Shinobu X Oc - Tumblr Posts

So I have this AU idea from demon slayer and I thought I might as well put the idea on the internet even if I never actually write it. It is a female OC x Shinobu type story. No, I do not have a name for her yet. The OC is a historian from the modern era, who has dedicated her research on the stories of demons during 1920s Japan. She became interested because her great grandmother was a kakushi before Muzan was defeated, and told many stories about demons. I wouldn’t say she fully believed in the existence of demons, but she definitely saw them as a possibility. She’s the kind of person that would not rule out any option, no matter how crazy some may be.

So she starts doing some really in depth research so she actually has a decent understanding of how everything about that era works. I like to think she actually can do total concentrated breathing around the clock because she found some scrolls about it and decided to see if the technique actually works by using herself as a test subject. I also like to think that one of her resources is Mitsuri’s diary.

Anyways she goes on a lot of expeditions in order to find more evidence and resources on the topic, and on one of these expeditions she finds some sort of relic or something that sends her in the past. Eventually she finds herself at the demon slayer corps and her relationship with Shinobu grows overtime. Also she would help them bet Muzan. 

I don’t usually write this type of stuff, but let me know if you guys would actually be interested in any of this. I might not create a whole story, but I would probably post headcannons, one shots, and art to elaborate more on areas that you guys might be curious about. Of course if anyone would ever want to write an entire fic based in this prompt then they are more than welcome to. Just let me know so that I can read whatever masterpiece you make.

Edit: I actually made it! Here’s the link to the prologue.

Historian Butterfly AU: Prologue

Shinobu x Female OC

Chapter 1

“There were demons when I was a little girl.”

“Really Gran Gran?” A 5 year old girl looked at her great grandmother with wide blue eyes.

Her grandmother gave a dry chuckle in response as she combed her granddaughter’s hair. “Yes really. They would roam around at night and attack any humans in sight. The more people they devoured the stronger they became. They would be able to transform their bodies and some even used strange spells. I encountered them many times in my youth.”

The little girl tilted her head. “Is that why you always stay in the house when it’s night?”

“Yes, but only out of habit. Demons stopped existing long ago.”

“Why?”

“The same reason why the demons did not wipe us all out in the first place, the demon slayers. They dedicated themselves to fightifor the future of humanity. They would fight with strength beyond what humans were capable of.”

“Were you a demon slayer Gran Gran?”

The grandmother let out a hearty laugh in response. “No my dear. Even when your Gran Gran was young and chipper I lacked the strength and skill to become one. I instead chose to support the slayers on the sidelines as a kakushi. I tended to the wounded and helped with the clean up after battles.” The grandmother paused for a moment. “The Hashira on the other hand were the strongest of the strong. They could kill a demon with seemingly little effort. It’s because of their sacrifice that we are able to live peacefully today.”

“Are you filling Fukuro’s head with your stories again grandma?”

Both people looked up to see a young woman standing in the doorway.

“It’s history Yua.”

Fukuro’s eyes lit up. “Mom!” she exclaimed as she excitedly ran over to the woman, and hugged her legs.

Yua gave her daughter a smile as she lifted Fukuro up into her arms, which she was given a squeal in response. “There’s my curious little bird. Did you enjoy your Gran Gran’s stories?”

Fukuro gave her mother a bright smile. “Yep! She was telling all about the demons and demon slayers!”

Yua let out a sigh as she looked at her grandmother. “Those stories are a bit violent for a 5 year old, don’t you think grandma?”

“I'm not as young as I used to be, Yua. I don’t have much time left and Fukuro needs to learn some stories before I pass on. No offense to you or the rest of the family, but I know none of you were ever able to get the details right.” The grandmother said with a sparkle of amusement in her eyes.

Yua let out a little huff and pouted. “I still don’t understand why it’s so important for me to say flame instead of fire,” she muttered. She looked back at her daughter. “Now say goodbye to Gran Gran, Fukuro.”

“But mom, Gran Gran was about to tell me about the Hashiras! Can’t we stay a little longer? Please!” Fukuro whined, giving her mother the puppy dog eyes.

“Fukuro your Gran Gran needs to rest, and we need to get home so that I can make dinner before your father gets home tonight,” Yua said with an apologetic look on her face.

“Oh come now Yua, I can stay awake a little longer. It’s not like I’m out of this bed much any more! Besides you don’t live far and Hiroshi still has work for another 2 hours. Even if you don’t finish cooking by the time he gets home he wouldn’t mind. He’s always been a very patient man.”

“I don’t know…” Yua trailed off as she looked at her daughter’s pleading face again. She let out a sigh of defeat. “Alright, we can stay, just stop giving me that look,” she said as she gave Fukuro a playful glare, who let out a cheer. “But only one story, okay? Then we really need to get going,” she said as she walked over to her grandmother’s bedside and sat down on a chair with Fukuro in her lap. “I spoil you way too much,” she muttered as she tickled Fukuro’s stomach, who replied with a loud squeal and laugh.

The grandmother laughed at her granddaughter’s antics. “Of course Yua, of course. Now which Hashira do you want me to tell you about?”

Fukuro looked confused and looked at her mom, who let out a hum as she thought for a moment. “How about the one with the butterflies? I haven’t heard that one in a while.”

Fukuro tilted her head and looked at her grandmother. “Butterflies?”

“Ah yes! The Insect Hashira. I have the perfect story for that one. Back when I was just a teenager there I was assigned to a small village in the countryside…”

Fukuro listened attentively to her Gran Gran’s story with fascination. She was young, but she understood that many people believed that her Gran Gran was not well. But she told her stories with such detail, and they were so complex. All Fukuro knew was that she would love to listen to these stories forever.

***

Fukuro was climbing over some debris as she walked through the ruins of what seemed to be an old headquarters, base or at least a place that housed a lot of people. She was a lot older now, about 21 years old. Her long hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail and she had grown quite tall. She was wearing black cargo pants with a light brown button up coat so long that it could pass as a short dress. Her white collared shirt could barely be seen and she wore brown combat boots. Fukuro also had a large backpack on her.

A young man was also accompanying her. He was taller than Fukuro and wore a very similar outfit to her. “Are you sure you know where we are going Hitomi? We have been walking for a while?” he asked.

Currently her face was glued to a notebook as she adjusted the glasses on her face. “Don’t worry Kenta, this isn’t my first time here. According to these notes there should be some sort of room that housed the supposed king of this estate. It’s strange that I couldn’t find a single map of where anything is though. Especially since this place is so huge.

“That’s exactly why I’m worried. This place is a maze! We could get lost if we’re not careful,” Kenta said.

The ruins were very large and varied. Honestly, how little knowledge there was on a place this big was astonishing. It was almost as if no one knew it existed or that it appeared out of nowhere.

“How are you even a historian with that attitude? We research the unknown of the past. You can’t do that without risks,” Fukuro teased.

“There is nothing wrong with being cautious!” Kenta said with a pout.

Fukuro laughed before her mind wandered elsewhere. “Maybe I’ll find some old scrolls or books this time. Or maybe some of those swords I have read so much about. I might even find something that can help prove the existence of demons. Oh! Just thinking about it makes me so excited!” Fukuro said with a squeal.

“I will never understand your obsession with the possibility of demons. Those are probably just some old folk tales so that children wouldn’t stay out after dark.”

“I know, I know, but there is so much mystery surrounding them though. Even if demons aren’t real there are so many answered questions. Like what made Fujikasane Mountain and Natagumo Mountain so deadly? And what was the cause for the sudden decrease in the places’ death rates? It used to be that in both mountains more than 80% of the people who would enter would never come back. But in the late 1920s the deaths in that area just stopped. People even started inhabiting those areas with great success. Or what about-“

Fukuro was cut off as Kenta grabbed her collar and stopped her from walking straight into one of the more intact buildings.

“You’re rambling again. You haven’t been this far before right? So be careful,” he said.

Although it was not Fukuro’s first time here, the place always managed to get more dangerous the further she went. While she did not mind a little danger the thought of ruining whatever artifact she managed to find was enough to make her back out.

“You’re right, thanks Kenta. Time to put the book away. I don’t want to get hurt after all,” Fukuro said as she put the notebook in her bag. “Now come on, let’s check out this place!”

The building was very large so the two historians decided to split up. They still stayed a close enough distance to each other so that they wouldn’t get lost. While searching through one of the rooms Fukuro ended up finding some really old pieces of fabric that might have once acted as rope.

“Hey Kenta! Look what I fou-AAHH!” Fukuro’s foot ended up going through the floor, but instead of finding dirt there was just air. She only had a few seconds to process that before her entire body went through and she tumbled deep underground. “Ow, ow, ow.”

After a few minutes a light came from the hole above and Kenta’s voice rang through the area. “Hitomi! Are you okay?”

Fukuro shakily got up as she dusted herself off. “I’m fine! Just a little bruised. It seems like there is an entire part of this building that is underground!”

“Do you see a way out?”

Fukuro looked around, but it looked like she was stuck in this one room. “No!”

“Gosh darn it- Okay, I’m going to call Zoey okay? She specializes in these kinds of rescues so you should be fine! Just don’t move or do anything that will cause the place to collapse.”

“I won’t!”

After a few minutes Fukuro started to get bored so she turned on her flashlight. The structure seemed stable enough that it wouldn’t collapse so long as she didn’t mess with the walls. There really wasn’t much to the room. Years of being underground really took a toll on it. But Fukuro did see a really old biwa in the corner.

“How did a room like this even get here?” Fukuro muttered as she picked up the biwa and examined it. It was not in the greatest condition. A lot of the wood was chipped and some of the strings were broken. “I wonder if this thing still works,” she muttered as she plucked one of the strings.

Suddenly the whole place began to shake. The sounds of the biwa could be heard echoing around the room despite Fukuro having dropped the instrument out of surprise and fright.

“Oh Lord- Kenta where are you? Something’s happening!” Fukuro screamed as she started to glow. Suddenly Fukuro’s vision was filled with a bright light before everything went black.

***

I actually decided to write it. I don’t know if I’ll ever finish it, but I thought I might as well get started. Don’t be afraid to give questions, headcannon, or prompt requests related to this because there is so much I can talk about that won’t be in this story. Thank you to @shinobusupremecy for giving me encouragement. It’s all because of you that this is on the internet now. Hopefully I can incorporate some actual demon slayer stuff in the first chapter. Btw my OC’s name is Fukuro Hitomi.

Historian Butterfly AU: Chapter 1

Shinobu x female OC

prologue

Chapter 2

“Come here my curious little bird.”

Fukuro looked up at her great grandmother shyly. Gran Gran had been getting sicker and sicker. She could barely move, and could barely speak before going into coughing fits. Even now her voice was barely above a faint whisper.

Fukuro let go of Yua’s leg after being given a light nudge. She walked up to her Gran Gran’s bedside. “Yes, Gran Gran?”

Her Gran Gran let out a dry cough as she took off the necklace around her neck. “I want you to have this. It was a gift given to me long ago that kept me safe, and now I hope it can keep you safe as it did with me.”

Fukuro took the necklace into her hands. It was nothing fancy, but it was also pretty valuable. It had a silver chain with a single gold charm. It was a large circle with flower patterns engraved into it. Fukuro looked at it in confusion. “How will it keep me safe Gran Gran?”

She thinks that her Gran Gran attempted to laugh, but what came out was a wheezing sound followed by a coughing fit. “You will find that answer when the time comes. But for now keep it as a sign that I will always be with you.”

Fukuro looked at the necklace for a moment before looking back up. “Can you tell me another story, Gran Gran?”

Her Gran Gran looked up at Yua who was holding one infant, while her husband held the other. She gave her a nod with a sad look on her face.

“Alright, but I’m afraid we can only do one today. So how about I tell you a story about the Love Hashira?”

***

Fukuro woke up with a gasp. She clawed at the ground, and found her hands grabbing onto clumps of grass. She took a moment to steady her breathing before she sat up and pushed her glasses back up her face.

“Ugh, what happened?” Fukuro looked around and realized that she was in a completely unfamiliar place. Instead of underground and in the ruins she was in the middle of a forest, with no sign of any civilization in sight. The night sky was full of stars, but I looked like morning was an hour or two away, which was strange because it had been around late afternoon.

“Where the heck am I?” Fukuro got up and dusted herself off. All of her clothes had stayed in tack and she still had her bag full of notes. “Kenta!” she shouted, but there was no response. She started to walk around hoping that she would find a way out. “Kenta! Are you there? I swear this isn’t funny! If you decided to try to put me in the middle of nowhere after one of my expeditions made me unconscious again, then so help me!”

Fukuro walked around for a bit before she ended up at an old house. She let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, I’ll be fine. I just need to ask where I am and hope that whoever lives there can give me directions to the nearest town. I would ask for a phone, but I’m pretty sure this is an old fashioned residence because that is one old looking building. Still how in the world did I even end up in the middle of the woods?” She continued to ponder as she walked up to the house.

Almost immediately Fukuro could tell something was not right. She fought through the shiver that went up her spine and went to knock on the door. But as sound as her fist collided with it it opened. Fukuro uneasily took a step in the house.

“Excuse me? Is anyone-“

Fukuro cut herself off with a gasp. There were people in the house, but they were all dead and covered in blood. Fukuro’s stomach twisted and she felt like she was going to get sick. “What the- what happened here?”

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

Fukuro let out a small squeak as she quickly turned around with wide eyes. In front of her was a man, but he didn’t look human. He had teeth and claws as sharp as knives. There were two large horns coming out of his head. His eyes were in amber slits while the rest of eye were red. His vines bulged from his deathly pale skin. The only normal thing about him was the shoulder length brown hair. There was blood covering his mouth and lips as he tossed aside the severed arm of one of his victims.

“It looks like my night has gotten even better! Not only do I get to have a feast tonight, but now I get to add a young girl to my collection!” he said with a maniacal laugh as he licked his lips.

“D-demon, you’re a demon aren’t you?” Fukuro could only shake in fear as she moved to back away. She barely even moved before she let out a scream as she was tackled to the ground.

“Ah! So the pretty girl has a brain. I like that! It will make you all the more delicious!”

Fukuro’s mind was whirling as she attempted to fight through the panic to find some way out of this mess. Do something! Anything! Just find a way out of this! Luckily the demon didn’t seem to think she would fight back since one of her arms was free. She took the opportunity to grab the closest thing to her and hit the demon with it, which happened to be her necklace that fell off. The demon let out a screech and she used that moment to push him off of her. Fukuro quickly got up and started running for her life.

“Holy crap! I can’t believe that actually worked! Thank you so much Gran Gran!” she muttered as she ran through the woods. She didn’t know where she was going, but she needed to get away now! She could hear footsteps behind her! Oh crap! He was following her!

“Don’t think I’ll let you get away after that stunt girlie!”

“I can’t believe it! Demons are actually real! This is amazing! And terrifying. Really, really terrifying! I wish I could ask him questions! No! Focus, Fukuro! You need to keep running if you don’t want to get eaten alive!”

Fukuro was lucky that she had amazing endurance or else she probably would have been caught by now. Most of her heavy breathing was due to sheer panic and not exhaustion. She was not sure how long she spent dodging trees and going over tree roots, so that she could get the demon chasing her off of her tail. But he was persistent. Fukuro’s luck couldn’t last forever because she ended up tripping over a tree root and tumbling down a rocky hill. She ended up losing her backpack and she could feel her clothes and skin tear as she tumbled to the bottom.

Fukuro tried to get up, but she let out a yelp of pain as she collapsed onto her needs. Crap! Crap! I think I twisted my ankle. Before she knew it she was pinned by the demon again, this time up against the tree. His claws dug into her shoulders to the point that they drew blood.

“You are one pain in the a** lady! It almost makes me not want to eat ya. I was going to give you a quick death, but I’m a bit annoyed right now. So how about we take this slow.”

The demon dug one of his clawed hands into each of Fukuro’s arms, creating a huge gash from the top to the bottom of both limbs. Fukuro let out a scream as she managed to move her wrist enough to stab him with her necklace. There was a button on the top of the charm that released a small blade, so it ended up sticking out of his wrist awkwardly.

Another twisted laugh pierced through the air as the demon simply shook off the piece of jewelry stabbed into him. “Nice try girlie, but it’s going to take a lot more than that to kill me.” He looked like he was going to try to do more but he suddenly stiffened. He let Fukuro go as he backed away and let out a scream of agony. “What the hell did you do to me b*tch?!” Fukuro could only watch before he kept squirming before he stopped moving, dead.

Fukuro quickly snapped out of her daze as she dragged herself over to where her necklace had been thrown. “Gran Gran was serious when she said that this necklace would protect me, huh?” She picked it up with her right hand and tried to get up. She wanted to get as far away from the dead body as possible. Fukuro only made it a couple feet before she felt dizzy and collapsed.

No no no! I can’t die yet! Not after managing to kill that demon! But Fukuro could feel sleep calling her. Before she knew it her eyes were closed. She heard the sound of footsteps before she completely lost consciousness.

***

Fukuro woke up slowly this time. She blinked slowly to let her eyes adjust. She quickly realized that she wasn’t in her bedroom or her office, which is where she usually fell asleep. Instead Fukuro saw an unfamiliar white ceiling. She was confused for a moment before she felt the stinging pain in her arms. The events of the previous night came rushing back to her. Alright so that wasn’t a dream then. I don’t know if I should be excited or terrified about it.

Fukuro sat up and looked around the room she was in. There were a few beds in the room, but they were all empty. There were a few small dressers next to each one. Other than that there wasn’t much to look at. Not that she could see much anyway, since her glasses were no longer in her face. Fukuro looked at her arms to see bandages and gauzes wrapped around them. She was also in different clothes, similar to what you would find in a hospital. Based on what blurry images she could make out, Fukuro guessed that she was in some sort of clinic. “Well at least someone found me. It looked like they did a good job patching me up too. I’ll probably have to ask for their phone if they have one so I can let Kenta and my family know that I am alright. I still can’t believe that I encountered a dem-” Fukuro trailed off from her muttering as her eyes widened.

“Wait a second, where is my bag! Did it fall off while I was being chased?! Crap! That had a lot of my research notes in it, as well as some of my favorite sources of information that I found! And where’s my Gran Gran’s necklace?! I can’t lose that!” Fukuro exclaimed as she quickly began to search through the blankets and attempt to leave the bed to find her stuff. But she forgot about her ankle and as soon as she put pressure on it her foot gave out and she fell with a yelp. She tried to catch herself but ended up just taking the blankets down with her, ending up in a tangled lump on the floor.

“My, my, it looks like someone’s awake. While the energy is a good sign, I would not recommend walking with that injury.”

Fukuro’s head shot up towards the sound of the voice, but all she could make out was a blurred figure. She could tell that the blurr was a person, most likely short, but that was about it. But by the sound of the voice she guessed that the person was a girl. “Have you seen a really big bag with a bunch of scrolls and notebooks in it? Or more importantly a golden necklace with a flower pattern? That necklace really means a lot to me!” Fukuro spoke so quickly and frantically that she would be surprised if the girl understood her.

The girl started to walk over to her. “No need to fret so much. The kakushi found the items you mentioned and I held onto them in case they were yours. I didn’t look at your notes either and everything was relatively intact. I’m taking a look at your necklace right now, but I should have it back to you by tomorrow. But I would be more worried about the predicament you are in right now.”

Fukuro’s face grew red in embarrassment when she realized the predicament that she was in. She frantically untangled herself from the blankets.

“Sorry! I just-” Fukuro quickly got back to her feet, once again forgetting about her ankle, and started to fall with a squeak. She tried to grab the nearby dresser, only to pull herself forward with too much force and slam her head into it. Fukuro immediately stumbled back into the bed, sideways, with a groan. “Owwww…”

Fukuro couldn’t see the girl, but she could hear her trying to contain her laughter as she spoke. “Careful now, we don’t want you to have any more injuries now do we?”

Fukuro let out a groan and adjusted herself so that she was in a proper sitting up position. “That would be preferred.” She squinted to try to get a better view of the person in front of her, but all she could make out now were some blurs of black and purple.

“Are you feeling alright?”

Fukuro blushed again out of embarrassment when she realized what she was doing. “Sorry. Do you have my glasses? I can’t see anything without them, and I’m kinda only seeing a human blob instead of your face.”

“Ah, yes! Sorry that they weren’t with you when you woke up, but they were damaged and I had to call a friend to get them fixed. They should be good as new now,” the girl said as she handed Fukuro her glasses.

Fukuro put them on her face, and blinked a couple times to let them adjust. She is finally able to see who is in front of her, and she’s probably the prettiest girl she has ever seen.

The girl was petite with a pale complexion and beautiful purple eyes. She had shoulder-length wavy hair that faded from black into dark purple, styled at the back of her head into a flat 'yakai-maki' bun, fastened with a white and purple butterfly ornament. She had center-split, ear-length, voluminous curtain bangs that flow down to frame the sides of her face, with two slightly thinner chin-length locks of hair in front of her ears below them. She was wearing a haori with a butterfly pattern over some sort of black uniform. There was a kind smile on her face, but it didn’t seem completely genuine.

“Oh wow, you’re really pretty.”

There was silence for a few moments.

F*ck I said that out loud!

The girl just let out a small giggle. “Oh! You’re quite bold. Already flirting with me and we don’t even know each other’s names.”

Fukuro turned almost completely red and looked away. “I um, sorry. My name is Fukuro Hitomi.”

“No need to apologize. My name is Shinobu Kocho and you’re in my estate. You’re lucky that I found you when I did, or else you probably wouldn’t not have made it. You’ve been unconscious for over 24 hours.”

“Oh! That was you? Thank you so much!” Fukuro put her hands together and bowed as best she could in her sitting position. Almost immediately after she perked up as she realized something. “Wait a second you said kakushi earlier right? If I remember correctly they’re members of the demon slayer corps. Does that mean that you’re a kakushi member or are you a demon slayer? Or are you a doctor that works with the corps? Were you-“

Shinobu cut Fukuro off by putting a hand on her shoulder and using the other to make a shushing motion. “Oh my, that’s a lot of questions you have. Slow down and I might be able to answer them. I’m a medical expert, but I am also a demon slayer. In fact I’m one of the current Hashiras. I’m surprised you even know about us. Most people are not even aware that the corps or demons exist.”

Fukuro took a deep breath and shook her hands slightly. “Sorry. I tend to ramble a lot when I get excited. I’m a historian and I have done a lot of research on the possible existence of demons. My great grandmother was a kakushi so I grew an interest. I always thought that the existence of demons was possible, but I never knew for sure until I was attacked! I never thought I would ever find proper evidence, much less meet an actual demon and demon slayer! I mean I thought the corps had been disbanded a long time ago,” she said. Her words got quicker as she went, causing her to ramble again.

“I don’t think that encountering a demon is something you should be excited about, but I guess it’s good to have an optimistic look on things.” Shinobu grabbed one of Fukuro’s arms and started to change the bandages.

It looked like she was going to say more but she was interrupted by a loud bang, and the shouts that followed.

“I told you! You need to do it the proper way. Now look at the mess you made!”

“But my grandfather taught me to do it this way!”

“This is the Taisho era not the Meiji era! Just do what I told you to do and there won’t be any problems!”

The arguing continued but Fukuro couldn’t make out any of it. Her mind was suddenly in a wreck trying to process what had just been said.

Shinobu put Fukuro’s arm down with a small huff. It was the only way to tell she was annoyed because she still had the same smile on her face.

“I’m sorry Hitomi, I’ll be right back. I need to remind some newer slayers that this is a clinic and that they shouldn’t be yelling so loud. Try not to move too much. I still need to change the bandages and clean the wound on your other arm,” she said as she walked out of the room to deal with the noisy people arguing in the halls.

To be completely honest Fukuro did not hear a word that Shinobu had said. Taisho era? It can’t be right? This is some kind of cruel joke. It has to be! It’s true that I wanted to prove the existence of demons, but I didn’t want to actually go back in time! This isn’t some isekai fantasy! I have a life back home! My job, friends, family! Will I ever see them again?

Fukuro felt a surge of overwhelming panic. Her heart was beating so fast that it felt painful. She felt like everything was spiraling out of control. Everything felt hot. Too hot! She was burning! Fukuro started to mindlessly claw at the bandages on her arms, to the point that she was starting to draw some blood by reopening the wounds. Her stomach was twisted in knots. She felt like she was going to throw up. She couldn’t breathe! She felt like she was going to pass out as she hyperventilated.

“Hitomi? Can you hear me?”

Fukuro’s head shot up in a panic as she looked at Shinobu with tears in her eyes.

Shinobu had a completely calm look on her face. She was still smiling, but this one was much softer and gentler. “It’s going to be alright Hitomi. Is there anything I can do to help you?” she asked with a very gentle voice.

Fukuro attempted to respond, but she only hiccuped in response. “I-I d-demons and f-family and…” She trailed off, not being able to form a proper sentence.

“It’s okay Hitomi, I’m not going to leave unless you want me to. Am I allowed to touch you?”

Fukuro let out a whimper and nodded. Physical contact was what tended to ground her and make her feel safe. It was how her parents, grandparents, and Gran Gran would comfort her all the time. “Hug. Please?” she whispered.

If Shinobu was surprised then she didn’t show it at all. With no hesitation she wrapped her arms around Fukuro, and put her face next to her ear. Fukuro quickly returned the hug with a death grip. Fukuro didn’t even realize she was shaking until she was in Shinobu’s firm, but gentle grip.

“I want you to focus on 5 things you hear. Can you do that for me? It’s okay, take as much time as you need.”

“I hear your voice,” Fukuro muttered almost immediately and flushed in embarrassment.

“Good. Can you hear anything else?” Shinobu asked softly as she started rubbing small circles into Fukuro’s back.

“Birds chirping, I think I hear running water, some footsteps, and the floors creaking.”

“You’re doing a great job. Now how about 4 things you can see?”

“You, butterflies, beds, and dresser.”

“How about 3 things you can smell? Don’t feel stressed. Give your answer whenever you are ready.”

Fukuro had to pause to think for a second. “I think I can smell something cooking. I smell the rubbing alcohol that was put on my wounds earlier. I also smell you. You smell really nice.”

“Aren’t you a charmer. You’re almost there Hitomi. I promise this will be over soon. 2 things you can feel?”

“I can feel the fabric of your butterfly haori and the soft fabric of the blankets.”

“Last one. What is one thing you can taste?”

“The desert that is my mouth,” Fukuro said, which was true. She was incredibly thirsty.

Shinobu backed out of the hug, but she kept one of her hands in Fukuro’s. She used the other to grab a glass of water that she must have brought during Fukuro’s panic attack. She brought the water up to Fukuro’s lips. “Drink this.”

Fukuro drank it without much objection, finishing over the entire glass in a matter of seconds. She realized that she felt a lot better now. Still a little shaken, but in a much better state than before.

“Do you feel better now?”

“Yes, thank you and I’m really sorry that I freaked out like that,” Fukuro said, not being able to look into Shinobu's eyes due to shame and embarrassment.

Shinobu grabbed one of Fukuro’s arms and started redoing the disinfectant and bandages after all the damage that had been done to them. “There is no need to apologize or feel ashamed. You went through a very traumatic situation recently. You might’ve lost some people you care for too. No matter what you can always come to me if you need to talk, okay? Even when you’re not my patient anymore.”

“If you don’t mind I would rather keep this information to myself for now,” Fukuro said. I don’t need you thinking that I am a crazy lady.

“That's more than okay too. Let’s talk about something else. Do you have any other hobbies not related to your work Hitomi?”

“Fukuro”

Shinobu looked up from Fukuro’s arm and tilted her head, which was as close to a questioning glance as she was going to get. “Pardon me?”

Fukuro looked off to the side when their eyes met. “I don’t really like it when people call me my last name, so I want you to call me Fukuro.”

“Alright then Fukuro, what are your hobbies?”

The two girls continued talking for a while about simple things. There were still a lot of questions to answer and problems to solve. But those could wait for a short amount of time.

***

This was a lot longer than I thought it would be. I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I had a lot of fun making it. This is my first time writing Shinobu so hopefully she stayed in character. I am more than open to critique though so please let me know your guys’ thoughts.

Historian Butterfly AU Chapter 2

Shinobu x Female OC

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 3: Coming soon

An 18 year old Fukuro walked up to the middle school as kids were just starting to leave the building. Her hair was down showing off how wavy it was. She seemed to be wearing contacts and some makeup as well. She looked around for a few moments before someone slammed into her side.

“And here I thought Kurasshu was my nickname,” Fukuro teased as she looked at the young boy clinging to her legs.

“Dang it! I was trying to scare you! How did you know it was me, big sis?”

“Older sisters know these things, Akio. Now where is Emiko? You didn’t leave her behind to be trampled by the crowd again did you?”

“That was one time!” Akio exclaimed, lifting his arms up in the air to emphasize his exasperation. “And that was a complete accident! I swear she was right behind me a minute ago! But then I saw you and got excited.”

Fukuro laughed and patted her little brother on the head. “It's fine. She probably is not far.” She looked around for a few moments before she spotted a familiar flash of platinum blonde hair. Her eyes locked on to the person and it was Emiko. Emiko was nervously making her way out of the crowd of students. She fiddled with her hands and kept her eyes on the ground. “Hey Emiko! We’re over here!”

Emiko perked up at Fukuro’s voice and looked up. Once her eyes locked on to Fukuro’s own, the nervous look on her face disappeared, and was quickly replaced with one full of joy. Her smile was not much bigger than a very small gentle one, but the look in her eyes said she was a lot happier than she looked. She immediately ran over to Fukuro and lept into her arms.

“Whoa!” Fukuro stumbled back a bit as she was not expecting the sudden added weight. Thankfully Emiko was small so Fukuro did not fall or drop her. “Hey kiddo, how was school?” she asked as she set Emiko back on her feet.

Emiko’s voice was barely above a whisper. “...Good…”

Akio interjected as he leaned against Emiko and used her shoulder as an armrest. “You should have seen her in biology class today! We had a trivia game and thank god I had her on my team because I would have failed if she hadn’t helped me. She got us the win and our teacher gave us some candy for winning! Everyone was basically dying while they tried to answer the questions and Emi was just answering them with no effort!”

“...Akio beat all the kids in track today…” Emkio muttered.

“It was easy as cake!”

“...Except for Kumi…He ate her dust,” Emkio finished.

“Emiko!”

Fukuro laughed at her sibling’s antics. “Well that certainly sounds like a good day. Don’t worry Akio, I’m sure you’ll beat her next time,” she said as she patted him on the head.

Akio pouted. “I bet I can run all the way home within 5 minutes. That will show you that I’m the fastest. You guys will be far behind me!”

“That’s a shame. I was going to buy you and Emiko ice cream, but if you want to rush ahead…”

Akio immediately perked up. “You know what? Being the fastest is overrated anyways.”

Fukuro laughed as she walked with her siblings holding onto Emiko’s hand as Akio jumped around excitedly.

***

“Fukuro, can you help me organize the cleaning supplies?”

Fukuro looked behind her and gave Kiyo a smile. “Sure! Let me just finish helping Naho with the sweeping real quick and I’ll be right with you!”

It had been two weeks since her sudden travel through time. Fukuro’s injuries had healed for the most part. She was worried about where she was going to go at first, but Shinobu ended up offering to let her stay at the butterfly mansion since she had nowhere to stay. Fukuro was incredibly grateful, so she decided to use her time to help around with chores. In any free time she had left, Fukuro spent either researching or getting to know Shinobu and the rest of the residents of the estate.

It was a little embarrassing to admit that she had gotten attached to everyone very quickly. Kiyo, Naho, and Suma were just so cute! She loved kids a lot and it helped that they were always so sweet and helpful when Fukuro was adjusting. They reminded her of her own siblings a bit.

Fukuro had first met Aoi when she was scolding her for reopening her wounds again. Her stern demeanor was enough to make Fukuro shrink back a bit and she was 5 years older than her for Pete’s sake! But it didn’t take long for Fukuro to realize that Aoi was truly a very caring and kind person under her mask. It took some time to get past Aoi’s walls, but after about a week Aoi started showing Fukuro her softer side a lot more often. She even started making sure that the mansion always had natto in stock when she found out it was her favorite food, despite the fact that most people don’t like the dish.

Fukuro didn’t know what to think about Kanao at first. She was convinced that she hated her after she bumped into her and, despite her apologies, Kanao didn’t respond. Fukuro was actually pretty stressed about it until Shinobu explained that Kanao simply had trouble doing anything that didn’t require orders, which included talking. Fukuro made it her mission to track Kanao down and try to get to know her as much as she could, which wasn’t often because she was training for final selection. Fukuro still hadn’t learned much, but Kanao did not seem bothered by it and Shinobu seemed to be glad that Fukuro was making an effort. She really liked Kanao a lot since she reminded her of her younger sister.

Then finally there was the master of the butterfly estate, Shinobu. She was always patient with Fukuro, even when she would excitedly ask her everything about the demon slayer corps. She never seemed to find Fukuro’s clumsy nature annoying. In fact she seemed to find it endearing. She gave her a place to stay with her own room before Fukuro could even ask her. She always made an effort to check in on Fukuro without it feeling overbearing after her freak out. She even gave Fukuro a kimono, when she asked. Even if her old clothes were repairable, Fukuro thought it would be safer to wear something from this timeline and not her own. Fukuro couldn’t deny that she found Shinobu very attractive in more ways than looks. Whether or not those feelings would continue to grow was something that she would find out after time passes. But for now Fukuro was satisfied with the relationship that they had, even if she knows very little about her.

“You don’t have to help us with all of the chores you know. There are probably better things you could do,” Aoi said, walking by with a basket of laundry.

Fukuro set her broom off to the side and went to join Kiyo. “I don’t mind. It keeps me active. Besides, it gets boring reading my notes over and over again. I should really try to find a library. It would be nice to go to a nearby town and take a look around. Maybe find a way to actually make some money. The thought of finding some new books to read makes me so ex-AHH!” Fukuro proceeded to trip over the medical supplies that Kiyo had gotten out to be able to organize them.

“Just be careful so that you won’t get yourself killed,” Aoi said.

“Will do, ow.”

***

Fukuro couldn’t sleep. She had developed a bad habit of working late into the night or just not sleeping at all, so it was difficult to try to get a decent night's sleep every night. Even before that she didn’t sleep well as a kid. Fukuro just always seemed to be more active at night. Ironic considering her name. She did have medication for her insomnia back home, but obviously she did not have access to it now. Usually Fukuro would just work or read, but she didn’t want to accidentally wake anyone up. She also did not want a lecture from Shinobu or Aoi. But she had been staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, and she couldn’t take it anymore!

Fukuro got out of bed with a sigh. She went through her beat up bag, and pulled out what was by far her favorite source she found on her expeditions. It was an old diary of a girl who Fukuro assumed was a demon slayer. She wrote about her work as a demon slayer a bit, but most of it was about mundane things like how cute one of her friends looked in her old kimono or gushing about the boy she obviously liked. It wasn’t the best source in terms of research, but Fukuro liked the passionate writing of the person’s day to day life.

Fukuro wandered around the halls a bit before she decided to go outside to get some fresh air. She looked around for a place to sit and saw a ladder that someone must have left out. She climbed the ladder up to the roof, and sat down. It probably wasn’t the safest option, but she liked being in high up places. It was easier for her to relax. Fukuro would commonly go to roofs, trees, or bunk beds just to read a book. Another thing that was ironic considering her name.

Fukuro let out a sigh and opened the diary carefully. The pages were old and worn, and some of the writing had faded. She wondered how much longer this diary would last. It would be a sad day when it eventually falls apart. Sure she had a scanned pdf of the diary back home, but she obviously couldn’t use it right now and might not ever again. That thought was almost enough to make Fukuro cry.

“It’s a little late to be reading a book don’t you think?”

Fukuro squeaked as she fumbled to keep herself from dropping the diary she was reading. She looked to the side and saw Shinobu looking at her with the same smile she grew used to, as well as an amused spark in her eyes.

“You scared me Kocho!”

Shinobu responded with a small giggle. “Mind if I sit here?”

Fukuro shook her head and Shinobu sat down next to her.

“So what are you doing awake on the roof so late?”

“Oh! I couldn’t sleep, so I decided that reading would be a better use of my time instead of staring at the ceiling. I like being high up when I want to relax so I used a ladder to climb up here.”

“If you find anything about your room uncomfortable then you can tell me. I don’t mind.”

“No! No! No! The room is great! I have really bad insomnia, so I have a lot of trouble sleeping! I’ve tried different relaxing teas, but they don’t work. I used to have medicine for it but I left it at home and I can’t exactly go back…” Fukuro trailed off to think of a way to phrase her words that didn’t make the fact that she was from the future obvious.

Shinobu put her hand on her shoulder. “You do not have to say anymore if you don’t want to, Fukuro. I understand.”

Fukuro sighed in relief. She was pretty sure that Shinobu thought she lost her home to demons, even if she never said it. Fukuro felt bad that she was deceiving Shinobu, but it was easier than the truth or trying to make an excuse on her own.

“It’s just hard, you know? It’s not that I don’t like it here, because I really do. You all have been so nice to me and I can’t be more grateful for you letting me stay here. But I miss my family a lot. It’s both nice and heartbreaking how much the girls remind me of my little siblings.”

Shinobu’s expression didn’t change but there was a curious glint in her eyes. “I did not know that you had any siblings.”

Fukuro scratched the back of her head with a sheepish look on her face. “That's because the subject never really came up before. I also did not want to annoy anyone by rambling about my siblings. Once I start it’s hard for me to stop.”

“I think it’s cute that you’re so passionate about the people and things you care about. If you are comfortable with it I’m happy to listen.”

Fukuro’s cheeks grew bright red from the compliment. “Gosh, where do I even start?”

“I think their names would be helpful,” Shinobu teased.

Fukuro blushed even more in response. “Well I have one younger brother and one little sister. They’re twins and are both 5 years younger than me, so they’re around Aoi’s age. My little brother’s name is Akio and my sister’s name is Emiko. Despite the fact that I was WAY older than them we were still very close. Akio was a very loud and energetic kid. He’s very passionate about what he does, and can be a goofball. He and I were always teasing each other, but it was all for fun. It actually sounded like we were insulting each other, but we both knew we didn’t actually mean what we said. His nickname for me was Kurasshu because the earliest memory he has of me was when I was trying to help my mom take care of him but I ended up tripping and crashing into a trashcan.”

Fukuro could feel the heat radiating off of her cheeks as Shinobu put a hand to her mouth to try to muffle her laugh. “Sorry, sorry. I’m not making fun of you I promise.”

Fukuro pouted a bit, but she wasn’t offended at all. “It’s fine, get your laughs out now.”

“It sounds like your brother was a handful.”

“But he was also a very polite boy too. Akio always showed everyone around him respect. He would be running around the house like a maniac, but as soon as our parents told him to stop he did without a fight. No yelling was necessary. A lot of people would be very surprised because only close friends and family actually got to see both parts of his personality. Emiko was very shy and quiet. When we were younger she would only talk to my parents, Akio, and I because she would get so nervous. She was selectively mute until she was 14. She’s the genius of our family. Akio and I could never beat her in any trivia games unless all the questions were either sports or history related. Last time I checked she was planning on becoming a veterinarian, but she also has a passion for theatre so she might try to have a career in that field too. Emiko was always the sense of reason when we all were together. My clumsy nature and workaholic tendencies combined with both Akio and I having no sense of fear when it comes to dangerous situations are not the greatest combination.” Fukuro laughed as she seemed to be looking back on a fond memory. “We had a lot of fun together and ended up in a lot of crazy situations.”

“It sounds like you had a very wonderful family,” Shinobu said.

Fukuro nodded. “Yeah I did,” she said absentmindedly. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “So why are you awake so late? Aren’t you always the one lecturing the other slayers on how important it is for them to get plenty of rest?”

“Is that teasing I hear? I didn’t know you had it in you, Fukuro,” Shinobu teased, which turned Fukuro’s cheeks a bright pink. “I had a lot of work to do today, and I must have lost track of time. I decided to get some fresh air before going back to work.”

“You’re still planning on working?! But it’s so late!”

“May I remind you that we are both in a similar situation.”

“Hey! This time it is not because of my bad working habits. I genuinely can’t sleep!”

“Well then, I’ll start having a better sleep schedule when you do.”

“That would be impossible unless you can make your own medication for it.”

“Challenge accepted.”

The playful banter ended with both girls laughing. Fukuro was a lot more open about it while Shinobu’s was quieter with her hand muffling her laugh.

“What are you reading anyway? It looks like a very old book.”

“Oh! This is a dairy I found on one of my explorations. The person who wrote this is just so bubbly and bright that I can’t help but smile and be in a good mood whenever I read it. It’s hard to think of the world as such a cruel place when I read about someone who is able to see something good in everything and everyone.”

Shinobu hummed as she thought of something. “Sounds a lot like a close friend of mine. I should introduce you to her when I have the chance. I think you would get along quite well.”

“I would be honored to meet any close friend of yours Kocho. Let’s just hope my social skills don’t make me humiliate myself.”

“What’s with the formalities? I thought we were friends, Fukuro,” Shinobu teased. Before Fukuro could respond to defend herself Shinobu continued. “I think your social skills are just fine. You have a very charming personality that shows itself in the cutest ways. Besides, my friend is not known for being judgmental.”

Fukuro was pretty sure that her face was bright red at this point. Why does someone so pretty have to be such a tease?! “As much as I trust your judgment, it's going to be hard to make a good impression when I am half awake and sleep deprived. Hopefully I find a way to fix that problem. Aoi is going to be so mad when she finds out how late I have been staying up. I already made a mess of the medical supplies today, and I know she thinks I work too hard,” Fukuro said.

“I heard about that. She also told me that you’re interested in getting a job.”

“I just want to feel useful, you know? I know the help with the chores is appreciated, but I know Aoi and the girls don’t actually need it. I’m not opposed to learning combat, but I don’t think becoming a demon slayer is the best choice to make. Not right now at least. I also suck at anything medical! The amount of times I have almost gotten myself killed because I almost took the wrong medication is honestly concerning. I know that as Hashira you get paid any amount you want, but l feel bad for constantly leaching off you.”

“Trust me when I say that helping the girls out with the chores and keeping the girls company is more than enough help. They’ve grown really attached to you, despite the fact that you have only lived here for 2 weeks,” Shinobu said, her smile becoming a bit gentler than before.

Fukuro sighed. “I know. I just wish I could put what I am good at to use. But I don’t think many people are looking for a girl who is good at researching stuff. Especially since I don’t have access to a lot of sources right now. Even if I don’t find a job in town, a library would be nice.” Fukuro turned her head away from Shinobu in slight embarrassment. “Gosh, I kinda made this conversation about all of my insecurities, haven’t I? I’m sorry for rambling and bringing the mode down.”

“If you don’t stop apologizing then I will make you go through a day of training with Kanao.”

Fukuro gulped. She had seen the type of training that Kanao would do and it was insane. Fukuro might be fit, which was only due to her experiments with total concentrated breathing, but she was pretty sure Kanao would completely murder her within minutes. “Yes ma’am!” Fukuro exclaimed before letting out a yawn. “The sun is going to come up soon so I should probably try to sleep. Are you coming with me?”

“I think I’ll stay out a little bit longer.”

Fukuro had started to climb down the ladder. “Alright but go to sleep soon okay. We can’t have two sleep deprived workaholics here.”

Shinobu giggled. “Have a good night Fukuro.”

“You too.” Just as Fukuro finished her response her foot slipped. “Well sh*t.” She ended up falling off the ladder hitting the ground with the solid thud. “Oww.”

Shinobu peeked her head over the roof. She looked both concerned and like she was barely holding back her laughter. “Are you alright down there?”

“I’m fine!”

Shinobu jumped down, landing on her feet with seemingly little effort. “Perhaps I should take you to your room so that you don’t hurt yourself more.”

***

“You want permission to have access to the Demon Slayer Corps main library?”

Shinobu took a deep breath before answering Ubuyashiki. She wouldn’t say she was nervous, but she definitely was asking for a pretty big favor. “For the new girl taking residence in my estate, Master. She has taken an interest and I think her skills in research could be of great use to us. She managed to figure out almost entirely how the corps works with only a few books and scrolls that she found by herself. She hadn’t even met a corps member until we met.”

“Ah, yes. Fukuro Hitomi. She is quite the interesting young woman. Her ability to gather information would be a great asset right now. But I would like to be certain of some things first.”

“What do you mean? Do you think giving her access to this information would be dangerous?”

“No, not at all. My concerns are more personal. It is nothing that you should worry yourself about. I would just like to meet her in person. If you could bring her to me for a private meeting I would be most grateful, my child.”

“Of course Master. Right away,” Shinobu said before she gave Ubuyashiki a bow before walking out of the room.

Ubuyashiki smiled. “An interesting woman indeed. I wonder if your presence is apart of something much bigger than we realize.”

***

Welcome to I have never written for Ubuyashiki before and I have no idea how to write him! I’m really sorry for this chapter took so long, I honestly did not think it would take me so much time! School suddenly decided to hit me like a truck so I had very little energy. The amount of times I wrote a scene for this chapter, then decided I did not like it, and then delete it was immense. Hopefully the nest one is less of a struggle. I know not a lot happened in this chapter but I hope it’s still enjoyable! I’m thinking of doing small headcannon and fun facts posts to keep up some content between chapters. The little details I think are cool, but I won’t be able to go in depth with in this story.

Historian Butterfly AU: Chapter 3

Shinobu x female oc

Masterlist

It was late at night. But despite the ungodly hour someone was still awake and didn’t look like she was going to sleep anytime soon

Fukuro kept looking between several different documents and took notes as she did so. She was so focused on what she was doing that she literally lept out of her seat and tumbled onto the floor when she felt a hand on her shoulder. But not before she punched the person on the chin.

“Ow…”

“Holy shi-ow!”

Fukuro looked up and saw that the person who startled her was her housemate, Kenta. “Kenta? What are you doing up?”

Kenta held his chin and gave Fukuro a slightly irritated look. “I woke up and wanted a glass of water. Besides, shouldn't I be asking you that? It’s 4:00 am. Why the heck are you still working?”

Fukuro got up and walked into the kitchen. “Don’t act like you’ve never pulled all nighters for research.” She grabbed a mug from the cabinet and was about to make herself more coffee, but Kenta quickly stopped her.

“Oh no. You’re going to bed. You just finished that huge project you had been stressing about. You need your rest.”

“But this is important! I think I’m going to make a breakthrough!”

Kenta took the coffee cup from her hand and put it away. “Your breakthrough can wait until you’re not functioning on coffee and 3 days with no sleep. Besides how important can researching the existence of demons be?”

Fukuro gasped in mock offense. “There is so much more to it than that! It’s about answering the unknown. Exploring every possibility. Understanding why people believed in demons.”

“Whatever you say. But you’re going to bed. Come on.” Kenta began to basically drag Fukuro to her bedroom. “You’re lucky Zoey can sleep through anything.”

“I’m telling you Kenta. Someday my research is going to matter. So I’m going to do all I can now!”

***

Fukuro fiddled with her hands nervously as she made her way to Master Ubuyashiki’s mansion. When Shinobu told her that he had requested to meet with her she was shocked. She had immediately begun to worry that she had done something wrong. Shinobu had assured her that she wasn’t in trouble, but that just made this meeting even more nerve wracking! At least if she was in trouble she could mentally prepare herself. But instead she was left wondering what the heck the head of the demon slayer corps wanted with her! Fukuro knew that Ubuyashiki was incredibly kind from what her Gran Gran and Shinobu told her, but his title was still rather intimidating.

When she got to the mansion all she could do was stare at the entrance, nervously. Am I supposed to knock or am I supposed to wait here? Should I go in or am I supposed to just announce my presence? Is the meeting even supposed to be inside? Is it supposed to be outside? Why didn’t I ask these questions before I left?!

“Excuse me? Are you Fukuro Hitomi?”

Fukuro nearly jumped out of her skin as the voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She let out a small squeak as she quickly looked over at the child that she had failed to notice due to being on the verge of a mental breakdown.

The young girl had pale skin and large, purple eyes. She had white, shoulder-length hair styled into a blunt bob with bangs and sported a red ribbon on the right side of her head. She was wearing a dark blue Hōmongi kimono decorated with purple flowers along with a maroon obi and a pink obiage and juban under everything.

Fukuro cleared her throat, embarrassed that she had been caught so off guard. “Y-yes that’s me!”

Luckily the kid did not react to Fukuro’s awkwardness at all. She gave Fukuro a little bow to show her respect before speaking. “Please follow me. Master Ubuyashiki is expecting you.”

Fukuro nodded and let the girl lead her through the estate. They stopped at a large door.

The girl knocked on the door and raised her voice. “Father, Ms Fukuro Hitomi has arrived.”

“Please come in.”

Without a word the girl opened the door and gestured for Fukuro to walk in. She did, albeit nervously. Ubuyashiki was sitting at a small table with some tea. The kid guided Fukuro to the table and gestured for her to sit down, which she did.

“Thank you Hinaki. You may go now. I would like to talk to Hitomi here in private,” Ubuyashiki said softly.

Hinaki bowed to Ubuyashiki, despite the fact that he could not see it, and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Fukuro looked nervously at Ubuyashiki for a moment before frantically bowing her head, despite that he once again could not see it.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Master Ubuyashiki! I really hope that I’m not troubling you!”

“This is no trouble at all Ms Hitomi. It is a pleasure to meet you as well. Welcome to my home. I have heard some interesting things about you.”

Despite how soothing his voice was, Ubuyashiki’s words increased Fukuro’s nerves tenfold.

“O-Oh? Nothing bad I hope,” she said with a nervous laugh.

“Please relax Ms Hitomi. I can assure you that you are not in any trouble. I just have some questions for you, that's all.”

Fukuro let out a small sigh as her shoulders slumped. “O-Okay! Sure! Ask me anything!”

“I’m curious where you got that necklace of yours from. Were you aware that it had a compartment with wisteria poison in it? If you pushed the button on the top in a certain way a needle would come out so that you could inject the poison into someone. The person who fixed it was very intrigued by it. I would also guess that’s how the demon that chased you died the night we found you.”

Fukuro fiddled with her necklace and stared at it curiously. “No, I had no idea that it could do that. This necklace was a gift given to me by my great grandmother. She never told me where she got it. She said that the necklace would protect me from danger, but I didn’t realize she meant that literally.”

“Ah yes. Ms Kocho did mention that your great grandmother was a kakushi. That is why you are so interested in demons, correct?”

Fukuro’s eyes lit up at the mention of her great grandmother. “Yes sir. She would always tell me stories about them when I was little. She would tell stories about the Hashira, random missions that she stumbled upon, and even mundane ones about her bonding with her fellow kakushi! She apparently went to the swordsmith village at one point too! The details are a bit fuzzy since I was 6 when she died, ” Fukuro quickly realized she was getting side tracked and cleared her throat awkwardly. “Sorry for rambling sir.”

Ubuyashiki just laughed. “No need to apologize, my child. It is a rarity to find someone with enthusiasm such as yours these days. A shame in my opinion.” He took a sip of his tea. “I am surprised you thought the demon slayers disbanded given your closeness with a family member who seemed to have spent a long time with us.”

Fukuro was glad that Ubuyashiki could not see her because she immediately started sweating bullets. Crap! I mentioned that to Shinobu when we first met, didn't I? I didn’t know I was in the past yet so it slipped! Of course me knowing the demon slayers being disbanded would look weird if I was from this time. Don’t panic Fukuro! Just improvise your excuse! If you can defend your college thesis on the fly then you can handle this!

“I think I just kinda told myself that it was. My Gran Gran never told me the demon slaying corps was disbanded, but I figured that it had to be since I had never seen a demon before and most of my family was convinced that her stories were nonsense. Surely she would just show us the corps to show that she was telling the truth right? Maybe she just didn’t want to put her family’s life at risk? Being involved in the corps at all is a huge risk, even if you’re not on the front lines. That didn’t stop me from trying to prove the existence of demons, my new obsession. Honestly I was very lucky to have never met a demon until 2 weeks ago,” Fukuro explained. Everything she said wasn’t a complete lie, but she definitely wasn’t telling the truth either.

“True. While it is a shame that you never knew for sure about our existence, I can not blame your great grandmother for trying to keep her family safe.” Ubuyashiki put his tea down. “I have one last question for you. How did you try to prove the existence of demons? Ms Kocho mentioned that you did a lot of research, but it would be very difficult to find research on us that isn’t from our library.”

Fukuro let out the small breath that she had been holding. He seemed to have believed her lie and was thankful for the change of subject. She could easily talk about her research. “Honestly? It’s mostly a lot of guesswork and estimations. Instead of looking for information that directly mentions demons or the demon slayers, I research areas where they might have been. I look into areas that have sudden increases in death rates or disappearances that are not easily explained. I then compare these cases with research based on my Gran Gran’s stories. If the results are similar to areas that, in theory, had demons attack in the past, then there was a good chance demons were there. It’s not 100% correct, there can be a number of reasons why people start to die suddenly, but it does narrow down possible demon locations. I then do further research at those locations. That’s actually what I was doing when I was found.”

Ubuyashiki let out a hum. “Interesting. I don’t suppose you have any specific examples?”

Fukuro’s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly racked her brain for an area that would make sense for this time. “Actually, yes I do. I don’t suppose you’ve heard of the bandit attacks in the village 3 days north of here, have you?”

“Indeed, I have. A lot of our suppliers and slayers have been avoiding the route because of them. But I’m guessing you think the issue is more than just some bandits?”

Fukuro nodded even though Ubuyashiki couldn’t see it. “Mm-Hmm! The attacks have happened mostly to carts or merchants, which is why everyone thinks they’re bandits. But there are a few things that make me think that the attackers might be demons. First off is the obvious fact that the attacks have only happened at night, with either no or few survivors. The second is that this isn’t usually when bandits are active in the area. This village is along a trade route so bandit activity is common, but this is the off season for most of the products that come through the area. Some research into previous years shows that bandit activity slows down dramatically during this time. Most move to busier areas with more valuable products. Those that stay are usually inexperienced or desperate and tend to be caught pretty quickly. Finally the third reason I’m suspicious is because the valuables of the missing merchants are almost never stolen. The goods are usually damaged, but other than that they’re almost untouched. But the people are always missing or found dead. Bandits would usually run off with the goods. But a demon would care more about their next meal, which would be the people.”

Fukuro realized that she rambled for a while and her cheeks were flushed in embarrassment. “That’s the basics of my thoughts at least. It would be much better explained if I had my notes. Sorry if I just bored you.”

Ubuyashiki didn’t say anything for a few moments. Fukuro suddenly realized that his expression changed and he seems to be deep in thought. “Ms Hitomi, if you had to guess, if these issues are caused by demons how strong would they be?”

Fukuro’s jaw literally dropped. She never expected to be taken so seriously. She’s pretty sure that this was the most interested that anyone had ever been with her research. She quickly shut her mouth and thought for a moment before answering.

“It’s hard to say. I think that if demons are attacking that village then there is probably more than one. Some attacks appeared to have happened at similar times so either the demon has a partner or they have a blood demon art that would allow them to achieve that. Either way I would consider the demon to be moderately strong. Some of the village soldiers have gone missing too, and most are decently skilled. I wouldn’t say this is Hashira worthy, but I wouldn’t send in a rookie slayer either. I’d recommend at least 2-4 people who have been slayers for at least a year. Of course this is all based on speculation, so I’m being extra cautious.”

Ubuyashiki looked like he was about to respond, but his crow suddenly flew into the room and landed on the table. “Ubuyashiki, you have a meeting with the kakushi in 10 minutes!”

“Time must have slipped by. I will be there shortly.” Ubuyashiki told his crow before looking at Fukuro again. “Thank you for giving me your time Ms Hitomi. But I’m afraid that I must cut our conversation short. I do hope we can have another conversation like this again. It was quite interesting.”

Fukuro quickly stood up and bowed her head. “It’s no problem! Thank you for having me.”

“Do you need an escort to show you the way out?”

“No thank you. I remember the way. I’ll leave you to your business then!” Fukuro said as she quickly left the room.

Ubuyashiki looked at the crow perched on the table. “I know you just came back from delivering a message my friend, but I would like you to send a message to a couple of demon slayers.”

***

Two weeks had passed since her meeting with Ubuyashiki and Fukuro had mostly forgotten about it. She was spending her time helping the girls like usual when Ubuyashiki’s crow suddenly flew up to her telling her that Ubuyashiki requested to see her again. So Fukuro was freaking out.

“What did I do? Aoi what did I do?!” Fukuro said as she shook Aoi by the shoulders.

“Will you stop that!” Aoi yelled as she pried Fukuro’s hands off of her. “Stop freaking out so much!”

“How can I not freak out?! It’s only been 2 weeks since I last saw Master Ubuyashiki! Why would he want to see me so soon?! I’m not even a corps member, Aoi! What if I offended him the last time I saw him?!”

“Why the hell would he wait 2 weeks to confront you on that?! You’re overreacting!”

“But what if I’m not?!”

“Is something wrong here?” Shinobu asked as she came from around the corner.

“Shinobu! Thank god! Can you please talk some sense into Fukuro? Ubuyashiki called for her again and she is freaking out!” Aoi said, looking very irritated.

“Alright let’s calm down. Fukuro come with me. We can talk on the way to Master’s place, okay? Let Aoi get back to work.” Shinobu said as she gently took Fukuro’s hand.

Fukuro still looked worried, but she took a deep breath to calm herself. “Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Sorry Aoi.”

Aoi sighed in response. “It’s fine, just don’t shake me like a rag doll next time,” she said as she grabbed the basket of laundry that Fukuro made her drop and walked away.

“Come on, let’s go.” Shinobu led Fukuro out of the Butterfly Mansion, still holding her hand. But instead of heading to Ubuyashiki’s mansion, they headed to the butterfly garden instead.

“Shinobu? Why are we heading to the garden? Isn’t it a bad idea to keep Master Ubuyashiki waiting?”

Shinobu let out a little hum before sitting them both down on a bench. “Normally I would agree, but I think you need to calm down first.”

“But what if Master Ubuyashiki gets upset? I don’t want to make him-“

“Fukuro.” Shinobu’s voice sounded gentle but firm, effectively cutting Fukuro off. She took Fukuro’s other hand into her own. “Master is one of the most patient and kind people I have ever met. He can wait a couple extra minutes.” She paused and looked at Fukuro for a moment to see if she was going to object. When Fukuro said nothing she continued. “Now can you name 5 things you can see?”

Fukuro looked around. “I see flowers, and butterflies. There are a couple bumblebees too. There’s clouds in the sky…” Fukuro paused and almost panicked by over-thinking the exercise until Shinobu gave her hands a soft squeeze. She locked eyes with her and calmed down a little. “You.”

“Good job. Remember, you can take as long as you need. Now 4 things you can hear?”

“Your voice, birds chirping, and the flowers moving in the breeze. I think I hear some slayers training in the distance.”

“3 things you can feel?”

“The wooden bench, the fabric of my haori, and your hands.”

“Good, 2 things you can smell?”

“I smell the flowers and I think I can smell perfume. Are you wearing perfume?”

“How observant. Yes I am. Now what is 1 thing you can taste?”

“I can still somewhat taste the lemonade that I drank before the crow came.”

“Great. Now I want you to take a deep breath in and out okay?”

Fukuro followed her command and realized that she felt a lot better. She started to feel embarrassed for getting so worked up.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I’m really sorry about that. I just panicked and couldn’t think straight,” Fukuro said, her cheeks starting to turn pink in embarrassment.

“It’s okay Fukuro. Most people would be stressed in your situation,” Shinobu said, finally letting go of Fukuro’s hands. “Does that happen often? While your reaction wasn’t as big, you were very nervous the last time you saw Master.”

“Kind of? It’s pretty normal for me to get a little anxious, but it’s more of an awkward tension than full blown panic. I think I’ve just been on edge lately,” Fukuro said, looking at her necklace and fiddling with it.

“Any particular reason you feel like you’ve been on edge?”

Fukuro bit her lip. She knew she couldn’t be 100% honest. That was part of the reason she had been on edge. But she also felt like she needed to open up at least a little bit in order to make some progress. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts before she spoke. “Where I’m from we tend to act differently than people do in most places. I feel like I need to constantly watch what I say or do because while something might be acceptable back home, it would be very bad if I do it here. I know mostly what I should and shouldn’t do, but knowing it is different than putting it into practice. I hate feeling this way because it feels like I’m lying or putting up an act. I feel guilty, but I can’t do anything about it. I feel like an outsider.”

Fukuro didn’t notice that tears started to form in her eyes. “I miss home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. But I can’t go back. I won’t see them ever again! I wish I didn’t feel this way because everyone has been so great to me, but- ” Fukuro cut herself off as she began to cry. She was honestly a bit embarrassed but she couldn’t stop herself.

Fukuro felt Shinobu’s hand touch her shoulder. Fukuro immediately hugged Shinobu in response. Shinobu immediately returned the hug and let Fukuro cry her heart out. Shinobu just let out some gentle hums until Fukuro had no more tears to cry. Once Fukuro’s sobs calmed, Shinobu finally spoke.

“Fukuro can you look at me?”

Fukuro looked at Shinobu with her tear stained face. Shinobu wiped the tears from her eyes. “You have no reason to feel guilty. It’s okay to miss home. Its okay if you’re still grieving. It’s okay to still feel like you don’t quite belong. But believe me when I tell you that in this past month you have already taken a place in both mine and the girls' hearts. Please don’t feel like you need to be perfect around any of us. I understand wanting to put on a mask in front of others, but please know that none of us are going to hate you if you mess up. I don’t think you realize that you have a natural gift of worming your way into people’s hearts.”

Fukuro almost wanted to cry again because she was so touched. “Thank you.”

Shinobu gave Fukuro a soft smile. “You’re welcome. No how about we go to that meeting of yours? I think Master will start to get worried if we take much longer.”

Fukuro almost immediately launched herself off the bench. “Crap! I totally forgot! Now I look like a mess!”

Shinobu laughed as she stood up and patted Fukuro on the back. “There. There. If it makes you feel any better I think you look very pretty and eye-catching.”

Fukuro just blushed and put her face in her hands.

***

Fukuro nervously messed with her hair. “Are you sure I look okay and not like a blotchy mess that cried my eyes out a few minutes ago?”

Shinobu laughed. “Yes, you look as beautiful as always. Now go! Master has been waiting long enough. I’ll wait out here for you okay?”

Fukuro took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Here I go.”

Fukuro walked up to the mansion. Before she could open the door it opened showing the kid on the other side. She looked identical to the kid from last time, except for the hair piece she wore, which was a yellow ribbon.

“Oh hello. You’re a different girl from last time right? Are you here to take me to Master Ubuyashiki?” Fukuro would be lying if she said the kid did not make her nervous. It looked like she was staring into her soul.

“Yes. Follow me. Master Ubuyashiki has been expecting you.”

Fukuro followed the girl to the same room as last time. Ubuyashiki thanked his daughter and she left. But Fukuro did manage to catch that the girl’s name was Nichika, meaning that she was right when she guessed that this was a different girl than last time. Fukuro once again sat down.

Ubuyashiki was already sitting down with a warm smile on his face. “Thank you for coming to see me Ms Hitomi. I apologize for the short notice.”

“There is no need to apologize. I’m sorry that it took me so long to get here. I ended up being held up with some personal matters.”

“Do not fret about that my child. I promise you that this meeting will be a short one with good news.”

Fukuro tilted her head to the side. “Good news? About what?”

“Remember that village you told me about 2 weeks ago when I asked for an example of how you research demons?”

“Yes. Is that what this meeting is about?”

Ubuyashiki nodded. “Indeed. After you left I sent some demon slayers to the area. It seems that your theory was correct. The deaths in the area were caused by a couple of demons. They were mostly attacking merchants in order to avoid being discovered. Luckily the slayers I sent were able to take care of them. I must thank you. If it wasn’t for you those demons would have killed many more people. It probably would have taken months for us to figure out that there was probably demon activity in that area.”

Fukuro was shocked. Her theory was actually correct! She had never had the chance to prove her theories before and barely anyone took her seriously back in her time. She wanted to squeal in happiness. She barely managed to contain herself.

“I’m guessing that thanking me is not the only reason I’m here right?”

“You are right. There is something else I wanted to talk to you about that I unfortunately was not able to last time we spoke.” Ubuyashiki took a quick sip of his tea before continuing. “I am not sure if you are aware of this, but the reason we had our last meeting was because Ms Kocho requested that you be given access to the demon slayer corps library. She had said that your research skills might come in handy.”

Fukuro was not aware of this. She was shocked but also incredibly touched. Shinobu did that for me? I have to do something to thank her when this is over. I guess she was really serious when she told me she cared about me.

Ubuyashiki continued speaking. “We’ll after what happened it is no exaggeration to say that she was correct. So if you are willing I would like for you to work for the Demon Slayer Corps. You would receive payment of course.”

Fukuro’s mind kinda broke. “What?”

“Our library is full of resources about not just the corps, but of Japan as well. I would like you to use those sources and research to help locate demons in areas that we might overlook. But I also want you to work on locating Muzan Kibutsuji.”

Fukuro’s eyes widened. “The demon king?”

“Yes. I do not want you to feel too much pressure about finding him. The demon slayer corps has never been able to in the past. But I have a feeling that we may finally be able to turn the tide soon.”

Fukuro thought for a moment. This was almost like a dream come true. Sure a lot of the circumstances sucked, but to finally have her work be useful was something she always wanted. But is it really okay to do this? Am I changing the future too much? I already know that the demon slayer corps eventually wins, but I don’t know when that is! But I’m stuck here now. I might as well try to help people while I can.

“It would be my honor to use my knowledge to help serve the Demon Slayer Corps.”

***

So it’s been a long time huh? I’m going to be honest I had plans to discontinue this, but I felt the urge to write again. I’m going to continue to write this story at my own pace when I feel the urge. Updates might come often, they might not. Anyways I have no idea of this is my best or worst chapter so let me know what you guys think. Poor Fukuro has some issues. I really want to emphasize how bad it can be to need to hide who she is while also struggling with missing home. Don’t worry I plan on getting to Shinobu’s issues soon.

Some Random Historian Butterfly Fun Facts

After finishing the newest chapter I’ve been thinking a lot about the Historian Butterfly series. I decided it would be fun to quickly write down some fun facts/headcannons about the characters. Most of these will be about Fukuro. These are things that might not come up in the story or are not covered in depth. Nothing here will be super big spoilers. They might come up in future chapters, but they won’t be a big deal. These are just small fun facts. This was a really fun way to get more of a feel for Fukuro’s character so let me know if you enjoyed.

If Fukuro had a breathing style it would be Water Breathing according to the official Demon Slayer Fanbook. I’m not sure if she would stick to that or use/create another style derived from it.

Fukuro is demisexual biromantic with a preference for women. She doesn’t really see people in a sexual way until she gets to know them. The thought of being sexually intimate with a stranger makes her sick.

In this AU, my headcannon is that Shinobu is a lesbian.

Fukuro is 6’0”. This makes her dynamic with Shinobu hilarious to me.

It’s been implied in earlier chapters, but Fukuro used to put a lot more care into her appearance when she was in high school and middle school. She wore lots of makeup, styled her hair, and loved putting together cute outfits. Once she went to college she got very busy and invested in her research, so she stopped.

Similarly to the previous post, Fukuro also used to wear her contacts much more often. But she started falling asleep with them in when she would spend days researching. Anyone with contacts would tell you how badly this would dry out your eyes. As a result she wore her glasses a lot more to avoid the issue.

Fukuro was very popular during her high school years. Ironically this is why she struggled to make genuine friends. This is also why she prefers to be called by her first name.

Both Fukuro and her sister have different shades of blond hair. Fukuro’s is strawberry blonde, while Emiko has platinum blond hair. This is because their grandfather was from the USA.

Ironically, Fukuro was scared of butterflies as a kid. This is because she once stepped on one and thought she was going to die because it was poisonous.

Despite her clumsy nature Fukuro has never broken a bone. She does have a small scar under her lip due to her teeth going through it when she was little though.

Fukuro doesn’t actually know for sure if she is in the same timeframe as when her great grandmother was a kakushi and when Muzak was defeated. Her memory is fuzzy enough on her grandmother’s stories that she hasn’t figured that out yet.

I like to think that Fukuro’s great grandmother is the equivalent to some sort of background character that always seemed to stumble upon important events. That’s why she knows so many stories.

Fukuro’s great grandmother’s name was Suzume Takara (If I’m correct then her first name means Sparrow)

Fukuro’s insomnia comes from her great grandmother. Her grandmother and mother have similar issues.

Fukuro, as well as her parents and siblings, are all fluent in sign language due to Emiko being selectively mute for a while.

Fukuro’s mother, Yua, is a lawyer. Her father, Hiroshi, works at his family’s bakery.

Fukuro’s back up plan if being a historian didn’t work out was to become an elementary school teacher.

Fukuro’s favorite food is natto, which is fermented soy beans with rice. Most people don’t like it. (It’s one of Japan’s least popular foods and considered an acquired taste) Her least favorite food is cinnamon rolls.

Fukuro is very good at lying, even when it’s on the spot. She knows the best way to lie is to say mostly the truth and leave out details, letting others make assumptions. She hates doing this though.