First Blade
イントロアーク
プライバシー
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あなたはうるさい
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↪It was kind of endearing.
"Little boy Roko, you're really starting to get on my nerves."
"You don't need to touch her to listen to her!"
Douma kept pulling me into his lap no matter how many times I subtly crawled out of it, and it Tadashi looked ready to flay him.
I explained the answer to Douma's first question already. I recounted the events of that night, noticing how Tadashi flinched subtly at some parts, and explained my family's research on demons. Tadashi couldn't confirm nor deny this information, since he only ever worked in the infirmary, and didn't know much more about my family other than the fact that they were slayers.
"And how did you know that man's name?" Douma had asked when he tugged me into his lap yet again.
"It's impossible to be a demon slayer and not know the name of the king of demons." I scoffed.
"Fair." He murmured.
"Plus, you really think I wouldn't have know even if I wasn't? I still come from a long line of slayers." I said absentmindedly.
It's kind of unfair how the Shinoyama family died before the original plot-line of Demon Slayer takes place. Riku was only Hinoto Rank, but still held his own against Kokushibo for a while. That proves something. Kyojuro, as lovable and amazing as he will be, will become a Hashira and perish after a decent fight with Akaza. If Riku had been given better training, and more time, he could've gotten a whole lot stronger. The Corps would've stood a better chance with the Shinoyama family alive.
I hadn't heard what Tadashi and Douma had been talking about while I zoned out, but I heard me name a few times and blinked back to the present.
"-just a child. She'd rather be with me."
"You're a grown ass man! Back off-"
"Watch your mouth Tadashi. You really think I couldn't hear either of your real names previously?"
I blinked at a red-flushed Tadashi and a smirking Douma who turned to me with a wide smile.
"Look! I had my first argument and won! Aren't you proud of me (Y/n)-chan?"
I blinked before giving Douma a smile and patting his arm.
"Super proud. Great job."
Douma stuck his tongue out at Tadashi who snarled and stalked away, pacing angrily around the room.
~
The hour came and went, and the sun was up. Douma holed himself up in his hotel room, but waited by the door to send us off.
Who would've thought . . . one of the Upper Moons wants me dead and I just practically had a sleepover with the another.
"One more thing."
Tadashi was settled safely in the crate on my back, and I was geared up and ready to go, sword on my hip, and bag restocked.
I gave Douma my full attention as he crouched before me.
He glanced half-heartedly around before lifting his hand. It seemed like it was starting to explode before I realized it expanding and splitting apart from him before forming into a fan. His signature weapon.
"This won't be imbued with my abilities, since I do not have the power to transfer that to objects like that man. But this is familiar to enough demons, so should anyone else beside Kokushibo-dono and Akaza-dono come your way, show them this, and they'll leave you alone." He explained.
I blinked in surprise.
He's keeping his mouth shut, and he's giving me something to protect myself with. What happened the last two hours? He was ready to slice me to pieces before.
"Thank you Douma." I said, taking it from him before slipping it into the sleeve of my kimono.
"I should be thanking you," He sighed without his usual joy. "I feel . . . different. It's kind of nice. I don't force a smile because I don't understand it. Of course, I'll have to keep that act up around the others."
I frowned worriedly.
"But . . . won't Kibutsuji get into your memories?"
Douma nodded.
"If we careful bury what we want to hide, and focus entirely on something else, there's a chance he'll miss it. I've always been okay since it's mainly your emotions that give away you're trying to hide. Now, I'll actually have to put forth an effort, but I should be okay. If I just bother them, they'll ignore me!" He said with a grin.
I snorted.
"Well, be careful, okay?"
Douma blinked before grinning brightly and snatching me into a hug.
"AWW! Is (Y/n)-chan worried about me!?" He squeezed me, but not nearly hard enough to hurt me.
"Let her go you absolute fool!" Tadashi's muffled shout came from the crate.
Douma ignored him and turned to me seriously.
"Be careful."
I smiled.
"I will."
~
I trotted through the forest, humming a modern song I knew no one else would know.
As vague as my past is, I knew it wasn't a happy one. The song that was stuck in my head was rather depressing, and I knew what that meant.
I tried to focus on my travels as made my way through the next village. I reached it not too long after noon, and was happy to see some new faces. I was worried that Douma had just been screwing with me, and would kill me and Tadashi the moment he could, but so far, I was fine and it was daytime so it wasn't like he would come chasing after me anytime soon.
This village looked vaguely familiar, and there was a mountain not too far from here, that sat eerily above the town. Unfortunately, a few minutes late before my arrival, Koma had informed me that my destination was a small bit away beyond the mountain.
Townspeople waved confusedly, but cheerfully at me as they bustled busily up and down the streets.
"Excuse me." I stopped by a stand that was selling mangoes. "Could I get two mangoes?"
"Of course." The man said with a kind smile.
It made me a little nervous at first, but he had swiftly swiped to mangoes and put them into a small bag before presenting them to me. This man had no ill intention.
I handed him his coin and continued down the road as I started to peel one of the mangoes. I fed pieces to Koma who sat on my shoulder, and nibbled on the hunk myself.
This sucks. Kuwajima's estate should be a some distance behind that mountain, and it'll take forever to climb it, and going around it would just take just as long.
"I wonder if anyone lives on the mountain." I sighed to the crow on my shoulder. "Could you-"
"The Himejima's do."
I froze.
I turned to a pair of men who had overheard me. They were washing and skinning fish of scales in front of a curtained shop stall when I was passing, and paused their work to assess me.
"Oh, forgive me, I was thinking out loud." I said, bowing slightly. "What was that you said?"
"It's quite alright, we butted in." One of the men said. "The Himejima's live on that mountain. They've been there for a while."
I bit my lip.
"That wouldn't happen to be Mount Hinode, would it?"
"Correct you are young miss." The other man said.
I tried to resist the sigh of relief that came out of me.
That's right. Even though I'm alive before almost the entire cast of Demon Slayer, Gyomei Himejima was the eldest and most powerful demon slayer. He lived on Mount Hinode before he lost his family for some unknown reason. And then he moved to the temple where he sheltered orphans.
"How nice for them." I said, titling my head. "It must be nice up there."
"They're quite religious, but very nice people." The first man said.
"Are you traveling on your own?" The second man said, giving me a concerned frown. "A young girl shouldn't be out on her own."
I laughed lightly.
"Thank you for your concern." I said. "There have been people accompanying me on my travels from village to village, and my . . . brother? Cousin. My cousin is in the village as well, buying things. My grandfather actually lives on the other side of Mount Hinode. That's were I am heading."
"Oh!" The second man said. "Then you should head to the Himejima Estate. They house people from time to time."
"I wouldn't want to intrude-"
"Hey! Tanaka!" The first man said, leaning to yell into the shop. "Come here! There's someone you need to meet."
Tanaka?
"Izuno, I'm your boss. How about Tanaka-san? Just for a little respect?"
The man who stepped out made my jaw drop.
What is with all this hot men, but this guy his huge!
He was towering at about 7'5", and had shaggy brown locks that curled slightly around his ears. He had to duck as he stepped out of the stall, and I had to bet that his neck hurt from staring down at people all the time. His eyes were gentle pale green, and his nut-brown skin was smooth looking, and firm. He was built quite well, and you could see almost every vein in his arms when he crossed them over his chest.
"We've known each other for six years." Izuno dead-panned. "You were at my wedding."
"I'm still the boss."
"That's the equivalent of me being Hikari's boss."
"Not my fault you're lesser than him."
"Yet you're the one who lost your last job."
"Hikari, please smack him." Tanaka sighed.
The other now-named man obliged and delivered a sharp smack across the back of Izuno's head.
"OW!"
"Now, what do you want-" Tanaka paused as he finally spotted me and tilted his head.
"Oh. Hello, little one." He said, studying me.
There was an entire full four foot difference between me and Tanaka. I felt dwarfed, and immediately wanted to either hug him and sit on his shoulders, or run away crying.
"H-Hello." I said bowing. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Rumi (Y/n) Shinoyama. You can call me (Y/n)."
Might as well start using my real name to strangers. Shinjuro and the other will question it if I suddenly start going by a different name. So I'll pose it as a middle name.
Koma squawked indignantly.
"And this is Koma." I amended.
"(Y/n), this is Tanaka Himejima. Part of the family I was just telling you about." Izuno said, having immediately forgetting about the assault just placed on him. "Tanaka, (Y/n) is traveling to her grandfather's residence past the mountain."
"You're quite young to be traveling on your own." He kneeled before me, but there was still a large gape between our height.
"My cousin is also here." I said, fidgeting. "He'll meet me at nightfall when he's done with his errands."
Can't tell anyone I'm alone and then have Tadashi show up. Need to give him an alibi.
"Well, why don't you both come stay with my family for the night?" He offered. "I can even accompany you to your grandfather's home tomorrow."
"You don't have to!" I said. "I know the way. Sort of. I've never been before, but-"
"I insist." He said, green eyes earnest. "You won't be safe on your own."
Well, I would be. Thanks to Douma's fan. But it wouldn't hurt . . .
I frowned.
But I might drag them into my problems as well.
Tanaka's finger poked my forehead.
"You're overthinking it. Repeat after me. Very well."
"Very well?" I said.
"Great!"
I blinked as I realized what he did.
"Hey-!"
"Izuno, Hikari, let's close up early. I have some errands to run as well." Tanaka said, turning to the other men.
"An early day off!?"
"We're forever grateful to you (Y/n)!"
"Don't worry. You both will be working double tomorrow."
"WHAT?!"
I giggled as the men whined and complained to Tanaka, who looked like he'd rather be taking a nap at the moment.
"(Y/n), would you like to accompany me through town?" Tanaka asked.
"Let me go find my cousin." I suggested. "He might not me done yet, but we can meet you at the foot of the mountain at sunset."
"Alright. Tanaka nodded. "Boys, take care of things here."
"Yes sir!" Hikari and Izuno said cheerfully.
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