twilight ~ a demon slayer fanfiction

Chapter 1: Silence

Kiko Suzuki

"Miss Kiko?  Are you alright?"

A female around 18 years of age was sitting in a room, staring at a window.  Well, right before she turned around to the voice.  She sees a middle-aged woman inquiring her.  It was the owner of the inn.  The female glanced at the woman for a few seconds before turning her head away from her.

"Hm?  I'm fine."  The female had replied simply.  However, the tone of voice seemed worrisome.  It seemed... anxious.  The middle-aged woman then sighed softly, shaking her head.  The tone in her voice seemed hidden, but even the woman can even detect it through Kiko's voice.

"You don't look fine, Miss Kiko.  Ever since you completed your mission, it seemed like something's been bothering you."  Hearing that, Kiko had sighed.  She slowly shook her head.  "I can't go back to headquarters.  My crow won't let me, and I don't know why."

"Your crow won't let you?"  The middle-aged woman had asked, a worried look coming on her face as well.

Kiko slowly shook her head, then looking down at the floor.  It looks like she would have to stay at this inn for a little while longer.  Ever since Kiko had finished her mission, she had the plans to head back to headquarters after completing it to report it to the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps.  However, her crow wouldn't prevent it.  She was a bit confused until her crow had started to pull on her haori to make her stay back several times.  But she didn't want her friends to think that she went missing.  She had people that she cared about.

Suddenly, a squawk was heard, and Kiko looked up, noticing something flying towards her window.  She squinted her eyes to see what it was.  After a few moments of silence, she finally noticed who it was.  It was her crow.  It promised that it would go find some answers for Kiko about why she couldn't come back.  Kiko knew well that there was something going on right now.  But what?

"Kiko!  I have found answers!  Caw!"  The crow had squawked out.  Kiko raised an eyebrow, and slowly crossed her arms.  "Is that so?  Well, you better tell me what's going on.  I can't stand the silence any longer."  The female had pointed out.

"Well, you see, there are three Demon Slayers that were found dead.  And those three were known very well among the Hashira!  This event happened recently, so the master had ordered that you stay back where you are until this is resolved!"  Hearing this, made Kiko shocked.  Now she understood.  This made so much sense.  She now understood why the master told her to stay back.  She could tell this was hard to hear and explain.

"I... see.  But I simply cannot stay here for any longer.  I must go back to where everyone else this.  I would like to join and help them."  The female had said.  She walked to pick up her sword, but her crow grabbed her by the haori, making Kiko gasp in surprise.  She even stumbled a bit.

"You heard what the master said!  He says you must stay here!"  Hearing that, Kiko immediately shook her head.  "No!  I need to help them!  I can't have them think that I'm dead!  There's already three of them known to be dead already!  Besides, what kind of Hashira am I to leave them behind?!"  The female had pointed out.  Despite Kiko's tough exterior, she had a sense of duty, and deep down, cares for everyone.  She couldn't just abandon them, could she?  It would hurt her heart to leave them behind to do this.

"I have told the master about your condition!  You are a Hashira, but you're a new one!  Caw!  You are too inexperienced for something like this!"  Hearing that from her crow, ticked Kiko off.  The expression on her face changed into an annoyed one.  A tick mark quickly appeared on her head.

"Excuse me?  I've been doing missions for the past year, and I've been carrying them out just fine.  I'm sure I can help out with something like this."  Kiko had muttering, gritting through her teeth.  Hearing that she had to be held back for something like this, annoyed her greatly.  However, her crow had retaliated back, simply telling her that it was the master's orders.  It even told her that she couldn't even do anything about it.  Kiko sighed quietly and facepalmed.  She had almost lost her composure there.  It wasn't like she was stubborn.  She just wanted to help.  However, her crow seemed to be the stubborn one.

"Fine."

Midnight

The female was sleeping soundly.  The inn she was staying at was quiet.  Calm.  Even the town around her had been rather quiet.  Well, it was mostly like that, especially at nighttime.  Demons had rarely come around this town.  Kiko had wondered why that was the case at times.  She didn't recall seeing any wisteria there.

A few seconds had passed on by.  And even a few more seconds went on through the night.  Until a bright light was seen nearby the town.  It even woke some of the townspeople up.  Some of the townspeople walked out to see what was going on.  But this wasn't any bright light.

It was one from an explosion.  And it shook Kiko wide awake.  What was going on?  The female quickly turned to the window, quickly getting up and running over to it.  She had taken notice of smoke, cinders, and ash not too far from where she was standing.  But where did that explosion come from exactly?  After a few seconds of looking, she could find a somewhat clear location of where it came from.

To her horror, she instantly knew where the place was.  That caused Kiko to freeze on the spot immediately.  She takes a step back, muttering something unintelligible under her breath.  The headquarters.

It was at the Demon Slayers headquarters.

Her friends.  Her Tsugoko.  She needed to get there as quick as possible.  She couldn't leave them to fight.  What if they got hurt badly?  Kiko wasn't going to let that happen.  She wasn't.  Not after what happened to her years ago.

Kiko quickly changed into her uniform and put her haori on.  She then grabbed her sword, then running downstairs to the first floor.  Suddenly, a voice had called out to her, making her stop at where she was walking.

"Miss Kiko?  Is everything alright?  Are you leaving?"  That made Kiko turn around, seeing the same middle-aged woman who had spoken to her hours ago.  Kiko had bit her lip gently.  How was she going to answer this?  Almost everybody had heard the explosion within the town.  It may have not happened in the town itself, but still, everyone could still hear it.

"I'm sorry... but I have to."  The female had mumbled under her breath, glancing at the woman once more.  However, she looked away after a few seconds.  However, the expression on her face seemed worse.  She looked even more anxious than she was hours ago.

"I... I understand.  You're a Demon Slayer.  You wanted to help.  Go."  The woman had stated, nodding in affirmation at Kiko.  Kiko then fully turned around, facing the woman.  She then bowed quickly.

"Thank you.  Thank you for your time.  And I'm sorry."  Kiko had stated.  The expression on her face was unreadable.  She then fully turned back around towards the door, then walking out the door.  As soon as she walked out that door, she started to pick up the pace on her feet.  She didn't realize this, but she was a lot faster in her speed than she thought.  Especially when she's running in panic.

Within ten minutes, she made it to the headquarters from the side.  However, she could still get a full image of what's going on.  But now seeing things up close, made her cover her mouth in horror.

What she saw was a wave of demons coming towards the headquarters with other Demon Slayers fighting them off.  How was this possible?  Kiko thought that the Wisteria would hold them off.

Kiko's hand moved to her sword, her hand trembling.  She trusted that her friends could do this.  But another part of her told her to run in there.  Help them.

But the master had said to stay out of this.  Let the others handle this.  And she couldn't disobey that order from him.  But still.

She needed to help them.  Within a few seconds of thinking, she draws her sword, then running into the battlefield, letting out a shout as she ran towards the demons.