The Gift of Umbrakinesis

Flame Hashira Kyōjurō Rengoku

~On the Mugen Train~

A train crewman walks through the aisle. The light behind him flickers. Crewman: "Ah... Ahh..." The crewman sees something in the window of the next train car. Crewman: "Ah! Ngh!" The crewman runs toward the next train car. Crewman: "Ahh!" The crewman is killed. His body slides down the window.

~In the evening, at a noodle shop~

A Demon Slayer member enters the shop. Rengoku eats a bowl of noodles. Rengoku: "Delicious!" Slayer: "Ah..." Rengoku continues eating his noodles. Rengoku: "Delicious! Delicious!!" Slayer: "Flame Hashira, forgive me for interrupting your meal." Rengoku: "Okay! Take a seat here. Mister, bring this young man the same thing I'm having!" A familiar child runs into the store after hearing Rengoku. The shop owner nods. The Demon Slayer member sits across from Rengoku. Slayer: "Are you sure it's okay?" Rengoku: "Of course! I'll have another bowl myself!" Owner: "You sure eat with gusto, don't you? Just sit tight." The shop owner begins preparing another bowl of noodles. Slayer: "Flame Hashira, your work last night was stellar." Rengoku: "No. It was after the demon fled, after all. How's the injured woman doing?" Slayer: "According to the doctor, her wounds won't leave her with any scars." Rengoku: "I see. Good thing she got treated early." Slayer: "Yes. It's thanks to your heroics." The shop owner serves the noodles to Rengoku and the other Demon Slayer member. Slayer: "Thank you for the meal!" The shop owner puts a plate of tempura down. Rengoku: "What's this?" Owner: "That's my treat." Rengoku: "Appreciate it!" The child pops up grabbing one of the tempura. Y/n: "Hey, Rengoku-san!" Rengoku: "Welcome back, Y/n!" The Demon Slayer member eats some noodles. Slayer: "Ah... Delicious! Mister, I bet you'd really thrive if you set up shop in Ueno!" Owner: "What do you know about it?" Rengoku: "Mister, how's business these days?" Owner: "How's it look to you?" Rengoku: "Sorry." Owner: "Thanks to all the talk about that Slasher being at large around here, people just stopped coming out at night. I even had to let my workers go. They say that a conductor got killed the other day. On top of that, do you know that the Mugen Train is out of service now? Rumor has it that around 40 of its passengers just disappeared without a trace." Rengoku: "Oh... It sounds ominous." Y/n: "Sounds like Enmu." Slayer: "Flame Hashira, getting back to why I'm here... we've located the Mugen Train. We've received word that it was secretly transported to a certain train shed." Rengoku: "Is that right?" Rengoku takes a bite of the tempura. Rengoku: "Mm... Delicious!"

~Later that night~

Rengoku and the other Demon Slayer leave the restaurant and head toward the train station. Slayer: "Will we be heading to the Mugen Train?" Rengoku: "Right. But first... let's inspect the station where the conductor's body was found."

~In the train station~

Fuku sits on the ground outside Tomi's bento shop. Fuku: "Haa..." Tomi: "Fuku, enough of that sighing. Go on and eat your bean paste bun." Fuku: "Yeah... Not many customers today again, right?" Tomi: "I know that I say this every day, but it's dangerous to be out after dark. Tomorrow, you can start helping out in the afternoon. Since the demons come out at night."

~Near the train platform~

Rengoku and the other Demon Slayer stand outside. Crow: "All clear!" Slayer: "I took a look around the area, but there was nothing amiss." Rengoku: "Right." Fuku: "There aren't any demons!" Rengoku, Slayer: "Hm?" Fuku: "You're bringing up demons again? Just stop, will you? I have to sell as many bento boxes as I can! It's hard enough with my mother being pregnant, and I heard that my father's shop isn't doing well." Tomi: "Haa..." Tomi puts down a cookbook on her table. Tomi: "You can leave that kind of worrying to us adults. I'll take care of things in the early mornings and nighttime by myself, okay?" Fuku: "And what are we going to do if you get attacked by the Slasher, too?!" Tomi: "I would be more than happy to sacrifice my life for yours." Fuku: "Grandma!" Rengoku approaches the bento shop. Fuku: "Ah..." Y/n: "Hi!" Rengoku: "Well, good evening! The moon is exquisite tonight, is it not? I'm searching for a demon. You haven't seen one, have you?" Slayer: "What?! Just like that?!" Y/n: "Fufufufu. Reminds me of the time I told Tanjiro that he had a bounty on his head." Crow: "Lord Kyōjurō! You're being far too blunt!" Tomi: "Ahh..." Rengoku: "Hm? Ma'am, is there something you can tell me?" Fuku stands up and blocks Tomi. Fuku: "Ngh! D-Demon? What kind of talk is that? Wh-What's wrong with you? Stay away from us!" Rengoku: "Look out! If you keep shaking like that, you'll end up dropping your precious bean paste bun!" Fuku: "Stay away from me!" Fuku throws her bean-paste bun at Rengoku's face. It hits his forehead. Tomi: "Ahh..." Slayer: "Ah!" Rengoku removes the bean-paste bun from his face. Slayer: "Ah..." Rengoku takes a bite of the bean-paste bun. Rengoku: "Delicious!!" Fuku: "I don't believe in demons! There's no way there could be any, and you know it!" Tomi: "Fuku, that's enough." Tomi puts her hands on Fuku's shoulders. Tomi: "I don't believe this man is a bad person." Fuku: "Ah... Ngh... I'm sorry. I feel like I'm always on edge these days because of the Slasher incidents." Rengoku: "If what I was just told is correct, you two start working while it's still dark out and come to sell us those bento boxes. I couldn't be more thankful. No one should ever hurt people like you. But you can rest easy now! I'll take care of the Slasher!" Fuku: "Who in the world are you?" Y/n facepalms. Rengoku: "All right, then!" Rengoku begins to walk away. Fuku: "Excuse me!" Rengoku: "Hm?" Fuku: "Um... If you don't mind, could you maybe buy some bento boxes?" Rengoku: "That's a good idea! Okay... I'll buy them all!" Rengoku buys all the bento boxes, leaving the other Demon Slayer to carry them. Slayer: "A-Ahh... Excuse me, Flame Hashira..." Rengoku: "That'll make a splendid gift for the other Corps members. I'll be going on alone now. Thanks for your hard work. Goodbye." Rengoku heads for the platform. Tomi locks up the bento shop. Fuku: "What was that all about? I'm glad he bought all those bento boxes, but..." Tomi: "Let's hurry home now, Fuku. I'm getting a really bad feeling. I can feel a chill going down my spine." Fuku: "Grandma?" The train waiting at the platform takes off.