Uncovering Pasts

Himejima Gyomei

"Looks like we're in my past now," Gyomei said as he could get a familiar feel from the place like he had been here before for sure. 

"This should be interesting," Tengen said looking around. Gyomei led them into the temple and toured them as much as he could from memory. The big guy although blind was still the strongest of the Hashiras. Finally, they reached the main room where they found past Gyomei. 

He was sitting surrounded by a couple of kids. They looked like orphans. "Wahh Himejima-san you're so kind to everyone around you!" Mitsuri cried at the sight of Gyomei taking care of the little kids. "Thank you Kanroji but you are no less you have a  heart of gold too," He said praising her.

"Sensei!! we're going out to play!!" the kids said as they ran outside while the past Gyomei smiled. Even the present Gyomei was smiling at the memory of the kids always running out and remembering their sounds of laughter. He knew this wasn't gonna be one of the happy memories but he was glad to hear them again.

The Hashiras then spend most of the day getting to know the past Gyomei, the kids, and even themselves better. They spent as much time as they could with Shinobu except Giyuu he knew he wouldn't be able to take it when she really died so he wanted to stop the feelings but couldn't. It was hard... 

Finally, the day came to an end and the Hashiras went in the house and continued their talk there until the kids came back. "There's one missing.." Obanai said staring at the children. "Yeah .." Mitsuri said a bit concerned. This brought them to the thought of why Gyomei became a demon slayer. He looked like such a peaceful man in the past so why ... why would he choose violence? Why kill demons? Sanemi thought that something definitely happened and this had to do with the missing child. "Let's go look for him then!" Kyojuro announced and everyone agreed. After a while of searching, they finally found the child. He was standing in front of a demon. He looked petrified. "No..."  Mitsuri said in shock. "His gonna die," Muchiro said looking at the kid and then the demon.

Except the opposite happened. "Please spare me! please don't kill me" Kaigaku begged while the demon smirked. "Why would I do that little kid?" The demon said still not wiping off the disgusting smirk."I -I live in a temple with a blind man and eight other children you can eat them just spare me!!" He said scared.
"No way.. did he just throw them under the bus!?" Sanemi said shocked and angry at the kid. The others were equally shocked they didn't expect the plot twist.

The demon thought about it for a moment and then agreed. And so it was decided that he would put out all the wisteria incense so that the demon could come and kill them. And that is what happened. The hashiras watched the scene where the demon killed the children mercilessly in the dark. The fight between Gyomei and the demon the way he killed it. Gyomei was able to protect only one of the children, the sole survivor. 

Finally, people came to save them but the little girl was of no help the way how he narrated the story completely blamed Gyomei for the murder. Her words were the once they almost got Gyomei executed. "That stupi-" "No.." Gyomei said before Sanemi could finish his words. " That girl ... Sayo.. she .. she was confused .. she didn't understand what was happening she was only four after all we can't blame her for that can we?" Gyomei said smiling at him. Sanemi stayed silent. He was about to be executed when Kagaya came and saved him. 

So then everyone got the backstory behind him turning into a demon slayer. They were all silent for a bit before the scene changed again. It seemed like it was after a huge battle. They saw everyone wounded and people running around giving each other first aid. 

"What happened here?" Shinobu said looking shocked. Then they realized. Gyomei was sitting in the corner of a building covered with bruises. " Leave me ...don't use your medicine," He said quietly. "It's too late for me now you'll only end up wasting your valuable medicine..please use it on the younger ones... it's my last wish.." Gyomei said while being on the verge of dying. The Hashiras couldn't believe their eye the strongest Hashira... he died. This had to be the final battle with so many injured. They knew they were gonna win and were glad but the amount of causality ... "Himejima-san.... no.... you didn't deserve to die like this." Mitsuri said her eyes spilling with tears. Everyone was sad they couldn't believe their eyes that this happened. The scene changed a bit again and now they were in a slightly different place it was Gyomei and the kids. Were they in heaven? Gyomei's injuries were gone so it probably was. The Hashiras watched the reunion. They were glad he was able to see them again and the real reason was out about why they left. It was cute how they wanted to protect him and get help. "I see if only tomorrow had come... " Gyomei said crying. He was happy he had been able to help till the very end and was able to kids again he was able to leave peacefully knowing that.

"I'm glad you could reunite with the kids Himejima-san ... I'm sure you did amazing in the war too" Tengen said and the others agreed. They all were happy. They were glad the end of the demon king was coming close except maybe they lost too many hashiras... Iguro had noticed how he and Kanroji were in a corner talking to each other too and they looked really wounded and Sanemi was covered with bandages too. The only Hashira awake was Giyuu who seemed to be looking frantically for someone but except that he didn't see anything as the scene changed.

And the scene did change again there were in a completely different place again so they guessed they were in someone else's past. 

"Oh, it looks like it's my childhood so maybe my past now!!" Mitsuri said excited and slightly embarrassed at the same time.