Chapter Twenty: Pretend Family
& Against Corps Rules
W/C: 4615
Miyake opened his eyes slowly, finding himself lumped against a tree and Rui crouching down in front of him. He tilted his pounding head, barely remembering what happened before he switched out.
Mayike was being a bitch, not helping Miyake heal correctly, it made Miyake feel weak. How pathetic, such a strong figure, always so weak... but Miyake couldn't think about that right now.
"Tan..ji...ro..."
Rui kept his stoic face as he glanced at the tree line from the corner of his eyes, "Your brother... he had been taken by that Water Hashira... as well as the demon girl."
Miyake nodded slowly, finding his head to be falling to the side in exhaustion, "Hm.. why... why are you still... here?"
Rui pursed his lips, he sat down in front of Miyake, "The pillar said that someone would kill me, and he left me here, while he took the siblings... though... Master wants me to take you to him..."
Miyake blinked, his movements slow as he had never switched with two of his reincarnations before, he found himself sleepy. Almost unable to respond, his head hurt, and his body was sore. He wouldn't be able to fight accordingly in this state, it would be dangerous. Miyake would rupture his lungs, or faint, which was worse in his opinion.
Rui frowned slightly, "How disappointing... you can't fight in this state... guess I will just have to take you to Master."
"Get away from Onii-Chan."
Miyake's body tensed noticeably when he heard her voice, it was Hikaru.. wasn't she supposed to be accompanying Shinobu? Why is she alone? Miyake coughed out as he tried to get up, only to slump down in an immense amount of pain.
Why was Mayike making this so much more painful for Miyake than it needed to be? He was doing this on purpose, making Miyake feel weak, this was the only time Mayike could feel true power over Miyake.
"Ple...Please... Rui..." Miyake spoke out weakly, his eyes half lidded as he tried to gain someone's attention, anyones!
Rui sighed, and stood up, his body facing Miyake but his eyes glaring dangerously at Hikaru, "You disrupted my time with Miyake-Sama..."
"Please... I'll go... I'll go to Muzan..." Miyake's tired grey eyes held desperation as he begged, "Please don't hurt... please don't hu-hurt my little sister..."
Hikaru narrowed her eyes at the demon, too far away to hear Miyake but close enough to notice he was in pain. Hikaru heard the faint sound of his pulse, his blood almost frozen in his veins, reining his body immobile... Hikaru breathed out erratically, Miyake must've used his dangerous breathing form...
Hikaru scoffed out with a smile, "Lowermoon. Don't listen to that Hashira... fight me." She sang out, her blade gracefully at her side.
Rui scrunched up his nose in disgust, "You're covered in wisteria... how annoying..."
Miyake clenched his teeth, his bones rattling against each other, making his ears ring. He could feel the coldness in his veins, forming branches against his pale skin as he hissed out in pain.
He should've known better than to use his reincarnations through his God breathing, it always ended in him getting frostbite.
"Please..."
His hushed voice was carried by the wind, his body shaking, Miyake wanted to close his eyes. Miyake wanted to rest, using that breathing was dangerous, especially as he has been healing a lot of people around him recently.
He was weak...
"Please!" Miyake yelled out louder, Hikaru flinching at her brothers loud exclaim, Rui turned to listen to him.
Hikaru furrowed her brows, with a sickening smile, "Hey, demon... Rui right?"
Rui knelt down to look at Miyake again, "Yes? Miyake-Sama?"
Hikaru narrowed her eyes, watching as the demon was completely fixated on her brother.
"If... if I go with you... to Muzan..." his eyes traveled up to look into Rui's, "Will you spare her? Please?"
"Miyake~ You aren't weak. You are the God Hashira. Don't make such dumbass remarks." Hikaru's face kept up the smile, she raised her blade and pointed it at Rui, "I can handle this lowermoon.."
Miyake smiled gently, it soon melted off his face as he felt the blood pool at his heart, "Please... please... don't take anyone else from me, Muzan..."
{*}
Hikaru finished Rui pretty easily, her wisteria infused blade piercing into his neck, just enough to poison him and render him deceased. The light that emitted from her blade was scorching like the sun, and the poison infused within, her whole blade was a demon repellent.
The desperate look on her brothers face led her to believe her brother was experiencing a kind of trauma. Hikaru smiled gently as she sat in front of her brother, she had given him some medicine to hopefully help with his breathing.
Her eyes narrowed as she felt a horrid presence behind her, Hikaru's smile unfaltering as she glared at Mayike's ghost-like form.
"If only I could..." her sickening smile made Mayike purse his lips, "I'd slice your head off." Hikaru sang out, her voice reminding Mayike of the purple butterfly.
Mayike wished to cut this girl into pieces, he wanted to torture her, "Ah, Hikaru.. is Miyake healing?"
"Don't act like you care. Go away, we don't need you." She smiled, her mismatched eyes creasing.
Mayike put his hand on his heart in mock offense, "How rude of you to assume. Maybe I do care."
Hikaru stood up, not even the leaves crinkling under her feet as she was silent and graceful, "The day you care," she pointed her blade at Mayike, "is the day demons don't devour humans."
In a gush of wind, Mayike stood in front of Hikaru, towering over her, yet she hadn't an ounce of fear in her as he sneered at her.
"You can't hurt me. Miyake's care for me stops you." She gingerly poked his heart, her serene voice hateful, "Even if you don't have one, Miyake's peaceful soul is stronger than your hatred for humanity."
Hikaru glanced down at Miyake, "He's healing, and he will be fine. So long as he recovers and doesn't try to heal anyone else. His body and soul are protected."
"Kibutsuji-San is furious." Mayike said, his hands crossed behind his back as he looked down at Miyake, "He heard everything Miyake said, and believes that Rui is to blame for his suffering. Though since you killed the demon, his fury is immense."
Hikaru noticed Miyake's movement from the corner of her eyes and she tilted her head to the side, the wisteria pin in her hair making a symphonic noise against her butterfly pin.
"How do you know this?"
Mayike's eyes relaxed, his posture faltering as he leaned down, "I once, too, was a part of Muzan's past. Though once he realized my name was not in fact Miyake, he killed me. How unfortunate."
He didn't sound the least bit worried about the past, he even mentioned his murder with a blank smile. What a wicked man, Hikaru thought.
Mayike playfully shook his head and gazed down at Hikaru, "Anyway, I'll be on my way."
Hikaru smiled,
"Go to hell."
{*}
Hikaru had a Kakushi carry Miyake back to the butterfly estate so he could heal quickly in order to go on his next mission. She gracefully ran back to her older cousin and mentor, Kocho Shinobu.
Hikaru looked ahead, seeing her mentor speaking to the sister demon, she jumped up quietly. Sitting patiently in the trees as to not disturb her mentor, Hikaru waited for Shinobu to finish off the demon.
"Wow, how amazing! Do you release those threads from the palms of your hands?"
The sister demon sweat at the sound of the Hashira's soft voice, she didn't even notice there was another slayer around, "Ah.."
"Hikaru-Chan, will you please get that lower rank slayer out of the ball?" Shinobu asked, being able to sense a familiar presence, "I think he is close to disintegrating."
Hikaru hummed gently, grazing down the tree and softly landing on the generous ground, not even the earth felt her move as she hurried to try and release Murata from the threads.
Shinobu looked up at the moon, "The moon is quite lovely tonight, don't you think?"
The sister grunts out frustratingly, sending her threads shooting at Shinobu. The hashira danced around the threads and advanced towards the demon sister, shoving the demon against the ground.
"I see you have no intention of being my friend."
The demon disaster fumbled nervously, scared for her life she called out to Shinobu, "W-W-Wait! I beg of you! I'm being forced to do this! If I defy him, I'll be slashed to shreds!"
Shinobu hummed quietly and tilted her head to the side, "Hm. Is that right? That's does sound tragic! I'll spare you! Let's be friends."
"Y-You'll spare me?"
Shinobu's eerie smile grew, "Yes! But in order for us to be friends, I have to ask you a few questions!"
The demon nodded, albeit hesitant and nervous around the butterfly. She quickly looked to the side and saw that Hikaru had already freed Murata, only bits of his clothes were torn, he had a large blush on his face as Hikaru offered to stitch them up.
"Ah.."
"Sweet young girl, how many people have you killed?"
The demon girl started to tear up, "Five.." she turned her head away from Shinobu, "But I was ordered to! I had no choice!"
Shinobu's smile seemed to falter, as if she was mocking a frown, "There is no need to lie. Because I already know."
Shinobu looked at Murata interacting with Hikaru, "That demon art you used to turn one of our men into a cocoon was rather impressive! You've devoured at least 80 humans, haven't you?"
The demon sister shook her head vigorously, "No of course I haven't eaten that many! I only killed those five!"
Shinobu's hold on the demon seemed to tighten though her face remained unfazed with an eerie smile and a aura of pure innocence, "But I came here from the west, you know. The west, my dear.
On the west side of that mountain, I saw hordes of cocoons hanging from the trees. The human captives inside had been liquefied. All massacred. In that spot alone, I counted at least fourteen cocoons. Fourteen humans. All dead. Oh, it's not that I'm angry. I'm only trying to confirm the accurate toll."
The demon girl scoffed quietly, "What good will it do to confirm that toll?"
Shinobu tilted her head again, her pretty lips upturned as she gazed down at the demon sister, "You'll receive the penalty you deserve and be reborn!"
Hikaru smiled softly as she stitched up the last hole in Murata's uniform, she bowed down, looked at her master and continued to run off with Murata in hopes of finding a Kakushi.
"Penalty?"
Shinobu nodded, "That way, we can be friends. If you go unpunished for taking all those lives, your victims will never gain justice."
Shinobu softly gripped the demons eye, opening it up tenderly, "I could gouge out your eyeballs or slash your stomach to rip out your organs. For every person you've killed, I shall torture you. And after you've suffered through all of the pain and agony, your sins will be forgiven."
Shinobu raised her hands in a form of celebration, "Let's both give it our all. Don't worry! Since you're a demon, my dear, surely it won't kill you and neither will there be any after effects!"
The demon narrowed her eyes in disbelief, "Who do you think you're kidding?! Die you damn witch!"
The sister demon throws her hands forward, sending a thread attack at Shinobu. Shinobu easily dodges the attack, and slashed the threads that soon followed. As the spider demon rolled away from Shinobu, the hashira gracefully flew back to the ground.
"I see that we will never be friends. Oh, what a pity!"
The spider demon turns rashly, about to send another attack, she falters after she finds that Shinobu is no where to be seen.
The demon hears a soft pattering, she looks up and sees Shinobu attacking from above. The spider demon is ready to attack when a flock of beautiful butterflies envelops her vision.
One gorgeous purple butterfly lands on her finger, she looks at it calmly before it begins to turn a bloody red, rotting away. The butterfly vision slowly dissipated, the demon reaching up to her neck and finding it still in tact.
"Ah.."
Shinobu lands on the other side of the spider demon, "Insect Breathing, Butterfly Dance... Caprice..."
The spider demons quickly spins around once again, seemingly in a flowing dance with Shinobu, she raises her hand up to send another thread attack.
A dark and brutal sensation battered against the demon sisters rib cage, she heard her heartbeat thump against her chest as the wisteria poison created purple spots on the demons skin.
"You mustn't think you're safe just because you haven't been beheaded. Because there are swordswomen like me who use poison."
Shinobu bowed, as if the demon would be awaiting her introduction, "Demon Slayer Corps, Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kochou.l"
"I may be the only swordswoman among the Hashiras unable to decapitate demons, but as I've created a poison lethal to demons, I'm also rather awesome." Shinobu smiled quietly.
Shinobu blushed slightly, mocking the demon.
"Oh, pardon me! You're dead, so you can't hear me, can you? Careless of me!"
Shinobu looked off to the side to see that the demon threads Murata was once encapsulated in were burning away, "Ah... Hikaru-Chan must've saved him, amazing! Now then, as for the whereabouts of the demon that forced this girl to do his bidding... Did Tomioka beat me to it, then?"
Shinobu's head tilts to the side in curiosity as she sees Miyake's crow slowly approach her, she raises her arm up to allow the unusually quiet bird to land on her, "Ara ara~ what are you doing out here? Has Miyake been killed?"
The crow dropped a letter into Shinobu's other hand, the golden embroidery and wax print made it obvious who sent the letter.
"Letter to... Kocho-Sama... from... Miyake..." The crow said, softly rubbing against Shinobu's other hand.
The insect hashira smiled, her lips turned into a genuine lift of happiness, "Ah... thank you so much! You may leave now!"
The bird silently flew away, making Shinobu believe that Miyake had not been killed, her body relaxed slowly at the thought. She opened he letter quickly yet quietly, reading the inside and her smile dropped.
"Miyake-Sama!!!!"
{*}
Tomioka looked down at Tanjiro and Nezuko with slightly widened eyes, he remembered the two from the mountain. The sister wasn't dead yet?
"Ah... you're...."
Tomioka has no time to reminisce as butterflies start to swarm the area, Shinobu launching an attack at Tomioka. Tomioka stepped over Tanjiro, who clutched Nezuko closer to himself.
Tomioka deflects Shinobu's blade.
"Oh? For whatever reason could you be getting in my way, Tomioka-San?" Shinobu sings softly.
She landed slowly on the mossy ground, "Weren't you the one who told me man and demon could never become friends? How should I put it? This is exactly why nobody likes you, you know. Fufu..."
{*}
Goto, a part of the Kakushi cleanup crew, sighed out, "Haa... Man, Lady Kocho's antidote is really effective!"
Another Kakushi nods enthusiastically, "Yeah! And all it took was one look at the situation to finish preparing it. She's truly amazing."
They look at Zenitsu, "That goes for him, too."
Goto perked a brow, pointing at Zenitsu, "Oh, that guy?"
"Since he defeated the demon, the poisons circulation slowed a bit."
Goto quickly writes a 'treated' note and sticks on a wrapped up demon slayer, "All right! This should do it. Looking good. Chances are, they'll all pull through! I wonder where Tatsuo-Sama is."
The Kakushi shrugged, "I'm not sure. Still, I'd like to wrap things up quickly and leave this place as soon as possible, wouldn't you?"
Goto nodded, standing up and dusting off his uniform, "Yeah, same here. I mean, this place really, really stinks!"
The Kakushi shudders comically, rubbing their arms to get rid of the goosebumps, "Man, and it's cold here!"
Goto tilts his head to the side, scratching his neck, "I wonder if Tatsuo-Sama left. He hates the cold."
{*}
"Now, now, Tomioka-San, please move out of the way."
"I'm not... I'm not disliked by people..."
Shinobu giggles, "Ah... I apologize... you have yet to realize how people think of you, huh? That was uncalled for, please forgive me."
Tanjiro froze, "What?!"
Shinobu smiles, "Little boy! You're protecting a demon there. I don't want to hurt you, so please get out of the way."
"Y-You're mistaken! Well, you're not, but... she's my sister! She's my little sister, so.. you see Mi-"
Shinobu interrupted Tanjiro's rambling, "Ahh, is that right? Poor thing. In that case... I shall use a gentle poison to kill her so she doesn't suffer, all right?"
Shinobu looked at Tomioka, "We have to be quick here, Tatsuo-San has suffered horrible side affects from his breathing technique! I'm disappointed I didn't get to see him use it." She smiled.
"Can you move?" Tomioka asks Tanjiro, now more than ever wanting to hurry back to HQ.
Tanjiro sweats nervously, "What about Miya-"
"If you can't, force yourself to. Take your sister and make a run for it."
Tanjiro nods quickly, "Tomiok-San, sorry for the trouble! Thank you very much!"
Tanjiro grabbed Nezuko and hurried off, his legs aching and his body screaming at him to stop, but the thought of not returning to Miyake or letting his sister die by a demon slayer forced his body to move.
Shinobu dot-eyed, "Isn't that against the Demon Slayer Corps rules?"
"Not if Miyake-Kun has allowed it."
{*}
"Message! Message! Caw! I bring a message from Headquarters! Kamado Tanjiro and Kamado Nezuko are to be taken back to headquarters alive! Caw!"
Shinobu stares at Tomioka quietly, she sighs out and hilts her blade, "Fine.. I'll listen to Tatsuo-San's orders," her eyes narrowed with a sickening smile, "but don't think my decision is by your actions."
{*}
"Wake up! Hey! I told you, wake up! Hey! Are you going to nap all day?! Wake up already, would ya?!"
Goto raises his hand to hit Tanjiro, until a unlikely voice cut through the headquarters.
"Get off of him."
Goto's hand reeled back to his side, he bowed down formally and froze up, "H-Hai! Tomioka-Sama!"
Tanjiro slowly wakes up, his eyes clenched in irritation of the bright sun.
"H-Hey kid! You're in the presence of the Hashira!"
Uzui pursed his lips in disappointment, "Bummer, I heard he was a Demon Slayer with a demon in tow, so I was looking forward to seeing someone more flamboyant... but that's one drab-looking dude, huh?"
Rengoku nodded in agreement, still slightly upset with Uzui over his inappropriate comments towards Miyake, "Yes! And now, we'll put this boy on trial! I see!"
Kanroji blushed, "To think that he's been protecting his sister who's now a demon... Now that's a beautiful sibling love! How brave!"
"W-Who are these peop-"
Goto slammed Tanjiro's head into the ground, "Don't open your mouth just yet, you moron! Just who do you think is standing before you?! You're in the presence of the Hashiras!"
"Hashira? Like Onii-Chan? Miyake-Aniki?"
Shinobu, being the only 'sane' one, answered Tanjiro's silent question, "This is the Demon Slayers' headquarters. And you're about to be put on trial... Kamado Tanjiro..."
"There is no need for a trial! Protecting a demon is a clear violation of the code! We're within our rights to deal with him on our own! We're going to behead him along with the demon!" Rengoku called out, his morals unswayed.
Uzui smiled proudly, "In that case, I'll be glad to decapitate him flamboyantly. I'll show you the most flamboyant blood spray you'll ever see. I'm talking max flamboyance. Then, Miyake-San will accept my proposal!"
"What? You'd kill such an adorable child? That pains my heart! It fills me with anguish!"
Tanjiro looked off to the side, and saw a man who was taller than Miyake, it intimidated him.
"Ah, what a pitiful sight this boy is. The poor soul...
I pity him for having been born at all."
Tanjiro clenched his teeth, "That must be the man Miyake-Aniki was talking about back when I first met Urokodaki-Sensei!"
"Hey, you... The Hashiras are speaking. What are you looking at?" Goto asked loudly, "These are 9 of the 10 highest-ranking swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps."
Tanjiro sighed out, his body still painfully throbbing, "Hashira... like Miyake-Aniki?"
"Hearing him speak of my future husbands name so casually makes me want to flamboyantly kill him even more!"
Rengoku hummed tensely with a forced smile, "Excuse me?"
Tanjiro ignored Uzui and Rengoku, "Nezuko! Nezuko, where are you?! Nezuko! Zenitsu! Inosuke! Murata!"
Iguro, seated within a tree, scowls down at Tomioka, "Forget that. What will we do with Tomioka?"
Tanjiro huffed out, so many interesting characters, Miyake hadn't told the young slayer about many of these Hashira.. did Miyake not want Tanjiro to know about them?
"Seeing him there without any restraints is giving me a headache. Based on what Kochou told us, Tomioka is just as guilty of breaking Corps rules. How will we deal with him? How should we make him take responsibility? What kind of lesson should we teach him? Don't you have anything to say, Tomioka?"
Kanroji blushed again, her eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration, "Iguro, you're as serpent-like as ever! Such a nag! I love how pesky you are!"
Her, as well as everybody else's, eyes traveled to Tomioka, "Tomioka! All by himself at a distance! How cute!"
Shinobu quickly shut down Iguro's thoughts, trying to alleviate Tomioka from the punishment, "Oh, where's the harm? He did come along without resisting. Let's come up with a penalty later. What I'm more interested in is hearing this boy's story. The reason he's going on missions with a demon in tow despite being a Demon Slayer. I'd like to hear the reason from the boy himself. Needless to say, what he's done is against the Demon Slayer Corps rules."
All these Hashira's spoke so much, like speeches of politicians, it made Tanjiro anxious inside. They were so excited to kill him and his sister, maybe this is why Miyake never talked about them...
Shinobu's soft voice made Tanjiro regain focus, "Kamado Tanjiro... Why are you travelling with a demon when you're a Demon Slayer?"
The loud sound of metal clashing against chains is heard as Uzui grabs his swords, "No need to ask."
"You can take your time, just tell us why..."
Tanjiro tried to speak, he really did, but the nagging sour feeling in the back of his throat constricted any sound from being produced. He coughed out violently as Shinobu quickly handed him a gourd of water, helping him drink.
"You've injured your jaw, so please drink slowly. It contains a painkiller, so it will make you feel better."
"Haa... That demon is my younger sister! While I was away, my family was attacked by a demon, and when I got home, they were all dead! My sister got turned into a demon, but she's never devoured anyone! She never has and never will! She'll never hurt humans, no matter what!"
Iguro rolled his mismatched eyes, "Spare us your absurd ravings. If she's family, no wonder you're defending her. I can't trust a single word you're saying. I, for one, don't believe you."
"Ahh... She's been possessed by a demon. Let us kill this poor child immediately so that she can be liberated!" Himejima said sadly, tears rolling down his face as he softly whispers out prayers.
Tanjiro coughed out again, but continued to vouch for his sister, "Listen to me, please! I became a swordsman so that Nezuko could be cured! It's been two years since Nezuko became a demon! And in all that time, she hasn't devoured one human!"
"Your story's spinning in the most drab way possible, idiot. The fact that she hasn't eaten anyone, that she won't from now on... Don't just give us lip service. Prove it to us with max flamboyance! I'm already angry with you uttering my future husbands name, and now this? Stop blabbering!" Uzui retorted, his eyes narrowing in frustration.
Kanroji spoke up gently, trying her best to think rationally of the situation, "Excuse me? I do have my doubts, you know. I just can't imagine the Master being in the dark about this situation. Do you really think it's okay to deal with him without his permission?"
Rengoku nods with a large grin, "Yes!"
Kanroji mentally deflated, trying once again to calm down the nagging men around her, "Shouldn't we at least wait until he arrives?"
"My sister... My sister will fight with me by my side!
She can fight as a Demon Slayer to protect humans! So please..."
"Well, well, I see you have some fun brewing here. Is that the moron Slayer who has a demon with him?"
{*}
Miyake coughed as quiet as he could, he tried to keep the hurtful sounds to himself, he didn't like being so weak in front of Oyakata-Sama.
But his reassuring voice was so gentle and soft, it made Miyake forget all about the problems of his life, and only focus on his mentor and "big brother."
"Miyake-Kun... you don't have to hold back your pain in front of me, please, I wish for you to treat me as your equal... not your superior..."
Miyake nodded slowly, "Hai.. Kagaya-Kun.. I just find it hard."
Miyake frowned, sitting beside Kagaya, "I respect you so much, that I still wish to bow to you, just because of my sheer respect for you, brother."
Kagaya smiled at Miyake's honest words,
"Miyake-Kun, I know the past in unclear to you, but we are a lot closer than you think. Mind if I tell you a story?"
Miyake nods his head furiously, "Yes! Please, Kagaya-Kun, I will listen to everything you say."
Kagaya smiled gently, raising a weak hand to softly rub Miyake on the head, "I'll tell you how far our bond goes back, from each generation."
Miyake smiled, and leaned into Kagaya's brotherly touch, something he doesn't get back at home since he is the oldest. Kagaya slowly pulled his hand away, and told Miyake of the vast generations and reincarnations that are written in multiple books.
In every one of them, we're Kagaya and Miyake closest, Miyake flushed in embarrassment. Stilling finding it hard to believe, and he wasn't going to change his ways, Miyake fumbled with his fingers.
"After the meeting, may I borrow the books?"
Kagaya nodded and grinned, "Of course, you are welcome to any resources in my home, you know this."
Miyake blushed, and pursed his lips, "Right... thank you... let me help you to the meeting.."
Kagaya shook his head, "No, you are healing from a past injury, one I understand you haven't experiencd in a while. Nichika and Hinaki will help me."
Miyake pouted, still helping Kagaya up from the mat, and guiding him to the wooden doors. Kagaya and Miyake quietly chitchatting, before they reached the door to the patio. Miyake became silent, as did Kagaya, Miyake slowly let go of him.
"The masters have arrived..."