nezuko, who was walking beside her brother, with Rengoku standing behind him. Zenitsu and Inosuke were trailing behind all of them, just being grateful that their friends are alive. This journey was rather silent since they were just enjoying each other’s company.
“This is it.” Tanjiro spoke softly as he came to a dead stop. There in front of him stood the ruins of the Ubuyashiki Mansion and the Infinity Castle. The egregious sight of piles of broken wood and shattered lanterns created a sense of unease and despair. Tanjiro looked back at the team then followed the slope of Kaikoma Mountain-which was a little ways behind them. “I know that this place holds many bad memories for many of us, but if this mission proves to be successful, this will be completely worth it.”
All the others nodded in agreement. “No one could’ve said it better, young Kamado.” Rengoku smiled warmly. “We all have faith in you.” Tanjiro’s heart melted at the compliment. “Thank you, Mister Rengoku.” With that, the team of slayers entered the ruins.
The scent of day’s old blood hit Tanjiro’s nose as they shuffled through the broken pieces of wood. This frustrated him. Why did the final battle have to happen like that? So much sacrifice, grief, and death could’ve been prevented if…Tanjiro shook these thoughts away, focusing on the various scents around him.
“Tokito..” Tanjiro closed his eyes, shedding a single tear. Rui and Nezuko rumbled worryingly. “Are you alright, Kamado?” Rui asked with a hint of regret. “I’m fine..just a lot of bad memories. He’s the only one that I’m completely sure I can bring back here.” The small spider demon could hear the pain in Tanjiro’s voice. “I’m sorry..” Nezuko looked at Rui when he said that and held him closer.
Inosuke was busy busting woods-despite Zenitsu’s protesting-while Rengoku was carefully searching through the rubble. Tanjiro closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He sniffed the air and opened his eyes in a flash. “They way!” Tanjiro almost roared as he started to run through the wood. The others seemed hopeful because of Tanjiro’s sudden determination, so they ran off with him.
Various red specks swirled around Tanjiro, but the scent of the young Hashira was overpowering. A soft, minty scent filled the air as Tanjiro and the others ran. Eventually, they came to a spot where large pieces of wood had fallen on top of each other. Underneath all this wreckage..was Gyomei’s haori peeking out from the bottom. “We found him.”
All the slayers drew out their swords and ferociously cut through the wood, being careful not to be careless. Rengoku backed up from the wreckage. “Stand back!” The others sprang back as the Flame Hashira plowed his body through the rest of the wood. He landed in another pile of destroyed wood then looked up to see what that action did.
Everyone gasped when they saw the young Hashira’s body. Muichiro’s eyes were closed with blood covering his skin and hair. Gyomei’s haori covered his severed bottom half..truly a depressing sight to see. “We need to find his bottom half.” Tanjiro winced, holding back vomit and tears. Inosuke looked around at his right side. “Is this it?” He pulled on a foot that was stuck underneath some rubble.
“That’s it.” Despite the fact that Tanjiro was now feeling ill, he still pulled out the lower half of Muichiro. Blood dripped everywhere as he placed the young Hashira’s half to his top half. “I can’t believe this happened to him. He was too young..” Zenitsu spoke gently. Nezuko nodded in agreement, trying to hold back sobs. Tanjiro covered the split in the young boy with Gyomei’s haori. They all wanted to puke.
“I’m so sorry, young Tokito.” Rengoku spoke softly. “You must’ve suffered greatly.” Tanjiro took another deep breath before slitting his wrist once again. The blood dripped into the young Hashira’s maw. All of the slayers knelt down beside him. Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Rengoku even prayed for the young boy’s return.
Within a matter of minutes, the flesh between the two halves started to reconnect. They all looked up when they heard the sound of a soft heartbeat. The skin on Muichiro’s arm then tore open and two long, blade-like spikes-one on each arm-rose from the rips. The dark blue spikes were curved like Obanai’s sword and had swirl patterns all along them.
Fangs emerged from Muichiro’s maw and the split in his body formed a long scar that went around his waist. It was then that the young Hashira slowly opened his eyes. “Ugh..Where am I?” Muichiro groaned as he sat up. Everyone, even Rui, smiled when they saw the boy come to life.
“Tokito..” Tanjiro whispered, holding back tears. Muichiro looked around him, seeing Rengoku. “Am I in the afterlife?” It hadn’t hit him yet that Rengoku had horns and flame marks. “Not at all, young Tokito!” Rengoku drew him into a strong hug. Muichiro was taken aback at first, but eased into the hug. “Wait..then how are you here? How am I here?”
Tanjiro scratched the back of his neck. “It’s a long story. I’ll explain everything when we get back” He didn’t want to overwhelm the young Hashira. Muichiro looked down at his new spikes. “Am I a demon?” Nezuko shook her head. “Not really..We’re kind of a new species.” Muichiro was in complete shock. “Wait, what?!”
A crow came flying in and landed on a broken piece of wood above them. “Caw! Caw! This is true! Master Kiriya even came up with the definition and name! From this moment forward, this species will be referred to as half-demons! They don’t need to eat humans, don’t have bloodlust, and they have their humanity! We’re still trying to figure out the rest of the details! Caw!”
They all looked up at the crow. “Hey Matsuemon, can you bring Mister Shinazugawa and Mister Tomioka to the Master’s mansion? Along with all the Hashira’s crows?” Tanjiro smiled warmly at the crow. The bird cawed. “I don’t see why not! They will surely be surprised! Caw!” The crow flapped his wings and took off.
“Ginko will be happy to see me.” Muichiro smiled softly. “And so will Genya.” The name of the young slayer made everyone’s heart hurt. Muichiro looked at them, confused. “He’s back at the mansion, isn’t he?” Tanjiro shook his head. “He..didn’t make it.” Muichiro’s eyes widened with shock. “Genya..died? Can you bring him back?” The poor boy sounded like he was on the brink of tears.
“I’ll try. I can’t make any promises.” Tanjiro stands up and sniffs the air, looking for his scent of pine. He made a soft chuffing sound and ran through the broken wood. Rengoku carried Muichiro as both they and the others followed Tanjiro. It was a good thing that they all could run quickly since Tanjiro was wasting no time getting to the center of the scent.
They eventually came to a small clearing. Tanjiro saw the same red specks as he did when he brought Rui back. “He must’ve been turned right before he died.” Tanjiro said to himself. Nezuko turned to the others. “It’s best if we get back. They nodded and stepped back into the rubble.
Tanjiro cut his arm open with his claws, letting his blood drip onto the floor. The specks glowed brightly and they moved closer to the blood. Tanjiro closed his eyes, raised his arms, and focused on his memories of Genya. From the time at the Swordsmith Village to training with the Hashiras. All of this made the half-demon tear up.
The red specks circled around him, just like they did at Mount Natagumo. They started to come together to form a being. Everyone’s eyes widened as they watched the spectacle in front of them. The red ashes came together like a puzzle to form the young slayer. It looked like Genya was laying on the ground, which everyone presumed that was how he was when he died.
Tanjiro lowered his arms when the red light of the ashes seemed to die down. Genya was now visible as he was laying on the ground. He seemed to adopt the same appearance as he did at the Swordsmith Village since his mohawk had yellow tips. There was also a new scar on his face. Other than the one by his nose, he now had a long scar that split his face in two.
Genya grumbled and made a soft roar as he sat up. He opened his eyes-and as everyone guessed-his eyes were black with yellow pupils. Tanjiro couldn’t help but grin when he saw him. “Hi, Genya.” The young slayer looked up at Tanjiro. “Hi Tanjiro..did you die too?” Genya seemed to be worried and tired.
Tanjiro shook his head. “Nope. You’re alive again.” Genya made a surprised squeak. “I am? But how?!” Tanjiro smiled warmly. “There’s a lot to explain.” Muichiro leaped out of Rengoku’s arms and ran to Genya. He stopped in his tracks when he was in front of the young slayer.
“Genya..” Muichiro's voice was soft, almost inaudible. “Hi, Mui.” Genya was relieved to see the Mist Hashira. Without warning, Muichiro hugged Genya, almost tackling him in the process. “Woah! You must’ve missed me, huh?” Genya chuckled as he patted Muichiro on the head. Everyone cheered when they saw them reunite.
Tanjiro turned to Inosuke. “Inosuke, do you remember how Miss Shinobu died?” Inosuke put a hand to his mask. “She was absorbed.” His tone was sad, yet hopeful. “Alright.” Tanjiro sniffed the air again, catching Shinobu’s sweet lavender scent. “This way!” With that, he took off towards the scent.
Everyone followed behind with a steady pace. They found themselves in another wreckage of wood, but blood and flower pedals were littered everywhere. Tanjiro looked around him to see the familiar red ashes, but this time there was purple dust within them. It was then he came to a horrible realization. Tanjiro would have to bring back both Shinobu.. and Douma.
Rengoku seemed to realize this as well due to Tanjiro’s reaction. He climbed down the broken pieces of wood to where Tanjiro was and stood next to him. He then decided to whisper something to the young slayer. “What’s he saying?” Inosuke said with a bit of aggravation. “I’m not sure.” Muichiro sighed, staying with Genya. Zenitsu put a hand to his ear and listened. His eyes widened with surprise and a little bit of fear.
“Are you sure, Mister Rengoku?” Tanjiro asked with concern. Rengoku nodded. “I’m sure. He’s probably going to be more than willing to help us with Uppermoon Two.” Tanjiro sniffed the air, looking for a specific scent. He turned to his left and ran over the wreckage of wood and glass. He stopped in front of a certain spot where he was able to see red ashes that belonged to someone else.
Tanjiro then performed the same procedure that he did for Genya and Rui. This time he seemed a lot more cautious. Everyone, except for Zenitsu and Rengoku, leaned over curiously to see exactly what he was doing. The ashes formed someone that the group never would’ve expected. Especially since both the figure and Tanjiro have had an antagonistic relationship ever since they first met.
The form belonged to Akaza, the Uppermoon Three demon. Everyone gasped and backed up when they saw him. “What are you doing, Gaupachiro?! He’s the one who killed Bug-Eyes!” Inosuke yelled angrily. Tanjiro didn’t say anything because he knew something they didn’t.
Akaza shook his head like a disoriented dog. He didn’t say anything as he looked up at Tanjiro. “Kamado.” Akaza seemed to be in shock as he scanned over the boy’s new form. “You must be..the new Demon King.” He spoke in a warm and soft tone.
“I don’t hunt or eat humans.” Tanjiro said flatly. “I didn’t think you would. If anyone were to break Muzan’s control, it would be you.” Akaza smiled, much to Tanjiro’s surprise. “Listen Akaza..from what I remember, you did seem like one of the demons who had-or should I say recovered-their humanity. So, I was wondering if you’d like to joi-“
“Yes. I’ll join you.” Tanjiro was taken aback by Akaza’s quick response. The demon’s scent seemed to be filled with regret and sorrow, so Tanjiro softened his expression. Everyone else was also shocked. Rengoku seemed to realize that this was a different person than the one he fought at the Mugen Train.
“I’m surprised that you are taking this offer so quickly.” Tanjiro smiled at the demon. “Let’s just say that I’ve made many mistakes..I don’t deserve this and I know that.” Akaza looked down at the ground. Tanjiro extended his hand to the demon with a smile. “Well..let’s try to make things better. I know that you want to.”
Akaza took his hand and stood up. “Thank you, Kamado.” He turned to see the others, who were standing on the hill of wood. “I’m sorry..” He spoke softly. Rengoku smiled at him and nodded. Tanjiro carefully led them back to the spot with the flower pedals.
With a heavy sigh, Tanjiro cut his arm to start the revival process. He created two puddles of blood so that he can bring both of them back. The process was very similar, but there was a clear difference. The young slayer had to splice the two different colored ashes apart.
The splicing created two forms. One belonged to Douma while the other belonged to Shinobu. The others watched with their weapons at the ready. Akaza was confused at first why Tanjiro would bring back Douma, but seeing Shinobu’s form made everything make sense.
The revival of the two beings was finally complete. They sat on their knees in front of the new Demon King. Shinobu came back with beautiful butterfly wings that had a light blue inner color while the border color was a light pink. She also had small antennae-like horns on her head. Douma looked the same though.
Shinobu was the one who opened her eyes first. “Hm? Where am I?” She looked up at Tanjiro and smiled. “So, we won?” Tanjiro nodded silently. Shinobu looked at her new claws. “Then, how am I-“
“Ugh! What’s going on?” Douma yawned exhaustively. Shinobu yelped and hissed with anger. “Why is he here?” She looked at the others with confusion. “Don’t worry, Shinobu! We’ve got him under control.” Rengoku’s voice was both reassuring and stern.
“Huh? There’s no need to worry about m-ack!” Douma gripped his chest as he almost roared in pain. He fell over as Inosuke and Akaza ran over to him. “You better not be faking it, you little shit!” Akaza snarled. Douma couldn’t even speak due to the pain. Inosuke looked at Akaza. “I don’t think he’s faking it.”
Shinobu seemed to be a bit relieved as she stood up. “What did you have to do to bring us back, Tanjiro?” Tanjiro thought for a moment. “Well I had to separate your DNA from him. Least that’s what I think happened.” Shinobu nodded. “That’s probably what’s causing him so much pain.”
Tanjiro sniffed the air. There was a hidden painful scent. It seemed like it was buried like a time capsule or even more accurately repressed memories. It was something that he only ever smelled once before, which was in Muichiro. It made him contemplate whether or not to give Douma a chance. On one hand, he didn’t want to upset Shinobu and Inosuke or have Douma not give a single care about this opportunity. On the other, this painful, buried scent cannot be ignored.
Tanjiro sighed as he slowly approached the writhing demon. Both Akaza and Inosuke stepped to the side. Douma was struggling to get up when he looked at Tanjiro. “Douma..I’m going to give you a chance to change. It may take a while, but I gave you your humanity back so we can start again.”
Douma groaned softly. “I guess I could join you, but I can’t make any promises.” Douma laughed, playfully. With an irritated look, Tanjiro gripped Douma’s shoulder which made him wince. “This isn’t just a game, Douma! If you even come close to hurting another human, then we will kill you again.” His scarlet eyes were so intimidating that even Akaza and Inosuke looked uneasy.
Douma quickly realized his mistake. “Okay, okay. I was only just kidding.” Tanjiro shook his head. “This is no laughing matter.” The young slayer sighed heavily as he went back to Shinobu. “I’m sorry, Miss Shinobu.” Shinobu only smiled at him. “It’s okay. I know. That you just wanted me back. Plus, it looks like you have him under control.”
Genya and Muichiro felt guilty that Shinobu had to deal with Douma being revived. They knew that it wasn’t her or Tanjiro’s fault, but they knew that it mustn’t feel the greatest. So together they decided to make it even. The duo approached Tanjiro and told them their proposal.
“Are you sure you want me to do that?” Tanjiro’s voice was filled with concern. “Yes. We don’t want Shinobu to feel alone.” Muichiro said softly. “Yeah. This will probably be difficult, but maybe this might turn out better than we think.” Genya smiled.
Tanjiro returned the smile. “As long as you’re okay with this.” He sniffed the air and ran to a different part of the wreckage, Genya and Muichiro following behind him. Tanjiro reached a certain spot where the scent of bergamot was the strongest. He then performed the same magical process as he did for the others.
This time the ashes formed the Uppermoon One demon, Kokushibo. Genya and Muichiro shuddered as they hid behind some of the wood rubble. The demon’s six eyes slowly opened and he looked up to see Tanjiro. He stiffened up seemingly alarmed. “Are you..the new Demon King?” He spoke softly. Tanjiro nodded. “Yes, but I’m actually a half-demon.” Kokushibo looked at the slayer’s uniform. “I see..”
“Why did you..bring me back?” Kokushibo seemed almost aggressive. “I shouldn’t..be alive.” Tanjiro felt some sympathy for the demon. The demon seemed to have a similar mindset to Akaza in this situation. Genya and Muichiro seemed weary of his words.
“I’m here to give you a second chance. You were once human and I want to return your humanity back to you.” Tanjiro explained softly. “I have nothing..to live for.” Kokushibo nearly whispered. He then looked to the wreckage, seeing Genya and Muichiro..the descendant he killed.
Truth be told, Kokushibo felt a great deal of regret when he sliced his descendant in two. That regret still haunts him now. As he looked at Muichiro, Kokushibo felt that guilt eating him alive. He wanted to make things right. Especially since someone is giving him that chance.
“If you don’t want to join us, I understand.” Tanjiro said softly. “No..I’ll do it.” Kokushibo faced him again. “You do?” Tanjiro looked confused. “Yes…I have mistakes..to amend.” Genya and Muichiro were skeptical. “Do you think he will?” Muichiro asked. “Doubt it.” Genya growled.
Tanjiro smiled warmly. “I wish you the best of luck then.” The young slayer walked through the rubble back to where everyone else was. Kokushibo watched regretfully as Muichiro and Genya joined him. He turned to face the sky and sighed. “I’m sorry..”
Rengoku walked up the broken pieces of wood to stand next to Tanjiro. “Do you want to travel to Kaikoma Mountain?” He asked, enthusiastically. “Not yet..I doubt that there would be enough room for all of the Moons back at the Butterfly Estate.” Tanjiro clearly thought this through. “Smart decision, young Kamado.” Rengoku knew exactly what he was going to do next.
Tanjiro spilled more of his blood and used it to revive the master of the Infinity Castle. Nakime looked at Tanjiro and stiffened just like Kokushibo. “Hello, Miss.” Tanjiro said politely. “You must be the new Demon King. My name is Nakime.” Nakime spoke softly. She had a strong scent of fear coming from her. The damage that Muzan and Yushiro did when they killed her must’ve horribly scarred her.
“It’s alright. I’m not going to hurt you.” Tanjiro gently spoke. Nakime shook her head. “What do you want from me?” She responded almost like a servant. “The only thing I want is for you to just give a home for the other Moons.” Tanjiro smiled with warmth. Nakime looked around her to see the slayers and Moons. She was taken by surprise seeing that Tanjiro brought back some of the Moons.
“As you wish, Master. I won’t make the castle as confusing as I did before.” Nakime turned back to him. “Thank you, Miss Nakime. There’s also no need to call me Master.” Tanjiro beamed with kindness, which was something that Nakime was not used to seeing. “Of course.”
Tanjiro stood up with a hearty smile and went to the other slayers. “Attention everyone! I’m currently going to Kaikoma Mountain to bring back the other Hashira.” The other looked at each other and cheered. “Let’s go!” Inosuke laughed excitedly. Nezuko and Rui smiled at the half-demon with new found hope.
The group of slayers climbed the mountain while the Moons stayed behind in the rumble. They didn’t want to make things more difficult for them then it already was. Luckily, it took roughly a few minutes to reach the two graves of the fallen Hashira. Everyone looked at each other, nodded, and started to dig.
Using their claws, getting to the Hashira’s caskets was rather easy. “Tanjiro! Gyomei’s ready!” Shinobu trillsd, calling to him. Tanjiro walked over to his grave and peered into the casket. Gyomei’s body was covered in bandages and scars. “I wished that there weren’t so many deaths.” Tanjiro said softly. “I know, Kamado. The good thing is that you’re able to bring them back.”
Tanjiro nodded and smiled as he dripped blood into the Stone Hashira’s maw. Gyomei’s left leg grew back in a matter of seconds and various rocky spikes grew out of his arms and back. His skin even developed the patterns of cracked stone. Gyomei sat up and put a hand to his head. “Where am I?”
Shinobu went down to him and hugged him tightly, sobbing. “Shinobu? Is that you?” Gyomei said softly. “Yes, it’s me.” She choked. Gyomei smiled and started to cry softly. “Are we reborn?” Shinobu nodded. “In a way. Tanjiro brought us back.”
“He did?” Gyomei turned his head upwards and smiled. “Well done, Kamado.” Tanjiro bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Himejima.” Another call came from the other grave. “We have Obanai and Mitsuri!” Rengoku yelled. Tanjiro couldn’t help but smile as he walked to them.
The dead couple remained in each other’s arms even in death. “I hope that they’ll be okay with us bringing them back.” Nezuko said shyly. “I think they will. They deserve to be together.” Tanjiro hums softly as his blood drips into both of their maws.
The scratch marks over Obanai’s eyes heal to form scars. His mouth becomes more snake-like as various small fangs start to poke through. A slim, white snake tail formed and curled around his legs.
On the other hand, Mitsuri’s lost arms finally grow back. Bright pink wings with green feathers at the tips emerge from her back, making her look like an angel. Heart shaped marks developed all over her body. They seemed to resemble her demon slayer mark.
Obanai was the one to open his eyes first. “Mitsuri?” His voice was soft and oddly warm. Mitsuri then opened her eyes as well. “Obi..” She smiled lovingly. It was only just then that she realized..”Wait! I have arms!” Mitsuri jumped up in excitement, causing the others to either yelp or chuckle.
“Well, you have more than that.” Obanai then also realized…”I can see!” He put up his clawed hands to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. “What happened?” He asked, absolutely flabbergasted. “I believe we can explain that!” The couple turned their heads to see Rengoku and Tanjiro.
“Rengoku!” Mitsuri immediately fumbled up and hugged him. Rengoku returned the hug along with a few tears. “Are we demons?” Obanai’s voice sounded worried. “Not quite. You have your humanity and you don’t need to eat humans.” Rengoku reassured them. “If you say so.” Obanai still didn’t sound fully convinced.
“Oooh! Everyone’s going to be so happy when we get back!” Mitsuri chirped happily. “They will..they really will.” Tanjiro smiled happily. Muichiro held Gyomei’s haori close to his chest as both he and Genya approached the Stone Hashira-who was talking to Shinobu.
“Here, Mister Himejima. You deserve this.” Muichiro said softly. Gyomei turned to them and smiled. “Young Tokito…Young Shinazugawa..” He then warps his arms around both of them gently, tears rolling down his face. “I’m so glad that you’re alive.” They both nestled his head in the Stone Hashira’s shoulders and hugged back.
After a few minutes of chatting-and crying-they all decided to traverse down the mountain and head back to the Master’s estate. They all felt so relieved and happy and they knew that their loved ones would feel the same.
“So why did you summon us here?” Sanemi growled at Matsuemon. “Caw! Tanjiro wanted me to gather you all here! Caw!” The other crows cawed as well. Not only were Sanemi, Giyuu, and the crows there, but Kanao, Kaburamaru-who was around her neck-, and a few Kakushi were also sitting on the perch as well.
“It must be pretty important if he wanted us to meet him here.” Kanao hummed as she pet Kaburamaru. “I don’t care what he wants us here for!” Sanemi roared. He swatted at Matsuemon, who flew out of his way. “We shouldn’t be here. I don’t understand why he wants us here or what the purpose of th-“
Giyuu stood-almost jumped-up with surprise. “Sanemi..look.” The Wind Hashira turned to face the sunset. There he saw all the previously dead slayers following behind the main trio. All the crows immediately took off to see their owners with tears in their eyes. Ginko circled around Muichiro before sitting on his shoulder and nuzzling his cheek.
Kaburamaru slithered to Obanai, who lowered his arm so that the snake could climb up. “Shinobu!” Kanao sobbed as she ran to her adoptive sister. Shinobu’s wings fluttered with happiness as the two reunited. Giyuu walked up to them with a smile on his face.
“Hey, Kocho.” His voice was soft and gentle. “You know, that’s actually the first time I’ve seen you smile.” Shinobu said jokingly. “Well..this is a pretty important occasion…I missed you.” Giyuu started to cry. Shinobu dragged him into the hug. “I know I missed you too.”
Genya waved from the horizon. “Hey, Nemi!” Sanemi couldn’t move. He just couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Genya..” Sanemi’s eyes welled up with tears. His fell to his knees in utter disbelief. The few Kakushi stood up with wonder and hope in their eyes. One of the female ones took a step off the porch and took a deep breath.
“The Hashira have come home!”
Author's note: My hands hurt, but I legit loved writing this! I hope you like it too!
Awwww!!! My baby bois!!!!!! Thank you for helping to feed my KokuAka brain rot. They are such a rare pair and I wish there was more of them!
Okie, I thought of this while watching Coleydoesthings’s Bowuigu video and I need to feed my KokuAka addiction.
Could I request some KokuAka content with Kokushibo in his monster/final form?
It was funny to draw XD
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!
Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU
Chapter Ten:
The Battle of The
Jaguar Demon
Warnings: Blood, some gore, child abuse, and angst
Word Count: 7919
After the unfortunate events at the noodle shop, Douma had carried a sleeping Enmu home in his arms. He was confused by the aching feeling inside his belly. It felt like something was gnawing him on the inside. Despite how much this feeling hurt, Douma wanted to know more. He wanted to understand it. He wanted to feel it.
Thus after he laid Enmu down into his futon-that was in his room of the Infinity Castle-Douma instantly went looking for Tanjiro. Luckily, it didn't take too long to find him. Tanjiro was surprisingly still in the Infinity Castle and was in the new kitchen, cooking some strange stew.
"Hey, young king." Douma tried putting on a cheerful smile. "How have you been? I hope that the others haven't given ya a hard time." Tanjiro turned to look at him with a sweet smile. "Oh, hey Douma. I've been fine. A bit tired, but fine. The others seem to be pretty awkward around me though.."
Douma put a hand to his hip. "Oh, don't worry! They'll warm up to you eventually!" Tanjiro then made a soft, relieved rumble. "I hope so..By the way, is Enmu okay? He seems to be more aggressive and quiet than usual." Douma sighed heavily, resting his head in his hand. "He..just found out something rather..devastating."
A small yelp came from Tanjiro as he completely turned around. "What happened?" Douma scratched his neck. "Well..turns out..Muzan used to drug him. I don't really know the reason why, but he used Opium Poppies to do so." Tanjiro gritted his teeth and growled. "I've never met someone so evil. Maybe he drugged him to manipulate him?" Douma nervously shrugged. "I have no clue. He did seem to be very loyal, so drugging him just doesn't seem to make any sense."
Tanjiro turned back to the stew with an angry huff. "Maybe he's going through withdrawal. That would explain his aggression." Douma nodded, agreeing, "That and blind loyalty." Tanjiro nodded. "He really did mistreat you all, didn't he?" Douma shrugged. "I guess you could say that.." He knew he was no better. Douma knew that he had committed similar evil sins.
"Hey..young king, mind if I ask you something?" Tanjiro looks at him. "Of course. Whatever you need." Douma stretched his arm out and sighed. "I need to talk to someone, but I would like you to go with me. I just don't want things to get too ugly between us." Tanjiro raised an eyebrow, taking the stew pot off the heated portion of the gas stove. This kitchen was a newly installed "System Kitchen", which made everything able to be made while standing up. "Who might that person be? If you don't mind me asking."
Douma ran his claws through his long, platinum blonde hair. "It's Inosuke.." Tanjiro stopped in his tracks and looked at him cautiously. "Are you sure he's going to listen to you?" He seemed to be genuinely sympathetic. Tanjiro knew that if Douma was really trying to reach out, something was clearly happening within him
"Probably not, but I want to try to apologize. I don't know why, but there's a gnawing feeling inside of me. It's strange and it hurts, but I really do want to understand it." Tanjiro looked at him and gave him a small smile. "He may not forgive you, but he may want to start something new with you if you're really trying to change." Douma nodded eagerly. "I am! I really am..I want to understand the things you feel.."
Tanjiro picked up a wooden serving spoon and started scooping the soup into a plethora of bowls. "That's good. We'll leave once I'm done giving this out to everyone." Douma sniffed the air and made a happy yap, not caring about masking. "That smells great! What is it exactly?" Tanjiro purred with appreciation. "It's Nikujaga. Aoi actually showed me the recipe."
Douma tilted his head with a warm smile. "I haven't had that in a long time.." He could remember when he was really young, back when his parents were still alive. Douma remembered that his mother used to make that exact same stew for him. It was his favorite..back when he truly could feel joy. Come to think of it, there was a section of his life that he couldn't remember.
"Hey, Douma. Do you know when or how you lost your emotions? You do seem to have some knowledge of them, so it seems like you lost them rather then not having them at all." Tanjiro seemed to be on the same page as Douma. "Well, you're right. I used to have emotions when I was really young. However, there's a strange gap in my memory. Then, I never felt emotion again, not until you revived me anyway. Yet even then, there are exceptions." Douma made a dissatisfied rumble.
Tanjiro turned to look at him as he finished putting the soup in the bowls. "Don't worry. We'll help you understand them." Douma smiled at him. "Heh, thank you, Lord Tanjiro." Tanjiro returned the smile as he caught the scent of someone else entering the kitchen. "Oh hey, Mister Kokushibo!" He turned to see the six-eyed demon with a wicker basket in his arms. There seemed to be many different snacks in it as well as colorful paper and a small watermelon.
"Good evening..Kamado..I'm about to leave..to go visit someone." Tanjiro beamed with excitement. "Douma and I are also leaving to visit someone. Would you like to come with us? I could show you how to get to wherever you need to go." Kokushibo put a hand to his chin and shrugged, knowing that he didn't know how to get to his desired destination. "I don't see..why not."
Tanjiro smiled and purred as he put all the bowls onto a tray. "Don't worry about each one of us individually." Kokushibo said, putting a hand on Tanjiro's shoulder. "Muzan was able to communicate..with us telepathically. You might be able..to do the same." Tanjiro raised an eyebrow. "How would I do that?" He asked with a curious tone.
"Oh! Oh! Just think of talking to the others and come up with what you would say to them!" Douma said excitedly. Kokushibo nodded. "That's basically all there is to it." Tanjiro closed his eyes and imagined a scenario where he was standing in front of all the half-demons. "Hello everyone! I actually made some stew for all of you. I have to leave with Kokushibo and Douma, so the stew is in the kitchen." He originally didn't expect to hear anything back..
"Guess you must've figured out how to communicate with us telepathically, huh?" Akaza's voice rang through his head. "Woah.." Tanjiro almost felt dizzy from sudden overstimulation. "It's alright, young king. You'll get used to it." He heard Aizetsu say, reassuringly. "Yeah! Thanks for letting us know though!" Urogi chirped happily as always. "You're..welcome.." Tanjiro shook his head, hoping to get the telepathy to stop.
"Sorry..I didn't mean..to cause you..any distress.." Kokushibo said, slight guilt in his voice. "It's fine, Mister Kokushibo. You were just trying to help." Tanjiro gave him a soft, weak smile. He could already smell the other half-demons heading into their direction. "We should probably go. Some fresh air might help you!" Douma said with a grin.
Tanjiro put a hand on his head and nodded. "Yeah..that's probably for the best." Kokushibo and Douma joined Tanjiro's side as all three of them made their way out of the Infinity Castle.
Once outside, Tanjiro took a deep breath to clear his mind. "Feeling..any better?" Kokushibo asked. Tanjiro nodded his head. Then, a strange scent caught his attention. He swerved his head over to where the scent was coming from.
Hidden in the darkness, tossed into the bushes, was a metal jar. It reeked of a foul odor that Tanjiro recognized from the many battles he had fought with other demons. He picked up the jar and gagged like a cat. "Hm? What is that?" Douma asked, tilting his head. "It's..blood. Muzan's blood.." Both Kokushibo and Douma widened their eyes in surprise. "Some of it..survived?" Tanjiro nodded before gagging again.
"Why would he keep this? It reeks!" Tanjiro asked, wincing in discomfort. "He used to..experiment on his blood..Muzan wanted to..find out its limitations..." Douma put a hand to his mouth, holding himself back from laughing. "You must have a really strong nose, huh?" Tanjiro weakly nodded. "Do you want me to take it inside?" A strange voice said from above.
All three of them looked upwards to see Gyokko in the trees. His vase was lodged into a tangle of branches. "Oh, hey Gyokko!" Douma waved with a friendly smile. "What are you doing here?" Gyokko chuckled. "Just getting back to have some dinner. I received your message, so I came in a hurry."
Kokushibo made a soft growl, seemingly untrusting of Gyokko. "Why..do you suppose..we keep it?" Gyokko tilted his head. "Well if we just throw it out, someone might be able to find it and use it." Tanjiro nodded. "He has a good point." Kokushibo squinted his eyes. "Fine..Give it to the biwa lady..She will know the best place..to hide it.." Gyokko made a dissatisfied rumble. "Alright. Will do."
Tanjiro quickly gave Gyokko the jar of blood, seemingly happy to get rid of it. Gyokko took it, dove into his pot, and rolled off the branch and into the Infinity Castle. "Let's not waste..anymore time." Kokushibo looked up to the sky. It was slowly turning a fiery orange. "It's getting..late." Both Tanjiro and Douma nodded. "Alright!" Tanjiro said. "Let's go!"
Giyuu sat alone while the other Hashira ate together. This was their first dinner that they were able to have together since Rengoku's passing. While all the others were chatting happily, Giyuu couldn't bring himself to join them. There was always a level of anxiousness that came over him whenever he was with them. He had no idea why, but he felt like no matter how much he wanted to, Giyuu just couldn't get close to them.
Rengoku then walked in with a bento box in his hand, his usual warm smile shone brightly. He scanned the room, waving at the other Hashira. Strangely though, his eyes made their way over to Giyuu. The Flame Hashira made a soft, soothing rumble as he walked over to where Giyuu was sitting. "Good evening, Tomioka! How have you been?"
Rengoku's booming voice caused Giyuu to jump slightly. "I'm fine, Rengoku." He said in a quiet voice. Rengoku tilted his head and leaned in. "I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you." Giyuu took a trembling breath. "I said that I'm fine." He said, raising his voice.
The Flame Hashira smiled at him. "That's good! Do you mind if I sit next to you?" Giyuu lowered his head slightly and scooted over. Rengoku purred rather loudly as he sat down next to him.
"Don't you want to be with the others?" Giyuu asked him, finicking with a piece of salmon. "I should be asking you that." Rengoku said as he opened his bento box. "You did seem really joyful when you saw all of us coming back, so why the sudden hesitation?"
Giyuu looked away, feeling shame creeping up onto him. "It's not like I don't care about you..it's just.." His voice went soft once more. "Don't worry, Tomioka. I know that you do care. I've just noticed that you've been more anxious. I just want to make sure you are okay." Rengoku said as he took a bite of his bento. "UMAI!"
Giyuu nodded his head, not saying anything. He did truly feel anxious, but he couldn't quite put his finger on the reason. He looked up to see Tengen at the other table talking to someone he couldn't see. The other Hashira looked tense with their still bodies. Even Obanai was making an audible hiss, thus making Tengen's conversation hard to listen to.
Eventually though, Tengen stood up and walked over to the two of them. "Hey uhh..Rengoku..there's someone here who wants to see you." Rengoku turned his attention away from his food and looked up at him. "Oh? And who might that be?" It was then that the mysterious person revealed themselves from behind the wall.
Akaza-the one who had previously killed Rengoku at the Mugen Train-walked out with a nervous and guilt ridden expression on his face. The other Hashira-except for Mitsuri and Gyomei-stared him down as he made his way over to the Flame Pillar. It was then that Giyuu felt a rising anger in him. However, for the sake of keeping the peace, all he did was give Akaza a death glare.
"Hey, Kyojuro." Akaza said in an anxious tone. "Long time, no see." Rengoku looked at him with an unreadable expression. "Good evening, Akaza. What brings you here?" Akaza then sighed with a heavy heart, bent down and bowed to the Flame Hashira, catching every Hashira off guard. "I'm sorry..for what happened at the Mugen Train. I really do regret what I did to you..what I did to all those men. I have come to ask for your forgiveness."
Rengoku tilted his head and made a soft rumble. "Do you really mean it?" His voice didn't sound stern, it was soft and it sounded like it had warmth to it. "I do. I mean every word." Rengoku then closed his eyes and smiled warmly. "Well, then I forgive you!" He roared in a cheery voice. Akaza looked up at him and smiled with relief.
"Wait, what?!" Sanemi and Obanai yelled simultaneously. "Why would you forgive him?! He killed you!" Obanai hissed angrily. "I can tell that he genuinely regrets what he's done. Besides, I know that there's more to him than we know." Akaza stood up with hopeless relief. "And what makes you believe that?" Sanemi gritted his teeth. "Well..he did use his Blood Demon Art to end his own life." Giyuu spoke up with uncertainty in his voice. "My point exactly!" Rengoku said.
Sanemi and Obansi just grumbled in frustration. "Relax, you two." Shinobu scolded them. "If he forgives him, then he forgives him. There's no need to make a fuss." Akaza gave Rengoku a sweet smile. "Thank you, Kyojuro. I mean it." Rengoku returned the smile and chuckled. "No need to thank me! I don't think that you're truly evil! Say, would you like to join Tomioka and me?"
Akaza scratched the back of his neck. "Thank you, Kyojuro, but I already ate." Rengoku chuckled once more. "Oh don't worry! You don't have to eat! I just figured you'd like the company." He was right about that, Akaza really could use the friendship, so he sat down next to the Flame Hashira.
However, Giyuu felt rather torn by this. On one hand, he was glad that Rengoku was able to forgive Akaza. Yet on the other hand, he doesn't feel like either of them should trust him. The knotting feeling in his gut only grew stronger, making Giyuu lose his already weak appetite.
Rengoku looked at Giyuu and slowly started to put the pieces together. He took the Water Pillar's hand and gently squeezed it. "Don't worry, Tomioka. I'm not going anywhere. None of us are." Giyuu looked up at him with wide eyes. "Are you sure?" Rengoku nodded and spoke softly. "I'm positive." A slow drowsiness crept up on Giyuu as he leaned against Rengoku's shoulder. Finding himself getting comfortable on the Flame Hashira's warm body his body eased into a light slumber.
Then, a screeching call echoed through the dark sky..
Gyutaro and Daki had finished their dinner rather early for they had plans that night. For the first time in a century, the Shabana siblings were able to take a calm stroll in the woods. Unlike their first trip to the Infinity Castle, they were well prepared and were aware of the directions and the area they had chosen to walk in.
"Alright. We're just taking a stroll, so don't burn the castle down." Gyutaro snickered as both he and Daki slid open the outside door. "I won't make any promises!" Urogi chirped, flapping his wings excitedly. Nakime just shook her head. "Don't worry, you two. The castle will still be here." Gyutaro and Daki looked at each other, chuckled, and left, closing the door behind them.
Daki immediately stretched as she felt the cool air hitting her lungs. "It feels great to finally have some time to ourselves, huh?" She said with a cheeky smile. "Hell yeah it does." Gyutaro returned the grin. "Truth be told, I have never felt this free before." His voice was soft and filled with an unfamiliar warmth.
Daki seemed to return the same sediment. "You're right about that. Having a stable and comfortable place to live, not having to sell myself for whatever money we could get, and not to mention the great food!" Gyutaro cackled. "I know! How did that slayer even learn how to cook anyways?" Daki just shrugged as she walked beside her brother. "Don't know. It definitely has something to do with that nose of his."
Gyutaro nodded. "Yeah, definitely." Daki hummed with child-like enthusiasm as the pair walked. The stars shone with a bright warmth that illuminated the siblings' path. The trees around them provided a sense of comfort and freedom that the two had never felt before. Now they could truly enjoy each other's company.
"The next thing we need to do is to get you a lover." Daki said in a semi-teasing tone. "Oh please! No one besides you can love this ugly mug." Gyutaro rolled his eyes. "Besides, you'd just get jealous." Daki shook her head. "No I wouldn't! I would love to see you get a lover! You of all people need one!"
Gyutaro just huffed. "Yeah right. I'm way too toxic to be a truly loving partner." Daki sighed with a little bit of frustration. "You're just selling yourself short, brother. There's someone out there just for you. I know it." She turned her head, looking straight into the dark woods.
Strange dirt mounds covered the area. It made it look like the site was an unmarked grave yard. The strange sight caused Daki to get goosebumps. "Hey, brother.." Gyutaro looked at her with a "Hm?" "What are those dirt mounds for?" Gyutaro looked up to see the mounds. Dozens and dozens of them covered the area, making the scene even more uneasy. "I..don't know."
Then, the sound of rustling leaves alerted them to the path in front of them. The sibling duo quickly summoned their weapons and growled menacingly. "Who's there?" Gyutaro gritted his teeth. A small, bloodied demon pup fumbled their way out from the bushes.
The pup looked like he was part jaguar for he had a black spotted tail, rounded ears, dark spots on his neck, and his hands and feet looked more like paws than normal appendages. He was wearing a navy blue kimono that had white borders on the wrist cuffs and neck hole. The strange thing was, the kimono looked like it was too big for him as it was sliding off his shoulder. The pup was also wearing black pants over his digitigrade legs. He had short, dark brown hair that was curly in the front and fluffy throughout.
Both Gyutaro and Daki yelped when they saw him. "A pup?" Gyutaro whispered. "They're rare..What's one doing here?" The pup turned to look at them with black eyes that had dark blue pupils. His body was beaten, battered, and covered in deep scratch marks.
The small pup-who looked like he was nine or ten-ran to them with tears in his eyes. "Please! You need to help us! My brother and I are in danger!" He cried out as he tugged on Gyutaro's pant leg. Gyutaro winced as he looked down at the pup. "You're the only one that looks hurt, little one." He picked up the young pup and held him in his arms.
"Where's your brother, dear?" Daki said in a sweet voice as she pet the pup. He shuddered under her touch. Then, a loud, rash voice roared through the night. "Strifles! Where are you, you little shit?!" A large male demon ran out from the bushes. He looked very similar to the smaller pup. The male demon had the same jaguar-like qualities and kimono-except it seemed to fit him better-as the pup. The main differences were his muscular, yet sleek build and long and wild hair that was tied into a low ponytail.
This demon looked to be completely untouched, unlike the small pup. However, there was blood lathered on his hand paws. He looked at the siblings' and smiled. "Ah! Thank you two so much for finding my brother, Strifles." His voice was raspy and harsh as he spoke.
"Who are you?" Daki hissed, raising her Obi sashes. "Woah! Woah! No need to get fussy, miss. I'm Ran'yō, the jaguar demon." Daki squinted her eyes. "He said you two were in danger." Ran'yō chuckled eerily. "It was just another demon. Don't worry. I took care of it."
Gyutaro was looking at Strifles's wounds as Daki and Ran'yō were talking. His examination revealed that these scratches were not what they seemed. They were thin and deep, which contrasted normal demon claws which are wide and shallow like fingernails. These claw marks were more like a cat's than a demon's.
Gyutaro then slightly squeezed Strifles's paw fingers to see his claws. Alarms went off in his head as he saw the cat-like claws extend out. He then looked at Ran'yō. He also had the same claws. Not to mention, they were covered in blood. Everything then clicked.
"What the hell were you doing to this pup?" Gyutaro growled as he hugged Strifles close to his chest. Ran'yō's grin faded. "Just defending him from a rabid demon. What else?" Strifles winced I fear as he heard his brother mention a rabid demon. "Bull fucking shit!" Gyutaro roared. "These claw marks aren't those of a normal demon! They clearly came from a large cat and you are the only one here that has bloody paws!"
Ran'yō growled, clenching his paws. "It's none of your damn business! Strifles! Come here!" The young pup shook his head. "I'm not going with that evil ram!" Ran'yō growled as walked towards them. "You little-" Gyutaro then swung one of his sickles and lodged it into the jaguar demon's jaws. "You will not lay a claw on him, you bastard!"
Gyutaro looked at Daki in a panic. "Take the pup, Ume!" She immediately scooped up Strifles with her Obi sashes. Ran'yō huffed angrily as he jumped back. "I will not lose my life to you low lives! Jackyll will get his eternal food source! One way or another!"
The ground beneath all of them shook as the dirt mounds began to burst open. "Blood Demon Art.." Ran'yō cried out. "Cat Call!" Large jaguar corpses emerged from each of the dirt mounds. They were rotting, yet still had the agility of their living counterparts. "What the hell?! Jaguars aren't native to Japan!" Gyutaro growled as he drew his sickles. "You're right." Ran'yō laughed. "A friend of mine has been giving them to me in trade for my brother's flesh!"
The Shabana siblings felt absolutely sick. "That's just disgusting!" Daki yelled. The undead jaguars roared victoriously as they ran towards Daki and Gyutaro. Gyutaro yelled with anger as he swung his blood coated sickles at the undead felines. Daki swung whatever Obi sashes she had left at the jaguars as well.
What they didn't account for was how many jaguars there were. There seemed to be hundreds! They all leaped at the duo, severely cutting them with their sharp claws and fangs. Strifles yelped with fear as the jaguars advanced upon them. "God damn it!" Gyutaro roared, striking at the jaguars. "My Blood Demon Art isn't as effective as it was."
"It's not just that!" Daki gritted her teeth as she used an Obi sash to block a jaguar's snapping jaws. "There's too fucking many of them!" Ran'yō laughed as he watched the chaos. "I will get my brother back! I will continue to grow my jaguar army!" Gyutaro used his blood sickle to slice a jaguar in half. However, the dead feline was able to reconnect itself and continue to attack. "Are you that much of a coward?! That you need to use dead puppets to fight?!" Gyutaro growled.
"Oh trust me..If you think this is hard, wait until he shows up." The plethora of jaguars continued to rip and tear at the Shabana siblings. Strifles was sobbing from fear as the jaguars snapped at both him and Daki. "Brother! We need to call Tanjiro! There's just too many of them!" Gyutaro growled, slicing a jaguar's head off. "He's fucking busy! I can handle this! You need to run back home!" Daki yelped as a jaguar with a sagging face bit down on her leg. "We need him to convert these two anyways! Just call him!" Gyutaro huffed, looked to the skies, and roared like an angry red fox.
When the daylight was still out, Tanjiro headed to the Butterfly Mansion with Kokushibo and Douma by his side. The young Demon King lead them to the estate with his sharp memory and sense of direction. Douma messed with his hands nervously and Kokushibo seemed to be deep in thought on their way there. Eventually, that made it to the estate.
"Alright. I'll make sure that nothing gets too ugly between you two, but please understand that he's going to be hostile." Douma nodded as he listened to the king. "I understand completely." Tanjiro then took a deep breath and knocked at the door. "I got it!" He heard Inosuke's raspy voice from behind the door.
The boar slayer opened the door rather recklessly. "Monjiro!" Inosuke yelled in a happy tone. "Where have you been?" Tanjiro smiled sweetly. "I been helping the other demons. I hope you've been alright." Inosuke laughed. "Everything's been fantastic!" He tilted his head to the side and saw Douma.
His cheerful demeanor immediately shifted. "What's he doing here?" Inosuke said with a soft growl. "Douma..wants to talk you." Tanjiro sighed as he moved out of their way. Douma slowly approached Inosuke with shaky steps. "What the hell are you doing here?" Insure gripped the handle of one of his sword's tightly.
"Inosuke..I've been feeling these strange feelings recently..and they've been tearing me apart." Douma spoke with a soft and hushed voice. Inosuke didn't say anything. "I know that I've done unforgivable things..and I know that you can never forgive me."
"You're damn right..You killed my mother!" Inosuke yelled with fury. "Inosuke..I really did care about you and your mother. I wanted her to live her full life, but she found out about my secret." Inosuke only growled. "And you couldn't have fought back against Muzan?! You couldn't have broken away from him?! That's no excuse!"
These words felt like sharp, piercing daggers. "I know! I know that they can't change anything! You're right..I should've stood up for her..I should've made myself better for her..better for you..but I was too much of a coward!" Tears were streaming down Douma's face. "Quit your lying! You never cared about her!"
"Inosuke." Tanjiro spoke with a soft voice. Inosuke turned to him. "He's not lying, Inosuke. A scent of sorrow and truth is coming from him." Inosuke huffed as he turned back to Douma. "He seems to be..telling the truth..little one.." Kokushibo said as he observed Douma. "He's never..shown with much..emotion before.."
"Please...Inosuke..I'm not asking you to forgive me..I just want to start anew." Tears continued to stream down his face. At this point, Inosuke didn't know what to feel. He truly wanted a father figure in his life and if Douma really means what he's saying, he could possibly get it. However, Inosuke didn't know if he could trust Douma. He doesn't want him to stab him in the heart like he did all those years ago.
"I can't forgive you for what you've done." Inosuke said in a much more calm voice. "But..maybe we could start over..that is, if you really mean what you say. Do you actually care about me?" Douma nodded, too weak to say anything. Inosuke turned away from him. "You'll have to prove it then. I need more than words to believe you."
Douma wiped the tears from his eyes. "I understand, Inosuke. I'm so sorry.." Inosuke crossed his arms. "No amount of apologies can fix this." Douma nodded. "I know.." Tanjiro walked over to Inosuke and crouched down. "Are you alright?" Inosuke swayed a little bit. "I just hope he means what he says." Tanjiro gave him a soft smile. "I believe he does."
Now, the night had settled in. The stars shone brightly above them. Yet, the beautiful night was disturbed by a terrified roar, alerting the group. "Someone's in danger.." Tanjiro said as his eyes slitted. He then ran off with the rest of the group following behind him.
The roars became louder and louder as Tanjiro, Inosuke, Douma, and Kokushibo came closer to the source. Blood covered the forest floor as the jaguars tore at the Shabana siblings. "Draw your weapons!" Tanjiro yelled as he drew his sword. The others quickly did the same. Tanjiro managed to land the first hit, slicing three jaguars in half.
Ran'yō growled in annoyance. "More intruders..No matter!" Some of the jaguars turned their attention to the group and dove in for the attack. The fierce felines scratched and bit at all the group, both half-demons and slayers. Luckily, everyone was able to sustain their ground. Kokushibo, Tanjiro, and Inosuke sliced and diced the jaguars with their swords while Douma and Gyutaro were able to fend off others with their unique weapons. Daki was able to climb a tree with Strifles in her arms.
"Damn it..I can't have them getting close to me!" Ran'yō said to himself as he watched all the others slowly advancing on him. Then, the sound of a ringing bell echoed through the woods. Ring..ring..ring..It's ringing causing the hair on everyone's neck to stand up. Ran'yō grinned wildly. "Hahaha! He's here! The ram is here!"
"Who's the-ack!" A blur of energy rushed toward Inosuke and threw him further into the woods. "INOSUKE!" Douma cried out, running after him. The jaguars were able to overwhelm the others now. "Oh no.." Tanjiro said as he gripped his sword, watching the jaguars advance upon them.
Douma sped to where Inosuke had landed by following a path of his own blood. Whatever that was had thrown Inosuke extremely far! The blood ran along the forest floor like a strange marking.
Inosuke hit his back against a tree. He groaned in pain as he stood up. His boar mask had fallen off when he was flung, so his human face was exposed. "Looks like I was mistaken." A deep, cackling voice spoke with a chill. Inosuke looked up to face the powerful being.
The voice belonged to this strange ram creature. It had the legs and head of a ram, but it also stood up on two legs and had arms like a human. Its fingers were hoof-like claws and it's coat was flat black. The creature's horns were striped with green, blue, and purple and it's hooves were also the same colors. A strange "X" shaped scar covered the edge of its snout. The strangest parts abothis creature was its golden piercing eyes, and a golden bell that was tied around its neck with a red sash.
"You are not the kind of food I want." Its deep voice sent chills down Inosuke's spine. The creature pressed its hood down on Inosuke's chest, causing him to gasp for air. "Who..are you?" The ram smiled with sharp pointy teeth. "Why, I'm Jackyll. The only true demon you've probably seen!"
Jackyll's hoof started to crush Inosuke's ribs. He yelled in pain as he tried to swing his sword at the ram. But the ram was fast and he quickly caught the sword. "Trying to fight back, are we? Well don't worry! I'll make this painful!" Jackyll cackled wickedly as he sunk the sword straight into Inosuke's femur, causing him to scream.
Blood squirted and poured out from his wound. Jackyll twisted the sword in his leg, making the bones crunch and the muscles tear. Inosuke screamed in absolute agony while Jack cackled in amusement. "You pathetic humans think you're so strong." Jackyll grinned as he twisted the sword. "You don't know who the true apex predators are! Don't try to convince me that those Moons are anywhere close to being the strongest!"
Jackyll jumped back with a strong kick. "I will slaughter all of you, so that my species will rise again!" Visible energy danced on the ram's body as his horns started to glow. "Say goodnight!" Jackyll roared as he ran towards him. Inosuke closed his eyes and accepted his fate.
Yet, instead of feeling any more pain, Inosuke felt warm blood drip onto his legs. "You will not kill my son!" Douma's voice roared at the ram. Inosuke looked up to see Douma standing in front of him. Blood dripped from the large scratch wound on Douma's chest. Jackyll bared his fangs and snarled. "A human demon?! How dare you filthy creatures further interfere with my life!"
Douma drew out his deadly fan as his wound slowly healed. "What the hell are you talking about?!" Jackyll grinned as he ran towards Douma and grabbed his arms. "Looks like Muzan never spilled the tea about us Humanoid Demons! You and your kind nearly drove us to extinction!"
The jaguars viciously bit and scratched at the half-demons. Tanjiro's haori was almost completely shredded. Kokushibo kimono had been ripped off and Gyutaro looked like a severely used scratching post. Daki was the least damaged, but both her and Strifles were cornered by the undead felines.
Kokushibo huffed and grunted with each cut and bite. "There's too many..of them..I have to..No..I can't..but.." He looked up at the others, watching them fight for their lives. He now knew what he had to do. Kokushibo morphed his body into the monster form he took during the final battle and was able to slowly tear through the jaguars.
"Listen!" Tanjiro called out to Ran'yō. "We don't have to fight! I can free you from the burden of eating humans! I can help you!" Ran'yō snarled before laughing maniacally. "I'm not interested in eating humans! That ram demon gives me a jaguar every month in trade for flesh."
Strifles jumped down from Daki's arms. "No, little pup!" She yelled as Strifles ran towards his brother. A strang, brown Maine Coon cat ran beside Strifles, seemingly defending him from the jaguars. The cat didn't have a nose and its fur was ragged and torn, but it clearly wanted to aid the pup. Strifles was successfully able to reach his brother and tugged on Ran'yō's kimono.
"Brother please! Maybe he can help us! Maybe he can free us from the ram!" Ran'yō snarled. "Shut up, you little bitch!" The jaguar demon kicked Strifles in the chest and sent him into a tree, causing the pup to release a pained cry.
Tanjiro widened his eyes and gritted his teeth. "How dare you? HOW DARE YOU?!" Something inside of him felt like it was burning with absolute fury. The ground shook beneath everyone. Then, a large dragon made from the ground water burst through the earth.
Tanjiro's hand was raised as he stared at Ran'yō with pure hate. "Hydrokinesis." Kokushibo whispered as the water dragon loomed above them. This was a part of Tanjiro's Blood Demon Art. "How dare you hurt him like that?! He's just trying to save you!" Tanjiro's roars were filled with rage.
"You have no idea what it means to be a loving sibling, do you?! How dare you hurt an innocent pup?! Let alone, your own brother! He doesn't deserve to be beaten and kicked! He has never bore the blood of the innocent! I can smell it! You, on the other hand, have borne only his blood and for what?! More power?!"
Tanjiro looked at Strifles, who was curled up on the ground, crying. "No matter how much damage you do to him, your little brother has always looked up to you! He always loved you! And you used that love against him! You let that ram torture him for lord knows how long!"
Rage consumed Tanjiro as he roared into the night, startling Ran'yō and making him back up. The water dragon then roared. It's aquatic body turned into solar flames. Kokushibo widened his eyes in awe, both at Tanjiro's power and speech. Gyutaro was also impressed, but quickly took action. He saw a shallow trench by the tree where Strifles was and scooped up the young pup.
Daki followed him and took the pup into her arms once they were in the trench. "Stay here." He said in a hushed voice as he jumped out. Kokushibo flung the jaguars that were behind Tanjiro in front of him by using his tentacles. All of this in preparation for Tanjiro's attack.
Douma was struggling to hold his own against Jackyll. The ram demon pushed him back by using his powerful digitigrade legs. Douma tried to use his Blood Demon Art, but he couldn't freeze the air without killing Inosuke. "Your kind are useless wastes of space!" Jackyll pushed Douma's arms back, causing the bones to break and rip out of his skin.
Douma screamed in pain as his elbow bones were exposed. "You have no idea who I am..Let me show you!" Jackyll stuck out his long tongue, revealing Kenji that read "Upper Besst One." Douma widened his eyes. "You're a fake! A phony!" Jackyll's laugh was wicked and cold. "Is that so? Then how am I absolutely destroying Upper Moon Two?"
Douma closed his eyes and roared in aggravation. "I will not let you hurt my son!" He kicked the ram in his stomach, which only pushed him back slightly. A strange, fiery light emitted from behind them. Douma turned to see the massive flame dragon. Then, he had an idea. Douma heaved Jackyll by his middle and quickly threw him into its pathway.
The solar flame dragon roared angrily and Tanjiro roared as well. Before anyone else could react, the dragon burned its way through the pathway. The Maine Coon cat was standing in the way. "Mr. Nibbles!" Strifles cried out with outstretched arms. Gyutaro saw the car and dove after it. He tumbled into the trench with the cat in his arms and held Daki close to his chest. "Don't look at the flames, Ume!" He managed to roar above the sound of the blast.
The solar flames burned everything in their path. The jaguars, Ran'yō, and even Jackyll. Tanjiro roared angrily as the dragon incinerated everything in its path. Kokushibo stood behind him, both looking in awe and in horror.
The light died down and the smoke cleared. Corpses of burned jaguars were strewn around the area. Ran'yō's skin was horrifically burned to the point where he was almost unrecognizable. He groaned in severe pain as his body was stiff.
Tanjiro walked through the burned area and towards Ran'yō. He squinted his eyes in disgust as he looked at the pitiful demon. "Strifles will never be put in that kind of pain again." He growled before slicing off Ran'yō's head with his black blade. The jaguar demon's body disintegrated almost immediately once his head was decapitated.
Tanjiro looked up to see Jackyll, who was severely burned. Unlike Ran'yō, Jayckll shook off the burned skin and regenerated quickly. He looked up at the sky and snarled. "You're lucky the sun is coming, otherwise you'd all be dead! That half Humanoid pup will be my food source..and I'll destroy your bloodline.." Before Tanjiro could make another move, Jackyll's bell rang and he sped away in a blur.
Tanjiro looked over at his group. "Is everyone okay?" Gyutaro and Daki emerged from the trench with Strifles and the cat in their arms. Kokushibo stood up and dusted himself off.
Douma immediately went over to Inosuke once the dragon passed. "Inosuke! Are you alright?!" Inosuke looked up at him with blood dripping down his face. "You saved me..thank you." Douma smiled with relief and carefully hugged him. "I'm just thankful that you're alive!"
Douma had to pop the bones back into his arms before he could lift Inosuke up on his shoulders. He grunted in pain with every step that he took, but he made sure to pick up Inosuke's boar mask along the way. A plethora of different scents hit Tanjiro's nose as a herd of footsteps was audible.
All the Hashira-plus Akaza, Zenitsu, and Nezuko-ran to the scene of the battlefield. "What the hell happened here?!" Sanemi said with widened eyes. "This area has been incinerated!" Tanjiro turned to look at the Hashira. "There was a demon..a jaguar demon..one who abused his brother."
Gyutaro and Daki walked into the clearing, Strifles shivering in Daki's arms. "Oh my.." Mitsuri covered her mouth with shock and horror. "That poor pup.." Obanai squinted his eyes. "Even for a demon, that's low. Purely vile!" Gyutaro and Daki walked over to Tanjiro-who outstretched his arms-and handed Strifles over to him. He looked into the young pup's saddened eyes.
Tanjiro hugged the pup close to him. "I'm so sorry, Strifles..I'm so sorry." His voice cracked with sorrow and regret. "I didn't want to take your brother away from you." Nezuko and Zenitsu quickly hurried over to Tanjiro. "Brother, it's not your fault." Nezuko winced. "You just had to do what you needed to do to keep him safe." Zenitsu said in agreement.
The Hashira then examined the battlefield. Rengoku looked across the scorched landscape. "Young Kamado, did you do this?" Tanjiro only looked up at him. "He did.." Kokushibo spoke up. "He was..infuriated by the pup's abuse..and scorched the earth.." Rengoku nodded. "You have gotten immensely stronger, Young Kamado. There's no denying that."
Akaza walked over to Kokushibo with a curious expression. The six-eyed demon turned away in shame. "Don't look at me..this form.. is hideous.." Akaza only tilted his head in confusion. "Hideous? What do you mean hideous?" Kokushibo turned back towards him. "This form.."
Akaza raised an eyebrow and blushed slightly. "I don't think it's hideous." Kokushibo could feel his face turning red. "You..you don't think so..?" Akaza nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah! I actually think it's rather cool." Kokushibo covered his blushing face with a clawed hand. "I guess..if you like it..it must not be..all too bad.."
Everyone who was injured was quickly escorted to the Butterfly Estate. For most of the group, their wounds recovered quickly due to them being half-demons. However, Inosuke remained in the mansion for a while longer. Jackyll had broken four of his ribs and completely shattered his left femur.
However, the person who had received the most damage was Strifles. For a while, he refused to eat and couldn't hardly sleep without crying. Luckily, he had been converted by Tanjiro and many of the half-demons tried to help him, but nothing seemed to work.
Strifles was huddled inside his room, not making a sound when someone knocked on the door. "Hello?" Strifles mewed in a weak voice. "Are you Strifles?" A soft voice replied from the other side. "Yeah.." Strifles buried his head in his arms. The door slid open, revealing that the person who was behind the door was none other than Rui.
"Hello there." Rui gave him a kind smile. Strifles waved as his tail curled around his legs. "I just wanted to check up on you. I heard what happened to you and wanted to see if I can help you." Rui said as he sat down next to him."
"There's nothing you can do, but thank you." Strifles buried his head in his arms once more. Rui winced with sympathy for the poor pup. "I know it hurts, Strifles, but I promise you that you're better off without him." Strifles began to sniffle. "Why didn't he love me? I tried to make him happy, yet he still hated me." Tears streamed down his cheeks as Strifles burst into sobs.
Rui quickly wrapped his arms around the jaguar pup. "No, Strifles. It's not your fault. He was the scumbag that tortured you. You didn't do anything wrong." Strifles sobbed into Rui's kimono. "I just wanted him to love me! That's all!" Rui then nuzzled his tears away, fully indulging in his instincts. "Don't worry. You deserve love and I promise you'll be loved by many here."
Strifles looked up at him, tears dripping from his eyes. "Do you really mean that?" Rui only hugged him tighter. "Of course I do. I wouldn't lie to you." Strifles hugged Rui as well and slowly, yet surely, fell asleep.
The night was cool and dark as Kokushibo traversed through the land. For now he was finally aborigines deliver the wicker basket of goodies. The destination slowly came into view, making Kokushibo sigh in relief. He tenderly approached the steps to the Mist Estate and put the basket down in front of the sliding door.
"Tokito..Genya...I regret everything that..I've done to you..and to all the others..I hope..you take my offering." Kokushibo said in a low whisper. He then turned and started to walk away.
"Hey, six-eyes." A stern, cold voice called from behind Kokushibo. He turned around to see no one other than Sanemi Shinazugawa. "What the hell are you doing here?" He gritted his teeth. "I just came here..to deliver gifts.." Kokushibo said softly. Sanemi looked at the basket then turned back. "I don't trust anything you say.."
Kokushibo nodded. "I understand that..I've hurt you..deeply." Sanemi clenched his fists. "Look here, I'm not going to kill you because of Master's orders, but if you even come near my brother ever again, you will be gutted." Kokushibo sighed. "I've made..many mistake..I know this..I just wish to amend..the mistakes I can amend."
Sanemi narrowed his eyes. "If he forgives you, for some fucking reason, then I'll leave you be. If you try to attack him, I will skin you alive and feed you to the crows, got it?" Kokushibo nodded, regret creeping up on him. "Oh, and by the way, that ram demon is still at large. Do any of you have any clue of who he might be?"
Kokushibo shook his head. "His name is Jackyll..he's supposedly a different species than us..and he used to devour Strifles's flesh..That's all..but we're still looking into it." Sanemi huffed angrily. "You better. From what we know that ram is extremely dangerous." Kokushibo nodded. "He is...and he's truly..a mystery.."
Author's Note: Oh Lordie, this one was long! I'm also introducing two reoccurring OCs in this chapter! Strifles and the main antagonist, Jackyll! There's still two other OCs that will play a big role in this story!
Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU
Chapter Thirteen:
The Island of The
Humanoids
Warnings: Some swearing and themes of discrimination
Word Count: 8050
The morning sun beamed down on a wide eyed Tanjiro as he, Nezuko, and Zenitsu made their water over to the Infinity Castle. The Demon King walked with a pep in his step, thinking about what he was going to serve his colleagues for breakfast. Zenitsu stood close to his side while filling his head with many wonderful, tasty options. Nezuko just stayed close, smiling with a wide grin as she watched the boys chatting.
"Do you think Tamagoyaki would be a good option? We have enough eggs and vegetables.. I hope." Tanjiro asked Zenitsu, placing a hand on his chin. "Hell yes!" Zenitsu raised his hands to his shoulders and balled them into fists. "Really anything you make is amazing, but eggs are a particular favorite of mine." Tanjiro blushed slightly. "Oh, thank you."
Nezuko watched them with a cheeky grin, glad that her brother had recovered from the night before. The ailments did a great job with soothing the poor Demon King. So, she wondered who sent the basket. Nezuko just assumed it had been a Hashira. Thus, she's now just skipping right behind, happily listening to their conversation.
The golden sun glistened against the grass, which the morning dew had settled themselves on. Frosty leaves shielded the trio from the warm sun. Zenitsu was technically hugging Tanjiro's side to keep warm. Both of the Kamado siblings not only grew up in the cold mountains, but also had fiery Blood Demon Arts. So, keeping themselves warm wasn't a problem.
The sight of the Infinity Castle served as a welcoming space to the three of them as it came into view. Tanjiro made a hushed chuffing sound as they hobbled up the steps. With a soft knock on the door from Tanjiro, Kokushibo opened it once more. "Ah...hello..Lord Tanjiro..."
Tanjiro greeted him with a wide, warm smile. "Hi, Mister Kokushibo!" Zenitsu peeked his head out from behind Tanjiro. "Are you the certified doorman now?" Both Tanjiro and Kokushibo replied with a hearty chuckle. "I guess...I could be..I have been answering it..for everyone.."
They stepped inside to see many of the half-demons walking from one place to another. Lanterns brought a warm atmosphere to the castle. Tanjiro smiled as he watched them go about their lives. "So...what's the plan...Lord Tanjiro..?" Kokushibo looked up at the young king. Tanjiro made a soft purr as he turned to Kokushibo."I wanna try something for breakfast. There's a long table my friends and I set up in the dining hall."
"So...you're having all of us...eat together..? Interesting..." Kokushibo said in a low voice, putting a hand to his chin. "Why yes!" Tanjiro's energy felt like warms rays of sunshine. "Eating together will help us develop a better connection with one another. This was actually Zenitsu's idea." Zenitsu blushed and covered his mouth with his hand when Tanjiro spoke those words.
Kokushibo tilted his head as he hummed a soft tune, closing his eyes. "That does sound like...an interesting idea...We demons rarely saw each other...so..this is a nice..change of pace." He opened his eyes again. "Alright..let's try it..." Tanjiro clapped his hands together. "That's great!" He then shifted his gaze to the other half-demons.
"Roar.." Kokushibo whispered. Tanjiro turned to him with a furrowed brow. "Roar? Why?" Kokushibo pointed to the others as they walked through the hallways. "I've relearned..the ancient demon language...Roaring helps to call..the others..just be careful...you need to make it seem friendly..otherwise it will seem like you're..threatening them."
Tanjiro focused his gaze on the others. He raised his head like a wolf howling at the moon and took a deep breath. Then, a soft, lofty bellow emitted from his belly and went through his jaws. It sounded and felt like a slowly moving waterfall that carried the sound through the forest. Zenitsu and Nezuko couldn't help but smile at the wonderful sound.
Just as Kokushibo predicted, this mighty bellow caught the attention of every single half-demon in the building. The Lowermoons, besides Enmu and Rui, jumped at the roar, but the Uppermoons gave him surprised looks. "Um..hello everyone!" Tanjiro's voice echoed through the now quiet Infinity Castle. "I'd like to announce something."
"Recently, my friends and I put in a long table in the dining room. We thought it would be a good idea for all of us to eat together. It would help us build a better sense of community and trust. I'll be working on today's breakfast and I hope you all make yourselves comfortable!" Tanjiro finished his small announcement with a smile. The half-demons looked at each other with uncertainty in their eyes, but shrugged their shoulders and started to make their way down to the dining hall.
Roughly forty-five minutes and many rolled up eggs later, all the Tamagoyaki had been prepared. Green onions, juicy, thin tomatoes, and sizzled, pink ham was nestled in the rolled up eggs. As a side, Tanjiro had made soft, white rice. Along with Zenitsu and Nezuko, Tanjiro shuffled six plates along his arms. They walked out to the dining room to see the half-demons struggling to figure out what to do.
"Woa-woah!" Zenitsu cried out, almost dropping the plates. "Easy there, young Agatsuma!" A familiar, booming voice said as the man put his arms underneath the plates. "Mister Rengoku?" Zenitsu said as he stared into Rengoku's wide eyes. "What are you doing here?" Rengoku gave a hearty chuckle. "I just wanted to see how everyone was doing! From the look of it, you all are doing a fantastic job!"
Zenitsu blushed slightly at the compliment. "Thanks, but all the credit goes to Tanjiro. He's been working hard to make sure everyone's happy. Just wish some of the other Hashira could see this.." Rengoku laughed, making Zenitsu raise a confused brow. "Who said I was alone?" Zenitsu looked past the Flame Hashira and grinned at the sight he saw.
Giyuu Tomioka was quietly conversing with Kokushibo while Shinobu was doing the same with Sekido and Aizetsu. Gyomei cradled both Strifles and Rui in his large arms with a loving smile on his face. Daki and Mitsuri were gossiping about what was happening as of late. Gyutaro was standing protectively over Muichiro, Genya, and Kanao as he growled at Tengen. The only two Hashira that weren't there, to no one's surprise, were Obanai and Sanemi.
"Wow..almost everyone is here." Zenitsu's voice was soft as he looked at everyone in awe. "We wanted to support young Kamado. It can't be easy carrying the weight of being the Demon King." Rengoku said as he crouched down. "Speaking of which, how is he? I heard from his sister that he had a rather hard night." Zenitsu nodded slowly. "Yeah...he had to sleep in for a bit to catch up, but he's better now."
Rengoku stood up once again. "That's good to hear!" He took some of the plates from Zenitsu. "Thanks." Zenitsu smiled at him. "Here, I can help you all." Nakime spoke softly, walking towards them with her biwa in hand. "I connected the plates and silverware with my Blood Demon Art to make meals easier. "
Everyone watched as Nakime struck her biwa and the dishes of food disappeared. Then, they reappeared in front of every spot where someone would sit. Silverware and drinks filled with warm tea soon joined the plates. Oohing and ahhing filled the room as they watched the magic. "Well done, Nakime!" Tanjiro cheerfully chuckled as he admired her work. He went over to her and patted her head. "You did a great job, thank you!"
Nakime covered her flustered face with her hand. She had no idea how to react. "Th-thank you, master." Tanjiro smiled at her. "No need to thank me. You did a great job." Everyone then took their seats. Some looked excited, others looked nervous. Tanjiro took his seat at the head of the table near the kitchen. Zenitsu and Nezuko sat on both sides of him. Inosuke climbed onto his seat and stood up next to Nezuko.
"Hahaha! Bet you weren't expecting me to recover so quickly!" Shinobu shot him a slitted eye stare. "You still need to rest, Inosuke. You can't strain your body." Begrudgingly, Inosuke quietly took his seat. "There you go." Shinobu huffed softly.
"Hey, psst! Kamado!" Tengen harshly whispered, standing closer to Tanjiro. Tanjiro turned to him with a confused expression. "Hm? What seems to be the matter, Mister Uzui?" Tengen's pupils moved from side to side in a sneaky manner. "Do you have any blood?" Tanjiro huffed and smirked. "You mean you want to be converted?" Tengen nodded sheepishly. "Look, I just really hope I can get my left hand and eye back. That's all I want."
Tanjiro rolled his eyes, but smiled. "Don't be ashamed about it. It's fine to want that." He reached into the pocket of his uniform and pulled out a vial of his blood. Tanjiro then handed it to the Sound Hashira. With an eager smile, Tengen snatched the vial and chugged it down. He licked his lips as soon as he was done. "Why does your blood taste like honey?"
Sharp, glistening crystals started to coat Tengen's left arm. A translucent rainbow color reflected off of them. The crystals went down further and further until they reached his hand. Just like Tengen had hoped, the crystals started to form a brand new hand. At each joint, the crystals were disjointed to efficiently move and swivel around. His crystal claws were sharp and jagged.
The rainbow crystals didn't just stop there. Tengen watched his awe as sharp, pointy crystals formed around his neck, forming a permanent necklace. Then, his left eye healed as the crystals burrowed into it, thus making it useful again. Smaller crystals sprouted on his right shoulder and fingers. Finally, fangs sprouted from his canines.
"Hell yeah! Now that's flashy!" Tengen twisted his arm, side to side. Just admiring it. "My! My! You won the demon lottery on that one! Haha!" Rengoku laughed. "That's no shit." Gyutaro made a low growl. "Alright, Tengen. Time to eat." Shinobu gave him a sharp smile as he did as he was told.
A strange awkwardness was in the air as everyone started to eat. The aura was warm as some of the Hashira and Kizuki conversed. However, they only conversed amongst themselves. A scent of fear and nervousness hit Tanjiro's nose whenever a Kizuki member and a Hashira made eye contact. Fear was strongest among the Kizuki, while nervousness emitted from the Hashira.
Still, Tanjiro smiled to himself, knowing that some progress was made. His sound was slightly soothed as he watched everyone. Zenitsu scooted closer to him, placing his head on Tanjiro's side. "You did a great job, Tanjiro." Zenitsu said as he took a bite of his food. Tanjiro's face lit up with a soft blush. "Thank you, Zen."
Inosuke scooted, loudly, closer to Nezuko. "Is it just me or have those two gotten more buddy buddy?" He whispered in a harsh voice as he leaned into Nezuko's ear. She turned to him with a furrowed brow. "They've always been friends.." She said softly, yet being aware of their closeness. The Demon Princess knew that they became closer. She knew that the second Zenitsu stopped rushing after her every second he had.
"You know what I mean." Inosuke huffed, stuffing a piece of egg into his maw. "Do you really think they love each other?" Nezuko said, staring at her brother, who was having a cheery conversation with Zenitsu. "Is that what you thought I meant?" Inosuke asked, tilting his head. "I thought Monitsu was becoming his minion!" Nezuko could help but chuckle. "Maybe! He is the Demon King after all."
Soon enough, the meal had come to a close. Everyone proved themselves to be self sufficient as they carried their dishes to the kitchen and washed them themselves. Tanjiro, of course, knew that he would have to break the ice and reveal his plans soon. So with a soft roar, all the half-demons, both Hashira and Moon, diverted their attention over to him.
Tanjiro subtly cleared his throat before speaking. "I know all of us are anxious to investigate the truth about Jackyll and, luckily, some news has come up. Turns out he belongs to an ancient species of demon that existed long before Muzan did. Lady Tamayo told me that they are known as the Humanoid Demons."
Everyone looked at each other. Some confused, others scared. Even Kokushibo, the eldest demon, showed nothing but confusion in all six of his eyes. "Is he the only one that exists at this point in time?" Rengoku spoke up, crossing his arms over his chest. "I have no clue. It was believed that they went extinct due to a lack of food and slayers. So who knows how many are still out there." Tanjiro said with a sigh.
"Food?" Kokushibo questioned. "What exactly do these creatures eat?" Tanjiro gulped nervously. "That's my main point. They fed off of the humanoid species, which are basically animal-human hybrids." Even more confusion filled the air as the half-demons started to chatter amongst themselves. "Ohh! That must be what I am!" Everyone could hear Strifles say.
"So, we're guessing you might want to try to find them." Tengen's voice cut through the chatter like a knife. Ceasing it immediately. "Do you know where they might be?" Tanjiro shook his head. "That's the difficult part. We have barely any information to go off of! I don't even know where to start looking."
Everyone looked at each other, not really sure on what to do either. "I might have an idea." Gyutaro spoke up. All the half-demons turned their attention to him, making him sweat nervously. "Someone showed me a system of tunnels. Other than being gorgeous eye-candy, the tunnels also lead to different areas of Japan. My friend even told me that it connects to a remote island with "strange creatures" on it."
Rengoku turned to look at Tanjiro. "I believe we have a lead!" The Demon King grinned eagerly, looking out across the table of half-demons. Anxious, yet excited expressions swept over them. Some were more excited than others, but the general consensus was positive. With a determined look, Tanjiro called out, "Then let's find the Humanoids!"
"Genya...why the hell did you decide to drag me along on this trip?" Sanemi groaned as he trailed behind the group. Genya, with a tired expression, sighed as he stood next to him. "It's just a mission, Nemi. I'm not just going to leave you out of everything." Obanai hissed irritably as he had also been persuaded to come. Tail tucked around his legs, Obanai stuck close to Mitsuri's side.
Everyone followed behind Gyutaro as he followed the trail to the caverns. Soft chatter rose from the half-demons. The confusion settled in as anticipation built up within them. Gyutaro led the group on all fours. Tanjiro sped up his pace to walk beside him, seemingly curious about something. "Gyutaro, mind if I ask you something?"
Gyutaro looked up at him. "Sure. I don't see why not." Tanjiro looked down at the prints Gyutaro was leaving on the ground. "I haven't seen you walk on all fours before. Is there a reason why? I'm not judging, it just looks like it would be uncomfortable." Gyutaro chuckled softly. "It's not as uncomfortable as it looks. In fact, this is actually more comfortable for my bent back. I do have to pop and mold my shoulder joints to do it though."
"Oh! That actually sounds pretty interesting. Can all half-demons do it?" Tanjiro asked, tilting his head. Gyutaro shrugged. "I'd assume so. I don't see why I would be any different from the rest of y'all." He then stopped dead in his tracks. Tanjiro looked up to see what Gyutaro saw. There, they both were staring into a gaping hole that borrowed into the side of a mountain. "We're here." Gyutaro said softly.
The herd of half-demons followed their gaze, right into the gaping cavern. "W-we're going in there?" Strifles shuddered in Kokushibo's arms. Tanjiro turns to face the pack. "It's alright everyone." Tanjiro raised his arms in a reassuring manner. "Let's just take this head on."
The Demon King turned back towards the dark hole, took a deep breath, and walked in. Dozens of footsteps echoed as the pack traversed into the tunnels. "How are we supposed to find any gateways in this darkness?" Enmu hissed trying to feel his way around. Douma quickly took his hand to his Enmu's worries.
"Hang on. You'll see something rather fantastical." Gyutaro grinned, knowing the beautiful surprise that would be coming into view. Glistening light nearly blinded some of the half-demons. Kyogai made a sharp yelp as he raised his claws to protect his eyes. Strifles and Rui nestled their faces into Kokushibo's chest.
The glisten softened as their eyes adjusted. Thus, making everyone realize that they were surrounded by rows and rows of multicolored crystals! "Haha! This is amazing!" Tengen laughed as he spun around, trying to get a full circle of the wall jewels. "Beautiful...how did you discover this?" Akaza asked as he was examining a large red crystal beside him.
"Like I said, a friend of mine introduced me to this." Gyutaro picked up a small piece of a green crystal that fell from the ceiling. "Wait, Gyu...You have friends?" Douma raised his head above the crowd. With a sharp swing of his head, Gyutaro slitted his eyes at Douma and made an irritated snarl.
Urogi flew up to the ceiling of the caverns, squeaking and chirping all the way. Karaku also ran off. Heading right to a large blue gem in front of Tanjiro. "Don't touch those, you dumbass!" Sekido growled. "You don't know if they're dangerous!" Despite Sekido's efforts, Karaku firmly grasped the crystal...and nothing happened. "See?" Karaku turned with a cheeky grin. "They aren't toxic!" Sekido only huffed in defeat and stood close to Aizetsu.
A quick glance around the caverns revealed that there were many avenues the pack could take. "There's so many.." Muichiro spoke in awe. "If we pick the wrong one, we're sure to get lost." He huddled closer to Genya, who wrapped his arm around him and Kanao. "I agree!" Rengoku's voice boomed as he stepped forward. "Therefore, we need to be careful! Our biggest lead is that these Humanoids might be on a remote island!"
"But what kind of pathway would lead us there? We're in a small mountain." Giyuu spoke calmly. "Well, then the pathway won't be one that's normal!" Rengoku laughed. Listening to Rengoku's words, Tanjiro put a hand up to his chin. "He's right. It wouldn't be normal." He spoke softly. Tanjiro sniffed the air in hopes of finding any sort of clue. Then, like an ancient treasure buried under tons of sand, the clue that they needed was subtle, but there. He could pick up a soft scent of saltwater and sand. "Maybe..the pathway is underneath the ground."
"So, you mean that the pathway that we're looking for is buried downwards?" Shinobu asked. "That would make the most sense. That was probably how the Humanoids arrived at the island without any humans noticing." Rengoku nodded. "Exactly! So let's start looking!"
While searching for the correct tunnel, the pack noticed that all the tunnels were either on their level or above them. This made them more excited since that would mean that the pathway that they were looking for would be easier to find than they thought. "Remember everyone, stick together! We don't want anyone to get lost." Tanjiro called out.
"Okay!" Urogi chirped happily. The hawk demon looked around him, mesmerized by the glistening sight of the crystals. Rainbow lights shone through a small tunnel, catching his attention. The hole was small, so small that normal people would have to crawl through. The rainbow lights illuminated the small stalactites and stalagmites in the tunnel.
"Ooh~!" Without another thought, Urogi dropped onto his belly and crawled through the hole. Smooth rock slid underneath him as he crawled through the snug tunnel. Small colorful crystals glowed all around him. Up ahead, Urogi could see that the tunnel expanded . He squeaked with excitement as he quickened his pace. He peeked his face through the hole, looking around him. Rainbow jewels shimmered and glowed, giving life to the dead rock. Thinking he heard something strange, he inclined his head forward to get a good listen. Soft, flowing water and whales echoed through the tunnel. He had found it.
Urogi squeaked as he clumsily pushed himself forward, falling down on the steep slope that descended into the tunnel. "Guys! GUYS! I've found it! I've found the tunnel!" He turned around and squawked into the small hole.
Zenitsu stopped his pace, straining his neck to listen to whatever he had just heard. Tanjiro stopped right beside him. "Zenitsu? Are you alright?" He crouched down to his level. "I thought I heard someone say they found the tunnel." Tanjiro's eyes widened. "You did?" Zenitsu nodded. Tengen walked towards them. "Yeah, he's not the only one. I heard it too."
Tanjiro nodded, sniffing the air to look for any outlying scent. A scent of wild feathers strayed from the pack. "Urogi found it!" He started to run, following the scent. "Follow me! Over here!" He called out to the pack of half-demons. They all ran after him, vast intrigue and excitement was shared amongst them.
The scent led him directly to the small hole. "Jeez." Obanai groaned. "He must've had to crawl to get in there" Tanjiro crouched down and peered inside. "Urogi? Are you in there?" Soft chirping sounds echoed through the rock. "Tanjiro! I've found the tunnel!" Tanjiro grinned proudly. "Great job, Urogi!" The hawk demon could feel his wings shake in happiness.
Tanjiro turned back towards the group. "We're gonna have to crawl through this." Strifles leaped out of Kokushibo's arms with a giddy grin and landed on all fours. He then started to run right into the tunnel. Rui only clung onto Kokushibo. "It looks filthy." Urogi caught Strifles, who giggled and climbed up upon his shoulders.
Daki walks up to Kokushibo and Rui, Obi sashes flowing majestically behind her. "I could wrap you up in one of my Obi sashes. Would that help?" Rui shyly nodded. Kokushibo held the tiny pup out in front of him so Daki could do her work. Her sashes slowly wrapped around Rui's tiny body. The sashes were incredibly gentle and they cradled him like a blanket that had been tucked around someone. "Thank you." Rui said with a shy smile.
"No problem." Daki grinned. Akaza walked around them and placed his hand on the cave wall. "Let's let the pups and women go first." Tanjiro and Gyutaro nodded. "Agreed." Daki slowly approached the cave entrance. She stuck the little bundle that was Rui in front of her before crawling in herself. Gyutaro gently ushered Muichiro, Genya, and Kanao towards the entrance. Genya quickly growled at the Uppermoon, making him roll his eyes. "It's alright, little one. Gyutaro sighed. "You're pups. You're next in line."
Genya huffed, standing protectively behind Muichiro and Kanao as they all climbed inside of the tunnel. One by one the half-demons climbed inside the mysterious hole. Eventually, Kokushibo met Akaza at the entrance. No one else stood behind the six-eyed demon. "That was...rather chivalrous of you..Akaza." He spoke softly. Light blush brightened his face as he scratched the back of his neck. "Thanks..I may be a demon, but I do have standards." Kokushibo nodded as he crouched down by the entrance. "You did..great." As Kokushibo climbed inside, Akaza covered his face with his hands to hide the growing blush. With all that done, Akaza then crawled in himself.
Akaza yelped as he nearly fell as he climbed out of the other end. The only reason why he didn't was because Kokushibo managed to catch him. "Are..you alright?" With wide, flustered eyes, Akaza slowly nodded. Kokushibo seemed to get flustered as well as he carefully set Akaza down.
Tanjiro stared down into the long, downward carven. "Wow...they must've really wanted to avoid humans." He said quietly to himself. Nezuko stood close to his side. "Do you think we should run through it? Who knows how long it is." Tanjiro chuckled. "We could try that." He looked back at the rest of the group. "But not everyone can run that fast." Nezuko nodded. "Yeah..you're right."
The Demon King scanned the pack, looking at Gyutaro, who was on all fours again. Then, he got an idea. Strifles hobbled over to Tanjiro with a wide grin on his face. Zenitsu looked at Tanjiro with a puzzled expression, wondering what he was going to do. His face turned to a horrified expression as he heard Tanjiro's shoulder joints pop. The Demon King's shoulders and forearms looked bigger now than they were before and placed his hands on the ground.
"What are you doing, Tanjiro?" Zenitsu shivered uncomfortably. "I'm going to carry you!" He grinned as he picked up Strifles by the scruff of his neck with his jaws. He looked like a mama cat. Strifles giggled as he reached up and booped Tanjiro's nose. Zenitsu sighed, knowing what Tanjiro wants him to do, and both he and Nezuko climbed on Tanjiro's back. "Hey, everyone!" Zenitsu yelled at the pack, diverting their attention. "Follow his lead!" With that, Tanjiro jumped off and ran on all fours into the deep, dark tunnel.
Tanjiro ran with incredible ferocity as they went through the beautiful tunnel. He didn't realize just how flexible his bones and muscles were. They quickly adjusted to his four legged structure and made it comfortable for him to travel. It also made it so that Zenitsu and Nezuko wouldn't have a bumpy ride. Zenitsu looked behind him to see that quite a few half-demons followed Tanjiro's example. Rengoku carried a very red-faced Giyuu on his back. Akaza surprisingly did the same with little Rui. Gyutaro, of course, carried Daki in his usual fashion. Even Genya took after the trend, carrying both Muichiro and Kanao. He did have a guilty look on his face however. It was then that Zenitsu noticed that Sanemi was trailing behind everyone else.
"Jeez." Zenitsu said with a sigh. "Shinagawa is incredibly stubborn." Nezuko followed his gaze and slowly nodded. "Poor guy looks exhausted. I wonder why he didn't hitch a ride on his brother." Zenitsu shrugged. "He probably hasn't even talked with him yet." Nezuko nodded somberly. "That sounds about accurate."
"Zen! Nezi! Look!" Strifles squealed excitedly as he pointed up at the ceiling. Light filled the room as Zenitsu and Nezuko turned to get a view of their surroundings. Gone were the rocks and rubble and now the ceiling was made with translucent crystal. Oceanic waters flowed above them and various marine creatures swam above them.
"Woah.." Zenitsu's jaw dropped, gazing upon the sight. He could hear many of the others gasp and chatter about the marine life above them. A whale shark swam above them, giving everyone a clear view of its glistening spots. "I don't think any of us have been this close to these majestic beasts." Shinobu smiled as she watched the creature.
Tanjiro gazed up at the ceiling, still carrying Strifles in his jaws. A small smile formed on his face. Soft sands molded around his clawed hands every time he put them on the ground. He was able to enjoy the ride.
A few minutes passed by when a dark, rocky cavern came into view. "We're almost there, everyone!" Zenitsu yelled, earning cheers from the exhausted half-demons. Tanjiro sunk his claws into the soft rock as he began to climb up the cavern's slope. Strifles giggled as he swayed. Tanjiro's eyes widened as he finally saw what he had been hoping for, sunlight. They had finally made it! Tanjiro practically leapt out of the cave's exit. Finding himself in a lush and beautiful forest.
The Demon King steadily walked so the others could come out. He sent Strifles down on the ground. "Hehehe! That was fun! Can we do that again?" Tanjiro smiled at him, feeling Zenitsu and Nezuko slide off of his back. He stood up and popped his shoulder bones back into place, making Zenitsu shudder.
The half-demons came pouring in and let their passengers off their backs. They examined their new environment. Strange creatures crawled and buzzed around. Bees had multi-colored stripes and were slightly larger than normal. Odd little lizards climbed up and down on the trees. Tiny wings were stretched out on their backs and their thin black stripes made them look like tiger-lizards. Even the birds were unique as their large darkly colored bodies sustained four large, looming wings and a head with razor sharp beaks and small spines that ran down their backs.
"This whole place is a different ecosystem." Shinobu spoke as she admired a large bee that landed on her finger. Zenitsu didn't care about the beautiful creatures. He only winced in fear. "I hear a large monster.." He trembled fearfully. "It's okay, Zen. Just stick by me, okay? You too, Nezuko." Tanjiro said in a kind, warm voice.
Tanjiro then made a sharp calling noise, drawing everyone's attention. "We must proceed, but don't stray from each other. I'll let you know if I get any funny scents." Everyone in the pack nodded and huddled together as they proceeded forward. Little did they know, a pair of hawk eyes had been watching them before scampering off into the woods.
The half-demons continued their way through the colorful forest. Little rodents with pear-shaped bodies and long spring-like legs jumped and ran about. Their long tails grazed the grass as they nibbled at various nuts and berries. Shinobu kept her eye out for all the little strange creatures.
Kokushibo looked over at Muichiro and Genya. A heavy weight tugged at his heart as he watched them. He tried to edge his way closer to them in the crowd. Muichiro seemed to notice this though and he huddled closer to Genya. A small wince escaped Kokushibo's lips. He felt something rip at his chest. Yet he knew all he could do was to look away and leave them be, no matter how much he wanted to get closer to them.
Tanjiro kept on sniffing the air, making sure to be completely aware of his surroundings. Everything was strange to him. All these new creatures and plants made it incredibly difficult to sense if any threat was nearby. Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke rained close to the king to feel safe. Pretty much everyone huddled together to keep each other safe with the most protective on the outside.
Then, a rotten, angry scent filled the air. Tanjiro quickly raised his hand to signal for everyone to stop. He sniffed the air again, widening his eyes as he realized that there were more than one. "There are others here.." Tanjiro whispered. Tengen put a hand behind his ear to listen. His eyes widened in fright. "There are five here."
A long, sharp spear quickly landed right in front of Tanjiro, causing him to yelp. Another one was heading towards Daki, but Gyutaro managed to slice it in half and roared angrily. Arrows were fired at them as well. One went straight through Akaza's arm as he tried to defend Kokushibo. Others were sliced and diced by claws and swords. Lastly, a large, silver harpoon was launched right at Nezuko. However, Tanjiro caught it when it was only an inch from her face.
Tanjiro gritted his teeth and snarled as he turned towards the trees. "So..you humans have finally found us, huh?" A sharp, stone-cold voice echoed around them. "What gives you the right to trespass on our land?" Finally, the perpetrator and leader revealed himself.
A hawk-like man with light brown feathers and a mohawk made with dark brown feathers walked out of the bushes. He wore a haori and pants that were completely black. His bare, feathered chest was layered with white and dark brown feathers. The only article of clothing that had color was a white and blue Tallit that he wore around his neck. The hawk's golden eyes were filled with hatred as he held a homemade wooden spear in his right hand.
"We mean no harm." Tanjiro eyes the hawk down as he threw the harpoon onto the ground. The hawk darkly chuckled. "They all say that. Get 'em, boys!" The other attackers jumped out of the trees. One was a gritty gator wearing a white ripped shirt and denim who was holding another steel harpoon. Another was a Gila Monster who wore a similar outfit as the top heavy gator, except his shirt was black. The Gila was much thinner than the gator, thus it made sense that he wielded the bow and arrows.
Lastly, there was a large, muscular gray wolf who wore a dark gray, Demon Slayer uniform with a white haori wrapped around his waist. He carried two large, serrated swords that looked similar to Tengen's. Strangely, the wolf also wore prayer beads around his wrists and neck. The weirdest feature was the mask he wore on his face. It was rigid and had thick outlines that emphasized all the accents on it.
"Well this is a friendly greeting." Douma joked. The gator pointed his harpoon at him. "Don't get comfy, Rainbow Eyes!" He snarled. "We ain't lettin' you humans put us in the dirt!" Tanjiro squinted his eyes. "We aren't here to hurt you. We just want to ask you something."
The hawk lowered his intimidating eyes upon them. "You have no business with us. You have no right to be here." Tengen looked around at the different Humanoids. "Wait, where's the fifth one?" The Gila pointed his bow at him. "None of your damn business!" The hawk looked up at the wolf, who had his swords at the ready.
"Timber." The hawk's tone was soft towards the wolf. "You need to return to the village. You're retired for a reason." The wolf only huffed and stood his ground. The hawk turned his gaze back to the pack. "Very well. You can join us in the slaughter then." Tanjiro put his hand on his sword, snarling. The hawk picked up the wooden spear, ready to attack.
"Woah! Woah! Woah!" A mystical, sharp female's voice called out from the trees. Dark blue eyes could be seen with the darkness of the trees. "Aka, do you realize what they are?!" A panther humanoid wearing a black demon slayer uniform and a black haori with purple and blue flames on the bottom and wrist cuffs walked out into the clearing. She had a shorter,purple fur mohawk and light grey around her muzzle. The panther wore purple, shiny gauntlets with red blades on the paw fingers. Her tail was sleek and long with a blue tuff which resembled a flame on the end.
"Lady Aqua." Aka bowed respectfully towards her. The other Humanoids did the same. "They are mere pests. We can get rid of them easily." Aqua shook her head. "They're fucking demons! Not just normal humans." Timber nodded, knowing the truth all along.
"Damn it!" Aka stomped his taloned feet. "That means only you can kill them." Tanjiro huffed irritably, having enough of this. "We aren't here to hurt you!" He roared, causing everyone to jump. Aqua approached him and pointed a sharp claw in his face. "Look, we have kept our family safe for generations by avoiding your kind. We can't let you hurt us." Tanjiro nodded. "I understand that, but I truly mean it! We need help with a ram demon."
Aqua immediately dropped her bladed claw and widened her eyes. "A ram demon? Does he have black fur, golden eyes, and a bell around his neck?" Tanjiro nodded, feeling a bit of relief. Aqua clenched her fist. "Damn it..how the hell did you encounter him?"
Strifles climbed on top of Kokushibo, seemingly startling the Humanoids. "A halfling.." The Gila pointed. Something seemed to click within Aqua's brain. She turned her gaze from Strifles back to Tanjiro. "Of course he would sink that low." She said to herself, already knowing what he did to the poor pup.
"Are you sure you really mean no harm?" Aqua said with a skeptical eye." "Yes. All we want to know is about the demons. That is all." The panther sniffed Tanjiro and made a soft huff. "Your scents are trustworthy..Fine, I'll bring you to our queen."
The other Humanoids looked at her with shock. All except for Timber. "But Lady Aqua!" The Gila roared in protest. "It's alright, Rodan. They're scents are trustworthy." Aka shook his head in a frustrated manner. "You can't just lead humans into the village! They'll report to the government!" Rengoku walked forward. "Actually, us half-demons aren't affiliated with the government."
The gator pointed his spear at him. "Shut it, Firecracker!" Aqua firmly gripped his wrist. "Relax, Supaiku." Supaiku relaxed out of fear and nodded. "Okay..okay.." he sent his spear back down to his side once she let go. Aqua stood in front of the pack and made a beckoning hand gesture. "Follow me."
Tanjiro wrapped his arms around Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke as they pressed on. The pack followed Aqua through the woods. Timber walked beside the panther while the other stood around the pack to keep an eye on them, especially Aka. After a few seconds, Aqua had led them right into the Humanoid village.
There were various species of Humanoids that resided in the village. Lizards, birds, mammals, and even some prehistoric animals roamed around. Their features were more cutesy than realistic, which was probably a good thing for the lizards and birds. When they saw the pack travel through the village, panic filled their hearts. Mothers shielded their children and they all hid within the various buildings.
The village itself looked like a traditional Japanese village, but there was something strange about it. Instead of wood, most of the houses were made of stone and a strange slab-like material. The streetlights were made with steel and their heads weren't lit with a lantern. Instead, there seemed to be round bulbs inside a shell of glass. "They must be farther in technical development." Shinobu scrutinized a nearby streetlight.
"We've put a lot of effort into advancing our society." Aqua spoke flatly. "This island has a lot of valuable minerals and resources." Her soft paws padded the ground as she walked. Up ahead, Tanjiro could see a small mansion. The building also had a stone base with a black roof. A black flag was hung from the roof that was positioned right above the sliding door. Only a singular paw print and two crossed swords were printed on the flag.
"This is our queen's mansion." Aqua spoke softly as she stopped in front of the stone steps. She turned to look at them with her piercing blue eyes. "Wait right here." She then focused her gaze on Aka. "Don't you try anything." Aka lowered his head before Aqua climbed the steps and knocked lightly on the door.
"Queen Hachi?" Aqua spoke in a soft and gentle tone. The door cracked open, but no one other than Aqua could see anything. "What's wrong, little one?" An elderly, female voice spoke back to her. "We have...guests." Aqua whispered. "We do?" The voice questioned before the person completely opened the door. A bee Humanoid with soft, black and yellow fur and four black arms gazed upon them with wide, purple eyes. Crisp wings laid flatly on her back and a purple kimono with red accents around the wrist cuffs, neck, and spine finely fitted her. Black, comfortable pants covered her stubby, fluffy legs. She was rather adorable for a bee.
"Humans?" Unlike the others, Queen Hachi didn't seem to hold any animosity towards the pack. "They're not humans, Queen Hachi." Aqua spoke, turning to the pack. "That's right. We're half-demons." Tanjiro said as he bowed towards the queen. Queen Hachi took a few steps forward. "My my..what brings you beautiful creatures here? You must be good if Aqua brought you to me."
Tanjiro stood up straight with a slight smile. "Right! We wish to know more about your demons. We recently had a run in with a ram demon and he needs to be defeated." Queen Hachi nodded, understanding their predicament. "Good thing we can come to an agreement on that." She chuckled softly. "Of course we can give you information about them." She turned to face Aqua. "Do you trust them?"
Surprisingly, the panther nodded. "Their scents are overall very sweet. Especially from the pup with the checkered haori. I believe he's their leader." Queen Hachi diverted her attention back to the pack. She walked feebly down the steps, with Aqua's help, and hobbled over to Tanjiro. "Is that true, young man?" Tanjiro nodded, a little nervous. "Yes, I am their king. I'm Tanjiro Kamado." Queen Hachi smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you. Hehe, you already know who I am."
"With all due respect, Queen Hachi, don't you think that having them here is a huge risk to our society?" Aka burst in, seemingly frustrated. "I understand your worries, Aka, but Aqua's nose never lies. Besides, we can't continue the prejudice." Queen Hachi raised her hand. Tanjiro tilted his head. "Prejudice?" Queen Hachi looked rather nervous as her eyes darted around and squeezed her palm. "Eh...it's rather complicated. Would you mind following me inside? Just you and me?"
Tanjiro nodded with a soft smile. "From one royalty to another. That's completely fine by me." Aka's eyes widened. "But Queen Hachi..!" Aqua's eyes then buried into the hawk. "Hush. He actually has the best scent out of all of them. She's safe around him." Aka crossed his arms and huffed irritably. Queen Hachi then turned back towards her house and made a gesture with her head for Tanjiro to follow her.
The Demon King did so, gently helping the elderly bee up the stone stairs. The two walked inside the house with Aqua shutting the door behind them. "Thank you for joining me. I apologize if my people gave you a hard time." Queen Hachi spoke softly as she sat down on the floor. Lanterns emitted a warm, orange light all around the house. A small table firmly stood to the left of the room and two bookshelves lined the walls beside the door.
"It's alright." Tanjiro stood his seat in front of her. "They did seem very hostile towards us. We didn't mean to cause a stir." Queen Hachi tilted her head with a sympathetic expression on her face. "It's not your fault, young one. You need our help and you don't know what happened to our kind in the past."
The tension finally eased from Tanjiro when she said that. "Thank you. Mind if I ask, why are the Humanoids so cautious around humans?" Queen Hachi looked up at him with focused eyes. "They were the reason why we nearly went extinct."
"Thousands of years ago, Japan was dealing with extreme food shortages. We Humanoids and humans used to live together, but the famine and hunger caused both species incredible suffering. However, the human government grew paranoid of us. They worried that our animal appearances would affect our behavior. So, they spread lies and misinformation about us. At first, it was subtle. Jobs refused to take our ancestors and people refused to trade. Then, they grew violent. We did too, but only to protect ourselves and to survive the famine. That only made things worse though as the government gave them clearance to hunt and kill us like we were actual animals. It didn't help that we were also trying to fend off demons that would attack at night. In the end, the humans greatly outnumbered us and we had to flee. Our ancestors found the hole in the caverns and led us here to safety. Some still remained on their land due to spiritual reasons, but they eventually had to migrate as well."
Tanjiro listened to the bee's story with horror and sorrow. Now he truly understood the Humanoids' aggression. "That's just awful. It makes sense why they were so hostile. Please know that we would never hurt you." Queen Hachi smiled sweetly. "I know you won't, young Kamado. If Aqua trusts you, I can trust you." She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and continued.
"As for the demons, there are only three in existence. The only one I've seen is Jackyll, but the other two are listed as alive in the journals that previous demon slayers have left." Tanjiro smiled with a sense of hope. "Really? There's only three?"
Queen Hachi nodded. "Yes, but don't underestimate them. They've been able to survive for thousands of years. I still remember what their journal entries said. There's Silverlight who's Upperbeast Two and a four-armed moth demon. The other one is Songusunēku, a giant King Cobra and the Upperbeast Five demon. Unfortunately, that's all I know about them. Was this in any way helpful?"
Tanjiro nodded like an eager kid. "Yes! Any information is better than being blind. Thank you!" Queen Hachi chuckled softly. "It's no problem, young one. If Jackyll really is after you, then you need all the information you can get."
During this conversation, the pack was waiting outside for their king. Aqua stood beside the door, guarding it. Timber stood beside her, basically towering over her. Aka paced nervously, clearly worried about his queen. The half-demons remained huddled together, nervous to make any sort of move. Daki, however, kept her eyes on Aqua. Blush illuminated her face as she admired the panther. "Are you alright, Ume?" Gyutaro asked curiously. Daki shifted her gaze away from Aqua. "Yeah..I'm fine."
Aqua's rounded ears perked up as the sliding door opened and both of the royal rulers stepped out. "Oh, thank you, Lord." Aka sighed with relief. Tanjiro bowed to Queen Hachi once again, which she returned. "Thank you so much, Queen Hachi." Tanjiro said with a smile. "Of course, Lord Tanjiro. You and your half-demons are welcome here anytime."
Aka's beak practically dropped. He ran his taloned hands through his feathers. Aqua only nodded, approvingly. Timber gently nudged her arm. "I'll be fine, Papa." Aqua said to the wolf. "Jackyll shouldn't be attacking tonight anyway." She turned to the half-demons. "Sorry for scaring, y'all. We just need to protect our family. I hope you understand." Tanjiro grinned with hope. "Everything's okay! I can tell that you're a good person."
Aqua grinned to herself before her eyes widened, remembering something. "Before you go, I have something to warn you about." Tanjiro looked at her and tilted his head. "What is it?" The panther closed her eyes and took a heavy sigh. "There's a cave at the back of this island. Do NOT enter it! It's a gateway to a hellscape." The half-demons looked at each other, confused. Tanjiro slowly nodded. "Don't worry...We won't."
The Demon King walked towards his pack. "Let's head home, everyone. I know that we're all tired." Many of the half-demons nodded in agreement. Douma, however, stared off behind Queen Hachi's mansion. Feeling something calling to him. "Douma?" Enmu spoke in a worried tone. Douma snapped from his trance and turned towards his small friend. "Don't worry about me. I was just staring off into space."
Everyone in the pack turned to head back home. "Goodbye, Queen Hachi! Goodbye, Aqua! See you soon!" Tanjiro waved to them as he and his people walked away. Aqua, Queen Hachi, and even Timber waved back. The panther looked at Aka who dug his talons into the dirt. "I know that you've been hurt by humans before, Aka, but I promise you that these people are good." Aka huffed in irritation. "I fucking doubt it. Just don't bring them around me!" Aqua sighed and put her paw over her face. "Fine. I should get back to sleep though. I am the only demon slayer here after all."
Author's Note: Sorry this took so long. I've been dealing with a lot, including the stomach flu. I do hope you guys enjoy this chapter though! Random question for y'all! Who's your favorite Humanoid?
Could i request a Christmas themed fic where the reader is feeling lonely since he doesn't have and family left. Themed with Muichiro as their best friend.
Take your time and take care of yourself -also,Merry Christmas...!!!
(Ahhhhh!!! This fox was so cute and fun to write! I decided to add the whole family since that would make it all the more heartwarming! I’m sorry that this is so late, but I hope you enjoy it!)
A Christmas Miracle
(A Demon Slayer Christmas Fanfic)
Warnings: It’s nothing, but fluff!
Word Count: 1074
Tears streamed down your face as you sat alone in your empty cabin. Today is supposed to be a very special day. For today is Christmas Day, but the holiday spirit hasn’t graced you with its blessing. Instead, you found yourself alone in this cold weather. No kin to call your own. No lover to keep you warm.
The darkness of the cabin engulfed you and the only light that could be seen was the moonlight that poured in through the window. Silence pierced your ears as you cried. Then, suddenly, small pecking sounds came from your window. You looked up to see small pebbles hitting your window. Wiping away your tears, you stood up and walked towards the window, wondering to see who or what it was.
Light blue demon eyes shone through the darkness of the night. Somehow, you recognized exactly who it was. “Muichiro?” You said softly, opening the window. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with your family?” The Mist Hashira nodded as he walked up to you. “Yes, but it’s not right to just leave you alone out here.”
You realized that Muichiro was wearing his reindeer pajamas that he wore on every Christmas. “Mui..I’m not officially apart of the kingdom yet. I’m just living on the outskirts.” Muichiro tilted his head. “You’re welcome to stay at any point. Lord Tanjiro said so. Besides, no one deserves to be alone on Christmas.”
A few more tears fell down your face. “Are you sure that I wouldn’t be bothering anyone?” A small smile appeared on Muichiro’s face. “I’m completely sure. Go get ready. You can ride on my back.” You immediately scurried off, throwing on your coat and boots. The door creaked as you opened it. Glancing outside, you saw Muichiro pawing at the snow. He looked up at you with eager eyes. “Ready?”
You nodded excitedly as you ran to him. Muichiro’s shoulder joints popped, making him able to roam on four legs. Mounting on his back, you held onto Muichiro’s fluffy pajamas for stability. Then, with a quick jump, you and Muichiro head off into the snowy night.
Fluffy snow covered the forest floor and icicles clung onto tree branches. Muichiro’s legs and hands sunk into the sheet of fluff, but that didn’t deter him. You hugged his torso tightly as the both of you zoomed through the dark sky. A small house, the Infinity Castle, could be seen just up ahead. A single lit lantern hung closely by the door.
“We’re almost there!” Muichiro yelled as the snow crunched beneath him. After a few seconds, Muichiro threw himself and skidded to a stop once he landed on the small porch. You carefully slid off his back and Mui stood up, snapping his joints back into place. He gently took your hand and used his other to knock on the sliding door.
“Hm..? Who’s there..?” A deep, yet warm voice came from the other side. The door cracked open, revealing three red eyes that had yellow pupils. “Grandpa! It’s just me..and my friend.” The door then completely slid open, revealing the six-eyed demon, Kokushibo. “Ah..Why hello..little ones…Will they be staying with us..for tonight?”
Muichiro nodded with a smile on his face. “They don’t have anyone else to be with, so I thought that we could spend the holiday with them.” Kokushibo softly smiled. “How lovely…Of course we can keep them company..No one deserves to be alone..especially on Christmas..” He moved aside so the both of you could walk inside.
The Infinity Castle was gorgeously decorated with colorful lights and shiny tinsel. Lights were strung around the stair railings that large figures of reindeer were placed sporadically through the castle. You gazed in awe as you followed the six eyed demon and his grandson.
Kokushibo led the two of you to a door.that had tinsel hung around the edges. “The family…is in here…” He opened the door, letting them inside. A large bookshelf at the back of the room. was filled with books and a large, circular, multicolored rug laid in the center of the room. To the right of the room was a brightly lit fireplace. Two figures stood in front of it. One was a large male with a fluffy dark mohawk. The other was difficult to make out since they were curled up. They did have white fins running down their back though.
A lady with a black, side ponytail was talking to a man with dark blue stripes and pink hair. Everyone turned their attention over to you and Muichiro as soon as they heard you. The man with the pink hair stood up from his spot on the rug and approached you with a smile. “Hey, kiddos!” He wrapped his arm around Muichiro, who grinned like a happy child. “Hey Pops. This is my friend.”
The man chuckled softly. “Well it’s nice to meet you. I’m Akaza. Muichiro’s other grandpa.” Akaza reached out his hand, which you shook with a firm grip. “Hi, Mr. Akaza.” Kokushibo’s looked behind you and at the curled up creature. “Sanemi..we have a guest..” The creature looked up, revealing that he wasn’t just a weird lizard. “Ah shit. Sorry.” The dragon’s shiny scales shimmered with light from the fireplace. You could help but giggle to yourself.
The other two figures stood up and stretched. “Who are they, Muichiro?” You asked him. “Oh, they’re my partners, Genya and Kanao.” Genya rumbled softly as both he and Kanao smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. We know that you and Mui have been friends for a while now.” Kanao said softly. You nodded shyly as you felt hot blush flood your face.
“Grandpa.” Muichiro turned to Kokushibo. “Could we all sit by the fire? It was rather chilly out there.” Kokushibo smiled warmly. “Of course…we can..” Everyone scurried over to the crackling fireplace. Sanemi curled up next to Genya while Akaza snuggled up to Kokushibo. Kanao sat on your left while Muichiro had his arm around you. Everyone snuggled together, purring in unison.
You could feel a warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart. The care and love in this family was strong and they were sharing it with you. “Merry Christmas.” Muichiro said softly to you. You wrapped your arms around him in a grateful embrace. “Thank you so much, Mui.” From then on, you never spent another Christmas alone.
Painting your nails with the demons | Fluff
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Content: Akaza x gn!Reader, Kokushibo x gn!Reader, Douma x gn!Reader, Gyutaro x gn!Reader (all separate)
Warnings: Douma LMAO
Notes: I just painted my nails after a breakdown (I'm fine lol dw) over college and suddenly got the urge to paint their nails too. These hc's are incredibly short, I apologize <3
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❥ Akaza
Akaza had walked in on you painting your nails a (color), and looked at his own pink nails
Turning to see him after you finished the first hand, you gave him a little smile
"Wanna join me, Aka?"
He'll happily sit with you, letting your hands hold his steady while you paint the same color on him
He loves matching with you, so this just makes him excited
Absolutely demolishes Douma if he makes any kind of comment about it
But the bastard just begs for more pain. He's got the fucking "Wow...your punch really turned me on!" energy going on (please tell me SOMEBODY gets that reference...)
Whenever you take the nail polish off, he's gonna wanna be there so he can take his off too. Then will probably ask if you're going to put on another color or not
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❥ Kokushibo
His multiple eyes scare the shit out of me, but I'd rather them be freaky than not utilized at all
I still love him tho <3
Koku's nails aren't painted like some other demons, but he suppose he'll do one hand in black if it'll make you happy
He's silent and keeps a neutral expression as he sits beside you, allowing you to paint his right hand and you can paint your left, so that when you hold his hand, it seems like you're joined together
He just likes the subtle domesticity
"Well, what about my other hand?"
"Do whatever you want." Koku spoke slowly.
"And what about your other hand?"
"No."
He only wants one hand painted, slightly questioning if Muzan would disapprove of his nails being painted in the first place
But then he remembers Douma's, Akaza's and Gyutaro's nails are painted, and then he suddenly doesn't care that one of his hands are painted
Wont do anything but direct a cold, neutral look at someone if they make fun of his nails only being painted on one hand
They were done by his s/o, eat shit and die, peasant
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❥ Douma
Is ecstatic
Immediately takes off his own blue nail polish to math whatever color you're putting on
Gives you kisses as you paint his nails, sometimes making you mess up and get the polish on his skin
"Not to worry, darling! I can always take it off my skin, you just keep painting!" Douma grins, continuing to kiss you
Parades your matching nails around like it's the greatest gift ever
Brags to Akaza about how he has "such an amazing s/o" and how Akaza doesn't
Of course he gets hit, but Douma then salivates for more negative attention from Akaza
Once the polish begins to chip away, he's going to sit you down, take off the polish from both of you and then paint your nails again himself, in a different color
"We should switch turns every time!" Douma exclaims
"Oh, maybe we could even mix and match depending on the upcoming holiday! How fun! Oh, this is the best idea you've had, darling~!"
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❥ Gyutaro
Okay, Gyutaro probably needs a serious manicure (and this is coming from someone who never gets manicures, but at least has a nail filer)
Would also probably do his skin some good to have his nails filed down, cause then it can't...y'know...COME OFF
But I do think the gray color on his nails is the natural color they are now, but I also like to believe that sometimes he paints his nails black to feel better <3
When he sees you painting your nails, he immediately wants to join. Ume is probably not too far behind, so she'll probably join in before Gyutaro
If the color you're painting your nails with isn't black, then he'll paint his nails himself while watching you and Ume match your colors
If it is black, then he'll happily let you paint his nails for him (the teasing from his sister later on is so worth it, because you touched his unworthy hands!!!)
Gyu would also probably keep re-applying the nail polish whenever it got slightly chipped, believing you'd grow angry and upset at what he deemed as "decimation to your art"
Whenever he sees black nail polish he thinks of you now, so have fun with that lol
Probably keeps a shit ton of black nail polish on standby cause he keeps stealing yours
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Here is my Masterlist in case you want to request, or look for more of your favorite character!
So I saw your post abt a gn reader thats an uppermoon thats shy and follows Kokushibo, Akaza, & Douma (separately) I believe. Would you mind to do a very talkative reader that follows them around(uppermoon) because they have monophobia/autophobia?
character(s) — kokushibo, akaza, doma
fandom — demon slayer
reader — gn
cw — reader has anxiety, brief mentions of childhood trauma
KOKUSHIBO — UPPER MOON 1
he wouldn’t mind, he’s pretty chill with it
when you start talking to him he usually just nods his head now and again, to show you that he’s listening
if any of the other upper moons complain about your behaviour towards him he won’t hesitate to put them in their place
he always alllows you to join him wherever he is (unless if he’s in an upper moon meeting) but dw he’ll be back asap
if you’re like this because of childhood trauma he tells you you can tell him about it if you’re comfortable with doing so, if not he’s ok with that too
DOMA — UPPER MOON 2
rlly enjoys your company (mainly cause no one else is really fond of his company and he low key feels lonely sometimes)
your talkative behaviour is appreciated also, since he likes hearing you talk about whatever comes to mind
whenever he has to be with his cult he’ll insist that you sit next to him, no questions asked
likes that you follow him around like a lost puppy, it makes his god complex sky rocket, but he also likes that he’s never alone
AKAZA — UPPER MOON 3
acts like it bothers him but dw cause it doesn’t
he’s like touch starved and has felt lonely for a long time, so he actually appreciates you in his shadow
whenever you start talking, he seems like he isn’t listening but he is, he’s just focusing on multiple things at once and he’s also not the best with talking in general
if you’re ever anxious when he goes somewhere for a bit (like an upper moon meeting), he’ll try his best to comfort you, albeit a bit rusty