Everything was quiet.
Everything was dark.
There was no sense of direction in the black void, only your sense of consciousness; even that, you felt slipping away with each passing second.
The ground beneath you was no ground at all, more like a lake with a surface of glass.
From the overbearing shadows in front of you approached a figure, outline hazy and undefined.
Tanjiro?
Disappointment struck when it turned not to be him, but Ren.
At that moment, your body seemed to form and you found your voice.
"And after you saw how happy I was that you were alive, you betrayed me anyway."
He seemed unfazed by your accusation and just shook his head. "I didn't betray you. I'm helping you."
You narrowed your eyes. The situation in the corporeal world was unclear, and made you anxious to return — if that were even possible. But first you wanted answers.
"I didn't ask for your help, Ren."
"Consider it as repayment for what you did for me at the Hellfire... At least, what you attempted to do."
You flinched as the flashbulb memory hit you instantly.
Tiny hands, a child's hands, poking out of the burning rubble, already burned and covered with blood. An acrid smell from the mess that was Ren's house. The boy who you'd spent your childhood beside was going to die a cruel, unfair death, and though in your heart you knew your efforts to save him were futile, you tried nonetheless.
The last you saw him was when he was nearly buried in the flaming wreckage.
You shook your head. That didn't matter anymore. Who either of you were back then would have no bearing in the present, and it was Ren who decided that the moment he betrayed your trust.
He's an enemy, you convinced yourself. And nothing more.
"You call this 'helping me?'" You criticized, gesturing to the surrounding void. "Wiping my memory? So I can live in blissful ignorance as my comrades give up their very lives for the cause?"
You stepped forward, unable to control your indignation. "How about helping humanity? Giving info on Muzan, or — I don't know — maybe finding the Demon who ruined any chance we had for a normal life?!"
When at last, true anger flashed in his eyes, you knew you'd struck a nerve. He swiftly closed the gap between the two of you and seized you by your collar.
"I don't think you understand, (Y/n). The gravity of your situation. You honestly think you can beat that monster?" It was his turn to scoff. "F*ck no."
He glared, two inches away from your face. You glared right back as he continued, "Revenge doesn't suit you. And neither does dying a pointless death."
He released your collar and took a step back, his expression softening.
"We're the same. I can tell. You've suffered many sleepless nights, riddled with guilt that doesn't belong on your shoulders. Just forget the pain you've ever suffered. Forget having to fight for your life..."
He hesitated.
"You're human. There's only so much you can do."
His tone was near condescending. So that's what he thought.
In his eye, humans were fragile and weak.
Yes, how easy it would be. To just conveniently forget. To disappear from the world, to rid yourself of the expectations placed upon you, both by yourself and your peers. To retire, to cower, to lay low and let others take over.
But despite all the pain and misfortune, there was much to live for still. Memories that would pain you to lose.
Like the one of the wisteria blooms, way back then.
"...I think you've spent a little too much time as a Demon."
"And why is that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. It was clear he remained a bit angry, but was now at least a little intrigued by your thinking.
"It's conceited of you to peg us humans as weaklings that will cave at the slightest hardship. That arrogance can only belong to someone who believes they are of a 'superior race.'"
You thought of Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Tanjiro, and continued, "We're flawed, yes. We can be cowardly, stupid, and naïve, yet we make up for each other's weaknesses. We have compassion. We learn, and grow, and persevere... and it's what it means to be human."
Refusing to back off, you met his steely gaze with one of your own. Your stubbornness always did help you in times like these.
Knowingly, he responded, "How sentimental. I think you're the one who's spent a little too much time around Tanjiro, seeing as how the old (Y/n) would never have said that."
"Maybe so. But I don't plan on changing that. And like with my own happiness, that's not for you to decide."
Your retorts had silenced him quite nicely. Ren sighed, by this point well aware the conversation would not be going his way anytime soon. He ended up turning his back to you, fading from your vision as he said firmly,
"I will do all that I can to keep you alive, even if that means taking your memories. What's done is done. Now accept that."
Then he tilted his head with a solemn,
"I hope I'll never have to see you again."
You watched him disappear into thin air.
The space was empty again. No noise anymore.
...Good riddance.
You could finally clear your head and start thinking.
Lay down the facts, (Y/n).
You didn't know the intricacies of Ren's Blood Demon Art, the basic function of which was some form of memory deletion. But would it be permanent? Could they be returned? For how much longer would you be able to cling to your consciousness?
Your throat tightened up.
Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke... all of them would be forgotten.
They were a part of your explicit memory — your conscious memory.
But...
Could he take away my implicit one-?
There was no way to know for certain, though when had that ever stopped you?
You closed your eyes, imagined your scimitar in front. Your hands closed loosely around it.
You started to go through the motions.
Breath of Snow.
Elegance. Grace. Poise.
First Form: First Snowfall.
Second Form: Crystalline Thorns.
Third Form: Glacial Cross.
Fourth Form: Arctic Slash.
Fifth Form...
• • * • • * • • * • •
~ T a n j i r o ~
The Demon that (Y/n) had called 'Ren' was holding her in his arms. She was limp, and wasn't responding at all. Her hands hadn't even reached the dual knives.
They reunited. They were close friends, I could tell, and yet—!
Tanjiro coughed violently and stood up, body aching all over. There was no resting until she was safe.
"What did you do to her?!" He was barely able to keep his breathing in check from the rage he felt. He was angry at this Demon, but even angrier at his own self for not staying vigilant. If only he had, the situation would never have gotten to this point.
It's all my fault!
Ren looked at him and simply replied,
"I did what was necessary for her own sake. When she wakes up, she'll have lost every memory about her past, being a Demon Slayer, and, of course,
You."
Tanjiro felt the blood draining from his face.
(Y/n)... would forget him?
Teeth clenched, air whistling between them, he let a surge of newfound strength power his legs and shoot him forward.
"Breath of Water, Tenth Form:
Dragon of Change!"
Still not entirely comfortable with the Dance of the Fire God, Tanjiro had no choice but to resort to the next most advanced technique — the Tenth Water Breathing Form. Gushing water burst to life at the hand guard, soaring swiftly side-by-side with the Nichirin Sword as it morphed into the visage of a dragon.
Each rotation made, however, only worked to increase his speed a little. It was minimal.
No—!
The execution was far from being even decent. Maybe because his emotions ran too high, or he was tired and not thinking straight. This Demon's strength almost matched that of Rui's, meaning it would do nothing.
But that didn't matter.
"LET HER GO!"
With his sixth rotation landing him within range of Ren, Tanjiro let out a ferocious swing from left to right so that (Y/n) was in no danger of being cut down. Ren just held out his palm and stopped the blade in its tracks.
As Tanjiro had feared, it was too weak to deal even a scratch — nevertheless, he kept pressing on.
"How dare you," he seethed. "Memories are not things to toy with; they're as precious as lives. Taking hers away is no different than killing her!"
The Demon smiled, still effortlessly blocking the attack.
"So you do care for her a lot, huh..."
Then he promptly released (Y/n).
Wh—
Tanjiro quickly let the hilt of his Nichirin Sword slip out of his scarred hands as he instead used them to catch her. Her fall startled him and the two collapsed on the ground.
He checked her pulse.
...Still there.
His own pulse was frantic, erratic. He couldn't quite understand what the hell was going on.
"Tanjiro."
Glaring up at Ren, the boy's arms protectively shielded (Y/n)'s unconscious body.
"You're kind," the Demon said. "Trustworthy, and brave. I can see why (Y/n)'s become so attached to you. She was—"
He paused for a moment and said, with a shake of his head, "No... Let's leave it at that."
For the first time in a long while, Tanjiro felt so utterly powerless. He knew his limits here. Ren would leave, regardless of how much a resistance Tanjiro put up. And all he could do was hold (Y/n) in his arms, waiting for her to wake up.
And... what would happen then—?
The Demon's dark green eyes showed no remorse, and yet... the scent he gave off was one of regret.
It was painful for him, too.
Despite this, he said,
"If you truly love her, you'll keep her from the truth. And you will never seek me out."
Tanjiro held out a shaking hand. So badly, did he want the strength to force him to stay and return her memories.
Silently, he watched as Ren bowed his head and leapt away.
Tanjiro and (Y/n) were the only ones left amidst the ashes of her homeland.
• • * • • * • • * • •