A Hashira's Demon

All Aboard!

As Rengoku prepared to enter the train, he noticed the two people from before offering a meal. It was the same people he saved earlier that morning.

"Oh, hello there!" Rengoku smiled as he walked towards them, but bumped into someone, "Oh, sorry there."

The figure nodded with a wave and walked away without looking at him. Rengoku, turning to see who they were, planned to go after them, but once he turned, the figure was gone. Looking around, he couldn't find this stranger anywhere. Was it all a dream or...?

"Hey mister! We want to say thank you for saving us this morning." the little girl spoke up as she was coming to meet him.
"It's no problem at all. It's what I'm here to do after all."
"Please, take this as our thanks to you" she requested, holding a meal box ready for him.
"No, please, I can't possibly take this from you" Rengoku pleaded, grabbing his money pouch
"We must insist," her grandmother replied, coming close to him and her granddaughter. "you've risked your life for ours, so we must pay it forward."
"...very well. Then I shall buy all your meals and keep your first one as a gift."
"All of them?!" both her and her grandmother asked in shocked.

As he grabbed the boxes in his hands, he smiled and thanked them for the boxes. As he continued to talk to them before entering the train, the stranger who was about to enter the train, looked at that direction. I then removed the mask for a moment to look at him, chuckling internally and shaking my head.

"That's Rengoku all right..." I replied nonchalantly, "I'm surprised he's never changed after all this time."

However, my smile slowly faded for a moment. I knew that once this event comes to fruition, the prophecy that was foretold will come to life. Determined to never happen to him, I placed the mask back on, went inside the train, and waited for the train to move to its next destination. What no one expected then, during that interaction alone, an evil being was watching this moment, reporting their news to a certain ruler.

*****

Meanwhile, in a different location, a strange being was staring at the interaction and began to move. Far from a place and darker from a dimension many Hashiras dare to find lays the Infinity Castle. If you were to hear it, you would hear the sound of strings played as such. She sits still at one place, while another being stands in the other, preparing a cure for him to walk in sunlight.

"Master... I have a report to fulfill."
"What is it... Nakime?"
"Lower Moon 1 has prepared his trap and will be leaving in the train soon."
"Excellent. Let me know of any details coming soon for that."
"Of course, however... there's something else."
"What is it?" he asked, preparing to write down notes on his experiments.
"The Hashira you ordered the Moon Demon to kill... is alive."

He stopped what he was doing, glaring at her with such rage in their eyes.

"What did you say?"
"I saw him alive, Master. The Flame Hashira."

Enraged, he gripped on the table so hard that glass began to break around him. As he felt anger soothing within him, he turned to look at the haori left behind from Tamayo years ago. It still had the blood essence of him lingering around it, but he gripped it tight. How can they trick him like this?! He knew that the Moon Demon would pay for this crime.

"Have you spotted the Moon Demon?"
"No, my lord. Once I do find them, I'll report to you right away."
"Don't disappoint me."
"And what of the Hashira, my lord? Shall I kill him right away?"
"No."

He replied, surprising Nakime. He gripped the haori in his hand and looked at it for a moment.

"Let him live. For now, anyways. I'll have... someone else deal with it for me."
"As you wish."

And with that, she plucked her instrument, making herself create a door and disappear. At that exact moment, he gripped to the haori so tight that his nails stabbed deep into it in anger. Enraged, Muzan ripped the cloak into pieces. He couldn't believe that I made a fool out of him. He then recalled the last time I arrived in the infinity castle: it was when I left for good and never looked back.

"Moon Demon... You will suffer for that!"

Just then, one of his upper moon associates appeared and knelt in front of him. He turned in anger and replied.

"I have an important assignment for you."

*****

Meanwhile, as the train began to depart, I went inside and hid in the shadows. I knew that with my powers anyone can find me in there with such ease, but then I heard a sound coming from the back of the train. I went to the back to see a child with yellowish hair running as fast as he could to catch up to the train.

"AH!!! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!!" a screech was heard from the outside part of the train.
"Give me a hand, Inosuke" another voice called out to the third.

The three finally got in the train's caboose, realizing that they made it. As they talked, I noticed that they were wearing haoris, just like Rengoku's but in... different colors? So... they must be demon slayers. But why are they here? Was it because of me or for... another demon in this train? They began to enter in as I hid my abilities and power from them.

As careful as I could, I used my demonic abilities to see each person's memories from view. When I did, I entered their memories, seeing the beauty from inside. One was treated with such care by family, the other treated well with a father figure, and the other... well, not so great at first. Just then, I saw one more... one that was inside that box. A demon? No... it can't be. Demons and hunters can't work together. Unless... something has changed. I looked deeper and noticed one thing: that same demon was the girl I helped years ago. She's still alive??