First Blade
イントロアーク
残虐行為
~
願い事をしました
~
↪I saw it coming.
It only made sense that this long line of original demon slayers wasn't included in the story since they were dead before it took place.
My family, the Shinoyama's, were a reclusive demon slaying family that lived in the peaks of Mt. Kankawa. Raku was retired, despite only being in his forties, and Ruko wasn't allowed to be a slayer. Roko was the eldest, and should be the head of the house instead of Raku, but when their parent's learned he was sterile and couldn't have children, they made Raku the next successor. Ruko had a daughter, but she died at birth along with his wife.
Riku was set to be the next head of the house.
If only they hadn't all died.
It was a rather cloudy night, and the entire Shinoyama family was home, even the Megane's were all there at the same time. Yasaki has a sister, Saruki, who helped around the infirmary. She was a kakushi, apart of the corps, but she was home since she had accompanied Riku on his way home from a mission.
It wasn't a special event or anything, but the house staff decided to make a feast for everyone, as a notion of thanks for protecting them.
Raku and Ruko pulled the sticks out of their asses for once, drank some sake, and relaxed. Riku, who was of marriable age, flirted shamelessly with Saruki, who blushed furiously the whole time. Yasaki came a few close calls to murdering Riku, but Roko, Tadashi, and I restrained him from doing so. Tadashi and I snickered at the tipsy adults before us as we kept moving thins out of their grasp and watch them get upset over physics.
It was so relaxing, that I hadn't even considered the possibility of us ever being attacked that night.
We were all heading to our rooms when it happened.
Tadashi and I had asked Raku if we could stay up, already knowing he'd dismiss us with a 'sure whatever', thanks to the alcohol in his system. He and I ran laughing down the halls, thanking him as we set off towards the ponds.
Saruki was the first one to notice the demon.
I just wish I knew how bad everything was about to turn.
~
"No, get your own."
"What?! This is my house! You got that from my kitchen!"
"Then you should've grabbed something when I did."
"I thought you got them for both of us!"
I pouted, my cheeks puffed with air irritably as Tadashi ate mochi in my face. It was pistachio mochi too, my favorite. There had been some leftover from dinner, and he'd swiped them on our way to the ponds, which was sat on the edge of, our feet dipped in the water.
"You look ugly when you frown like that." Tadashi stated, not even looking at me.
"Oh shut up! I'm not the one who drools in their sleep!"
"Please, that's not nearly as ugly."
"You're right. What's uglier is when you spent that day over eating rice and then I had to help you barf-"
"Ew, don't bring that up!"
I snickered as he swung to hit me but Tadashi had zero training so it was like getting tapped on the shoulder.
Tadashi ripped the rest of his mochi in half and held it out to me.
"Here. Take it, you crybaby."
"No! Now I don't want it!" I huffed, crossing my arms and turning away.
"What?! Take it you brat!"
"No!"
"Why you little-"
Tadashi grabbed my chin in one hand and shoved the mochi in my mouth the the other. I scrambled to grab it before it fell. He snickered at the glare I sent him as I chewed.
"Youur luffy I'mf ina foodh mood." I said.
"Yup." Tadashi agreed. "I'm luffy you're in a food mood too."
I smacked him as I swallowed. He and I sat there for a little longer in silence, listening to the occasionally silent splash of water from the pond. The pond garden was in the back of the estate, about a football field away and slightly down. The trees were starting to change color, and the air was colder.
"Rumi?"
"What, jerkface?" I asked absentmindedly.
He pinched me as he kept talking.
"Are you gonna become a slayer like your brother?" He asked.
I paused.
I looked over at his face, which might've looked impassive to anyone, but I could tell he was a little worried.
"I don't know." I said, looking back down at the water. "Dad quit training Yumi because she lacked talent, which is why she never became a slayer. Riku had to. He didn't have a choice, which is how he lost his eye. But me . . . I'm not sure."
That's an actually good question. If I stay out of the plot, there's still a happy ending. It could've been happier without all the deaths that occurred, but there's nothing I could do to change that. I'm an almost-five year old girl with some ability to an extent, but I'm nothing special.
My eyebrows furrowed.
But what? That means I just sit here safe in this mansion while people die? Deaths that I could've helped prevent or avoid entirely but I didn't speak up because what? I'm a coward-
A hand was placed over mine.
"You're overthinking whatever it is you're thinking in that head of yours." Tadashi murmured. "Just stop. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. Just sit with me. We'll figure out our future later."
I took a deep breath to calm myself, but a scream pierced through that moment of silence.
Tadashi's hand squeezed mine in fear and we jumped to our feet on instinct.
"What was that?" He asked, voice panicked.
"Like I know!" I hissed, head snapping left and right to find the source.
"Tadashi!"
Tadashi's head perked up at the sound of his father's voice.
"Dad?!"
"Tadashi, run!"
An explosion rocked the air. It came from the house, burning bright and fire licked the trees and it spread from the center of the estate.
"Oh no, Yumi! Riku!" I shouted.
I let go of Tadashi's hand and sprinted towards the house.
"Rumi, no! Dad said to run-"
"I can't leave them!"
I jumped over burning pieces of wood as I darted towards the collapsed wall, looking for any signs of life.
"Roko?! Riku?!"
"Rumi!"
I was yanked off my feet and tossed over a shoulder. It was Raku.
"Wait, Dad! Where's-"
"Quiet!" Raku whisper shouted. "It tracks by sound!"
I clamped my hands over my mouth, and that's when I realized Raku was running almost silently. I couldn't hear his footsteps at all as he ran away from the estate towards the ponds where Tadashi had been joined by Yasaki.
"How did the fire spread so quick?" Tadashi asked.
"The demon threw Yumi into the pantry where we keep all the alcohol, and one of the cooks panicked and tried to set it on fire." Yasaki said, panting. "It spread from there."
"You're hurt!" I realized.
Yasaki was clutching his shoulder and leaning against a tree. It was black, contrasting with the blue robe he was wearing, and bleeding.
"When the pantry exploded, some of the wood splintered. I'm fine. We need to go."
"Not without Riku and Roko-!" I started.
A sudden boom occurred from the east wing of the estate that hadn't collapse yet and I watched in horror as Riku came soaring through a wall and into a tree. Blood spurted out of his mouth from the impact but he reached weakly for his sword and glared with his one good eyes to his opponent.
"Ri-"
Raku clamped a hand over my mouth and motioned for me to be quiet. Riku's opponent stepped out of the burning house, and my eyes widened in horror as I realized who the demon was.
Kokushibo.
He's gonna die. How he's not dead already is a miracle, but he won't be able to defeat Kokushibo!
"Yasaki, take Rumi and Tadashi and go." Raku said, setting me on the ground.
"What?! What about you?!"
"Go, Rumi." Raku said firmly.
"But-"
"RUMI."
I flinched.
Raku dropped to his knees and I expected him to smack me, but instead, he pulled me to his chest.
"My beautiful daughter." He begged. "Please. I won't be able to focus with know you're in danger. Run."
Tears filled my eyes before Yasaki grabbed my hand and lifted me onto his back.
"Don't die Dad!" I cried as Yasaki started running.
Raku's eyes watched me leave, filled with regret before they hardened and turned to the prominent sounds of slashing and banging and he ran.
I don't remember my past life. I don't know what it was like to have parents, or how they treated me growing up. But I really hope they were like Raku. Because despite all of that hardness and cruelty, he did it out of love.
~
We weren't even halfway down the mountain when Kokushibo caught up.
We had to stop and bandage Yasaki's shoulder because he was losing too much blood, and I knew Kokushibo was going to smell it. I barely had enough time to drag Yasaki out of the way before Kokushibo split the tree into two, almost severing Yasaki in half.
"Run-"
I was too busy horrified at the realization that Kokushibo killed Riku, Raku, and Roko. Not to mention Yumi and Ruko, and all the others.
I received a strong blow in the side and I felt several ribs crack before I was sent flying into the forest.
"RUMI!"
I hacked out blood as I hit the ground hard and tumbled to a stop.
I struggled to my feet, barely to my knees before a shadowed cast over me. I froze in horror as I realized who it was. Kokushibo was staring dead at me, and it took all my strength not to start crying.
Instead, I glowered at him, continuing to struggle before I was back on my feet again.
"Impressive. For a child." He said.
I looked behind him and saw Yasaki was missing an arm to my mortification, and Tadashi was nowhere to be seen.
Until I saw what was in Kokushibo's hand.
He was dragging Tadashi's injured body behind him, and Tadashi was cringing at the pain.
Fast as I could move, I reached into my kimono to yank out the dagger I always kept there. I raked it across his eyes, knowing it was a feeble attempt, but I had no choice. It was life or death here. Kokushibo started in surprise as his blood splattered over me and Tadashi. I wrestled Tadashi from his grip and tried to run, ignoring the agonizing pain in my side, but soon a foot slammed me to the ground and pinned me there.
"I applaud your bravery, child." Kokushibo said. "It's been more than a decade before a human attempted to fight back. And it's a child, no less."
I don't know why for whatever reason, but Kokushibo was ignoring Yasaki and Tadashi, and I was fine with that. The night was lightening, and I wasn't sure if Kokushibo noticed, but if I could stall, that's what I'd do.
"That boy back there fought well, with a breathing style I've never seen before. Do you know what it's called?" Kokushibo asked.
I scowled at that.
That breathing style is the reason why my family was killed in the first place.
"I . . . don't know." I choked out.
"Lies." Kokushibo snarled, apply more pressure. "You are no fool, you're aware of what your family practices. Tell me."
"Should've thought about that before you killed my family." I snapped. "Eat shit, spawn of satan."
There was another snap as another one of my ribs broke and a pained cry left my mouth.
"Silly me." Kokushibo said mockingly. "I forget how fragile you humans are. Let's try that again. What is the name of the breathing style."
A lightbulb lit up in my head. It was a risky idea, but I was out of any other.
"I don't know, Michikatsu. Why don't you tell me?"
The whole world seem to gasp, and the night was silent. Kokushibo was frozen, and didn't say anything for about three minutes. Before I knew it, I'd been flipped onto my back, and his foot stepped harshly on my chest. His sword was unsheathed and he brought it down my by head, cutting my ear barely.
And his face was full of pure rage.
"How. Do you know. That name?"
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Okay, I might've made this worse! What do you do when you're out of ideas and you're helpless?
"HELP!" I shrieked. "SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US!"
Kokushibo looked like he was about to laugh before something smashed into his side.
Oh. It worked.
To my relief, the sky was getting bluer, and I could see rays of yellow on the horizon.
But my attention was more on my savior. That familiar red and white flame patterned haori. That yellowed hair tipped with red swayed in front of me as I panted, trying to regain my breath and stay conscious through the pain.
But . . . it wasn't the Rengoku I knew and loved.
Shinjuro Rengoku had arrived.
⭐︎★⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼✶★✶⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼★⭐︎
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