The Red Fox [Original]

Chapter 19 - The Mission.

The murderous glare of the moon once again shone brightly as it had just risen from the depths of the horizon. This lunar light shining brightly through a now open window at the man sitting alert in his chair at the desk of the room, that was in front of the window. His slit red eyes shone calmly as he then rolled up the scroll, that was laying patiently on the desk, and sealed, leaving it on the desk. The cold nightly breeze flowed into the room making the man's burgundy hair and hanafuda earring swing ominously in the wind.

He then slowly got up from the chair, as he walked over to his bed, to pick up a black sheath and katana. He then placed the sheath at his hip whilst placing the sword itself within it, with it clicking in place. He then placed the palm of his hand on the end of the katana's hilt as he then looked out of the window into the night sky. The man then noticed something enter the room, from the window, and then looked to the window seal to find a crow.

"Tanjirou, I have a mission that Oyakata-sama has assigned you personally." The crow spoke making the man's features harden inattentiveness. The crow noticing this continued, "You will accompany two pillars due to the confirmation of two of the now five lower moons, these being two of the five within the group that has been ravaging villages and small towns throughout the coastal regions of the country." The said, seriously as the man simply nodded as he then turned his gaze back to the night sky.

"Thank you Haruto, I'll leave immediately but before I do I have a favour to ask of you," Tanjirou said in a tone of utter severity, gaining the crow's full attention. The crow stared at him as if saying to continue. "I've been having a feeling within my gut this mission is going to go bad in some way." As he said this the crow's eyes widened a little as he held himself from inquiring further, as to hear his request.

"If anything happens to me to make me unavailable to train Yui I want you to give this scroll to her," Tanjirou said as he then walked over to the desk and picked up the scroll and handed it to Haruto, placing it in front of him. The crow's beck opens wide as the serious tone in the Tanjirou's voice. Within Haruto's mind, he thought, no, he wished he was joking but he was deadly serious. With this brief mental monologue, a small period of silence descended upon the room, making the atmosphere eerily quiet and deadly.

"Sure, you have my word that this will reach her if you are otherwise unavailable..." Haruto answered, making the eyes of the frontman soften in gratitude, though he refrained from saying anything because he could tell the crow hadn't finished. "Though I doubt that this request will be needed to be fulfilled. I mean, even if you are limited to one form of the breath of the sun, your speed and technique should be more than enough for any demon that isn't an Upper Moon." Haruto said proudly and half-heartedly, this tone however didn't last as he noticed the man's features harden even further. This made the crow a little scared at the aura that Tanjirou was emitting. Nothing overpowering on the outside but you could tell that it meant death.

"I am not as foolish as to believe that I am infallible. To underestimate an enemy, in my experience, is the equivalent to losing the battle..." He said sternly making the crow's head drop a little, though not for long. "... But I am reassured through your words." He said kindly, with the aura of the man changing from reserved deadly to one that was eternally warm and happy. Making the crow smirk as he flew up to Tanjirou's shoulder as he perched himself then, this made the man confused at first but shrugging as he then walked to the door.

Tanjirou then reached the door and reached for the handle but as he did he felt as though the gut-retching feeling within his stomach was amplified, this made him flinch a little which caused the crow to raise an eyebrow in concern. Tanjirou then continued to open the door and walked out of the room, making the feeling lessen but not go away, as he then walked the halls of the butterfly estate, with Haruto still on his shoulder.