𝐊𝐲𝐨𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐨 𝐱 𝐀𝐤𝐚𝐳𝐚

ch. 3

Kyojuro's eyes opened and he jolted upright. He looked around at his surroundings—he was in the Butterfly Mansion. 

He was lying on a bed, that much he could feel—but he quickly stood. Moonlight shone into the room, and nobody else was present. He took a step on the wood, cautiously making his way to the door. He went to grab his sword, but where his hilt should have been was nothingness. He looked down and saw that he was dressed in a hospital robe. 

The opening of a door startled him, and a nurse jumped in surprise. She dropped her tray that had a glass of water on it, and it shattered on the floor, the shards piercing her legs. It wasn't long before blood seeped out. Rengoku felt mesmerized by it—he couldn't look away. The girl was whimpering as he leaned down, he licked his lips—eyes still transfixed on the oozing blood. 

His hands wrapped around her leg, saliva started to drip down his mouth making a wet puddle on the floor. He leaned closer, the smell was enticing, she had an herbal scented body wash scent still lingering. He opened his mouth to take a bite but before he could sink his teeth in the girl kicked him. He recoiled, his nose started bleeding but it healed immediately. The girl ran out the door, stumbling as she cried for help. Rengoku wanted to follow but he just sat there, looking blankly at the dust that rose off the stairs at her descent. 

Then somebody yelled a name. He heard footsteps pounding up the stairs and he stood in a defensive position, arms up and teeth bared. A boy in a green and black coat hurried up the stairs, he looked worried, but no one beside him was in the room. Perhaps he was delusional. 

"Rengoku! Snap out of it!" 

That name again. His annoyance grew and he swung at the boy, knocking him into a wall. More footsteps up the stairs. A yellow-haired boy and boar-headed man rushed into the room as well. Swords gleamed in the moonlight and Rengoku winced at the metal that forged them. He tackled the yellow-haired—he looked the most helpless—and was about to claw at his face but he was pulled off by strong hands. A girl with a bamboo muzzle it looked like, but she didn't have the same aura as the others, she was alike him. 

His attention was now on her. She helped him up and led him by hand down the stairs. Rengoku followed with no hesitation, like a lost puppy. They walked down a hall, a pair of nurses saw them and scurried away to hide, but they both didn't mind. She led him with such determination that he wasn't worried about where they were going, only curiosity brewed inside him. 

Then he caught a scent, it was a savory and salty scent and it warmed him to the brim. She was leading him that way. He matched her pace now with more energy, and soon they were both running. 

Once the scent was overpowering he was met with a table filled with freshly cooked food. His eyes glinted with all the shine from the sauces and golden brown crust. She sat him down at a chair, gave him some chopsticks, and motioned for him to eat. 

Rengoku set down the last plate, it made a small clink as he stacked it on top of the others. He felt energized and happy, he looked to see if the girl was still there but she wasn't. He looked around and then heard a yell, 

"Rengoku!" 

Then he finally realized it. That was his name. He was Kyojuro Rengoku, the Demon Slayer, the Hashira. He ran to where the voice was, he climbed up the stairs at lightning speed and saw Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. They looked at him hesitantly for a bit but Rengoku smiled, 

"My Tsugoko!" He cheered, opening his arms for an embrace. 

The hesitation was gone and Kyojuro almost stumbled with the force. They clung to him like he had been gone for years, and he had just arrived from a train station. He did his best to hug them all back, and they stayed like that for a while. The warm comforting embrace calmed them, although Kyo noticed that they were trembling quite some as well. 

Once they parted Kyo noticed the tears that were welled up on there eyes—besides Inosuke, he kept blinking to hold it back. 

"What's wrong?" He asked them. 

"Rengoku...you tried to eat someone. A nurse came in and dropped a glass of water and she started bleeding, she said you..." Tanjiro paused, and it felt like he was holding his breath, "...were mesmerized by it. But when we ran up the stairs you attacked us, and Nezuko pulled you away somewhere. What happened?"

Kyojuro tilted his head in confusion, 

"I was eating delicious food. And I heard you calling my name so I came up here, are you certain that it was me? What about a stray demon?" He questioned. 

"No, she was positive. I mean your okay now, but I don't know..." Tanjiro trailed off, worry was evident in his eyes. 

"It's quite alright, as you can see, I'm still me, so I will report back to master Kagaya at daybreak tomorrow." 

Inosuke, Zenitsu, and Tanjiro looked at each other wearingly, as if waiting for the other to speak up. Finally Inosuke spoke, 

"Your a demon. You can't go into the sun or you'll die." 

Kyo laughed, 

"That's funny! I will miss you all as well, but I must report back I'm afraid." 

"It's true. That upper moon demon turned you into one." Zenitsu said, his cheeks were puffy and pink from crying. 

Kyojuro stopped laughing, he could tell they were serious but it couldn't possibly be true. He couldn't be a demon could he? 

He put his finger in his mouth and felt around until he got poked by a sharp fang. He took his finger out and it was completely untouched, although he was certain he would've had a bleeding cut. 

Regeneration. 

Kyo looked at them again, their saddened expressions mopped with guilt made him believe it. 

"I am a demon?" He asked them, he wished it to be a joke, a prank, for them to laugh and smile and tell him no. 

They simply nodded, tears prodded there faces again and Kyo walked over and sat down on a bed to steady himself. He was trembling, he looked at his fingers and sharp nails were grown out. He looked at the window and his reflection met him in the hazy moonlight, his pupils were slits and the sight repulsed him. 

What was he now? A demon, Demon Slayer? He could only work at night, he would never see the sunlight again. He would outlive all of his friends and family, watch them die, and never be able to do anything. He would remain forever alone and isolated, how would that be a life? 

"Tamayo is working on a potion that can turn demons human again," Tanjiro said, sitting down beside Kyo, "Don't give up yet! Your still a Demon Slayer! Rengoku!" He cried, tears fell down his face and dropped into his lap, Kyo felt tears well up inside him. 

Then he stood, there wasn't any sound besides the wind blowing into the room and the creak of the floorboards. Kyo whipped around and offered a hand to Tanjiro, his friendly smile was back on his face. 

"Don't worry my Tsugoko! I'm a Hashira after all! I will fight demons until the day I die, demon or not! This only limits the time I can do so! No worries! Do not cry!" He cheered, lifting Tanjiro up to stand. 

The three boys hesitated a moment but wiped there eyes and smiled along with him. 

"Go big brother Rengoku!" Inosuke cheered, impressed by his attitude. 

Zenitsu and Tanjiro looked at each before joining in, grinning ear to ear. 

"Big Brother Rengoku!" 

"Big Brother Rengoku!" 

"BIG BROTHER RENGOKU!!" 

1345 words

:')