Demon Slayer Hantengu - Tumblr Posts

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 14:

Doctor’s Notes

Warnings: Discussions of mental health, child abuse, and mental breakdowns

Word Count: 3167

11/27/1923 - First Thoughts

Tomorrow, I will start my therapy sessions with the demons, well now "half-demons." Through careful planning, I've decided to interview Rui first. Reason being that he's a child demon. I don't really hold much animosity towards him since he was probably manipulated by the former king, Muzan Kibutsuji.

In all honesty, I'm not too eager for these sessions. It's not that I think they'll attack me. If they do, I've got my sword always on my hip, so I'll always be ready. No, that's not why. In reality, I just don't believe that they can change. They've eaten humans, so they've tasted blood before. I have no doubt that they'll be hunting for every opportunity to taste blood again. I can understand why Nezuko would be considered redeemed, but these other demons..I don't know.

The only reason why I agreed to this is because I know Tanjiro needs all the help he needs right now. He's stressed out and my disapproval will only make it worse. There are so many odds against him..I just feel like he could use a break. Besides, maybe some good could come out of this. That's what she would've wanted...

Anyways, tomorrow is going to be an interesting day. I'll keep logging in this journal after every session. For now though, I need to get some rest. Let's hope for the best.

Shinobu Kocho

11/28/1923 - My First Session With Rui

When the spider demon walked into my office today, he looked petrified. I immediately crouched down and asked him why. He said that he thought he was going to be scrutinized or even killed. I didn't know that I scared him that badly. Luckily with some quick reassurance, we were able to continue the session.

The first thing I noticed about the pup was that he looked like he was never satisfied with how things were. Specifically, his kimono. Rui constantly adjusted it, even though it fit him just fine. He also adjusted the soft pad I had him sit on. When I asked him why he did what he did, he told me that "it just didn't feel right." He said that he knew that everything was neat, but something told him that it didn't fit right. This was the first piece of his puzzle.

Next, we took a trip down memory lane. I asked him about his life as a human. This was simple enough. He told me that he had two loving parents, but an incredibly weak body. It was so weak that taking a few steps would exhaust him. That's why Muzan came to him. In a way, I can understand why he would accept his offer. As a doctor, I know that he would've only lasted a few more years if he wasn't converted.

Then, he started to grow upset. Rui told me that his parents tried to kill him because of what he was doing to others - eating people - but they were also going to kill themselves to join him. He didn't realize that and killed them in self defense. It all became clear.

Rui wanted to create a family so he could have a loving relationship once more. I unfortunately can relate to that. Wanting your family back after a terrible accident..One thing threw me off though. Rui was incredibly peculiar about the roles of the family. He even went as far as to plan our roles for the siblings, despite not having any siblings himself. Not to mention, the way he described his parents made it seem like they fit in the traditional roles.

When I asked him about this, he said that "If the family didn't work that way, everything would turn to ruin." He seems like he didn't want everything to fall apart again. As I observed him, I noticed that he felt like terrible things would happen if he didn't do something in a specific way every single time. He told me that he always counted to thirty seconds when he's washing his hands. Rui also told me that if things were organized chaotically, the day would be disastrous.

Furthermore, I can tell that all this change is stressing him out. He interchangeably grasps his hands together, showing that he's clearly nervous and upset. I know that a part of the stress was being interviewed by a Hashira, but the other problem was definitely the changes. As of recently though, there has been a discovery in this field that these traits perfectly fit.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD seems to be what the pup has. His past of having a feeble body makes it worse. With all the pieces I had, I tried to give him some advice. Since his anxiety seems to be incredibly high, I told him that he should try to rest in the small meadow outside the Infinity Castle. The light from the sun will help to soothe him and going or even playing outside might give him the confidence he needs.

Another thing that was necessary to be aware of were his intrusive thoughts. I told him to be aware of the meanings he's assigning to these thoughts. Rui seems to know that these thoughts are distracting, which is a step forward. So, I told him that he needs to disconnect the meaning behind the thoughts. That's the first step to stopping the compulsions.

Looking back on this, I forgot that Rui was a half-demon when we were talking about his OCD. He talked to me like a human child, not a bloodthirsty monster. The pup was genuinely afraid and somber. Nothing about him showed that he was faking his emotions. For the first session, it surprisingly went well. I know that the others won't be easy, but I do hope that they decide to come in.

Shinobu Kocho

11/30/1923 - The Shabana Siblings

Today, two demon siblings came in upon Tanjiro's request. They were the two Uppermost Six demons, Daki and Gyutaro Shabana. I had asked Uzui about them before this session. Despite of what happened at the Entertainment District, he seemed rather nonchalant about them. He did say that they did have a high temper, so I kept my sword at the ready.

What I got were two calm, yet protective siblings. I guess Tanjiro had worked his magic on them. He must've warmed them slightly, enough to have them discuss their pasts. Speaking of which...

I did not expect the Entertainment District to be that hellish. Tengen has told me before that the place was one of the worst places imaginable, but I didn't grasp the full picture until now. Their story was horrific and it was hard not to feel sympathy for them. Everyone left or beat them....strangers, colleagues, even their parents. All they had was each other.

Once again, I felt myself relating to my patients. I even imagined myself in their shoes. What if my sister and I had been abandoned by everyone? What if we were shunned by everyone who should've shown us kindness? What if the only being that showed us grace..was a demon? Would we end up the same? Was this how Kanao felt?

I didn't expect to feel this way, but I still had a job to fulfill. When they finished their narrative, I asked them how they felt now. Gyutaro seemed to be more at ease with himself. He even said that he made friends with a demon named Kerido. From the look of it though, he seems to feel a stronger affection towards the demon.

Daki, on the other hand, seems to be unsure of who she is. I would say that she was immature for her age, but she was converted at thirteen, so it made sense. I will say though, she has my type of humor. A few chuckles came from me when she started teasing her brother. Very unprofessional, I know. I just couldn't help myself.

After their session, they did seem to be at ease. Maybe having someone to talk to made them feel better. I wish I could do the same...Once again, another strange, calm session. I know it won't be like this forever, so I'm still prepared. Tanjiro telepathically spoke to me a few hours after the session, which felt odd. He told me that the Hantengu clones would be coming in the next few days. I'm not really sure what to expect, but I'm prepared for whatever is in store.

Shinobu Kocho

12/05/1923 - The Hantengu Clones

They all arrived at once, which overwhelmed me at first. Luckily, I was able to organize it rather quickly. I decided to interview them from who I suspected to be the easiest to the most difficult. So, Karaku, the clone of pleasure, was the best choice.

One thing I should add is that I actually had Mitsuri's help with these sessions. She discovered her Blood Demon Art yesterday and we both thought it would be rather useful. Basically, she can create a mist from her heart-shaped marks that soothes everyone who's around her. With no surprise, she came to me and offered her help. I am glad that I'm not the only one who's willing to help with this project.

Karaku wasn't really difficult to work with. He had a rather relaxed personality, which was nice. There was a strange oddity about his past though. He didn't remember hardly anything about his childhood, nor about the crimes that Hantengu had committed during his human life. He vaguely remembered stealing, I guess it gave him some pleasure. Most of his memories come from his teen years and his demon years. This just struck me as odd when we talked.

Another oddity that came up was that Karaku wasn't just his particular emotion. He had a whole personality! Karaku is a very relaxed, laid back, and oddly flirty character, but he's also lazy, slightly whiny, and prideful. I was expecting him to just represent his emotion and that was it, but I got more than I expected. So, I kept my eyes open while having the sessions with the other clones.

Urogi, the clone of joy, was up next. He was surprisingly sweet and, not so surprisingly, hyper. While we were talking, the bird demon couldn't sit still. He rocked back and forth at times and messed with the objects surrounding him at other times. To most people, this may seem like he doesn't care about what your saying. I, on the other hand, beg to differ. Reason being is because when I confronted him about it, he looked rather upset and disappointed in himself. He apologized profusely for it. Clearly, he's been scolded for it before.

Now for what he may have? I do have an idea. A while ago, I remember reading a paper that was written by a British pediatrician in 1902. There, he described an occurrence in certain children that resulted in difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, and hyperactivity. Despite this, the children were still shown to be intelligent. Therefore in my mind, he should not be treated unfairly for his behavior.

Similar to Karaku, he doesn't remember anything from Hantengu's childhood. Instead, Urogi remembers games he played with his friends during his teen years. However, most of his memories are of his demon life. As I expected, Urogi never took any of the fights he had to deal with seriously. He just wanted to play games and have fun. I can understand that.

Along with that, Urogi also mentioned that there has been tension amongst his "brothers", which is how he refers to the clones. When I questioned him, Urogi said that the transformation into Zohakuten is extremely painful, both physically and mentally. During that time, all the clones are flooded with terrible hatred and vague memories of people's wrath.

He told me that Sekido was the one who initiated the transformation. However, Urogi said he understood why Sekido did it, but he wished that they could talk about it. I hope that I can help them with their tension. None of us want them to be torn apart.... It reminds me of someone.

Anyway, I managed to cheer him up by the end-which wasn't hard-and he left with a wide smile on his face. Now I didn't need to have Mitsuri use her abilities for the first two clones, but..we did have to use it for the next clone. Aizetsu, the clone of sorrow, walked in with an emotionally tired expression. I'll be honest. The first time I saw him, I did feel rather sympathetic for him.

This session brought so many pieces to the puzzle. Unlike the other clones, he remembered Hantengu's childhood. Aizetsu spoke softly as he told me the many horror stories from his childhood.

To say that I was sickening would be an understatement. According to Aizetsu, Hentengu lived in a single parent household. That parent being his cruel father. He was an alcoholic, short-tempered man who frequently beat his son whenever he didn't get his way. Hantengu's father threw away any toy that annoyed him and often kept him locked up inside for weeks as "punishment". Dragging his son by the hair, Hantengu's father often convicted him that he was narcissistic for forgetting simple things or didn't do things his way.

Aizetsu trembled as he spoke of fear and sorrow. He remembered craving love and he never received it. His mother was never there, his father was abusive, and he never had any friends. Hantengu feared for his life for he was too weak at the time to do anything about it. That was when Aizetsu broke.

He began to sob into his hands as he recalled all the pain he went through. I immediately tried to soothe him with breathing tactics. This did virtually nothing as he only sobbed harder. Backup was needed. Mitsuri released the mist from her marks. I held his hands as he breathed in the mist.

Just like how Mitsuri described it, Aizetsu was slowly soothed. He wiped away his tears as his breathing slowly regained normality. As his therapist, I had to help him. With a soft voice, I told him that he doesn't have to worry anymore. No one will hurt him here. He was safe.

Aizetsu smiled at me as he listened. He told me that he was never really a fighter. Whenever they were called for battle, he never wanted to actually hurt anyone. Honestly, I can see that. The way he acts is incredibly gentle and soft. I wasn't surprised by any of this news. However, he did confirm what Urogi was saying, except he felt the pain on a much larger scale.

I'm not going to lie. I was rather tense as I called Sekido, the clone of anger, into the office. I was apprehensive from the very beginning, but the fact that Zohakuten causes so much pain on his brothers makes me distrustful of him. However, I'm his therapist, so I have to be open minded.

The session started out calmly enough. He answered my basic questions with no attitude or ill-temper. Then..I asked him about his past. That's when his temper began to rise. Sekido cursed about his father. White Aizetsu's memories were more in the moment, Sekido's memories were the vengeful aftermath. He spoke with pure hate for that man. I can't say I blame him..

When Hentengu grew into his early teen years, he began resisting against his father's beatings. Sekido came to tear this man apart. That was his first murder. This might sound cruel to say, but I would've done the same. This is where things took an even darker turn.

Sekido was the only clone that remembered the murders. He told me that he needed to kill those people to protect Hantengu. They made him feel weak. They made him feel used. However, this was when he lost his temper.

He rose up from his seat and roared with fury. Sekido vented about how much pain he and his brothers went through and cursed us for trying to kill them. One line in particular stuck with me. "How dare you assume that we're monsters when you don't even bother to understand why we are the way we are?!" This not only applies to us, but it also applied to his father as well.

Mitsuri released her mist to quickly calm him down. With the mist and some affirmation, Sekido calmed down and we resumed the session. He apologized for losing his temper and explained that he's been apprehensive from the very beginning. With all this information, I've come to a shocking revelation.

The clones are Hantengu's different personalities. They each have selective memories and they seemed to be formed for certain purposes. Urogi and Karaku were meant to help Hantengu be happy with no guilt or fear behind his eyes. Aizetsu internalizes all the guilt and suffering that his father inflicted on him. Sekido was the source of protection and a defense mechanism.

This man was deeply wounded as a child. I'm not trying to excuse what he did, but he really was unaware of his actions until it was too late. It really was his hands that killed those people. With the selective memory, I can understand why Sekido killed them. He thought that they were trying to attack him and his brothers. In that way, I can understand him..I can relate to him.

Shinobu Kocho

12/06/1923 - Final Thoughts For Now

I don't know what to feel anymore. In all honesty, I expected to roll my eyes at their stories. I thought they would prove themselves to be the monsters I thought they were. What I found though were stories more human than I could ever imagine. I found myself relating to them, which scared me at first. However, I have come to acknowledge the truth of the situation.

We demon slayers were hurt by demons. Therefore, we hurt them. Demons, on the other hand, were hurt by humans. Thus, they hurt us. This isn't a battle between good and evil-as I originally thought-but it was a civil war between two groups of broken people. Every few of the beings in that war were good or evil. We were all broken, attacking each other in the name of revenge.

I thought...that extermination was the only solution-especially after Kanae died-but I can't say the same after listening to the demon's tales. I know that I might sound crazy. I know that I might get hurt later, but I genuinely believe now that this is the best way to go. There are some that I'm still skeptical of, but I will keep a open mind.I will continue these sessions and see how the half-demons grow over time. This war has to end and I believe that this is the best way to end it.

Shinobu Kocho

Author's Note: Yes, this is written in first person. I thought that this would be more impactful for Shinobu's character development. I did do research for this, so I hope that this is accurate representation! Sorry for not updating, I've been constantly sick. I do hope you enjoy this though!

Have a headcanon that Yoriichi helps Nezuko in hinting how to get Tanjirou's blade turns red.

" he whimpers " -- yeah and he DEFINITELY CRIES WHEN YOU RUN YOUR FINGERS THROUGH HIS HAIR WHERE IS MY MAN'S SWEET AND SOFT HEADCANON I NEED MORE

He will gives soft kisses to your wrist, trailing down to your knuckles and to the tip of your fingers.

He will cry if you give him presents, especially thoughtful and deep gifts.

Random things I think about after watching the latest episode of Demon Slayer:

- I thought that Muichiro's father might be siblings with Tanjirou's but the family name doesn't add up so! What if Mui's grandmother is a Kamado and married a Tokitou. Mui's father inheriting the red eyes and married a turquoise eye coloured woman hence the Tokitou twins are born.

- I love how Tanjirou gets so work up over Zohakuten victimizing himself, like he's so pissed that this demon has the audacity to acts like a victim when it's the other way around. That he also gets so angry over being questioned why he cares about others, why does he keep helping others when it's not his business.

- CRYING SCREAMING WHEN THE CLONES GET ABSORBED AIZETSU MY MAN 😭😭

- CRYING AGAIN WHEN MUICHIRO KEEPS TRYING TO GET KOTETSU TO LEAVE AND LOOKING SO HORRIFIED WHEN THE BOY GOT STABBED

- This episode reminds me of Gyutaro and Daki, how they're on the different side of the same coin with Tanjirou and Nezuko. They became demons because they suffered, contrast to the Kamado who became demons slayers because they suffered.

Tanjirou and Nezuko are the definition of " The world is cruel and makes us suffer so we make sure no one gets the same fate."

I understand why some people thinks the fight between Muichiro and Gyokko seem shorter than the last time with Gyutaro and Daki so here are some my speculation:

1) Muichiro has gotten the mark so his strength, speed, durability get more enhanced. Not to mention that he's very strong for someone his age and became a Hashira at a young age has proved how powerful he is even without the mark.

2) Gyokko's fighting skill and range isn't as far as Gyutaro and Daki, and he isn't as destructive with his surrounding that much compare to the siblings. His attacks mainly focuses on Muichiro and are quick to vanish into ashes at being slices, leaving not traces left behind.

3) Muichiro basically more stronger than Gyokko with the mark: he is poisoned and bleeding around but still maintain a perfect strength and skill to keep up with Gyokko. The mark probably helps in slowing the poison too. So the fight is done quicker than the last fight in entertainment arc.

I think it's just me, but maybe the factor of destruction of the surrounding and the exaggeration of movement can manipulate the length of time shown. Gyokko punches and swipes a lot after transforming into his last form, and Muichiro dodges and moves only in that area without the need to jump across many trees.

Also, maybe their fight is happening at the same time as Tanjirou and the others. See how fighting Hantengu seem to take more time? With his rank and ability, Hantengu has far range fighting skill, splitting up to clones and the area of the battle expand more. Aizetsu has smaller fighting range while his other clones can expand the area more like Sekido with his thunder striking, Karaku with his wind blasting and especially Urogi who flies around and has high frequency soundwave shrieks.

Then comes Zohakuten and his dragons, so Tanjirou, Nezuko and Genya have to move around like, a LOT, to dodge and plan counter attacks. Mitsuri comes along then and she, with her unique sword, also has far range fighting skill so along with her perfect acrobatics ability, she's in her zone in fighting Hantengu.

Again, these are just my speculation though 👁️👁️

(they also did so WELL on Muichiro's smirk, capturing the sinister smirk and mocking eyes)

AHH THEY'RE ALL SO CUTE

Let's go last episode next week!! 😭✊✊💕💕

Some thoughts of the recent episode:

1. I have severely underestimated Mitsuri's strength and capability in the manga, holy moly she's astoundingly strong and it shows in the anime! She singlehandedly stopped one of the dragon with her bare hands!

2. I, too, have underestimated Genya's strength when he becomes partially demon...like I forgot that trees have deep roots and the tree that he threw is so big how the hell he's so amazing

3. NEZUKO BEING SO AMAZED WITH MITSURI THEY'RE SO CUTE SISTERS DUO

4. Tanjirou strikes again with his wholehearted words for Mitsuri! :D

5. Really, REALLY love how Tanjirou gets so pissed over Hantengu. He hates this cowardly demon, who victimized himself. He has no mercy for Hantengu.

6. I love Mitsuri's family, but I keep thinking on how crestfallen they would be when they received the news of Mitsuri's fate after the final battle :((

It's awesome 😳👍

Kny fantasy au

I worked a little on the design of Zoha :3

and especially his size! LOOK!

50 meters high!

Honestly, what would your reaction be to such a beast like that? the stick man is the size of Mitsuri...

If you have any questions about this au, don't hesitate!