ADORATION { Kny / Demon Slayer }

{¥} 27 - Bad Feeling {¥}

You sat across from Tanjiro and Kyojuro with Zenitsu's Hoari draped over your head to hide your pointed ears, the sun low enough now that you were able to freely sit out in the open.

The two were speaking about the Hinokami Kagura and you were only partly paying attention, the other half of your focus directed towards Inosuke who was looking out the window on the other side of the aisle.

"Oh! So that's it, huh!" Kyojuro hummed after listening to the boy's explanation of his situation, arms crossed across his broad chest. "Well, I dunno!" The alpha admitted loudly, owlish gaze staring straight across at you who was leaning over to talk with Zenitsu, "and this is the first time I've heard of the Hinokami Kagura! But it's great that your father was able to apply the Kagura to fighting! And that's enough of that topic!"

"Huh?! Can't you help a little more?!" Tanjiro sat up, his request going unheard as the alpha switched the conversation.

"You should be my Tsuguko; my disciple. I'll look after you!" The man offered, eyes still examining your every move with no apparent reason.

"Not so fast! And just what are you looking at?!" Tanjiro screeched.

"Flame breathing has a long history!" The man suddenly began, the beta beside him letting out a tired sigh and slumping back into the seat. "In all ages, flame and water swordsmen have been among the Hashira. Flame, water, wind, stone, and thunder are the basic types of breathing. The other types of breathing branched out from those, like mist which is derived from wind."

You tilted your head, giggling at something Zenitsu had said.

Kyojuro's hand twitched against his arm at the sound.

"Mizoguchi, what colour is your katana?" The man suddenly asked in his usual booming voice, Tanjiro jumping to correct him.

"'My name's Kamado! And it's black!"

First it was Inosuke butchering his name, and now it was the Flame Pillar, how depressing for Tanjiro.

"A black sword? That's rough!" Kyojuro laughed, "I've never seen a swordsman with a black sword become a Hashira! And I heard they don't know which line to master!"The train began to move with a clack, Inosuke jolting in place when the lord of the sand had apparently woken up. "I'll train you at my place. So don't worry!" Kyojuro finally looked away from you, closing his eyes with a nod while Tanjiro gave him a slightly freaked out stare.

"GRAAAAH!! WHOA! WOW! IT'S SO FAST!" Inosuke had leaned his entire upper body out of the window, the blond next to him screeching in horror.

"BE CAREFUL YOU IDIOT!"

"I'm gonna go run alongside!! I'll race it to see who's faster!!"

"THERE ARE LIMITS TO STUPIDITY YOU KNOW!!"

You watched them with a fond smile, laughing gently into your hand.

"Better not!" Kyojuro looked over at the masked alpha, garnering their full attention with his next words. "We have no idea when the demon will appear!"

'Ah...is that why this place feels so off?' You hummed, nodding a little to yourself. 'So we really are on a new mission.'

"NO WAY! A demon's on this train?!" Zenitsu had already began to freak out, his fear only increasing when the Hashira bluntly replied with a "yup!".

"IT IS?! WE'RE NOT TRAVELLING TO IT?! ITS HERE?! I'm gettin' off!"

Of course, they was no way to get off,

'Maybe if he rolled...?' You pressed a finger to your cheek with a smile, unable to stop yourself from imagining such a spectacle.

"Over 40 people have disappeared on this train! The corps sent a few swordsmen, but then they all went silent! And that's why I'm here!" Kyojuro looked all too excited for this job, not a single ounce of nervousness to be seen on his face. That's probably just how strong Hashira were though.

You leaned your head to the side, cheek propping up onto your hand while you examined the alpha's face.

'Strong jaw, well developed muscles, a steady and confident pair of eyes...Huh...HUH!'

Tanjiro watched in horror as you suddenly slammed your head against the wall, the tips of your ears a burning red hue that definitely didn't go unnoticed by the alpha sitting across from you.

"(Y-Y/n)—!"

"Allow me to inspect...your tickets..."

You let out a gasp and quickly jumped back into your pocket realm, your gem falling midair before being snatched up by Tanjiro and shoved into his sleeve.

'Gah...I can't see anything...'

You sat in the dark, forced to rely on your hearing in order to get the gist of what was happening.

"The conductor is going to check our tickets!" Kyojuro informed, and soft click reached your ears a couple seconds after.

Your heart began to fasten its pace inside your chest, a bad feeling forming in your abdomen that sent your instincts into overdrive.

'The demon! It's here! This is no time to be hiding from the humans!'

You popped back out of Tanjiro's sleeve, startling the boy when you suddenly appeared on the seat that Kyojuro had just gotten up from.

"Look out! Get back!" The alpha pushed back the uniformed man with his arm and you watched with intrigue as he confidently faced the newly appeared demon. "This is an urgent matter, so don't mind the sword!"

The massive demon had to crouch just to even fit in the cart, the beast sporting two faces on its single head that sent a shiver up your spine.

'Poor guy, I don't even wanna imagine what that feels like.'

Kyojuro pulled his blade from its sheath, a dangerous gleam in his flaming hues.

"Blood demon art was hiding that huge thing!! And it was hard to sense it! However, if you bare your fangs at innocent people..." The power you felt surging through the man's body had your heart beating even faster than before. Kyojuro took on a darker expression, his smile teeming with malice and hatred for the demon in front of him.

"My bright red flame blade...will burn you to the bone!!"