影と風 | Kage to Kaze | Shinazugawa Sanemi

17 - Lower Moon I

My eyes darted over each rooftop, alley, and street as I raced above the village, scanning for any trace of the demon lurking among the shadows. The wind rushed past me, carrying the faint noise of the festival as I distanced myself from the crowd, pushing deeper into the outskirts. Sanemi's blood, still smeared on my arms, dripped steadily, leaving behind a dark, glistening trail on the rooftops. The scent was potent, thick in the air, a tempting lure for any demon in the area.

I peered down into the darkened alleyways, squinting as I searched for any movement. My heartbeat quickened with every empty street I passed, frustration building as my target remained elusive. Finally, near an abandoned, crumbling building on the far edge of town, my eyes caught something. A figure, a lone man lingering unnervingly close to the boundary between the human world and the outskirts where demons preyed. His posture was too still, too predatory.

I crouched low, inching closer, keeping my breathing steady as I closed the gap. My eyes locked onto his, and a chill crawled up my spine. Glowing faintly in the dim light, the kanji for "Lower Moon One" was engraved in his eerie yellow eyes. His face was grotesque, skin stretched unnaturally thin across his sharp bones, deep cracks along his sunken cheeks, and jagged teeth protruding from his wide, unsettling grin. His body, hunched and contorted, looked misshapen, like he had barely retained his human form. His skin, mottled and gray, clung to him like decayed parchment, and his nails were long, sharp claws caked in dried blood. He was the embodiment of every nightmare of a demon I'd ever imagined; twisted, vile, and full of malice.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. Fear began to coil in my gut as I signaled Sen, who quickly took off into the night sky to alert Sanemi. My heart pounded in my chest as I readied myself to strike, hoping to catch the demon off-guard. But then, I saw it, his nostrils flared. The scent of Sanemi's marechi blood reached him, and his yellow eyes snapped in my direction. His gaze pierced through the shadows, finding me despite my best efforts to stay hidden.

For a split second, fear flooded my veins, cold and unforgiving. I stepped back instinctively, my heart racing, and my hands clenched into fists as doubt gripped me. But before panic could take hold, I felt a strong, familiar grip on my shoulder. The reassuring pressure pulled me back to the present, Sanemi had arrived.

"Hmmm, so it's just a Lower Moon, huh? That's disappointing. I was hoping for a shot at an Upper Moon," Sanemi muttered, arms crossed, his frown genuine as he surveyed the demon before him. I glanced over at him, a wave of relief washing over me. If anyone could handle an opponent like this, it was Sanemi, and he did not seem scared at all. In fact, he seemed disappointed.

Sensing my unease at the demon's gruesome appearance, Sanemi noticed my wary expression.

"Don't sweat it. Your master's about to take care of this real quick," he smirked, rolling his shoulders and stretching his legs, clearly gearing up for the fight.

Not wanting to feed his already inflated ego, I couldn't resist teasing him. With an exaggerated grin, I circled him in mock excitement, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Wow, Sanemi! You're so strong! I know you've totally got this!" I pretended to fawn over him.

To my surprise, instead of cutting me off, Sanemi's chest puffed up with pride. He flexed his muscles playfully, reveling in the attention. I bit back a smile, amused by his uncharacteristic playfulness. However, deep down, I wanted to prove myself. I stopped my antics and twirled my scythe in my hand, feeling its familiar weight. "But really, Sanemi," I said, my tone shifting. "How about letting me handle this one? It wouldn't be fair if you hogged all the fun."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the Lower Moon growing impatient, clearly unaccustomed to being so blatantly ignored. Sanemi tapped his chin, pretending to think about it. "Fine," he said, giving in with a shrug, "you know where to find me." With a smug grin, he plopped down onto the ground, crossing his legs in a show of utter disrespect toward the demon.

"Are you two done flirting and ready to face me?" the demon shrieked, its irritation boiling over.

Sanemi didn't even bother looking up. "Shut the fuck up," he barked, his voice as sharp as a blade. Without another word, I melted into the shadows, vanishing from sight.

~*~

2nd POV

Sanemi watched you disappear, his expression calm but eyes sharp, carefully analyzing the situation. Though he wasn't worried, he still kept his guard up, knowing you were more than capable. As the demon advanced toward him, Sanemi didn't move a muscle, his hand resting on his cheek in lazy confidence. But like a snake striking from its lair, you shot out of the darkness.

"Shadow Breathing!" you called, swinging your scythe in a perfect arc toward the demon's neck. "Fourth Form: Silent Night!"

But in a blink, the demon was gone, replaced by another demon. You cut through the replacement effortlessly, the head dropping cleanly to the ground.

Confused, you scanned the area. Sanemi, now sitting upright, looked equally puzzled. "Thought you had me, didn't you?" a voice taunted from above. On a nearby rooftop, the Lower Moon sneered down at you. Undeterred, you crouched and leapt into the air, vanishing from sight once again. Sanemi whistled impressed. You had improved since the last time he'd seen you fight. You were practically a ghost, slipping in and out of sight without a trace.

"You shouldn't let your guard down, you stupid Hashira!" the demon laughed, suddenly appearing behind Sanemi, ready to strike.

But Sanemi didn't flinch. "You shouldn't either," he said coldly. Before the demon could attack, you materialized out of nowhere, severing its arm in one clean stroke.

"Where did you come from?!" the demon gasped, startled. You spun your scythe, aiming for its neck once more, but right as you swung, the demon snapped its fingers. In an instant, it vanished again, leaving behind another demon decoy.

"Sanemi!" you called, frustration creeping into your voice as you decapitated yet another replacement. Sanemi stood up, brushing the dirt from his pants.

"Seems like it's his Blood Demon Art—some kind of switching technique," he observed, sword now resting on his shoulder. "I'll scout the area and cut off his access to other demons. You keep hunting him down. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!" you saluted playfully, though the look in your eyes was all business. Sanemi grunted and sprinted off, vanishing into the night. You darted toward the alley where you had sensed the demon lurking, but as you confronted him, his confident smirk gave you pause.

"You really think that's all I've got?" he cackled, snapping his fingers again. Pain suddenly flared on your arm. Hissing, you looked down to see the strange mark burning. Confusion washed over you as you realized something was very wrong. This wasn't your arm.

Looking closer, you saw your body was covered in scars, with bulging veins and powerful muscles that definitely didn't belong to you. You ran a hand through your hair, feeling the short, bristly texture.

"Shit," you muttered, your voice noticeably deeper. A lot deeper.

"Sen!" you called to your crow, who swooped down, clearly confused. "It's me—Kiyomi. Go to Sanemi, my body, and tell him to meet me over there." You pointed to a nearby building. Sen hesitated, but with a loud caw, took off into the sky.

You sprinted toward the building, adjusting to the strength of Sanemi's body. Though you felt less agile, the sheer power of his muscles made up for it. A smirk tugged at your lips as you jumped, the force of the leap propelling you effortlessly across the rooftops.

"What the hell is going on?" Sanemi's voice, coming from your body, made you stop dead in your tracks. Seeing your own face staring back at you was surreal.

"Fuck," he said, looking you up and down, his expression mirroring your own confusion.

~*~

Taisho-era secret

~Sen is one of the fastest crows in the entire corps, therefore they get to places very quickly

~They had a previous owner that they dearly loved, but unfortunately lost to a lower moon