vessel(discontinued)

continue

Yoriichi woke from his sudden nightmare with a start. He looked around for another glimpse of Michikatsu.

A cool breeze brushed his cheek.

The sunshine from many hours ago had left without another spark.

The room was now filled with darkness with one window open.

Yoriichi stood up.

He peeked out the its frames and saw the moon. Full moon.

That's right.

It seemed shameful to even raise his head to look at the shining orb.

Michikatsu. He may still be alive.

Michikatsu... He spent too much time focusing on Yoriichi and altering his life according to his. He couldn't see what made him special. He couldn't see that past his jealousy and envy there was tremendous talent, even if Yoriichi still surpassed him by more than twice the amount.

Putting aside power...

They lived together when they were little and formed a real brotherly bond. 

It was all because Yoriichi was "gifted" by the gods. "Loved" by them.

He swallowed.

Though with the knowledge Michikatsu was now a demon...

Yoriichi put a hand on the window's clear glass.

He still missed Michikatsu. They were blood related. They were family.

He meant as much to Yoriichi as eliminating demons. But if he really had stayed alive all these years and feasted upon humans, Yoriichi would not have even a moment to spare for him to wield his sword.

Yoriichi sat down, troubled but finally at peace with his unresolved feelings. There was no one in the room except for the creepy yellow boy who slept soundly, hugging his pillow and drilling into his bed.

His head faced the ground. The tufts of his dark red hair hung down and got in his face.

With hair all up in his face and disturbing goals in his head he began to feel unusual and cold sweat started to drench his shoulders.

 A quiet voice beside his bed arose.

"Tanjiro... Have you been doing alright?"

He spun around to see the weird yellow boy who was all up in his business the last time they met; but instead of his perverted attitude he usually shone, a genuine worry was framed in his eyes.

"Me? I daresay I've been doing even better than you." Yoriichi swept the sweat from his neck.

"You've been through a lot... You also seem kinda sad, you've been hyperventilating this whole time... If there's anything at all I can listen to..."

Yoriichi gave the boy a smile. His face stretched gingerly.

"Thank you... Your name. What was it? Zenitsu?"

Zenitsu's cheeks lit with pink. He grinned back, holding a giggle.

"Yeah... Agatsuma Zenitsu, if you've forgotten..."

"Thank you, Zenitsu."

The sun came back from its long absence. It peeked out of the wisteria flowers from the east where Yoriichi was training.

His sword luminated by the early morning sunlight, he swung.

One swing for all the memories of the Kamado family.

Swish.

Two swings for Michikatsu.

Swish. Swish.

Three swings for Nezuko.

Snap.

His wooden sword, broken.

It was only air.

"...Tanjiro."

Yoriichi threw the now broken sword into a small pile.

"Mm?"

"Want to come in for sweets? Maybe a break?"

He turned to Shinobu.

"Not needed."

Shinobu was looking very ruffled. Learning that the Upper Moon that killed her sister was finally no more, she became rather expressive and shocked.

"You killed that demon... You avenged my family. It isn't possible to describe how much I owe you, Tanjiro. We can live happy lives because our sister and my tsugoku's are at peace. Thank you... So much..."

"I... I don't deserve such praise, Shinobu-san."

Her widened eyes looked at the ground.

"Me... I had wanted to kill that demon myself. I was going to kill him with death in my plan. Kanao would make up for whatever strength I lacked. But I still couldn't be happier that he was defeated by you, Tanjiro."

Yoriichi sighed.

"Maybe a little break would be fine. I'd like green tea."

Shinobu smiled shakily but with unfeigned warmth.

"Coming right up."

The feeling of having a hot drink in his stomach made him a little bit steadier. 

Shinobu's anger had gone. Her void smile was finally replaced by real, happy smiles.

It felt good to help her overcome hatred. He had a taste of hatred himself.

She shed one last tear, smiled one last smile, and quietly left, closing the door gently.

Yoriichi stared at the bottom of his empty teacup.

He doesn't only want to be stronger physically. His mental was too weak.

He could remember vividly the first time he met Muzan as Tanjiro. His calm was overthrown by rage and he could only think of swinging his sword. If Giyuu hadn't stopped him, Muzan could have just taken advantage of the crowds of humans there and escape. And it was likely he would kill more people as he ran.

The previous meeting went better. But he crawled into the hole to the battlefield so to earn more time to call the Upper Moons there. However, he only called Upper Moon Two. He still doesn't realize who "Tanjiro" was.

Muichiro always fought well because his strength was his mentality. 

What does Yoriichi use to fight with, what made him so... different from others?