Wraith; | My Dearest Mother |

3

..Chapter Three..
Infinity Palace
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Nakime sat on a ledge where she could overlook the doors and walls, floors below her. A red haired boy sat behind her, weaving Lilies and Lilac into her dark hair. She rather enjoyed it.

But she couldn't get distracted. She had a meeting to begin. She strummed her Biwa five times, bringing demons onto the platform below.

They looked around in shock, snapping their heads in the direction of doors being forced open. Rooms shifting to reveal a woman in an expensive kimono, hair put in a bun with a bronze hair pin.

Tanjiro paused and looked up, trying to get a glimpse of what those demons were looking at. Nakime strummed the instrument and the figure stood high and mighty a few meters in front of them.

Tanjiro stared in awe at her. Of course he already knew who it was. "Who is that woman?" A demon whispered to another below them, overwhelmed by the threatening aura she emitted. "How rude of you. Not bowing to your lord." Her voice echoed, matching a males.

"Lord Muzan!? Forgive us! We could not tell it was you! Your mastery in disguise is—" he was cut off by the woman. "Save it. I do not wish to hear your voice unless it's to answer my questions." She commanded, silencing the boy below.

The five on the platform shook in fear, waiting to hear their masters words. "Do you all fear the Hashira more than your own lord?" She suddenly asked, just her voice alone a threatening noise.

"Of course not! I would put my life on the line for you!" A female yelled out. Ticked cocked an eyebrow up, a questioning look on her slim face. "Yet when you're in the presence of a Hashira you flee. Are you denying my words, Mukago?" She asked, veins showing on her jawline and forehead.

The raised her hands up, tears on her waterline. "I would never master! I—" she was cut off, getting fully crushed by a tendril. Blood splattered all over the platform, being splashed onto the other demons.

"I will be dismantling the lower moons. You all have proven yourselves worthless. Failing to find the blue spider lily, even Ubuyashiki can evade you." She grit her teeth together, clearing frustrated by the little progress in both missions.

A demon boy with short hair took the opportunity of his lord speaking to run. "I refuse to be killed just yet!" He spoke to himself, rushing past tatami mats and doors, lanterns and rooms.

Things were blurring into a mix of browns and yellows, before it was all still. He could only wonder why he wasn't moving. "How foolish of you to run, when there's only one way out of this."

She squeezed the head placed on her head until it burst, brain matter and blood flying everywhere. An eye with the engraving of 'Lowermoon Three' on it dropped to the floor.

The two remaining sat on the floor, eyes glued to Muzan. One had fear evident on his face. "My lord, please, I can still be of use to you! All I need is—" he was breathing heavily, begging to whatever god that was listening to spare him.

"All I need is a bit you your grace!" He pleaded, bowing his head close to the bloodied floor. Muzan scoffed. "What makes you think you are earning of my blood? I feel no need to waste it on a gluttonous pig, who's incompetent is much greater than any other."

Those words hit hard, but the moon only continued on his rant. "I'll make myself useful, all I need is a bit of blood!" Clawed hands gripped the wood, splintering the floor.

Crushed. Only one remained, a pinkish tint on white skin. "Would you like any last words?" The demon king offered, squinting his eyes at the demon below him. "I can only thank you for saving me for last, so I could see the pitiful expression of death one last time."

He lifted his arms up, smiling, ready to accept his fate. Muzan stabbed something into his neck and smiled slightly. "If you survive this much blood, I want you to eradicate a demon slayer with Hanafyda earrings and lavender colored eyes. Nakime."

She strummed her Biwa, opening doors underneath the demon. He fell through, leaving the three alone.

Muzan turned around to see Tanjiro at his feet. The boy held up a Lilac, offering it to the woman. The woman bent down (bend over?) and took the purple flowers from him. He hummed as he examined in, looking back at a smiling Tanjiro.

"Thank you, Yamai." The woman walked past him and over to Nakime, who yet again strummed her Biwa with the Bachi. A door appeared and he stepped inside, disappearing once it closed.

"That was very sweet of you." Nakime set the Biwa to the side to face the boy. He had grown a bit, granted now very much, within the last three years. He's what— nine now?

He smiled at her and walked over, picking up a few flowers in the pile. "Lord Muzan was angry, so I made him happy!" He threw the flowers in the air above them, watching them slowly glide down, a few falling off the platform.

Nakime smiled at him. He laughed and walked over to her. He seemed unbothered by the amount of blood that was just below them. Most kids his age would cry and yell or scream.

"Would you like to go out? I'm sure Master Muzan wouldn't mind us being gone for a bit. I'm sure it's night out." Tanjiro beamed at the idea of being able to leave. He nodded vigorously and ran over to help Nakime up.

"Where are we going to go, Lady Nakime?" He was jumping up and down as he waited for her to pick her Biwa up again. She laughed at the display of excitement.

"How would you feel about Asakusa? I could get you something to snack on." He grinned and clung to her sleeve, a habit the black haired woman was fond of.

She picked up the instrument and gently brought the Bachi down on the strings, opening a door the two could walk through.

She grabbed the little boys hand and went for it, the sound of slamming sounding behind them.

And now it's time for
Taisho Era Secrets!
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Tanjiro often wears black to not be easily spotted, it actually works really well, even in the infinity palace
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Muzan didn't like Tanjiro until he had to guide him back to Nakime (he got lost). Kibutsuji found him polite enough, so he wasn't considered a nuisance
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Tanjiro has managed to find ways out of the infinity palace by accident, Nakime brought him back the moment she found out he was gone
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He brought back a Kasugai crow on one of his little outings. It was kindly let go by him and Nakime (she thought it was a regular bird)

Next Chapter, Cat Man!