"Tanjiro, are you . . . maybe a little . . nervous?"
After two days, they finally arrived at Asakusa as soon as night fell, the lights and vastness of the vibrant city something that neither slayer had ever come across before. While Naminé found its spectacles alluring, Tanjiro was barely holding himself together, face covered in nervous sweats as he, Naminé, and Nezuko tried to navigate through the city.
"What kind of town is this, Naminé?! It's night, but it's bright out! The buildings are so tall! What the--?!"
A chuckle fell from her lips, quietly muttering to herself. "You country bumpkin . . . "
"Um, uh, let's go this way."
Tanjiro directed them through the crowded streets, finally managing to come across a clear pathway that took them through a dimly lit park, his nose leading the three to an udon stand stationed near a couple of benches. While he sat with Nezuko and tried to compose himself, Naminé ordered a bowl of udon for the two of them.
Handing the bowl to Tanjiro, she took a seat beside him, digging into the noodles.
"What sort of demon do you think we might come across here? I don't think it will be as easy to gather information as the last town."
"I'm not sure. I've never been to a place like this. There are too many people . . ."
The slayer's burgundy eyes shot open, his nostrils flaring as he quickly stood, something close to horror on his face as he stared blankly ahead. Instantly, she was to her feet, grabbing the sleeve of his checkered haori.
"Tanjiro? Tanjiro, what's wr--"
But the slayer sprinted back in the direction they came, not once looking back as he charged ahead.
"Tanjiro!" Naminé yelled, beginning to rush after him before realizing that Nezuko would be left alone. "Nezuko, don't move! Stay right where you are! I'll come back with your big brother!"
Sprinting after Tanjiro, she began to grow anxious about how she would find him when he was already long out of sight, but as she sprang out into the busy streets, a clear path forced between the crowds seemed to be his trail. Barging through the citizens, she muttered apologies, but didn't really care how much she inconvenienced them. Not while Tanjiro was acting so unusual.
A heaviness in the atmosphere gripped around her lungs, making it more difficult to breathe as she worried for her friend's safety, though she finally saw Tanjiro's bright haori ahead, easing a bit of the pain in her chest.
"Tanjiro!"
But relief was short-lived once she saw what he was standing before.
A . . . demon.
But no regular demon.
No . . . The sheer power radiating from a well-groomed man with wavy black hair and crimson, slitted eyes stood glowering at Tanjiro, who seemed ready to kill on sight. Why had he run all the way here to this demon in such a craze? Especially with the slayer's sympathetic nature towards demons, this reaction was completely foreign for Tanjiro when there didn't seem to be any sign of a struggle around. It seemed as if there was a personal vendetta against this demon in particular--
Please, no, she thought, ashamed of the quake in her limbs as she reached Tanjiro, grabbing his arm. The demon's gaze then fell onto her, sending waves of shivers deep enough to reach her soul. Don't tell me . . . that this demon is . .
This was Muzan.
"Oh, dear, what's wrong?"
An elegant looking woman approached the demon, who she hadn't even noticed was carrying a human child until just now, chewing down on her bottom lip to keep from shouting out that the man pretending to be a doting husband and father was actually one of the most powerful creatures wandering this earth.
And the one that forced Nezuko to become a demon . . . and slaughtered Tanjiro's family . .
All at once, fear was replaced with rage.
This monster had soiled the home of one of the most benign individuals she had ever met. No one deserved that sort of fate . . . but especially not Tanjiro or Nezuko.
"Monster," she hissed at the demon, hoping more than anything that he could feel her wrath. "You're a monster."
While the wife looked appalled by her words, Muzan simply smiled--but Naminé could see the violence raging behind his unfeeling eyes, both she and Tanjiro gasping when they noticed his hand, the nails elongated and sharp, slash across the neck of a passerby.
Instantly, the man began to convulse, veins protruding around his temples as his wife latched onto his arm in concern. Without any time to act, the man shifted around, his now clawed fingers digging into the woman as his fangs came down on her neck, the woman's scream echoing all around.
The man had been transformed into a demon.
"STOP!!"
Tanjiro raced forward, bounding onto the man and holding him down as to not attack any more civilians. With citizens and even Muzan's family occupied with watching the horrific scene, Naminé raced to assist--only to be stopped by the powerful grip of a clawed hand around her neck.
Everything inside her grew still.
"Would you mind repeating what it is you called me? I believe I might have misheard."
The hold began to tighten, in threat of crushing her windpipe as she attempted to scream at the pain--only wet, choking sounds emitting from her throat. Raising her hand, Naminé attempted to sink her nails into the demon's skin--but it was like steel. She didn't even make a dent on the surface when giving it all of her strength.
Her eyes felt as if they may burst from her skull when she shifted her gaze to a smiling Muzan, somehow managing to stutter out a string of words.
"I . . c-called . . you . . . a . . . . monster . . "
The demon's confident smile fell.
"NAMINÉ!"
Before any head could turn in their direction, Muzan's grip on her released, Naminé crying out in anguish as she fell to the ground, hand rising to her throat as she tried breathing between fits of coughing. It was evident that Tanjiro wanted to run to her as he continued to cry out her name, but if he let go of the man, he would only lunge to kill the people around.
The slayer's eyes widened as he witnessed Muzan sink to the ground next to her, leaning close enough for Naminé to feel his breath against her ear.
"You look just like your mother."
. . . What . .
The gentle features of Ichika washed over her mind, her mother's laughter all she could hear ringing in her ears.
Somewhere within her, something gave a harsh snap.
Twisting her head around, a quiet rumbling began to build up within her, something in the pit of her being threatening release as she glowered at Muzan.
To her surprise, his eyes showed a hint of astonishment.
"My . . " he started, a twisted simper stretching on his lips. "What a unique find I have come across."
Something harsh hit against her head, the last thing that Naminé saw being the incensed face of Tanjiro, the boy seeming to drag the demon inch by inch towards where she lay, hand outstretched for her to grab onto.
She didn't get the chance to know if he ever reached her as the world sank into shadows.
✾❃✾ ✾ ❃ ✾ ✾❃✾
✾ Even as Naminé shouted for Nezuko to remain near the udon stand, the young girl was already fast asleep long before they left, the vendor being kind enough to nervously watch over her until the two returned ✾
✾ Seeing Naminé being choked by Muzan added yet another crack upon Tanjiro's heart ✾
✾ Now that Naminé realizes that Muzan has some sort of connection to her mother, she won't rest until they cross paths again. Once she gets the answers she seeks, she will watch as his head tumbles from his shoulders ✾
✾❃✾ ✾ ❃ ✾ ✾❃✾