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Chapter Text

A forest?

That was the first thought Freminet had as he woke up after coughing his lungs out. He could recall barely what he was doing before getting here. ... Right, he was out on a dive. Then he felt something weird, something was definitely wrong with the water, his head spun and he wasn’t fast enough to swim out of there.

And, now, he was there.

He looked around. Pine wood, something that wasn't common in Fontaine. At least, in the areas he's usually been to.

There was a dreading feeling surrounding him and the entire forest. Something was off, not just his presence here. An irritating sense wouldn't leave his mind about something being there. Why was he here in the first place anyway?

His experience from his missions taught him to always be alert of his surroundings. He listened to the sounds around him, but couldn't note anything else other than the weird presence that was all around the place.

If there really was nothing there, he could start searching for a way out of this forest. He picked a direction he would go in, so that he doesn't get lost. The menacing sense was still following him, so he stayed alert. He should be fast enough to summon his claymore in case he were to be attacked.

A step after step, he couldn't get this feeling off him. It felt weird, unpleasant. Eyes constantly following him around. Could anyone just make it stop?

Could he even be sure this wasn't just some sorts of nightmare?

After a few metres, he felt a specific gust of wind. An attack!

Freminet summoned his claymore and used his cryo vision. A weird man backed away, dodging Freminet's attack, and then went for a slash with his claw. Luckily, Freminet was fast to block it with his weapon.

The diver tried making a few slashes, the Pressure level counter of his attacks increasing, although he was barely hitting any hits, until the final attack from his combo.

Bam!

He hit it! Freminet was sure it was hard enough to keep someone unconsious for at least few hours, considering it was a direct hit in the head. What Freminet wasn't expecting, though, was the man waking back up in mere seconds.

It was now standing up, its creepy grayish colored skin looking unnatural, as its head had a small, but a visible dent from the hit it just sustained. Now that it was just standing, Freminrt could see just how big this creature was, standing menacingly above him. What the heck even was this creature...? Freminet breathing fastened. He didn't have that much energy at the moment, he almost drowned just a few minutes ago, he wouldn't be possibly be able to fight at the moment, his lungs still felt like on fire after being filled with water and, and-

He wanted his helmet on. Where was it, oh, where was it?

Before the creature could attack him once more, it's head went off. Huh? Freminet looked around, eyes skipping through his surroundings. It was a man in Inazuman like clothing, half red and the other half in yellow and green figures with black hair.

The diver calmed down, taking a deep breath in. He was safe now... Probably.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" the man asked Freminet. How did he understand this man? It was his first time hearing this language and yet it was so familliar to him.

"I-I don't know myself. I was just diving and then my head spun and the next moment I was here..." Freminet muttered, brain barely processing this interaction, but what was more curious is that he could also speak this new language. The man eyed him. That's right, Freminet must've looked so weird with just his diving suit on.

Something fell on the right side of Freminet.

He looked and...

it was his boot?

He looked from where it fell. Oh. All of his clothes were hanging on a brench.

"Put on these clothes, they look clean enough, it's better than the thing... You have on," the man said, obviously not knowing they actually belonged to Freminet. "I'll guide you out of this forest and to the nearest village. You'll have to carry that sword of yours yourself."

Ah, that's right, his claymore was still summoned.

He put on his clothes and disolved his sword into particles, leaving it ready for his next summon.

Not a second later, a blade was put up to his throat. Freminet stayed still, not moving a cantimeter.

"What the hell are you? Pretending to be a human and yet dissolving a sword just like that," the man suddenly asked as the blade was still up Freminet's throat. "You even tried to fool me by fightning with another demon just to make your play more believable and yet got caught just so easily."

What did he mean? A demon? He was a demon? No no no no, he was a human.

Freminet's breathing became heavy. Too much pressure at once, pleaso no-

"Pers!" Freminet summoned his claymore once again by pure reflex and habit and activated his cryo vision. This should slow down the man for now. As the Pneuma attack appeared, Freminet started running away.

Faster or you'll die.

The chilly air was slowing Freminet down who was still wet from his dive not so long ago. The cold was creeping into his skin, not letting him forget about the ongoing situation and actually making him think all of this isn't a dream.

He could feel being followed but looking back would be too dangerous. He should get out of this forest, no, he should hide in it. If he gets out of the forest he would be easier spot.

His missions taught him a lot such as never put yourself into an uncomfortable situation.

He could already see the light from outside the forest. Sunrise was soon.

Freminet's eyes scanned through the area. Everything is pretty much the same, there was nowhere to hide. He wasn't the best at climbing, he would only loose a lot of time if he tried to cllimb one of the trees. Oh Archons, was he useless. He got here because of his mistake. Because of his mistake he was now chased.

As Freminet's thoughts hazed his mind, he didn't understand he got outside the forest until the sun hit his face.

The grass cracked next to him. That person again!

Freminet got in a ready position.

"You'll have a lot of explaining to do," the man said and then, after a precise hit with a hand on Freminet's neck, everythig became black

Chapter Text

Sinking feeling.

How long has it been? Freminet doesn’t know.

The singing of a whale sounds at the back of his mind or was it right next to him?

“Are… sure… ormal boy?” a cheery and a bit sarcastic feminine voice came out of somewhere. “Oh my, oh… can’t distinguish… and a demon, Giyuu-san!”

Demon again. What were they talking about? The demons from the ancient legends of Liyue? Or the evil yokais of Inazuma?

“I… he… sword disappear.” Freminet was hearing just bits of all of it and couldn’t solve the puzzle.

His head ache. The water pressure for the first time in a long time was too much for him. He could finally part his eyes a bit and saw endless marine blue, no sand below and no sun above. Nothing from the calming atmosphere he liked so much.

And as he finally took a breath, water flooded his nostrils and mouth.

“Cough cough!” Freminet woke up and yet his dream was way too realistic. He was coughing out non-existent water, while trying to finally take in some air.

“And here he woke up!” the feminine voice he heard from before made it’s presence again.

Freminet could feel a few pair of eyes on him. He should have laid low and not show that he’s conscious, oh Archons above.

“Let me check your state really quick, don’t worry, it won’t hurt,” the girl moved in front of him. Now, that Freminet stopped coughing he finally noticed – he was tied up and was currently somewhere unfamiliar. The architecture didn’t look Fontanian at all, but he didn’t know what nation he could be in. Well, definitely not Natlan or Snezhnaya.

Freminet tried looking around to the best of his abilities without being noticed while being checked on. A guy with a snake on his neck and a dude with a lot of scars being the closest to him. On the other side the person that brought him here it seems, if he heard it right his name was Giyuu? And a very big person. This person must have sensed him look at him and started praying for him, which, of course, creeped the boy out.

“All done! No injuries whatsoever,” the girl in front of him with black and purple bangs finally left him alone. “Hey there, you’re breathing really heavily, try repeating after me – breath in,” she inhaled and Freminet repeated after her just not to seem impolite. “Breath out… There you go. Now again, breath in, breathe out,” this miss sure had the knowledge of how to calm someone down. Even though this smile of hers doesn’t really seem genuine, she still seemed to be nice, Freminet thought.

"Now, shall we continue this meeting? ” with this question, every little chat that was happening was silenced in a single second.

The person asking it was a sickly looking man, kind, with a disease covering half of his face. His eyes... Was there something wrong with them?

“My children,” the man said, after finally settling down in front of everyone. His voice conveyed comfort, even Freminet calmed down a bit more. No, he should keep his guard on in case of danger.

“I understand that this is the second case we have for this meeting, but please, bear with me, ” Freminet could feel all of these eyes watching him again. Just breathe. “Yesterday morning I received a very interesting letter from Giyuu-kun about a very fascinating demon he found. He could stand in the sun and didn’t look like he wanted to attack him and yet he could make a sword appear and disappear and, apparently, could use ice powers,” the man explained to everyone. "Although we just reviewed the case of Nezuko Kamado, this one seems to be slightly different and we got information on it earlier. Although I am concerned, you were knocked out for two days, my child, are you feeling alright?" Being in the center of everyone's aattention was extremely unsettling. All of those stares shot straight through Freminet and he didn't even know how many exactly there were... But keeping them wait would be more embarrassing, come on, Freminet, just answer- "I..." breath in, just like that kind lady showed you, "I'm feeling alright, just a bit lightheaded." He did it...! The person seemed to be satisfied enough as he continued on with his next question. “Now, my child, can you speak and tell us your version of the story how you got here?” he asked.

After fighting the urge to stay silent and gulping the lump in his throat, Freminet said something “I do not know myself how I got here. I was just diving near Poisson when I felt something was wrong with the water and then everything went black and I woke up in a forest." he was doing... Good, right? He didn't stutter, if only he was too quiet, which he probably was. "And as for your ice powers?"

"It’s my cryo vision and how I made my claymore disappear, erh, I don’t really know myself. All I know that it’s a nice place to store big objects in…” he tried explaining the way he knew it, though it seems it has only risen more questions up.

“A cryo vision? What’s that?”, “Doesn’t know, huh? How can we be so sure?”, “Oh, such a pure child with such a fate,” and much other whispers were heard until the leader coughed politely into his sleeve.

“Could you please elaborate, my child?” he asked. All this attention turned to Freminet was nerving him so much, he couldn’t do anything besides spilling it all out.

“You've never heard of visions...?“ Freminet murmured under his breath, although it must've been not much quieter than the volume he previously spoke with as the scarred person next to him looked quite annoyed at that comment. "I-I mean! A vision is something that helps ordinary people like me channel elemental energy, it's a blessing from the gods-"

“A blessing from the gods, huh?!” a rude voice, one that only could’ve belonged to someone who has gone through a lot, spoke up. “All of us, slayers, deserve one here then! Why a guy like you would get one and you did?”

As their leader looked at the person who said that, it was the scarred person next to Freminet, not with anger, no, just a simple smile, the other silenced down. Wow…

“Please, continue,” was said to Freminet again. Each time it became scarier for some reason.

“I... Don't think I have anything else to say about this...” he quietly murmured, to which different whispers started going around. Just like when unruly children at the orphanage would start to whisper when "Father" was talking. One thing in particular, Freminet noticed how the one who brought him here wasn’t really talking to anyone, unlike everybody else. Freminet could barely see him but since the former was in one of the ends of the group, he could slightly see him out of the corner of his eyes. He seemed to be very… closed off.

“Now, I decided before coming here to check what case was Giyuu-kun assigned to before reporting our today’s guest. Tell me, my child,” Oyakata-sama was now referring to Giyuu, “What was the demon blood art of the demon you fought?” the voice ever so calming.

The referred one said “Transportation it seemed. The slayers we previously sent there were transported to far away and the demon started getting food via using this transportation after a few slayers were sent its way, too, in order for its location to be harder to detect.” A dirty technique from what Freminet understood. “But since this transportation took a lot of energy, the demon lost its mind after one such extremely lenghty transportation. And I think the person they tried to feed on was this boy, but the demon lost its mind and couldn’t think clearly anymore, after which, I beheaded it,” .

Freminet was supposed to be eaten? Just the thought about that frightened him.

“Hm, my suspicions were right,” the leader said. “Now then, it seems like you’re from a very far land, my child, it’s very lucky you can speak our language. Now, tell us, where are you from?”

“I am from Court of Fontaine,” he answered simply, afterall, there was nothing to hide. A wide-known place, the main city of one of the nations of Teyvat...

“I haven’t heard about that place! Rengoku-san, did you?”, “Ah, poor child, got here from so far away!” and other whispers once again spread through the ground. The conclusion was one – nobody really knew where it was, which surprised Freminet quite a lot. But again, he himself didn’t know anything about demons or where he was.

“C-can I ask a question myself?” he finally got the guts to ask the question he was wondering on from the start and when he got an affirmative answer he spilled out the beans. “Where exactly am I?”

“You are currently in Nihon,” Oyakata-sama said. Nihon? Sounded something like Inazuma, Freminet thinks.

“Is that in Inazuma?” was his follow-up question.

“Inazuma?" "Have you heard of such a place?"

At the kind man's cough everyone once again silenced. “I am sorry, but we didn’t really catch that,” he apologized for everyone.

“Is Nihon in Inazuma?” after which one more chuckle from someone followed.

“Sorry, but none of us understand about what Inazuma you’re talking about,” the leader gently smiled. No, Freminet was sure he was saying the name right, he couldn’t make a mistake, right?

He wanted to dive.

To run away from all those stares.

They were all now judging him, isn’t that right?

How can he be so bad?

He wanted his helmet on, but his arms were still tied together and he couldn’t wear it on.

“Nevermind…” he decided to leave that question out.

“Well, if you say so. Now, Sanemi-kun’s question from before did really intrigue me, how come our organization never heard of those visions you spoke about?” the kind man spoke. "We'll then vote whether or not to leave you be."

Leave him be as in whether or not he should stay alive...?

“I-I don’t know why you have never heard about visions, but from where I’m from everyone know about them. As far as I know they are gifts given by the gods for accomplishing a certain goal…"

By the faces of the girls who accompanied Oyakata-sama , even though they were still smiling as if nothing, he could notice that his answers left more questions than answers. "My children, now we have to sustain a vote. The outcome of this vote will determine the fate of this sweet child, whether or not we will let him live. Although, I would like to say my opinion first this time; he doesn't seem to be a treat in any way, rather than just a very interesting boy with unusual circumstances. I'd say we let him be." The first one to say their opinion was a fiery and loud voice. "I also think this way! And if even Oyakata-sama thinks so, then I have no right to go against your judgment. From the answers we've gotten, this boy was just as confused about the situation as everybody here." "In addition," a female voice, ah, must be Shinobu, sounded "I would like to add that I would be willing to take him into my mansion to look after him and observe what can this 'god's eye' do." Ah, right, visions in this language sounded like "god's eye"... It made it feel even more important that it actually was. Most people agreed with it and the vote was set. The ropes trapping Freminet were finally removed.

“Now, my child, how should we call you?” Oyakata-sama asked after the scarred dude untied him.

“Freminet.”

Chapter Text

And now the day was finished.

The Hashiras - as he found out they were called, untied him after he answered the questions. But then, the fact that he would now live in a mansion... He learned the woman's name, Kochou Shinobu.

Now Freminet's got somewhere to stay and at least won't be out with the elements.

The moment he stepped in the mansion, a girl with two ponytails came up to him. She looked kind of mad, Freminet could tell, but why he didn't understand why until the next sentence. That same sentence broke him for the rest of the day.

"You're dressed like a whore! Why even bother wearing anything at all with these clothes of yours!"

No, honestly, he was ready to end his contract with life and go to the heaven of blubberbeasts and tidalga, even though he was human.

He wasn't really asked much of yet, he had nothing to do without orders, so the entire day there he tried recalling the fairy tales about main characters getting in another world. Most of them were light novels from Inazuma which Freminet never tried deeply reading through like he did for example the stories about Princess Marcotte or Pers the Penguin... Nonetheless, all of these characters were fictional and special, were someone important, unlike Freminet. There was always the guide, the doctor or healer and the evil dragon the main character had to defeat in order to get home.

Now though, he could assign roles to each of his new acquaintances just like in these stories.

Freminet is the main character. Although he doesn't think he's really worth of this title, he'll take it. It is him that got in this new world after all.

Kochou-san turned out to be a doctor from what he understood this entire day, so let her be the doctor of this adventure.

As for the monsiuer that helped him during the night, or pretty much anyone else of the Hashiras, he couldn't think of a role in this story. But Oyakata-sama was definitely the King who gives the main character his quest.

But Oyakata-sama never gave him one. Does that mean he really isn't the hero? Or that this is no ordinary story as Freminet wanted it to be?

The warm smile that was on Freminet's lips as he was in his own world of hopes and dreams faded, replaced with the realizing expression of the actual world.

This is no fairy tale, Freminet thought, I should separate dream and reality, otherwise I'll start thinking what's real is not and lose sense of it.

Either way, a small fantasy would be good.

For now, he's the hero, yet to be assigned a quest by the King, seeking guidance from the Doctor.

Yes, a new little world.

The little smile returned once again on his freckled face. He imagined himself to be walking around Penguin town with Pers as suddenly a portal occured under him, taking him away from his friends, forcing him to face this new reality.

The deeper he dived into thought, the more distracting and yet silent the outside noises were. Just as he was sitting right there on the egawa, he put on his helmet. Nothing could distract him anymore.

Nor the blinding light of the fading sun, nor the screams of someone behind him. Wait a minute, screams?

"A demon, Tanjiro-kun, there's a demon, right there sitting on the egawa! Uwaaaah, Tanjiro-kun, help me, " a high pitched voice screamed right behind Freminet.

He turned around his upper body to see a blond boy holding onto his dear life to another burgundy-haired boy.

The kind-looking boy tried calming the screaming one down, but Freminet couldn't hear it because of his helmet.

He took it off and dissipated it into thin air, just like it appeared in his hands.

"S-sorry, did I frighten you?" both of the boys silenced down as Freminet apologized.

The blond one tilted his head "A girl with such a deep voice? And a killer sounding one, too, aaaah! " for what he got a smack on the head by the other.

"Zenitsu-kun! It's obviously a boy and what do you mean by the second part? " he said. "I'm sorry for the both of us. Please, do not hold a grudge."

"No, there's no need to apologize, really," Freminet declined. "But if it's an order, I accept your apologies."

The kind-looking boy smiled "My name is Tanjiro Kamado and this is Zenitsu Agatsuma-kun!"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Freminet," he blushed. So many new faces for a single day.

"You don't really look like someone from Japan," Zenitsu pointed. "It's always the foreigners with the pretty faces! Ah, if I could date a cute and rich foreigner girl... No! I should stay true to Nezuko-chan!" he started mumbling something. His life must be tough, Freminet thought.

"Yeah, I'm from Fontaine," Freminet answered to not really a question. He was already homesick, all he wanted right now was to dive in the sea once again and feel the water splashing on his face.

"Fontaine? Sounds like an amazing city," Tanjiro smiled.

His smile conveyed such kindness, he didn't see anyone with a smile like this before. Completely selfless and as if it went through a lot and yet continued to exist. It conveyed such warmth that only Freminet's mother could give him before.

"I-it is..." he didn't know how to continue the conversation.

"Freminet-kun! There you are, I should show you your room," Aoi opened the shoji. "I should show you to your room where you'll be staying until we find something out."

"You have to go? Well then, see you tomorrow, Freminet-kun!" Tanjiro waved and Zenitsu did the same, jumping out of his fantasies.

And now, here he was thinking of this day.

Yes, a lot happened and it wasn't really the best, but not too bad either.

What roles he should assign Tanjiro and Zenitsu? He thought for a moment. The Friends of the hero who will encourage him to his goal no matter the hardship.

And now, the day was finally over.

Chapter Text

Freminet opened his eyes.

Water was surrounding every part of his being - he's somewhere underwater, and he couldn't stop breathing the water in.

His mind was screaming 'get away' and 'get to the surface' every second, but his limbs wouldn't react to his commands. Was this his end?

A violent inhale and coughs started sounding throughout the room as the young diver woke up. After a minute or so, his breathing normalized and he stopped coughing, his throat burning.

"Oh my, oh my, do you always wake up like that?" Freminet heard from another side of the room. It was Shinobu-san. And that just now was nothing else but a dream.

Everything, starting with the depths of the sparkling sea and ending with his drowning.

"Now, Freminet-kun, I wanted to make a check-up on your health ever since yesterday. Tell me, do you know what causes these coughs?" Shinobu chirps at which Freminet just shakes his head, since Shinobu is checking his throat.

Pretty much the entirety of this process was just a normal check-up, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Do you perhaps have any allergies, Freminet-kun?"

He doesn't.

"No," he answers. A usually normal question, but the experience from the House of the Heart taught Freminet quite a lot. He was always quite perceptive, catching others' emotions quite easily and the time at the orphanage only futher developed this skill of his.

Shinobu-san was wary of something.

That's the conclusion he could come up with after seeing the subtle changes in her fake smile.

___________________________

"From now on, you'll be training here," Aoi's voice sounded throughout the training room. "We already know you can wield a sword, plus for a human to have powers as yours would be beneficial for the corps," as she was saying her monologue the penguin adorer looked around. There were Tanjiro and Zenitsu, as well as another person that looked rather scary." As for you, boys, this is your rehabilitation." A bit before, Tanjiro told him that they came back from a very hard mission and were starting rehab due to sustaining variable injuries...

"Starting with some warm-up," Aoi announced as the three girls who he's seen helping in the mansion yesterday gestured to Tanjiro to lay down a mat.

He did as asked and the three helper girls started stretching him painfully hard... Rehabilitation was sure quite interesting here.

After everyone went through their turn, only Freminet was left.

He layed onto the mat and the girls started strecthing him too. He wouldn't say it was that bad, maybe the girls were sparing him because it was his first time? But then why didn't they do the same for the others?

Yes, it hurt a bit, but compared to the training he did under the previous Father's rulership this wasn't that much.

As the girls were finished they looked happy as they finished one of the tasks they were assigned. A faint smile appeared on Freminet just as fast as it dissappeared.

Next was a game of tag. Seeing how the others failed at it against Kanao-san, Shinobu's tsuguko, aka student and role heir, Freminet thinks she was, he analyzed their mistakes.

As an assassin, tag was a usual thing when the target wanted to run away, Freminet knew that tag wasn't just about outrunning someone, but also making a strategy of how you should put them into a corner. Children from the House of the Heart adored this game, it had simple rules everyone knew about and was fun and practical.

And so it was his turn once again. Tanjiro encouraged him, the unknown to Freminet boy cursed everything and however he could in his language, and Zenitsu just laid there on the floor.

"Three! Two! One," the start was announced.

The first thought in Freminet's head was: attack from behind. But this is simple tag, no! This took a second away from him and Kanao got way too close to him. Was this even enough space for a game of tag?

Freminet dodged and dashed as he analyzed Kanao's movements. He already saw some of her moves as she played tag with the others and now he could imagine everything else.

Just pretend she's a mecha.

Freminet dodged another of her tries to tag him and now he could fully analyze her movements. As if gears in a mechanism, every of her step was now predictable.

She relied on a reliable set of moves, perhaps, she was too indecisive? Hm...

A last dodge from Freminet and now he's the one who attacks.

It was simple enough: get behind Kanao and tag her from behind.

One of the simplest techniques he was first taught in the House of Hearth.

A dash was done, too fast even for the disciple of a pillar and now he was behind her and - tag!

What he didn't expect though was that she would actually attack him. Kanao wanted to throw Freminet over her shoulder, but that was also something he was taught.

Immobilizing someone was one of the things he was used to doing and so he did solely on muscle memory and instinct, not even noticing how one second he was being thrown over the shoulder and in the next he landed normally, pinning the girl to the ground with an unpleasant...

It seemed like Kanao also acted on habit back then since there was no reason for her to overreact as much, was there?

"OI, YOU, GIRLY, HOW DO YOU DO THAT!?" the unknown to Freminet boy was now yelling at him.

And as Sumi, Kiyo and Naho, the girls' names if he isn't wrong, ran up to Kanao, Freminet started panicking a bit.

"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't supposed to do that, I just tagged her and t-then she tried to attack me so I just acted as I was taught," shut it, shut it, shut it, Freminet, you're telling way too much away!

"Inosuke-kun, calm down," Tanjiro held Inosuke back, not letting the blue haired dude get close to him.

_______________________

"Everyone," Aoi turned all the attention to herself after returning from the med-bay. "Because of the accident we won't be able to do the last part of the warm-up for today, but you should be able on your own. And you, Freminet-kun, follow me," oh no, oh no, did he do something wrong?

They went outside and Freminet noted some rolled mats standing as targets.

"Even though I'm way worse than everyone else, it doesn't mean I won't be able to train you. Plus, Shinobu-san will be watching too," Aoi proudly announced. "Now, I've been told you can summon a sword out of thin air. Your goal is to make clear cuts of the tatami mats over there!"

Clear cuts? As far as Freminet knew, claymores weren't used for something like that, they were more raw power that had to be stabilized and held in order to be able to hit and were useful for controlling the territory around, nothing about clear cuts.

The diver summoned the claymore anyway.

"Wait, I wasn't told you have a greatsword, there's no way you can defeat a demon with something so massive!"

Freminet looked at her.

"I-I mean! You probably could but it would be harder because, uhm, it's harder to aim for the neck with this! Yeah, and it will be hard to cut the neck off with it-" she seems to be scared from Freminet off for some reason.

He didn't question it. The girl seemed already insecure enough, he shouldn't worsen the situation.

"Well, what sword do I need?"

"A katana of course! I'll go grab a bouken," she slipped away into the house, returning with a wooden sword in her hands after some time.

She shows Freminet the basics.

At the end of the day, he felt a bit spent. The new techniques he had to learn were so different from what he knew, but it wasn't that hard.

He just had to focus on puting a bit less strength on the katana, otherwise it'll fly off to Celestia...

______________________

The next morning he had a nightmare again. Then again the coughs and, at last, his second ever warm-up here! He hoped he'd finish it properly this time.

Kanao already recovered, luckily, Freminet didn't hit her too badly yesterday, and was able to train the little group of four.

The last warm-up was reaction.

And here he had some trouble. Of course, during missions he reacted fast, but considering his weapon, the missions he'd usually get sent on and etcetera, his reaction wasn't as good as, for example, his sister's, Lynette's.

And Kanao was fast.

He lost in the first seconds and then...

He silently stood up, ignoring everything around him and started leaving.

They tried to stop him, but Freminet's mind was completely blank.

He was tired. He needed to dive, he needed to be alone. He first thought he would be able to last longer, but was wrong.

_____

"Freminet-kun!" the girls cried out. Trying to stop the diver was akin to trying to move a huge stone wall. It was weird to them how such a frail-looking boy was so strong.

Even Kanao joined them, but she just slightly slowed him down!

In the end, he left. Nobody was able to stop him and the boys didn't even try to interfere!

"Why though?" Kiyo started whispering with the other two girls. "Was he embarrassed at his loss? He was, after all, the best in the other warm-ups, right?"

"I don't think so," Tanjiro unintentionally snuck behind them. A warm and soft smile adored his face as it always did "I think he just needs time for himself, I'm sure you've noticed the way he isn't very chatty."

Well, actually, could smell it too.

The evening they first met, he smelled a strong smell of longing on Freminet, as well as his wish to be alone.

Freminet's smell was something spectacular. Cold, yet comforting, smelling like the sea and being as gloomy as it, but kind and pure deep inside nonetheless. And a bit watery, as if water itself was a part of him.

Tanjiro felt sad towards him. The boy seemed to have been through a lot of hardships and the slayer wanted to help him, but the other was just closing himself off, not leaving even a small chance to get close to him.

"I'm sure if he takes a walk now, he'll feel a lot better."

_______

"He's here!" that was Lyney's voice, for sure... It couldn't have been mistaken.

But... He's here? Where did that voice come from? It echoed as if they were underwater... But Freminet was clearly in a forest...

But did it matter?

"Lyney...!"

______

The morning sun shined through the windows, declaring the arrival of the new day. Tanjiro slowly woke up, ready for today's warm-up.

He was hoping to see Freminet as the blonde hasn't returned last evening. But as for now, a breakfast must have been already waiting for him.

He hurried to the kitchen, the aroma of rice and seafood filling his nostrils.

"Tanjiro-kun," Aoi looked at the slayer as he entered the kitchen. "Have you seen Freminet-kun?"

Chapter Text

"He hasn't returned yet?" Tanjiro frowned. He was pretty sure Freminet could defend himself if something happened, at least from what he's seen, but what if he got lost?

"No, he hasn't, he wasn't in his room when I checked. Or we might have missed out each other somehow, please check up on him again."

So that's how it is. He'll make sure to check for sure.

"Oh and bring these to him too! Missing out on breakfast is a big deal!"

"Sure, Aoi-chan!" Tanjiro kindly smiled at her. Let's hope Freminet did return.

____________

Once again.

Freminet was drowning.

He didn't even bother to worry anymore as it was normal by now.

Although he doesn't remember much before going to sleep. He ran away to isolate himself, but then what?

He was in a dark forest, totally lost as he heard that voice, someone so familiar and yet they were far away.

He is here!

He ran towards the voice, completely forgetting about anything he was ever taught. Just run and you'll be safe.

Then everything went black and-

No. This isn't a dream. He was actually drowning.

He finally saw through the darkness of the water and the sight before him was something only one thing could explain.

This wasn't just somewhere. A demon's realm.

Bloody bodies floating all around him and amidst them a linely figure with inhuman features consuming a no longer living creature.

Now, he's never seen a demon before, but Aoi made a very good job explaining what a demon is. Everything pointed at that and Freminet was currently in it's pocket realm?

Wasn't it for his strong diver's lungs, he would have drowned long time ago.

Just get to where the light comes from.

Freminet's oxygen was ending, and if he was noticed by the demon it would've been the end of him.

But he has to find out where that voice was coming from. He wants to find him. Lyney. He has to find Lyney.

__________

"He's not here..." Tanjiro knitted his eyebrows together. "And it doesn't smell like he's been here since yesterday," the slayer was mumbling to himself.

He could possibly sniff around to find where Freminet was, it was no big deal to him, but if he was to skip training today he was sure to get some beating from Aoi.

Then it's settled, right after the warm-up, he's going to go search for Freminet! He has to be quick though, as it seems it will rain soon.

***

"Oh, it started raining buckets outside!" Sumi mentioned after the stretching part of the warm-up ended.

That's bad Tanjiro thought. The smell's gonna be washed away!

The warm-up hasn't finished yet, but he will have to make a run for it.

"Sorry, everyone, I have to find Freminet before the trail goes cold!" he rushed outside.

"Wait, Tanjiro-kun, don't go without me," Zenitsu cried out behind him. Well then, they'll get scolded later, but now it's better to search for the lost boy before there'll be no clue left.

It was cold, especially with them being in clothes not meant for this weather. And the heavy rain was washing everything away now, the path Freminet took yesterday practically lost now.

But eventually, the three of them got to the forest Tanjiro trained in the last few days.

The trail finally got cut off here. Zenitsu stopped screaming and complaining the moment they entered the forest and was uncharacteristically focused.

"Tanjiro," the blonde got the other's attention now. "I hear something there, follow me," Tanjiro followed the thunder-breather as he was going deeper in the forest.

The deeper they went, the less rain there was and it started to end too. It wasn't long until there wasn't practically any rain left, only the wet soil beneath them hinting at it being there not so long ago.

And with the rain gone, Tanjiro could now smell it. The smell of blood.

Akamdo turned up the pacing of his footsteps to however fast he could until he found what he wanted, although now he was regretting it.

"Wait up, Tanj-" Zenitsu cut himself off as he saw what Tanjiro stopped at.

Freminet was just right there, his hands bloody with his own blood, which was flowing down his claymore onto the clock hands and down to the body of a creature that wasn't human for sure. He was slowly lifting his claymore before dropping it again on the demon's stomach, making the creature jump from the impact, but otherwise moveless.

Freminet was covered in injuries all over. Awfuly deep wounds from nails on his legs, as if the demon was trying to get him off.

Next to the diver on the grass layed the reason why his hands were dripping blood - a katana blade, a broken one at that, without its hilt, the entirety of it covered in blood.

Did he try to kill the demon?

"I'll take it from here, " Kanao suddenly appeared, getting the slayers out of the shock they were in.

She quickly dashed towards where Freminet was and, thankfully, with nothing on her way, she, not so effortlessly, cut off the demon's head.

The demon started turning to ashes now as the head was cut off, not even the scent staying for a bit longer.

The lost diver continued to stay still, leaning on his claymore.

"Quickly, get him back to the mansion!"

_______

....

He was caught. The demon saw him, he was screwed!

Although Freminet was a skilled diver indeed, that creature lives in this water and can breathe in it in comparison to the assassin.

Put on your helmet, put it on, put it on, never mind the water.

His helmet, that's right, it was still with him. The deafening thoughts in his head started to dissappear as Freminet put the helmet on.

Now, he should focus.

The demon was still a few seconds away, if Freminet moved now, he would be able to dodge at least a few of its attacks.

Then, around the two of them, there were not only ripped clothes and blood, but swords, too. From the long notations Aoi read to him, demons can't be killed with anything but nichirin swords and the sun.

And at last and probably the most important thing right now was the water. It was in his helmet. Yes, it allowed him to silence everything around him, but it didn't win any time.

He has to be quick.

First, he did a dash to his right, dodging the upcoming attack and getting closer to the required weapon.

Secondly, he analyzed the movements of the demon. It didn't look crazy, only caring about getting food in its mouth, but it also thinked.

At last he did another dash and started resurfacing. The weapon was now in his hands, he just has to not get caught.

The water was unusually heavy, sucking him in, his mind was spinning and his limbs answering less and less as there wasn't enough oxygen.

Just a bit more, a bit more and he'll be...!

The demon grabbed his leg, its nails going through the skin, the dirty black and bloody water making the wound hurt.

The thalassophile nearly breathed in this murky luqiud, yet his will has been trained for so many years not for him to give it up in a situation like this.

Just a bit more. Nevermind the demon dragging you down, Freminet. Just keep ascending.

The diver's hands reached out, to nowhere in particular, yet he grabbed onto something.

This pocket world looks much bigger than it actually is he understood.

On his last moments of breath and strenght he managed to get half of him out of that cursed place, immediately taking the helmet off.

Was it just a few more seconds under there who knew what would've happen.

Breathe in, breathe out, repeat and ignore the pain.

The weapon was still in his hand, so light compared to the claymore Freminet always carries around.

Yet the current goal was to fully escape the water demon's dimension as the demon was still digging more and more into Freminet's ankle, as well as dragging him down with much more force.

Using his cryo vision, the solivagant freezed everything around him in the water. That would surely win him some time as much as the wounds sting from the cold.

And here he is, finally on the surface yanking his helmet off to breath some air in. The first time ever he felt happy from returning to the surface after a long dive.

While the demon was puzzling with the ice, Freminet swiftly ripped a part of his pants's sleeve and wrapped it around his wound to stop the bleeding at least a little bit.

It hurt, he couldn't run.

It hurt so much.

The demon resurfaced, too, now. Well, now or never!

With the weapon in the penguin lover's hand, he swung it against the neck of the monster as the blade broke in half.

Huh.

No no no no no no, how is he supposed to kill it now?

Pick the bare blade up.

He'll hurt his hands then.

Doesn't matter.

Everyone is suspicious of him anyway. He has to prove himself to be worthy.

He has to carry out the orders.

Were there ones? Doesn't matter, then it's his orders. Slay demons to be worth not discarding.

Freminet quickly picked the blade up, holding it with his both hands.

The demon looked awfuly unpleasant.

Doesn't matter.

The diver's helmet was close enough, too. Put it on.

Nothing reached him anymore, the pain in his leg numbing down as he ignored it.

He held the blade tight, blood escaping his blood vessels.

Doesn't matter.

Slash. Slash.

He aimed for the eyes and arms.

The eyes were successfully awfully damaged, luckily not regenerating that quickly, but the arms were hard to damage, especially when all the demon could do is attack with them.

A particular attack from the demon was aimed straight to Freminet's head and then...

Everyrhing was a blur.

He did everything purely on muscle memory from the years of training in the House of Heart.

Quick flashes of the trainings under the previous Father's rulership shot in front of his eyes. The pain, the way his hands could not hold the claymore in his hands anymore...

And there he was. Freminet didn't know how much time it passed ever since he woke up in the dark water or how much time it took for someone to come.

He just remembered his heavy breathing over the demon's body. How its organs were splattered all over the ground from the over and over falling upon them claymore.

The blood covering his legs. His own and the demon's. How there were new scratches from its claws on Freminet's skin. How his clothes were completely ruined.

Who were those people anyway?

The girl that cut the demon's head off... Must be the soldier. That protects her opinions and everyone close to her. Being strong and facing any difficulties with ease...

Hah, he was so weak he couldn't even do something as cutting a demon's head off. Why was he always so weak. Why is everything becoming black?

_____

Rosseland?

Chapter Text

... Rosseland?

"Rosseland!" the boy cried out. "You came to visit Penguin town!"

At that moment, Freminet felt so happy. His dear siblings must be paying him and the town a visit! Oh how long has it been since they've last met.

And yet Rosseland seemed to be worried about something.

"Is something wrong?" the one with a soul as pure as one can be asked. "Did Lyney and Lynette face troubles on the way here?"

Or they could possibly be preparing a surprise for him knowing them.

The cat bounced in its hat. Well, Lyney's, but it doesn't make neither Rosseland's.

"You want me to go somewhere?" the cat seems to be agreening and the diver just quietly follows.

"Wait..." he stopped in his tracks. "I can't go outside Penguin town."

Why? He couldn't remember. He just couldn't.

Rosseland seemed to be worried.

"Is it something urgent?" Bounce bounce.

Freminet would do whatever it took to keep his siblings safe. They agreed to take him with them, him - the useless assassin that can't even take care of himself. They were always by his side.

But something felt extremely wrong, he shouldn't leave Pers and Penguin town alone.

And yet...

...

While in his thoughts he didn't notice how Rosseland came up behind him and pushed him outside of Penguin town's borders.

Wait, this wasn't right.

I was fighting a demon just now. How come I ended up here?

There was burning pain everywhere. Freminet wanted to scream but couldn't as if his airways were full of water. His skin felt like it was on fire, as if numerous needles were piercing his skin.

Make it stop make it stop!

The water below him, the starry sky above, they were no longer soothing.

-

"Ah!" the diver's breathing was heavy.

Where was he? What happened?

His hands hurt, his legs ached.

Oh... He was in Shinobu's mansion. He's safe. Yet what happened? Freminet could not fully recollect.

The sound of mechanical gears filled the room. This sound felt so much like home, Freminet wished he could go back there. He wanted to see his siblings so badly.

Wait, where did this sound even come from?

Freminet's head shot to where he was hearing the sound come from.

Ah, it was just a hallucination.

Must have been the sound of rain playing with his mind.

He felt a bit light, the ghost pain from the dream still not going away. He should go breathe some air he thought.

It hurt for him to even stand but it didn't matter.

Carefully opening the shoji and stepping on the engawa, he made his way.

The outside doors on the end of the engawa, tobukuro Freminet thinks they were called, were closed due to the rain pour outside.

Nearly tripping a few times with no walls to support his body, the diver gently opened the tobukuro a bit and sat on the edge, not caring about getting wet.

It smelled so much like home but yet so different.

Remembering the old folk tale, he whispered under his breath "Hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry!"

Suddenly another shoji door opened.

"Freminet?" it was Tanjiro. "What are you doing here, you shouldn't be standing up yet!"

As always, the boy was so kind. Maybe even a bit too kind. Freminet thought the other didn't deserve this job, instead he should've been living a happy life...

"Sorry," Freminet apologized, it was making him sick having someone worry about him.

Kamado stared at him for a while and hummed "There's something on your mind, isn't there?"

Plopping next to him, the burgundy haired boy stared at the rain together with the diver.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

...

Freminet didn't know if he was ready. He already made everyone worry too much about him, did he not? And they spent so many resources on him while tending to his wounds, he shouldn't trouble anyone any further.

"You must be missing your family, right? Your hometown, friends... Please, let your heart out, it must've been so hard for you."

That was the last string. Whether tears are a product of weakness or not, the young boy could not care anymore.

And Tanjiro was so nice, giving him his shirt to dry his eyes on. Giving reassuring taps on Freminet's back, staying silent and not laughing at him.

After Freminet calmed down and tears stopped falling from his sparkling eyes, under Tanjiro's reassuring words, he was able to talk about so much he hasn't been able to for a long while now.

Fontaine, the story about Pers the penguin, his hobby, the prophecy...

"Wait, wait, wait, how is that possible that people dissolve into water?" Tanjiro was amazed by all the things Freminet talked about, the prophecy piquing his interest once more.

"It's just a prophecy, who knows if it's real or not."

Freminet couldn't believe the other was so nice. Throughout the entire conversation he never once could sense any kind of negative emotion coming from the slayer. It's either he's so nice or Freminet's senses have been dulled down.

"It's getting light already, Freminet, you should go to bed," the words in the air were understandable by both parties involved. The girls are gonna give us a great scolding if they find you here outside your bed.

__________

The next entire week, the diver was
recovering.

Whenever Freminet looked at Kanao he cringed remembering the thought he had before he blanked out that night... Was she fit for the warrior though?

No, no! Stop with the delusions, Freminet! Look at where they got you, snap out of it!

And just like that on one day of his rehabilitation training, someone unexpected came in.

The scarred person from that hashira meeting.

"You," he looked at Freminet "You'll train with me from now on, warm up and go outside."

Training? With him? Though now he was much calmer and tamer than back then at the meeting.

After quickly finishing the warm up routine (thank you, Sumi, Kiyo and Naho!) he went outside to see the white haired man waiting him there on the engawa.

"Uhm, excuse me," he was scared to say anything but he should at least try. Having to go through the embarrassment of everyone seeing him unable to use chopsticks everyday was much worse and kind of made him a bit braver. Just a bit though.

"The name's Shinazugawa Sanemi. But for you it's Shinazugawa-san."

Scary! Although there's something else about him under all of these scary layers.

"As I said before, from this day forth I'll be the one in charge of your training, any questions?"

Come on, Freminet, don't just say nothing, you do have questions-

"N... N-nothing," dammit.

"Great, now take this," Shinazugawa tossed a wooden sword to the penguin boy. "Dunno if you noticed, but the girls have been observing you this whole time and in the end concluded that the best breathing style for you is the wind breathing," he let out a heavy sigh. So heavy Freminet thought it would break the ground under their feet.

"Honestly, why wind breathing? Why do I have to teach someone like you?" the wind hashira muttered under his breath but nothing escapes an assassin's ear.

Standing up, the man continued, "Starting with the fundamentals, the wind breathing is a breathing style that mimics wind. Most, if not all, techniques involve solely offense," he started talking about the basics, not sparing Freminet a break with all this new information.

"Got it? Now, straight to practice-"

"W-wait!" huh. Freminet didn't expect it himself to actually interrupt someone...

"Huh? What is it?" Sanemi looked at the much smaller boy from above.

"Uhm, i-it's noth-" no, he should take on some courage, "Actually, why do I have to learn a breathing style to begin with?"

The pillar's facial expression loosened a bit, softened, Freminet would say even filled with a bit of proud. "You wanna die? You sure that "God's eye" of yours really gonna help you in this place?"

He was right. Even though it could enhance his attacks with cryo, remembering his fight and what Freminet has been told about, it would've been much more useful if he had a pyro one like Lyney. Probably nothing much would even change if he didn't have one, right...?

"Before breathing styles were invented, slayers were dying off like flies, even if you can fight already, it could enhance your body even further, going way beyond your current limits.

Got it?"

"Yes, Fa- Shinazugawa-san," he had to quietly accept his defeat.

"Great, now where were we at..."

________________________

"Get up and pick the goddamn sword up!" Shinazugawa-san shouted for what time now after Freminet once more fell, being unable to keep up with the never stopping attacks.

It was too much, too much-

Freminet picked the training sword up, quickly getting back on his feet, before once again falling on his butt after another attack.

"In battle nobody's gonna wait for you, you understand?" the annoyed eyes of the Hashira stared through Freminet, creeping the younger one out.

The diver stood up once again, this time around keeping his eyes on the movements of Shinazugawa-san, awfully precise and fast, in fact, way too fast for anyone with Freminet's level to keep up.

So instead of trying to dodge it, Freminet would have a better chance at parrying it.

Just as the wooden sword of the hashira was about to hit the diver's ankles again, Freminet blocked it, losing balance in the meantime due to the impact, falling back down. But now he managed to at least get back up faster.

What he didn't manage to do, though, was dodge or parry the next following attack, pain flashing through where the wooden katana met with the diver's arm. That would be a painful bruise later...

Freminet laid on the ground after falling again, trying to stand up. And as the second was ticking, he made eye contact with the constantly annoyed eyes of Shinazugawa.

"You're so weak, what have the gods even seen in you? Did they give you that thing just out of pity or something?"

He was right, Freminet didn't deserve it at all.

Freminet grabbed a hanful of dirt and threw it at the hashira, aiming for the eyes, to give himself a few seconds to think before he would eventually meet the ground again.

There wasn't anything around that Freminet could've used to his advantage, this was purely a test of skill.

His arm stung so much from the hit earlier. And his knees and elbows were definitely scraped from the falls on the harsh ground, judging by the red on the dirtied white clothes he was given.

It was impossible to focus.

Freminet could see the next slash coming, but had little to no idea what to do about it. All he managed to muster up was solely due to muscle memory taking over and blocking the attack to some extent.

This time around, Freminet even managed to stay of his feet and not fall...

But that didn't last for long, as Shinazugawa tripped him in a matter of a second.

It... Hurt so much.

__________

Freminet was drained. He didn't want to wake up the next day. It was like he was a bird in a cage, made to do something without even a bit of time for himself. If every day would be like today was, he didn't want to be here anymore. Too much interactions, too much everything.

The bruises stung badly, it hurt to do something as simple as turn around or sit up. To just think that tomorrow he would get even more of such injuries... It made the diver's heart beat faster in fear.

Suddenly the door to his room slammed open.

"RAAH! THE BOAR KING HAS ARRIVED!" it was Inosuke, Tanjiro and Zenitsu following after him. The diver hasn't been interacting with Inosuke much ever since his arrival, but he was kinda scared of the other. "WHERE IS THE GIRLY WHO MANAGED TO... Wait, what did he manage to do again?"

"Shut up, you-!" Zenitsu lightly slapped the back of the boar head. "Freminet-kun, we saw your training today and err," he handed a plate with dorayaki out in front of him and Tanjiro finished the phrase for him "We decided to cheer you up with these sweets we sneaked out."

Sweets? Now that caught Freminet's interest, he just hoped it was a sweet with red bean paste filling. Honestly, every sweet here was with red bean paste...

"Thank you so much," the diver stood up from his bed and reached out for the pancake-cake-like sweet but before he could a certain boar decided to steal all but one.

"Inosuke!" the other two boys shouted in unison, looking at Inosuke who somehow dumped all of the pancakes into his mouth, looking like a hamster.

Sighing, Tanjiro turned back to Freminet and handed him the last pancake "Sorry about that."

Without much consideration, Freminet took the sweet and took a bite.

Again.

Red bean paste!

...

Although, he was happy nonetheless. This atmosphere, new friends and, most importantly, their care was making him so happy.

For some reason everyone stayed still all of a sudden. "What's the problem?" the assassin- no, Freminet asked.

"Did you just," Zenitsu's eyes popped out "smile?"

For the rest of the evening the boys did not let Freminet forget about that.

___________

It was another day of this abyssal training. The track of time started becoming a barely legible repetitive blur that would not go anywhere beyond sleep and training. If it wasn't for the girls at the mansion worrying about him, he wouldn't have even known how long it's been since the start of it.

It was just another day of training, sweat falling down Freminet's forehead, as the sun burned from above. It wasn't even summer yet... Or was it? The seasons were too hard to keep up with in this... World.

Although the amount of falls has significantly descreased since the start of the training, it was still nowhere near acceptable.

Freminet stood there, waiting for the hashira's next move. Unlike Kanao's, Shinazugawa's movements were unpredictable, ever adapting to the situation.

Focus, Freminet, nevermind the pain.

If Freminet wanted to succeed, he would have to learn to adapt this way, too. That was much harder than following the set of movements patterns he was used to doing. On the other hand, fights weren't like assassinations. They were much more active, unpredictable, they were something that couldn't be entirely done by just doing orders, you had to think and make your own decisions.

So if he wanted to...

Freminet fell on the ground again. He didn't notice the hashira closing the distance between them. The diver's head was dizy. He wanted to vomit.

It hurt so much...

He slowly gathered some strength in himself, holding himself slightly up the ground on his hands.

If he were to...

Freminet got back on his feet, blocking the attack going after him, using more strength than he should've had.

Sometimes he would forget this was but a wooden sword and not his ever-reliable claymore.

Shinazugawa wasn't giving him a second of a breather, it being the most intense part of the entire training: keeping up with the following attacks one by one that didn't slow down even for a second, not giving the diver a moment to think how to attack.

He fell once again, dropping his weapon and knees stinging with pain.

It was awful...

"Stop, you're doing it wrong," the hashira was scolding him once again "This isn't your claymore you always use, don't be so stiff and let the sword flow not stop it so harshly!"

Freminet felt like throwing up. The sun was frying him, it was way less intense back in Fontaine, even the hottest days in summer would not get this hot.

"Stand back up like the man you are," the harsh voice of the pillar pierced through the rain once again. "Nobody will care if during a fight you'll be feeling bad, stand up!"

Grabbing the training katana again, Freminet didn't even bother to announce his following attack, going straight for the neck of the other like he's been told to do. He was much weaker than Sanemi after all.

Although there was something Freminet could catch in Shinazugawa's expression, something unexpecting for him, a slice of surprise right before he swiftly dodged the attack.

After a bit of silence, the wind hashira said, "That's enough for today, tomorrow I'll start to show you the breathing techniques."

After three whole weeks of this sword training, he managed to do something for once.

__________

Another month has passed.

Tanjiro was mastering total concentration breathing together with the other two, having met only good things on their way.

All of that while Freminet could only grasp at the basics of a breathing style. He could somewhat use it, but it wasn't even twice as effective as Shinazugawa's.

The others have trained for so much less time than him and yet achieved much greater heights. That's how useless he is, he should try harder, he should help them.

Ah. That's right.

Help them.

But the question laid, how?

Maybe, just maybe, he could join their next mission?

He would be able to do that, right? He wouldn't be a nuisance to them, right? He just had to ask. Maybe his vision would help them or his many years of skill and training would be able to do something.

Although, he wasn't an official slayer yet, would it even be allowed...?

____________

"Defeat as many demons as you can!" Shinobu's little helpers said, handing onigiri out for the road as Inosuke started eating them right away.

In the end, he could. All he had to was ask Tanjiro and then it was him who asked Shinobu-san if Freminet could join them.

All the diver could now hope for was that he would actually be useful.

Someone was on their left, Freminet couldn't see them as Tanjiro was blocking his way but as the slayer ran towards the mysterious person...

It was the person who found him that night!

"Tomioka!" Tanjiro shouted running towards him, Freminet following missing the start of the conversation of the two.

"I see you've learned total concentration breathing, " voice as cold as Freminet remembers it to be.

"Yes!"

"Keep on going," that's when he noticed Freminet, but before they could say something to each other, Tanjiro started thanking Giyuu for saving Nezuko.

"How can I repay you?" he asked in the end.

"You can repay me in battle. The slayers' duty is killing demons. That's all," looking at Freminet he added "The same goes for you," and then ran away so fast it looked as he dissipated into thin air.

Now going back to the others, Zenitsu was tamed with a few words. Like usual.

Taking a deep breath in, Freminet got ready. He was allowed to go on the mission, too. It was going to be a long way.

__________

Who would think that it would turn into a running away from the local gardes?

As Tanjiro and Inosuke were dumbfounded at the train, they created such a ruckus, the security started running after all of them!

Everyone hid away their katanas for now. Freminet also hid his own weapon he received from Sanemi for the mission. It was surprising how nice he was giving it, but according to the wind hashira's words "You've trained hard."

Although, judging by the tone it was said with... He was forced to said that back then.

It wasn't a normal katana but it could slay demons and that was enough.

The train started getting away from them, so now they had to be quick. First to react was Freminet - otherwise he would miss it. He wasn't as fast as the others after all.

Everyone else quickly followed with screams and shouts.

This feeling of speeds... Reminded him of the aquabuses back at Fontaine. Ah, how much he missed this feeling.

___________

Cut. Cut.

The ticket concierge checked their tickets.

The lights clicked.

They've found the flame hashira. What could possibly go wrong?

Chapter Text

The House of Heart was always welcoming to those who obeyed.

Giving the children the home they needed with only one thing in exchange.

Their loyalty.

___________________

Freminet opened his eyes. Wasn't he in a train just now? Why was he in a bed all of a sudden? His brain refused to work properly, staring at the empty ceiling he was so familiar with, but didn't know where he knew it from.

That was until he heard a specific voice. His brother's.

"Freminet! Wake up, breakfast's ready," Lyney shouted from downstairs, making Freminet realize. He was back in Fontaine. Was all of that demon slayer stuff just a hyper realistic dream?

The diver stood up from bed, feeling the soft rug underneath his feet. Pers was right there, on the shelf, waiting to be repaired. He swiftly lunged at the meka and hugged it tightly. He missed Pers so much.

He didn't let it go even when leaving his room.

That fever dream made him way too homesick.

The familiar hallway and pots with flowers made Freminet so happy. He was ready to spend the entire day just there, but seeing his siblings was more important.

Going down the stairs, Lyney noticed him, chuckling "Freminet, you're usually not the one to oversleep. What, were you on a hard mission yesterday?"

The thalassophile was about to cry, seeing his brother again. Lynette, the other twin, came out of the dining room, a bit annoyed.

"What's taking you so long, honestly?" she grabbed Lyney's shirt by the collar, dragging him back to the dining room. "Good morning, Freminet," she looked at him.

Freminet's vision became blurry, cheeks staining with something warm.

"Freminet!" Lyney exclaimed, running up to Freminet, Lynette close behind. "Why are you crying, what, was yesterday's mission that hard? Were you in danger?" he pulled out a handkerchief out of nowhere - a magician's tricks were useful in everyday life, too - and gave it to Freminet to wipe his tears.

"Shut it, he probably doesn't want to talk about it," Lynette hit the older twin with her elbow, making him wheeze out a bit.

"No, no, it's alright," Freminet wiped his tears with the given item. "Just a nightmare."

Yes, just a very very long nightmare.

The smell coming from the dining room of crepes suzette filled the diver's nostrils. "Well, my dear brother, breakfast will cheer you up, come on, I'll show you a few magic tricks, too," Lyney sincerely smiled, only intensifying Freminet's tears.

Freminet couldn't hold them in, the warm droplets falling onto the mechanical toy he still had in his hands. His siblings were worrying about him, he shouldn't make them do so, but he couldn't help it.

Somehow they managed to enter the dining room, the crepes suzette now seen. The bullet fruit slices, the jam and pancakes, such a nice breakfast and such a contrast to the always-including-rice dishes from that nightmare.

Eating the food, its sweet flavour, really did calm him down and Lyney showed some magic tricks. He missed those so much.

"Ta-dah," he finished another trick with the food, Lynette watching as her desserts disappeared one after one. "Now look under your hat," the magician smiled slyly.

Freminet did so, but there was nothing. Right until Rosseland didn't jump to balance the food on the penguin lover's head.

"Ooh, Freminet, we received a letter this morning, you totally missed it," Lyney stood up from his table, going somewhere out of the room and coming back, jumping and excited. "You won't believe what-"

"We are going to perform at the Opera Epiclese," Lynette interrupted him, sipping from her tea.

"Lynette! You totally ruined the surprise!" Lyney whined, but Freminet didn't care. Perfoming at the Opera Epiclese - the biggest stage in all of Fontaine - was an honour no less. "Congratulations," a tiny smile creeped up his face, not noticeable. He definitely missed his siblings.

"Anyway, we were thinking, Freminet, how about we join you for a dive, hm?" Lyney professionally changed the theme, eating up his cooling down meal. Lynette on the other hand has already finished with all her food and the desserts she loved so much.

The diver agreed. Any bonding time right now could be of use. Plus, he would be able to let his emotions out in the water. Find a romaritime flower and let it listen to him rant about that awful dream he experienced.

______________

The water hugged Freminet as he glided through it, his siblings behind, gathering in the sights to take as references for their next shows. The sea otters, blubberfishes and many more creatures created an atmosphere nothing else could ever replicate. The feeling of gravity practically non-existent as they swam.

"I'll go there for now if you need me," Freminet told his siblings. Having a vision was much more helpful in Fontaine than in any other region as it allowed them to breath and talk underwater due to the water's properties.

Finding a sole romaritime flower with his eyes, Freminet swam up to it, his emotions already taking over him. All these two non-existent months he had to constantly socialize, practically without any time of solace he desired. All walls have ears, a lesson he learned from his first days at the House that was still under "Mother's" rulership back then. Of course, Freminet couldn't not notice how the trio that also stayed at the butterfly mansion had amazing perception and, although it was all a dream, if it wasn't it would be rather unpleasant for them to find more than needed.

Freminet let out his worries, crying out to the little flower, it swaying slightly. He hoped his siblings wouldn't search for him right now as he was such a mess even if he was underwater.

It took around ten minutes for him to be able to come back to reality after reminiscing his entire experience to the weak flower, the tidalgas around him already changed their positions and the blubberfish group that was there not so long time ago gone, replaced by meka.

I should return to Lyney and Lynette Freminet thought swimming towards the direction he saw his siblings at. Making his way through the pretty seagrass around, why not, since he can, he got to the ruins he saw the siblings swim to.

But something was wrong at that place. There was another presence. Another diver? Perhaps. It didn't matter as long as they didn't bother them.

"Guess who," Lynette's voice sounded, as somebody closed his eyes with their hands.

"The one saying it is Lynette and the one closing my eyes Lyney," with that the hands were removed, showing Freminet was right as the older twin let out an exasperated sigh and the cat-eared gave thumbs up.

"Oh come on how did you guess?" Lyney was as overdramatic as always. He really cared about both of them, always wearing this confident and dramatic mask.

"Your hands are warmer than Lynette's, even underwater," he explained. And this kind of trick was always fun to do, tricking and testing their senses, something as important to them as breathing.

Freminet felt somebody's presence again, but now heard it too. He swam up to where the noise was coming from, slightly surprising the twins with his fast switch of actions.

Someone was drowning. He quickened his pace, just like the siblings who were behind him. The diver didn't get to look at who it was, as his reflexes worked faster and he carefully grabbed them, Lyney and Lynette helping him, as they swam towards the surface.

They quickly got to the shore and Freminet started quickly helping the girl to throw up any water she may have breathed in up. After that he got to look at her more carefully.

She had a weapon on herself, hidden, but she had it, her clothes and appearance resembled those from the dream he had, or more simply inazuman.

The girl heavily breathed in and out, taking in her surroundings. She looked panicked as she saw who was in front of her.

"Are you okay?" Lyney inquired. "Do you need any help going back to the city?" Freminet was sure his family also noticed the weapon.

She couldn't understand them, only staring with her scared eyes, as Lyney's hands touched her shoulders in a reassuring matter, which she didn't appreciate.

So the girl just ran away into the flower fields near the shore. She would be able to get in the city from there, so she should be fine.

Lyney on the other hand held something in his hand.

"What is it?" Lynette inquired, peeking at the item her older brother held.

It was the needle-like weapon the girl had. Its purpose was rather unclear as it was lacking in usefulness and durability by a lot, but it would be enough for self-defense from one hilichurl or a small crab.

"I wanted to return it to her but she ran away so quickly," Lyney sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

______________

The siblings returned to the city, walking around and buying stuff they needed as the day was slowly ending, the sunset, purplish-pink sky replaced the light blue one until it eventually darkened and few stars appeared.

Freminet heard that in the wild there were much more stars to be seen at night, something to do with how many light sources there were in the city. Maybe like in his dream?

The three of them returned home after the long day, tired but equally happy. Lynette plopped on the couch in the living room, while Lyney took his card deck out to practice some tricks.

Freminet decided to make a meal for all of them, his specialty the "Seabird's Sojourn". He was about to take out some chopsticks, ready to struggle using them, but he remembered he had access to all the needed utensils so he didn't need them.

That's right, he was at Fontaine. They didn't use chopsticks here.

The diver didn't catch any fish today, but there were some left from the previous day. Or at least he thought it was from the previous day as he didn't remember what happened, honestly, two months spent in a dream can make things very hard.

Oysters, fish, shrimp, marcottes and tomatoes.

Perfect. And he didn't have to struggle with chopsticks.

Freminet made the food, bringing it to the living room and putting one plate in front of the magician and the other two plates by its side. The both of them called Lynette, her already being in her pajamas as she went down the stairs.

The twins thanked Freminet for the food, Lynette giving him a pat and Lyney squishing his cheek.

They relished the food until the front door creaked open.

...

"Father is home!"

___________

The crackling sound of fire in the chimney could be heard as the little family within the House told each other stories from the last few days.

Two magician twins and their not-blood related younger brother. A brother nonetheless. They have accepted him and his quirks.

They were trully a family.

Freminet, the younger brother, carefully listened to whatever his dear brother was telling him - something about their yesterday's show and how they would soon perform at the Opera House for the first time.

Pers in his hands, spinning on its little meka legs and flapping its wings.

All the while "Father" was watching over them.

What more could he ask?

This was true happiness, was it not?

Yet the flame in the chimney started glowing a weird color. A pinkish-red one, bringing the smell of blood with it.

Nobody, even "Father" didn't seem to notice it, even though it was right there.

"Freminet! Is something wrong, my dear brother?" Lyney noticed the younger's expression.

"Ah, well," he wasn't able to finish as Lynette very uncharacteristically spoke over him.

"I'm sure our brother is just tired, we should retire to sleep, it is late after all."

"Fair point, my dear sister. Freminet?" the magician's hat nearby jumped up a bit, Rosseland getting comfortable to sleep, too.

"Y-Yeah, coming," he dismissed it at that.

Today was a hard day. Especially after that long nightmare. Maybe he should really read less fairytales?

As the magician duo retired, before Freminet could follow them, "Father" came up from behind.

"Freminet, wake up."

Before anything else could be said, a scythe cut his throat.

_________________

"Zenitsu wake up, please! Inosuke please, wake up!" a familiar voice shouted not so far away, but Freminet couldn't piece together who.

"Father!" the diver shouted as he woke up. Wait.

He woke up.

"Freminet! You woke up so quickly," Tanjiro, yes, Tanjiro, looked relieved. "Thank you, Nezuko," he pat the girl's head, smiling with one of his nice smiles.

It wasn't a nightmare. It's the harsh reality. The reality he wanted to be true was the false one. How pathetic. Just to think that Freminet of all people could have his senses so easily fooled to make the harsh reality feel like a dream... Or was it a dream? Maybe he just fell asleep in a dream and now this was still a dream-

No, he should just face reality.

Everyone else was still sleeping.

Tanjiro stood up from the place he was kneeling by, calling out for the Flame Hashira, but what he didn't expect was one of the kids, that were next to each of them, attacking him. Luckily missing. She looked awfully similar to the girl in his dream, the weapon being identical. Oh.

"Stay away from our way," she shouted, looking as desperate and miserable as some kids who just arrive at the House of Heart. It always hurt seeing them, but they would eventually warm up to the place. Sadly, it wasn't the case here. "We won't be able to see dreams just because you came here!"

Another girl joined beside her. And two other kids. Freminet recognized one of them, the girl that was in his dream. She stared at Freminet's soul, making chills run up his spine.

The last kid didn't want to stand up though, sitting on one of the seats, looking way too tired for anything other than existing. As if he just felt a glimpse of heaven.

The first girl started scolding him "If you won't work, I'll snitch on you and you will never be able to see dreams!" she shouted, looking still as desperate. Snitching is bad, that Freminet knew. He looked over at Tanjiro, who seemed to be looking at the situation unfold with a stern and a bit worried face.

Why do these kids remind me so much of the House of Heart? They shouldn't. Nobody at the House was forced like them, at least, that's not how Freminet saw it.

The House provided their children with everything, the only thing you had to give was your loyalty. Something those kids couldn't relate to as they were forced to do everything without having a choice. Much like "Mother" dealt the things around before "Father" took over.

While Freminet was contemplating, Tanjiro wasted no time and took them all out, one by one, hitting their necks non-lethally. Everyone except for the boy that didn't fight.

"You want to see good dreams so badly?" the slayer asked, looking melancholic reminiscing his own sweet dream. So the demon was the one who made them see those dreams? So cruel to play with human emotions. That's why it was a demon, after all. "I understand it. I also wanted to stay in that dream. It would be better if all of this was a dream."

Before Tanjiro continued, Nezuko ran up to him and cheered him up. Her cute face definitely had some calming effect, whether it was due to their bond or just her as a person. Tanjiro looked happier at that moment. This glint in his eyes... Was that alike of Lyney's when they were all together.

During that little action, Freminet also noticed the dead gaze in the boy's eyes. He looked so sorry for something, so miserable and regretful.

"Is everything alright with you?" the burgundy haired asked, finally noticing the boy again.

"Thank you. Please, be safe." he simply said, not elaborating, eyes starting to fill with a tiny bit of hope.

After a bit of a surprise, Tanjiro smiled with one of his happy smiles, the ones that always cheered anyone up and brought comfort even in the direst situations. "Of course!"

Remembering about Freminet, the slayer looked at him, face frowning and now getting serious, "Freminet, stay here and I'll check where the demon is. Watch for the others to wake up and tell them: the demon's blood art is dreams - if they enter one they should immediately kill themselves to wake up," he professionally guided.

"O-okay," the slayer ran away with Nezuko close to him, leaving nothing but the tiny feeling of comfort in the room behind.

Now they were left alone with the boy.

None of them knew how to start up a conversation, but then...

"You don't really look like a demon slayer," the boy noted his clothes. Freminet was dressed in his outfit from Fontaine, except the girls insisted on giving him some other pants. What was wrong with his normal outfit?

"Ah, well," the diver couldn't keep the eye contact. He's been learning how to, it's fine. He couldn't put the words together, the language feeling foreign again after just one day spent in a dream version of Fontaine.

Luckily, Nezuko returned, distracting both of them and helping out the awkward situation. The demon came up to the still-sleeping slayers and started a pink-colored fire. Honestly, seeing her fire burn and not hurt the slayers was a sight for sure.

Nodding to each other, the boy left the current passenger wagon.

Soon enough Inosuke woke up and the same second, before Freminet managed to explain him anything, started breaking through the roof. Those were actual professionals, weren't they...?

Meanwhile on the walls inside the train, flesh started forming, creating tentacle-like outgrowths that looked extremely gross, but Freminet has seen worse.

The boar king Inosuke jumped back in and started slashing through everything, leaving only burning away trail of blood as the tentacles were cut through. Freminet wasn't given any orders, he didn't know what to do, should he also fight? Of course he should, but what if he messes up and stands on someone more capable's way?

Nezuko also started protecting everybody a few wagons away as the tentacles grew in number, forcing the slayers to spread out through the entire train. Zenitsu stood up next to Freminet who couldn't move an inch without any orders. The diver just wanted to explain something, but noticed the blonde was still asleep. How was that possible? Either way, the slayer quickly dashed forward using thunder breathing, making his way to the front wagons where Nezuko was.

He should also start so. Taking out the blade given to him by the Wind Hashira, remembering his words again... "You've fought hard, but don't you fucking dare disappoint me in front of the others."

Over the past few months, Freminet started getting more familiar with this fighting style, although his moves were way too stiff for a weapon like this.

Those tentacles - whatever they were - were terryfing.

Slashing through them felt somewhat familiar, Freminet forgot how it was to kill. Not the best feeling to feel again though, even if it barely hurt the demon, unlike to all those people who had debts to the Fatui.

But then he could hear confident steps beside him. The Flame Hashira! Rengoku quickly explained to him; keep the three front wagons safe, I'll take upon the rest, before moving on to Zenitsu and Nezuko, probably to tell them the same.

His next movements were so fast and strong, the train jolted a bit. With a person like this to help them, it felt safe.

Order recived.

Now the mechanism in his mind could work with a clear understanding of his goal and role in the current situation as he breathed in ready to activate his elemental burst he didn't use in so long.

"Commencing cleanup," he breathed out, his cryo vision creating an outburst around him as he put his helmet on, silencing everything around him.

His every second attack was enhanced with cryo, although it didn't seem to have any particular effect, but it was helpful as pressurizing flow gathered up, allowing Freminet to deal more significant damage.

With so little space it was hard to move, but nothing impossible. Zenitsu and Nezuko occasionally entered the wagon Freminet was in when he required assistance, their senses and fast reactions honestly fascinating the assassin.

He wondered, if they were to be trained by the Knave, would they succeed more? No, he shouldn't think so, "Father" wouldn't like it if Freminet had thought that.

He had to keep the defense up and, to Freminet's surprise, it became fairly easy after just a few minutes. He started to understand how to move in the tiny space of the wagon between the rows, the patterns of the tentacle's appearance and getting better with the blade provided.

It wasn't a katana, more like a prolonged katana-like knife. It was easier to use than a katana for Freminet but also helped him to understand the concepts of this Nihon, Japanese, blade.

Freminet's diving helmet tuned everything around him out. There weren't any screams or anything so perhaps he didn't need it?

No. Echoed in his mind. The helmet was a small bubble of safety for him, it brought peace in the ever-pacing mind, letting his thoughts go straight and not get distracted.

After not too long, the train started thrashing around, going off the rails, the inside being ever so fierce and creating a multitude of attacks so hard to keep up with. It hurt, Freminet's sure he hit the ceiling a few times from just the quantity of all these harsh thrusts. What happened to the train - no - demon to start thrashing like that?

Rengoku started using multiple breathing techniques to keep everybody save, trully an inspiration to watch. So ambitious and with such a warm aura around him, who wouldn't be happy to have someone like this Hashira as their friend?

Soon after, everything has calmed down.

The night sky... It was indeed filled with much more stars.

The diver started crawling out of the debris that, luckily, hurt him just slightly, grabbing some people that were near him.

He should look for Tanjiro and Inosuke, the diver thought. The two of them went somewhere - he didn't know where - and couldn't be seen in any of the wagons. What did they do? Had they searched for the demon's main body? Whatever happened, they managed to do so.

But where could they be?

Ah, the Flame Hashira!

"Young Freminet! Young Zenitsu and Nezuko are helping out the passengers right now, would you like to join them?" he was leaving him a choice. Honestly, that was much harder than just receiving orders.

"I... I wanted to look for Tanjiro and Inosuke, actually, but-"

"Then go after me, you must be tired, you're still not a slayer after all!" he smiled so brightly, it was actually blinding.

The hashira helped him up. They started looking around as Rengoku explained what the two nowhere-to-be-found slayers were while they were protecting the passengers.

So the demon's main body was the train itself, huh.

They quickly found Tanjiro alone on the ground closer to where the locomotive was on the side opposite to where the passengers were. The opposite side of where the sun was rising from. The kind slayer was bleeding in his abdomen.

Damnit!

Freminet ran up to him, thinking if only he had a pyro vision to cauterize the wound. He should probably put some pressure on the wound. The wound was caused by a needle like weapon, probably alike to the one the children from before had.

"I see you're always keeping concentration! " Rengoku leaned over Tanjiro before Freminet could intervene somehow with aiding the wound, the Hashira's smile never fading. "That's how you do it! It's the first step to becoming a Hashira even if there's still a few thousands left." just how strong Hashiras were?

Kyojiro started guiding the lower in rank one on how to breath to stop the bleeding. Never has Freminet heard about this technique, he will tell everybody about it if he ever gets back to Fontaine and in the meanwhile he'll start learning it himself. "Father" would definitely be delighted were Freminet to learn a new useful technique and teach it the others.

The bleeding actually stopped. How fascinating.

"Everybody survived!" the hashira soon exclaimed. "A lot of people are injured, but there are no life threats! You can now let your body rest," the words put Tanjiro at ease, but Freminet couldn't help but think.

Something was off.

The assassin's senses couldn't be fooled. Something extremely dangerous was close.

Suddenly the ground near them filled with a cloud of dust as something heavy landed on it, making Freminet cough from the dust that came their way from the impact, some of it getting in his eyes, too.

Rengoku got in a fighting position, fascinating the boys once more with his speed and reaction.

Freminet knew just from a glance that he would be nothing against that enemy but his reactions and instincts were faster than his mind as he also got in a fighting stance.

The demon quickly thrusted forward, trying to hit Tanjiro right until Rengoku stopped him with an amazingly precise slash, cutting the demon's arm in two.

The demon dashed back, healing his arm.

"Why do you attack the injured ones?" Rengoku's voice was stern, free of his usually upbeat undertone.

"I thought he would disturb our conversation," Rengoku tensed up even futher as the demon simply chuckled, his gaze full of unreadable emotions.

Even now Freminet was counted as nothing, seen as nothing, as the demon didn't even notice him. Maybe that's for the better. Was he really so weak for the demon to not notice him?

"It's our first time meeting but I already can't stand you!" the upbeat tone returned but was more harsh than usual as Rengoku spoke these words with so much loathe.

"I see... I also hate weak people. I get nauseous looking at them," the demon snarled back, licking the blood off from where the wound just was.

"I think our opinions are different on the most essential questions," the Hashira stated. Which was true.

"But I have a wonderful idea," the pink haired's gaze was sickly crazy, smile wider as he proposed his offer:"Do you want to become a demon?"

"I don't, " there wasn't a sliver of doubt at these words, voice confident.

"I see perfectly well how strong you are. You are a Hashira, aren't you? Your aura is close to perfection!"

"I am the Flame Hashira, Rengoku Kyojiro!"

"And I'm Akaza. Kyojiro, let me tell you why you didn't achieve perfection yet. You're a human. You age. You die. Become a demon, Kyojiro. "

To die for those who you protect was an honor at the House. Even though "Father" was against children sacrificing their lifes, Freminet could still remember what "Mother" told him when he first came.

Death is inevitable and that's what makes life so sweet.

Rengoku seemed to think the same as he expressed a similar to Freminet's opinion to the demon.

"This lad is not weak at all!" Rengoku added, defending Tanjiro. "Don't offend him. I can repeat again. Our opinions differentiate on the most essential questions. No matter what you offer to me, I will not become a demon!"

The next second, the demon used his blood demon art, creating another cloud of dust around him from the impact. It was awfully terrifying.

"Tanjiro... " the diver muttered the hurt slayer's name, seeing how the other was troubled with his inner struggles at that moment. It must've hurt so much for him.

The battle was hard to keep up after. The extremely fast movements that picked clouds of dirt up, the tiny highlights of Rengoku's katana...

All of it was so fast, Freminet barely managed to understand they had stopped. But that was only for a slight second as the Hashira made a quick thrust forward to get closer to the demon.

Inosuke arrived, standing between Freminet and Tanjiro now, ready to jump in any second, as he watched the horrifying scene before them, too.

"Not another move!" the Flame Hashira shouted and everyone stiffed up, listening to his command. "If the wound opens up, you're dead! It's an order!"

Order... Orders are what have driven Freminet forward. Then, if he was told so, he wouldn't move. Just like a meka that wouldn't turn on until a button was pressed on it.

A few moments after the demon was thrashed into the forest, Rengoku running after him, seconds later flying out, hitting the train.

The demon slowly walked towards him, offering to become a demon again.

"Become a demon, Kyojiro, and then we will be able to fig-"

He stopped mid sentence, his stare piercing through Freminet. Or was he wrong? Was Akaza looking at something else and not at him?

"What is he?" he asked, pointing right at the diver.

Rengoku stood up after the assault, looking at what the demon was pointing at. When Freminet's gaze met the one of the Hashira's, he felt his soul being pierced. His eyes were interesting, full of passion and determination, but when they stared at the boy like that, it felt as if he was going to die any second if he makes just one wrong move.

But before he could stop this eye contact, the demon quickly dashed towards him, grabbing him by his collar.

Another set of piercing eyes set at him made the diver lose his soul, unable to move.

"Neither a human nor a demon. A creature more akin to a droplet of water."

Should he move? No, the order was not to. Freminet shouldn't disobey orders; not like he would be able to as fear pierced his every fiber.

Tanjiro next to him looked scared. Of course, being injured and having such a powerful demon next to him would bring fear to anyone.

Rengoku was uncharacteristically quiet, staring at the two of them.

"Sorry, Kyojiro, we'll have to continue this battle next time," the demon said and right afterwards ran towards the forest with Freminet, still too afraid to move, in his hold.

He was fast, too fast, the wind was hitting Freminet's face so strongly he could barely keep his eyes open.

He was so useless. Being unable to protect himself or anyone else around him. He could barely even manage to fight with this katana, although he trained for a few months already. Why, just why couldn't he ever help?

At the corner of his eye Freminet noticed Rengoku. He was such an inspiration, always being able to help those who need it.

Freminet should help him, too. Somehow. Anyhow.

Maybe he should use his cryo vision? If he manages to slow down the demon's movements, Rengoku would manage to catch up. Even though Freminet prefered physical attacks and wasn't that masterful in channeling his cryo powers, he had to try. Or because of him Rengoku would fail.

He tried, the scenery around swiftly changing from trees to other trees, not slowing down. It didn't work, it didn't work it didn't work, didn'tworkdidn'twork-

His claymore! If he could use it as a trip-up, then he could help Rengoku, right? It would be dangerous, yes, it could hurt his arms, hit his stomach, or ultimately fail, but it's worth it, right?

Just keep breathing.

Breath in. Breath out.

Now!

He summoned his claymore, tripping the demon and dropping him. Freminet barely managed to land safely, as he tumbled over and quickly got back on his feet even though dizzy.

He stood behind Rengoku who was protecting him, not letting Akaza get another step closer.

Should Freminet run away? Should he stay here? His body froze once more. Why was he always so useless anytime this kind of situation happened?

Get rid of the voices, put your helmet on.

And so he did, his own little bubble of silence shielding him from the outside world. But he was still tense. He observed the two in front of him fight.

If Lyney or Lynette were the one here instead of me, what would they do? They would probably try to assist or not be a nuisance.

Filliol and Nanteuil wouldn't even get in a situation like this, they never wanted to be in the House anyway.

He wonders how are they doing. Probably so worried about me and yet here I am putting myself in even more danger than required.

Lost in his thoughts, he doesn't notice an attack that flew by.

Everything went black in an instant.

_______________

Rosseland.

The cat in a hat grinned in front of him as usual. Looking around he noticed: it was the dream he last had so many months ago. Behind them were just ruins of his fantasy of Penguin Town.

The starry sky above, the water reflecting the little glimmers under. A feeling as if a wicked melody was played from out of nowhere and out of everything at once, bringing discomfort to Freminet.

"Where am I?" the boy understood quite well he wouldn't get an answer out of the cat, because, well, it was a cat.

"Why, in Penguin Town of course!" yet he did.

Huh? This really was a dream then.

"But on serious note, this is," the cat thought for a moment, picking its words. "The space between two realities!" its grin widened as it jumped in Lyney's stolen hat.

"Is this a dream?" the diver asked. The situation was absurd, the memories from just a few seconds before muggy and weird. How did he get here again?

"Somewhat yes, somewhat not," Rosseland moved on forward, leading Freminet to somewhere. "I'm just helping you out for the times you helped Lyney."

Freminet couldn't piece everything together, no, it was too weird.

"Oh come on, I see it in your face, you don't get anything!" the cat laughed, jumping around.

"In short you came in contact with something you shouldn't have," after making a few circles around the boy, it continued on forward. "I'll leave you to it. We can't hasten it up, everything will make sense when the time comes."

And it felt like he fell asleep right at that moment.

_______

Freminet opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling above. Where was he?

It took him some time to remember, it felt as if he almost forgot everything that happened ever since he's gotten to this world. Ah, Shinobu-san's mansion.

Sitting up, he felt a stinging pain in his right side he couldn't ignore. Just what happened after he blacked out?

He carefully moved to reveal what was hidden under his shirt, but found nothing but bloody bandages. Although that already gave him an idea of what happened.

He shouldn't probably move he thought and just started to wait. Somebody should come to change his bandages, right?

The room was tranquil as ever. Since the very start he was put in another room from the others, leaving him to be alone.

Although usually it was nice, always coming back to a room where he could hide from the world after a long day of training, at the moment it felt uncomfortable. He wanted to know what happened, was everybody alright?

Some time passed, not a sound of steps or voices. Where was everybody? At this time of day Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu would usually train outside.

Plip.

Followed by more pitter-patter from the rain outside that started so suddenly, becoming a white noise canceling all of Freminet's thoughts for a second.

Subconsciously saying "Hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry," under his breath, he started thinking. What was that dream about? A place neither a dream nor reality, a bridge between two worlds.

Rosseland...

The weird-looking cat that one day was found and adopted by their little family in the House of Heart. It's origin unknown, it became a part of Lyney's shows as it refused to leave his magician hat.

And now it was somehow helping Freminet out. With what? "You came in contact with something you shouldn't have," its high-pitched voice repeated in the diver's head. What could it possibly be?

Somehow his thought turned into how his mind was working like a meka, this stopping him from being able to focus on his initial thought.

He needed Pers. His little meka friend. To soothe him, to listen to him. He wanted to tinker with it, to check its performance. The day he got to this world, he left the penguin at home because of its broken arm. He would've fixed it and taken it with him right away, but the gear needed was hard to get, so he had to dive in search of broken meka in the water.

I wonder how he is doing. He probably thinks I abandoned him.

Freminet thought of the meka as if of a person. Maybe it was one, to him at least, as it was someone who was there for him before he met the magician siblings.

Thought after thought, he started abstracting himself in a little world, imagining different scenarios of him reuniting with his family. Would he be scolded, would it be warm?

Oh and that voice from a few months ago. What was that?

Maybe the two realities touched each other and Lyney's voice could be heard by Freminet? No, that's stupid. But it was a nice thought, worth lingering to and creating even more scenarios with, that would eventually lead to more different ones.

Gears. Gears?

Oh. Freminet has seen before how some cryo users would use their powers to create constructs of ice. What if he tried the same, but with gears?

Would that mean he would finally be able to tinker with different mechanism again? That would be lovely. Maybe he could make an ice Pers for the time being. Would ice even be able to hold up with the constant movements or would it melt?

Thoughts such as these flooded his mind.

The penguin lover completely forgot where he was until he heard the door slide open. He stared at Aoi, Aoi stared back.

"You're awake," the girl sighed out, coming up to him with a roll of bandages in her hand. "It's going to be a long week for you, buddy," something in her tone of voice made Freminet get shivers.

__________

Here he was in front of the Ubuyashiki estate once more, this time with only two hashiras present. Rengoku and Tomioka.

The fire hashira tried to engage everybody present in small talk, but it ultimately failed as both Freminet and Giyuu thought the other would continue for them.

Of what the boy could get, after blacking out, Rengoku protected him - obviously - except that the demon managed to get a bit of his flesh on his hip before fleeing.

Now Rengoku, who was the witness of the whole situation, and Tomioka, the one who found the diver in the first place, had to be included in this questioning before the Master.

Freminet could still hardly move freely, a twist of his torso wrong bringing him a stinging pain each time. He never noticed how much he actually turned all the time, this thought making him start noticing everybody else's movements and how they utilized their body.

This would definitely be of help when building a meka.

"Oyakata-sama has arrived," taking a deep breath, Freminet got ready for what was to come.

Chapter Text

Birds sang, the leaves ruffled with the wind, merging with the overall wind noise in the background.

Taking deep breaths in, Freminet readied himself. There was nothing to worry about, right? From his previous interaction with the Master of the demon slayer corps and from everything he's heard about in the previous months about him, Oyakata-sama was a kind man, who managed the corps really well.

But that didn't calm him in the slightest in the face of his trial.

The sick man, blind due to the disease he had, got in front of the hashiras and Freminet, with the support of two girls or... Wait, was one of them a boy? His disguise was perfect, honestly. I wonder what is it for...

"It is nice to see you all alive and well," the hashiras knelt beside Freminet, the boy mimicking their actions not to disrespect the rules. Oyakata-sama's voice was calming, but not for Freminet. Why though? As much as he wanted to relax, he couldn't.

"We've gathered today to look over Freminet-kun's case once more," they were suspicious of him. Especially after what happened on the mission with Rengoku. "Although, if you feel uncomfortable with any of the questions, you may not answer them," but they will suspect him even more, obviously, "this is more akin to trying to understand your situation," what are you "so we can help you to our best abilities," make sure you're not a danger for us.

Every word coming out of Ubuyashiki's mouth was smart, nothing being useless, creating a puzzle someone who wasn't trained to notice such things couldn't piece together.

They were extremely suspicious of him. Probably because of his vision or ability to summon objects out of thin air. Probably even both. Humans here didn't have abilities like that and the more time Freminet spent in here the more he understood: this wasn't Teyvat.

There weren't any leylines, mentions of the elements nor any archons. He tried reading the books Shinobu had in her office and, although most of them were about medicine, the ones about different creatures never mentioned species Freminet knew about from the expeditions his family members described upon their return.

Last time Freminet revealed a bit too much, he should keep as close to himself as possible this time.

"Let me explain the presence of the two hashiras here. Giyuu-kun here is the one who found you, he is going to fill in the details we may have eluded during our first trial. Rengoku-kun was on the same mission as you as well as he was the one who heard everything Upper Moon Three told about you," the head explained.

"First, Tanjiro-kun told us that when you woke up from the dream in the train, you shouted out "Father". May we know who that is? "

That's right, they couldn't understand the common Teyvat language, too. It was a miracle their language just spawned in Freminet's head when he got here.

"It means father in the Fontanian tongue," that answer seemed to please Oyakata-sama to a degree, as he asked his follow-up question to that.

"And why did you shout for him then?"

The two hashiras beside Freminet were as still as charging meka golems. It brought some sense of relief as the boy didn't feel their stares on him. But they could still hear him.

Either way, he had to think quick to answer. Making up lies was Lyney's specialty, not his. If Freminet were to take a bit too long to answer that would heighten the suspicion everybody had about him.

"I..." rose tinted his cheeks as he couldn't muster up a lie.

"As I told you, you can chose not to answer a question you find unco-" Freminet accidentally interrupted the Master as a thought of a lie crossed his mind.

"I called out to her because I saw someone attacking her," it's the best he could mutter on the spot, although it felt weird saying as if somebody could hurt "Father". He felt glares fall upon him and he realised his mistake, Freminet apologizing, "S-sorry for interrupting you, I didn't mean to-!"

"No need to apologize," Oyakata-sama dismissed it, but something was wrong. Did Freminet say something wrong? Was his lie not good enough? Dammit, he wanted to dive so badly again, if he could only return to that dream again...

"Now, we asked the child who was in your dream about what she saw in it," now that was a huge problem, being able to blow Freminet's entire cover.

Remembering where Freminet and his siblings found the girl in the dream, she must've seen how they could breath underwater. That was another thing the people in this world couldn't do. Then, she ran towards the mountains north to the city, where Freminet remembered there was a garden of rainbow roses and somebody's house. Depending on her route, she could find meka, hillichurls or even dendro slimes.

"We would like to ask you about some of the things described to us," Freminet nervously breathed in. He could possibly explain the meka, but anything else... What could be the consequences of him telling them he isn't from this world? On theory, it wouldn't hurt, but humans are fearful creatures; they hate those who are different from them, sometimes resorting to killing them. Freminet didn't want to die. Not in another world like this, when he knew his siblings were most probably awfully scared for him.

"Can you tell us about... A humanoid creature with masks on their face, devoid of any intelligence, what is it?" how how howhowhow.

Just breath, Freminet, he reminded himself, but it didn't work. He held the forming in his eyes tears back as panick started crossing his mind. If he was to be silent then, then-

Hillichurls were well known all across Teyvat, proving once more this isn't his homeland.

"Young Freminet," the flame hashira called out to him, noticing how the boy shivered. "I'm sure you have nothing to hide from us, right?" yes, except that he was an assassin in an organization despised by practically the entire continent. His targets were never to be seen, as he left no clues, not even the smallest strands of hair or traces of blood. Even though Rengoku might've sounded just like normal, Freminet could notice the slight doubt in his phrasing and tone.

"I'd like to..." Freminet's voice quivered. He was allowed to skip questions, right? "Skip this one," he finally finished after a moment. Were he to tell them what a hillichurl is, he didn't doubt it, they would search far and wide of any mentions of its name and expose him for being a "liar".

Concerned stares from behind followed again, the blind gaze of the Master not helping either. And the two kids next to him... They were even more terrifying.

"Whatever is comfortable with you, my child," was it really appropriate to call Freminet that? "We were told there were floating in the air water cubes. Could you explain what those were?"

Oh! The Fontaine Research Institute of Kinetic Energy Engineering!

"It's the Fontaine Research Institute," Freminet wondered, was it normal here to have huge flying objects? He couldn't see any emotions besides the usual calmness on Master Ubuyashiki's face - honestly it was creepy - and he observed the emotions of the ones behind him. "Uhm, not so long time ago an incident happened blowing the entire building up into the air..." maybe that would explain a bit more? Just don't reveal too much, Freminet. "Normal civilians such as me... " yeah, of course 'normal', who are you lying to, Freminet? "... don't know a lot about it as the Steambird wasn't allowed to cover the happenings there."

This was going nowhere and Oyakata-sama seemed to notice it, too, since he moved onto the next topic.

"Giyuu-kun, could you please recall how you found this boy?" maybe it was the stillness of his body that creeped Freminet the most. No, it was definitely the calming aura, no normal person's like that, nuh uh!

"Two days before the hashira meeting I found him in a forest not too far away mount Natagumo," the water hashira started and Freminet was curious how did the other see their first meeting. "I found him being attacked by a demon. But... Before that Freminet," the name rolled off uncomfortably from Giyuu's tongue as he wasn't used to names like this. He probably remembered it just out of necessity, "managed on his own, hitting the demon with an attack that would hurt, if not kill, a normal human," just like the previous trial, Giyuu's report included all the details he could have noted. Freminet would also have to report his missions sometimes, but he always struggled with it as he just zoned himself out during them.

"Young Freminet, I know you're a nice guy," once more Rengoku smiled, Freminet could hear it not even looking around him. "But that certainly is concerning, so we would like to know as much as possible!" it was evident the hashira had his concerns regarding the entire trial. Whatever the demon told him - if he did - after Freminet got knocked out, certainly affected Rengoku.

"Quiet, Kyojiro-kun, we don't want to pressure him," once more Oyakata-sama stopped the little talk. But that was even more pressuring.

The last few months were filled with pure agony for Freminet. Without Pers by his side, without his best friend, one of the three things that he needed most besides his siblings, his emotional state wasn't faring very well. And he could understand that well, tears running at the slightest trigger no matter how much he tried to suppress them.

That even showed in his training, the first few weeks with the wind hashira were just fine, but then each fall a bit too strong started making him form tears, that, of course, annoying the hashira.

"You're a man, men don't cry!" a saying that was somewhat popular. And that was what Sanemi said to him each time he noticed the water in the diver's eyes.

No wonder after my return he decided to no longer train me.

But what was he going to answer in defense right now?

"When I recently visited the butterfly mansion to check up on my injuries," Rengoku started again, "the girls told me about a story that occurred not long after you arrived."

Oh. He wasn't getting out of this one.

"They told me you ran away after Kanao-chan managed to defeat you in the rehabilitation training you joined the others," memories flood of that night right until the point he was knocked out. When he woke up, it was the first time the waters weren't comforting him, instead slowly killing him. "When they found you, you were out of your mind as they said, hearing nothing as you simply stabbed the demon over and over. That isn't what a child like you should be doing, although we know nothing of your background."

Was it too late to make a run for it...? Probably. He remembered the speed the flame hashira ran after the demon. There was no way Freminet, a nobody like him, with an injury on his hip no less, can outrun that.

He could feel the glare demons probably felt when dealing with Rengoku. It was unpleasant.

"Can... Can I put my helmet on?" Freminet mustered up the courage to ask, but his voice gave his worry away anyway, trembling so evidently.

"Why, of course, if it will make you more comfortable."

Freminet put the helmet on, summoning it out of thin air. This way it was so much easier to breath. So much easier to think.

He couldn't hear the birds singing anymore, nor how wind played with the leaves, leaving only his own breathing be the white noise.

So much more calming.

And so much easier to concentrate.

Now, how could he answer why. Self-defense would be a stupid option, would it not? Then, how about...

"B-back in Fontaine," he hesitated a bit, voice trembling. They wouldn't notice a thing, right? Please please please... "I trained how to fight just out of hobby. I... Didn't calculate my strength well enough when faced with an actual enemy."

One lie done. His breathing was unstable, blood rushing through his brain trying to make up another lie. How could Lyney always make it seem so easy?

With a "Take your time," sent to him from someone with a kind voice - Freminet couldn't care anymore who it was - the diver managed to think about something smooth enough not to be evident as day he was lying.

"And back then... My mind was clouded by the water I gulped down in the demon's, uuh... Domain?" that was the only way he could describe it. Domains: dangerous places where you could die in 463 different ways. Or so it said in a fairytale book he once read.

Those were lame excuses, yes. But they should have worked, otherwise...

_______________

Freminet was a very interesting boy, Ubuyashiki thought.

His whole past was a mystery, one that he refused to disclose. To just think that he would feel obliged the entire trial to lie, just what did he want to hide?

When he was brought in for the first time, Oyakata-sama simply wanted to see if the boy wasn't a danger - a demon that actually conquered the sun. His trial began right after Tanjiro Kamado's; another determined boy whose sister became a demon.

Freminet... A child of some sort of Court of Fontaine. Over the past few months the Ubuyashiki family has tried hard to find any mentions of a place like that or of Snezhnaya or, at the very least, that lightning Inazuma the boy spoke about during the first trial.

Back then he didn't feel the need to hide, was that what it was?

Fontaine turned out to be just a word from another language meaning fountain and Inazuma obviously lightning in japanese.

Maybe the boy was delusional? That mind crossed Ubuyashiki's mind many times, but that God's Eye was a proof of existence of whatever place the boy came from.

Everything Ubuyashiki could hear indicated the boy was nervous. How sad it was he couldn't see him.

There was another thing in particular that surprised the head of the corps. His own calming aura didn't work one bit on the boy, whilst even people like Sanemi could forget about their stress in body and mind while near him. Freminet on the other hand tensed up even more.

Whatever the boy went through in the past was something he didn't want to talk about it. Freminet was someone with a pure soul, anyone, with good enough perception, could notice that. It hurt seeing, well, hearing, how scared and suspicious he was of everything around him.

The purpose of this trial was to reveal Freminet's intentions. If he were to have ill ones then the corps would no longer be able to ensure his safety.

But it seemed like he didn't have any intentions at all and simply followed the flow of whatever story he was experiencing, facing whatever he was put against.

But from this trial though, Ubuyashiki managed to understand one thing: that "Father" of his wasn't a man. Intentional or not, Freminet slipped up and called them "she". As for that Fontaine Research Institute... It seemed more like a delusional dream.

The girl who was one of the poor children on the train, forced by the demon to work to have good dreams, told as much as she could during her questioning.

At first, happy dreams are made to be a trap, something all of the passengers experienced; in those dreams there were no traces of misfortunes, only dreams came true. That testimony excluded the answer why Freminet shouted for "Father", marking it a huge lie.

Secondly, not all dreams represent the real world; some of them are simply the way one individual may see the world. Even if the Research Institute did exist, Freminet's perception of it could be different from reality, casting that upon the dream. That would give a point to the delusional theory.

Then were the answers about why he could fight so well. They sounded fine, but the boy's trembling voice gave it all away. It wasn't trembling due to being nervous, although that, too, was the cause, but because of another lie.

And also the question about the creature... It would be a point to the delusional theory, but the way Freminet stumbled with his words and couldn't give an answer - unlike the previous trial - made Ubuyashiki hum with curiosity about this case.

More akin to a water droplet than a human... That was the most concerning of all. The demon definitely switched up when he noticed Freminet, catching his interest. And due to this peculiarity it was that the Third Upper Moon even decided to stop the battle he was so eager to fight, according to witnesses.

What could that mean? There was only one way to find out. Whether the boy knew or not was just a gamble that no one decided to refuse.

But at least the Infinity train mission gave some information. Like how Freminet was definitely not related to Muzan, the demon king, at all. Otherwise, there would be no reason to try and kidnap him. Kyojiro was such a nice child to protect him.

This entire trial wasn't that fruitless as a normal person would think, but wasn't that fruitful either. If the boy knew what the demon meant, it would be a success.

Ubuyashiki remembered the report of Tanjiro's questioning. When it came up to his thoughts about what the demon said in regards to Freminet, his words were "Freminet-kun once told me about a prophecy from his homeland. I'm not sure whether it's related or not, but when the Third Upper Moon said that, my mind wandered off to that."

When asked about the prophecy, Tanjiro elaborated a bit more "It was something about how the people of Fontaine will all dissolve into the waters, leaving only the Hydro Archon... Crying? No, weeping on her throne."

That was an interesting story. First, the Hydro Archon. A beautiful and yet pretty straightforward title.

But then, no mentions of such an archon was found. They seemed to be also ancient greek words. Cryo was ice. Hydro was water. If it wasn't for the God's Eye the boy had, Ubuyashiki would've dismissed the entire thing a long time ago.

Now, there was one question left - considering the things the boy already answered, he wasn't willing to answer anything truthfully or answer at all, so those questions would be asked in a... Different manner, not on trial grounds.

"Well then, a final question, Freminet-kun. Do you know anything about the way the demon described you?" the boy's breathing was loud enough for the blind head of the corps to hear it. ""More akin to a water droplet than a human," if you forgot."

Freminet's breathing hitched. His emotions were interesting to observe. He was so closed off and shy, one could only wonder what the boy went through in his past to become like this.

"I..." as always the child stumbled with his words, trying to do his best.

"I don't know."

A pity. But Ubuyashiki knew there was a chance of that happening. They would just have to ask everything in an unnoticeable way for the boy to answer all the other wondrous things the poor girl from the train described. Humans out of gears, a cute creature in a police uniform, watery blobs with eyes and flowers on top, as well how could the boy and his sibling breath underwater.

The great city, full of innovations Japan hasn't faced yet and so much more.

If it were to be real... How could no one know about it here? If it was as great as the girl described it...

The boy seemed to know something about it, or at least have a hunch, but... No, he wouldn't answer it.

"Thank you, my child, for answering all of these questions," Ubuyashiki smiled, not delaying it any further. Unlike Kyojiro, Giyuu still had duty to do and delaying him with this trial would be not so nice for either party.

Freminet let out a relieved sigh.

As for Kyojiro... He seemed to be worried about something the entire trial. Oyakata-sama wouldn't press on, but if he didn't even mention it to him...

It was definitely something to do with the mysterious Fontanian as Kyojiro's questions towards him were unlike his usual manner, demanding and somewhat doubtful.

Either way, it seemed he still had questions for the boy. And whatever he wanted to ask, it was something important.

"That is all for today."

_________________

Freminet was shaking.

He couldn't calm down no matter how much he tried. It was like the first time when he had a mission, the kids didn't know him yet and were somewhat even scared of him as he was so quiet. Later, after "Father" became the director and Lyney and Lynette joined the House, he had at least someone to confine comfort in, but now... He was alone. Again.

He had to do everything himself and if the past two or so months he managed to just follow the flow, he had to do something now. The two months were a huge blur, consisting only of training and sleeping, he barely talked to anybody besides the wind hashira.

Tanjiro would occasionally enter Freminet's room after his training, bringing treats, sometimes with the others. The diver couldn't piece together, how could Tanjiro be so kind? It was weird, but unlike with Oyakata-sama he didn't feel that scared around Tanjiro. The burgundy haired couldn't lie, he was even worse than Freminet at that, just because the slayer couldn't bring himself to it. He could always say comforting words to anybody without even noticing it.

Oyakata-sama... His presence was calming. And that fact alone made shivers run down Freminet's spine. It felt as if he was seeing the diver through with those blind eyes of his and the disease plastered on his face? Freminet's mind wanted to relax, but body didn't let him and it was so weird.

Either way, even though the trial ended, he couldn't see any kakushi coming to lead him out of the Ubuyashiki estate. To be honest the protection of this estate was ridiculously smart - you were blindfolded and multiple kakushi would lead you out, a kasugai crow, that would also occasionally change, too, leading them.

The head of the corps left into the house and the water hashira also left rather swiftly. Now Freminet was left only with the flame hashira one to one and, if before Rengoku's presence was followed with a feel of being protected, now it felt awfully stressful. He was so different towards Freminet ever since the diver woke up.

"Young Freminet," Rengoku called out, bringing Freminet out of his thoughts. "I have a question that... I didn't want to ask with everyone around," the doubt in his voice didn't feel right, he gave off the impression of always being confident and staying to his beliefs to the end.

As Freminet gulped, the question sounded.

"Have you ever hurt a human?"

Chapter Text

"Do you understand who you are protecting behind your back, Kyojiro?"

The question echoed in the hashira's head as now, after the trial, he was left alone with Freminet per his request. Oyakata-sama was listening in, he knew that, because he asked it himself.

Why didn't he ask it during the trial?

It was more of a personal question. Such things should not get in the way of official business.

"You're protecting a murderer, Kyojiro, someone who has killed other humans."

How could the demon know that? It could be a lie, the demon said to seed the benefit of doubt in the hashira's heart and if that were the case... Then he succeeded.

The way the boy's breathing twitched at the question was an evidence already. The way he stumbled over his words, the distressed look on his face. All of it only fueled Rengoku's doubt futher.

"N-no! Of course not, why would I ever..." Freminet muttered.

So it was true. Why, Freminet, why? A human should not kill other humans. Your heart is pure, something anyone could see, so why did you do that?

"You're an awful liar, Young Freminet."

A pause erupted. It was awful.

"Have you killed any humans before?" those words hurt to say.

The boy, finally understanding he couldn't lie anymore - should've done it during the trial and not now - simply nodded, holding tears back.

The answer drew out a sigh from Rengoku. He was disappointed.

"And what was your reason behind it?"

...

"I didn't have a choice."

Didn't have a choice? And for such a young child to have to do it nonetheless? Was this "Father" of his not knowing what her child was doing?

Rengoku stood up. He shouldn't act on emotions. Rage and pity flew through his veins as he let Total Concentration Breathing calm him down.

The kakushi that would take Freminet away arrived. They shouldn't prolong it any further. Even though Rengoku still wanted to know so much more about the mysterious boy, he understood that now was not the time.

__________________

Freminet laid in his bed in the lonely room. He wanted to dive. To let his worries be heard by some romaritime flowers, tell some stories to the tidalga and visit a sea otter he found not too long time ago before he got here.

He wanted to hug Pers. He wanted to see his only childhood friend.

He remembered a thought that occured to him right after he woke up from some dream... He couldn't remember what kind of dream it was, but it definitely left an impression on him.

Maybe he should try making meka out of ice? How would that work though? He's seen other cryo allogenes use their powers to make ice constructs. How much could that be bent? Would he be able to form gears out of it? For how long would the ice not melt? Would it be able to handle the friction? What to do with details like springs that should be able to bend?

He had some small gears and springs in his hip pocket so it wouldn't be a problem if needed something as a reference or something more flexible... Especially the spring.

Gears ticked in Freminet's brain as he started experimenting. First, he had to learn how to form ice constructs.

He never used his cryo vision like that as he relied on physical attacks, but... He had a goal now. Make an ice Pers! Considering the wind hashira no longer trained him, he had much more free time, meaning he could try doing something useful.

Freminet wanted to forget about everything around him anyway. Little mechanisms and toys were his friends since his childhood, they would be able to make him forget about everything. How he wasn't home, about the recent trial and his secret somewhat revealed.

Either way, the process started.

First step: create a cryo construct.

That was a problem already. Where should he start? Break down the basics and understand them. Yes, that's how he was going to do it.

Maybe Freminet should try concentrating his power at one single point? Usually he would enhance his claymore, spreading the cryo effect all over the weapon, but were he to concentrate it in one...

Freminet's fingers tickled as little snowflakes fell from them, his palm under catching the little glitters of hope.

He was getting at... Something.

The night flew by, Freminet didn't even notice the sun rising once more, as he finally managed to create an actual globe of ice.

He hasn't had this much fun ever since he got to this world. Were he to be able to make actual shapes of it, Freminet would be able to tinker with machines again - even though made of ice.

"Freminet-kun!" Tanjiro's voice sounded from behind the door. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

Huh? It was morning already? He didn't even notice it...

It's alright though. He sometimes wouldn't sleep after his night missions, staying up until the next time moon has finally shown up on the sky.

Leaving the globe on the bedside table under the window; he wanted to test its melt ability, Freminet hurried over to the door Tanjiro was waiting him at.

__________________

"Fremine-e-et," the boy heard his name called out, snatching him out of his thoughts. Oh. That's right, they were having breakfast at the moment and Freminet zoned out into his thoughts once more.

"What are you even thinking about, honestly, you get so detached sometimes; it's weird," Zenitsu snarled. He was an interesting guy even though Freminet hasn't talked to him much.

"Zenitsu, don't be so hard on him," nervously laughed Tanjiro. "What were you thinking about, Freminet-kun?" the slayer looked at Freminet.

He couldn't really tell them he was trying to make a robot out of ice, right?

"Nothing much," although he would be able to tell Tanjiro a bit about it after breakfast, he trusted him the most in this world.

Avoiding rice as much as possible until it's the last thing left, Freminet ate the breakfast. He started forming a dislike to rice after that sweet dream. It hurt how much he missed Fontaine and how different the dishes were here. At least it was mostly seafood, that he liked.

"Any plans for today?" eating a ball of rice, Zenitsu looked at everyone at the table. Inosuke devouring his food ignoring everything around him, Tanjiro trying to engage everyone in small talk and Freminet was just... Freminet.

"I plan going to the Rengoku estate," Tanjiro smiled.

Oh.

Freminet remembered that conversation after the trial. The assassin admitted he killed. That he was guilty. Would Rengoku tell Tanjiro about this? What would Tanjiro feel? Would he be disgusted? Or would he... No, there was no or, Tanjiro hated bad people, people that kill are bad and, and-

He wanted to dive.

And to understand his feelings better.

Taking a deep breath, Freminet finally ate his breakfast; forcing himself to eat the rice. Honestly, that was so childish! "Thank you for the food," he excused himself and left. He should continue practicing.

"Are you going to join our training?" Tanjiro shouted in the background, but Freminet didn't hear it.

Instead, the diver closed himself in his room. Looking at the window, the ice... It was overall fine, didn't really melt that much although it was pretty hot outside. At least hot according to Freminet's measures as the weather in Fontaine was fairly mild.

Now, what should he do next? Try defying their shape? Probably, as precision was important, a gear's shape and size created the mechanism.

The question was, though, would he try shaping them while forming the ice or make plates he would cut them out from? The latter would probably be easier in execution, so he would settle for that and as for the moment: he should try making plates of ice as thin and smooth as possible.

But... Maybe this ignorance of his reality wasn't the way to go? No, no, Pers was his friend and he simply wanted him back, it didn't mean he was being ignorant of what's going on! Only if just a bit. Maybe not a bit...

Freminet noticed it himself. The two months he was in this world for were a blur because he refused to remember them. He didn't want to face his current situation and he definitely had to do something about it.

Should he interact with the others more? Even though they sometimes checked up on him after Freminet's training with the wind hashira, they barely talked besides that. The exception being Tanjiro as the slayer would always try to talk to him a bit more and that day he listened to him... He wouldn't forget it.

Yes, he should talk to Zenitsu, Inosuke and the girls more.

________________

Problem found. Although Freminet managed to make a cryo construct every time, they didn't want to melt. So all of the failed attempts he did remained in the room and simply refused to melt. That would be nice in a machine but for his situation as he was trying to hide his activities it wasn't a nice outcome.

His head ached.

Oh, right, he didn't sleep... But at least now the room temperature was nice. Freminet put all of the cryo constructs of different shapes and forms on the bedside table and crawled into the bed. A small nap would be nice indeed.

It was late when he woke up, the moonlight shining through the windows.

Looking on his side the ice was still there. He could possibly try disposing of it outside but then what if somebody noticed him? It was no rare occurrence for Tanjiro to be still out at night, training his Total Concentration Breathing and such.

Although he could confide in Tanjiro...

Opening the window and picking up the ice, Freminet made his way out. It would be easier that way than going through the house with so much ice on hand.

Outside was peaceful and refreshing as the earth got colder with the sunset.

Freminet made his way out, quietly landing and feeling an uncomfortable sting in his side. The wound still hurt... Holding all this ice actually hurt, too, from how cold it was. He tried walking as quietly as possible, making his way to some bushes he would dump this all at.

It probably wasn't the best idea ever, but better than just leaving them in the room.

"Freminet-kun?" he was caught. But it was Tanjiro, it would be alright.

"U-uhm! Yes?" the diver was holding out the hem of his shirt where he placed the ice. It probably looked so dumb.

"What are you doing and," Tanjiro pointed at the pile of ice confused "What is that?"

Should Freminet really tell him he wanted to make a machine out of this? And that it can't melt? He trusted Tanjiro, but...

"Well... I was training using my vision," which was somewhat true. Tanjiro had really good smell, the slayer even confined in Freminet he could smell emotions and lies. "A-anyway! How was your visit to the flame hashira today?"

Freminet didn't like how Tanjiro's face twitched at that, slightly frowning.

"It was alright, although I didn't manage to get any information on Sun Breathing," the burgundy-haired boy laughed nervously, seemingly reminiscing what happened earlier that day. "Rengoku told me," Freminet gulped at that, but it didn't help the lump that formed in his throat. "I'm sure you had your own reasons!"

Tanjiro hated him now, right? Nobody wants a killer as a friend.

"But do you want to talk about it?"

Eh? Freminet looked up at Tanjiro. Was he being serious? Theoretically... It wouldn't hurt. As long as he didn't reveal too much about his family, it would be fine.

"In a moment," the diver whisper-shouted before spreading the ice, that was still in his shirt, around the bushes. It wouldn't have been convenient to have them all in one spot.

"You're so amazing to water the plants like this!" Tanjiro smiled at him innocently. "Using the creations of your power for such a good thing as helping!"

... He would skip the part about how this ice didn't melt.

Sitting down on the egawa next to Tanjiro, Freminet spared him one last glance. Was it really alright to tell him why he has killed?

To think in the bigger picture, this way the corps would get info about him. He already made it clear as day he killed humans before, so revealing the circumstances might've cleared his name even if just a bit.

"Can I put my diving helmet on...?" Freminet cautiously asked, not wanting to feel Tanjiro's stare on him.

With a "Sure!" from the other, he hid himself and thought of what he should exclude of his tale and which parts to mention to make him look better in the others' eyes.

Lying wasn't an option as Tanjiro could smell lies and was very open about that fact.

He would exclude the House and "Father", but leave assassinating being his only choice.

"As I said to Rengoku-san, I didn't have a choice," his muffled by the helmet voice sounded, "I had to do dirty work if I wanted to stay alive."

That was mostly true for the first year he was at the house, when it was still under "Mother's" rulership. But then "Father" came and made new rules. Failing a mission was now fine, with a punishment of course, but still leaving children alive.

"Did your parents know about this?" Tanjiro inquired, curious and with a bit of pity in his eyes, looking at Freminet.

"Maman was killed by debt collectors and my dad... I've never met him," Freminet didn't want to elaborate on the last part. That man made his maman forget what happiness is, he hated him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the slayer apologized immediately, realizing the discomfort he might've brought with his question.

"No, no, you don't have to apologize, it happened a very long time ago," Freminet didn't want Tanjiro to feel guilt for his question. It was a normal question after all.

"Then your mentor...? Did they know about..." you killing people. "Father" was the one to assign the missions, yes, but mudding her face like that would be unlikable of an outcome.

A nod. Lying to Tanjiro would be impossible.

"And they didn't do anything about it?" somewhat of a shock crossed the burgundy-haired's face.

How would he explain it? With no possibility of lying...

"I don't want to talk about it," that way it left enough room to ponder and didn't reveal too much.

Possibilities as "She didn't know" or "She knew and tried to do something about it" were left with this answer and, honestly, Freminet was proud of himself answering so well so quickly. The months spent here paid off with teaching him how to communicate. At least, to an extent.

If this continues on, I wonder if I'll be able to talk just like Lyney...

"Oh, I see..." Tanjiro frowned. Maybe it was time to change the theme?

"Do you want to know why I'm trying to make cryo- I mean, ice constructs?" if Tanjiro would let him rant about meka and all of their nuances and niches...

Tanjiro's eyes brimmed with curiosity at that "Of course!" his voice excited, but he didn't forget to shush himself. It was still late at night after all.

"I'm trying to recreate my toy penguin from Fontaine," Freminet's turned to see Tanjiro better, earning a shot of pain in his side. He shouldn't forget about his injury dammit.

"What kind of toy was it? Was it dear to you?" the slayer, as kind as always, asked questions Freminet was so happy to answer.

"Very! Its name was Pers, a clockwork meka, although you must not know what that is," he paused, picking the right words to explain the meaning of that. "A mechanism out of gears spinning each other, creating specific movements and sometimes even reactions depending on the complexity of the processor inside."

"Different reactions? Wow! Fontaine is so technological," childish wonder was splattered across Tanjiro's face.

Freminet could even rant a bit about all the little gimmicks he knew of in this craft. It's been a long time since somebody listened to him like that, it made the diver so so happy.

"So you can make toys all by yourself?" Tanjiro asked.

"Well, yes, if I have the deta-"

"That is so cool!" excitement brewed inside the slayer. Honestly, just how much positive emotions could this boy hold at once? The two of them were around the same age, right? So how...

They spent some more time with Tanjiro asking questions and Freminet willingly answering each and all of them.

It was nice to find a friend.

"Oh," after a pretty long conversation of why do you need this or that gear, Tanjiro looked at the sky. "I should probably go to bed, it was fun, Freminet-kun! You should go to sleep, too, so good night!"

"Yeah, good night..."

Tanjiro didn't seem to notice it, but the diver was so happy.

Freminet couldn't help but smile a bit.

Chapter Text

Day two after the trial!

Everything's going well. For now.

Freminet managed to make a few flat plates he could possibly shape functional gears from, but then he would have to learn the required cutting techniques.

Maybe he should've used a heated up knife. He was good at drawing and measuring, that much came with him constructing his own mechanisms, so he would be able to make an outline and cut it out.

Probably.

Freminet hoped his hands weren't too shaky.

"Freminet-kun, time for breakfast!" as always Tanjiro notified him. Great, that way Freminet would be able to slip into the kitchen and get a knife. If he was lucky enough, the fire - if the girls even used it for today's meal - would be still burning.

_____________

"EVERYONE! THE BOAR KING HAS FOUND AN ARTIFACT IN THE BUSHES," Inosuke, aka "the boar king" announced when Freminet and Tanjiro finally entered the room they ate in.

"Shut up, you idiot, it's just ice!" Zenitsu gave him a slap on the back of his head, but that didn't calm the boar-masked slayer down.

"NO, IT'S NOT NORMAL ICE!" oh no, Freminet was screwed. He felt a stare from Tanjiro, who was the one who knew about who placed the ice there. "It's unmeltable!"

"That thing is impossible," Zenitsu shouted. At this rate Aoi might notice all this commotion...

"Everyone, let's calm down," Tanjiro tried to put some sense into the others' minds, but it didn't work. Freminet could see how the burgundy-haired slayer also spared him multiple glances.

"Honestly, how did ice even form in the middle of the summer!? You sure those are not some weird rocks?" another shout from Zenitsu and-

Nope, Freminet was skipping this breakfast, he did NOT want to be questioned about his abilities again.

"Freminet-kun, where are you going," Tanjiro turned around one more time just to see that the diver has already left.

How did he not notice...?

_____________

Hiding all that ice in the bushes on the territory of the estate was an awful decision, Freminet was so dumb, miss Shinobu was going to kill him.

He found every single ice construct Inosuke left behind. Freminet then jumped over the fence, luckily not dropping a single piece of ice, and started searching. The trick hurt quite a lot though, Freminet would have to make sure to actually let the stitches on the wound to heal or he would open up it up at this rate.

Trees' ley lines? Inosuke would still find them. Branches? No, they could fall and then he didn't want to shock any of the local creatures.

He could bury them! Freminet didn't have a shovel, but, from his experience, claymore wasn't half bad at this with it's weight and size. And so, he summoned his claymore and quickly started digging up a hole. It hurt, but he could manage. He just hoped the stitches wouldn't rip.

Done! It only took two minutes to dig a hole big enough for the leftover ice. When Freminet had to practice this skill, he didn't expect to be using it like this, but it certainly was useful.

With a swoosh he returned the dug out dirt on top and mindled it in with his foot. This should do the trick, he thought.

"Ara ara," a chirpy voice sounded from behind. "What are we doing here, hm? Ignoring your wounds? This way I'll have to tie you to your bed with a rope so you don't rip your stitches."

Oh no. Miss Shinobu found him.

"Unmeltable ice?" she looked over Freminet's shoulder at the pile of recently diggen out dirt. "You know that might be useful for storing some of our items, you didn't have to hide it."

Freminet just stood there, unable to move a muscle. Was he off the hook? Was he still in trouble?

After a couple of seconds of silence and a long stare from Shinobu, the insect hashira finally continued "I recommend you go back and eat your breakfast; you've been skipping meals as of late, it's unhealthy for you and your body."

He didn't want to. He wasn't hungry. But Freminet knew very well people like Shinobu wouldn't back down until you do the thing they ask you.

He nodded and, this time, made his way around the fence to the gate. Rippping his stitches would be not so very nice. That is, if he already didn't manage to do so.

Slow, heavy steps made their way to the gates.

_______________

"As we investigate your case, you'll be here until we will be able to return you to your home," Shinobu said upon Freminet's arrival at her estate.

The place was nice, but so different from Fontaine. The chirping of birds and the only starting to bloom trees looked nice, but... Freminet wasn't ready to be there. Not yet.

The moment he tried to enter the mansion, a girl with two ponytails, Aoi as he later found out, came storming to him, as she screamed.

"You're dressed like a whore!"

This shocked Freminet as he never got any comments like that before - quite the opposite, actually - his siblings and family never minded it and even said it was good looking. Even Chiori never said anything bad about it!

"Why even bother wearing anything at all with these clothes of yours!"

... So it was about it's length? His shoulders were closed, so it was fine, was it not?

Freminet just stood there frozen and Aoi hurried him over to the now to be his room. It had multiple beds, but really, he was the only one there. Later he got to know there was another room like this, but he was set away from everybody else.

He was left with nothing to do, only him and his thoughts alone. After that embarrassing situation from earlier, he wanted to dissociate, to go diving or tinker with some mechanisms, but neither was an option.

Except dissociating was an option.

So he laid there on his bed, thinking about how he got there.

Slowly, his mind wandered off to fairytales and then... Oh. That's right, that story of his...

__________

Freminet remembered something about his first arrival. During the two months of training with the wind hashira, he completely forgot about his delusional story. Now that he knew a bit more about everybody, he could add more details to it.

Now, first, he should remember the first roles set.

Oyakata-sama was the king, Shinobu-san the doctor... Kanao the soldier.

Why the soldier? When did he even call her that?

Alright, time to put everything in place.

As Freminet automatically navigated through the halls, he started thinking.

With the new info he had, Tanjiro was the main character's, aka Freminet's, best friend whom he could rely on. Sumi, Kiyo and Naho, the doctor's little helpers. The other hashiras were... Out of the ones he knew...

No, no! First the setting must be set in place!

All of them were fighters here, so to make it easier, it would be logical to make the main character a soldier, too, and gaining experience from more trained soldiers.

Everybody's goals would be to eradicate the evil and, as for Freminet, was to find his siblings!

That way the story would make sense. To Freminet, at least, it did.

He didn't notice how he got to the room he was supposed to eat in. It was the room where Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu usually slept. At the moment they were already gone, probably training.

The only left plate of food was for Freminet, already cold. With a sigh, he sat down and stared at it. He wasn't hungry, not even one bit. On the contrary, he felt quite full.

Shinobu was right, this was unhealthy.

He hasn't eaten anything but breakfast the last day and the few days between his awakening and the trial he didn't eat a lot either. The local sweets, the food... That dream made him realize just how much he loved it at Fontaine.

The door opened. "Honestly, that boar..." someone groaned. It was Zenitsu, his top off. He probably just started his training routine.

"Freminet? What are you doing here?" he sat on the bed beside the diver. Looking over Freminet's shoulder, he added "Oh, still eating breakfast, hm?"

Zenitsu let out a sigh, before moving closer to the frozen boy.

"Y'know, we all noticed how you suddenly stopped accepting all the sweets we gave you - you accepted none of the dorayaki and dango we gave you! The girls were trying to cheer you up so hard with all these sweets and you, YOU BASTARD, DECIDED TO IGNORE THEIR KIND ACT OF CARE!!" and then he went on a rant about how Freminet "disrespected" Naho, Kiyo and Sumi who were so worried about him.

To be honest, Freminet wasn't in the mood for this. And the sweets here... Could they really be called that? The red bean paste is everywhere. He just wanted to try the gummies that were Lyney's specialty or Lynette's specialty of cat-shaped cookies and tea.

After the blond slayer has finally cooled his steam off, he finally read the room and, noticing the dampened mood, he pouted, but offered his comfort nonetheless.

"It's because of that dream, yes? You started acting differently ever since you woke up from it," there was a slightly bitter undertone, but understanding nonetheless.

Freminet stayed silent the entire conversation, not feeling like it.

"Listen, if you stay silent like that, I'll feed you myself."

The diver gulped.

"Oh and by the way... Actually, nevermind," Zenitsu was about to ask something, but decided not to the last second, reaching out for the bowl with rice and seafood instead.

This was so embarrassing...

"Open your mouth," the slayer had an interesting way of showing care, even if most would think of it as of just showing his character.

Freminet wasn't hungry and he tried to say that, but before he could muster anything, a pair of chopsticks shoved a ball of rice into his mouth. Now that he put something in his mouth, he actually felt somewhat hungry...

He tried getting the bowl out of Zenitsu's hands, but the blond to refused give it back and continued feeding Freminet himself.

Not long after, the bowl was emptied, not a single piece of rice left. Leaving food was disrespectful here as Freminet learned in the first few days.

"Now that's done," another sigh from the blond as he put the empty bowl on the bedside table it previously was at. "Eat properly next time, got it?"

Freminet nodded.

"Say it out loud."

"I'll eat properly next time," it felt as if Lyney was scolding him again after he accidentally skipped dinner because of tinkering with Pers.

"Good," Zenitsu stood up and went to the door "I'm going back to training," he left, leaving Freminet alone with his thoughts again.

Zenitsu wasn't always the nicest, but he had his own way of showing care. It brought a smile to Freminet's face. Their first meeting, the blond mistook him for a girl and was a bit of a creep, but it's alright. The slayer had to risk his life all the time, wanting to get a wife to get a better life was an understandable motive. But he was still a creep sometimes.

Freminet remembered his goal for the day. Oh, right, he had to try cutting out gears.

Going to the kitchen, the fire had already dwindled out. But he could light it up.

Getting out a knife and creating an ice structure - nice and smooth, the two sleepless nights paid off - he started lining out what he will cut out in a bit.

After managing to make a somewhat neat gear outline, luckily he had practice from previously when he had to give such to Leschots's workshop for them to make him custom ones.

Next, he reignited the fire and started heating up the knife.

Yes, this ice was unmeltable by default, but it could be broken by strong physical attacks and melted from direct contact with fire... Right?

To test this conjecture, he created a small cryo construct and put it above the fire. It melted, dissappearing into nowhere.

So still elements, huh.

The knife was now tinted a slightly pink colour and Freminet thought it was enough. Slowly, he started cutting the form out, occasionally heating the knife back up. Slowly, but surely he managed to cut it out.

It was so pretty.

The gear worked as a lense, creating mesmerizing light patterns. It was Freminet's first gear he ever made all by himself.

"I thought I put out the fire..." Aoi came from behind, startling the diver. "Freminet! What are you doing here?" she put the fire out before he could say anything.

"N-Nothing!"

Wait, what if he ruined the knife? They were no toys, made at specific temperatures and cooled down by different methods, what if he just ruined it by heating it up like that?

"Hm? Oh, why did you use that knife? It's dull beyond repair," oh, so it wasn't an important one, goodness...

Everyone here was nice so... It wouldn't hurt to tell about his little achievement, would it?

"Aoi-san, look," he was as happy as a child who got a new toy, even if it didn't show.

"What is it? Ice?" she took the handmade gear into her hands. "What's it supposed to be?"

"A gear," Freminet enthusiastically said, watching Aoi's reaction closely.

"It's useless," she gave it back to Freminet, "It's ice, it's gonna melt anyway and what do you plan on doing with a gear? Do they even look like this? Why does it have these holes?"

...

That's it, he won't share his plans with anyone BUT Tanjiro.

Chapter Text

Another day was greeted with the chirping of birds and a few rays of sun as most of them were hidden behind the clouds.

Freminet was allowed to keep the knife he had already used for his ice cutting shenanigans.

Shinobu got curious about where this would go and allowed Freminet to use the kitchen, when nobody was there, to his disposal.

The last few days were repetitive; wake up, eat, cut out gears, eat, cut out gears, eat again and go to sleep.

He managed to cut out around fifty gears by that moment and was planning on slowly starting to make Pers's corpus. Then the bolts and then even more gears...

He enjoyed it, forgetting himself in the process as the world around stilled down.

Sumi, Kiyo and Naho were very interested and whenever they had some free time they would go visit Freminet in the kitchen to see his progress.

That day though...

"RAAH! A DEMON, YOU THOUGHT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FOOL ME," a certain boar-headed boy shouted out as he slamed the door to the kitchen. "OI, GIRLS, GET AWAY FROM THAT DEMON!"

"Freminet-kun is no demon!" Kiyo said, holding the mentioned boy's arm.

Freminet was in the process of cutting out another gear, one of the most complex out of the ones he did yet.

"OH YEAH? THEN HOW CAN HE CREATE ICE?" if Inosuke was sure in something, he wouldn't back down no matter what. "You! It was you who made that unmeltable ice a few days ago!" he giggled as if it was such big of a secret at this point.

"After I revealed your secret, you decided to hide everything I didn't manage to get and buried it behind the fence, because you understood your secret of being a demon might be exposed!"

Everyone stared at Inosuke, an awkward atmosphere filling the room as Inosuke only continued on and on with his nonsense.

Freminet probably should stand up for himself...

"I-Inosuke," he called out, getting the boar king's attention. "I'm not a demon, I can stand in the sun and I have... Never eaten human flesh."

The time spent alone in this world paid off. He could now speak up for himself! Even if his heart raced worse than after drinking coffee.

"Oh yeah? And the ice?" Inosuke was still not bothered by the obvious facts, insisting that his hypothesis was right.

"It's because of my vision," he pointed at his hip where the vision was securely strapped to his supporting belts.

Silence.

One second. Two. Three. And-

____________

"Freminet-kun, it's gonna be alright," Kiyo reassured.

"We can help you restore them again," Sumi continued.

"At least half of them are safe!" Naho finished.

In his rage of being wrong, Inosuke jumped at the ice gears that were displayed and his strength was enough to destroy them. Luckily, it was only around the half of what Freminet had done, but still it was a lot of his hard work gone.

Aoi scolded the boar-headed, which surprisingly worked and he promised not to repeat his actions again... But the trust was already broken.

At the very least, Inosuke felt at least a bit of guilt, as he wanted to apologize in any way possible. And he was pestering Freminet so much with it, all the diver could say was to "stay and just watch," as he remakes the shattered gears.

It was definitely harder to concentrate when someone with a huge boar mask on their head sat right next to you.

But it was alright. He could manage.

The plan was relatively simple to what original Pers was. The eyes wouldn't be able to glow as it was impossible with the local level of advancement. Then, all of its functions left were... Flapping its wings and legs.

It was alright he guessed.

He was almost halfway the amount of details needed when this happened.

"I'll go di- rest in my room," Freminet stood up from his place, a boar's muzzle following him.

Inosuke stared at him right until Freminet closed the door behind him with a small thud. Having his hard work shattered to tiny pieces was heartbreaking.

He didn't feel like working at that moment, nor could he train to forget himself because his wound hasn't completely healed yet.

Maybe he should go for a walk?

That would be nice.

Freminet quickly put his old good clothes from Fontaine on and left the house after notifying Aoi about it.

It was the end of spring, the sun starting to get hotter each day and that day wasn't an exception. The birds sang their songs. The tall fences of the neighboring houses and dirt paths created their own quiet atmosphere of peace.

Tanjiro once told Freminet about a city, the capital of Japan, and how bright everything was even at night. Was it as bright as in Fontaine? What kind of festivals and traditions were there?

Were there any diving spots?

Even without his underwater gear Freminet could hold his breath for over ten minutes for sure. If he could go to these diving spots, if there were ones, every now and then, it would be... Nice. And beneficial for his sanity.

Now to think about it, the village was rather large, he never really noticed it...

Probably because of these huge fences surrounding each house that were impossible to look through. Whatever the case, Freminet continued on with his walk, silently strolling through the streets.

That was until he heard running water.

Was there a river nearby? How come he didn't know?

The diver quickened his steps, eager to see whether or not the waters were swimmable. If they were swimmable then... He would finally have a way to cope.

There it was-

Only a simple fence and a depression and there was running water just there!

But would it be safe to swim there? The currents might be strong or it could have excessive bacteria or it could be polluted... The possibilities were endless.

It was a hot day. Maybe some kids would swim in it if it was safe? That certainly would be an indicator of the water's condition. But the question was, were there stairs leading down? Jumping over a fence would get some attention after all...

Freminet walked beside the fence down the stream in search or any stairs down or anyone swimming in the river.

And luck was on his side: on the opposite side of the river there were some kids jumping and swimming in the water, having fun. Not so far away there was a bridge and a staircase to the children.

He hurried his way over to the kids - seemingly a bit younger than his age - and was met with stares. If he was to guess why, it was probably because of his clothes. The people here really didn't like Fontanian fashion, huh...

"Yo, blondie, you lost?" one of the kids asked.

"Can he even understand us? Look at this eye of his, total bewilderment, eh?" another one noted. Did Freminet really look that way?

He should speak up, shouldn't he? His siblings wouldn't be by his side anymore, he should learn how to speak for himself, come on-

"I-is it safe to swim and dive in here?" he muttered, it coming out a bit quiet but it managed to gather attention he didn't want.

"Whadd'ya say, pretty boy?"

Uh oh.

"Is it safe to swim here?" he repeated a bit more loudly this time, his heart racing. They wouldn't beat him up, right? Those weren't hooligans, right?

"Oh, yeah, go ahead!" another dude out of the six of them perked up, smilling and encouraging Freminet. "It's not often you see foreigners like you here, come on, show us ya skill!"

He could do this.

Finally.

After two months.

He took his coat off, unnoticeably taking out his helmet as if it was hidden under it before and putting on, and stood by the edge of the water.

He was actually doing this.

"Oh wait, what's that?" all of them stared at him and his helmet. Oh, he forgot the technological progress there was much worse than in Fontaine.

"A diving helmet," he explained, showing it off by spinning it in his hands. The boys curiously watched.

Freminet put it on, the silence of the world felt comforting as always. Bewildered stares looked at his face plate. Was it because of the lights? Well... There was nothing he could do about it.

Taking a deep breath in, he readied himself. Three... Two... One.

Water surrounded him.

For the first time in months he was fully emerged in water; that is excluding his nightmares where he was drowning and it felt like he was constantly dying or that dream in the train.

Fish swam by, following the tame current, seagrass flowing by and marine life... Being itself, unbothered by cruel human standarts and their treatment to everything around them.

Even though Freminet didn't have an oxygen tank, he could hold his breath for around ten minutes. That would be enough to start getting back in form. Swimming, after all, was also beneficial for many muscles and his injury wouldn't be bothered by it.

The diver swam up to a seaweed that stuck out between some rocks at the bottom - the river wasn't particularly deep - and decided that would be his replacement for romaritime flowers.

The water created a soothing melody amplified by his helmet and Freminet's eyes started to water as he started talking to the seaweed about everything that has happened for this entire time.

About his trainings with the wind hashira that made him puke a few times... Or about his ruined project... Everything that bothered him and he couldn't tell about to anyone. With the exception of that pretty romaritime flower in the dream, but it was nothing but a dream, leaving him feeling unheard.

He would continue his little rant were it not for firm hands grabbing around him and starting to drag him out to the surface.

Freminet started to fight, trying to get the hands off him, but failing as the grip only tightened around him and soon enough he was back on the surface, being brought to the stone platform.

As the hands backed off, Freminet quickly took his helmet off - as quickly as wiping his tears with his sleeve - before looking at the person who did it.

It was...

Giyuu.

Huh.

They stared at each other as the boys Freminet previously met have ran up to them.

"Dude, you were underwater for so long!" one of them exclaimed.

"We thought you were drowning or something so we called for help."

How lucky it was for the help being none other that Giyuu, the person who was the first one to meet Freminet in this world; excluding the demon.

"Thank you, but..." he didn't want to be seen ungrateful. That would be the last thing he wanted. "I can hold my breath for over ten minutes underwater."

Everyone's eyes widened as he said that. Oh, right, it wasn't normal to do so... Uuh.

"Freminet, let's go to Kochou-san," Giyuu said after a while, face returning to his normal neutral expression. He didn't look as scary as during their first meeting... He wouldn't forget that look on the hashira's face when a blade was at his throat.

"You know each other, pretty face?" one of the boys asked, but neither Freminet nor Giyuu gave them an answer as they quickly fleed the scene, not forgetting to grab Freminet's coat off the ground.

They didn't say a word to each other on the way to the butterfly estate, awkward silence filling the air between them. Even after so long, Freminet didn't know how to properly thank Giyuu for saving him that night. Even if Giyuu himself told him there was no need for his thanks, he felt obligated to...

No. He couldn't. Freminet still couldn't help but build walls around himself as he refused to let himself say anything.

He was doing so many things by his own choice as of late... Were those really alright? He made the girls worry about him that day, that was his fault since he couldn't follow his unspoken order to simply rehabilitate. How dumb was he not to notice it?

And him creating a hazard with his vision when nobody asked? He should just... Scrap that idea. Yes, that would be better for everybody. His decisions were bad, nobody said they liked them outright so that meant they were useless.

Useless things should be discarded.

"Was that true what you have said earlier?" Giyuu suddenly spoke up, kicking the thought out of Freminet's head.

"What... What exactly?"

"About you being able to hold your breath for ten minutes underwater," the hashira elaborated upon the question, a genuine and even friendly, to his best extent, look on his face.

"Oh... Yes," Freminet answered as it was. The only person he could really speak more about this were his family... And Tanjiro.

"Have you been learning Total Concentration Breathing?" Giyuu tried to initiate small talk and... It was nice. Although Freminet didn't know how exactly to react.

"No, I have only heard Rengoku-san and Tanjiro talk about it occasionally," Freminet's eyes were glued to the ground as he was avoiding eye contact.

"Really?" the hashira sounded quite surprised at that. "Then have you ever tried breaking a gourd?"

"Like the vessels you gotta blow air in and try to break them?" he recieved a nod at that. "No, I have only heard Tanjiro talk about them."

At that their small talk ended, now filled with even more awkward silence.

Luckily though, they reached the butterfly mansion. Tomioka opened the gates, letting Freminet go in first, but the diver wanted to let the hashira first... That was so embarrassing.

They just stared at each other, waiting for the other to go in first. That was until a certain boar-masked person started screaming and running up to them. Inosuke...!

"YOU! Ice bro, Futomaki, look!" Inosuke held out his hand and opened it. In that hand was... Something. Freminet couldn't really understand but it seemed it was a cutout of one of his ice plates with a hole in the center and gear-like tooths... Oh. It was a gear. Well, something that tried resembling it.

"It's even better than yours, isn't it?" Inosuke proudly held his chin up, laughing. "Soon you'll call me gear-making master!"

All the while Giyuu was staring from behind, trying to understand what was going on. Freminet felt so embarrassed.

"T-thank you, Inosuke," he managed to sputter all the while the mentioned lad laughed even more giddy and left with heavy proud steps.

That was... Something.

Giyuu stared at Freminet, Freminet stared at the gear and the gear was not a gear. Was this an excuse of some sort...?

Nonetheless, the hashira finally stepped in through the doors and Freminet finally took his attention off the gift he got and followed close behind.

There was Aoi in the backyard, putting the laundry up and Giyuu went straight to her telling the helper something Freminet couldn't hear. She nodded and ran off to somewhere and now they were alone again.

The hashira inquired "What was the thing he gave you?" looking at Freminet's closed fist.

"Oh, this?" the diver opened his palm showing it. "A gear, I think," he poked it around to get a better view "It's..."

He didn't know how to describe it. Obviously Inosuke simply tried copying one of the gears Freminet had already done, but it was like salt on a fresh wound and didn't help at all.

He gave the little gift to Giyuu to look at.

"Is this ice?"

"Yes, it's created with a vision," Freminet explained.

The hashira looked it over before returning it to Freminet. In time to Aoi returning.

"Tomioka-san, are you sure Freminet will be able to break such a big gourd? He's never done it before and even the others struggled with it quite a lot..."

"I just want to check his level if it isn't a problem," Tomioka took the gourd from Aoi and handed it to Freminet.

"Do you know how to break it, Freminet?" the girl asked, ready to explain if needed.

"I just have to breath in it with my whole lungs, right?" he received a nod at which the diver readied himself.

This thing was huge. It was actually scary. There was no way he would create enough pressure inside with his lung capacity alone, right? Especially after he heard how much Tanjiro struggled with it in the past...

Breath in. Just like before diving, Freminet. It was going to be alright.

He put his mouth on the required part and-

Breath out.

The seconds started feeling extremely long with two pair of eyes staring at his every move and that would get dissapointed in case he fails.

14... 15... 16... Crack...

The gourd shattered into pieces, its pieces blown to all directions.

"That was fast!" Aoi exclaimed, eyes shocked. "That was less than ten seconds, how did you manage?"

Tomioka only watched in silence, his face unreadable "I have... Other things to do. Please, if you excuse me," he dismissed himself and Freminet could only see the tiny bit of surprise on the Hashira's face before the latter has turned his back towards them and started leaving.

_____________

That day was weird for sure.

Freminet laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep.

First, he was cutting out gears, then they were destroyed... That resulted in a walk where he found a river in the village and he actually dived in there until Giyuu got him out. And when he returned he also managed to break a very huge gourd.

Those memories were so recent and yet already felt so distant. Why...?

...

And he was pondering on something for a while... Ever since that day when he heard Lyney's voice, he stopped seeing nightmares of drowning. What was that voice anyway?

It obviously wasn't that demon's power, no, blood demon art more correctly, but then...

And also it felt like he forgot something that happened after that was something very important... He was constantly forgetting things he shouldn't have forgotten.

He tried his very best to recall it and the only thing that came up was pain. Burning pain as if his skin was coming off, his heart racing and his airways full of nothing and yet everything at once.

... Maybe he shouldn't try remembering it.

Chapter Text

"You managed to break that hourd even without learning Total Concentration Breathing?" Tanjiro's eyes widened as Freminet told about his previous day.

"Precisely, " the diver enjoyed talking to Tanjiro. The boy never held any malicious intent and was, actually, always being very nice, even if unintentionally. He was like another sibling to Freminet.

Tanjiro let out an ecstatic woah "Even I haven't managed to break such a big one yet!"

Eh?

"You haven't?" now it was Freminet's turn to be surprised even if it didn't show.

"Can you tell me some tips on how you did that?" the slayer smiled so purely, it made Freminet's heart ache. How could have this person suffered such a miserable fate of becoming a demon slayer...?

"Oh, well, it's nothing much..." how could he give any tips? He's been learning breathing techniques since he started retreating to the sea to find comfort and it wasn't something he would be able to explain...

"I would say... Try to plot out your oxygen usage as best as you can. Imagine you're underwater," at that Tanjiro's face twisted a bit in some memory "... and trying to get to the surface. You have to know exactly how much you should breath out every second to make sure you'll get to the surface."

"So basically I have to not only breathe using Total Concentration Breathing but also mind how much oxygen I use?" Tanjiro put his hand on his chin in a thinking position. "Thank you, Freminet-kun!"

"Boys!" Aoi opened the shoji behind the two of them "The sky is getting dark, help us bring the laundry in."

____________

That was the last one... It wasn't much different from when the rain was coming close in Fontaine, but then there was no Steambird to tell the weather for the day.

The first few droplets started falling almost immediately after the last sheet from outside was brought in. Wasn't Freminet supposed to say something?

"We managed to do it just in time!" Tanjiro smiled. "Freminet, don't you say that... Hy-... Hyd-... Phrase whenever it rains? Your language is so pretty!"

Oh? Yes, he could vaguely remember that but why was his memory so blurry? Now that he thought about it, a lot of things from Fontaine became a blur for him. Surely it was solely because he spent so much time here?

"Ah, yes... Thank you. I just thought it was childish to keep saying that," but in fact he couldn't really remember what exactly he kept on saying everytime before. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

It was time to finally continue working on Pers.

______________

"It's so cute!"

"What happens if we spin this?"

"It's hat is like yours!"

A few days later, Pers was finally in Freminet's hands once more. Sumi, Naho and Kiyo already liked the little mechanical penguin, now all was left was to show it to the others. Inosuke wouldn't shatter it if he saw it moving, right?

Freminet put his soul into this, he wouldn't let it be broken again. The wound on his side was already healed anyway, if he wanted to continue being useful he would have to train and that would cut his time by a lot...

And without any technologies to fix he wasn't useful at the mansion either.

"Tanjiro-kun, Tanjiro-kun!" one of the helpers ran to search for the burgundy-haired demon slayer, while Freminet was processing that, yes, he finally finished his little friend.

Not long after, Tanjiro entered the room, emitting positive energy as always, and looked at what's happening.

When it finally came to his mind, his eyes sparkled.

"You finished Pers! Congratulations!" he smiled, running up close and taking the ice penguin in his hands, hissing at the touch. "It's cold, don't you feel it?"

Did Freminet feel it? No, not really. Maybe he has better cold resistance due to his cryo vision? That or the harsh trainings he went through tempered his tolerance.

"It isn't wet at all though," Tanjiro added and turned to the mecha enthusiasts.

"Well, I don't really feel the cold to be honest, but," he stopped, thinking about Tanjiro's second statement. "I think it's dry due to the fact it doesn't melt. Also, when starting this project, I checked some of this ice's qualities- ah, sorry, this must be uninteresting for you."

Damn it, he started to rant again.

"Let me show you how it works," Freminet gently took the toy out of Tanjiro's hands and wind up the key on the back of it a few times, after which he left it on the ground.

It was nice seeing Pers spin again after all this time. After making a circle and some more, the toy stopped.

"Wait, can you explain me how exactly does this work? How does turning this makes the whole thing work?" Tanjiro asked, the three girls around just as curious.

"Ah, you see, there's this spring inside that is the thing the key spins," Freminet started outlining its placements judging on the exterior. "It's the only thing not out of cryo here and, uuh, how do I explain this... This spring, called the torsion spring, stores energy when winded up, then, as it unwinds it shares it's more energy and makes the mechanism inside work."

That was the simplest way to explain it.

Was his explanation good enough though?

"Why is it not out of ice then?" Sumi asked, holding her hand up.

"The spring would shatter as ice isn't flexible enough for this."

"What did you use then?" Naho piped in with a follow-up question.

"I always have some of these in my hip bag, if some of my mechanisms suddenly break and I'm not at home..."

His answer was followed by oooh's and aaah's. Children, still curious and pure, were always so nice. Even Tanjiro, who survived through so much... How was he still so kind to everyone?

...

Freminet should repay Tanjiro for his kindness. For encouraging him and simply because he was always there to listen. Maybe Freminet should teach him some of the lessons he himself got from the House? And Tanjiro also was interested in his ways of breathing, yes? Then, he could take him out on some diving lessons if Tanjiro was interested in it.

"Tanjiro," he called out to him and the slayer looked right into his eyes.

"Want to go diving with me?"

_____________

"Is it really safe to do it here?" Tanjiro asked, as they got to the place - the same river Freminet dived in a few times during these days while making Pers.

"I already dived here a few times, the currents aren't too strong and there aren't many rocks down there," which was perfect, no wonder the kids' parents allowed them to swim here. Summer's peak was just starting, so even now some kids were making splashes and having fun.

"We can start by the edge, your first exercise is to make splashing moves with your legs and breath out with your head underwater," Freminet jumped into the water to show. He extended his arms, put his face under the water and started moving his legs, imitating swimming motions, all the while breathing out.

"This is just the basics, later you'll also be using your arms during this exercise," even if the slayer could already swim, going over the basics would benefit, too.

Slowly, but surely Freminet instructed Tanjiro, making sure that he would be ready.

Three days in, Tanjiro was able to swim from one shore to the other without a problem using the front crawl style. Those were amazing results, even if the river wasn't that wide.

A week in, Freminet showed different styles of swimming, everyday focusing on a specific one until Tanjiro was sure he could easily do it and then, closer to the end of each day's training, repeating each one he learned to that moment.

A week and a half... "I think you're ready to dive," Freminet looked at the burgundy-haired, who was tired from that day's training. "We're going to continue tomorrow, focus on something else for now."

With a sounding "Yes!", their training for the day came to an end.

It was around three in the afternoon, the time they usually finished their swimming training as it was still warm, but not as hot as when they would start at mid-day.

For Freminet these trainings were a way to cool down in the scorching heat of Japan - he was used to the all-year mild climate of Fontaine after all. Three hours of swimming were nothing much for him, which couldn't be said for his student. But at least the same student didn't burn like paper in the sun, unlike Freminet, who had sunburn marks ever since he started instructing Tanjiro.

As they both returned to the butterfly estate, Freminet started helping the helper girls around the house and Tanjiro went on with his usual training after a bit of rest.

Ever since his first mission here, he understood one thing - he didn't want to put anyone in danger because of him ever again. Rengoku survived, yes, but was now retired: his injuries were too much for him to be able to continue to fight. Freminet couldn't help but blame himself, if he only could have helped or distracted the demon sooner...

Folding the dried up clothes into the basket, he looked at the training slayers in the backyard. It always reminded him of his home which he missed so so much.

Even if his memories of it were slowly starting to fade the more time he spent here.

He returned to his room, searching for his hip pocket. He always left it at the estate as it was useless most of the time in this... World.

Quickly finding it, he opened it and took out the old pendant he had in there, searching warmth and affirmation from it. Was he doing everything right? If his maman really did turn into a star in the sky, would she be sad her child was still too scared to make decisions on his own? For the past month he's been trying to at least learn how to communicate, but even so he managed to learn how to talk only to one person...

Yes, he had nice relationships with Shinobu's helpers, but it always felt like they were his colleagues more than friends.

The pendant would never play music anymore like it did a long time ago, it would never be played by maman's side, maman would never pet his head-

"Freminet! Dinner's ready! Help us put it on the table," Aoi barged into his room, before swiftly leaving to the kitchen.

________________

Cheesecake...?

When Freminet was handed the plate with the day's dessert, he was surprised with something he knew very well. Just seeing it made his mouth water, he missed the Fontaine kitchen so much.

Wait.

There were only four plates.

Of course...

With this Japan's resources things like these were a luxury, or so Freminet understood. One plate for Inosuke, another for Zenitsu and the other two for Kanao and Tanjiro. They were, after all, those who worked the hardest here.

And Freminet, just like everyday, was stuck with rice and seafood. If he were to return to Fontaine one day, he would never, ever touch tuna ever again.

And green tea. Its bitter taste and smell was already engraved into the diver's brain, making him sick each time.

Well, if he were to have a cheesecake on special occasions were he to become a slayer... If he were to be just as useful and complete his orders just like anyone else...

Freminet's mind was screaming at him it was stupid, this decision was made on emotions and emotions were useless-

He would do everything to not forget his home.

______________

"You also want to train?" Aoi looked at Freminet, who already started his warm-up routine with his claymore. "Sorry, Oyakata-sama said you should first finish the Final selection if you want to go on a mission ever again."

... Eh?

"But-" he tried to interfere, but Aoi shut him first.

"No buts! Last time it was sheer luck you survived, we thought because you had prior training and even the wind hashira allowed you to go there you were ready enough, but once more were reminded why Final Selection exists!

Your skill in battle was proven, yes, but then were it not for Rengoku-san you would be dead meat a long time ago!"

...

"Okay."

Freminet took everything in. If he had to finish this Final selection of theirs, he would do it without a single thought.

His moves were sloppy after so long of not using his claymore. His breathing was unused to the breathing techniques he was taught by the wind hashira. But if he were to manage to combine the two of them...

Freminet entered his own bubble, putting on his helmet and focused on the task at hand.

Chapter Text

The peak of summer was unforgiving to the boys training under it.

Freminet, unused to the scorching, sun was melting, feeling like his consciousness would escape his mind any second now. Head spinning, he could barely think as he was dodging the trees in front of him.

When it came time for a break, the blond fell on his knees, taking in as much air as possible.

Inosuke was still somehow ecstatic, Freminet never understood him and after the incident with Pers didn't even want to. Otherwise he seemed to be nice, just... Unused to rules.

"You're all red, Freminet," Freminet's only friend offered him some water. "I would never think you haven't done the Final selection to be honest, you're so strong and..." he smiled, but at the last part he remembered what Freminet didn't want to reveal to anybody. At lying Tanjiro was no better than the diver and he was probably the worst liar out there in Teyvat.

Freminet gulped the water down, it flowing down his throat and refreshing his mouth that felt like a desert, he put the gourd with water down, before looking at Tanjiro.

"I wouldn't say I'm that good, more so I perform worse than any of you," he was weak after all, every single of his missions with demons ending with him passing out as he was unable to do anything.

"But in raw power you're better than any of us! I don't know if I would be able to swing your sword as effortlessly as you," positive energy emmited from Tanjiro.

Freminet simply looked away, cooling himself down with cryo. That was actually a nice idea, if he were to be able to cool down whenever he felt hot while running...

The next part of their training was carrying weights. Luckily, Freminet didn't have any trouble with that at all, finishing first and resting longer than the others, but instead using his rest time to try to learn how to both use cryo and exercise at the same time.

The next was sparring... There weren't any wooden claymores and training with Freminet's actual one... It was absolutely normal for him, but would whoever sparred with him be not against it?

How should he come up with this question? 'Hey, you wouldn't mind if I used my a few kilograms heavy sword while sparring? I promise I won't kill you,'?

Even Freminet with his awful communication skills knew that would sound terrible.

And once more he fell into the trap of asking Tanjiro, unable to talk to anybody else-

Oh.

He was already sparring with Zenitsu.

Well, Freminet could train with the air-

"You," a hoarse voice sounded behind him. "Fight me!"

Guess he had no choice then. Freminet turned around, looking straight into the eyes of this boar mask his opponent put on. Putting on his helmet would probably be the best at the moment, would it not?

Freminet summoned his helmet and claymore, seeing Inosuke's reaction who completely forgot of his ability to do so. Either way, the moment they looked at each other once more, they started their spar wordlessly.

Freminet took advantage of his sword's length, blocking any of the animal-like attacks coming his way. It looked like Inosuke didn't care what they were fighting with, as he was just as ecstatic as always, if not even more than usual.

Inosuke's next attack came from above and Freminet blocked it, his feet digging into the dirt below from the force, before he reflected the attack with a sounding swoosh, sending the boar flying off to the tree not so far away from them, which Inosuke landed on easily, jumping on the ground the next second.

It was Freminet's turn before Inosuke would take the stage again, so the boy quickly dashed forward, getting behind Inosuke in a matter of seconds soundlessly, before whispering under his breath:

"Wind Breathing: Sixth Form."

He rotated his body in an upper slash movement, creating a strong slash and gaining but a small sting from his hip. Maybe the two months training with a hashira weren't gone in vain.

Luckily, Inosuke managed to dodge last second, if it wasn't for Freminet still being bad at these breathing techniques, he would surely hurt him - which would be unlikable for any of them.

Even through the helmet Freminet could hear Inosuke's laugh as the slayer ran back towards him, charging at his throat with his blades, which Freminet luckily managed to block using his claymore once more.

He thanked "Father" for requesting to make it extra durable - although good weapons became an absolutely normal thing when she took over the house.

Freminet was ready to unleash his elemental burst, but was interrupted by a voice a few meters away from him.

He couldn't hear what exactly it said, but when he turned to see who was it, it was none other than Tanjiro. Zenitsu, who was just next to him, had his eyes open so widely it was surprising how they still didn't pop out of his sockets.

Before he could take his helmet off to hear whatever the burgundy haired slayer wanted to say, he was interrupted by a feeling of something closing distance right next to him. He blocked off the attack last second, using his elemental skill to create a saw-like pattern.

Freminet took his helmet off. The crimson red blood stained a bit of his helmet's front. Seeing the red liquid trail down Inosuke's chest made some awful memories resurface. Freminet felt sick. He wanted to vomit and the scorching sun only intensified his want.

But he held it in.

"Stop this madness, you two!" he could finally hear what Tanjiro was saying.

"You're killing each other, not training!"

It was a normal training for Freminet, but it seemed like it was not anywhere but in the House.

Grumpy Tanjiro was an unplesable sight to behold, making Freminet feel bad for putting his friend in such a mood. He should be more careful next time.

Although he mostly scolded Inosuke since he was the one supposed to know the safety rules in their training... It was actually amazing that Tanjiro's words meant something for the boar head, as his mood got down just as when a certain one of his siblings at the House was when she was not allowed to make his potions...

What was his name? Or was it a she?

He- something.

Freminet's memories were getting blurred.

And he didn't like it.

__________________

"Today, as I said yesterday, you're going to dive for the first time. Today's three meters and over time we'll slowly be increasing the maximum depth," explained Freminet.

After the morning training routine he was now included in too, it was time for the regular swimming classes he made for Tanjiro.

"I'm going to check if everything's alright now, just get ready, maybe start warming up," the diver jumped into the water, creating a small splash on the surface.

Something wasn't right.

It was normal, but something just didn't feel right.

He hasn't been in these waters for too long, but he was already used enough to say that something was wrong. He just couldn't understand what exactly... Until it clicked into his head.

The current.

Damn it!

He was too slow to realize it as when it finally came to him it was to late: he was being washed away by it at rapid speed.

Water filled his nose and mouth as he didn't expect it and he didn't properly breath in, leaving him little to no oxygen. Ah, it was a nightmare!

Don't panic, Freminet, you should wisely spread your oxygen.

Steady your heartbeat.

He had to find a surface to hold onto and, luckily, there were some stones on the wall he could hold onto for the little while. He swam up to them and tried to get lower to the river floor as he grabbed onto them.

He didn't have that much air to work with so he had to work fast.

Swimming out of it wasn't an option, there was basically nowhere to; left or right, everything was being smitten away by the water. He also didn't know how long it would last so waiting it out couldn't be considered either.

He could probably try to swim to the surface where he would just follow it until he was close enough to the border... He would do exactly that, probably. The most important part was to not get any of his limbs torn off by some of the rocks there.

Three, two, one...

He swam to the top, the sun shining brightly even through the water, blinding him as the taste of river water flood his senses. The fish around him didn't understand his struggle at the moment, happily swimming with the speedy current that would eventually lead them to the sea.

The moment Freminet head was above the water, he laid on his back in a star position, breathing air mixed with the river water in. That was not the wisest decision as water got into his lungs that way and he wanted to cough it out, but were he to do that what would happen to him.

The sun hid behind the clouds in the sky, giving Freminet a perfect chance to look at his surroundings without hurting his eyes. He was so close to one of the borders...

Stretching out his hand, he put his fingers on the border, but not grabbing yet, as he turned to his stomach to slide his fingers the border with his second hand, too.

His wet fingers were sliding across the stone structure as he was still following the current. In the next second he grabbed the border and just as quickly pulled himself close so that he doesn't get torn in half by the current.

He used the momentum, pulling himself up on the border, before rolling on his side a few times.

That was intense...

He thought before starting to cough. Since water got into his lungs, were it to be in there for too long, things would become very ugly soon.

Oh wait, Tanjiro!

He hoped the slayer didn't jump after him when he didn't return - after all, unlike Freminet, Tanjiro wasn't a pro diver and even pros panic in situations like these!

And here he was, running as fast as he could to the burgundy-haired, coughing out his lungs along the way.

His mind was hazy from all the water he managed to gulp down, but he persisted.

Please, don't jump, Tanjiro-

A small dot started appearing in Freminet's blurry eyesight. Seeing it calmed him down, it was slowly but surely getting close.

A bit of a wrong step and in the next second Freminet was falling, but was caught by warm and calloused hands... Tanjiro...

_______________

Eating food after swimming was always tastier.

That was what Freminet was thinking as he chucked down the onigiri Tanjiro gave him. The slayer's haori was warming him up after what happened as they sat by the wall on one of the sides of the river.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Freminet, for a moment there I thought the current would take you away," Tanjiro whined, slightly tilting to lay on Freminet. "I'm so sorry."

The blond looked at him before gazing at the onigiri once more.

"It's nothing, it's my fault I didn't notice the current right away."

"But it is because of me you had to risk yourself!"

"That's what check ups are for. You did the right thing with not jumping after me," Tanjiro shouldn't blame himself, Freminet thought. "I'll keep an eye on the current for the next few days and we'll see when it's going to be swimmable again," Freminet added.

Even if this current stopped, it was possible a new one would come again shortly after and risking their lifes like that was less than preferable.

"Why not ask the locals?" Freminet choked at the question, coughing.

After recieving a few pats on the back, Freminet recovered and answered "I'm not really good at talking with people..."

"There's always something you gotta learn! We can ask together if you want," the slayer smiled. Well, Freminet did want to become as good at talking as Lyney, or, like Lynette, at least not to be scared of it.

"Well..."

Come on, Freminet, come on, say it.

"We could try," his heart was beating faster than after a cup of coffee just at the thought of him having to interact with the locals.

Fontanians? Alright, he could at least understand their way of thinking. Japanese? He was still learning about them! Everyday he would learn something new, like-

"Then it's settled, let's go!" Tanjiro grabbed Freminet by his hand, the diver's coat in the other hand, and started dragging him, Freminet too slow to keep up.

The stares Freminet would always get from the locals were only rising his anxiety. He's so different, people here really aren't used to foreigners, it felt like everyone was judging him by their stares...

The first pedestrian they approached was some kind-looking elderly lady. With a nudge from Tanjiro, Freminet asked:

"E-excuse us, madame, do you know how long does the river current last?"

Freminet looked at Tanjiro for affirmation and recieved a smile from him. Everything was alright, even if it was scary at first.

"The current? Hm, it's been a long time since I paid attention to it," the lady put a finger on her chin. "It used to last for a moon and a half before but much time has passed since then."

So a month and a half huh?

Tanjiro deeply bowed at the grandma, saying his thanks pretty loudly and Freminet repeated the gesture, but more timid and quiet.

Surprisingly, it wasn't all that scary now. She didn't judge Freminet, just kindly answered the question.

The next one was a kid: if Freminet remembered correctly, it was one of the boys he met on his first dive here.

"Oh, hello, long-breath-holder boy!" the kid excitedly waved his hands at them.

When asked the question about the tide, he simply answered that they don't go in the river the entire month western people call August.

Lastly, the last person they would ask was a fisherman - it was lucky they noticed him.

It was already easier coming up to people now, but some sense of dread still followed Freminet; what if that person's busy? What if he would tell them to mind their own business?

Possibilities upon possibilities ran through Freminet's head, until it came time to ask.

That second, his mind was as blank as a new piece of paper, only the emotion of worry staying. Deep breaths, Freminet, do what you're best at and breathe.

"Excuse us, how long will the current last?" he asked, voice loud enough for anyone near him to hear and without too much worry. He did it, he did it-!

"Meh, somewhere bouta' twentish-thirthish days, I dunno," he said, not even sparing them a glance. And Tanjiro bowed nonetheless, even if the man couldn't see them.

That was pretty nice information, by the end of the month they would be able to dive there and it was lucky nobody got hurt today.

As they were walking down the street back to the butterfly's estate, Freminet noticed the sweat on Tanjiro's forehead and called out to him, "Tanjiro, give me your hands."

"My hands?" even though Tanjiro couldn't understand the purpose of it, he offered him them palms up. Freminet didn't want to give anything, no, he just...

Freminet moved his glowed fingers to the other's veins under his palms - that's where the blood vessels are the closest to the skin in the entire body - and applied a bit of cryo.

Tanjiro's eyes shot in surprise, first at the sudden cold, then at how after a few seconds he felt better.

"Whoa, I didn't know you could cool down somebody else's body so quickly!" it was fun to watch his reaction.

"I can't, your blood carried the cold itself," a tiny smile appeared on his lips.

Maybe they wouldn't be able to train in the river for a while, but at least it wouldn't be for too long. And maybe Freminet could focus on training something else for now...

Chapter Text

It took a few days to reach the mountain the final selection exam would take place on. It was the middle of the first month of autumn, September, as the western people here would call it.

The last month and a half Freminet would train non-stop, rarely giving himself a break. He only slowed down when he and Tanjiro could go to the river again. The slayer showed great results in his diving training, his lung capacity expanding bit by bit with each lesson.

But it didn't take long for the time for Final Selection to come and the blond decided he was ready enough.

Freminet looked at the petals from the wisteria trees around. It was just as Tanjiro described to him, utterly breathtaking...

Those trees bloomed here all year round, as he was told, and since demons feared wisterias, they never left the mountain they were trapped in, making it a perfect place for new slayers to test their skills.

When he got up the mountain, there were only a few people there, not that Freminet would want to team up with anybody anyway. Although he did start learning how to communicate with others... He didn't want to have to worry about carry the burden of losing somebody from the team.

After some time, the diver didn't really keep count of it, focused on his thoughts instead, the two girls that were in the center of the place started talking.

"It seems everyone has arrived."

______________

After explaining the rules, everyone was let to go to start the exam.

They would have to survive here seven days, fighting off demons and then go back up the mountain - if they have survived of course.

In wasn't that hard in theory, but that was in theory. The rations Freminet brought with him would last for two days max and that was if he was sparce with it. That meant that he would have to somehow hunt for food there. Nobody ever told him about this part of the exam.

The next second the diver heard a sound that alerted him immediately. A demon? Another examinee?

Freminet held his blade a bit too tight, his knuckles becoming white as he dared not to move until whoever was there moved first.

And it seemed like the former was right, as a creature quickly dashed at him from the shadows of the tree it was hiding itself in. Its head hit the ground faster than it reached what its instincts lead it to do though.

The demon's claws went for Freminet's eyes, growling like an animal. Luckily Freminet reacted fast enough to dodge the attack, together with the next few the demon offered. The attacks weren't that well thought out, as expected from a famished demon which could only attack based on instincts.

Freminet breathed in, he wasn't that good with the breathing techniques yet, but he's been training for the past month and a half, trying to refine them as much as possible.

Wind breathing: Sixth form.

It was the easiest for Freminet to learn as it resembled his usual technique the most: he moved his blade in an uppercut movement, creathing a slash that went straight for the demon's head.

___________________

"What do I feel for the demons after I kill them? Hm," Tanjiro thought after Freminet asked him the question during their break.

"Sadness and guilt. They were all humans and it's just circumstances that lead them to who they've become."

Just circumstances. Something sparked in Freminet. Right. He already forgot how he became who he was today. He forgot about how he had gotten into the House of Heart, a memory deep embedded into him...

Maybe Freminet was a demon of some sort, too. Maybe all bad guys were. Just like the evil dragons in fairytales or every person that has made other ones upset.

"Hence I always pray for them as they burn away, hoping that it will help them feel better."

"Would these prayers help though? They are just words," Freminet has long since stopped believing in such things. His mother would beg the gods every time they went to sleep for help and yet they never answered.

"Maybe. Maybe not. But for some, these words can help them, guide through hardships and give them hope. Perhaps, that is why we believe, to have hope."

________________

Freminet stared at the detached head from its body as it was slowly starting to burn. For a few seconds he didn't know what to do, until he kneeled down and quietly read his prayers until the last piece of ash disappeared into the air.

It was a weird feeling. And Freminet didn't like it.

"Who's there?" a human voice sounded from behind, must have been another examinee's.

Freminet turned around with his hands up, towards the owner of the voice, who seemed to be relived that it's a human. "Dude, don't do weird things like that, honestly, were you praying? For the demon you just killed?"

The guy laughed, but stopped a few seconds later. "Wait, for real? You're weird, they don't deserve such things, they kill humans like you and me. Although, look at you, you're a foreigner, nothing like us."

Well, it's not like it had any other choice... Why were they considered so evil if they just wanted to eat food? Because their food was human flesh? Then how far were humans from being evil to other creatures such as fish or cows that they have on their plates everyday which they take for granted?

"Tch, and I wanted to team up with you," the guy walked away before Freminet could even say anything.

After a few minutes of just sitting there on the moist ground, staring at the direction the guy disappeared into Freminet got up. Shaking off the dirt off of his ankles that sticked to the skin, he continued his way.

And where was his goal? The east side of the mountain where the sun would rise from first.

Every once in a while there would be a demon or two, whose heads would always fall on the ground in a minute. After the level of danger the diver survived through, these demons seemed so weak. But for those who are fighting the first time it was probably perfect experience. Those who weren't strong enough for this would end up dying, but at least they wouldn't see the horrors that would follow up after passing.

Sometimes there would be some vaguely defined paths, berries on the bushes around them. And, judging by the bird nests on the trees around, they were safe to eat. So Freminet grabbed them and tried to remember where they were. He would probably come back here every so often in the future seven days.

Not so far away there was a stream of water. It looked clean enough, but boiling it would still be preferable.

A few dry sticks, a couple more beheaded demons and ever so rarely he would stumble on other examinees. They would always be wary of Freminet, his looks scaring them off.

He didn't blame them, foreigners were still a rare sight here, that much Freminet understood from the looks he was getting in the village. He had almost forgot with how he was treated at the butterfly's estate...

Taking in deep breaths, he would continue on his way and by the end of the night he had made at least a bit of progress.

The sun has officially risen, marking the end of the first night.

That's pretty much how the first three nights went like. On the fourth one, his water ran out. He has collected a lot of water throughout the last nights but used it mostly for rinsing things as it was unable to be drank. Getting a disease or food poisoning would be a death sentence here in the already harsh enough conditions.

Surviving skills were as essential here as fighting. That much he understood on the second day.

And, like always, Freminet would fall asleep just as dawn broke through.

___________

Encounters with the other examinees were becoming more and more rare each day, constantly reminding of the cruelty of this place.

All of these people probably had people that cared for them or someone they wanted to protect... He would make sure to pray for them, too, even if their souls wouldn't hear him. These prayers somehow really did make him feel hope for those whose life lead them to whatever happened.

"Help! Somebody!" a desperate plea was heard not so far from the fontanian and, as it was close enough, he ran towards it to help.

A demon, stronger than the ones somebody would usually find on the mountain, was standing over the person who Freminet encountered at the start of the Final Selection.

"You, gaijin! Help me! Please!" the guy was pleading as he noticed the blond arrive at the scene.

The demon's head twisted, turning one-eighty degree around to look at Freminet. "Young and pretty girls are always the best," it licked its teeth. It was sentient. Which meant it definitely was much stronger than your average demon on the mountain.

The demon turned around to Freminet, giving the guy a chance to escape, which he gladly took, leaving Freminet alone to the creature. Some people only cared about themselves. What's the reason of taking upon this job and taking upon this blade if you couldn't even dare help somebody after they helped you?

"What? Can't move out of horror, pretty face? Don't worry, I'll make it quick," the demon grinned.

It dashed towards Freminet, the teen parrying its attack and reflecting it, making the demon jump backwards.

"Ha~?" it grinned, "You sure have some strength in those thin arms of yours, didn't expect that," malicious giggles erupted from its mouth.

"Then I should tear them off first."

Freminet didn't want to hear any of it anymore, lifting the katana to his right, planning how to perform the breathing technique...

Second form: Claws-Purifying Wind.

It wasn't even third as powerful as what he was showcased during his initial two-month training, but it did its thing. In the distance of a katana laid the demon's head, its eyes bulging out of rage and fangs clacking with rage as it spoke something the slayer tuned out.

Freminet initially took on the job of an assassin because he had no other choice, but then he mutely accepted it in order to keep his family save.

Now, he became a demon slayer to protect those alike.

Now he understood that. A big part of his initial motivation was a longing for home, but now... He just wanted to protect the people around him.

Tanjiro, Sumi, Naho, Kiyo, Kanao...

They were all important to him and he wanted them to be safe, even if they were stronger than him.

_____________

The last dawn Freminet would stay here for broke through the night, indicating that all examinees could now return to the mountaintop shrine where the exam started.

When he arrived there, there was only one other girl. A few more minutes passed and just two more people came back. Out of the twent-ish people that came here to try out their skill, only four survived the seven nights. And that guy who escaped was nowhere to be seen.

After the congratulations for clearing Final Selection by the same girls that opened the event, they offered everybody to pick their preffered ore for the nichirin swords that would be forged for them.

Everyone stared at the pile of stones on the table not knowing how to make a difference from the seemingly the same type of stone.

The first move was by the pretty girl, who picked a stone from the middle. A guy followed and now only two out of the four of them were left to pick.

Freminet stared at each stone for a while, seeing a slight difference of how they would reflect in the sun. There was one with a bit more of a blueish tint with layers of pink, like the tidalga from back in Fontaine. He reached for it, deeming it as his choice and it wasn't long until the last guy picked, too.

All of them were assigned kasugai crows. It reminded Freminet of the specially-trained pigeons from the orphanage.

After quick measurements for clothes, each of the passed slayers were on their way.

From now on, Freminet could officially go on his own missions.

"What is your name, dear crow?" with a gentle smile that broke the usually timid face, Freminet asked his new companion.

"I don't remember my name nor past so well. Maybe you can give me a new name?" the crow answered him, which would surprise every person at first, but he already got used to it at the butterfly's estate.

"How about Romari?"

Chapter Text

It was the middle of the day when Freminet returned from the Final Selection.

The sun wasn't as hot as during the summer, but that didn't mean it wasn't hot outside.

The new slayer, Freminet could be called one now, he couldn't believe it, opened the gate not noticing anybody outside. It wasn't weird, quite the opposite. He was even happy everyone continued on with their life.

But inside as soon as Sumi noticed him she called everyone else to properly congratulate him. It was nice and made him smile.

Tanjiro, as he was told, left that morning for a mission, Zenitsu was to return any second now while Inosuke was training somewhere. Not that he was particularly interested in the latter two.

Everything seemed quite normal, which it probably would be like for the next few days as his nichirin blade and uniform were being made.

In the meantime, he decided to help the girls around the house. Fixing things up was his specialty, even if there weren't any mechanism sort of things.

It was so nice to finally be somewhere safe.

Seeing each other with Tanjiro again after the burgundy-haired returned from his mission was even better. They even went for a swim in the river to congratulate Freminet's survival! And as for Freminet, he could swiftly vent to some seaweed at the bottom of the river while at it.

Overall, it was great. He rested well while waiting for his equipment to arrive.

And then the day finally came.

The swordsmith that forged his claymore came to the estate to deliver it.

His name was Kozo Kanamori, he was also the one who made Inosuke's blades. He seemed to be nice, even if the first time he heard him a few months ago when Freminet just arrived he scared him quite a lot. It left a huge impression on him how this man cared for the blades he made...

"When I heard that someone requested greatsword I was so excited to take upon this job," Kanamori was basically buzzing with excitement while handing out the blade. It was lighter than expected in Freminet's hands... Although that would probably be useful. His extra-weighted claymore from Fontaine wouldn't be as useful in a quick-styled battle as a lighter one.

Upon unsheating it, the blade became a gray color with a slight pale yellow tint, that reminded Freminet of his Pneuma alignment.

"It's the first time I see a blade this color! I've never heard about it before, either," Kanamori seemed ecstatic but still managed to keep his voice calm.

The uniform he was given was quite comfortable too, although he preffered keeping his diving suit underneath. It didn't look so great on the collar, but he couldn't care less about that.

Then, commotion at the front gate could be heard.

Freminet immediately excused himself before going to check the situation out.

Sumi and Kiyo were crying on the egawa, Kanao between them watching the situation in front of them unfold.

"Please let me go... And her, too..." Aoi was hanging from a tall man's shoulder, wait, Freminet recognized him! It was one of the hashira.

"Tch, how loud! Quiet!" the hashira sounded annoyed, but the girls didn't quiet down as he was kidnapping Aoi and Naho away.

Freminet didn't know what to do, but, luckily, Kanao composed herself and grabbed the girls by one's hand and the other's skirt. Power? Zero. Effectiveness? Well, it worked?

But then the hashira started screaming at them, pissed off and the others also chimed in, so why Freminet shouldn't. The sight must have been funny, little girls and Freminet latching onto a tall man trying to do something with, well, whatever was happening.

"What are you doing with the girls?! Let them go!" a familiar voice sounded from the gate. Tanjiro has returned again!

A dead silence dropped for a seconds as everyone stared at him. And then he stared back, now confusion on his face-

"This is a kidnapping! Please help us!" Kiyo cried out. "You little-" the white haired man lashed out.

The next second Tanjiro started running at him but the hashira suddenly disappeared, in front of them, making everyone fall.

"You stupid," the man called out from the top of the gate. "In front of you is the great Uzui Tengen. A former ninja," that would explain his speed, "And I have sparkly shown myself in that."

"Your measly headbutt is nothing for me," he stared right into Tanjiro's soul so much that even Freminet himself could feel it.

But Tanjiro wouldn't be Tanjiro if he didn't persist despite that... "Let go of Aoi and Naho! You damn criminal!"

The girls chimed in "Yes, yes!"

"What do you want from them?!"

"Pervert! Pervert!" Sumi called him... Honestly the guts all of them had. Freminet swore he could feel the ninja's power from where he sat on the ground. Although, it was obvious he didn't have any super malicious intent...

"You, dumbasses! How dare you talk like that?! I'm authority! And a hashira, damn you!"

This argument was making Freminet feel awkward, he didn't know what to do. Why why why, Tanjiro? Why would you always put your nose everywhere you could? Although, maybe it was for the best.

"I don't recognize you as a hashira!" the slayer pouted, standing at his point.

After some more big talks from the hashira, he explained, still shouting though, "I need women for a mission, they aren't Shinobu's tsugukos so I don't have to get a permission from her!"

"But Naho isn't even a demon slayer! Look, she doesn't have a uniform!"

Uzui lifted her closer to his eyes as if she weighted nothing before just dropping her with a "You're free to go."

Luckily, Tanjiro caught her, but...

Tengen was still unwilling to let Aoi go.

Freminet didn't follow along what they were talking about, instead focusing on the girls, Naho in particular.

"Are you feeling alright?" to which he received a sad nod. That was no way to go.

Freminet opened up his arms to offer a hug, which Naho gladly accepted and it wasn't long until Kiyo and Sumi also joined in.

What did catch Freminet's ears was what Tanjiro said "We'll go together with Aoi."

Who was "we" though?

The hashira asked the same question and suddenly Inosuke and Zenitsu appeared. This would be a nice appearance in one of these light novels Freminet had once mistook for fairy tales.

The diver also stood up, contributing to Tanjiro's side.

"Who are you? And what do you need?"

The "just-came-back-but-still-feeling-energized-Inosuke" and "not-letting-anyone-but-himself-disrespect-the-girls-Zenitsu" introduced themselves in their own manner and the hashira just stared at them coldly. And, well, Freminet just stood there behind them, hoping the hashira remembered him.

"Oh, is that how it is? Maybe I should really take you with myself?"

That was quick. But it was for the better.

"But you will have to listen to everything I say!"

___________

And so, Freminet was given his claymore, which he sent to his little pocket dimension for necessities such as weapons, and they were ready to set off.

When asked where they were going, Uzui answered "To a dazzling place! The demon's lair, the red light district."

The red light district...?

At the mention of it Zenitsu got all red and mushy, "Haven't you heard of it? It's a... Eh? You haven't?"

Was he embarrassed to say what it is or what?

"Listen up!" the hashira in front of them got their attention back "I am your god! And all of you are trash!"

Freminet wondered what led up to this man creating such a philosophy, but he didn't seem too bad. More like, he had his own ways of coping. Just like all of them here.

"And don't forget! If I tell to bark, you are going to bark! If I tell you to become monkeys, you are going to become them! You have to always say yes to me and also dump me with all sorts of compliments!

Let me repeat it: I am your god!"

This mission would be a nightmare.

Freminet didn't have the right to say anything about it, he supposed. He would simply have to follow what he was tasked with, which was what he did best.

Tanjiro raised his hand up and asked "Can I specify something: you are a god of what?"

That was a nice question - if they were supposed to compliment the hashira all the time, they would have to know how to do it exactly.

And the ninja looked pleased with the question "Amazing question, you're giving some hope."

"I am a god of everything dazzling, the master of festivities."

That would be useful info for this mission. You never want to disappoint your superiors on missions so they would have to take notes of everything he likes to not disappoint him.

"And I am the ruler of the mountains! Nice to meet you, god of festivities," Inosuke proudly shouted out. A silence dropped and then Uzui said:

"You must be way out of it, huh?"

So people on the same wave of delusion as him weren't to his liking, alright.

Tanjiro had to stop Inosuke fron hitting the ninja, as the latter was turning away to lead the way.

"Let's go. I don't have the time to be playing with you," the man got in a ready position, "Keep up."

Freminet also got ready to run and didn't bother to stop as a cloud of dust got up in the air from the hashira. He was... Fast. Too fast for it to be easy to run his pace.

The other three were a bit slow to follow up but eventually catched up.

It would be Freminet's first official mission, huh?

_________________

The cart the younger slayers were seated in went through the gates leading to the district.

Women with fabulous make-up and hairstyles sat on the balconies from the traditional styled buildings, looking down upon the streets.

As Uzui told them not to get out of the cart, Zenitsu and Inosuke jumped out, making Tanjiro, who wanted to return them back, also jump out of it, leaving Freminet alone.

The hashira was obviously pissed, stopping both carts, grabbing Freminet by his collar and dragging him to search for the rulebreakers.

After all three of the scoundrels were caught, Uzui explained to them:

"This is a place that falls asleep at day and sparkly shines at night."

A perfect lair for a demon...

"Women are sold here out of poverty or in order to pay back loans. In exchange for their work they get food and a place to sleep and those who succeed may even be bought out."

That is scary. Very scary in fact. For a human life to be used to pay a loan... Well, if it weren't for maman's resilience, Freminet would have also had to endure such fate. Instead he got in the House of Heart, where he could at least be safe.

"Everyone here has their status, but the best of the best are oiran - they are not only pretty, but smart and artistic.

Well, that's the end of the tour!"

____________

They were brought to the local wisteria house - a place where demon slayers were always welcome free of charge - and the Hashira started explaining them their mission.

"All of you are going to search me wives while I'm going to look for the demon."

Huh? Wives? As in plural? And why?

Zenitsu immediately went bonkers, fume steaming out of him from rage. Tanjiro was as confused as Freminet was and Inosuke... Well, he was Inosuke, hoghing all of the given food down.

Shouts erupted from both Zenitsu and Uzui and Freminet tuned it out by habit... He was no good in arguments. What he did catch out of the conversation though was that the ninja started this mission because he stopped getting information letters, which was certainly interesting.

Silence filled the room and a few moments later Tengen showed the letters he's been getting.

There were quite a lot and Tanjiro asked the same thing that was on Freminet's mind: "Your wive is here for so long already?"

"No, it's just that I have three of them."

Three? So it was plural? How was that even possible?

Freminet was about to overclock, but then it struck to him; it was the perfect moment for a compliment!

And while Zenitsu got a punch in his stomach from going bonkers once again, Freminet was shot with a pleased smile towards him as he said "As expected from the god of Festivities."

His heart was racing, he said that correctly, right? It wasn't weird or anything? That's what that smile meant, right?

They were given some time to read the sprayed out across the floor letters, which Tanjiro and Freminet did.

"What exactly should we do?" was the logical thing to ask and Tanjiro, as the representative of their group, did so.

....

They would have to infiltrate three places in order to find Uzui's missing wives.

And all of that while pretending to be girls. Alright, that Freminet could manage. Although any of his siblings would be better for this, he still could do it.

"And what if they already died?" asked Inosuke for which he, like Zenitsu, got a nice hit on the stomach.

At that moment, one of the personnel opened the shoji, saying that everything requested was ready.

The person gave the basket with everything to them and left, leaving the five of them im the room.

The quartet of them quickly changed into the given kimonos: Freminet's was a blue one, similar to Inosuke's, but lighter.

The first victim was Zenitsu. Uzui sat him down amd started applying make up on. First the white foundation, then... Well, Freminet couldn't see as he was sitting from behind, but judging on the movements of the ninja's arm, mascara and at the end some blush.

When shown the masterpiece the god of festivities had worked on there was no reaction from anyone. Was the hashira really so sparkly if he couldn't even apply makeup properly, Freminet thought. How did he get his own makeup on?

The next on the list was supposed to be Tanjiro, but... No way would Freminet allow them lose their mission so easily.

"I have experience with makeup, can I help to speed up the process?" he did it - he actually stood up for himself! For what time already and each felt like the first time.

Tengen shot a glance at him, then at his masterpiece and agreed. While the hashira took upon himself Inosuke, Freminet started working on Tanjiro.

Alright, so... The foundation was supposed to be put like this, right?

When the brush came in contact with Tanjiro's skin, he shivered.

"Is it cold?" the diver asked, to which Tanjiro nodded. "Don't worry, it's just for a brief moment," he assured, smiling like always.

Well, alright.

From the few faces Freminet managed to look at during their tour, he remembered some key elements such as careful lipstick and eye contour. The box also had some blush in it, which Freminet supposed had to go across the cheeks. In the yellow light of lanterns outside it couldn't be visible so well, but that would be the only logical place to put it on. Then, he would have to create an illusion for a face more fitting the beauty standarts... He didn't know them here, but he would base them on what feels best.

And for eight minutes that's how you change how somebody looks almost completely.

Tengen was long since done with Inosuke who was the other unlucky subject of the untrained hand of the hashira. The latter blinked a few times at what Freminet did with the face of the burgundy-haired and his face showed some interest.

Well, now it was only Freminet left...

He created a small block of ice he would use as a mirror as there wasn't one here. It was so nice he actually learned how to make these. Even though it wasn't the perfect reflection and it was a bit hard to see, it was better than nothing, right?

He had to ask the hashira to apply the foundation on himself, which was rather embarrassing, but he managed! Then every single of his steps was carefully observed.

The diver had to pray for the second eye to turn out well, which it luckily did as he did the contour. Quick lipstick, some blush that wouldn't be too visible and make the nose look slimmer.

That was it, Freminet supposed?

"Now onto the hairstyles," Tengen said and got some hair ties and golden and black bobby pins. Well, Freminet could imagine something for himself: clip his front hair with those pins, leave the side bangs and tie the back hair in a small bun.

His pale hands reached out for the things he needed. First he pinched the front hair back, picking the golden colored pins so that they won't stand out too much in his hair and tied his hair into a low bun.

Looking at himself in his handmade mirror, it looked decent enough.

"Freminet, do something with these three, too, please," the hashira coughed into his fist, looking away.

Well... Alright. If it weren't for the makeup, everyone would see the blush that crept upon Freminet's cheeks. To be tasked to do something like this was embarrassing.

Inosuke's hair was perfect as it was, but as for the other two... It would be pretty hard.

They didn't have enough lenght to them and as such they would have to rely on the shape that would suit their faces.

He started with Tanjiro first, there was at least something Freminet could imagine. He combed the other boy's hair so that it would flow in one direction, but left the side bangs alone, only taming them a bit.

This way, even if short, it had some false sense of length due to the side bangs.

"The time is ticking, hurry up," Tengen reminded him and the gears in Freminet's head started speeding up, trying to find a solution how to make Zenitsu look more feminine, with that makeup nonetheless...

What if...

Freminet took the comb and combed a half of Zenitsu's front bangs away, fixating them with a few pins. The other side was left for a mysterious look.

The front looked good enough and the back was okay, so it should be fine.

The make-up artist finally breathed out.

("Where did you learn all that?" Tanjiro asked, trying to see himself on the barely visible reflection of the ice piece.

"I would sometimes help my siblings before their magic shows with some last minute makeup touches, as well as I painted all of my mecha toys by hand myself," Freminet was looking at the work he had managed to do, turning Tanjiro into a beautiful trap. But the effect would last only until his hard work would be washed away.)

____________________

When they reached the first place, the owners immediately took Tanjiro, code name Sumiko, without any further persuasions. Freminet's heart fluttered at that, his work was recognized!

"Good job, maybe there was a reason why you were recognized by the gods!" Tengen laughed, hitting the diver on his back. "And for the rest of you two... I guess I'll have to lower the price for you."

"Recognized by the gods? What do you mean by that?" Zenitsu's eyes bulged out, ready to throw hands both at the hashira and Freminet.

In the meantime, Inosuke trailed away and pointed out "Hey, what's happening over there?"

There was, in fact, something there, as a big group of people gathered. It was an oiran's perfomance, each of her steps forward being long and graceful, as she was ready to greet a guest.

Soon after, during the ongoing perfomance, a woman came up to Tengen. Freminet, as somebody who never left his side, watched it all unfold as the woman, a head of one of the places they were supposed to be going to, asked to buy Inosuke, aka Inoko, away.

But then her tiny eyes focused on Freminet and-

"Actually, it won't be too much if I ask of you to buy the both of them, right?"

So, now, Freminet, they kept the name the same, had also found a job. Congrats?

______________

When they reached the place where Inosuke and Freminet had gotten to, they immediately started removing the makeup off the former.

"Look just how pretty she is! Why would such a beutiful face be underneath such awful makeup? Got her for almost nothing!"

The two women started carrying Inosuke away, happy with their finding and as for Freminet, the two ladies that would help him had just arrived.

"So, you're a foreigner, right?"

Freminet carefully nodded. Although he could imitate a female voice, it would be pretty painful if he used it too much, so, using his looks, they created the myth of him speaking japanese badly.

They started washing his makeup off, too, the warm, wet towels rubbing on his face, water getting in his eyes. His careful work was being erased! He wondered if the same thing was already done with Tanjiro.

Freminet's hairstyle was undone, too, and the two women looked at him carefully.

"She's definitely a beauty, just look at her eyes and face shape."

"But what about the freckles? Aren't they ugly?"

"I think they fit her just fine, maybe because she's so pale and her freckles are also rather pale as a result."

"You're right. And they match her hair, too."

They were talking about him right in front of him!

Blush crept up his cheeks and he looked away. Having his front bangs back was nice, one of his eyes were hidden which made him slightly more comfortable.

"We'll have to teach her the language and confidence, she seems to be very shy."

"Indeed, indeed."

When would this end again?

_______________

Uzui could finally breath out. He managed to persuade the last house to take Zenitsu in. But at the moment there was something else bothering him.

Looking to an alleyway in the shadows, Tengen said "Oi, you there, why have you been following me around?" he turned towards the one he was talking to. It wasn't a demon for sure, if it were so easy to catch the demon here, Uzui would have never sent his wives out to help him.

"Oh, nothing much, sir, simply listening to the hustle and bustle of this place, it's amazing, isn't it?" the man smiled, eyes hidden under his top hat's brim. From under it pale blond hair could be seen. The costume this person was wearing was also intricately detailed, from the countless bows, to the shawl on his right shoudler.

"That's one big hat you have there, any complexes?" Tengen smirked, looking from above. Was this person thinking he would be able to outdazzle the most dazzling person here with just words? Not on his watch.

"My, my, why so harsh? I was simply wondering..."

Purple eyes, irises similar to a cat's, looked straight at the hashira.

"What were you doing with my dear little brother?"

Chapter Text

"Your brother?" Uzui frowned in confusion. Who could that brother be? Basing on the looks, Freminet perhaps?

"That's what I said! So," the person made a pause to come closer, eyes still staring straight into Tengen's, sparkling with some danger, "Could you be so nice to answer my question? What were you doing to him and why would you sell him like that?" his voice became more serious at the end, not the joking around he used at the start.

If this indeed was Freminet's brother then the difference was striking, hardly believable even.

"Don't worry, I'll get him out as soon as the information I need is found," the ninja didn't want to tell too much: there was no need in anyone outside of the corps knowing about demons from anything other than legends.

"Oh, so a spy mission," the blond came even closer, they were now face to face in the middle of the street, just a few steps away from each other.

"If he's hurt, it's going to be your fault," he said at last, before a person went between the two of them and he disappeared.

... What the hell was that?

__________________

Freminet stared at the book he was given. He was expected to finish it by next evening and as for now his only goal was to read. It was a book about the tea ceremonies, something people here had to know about.

It would be fine, he just had to pretend he doesn't know some words, right? There was a helper by his side that would explain everything to him.

He hoped Inosuke had it better and would actually do something...

Or anyone else, all of them would meet Tengen in a few days to tell him what they found out after all.

Alright, first sentence, what words would be normal for a foreigner to not know?

......

It was actually rather interesting.

Freminet would ask a word or two every few sentences, sometimes repeating the same ones, but other than that he got invested in the text.

To have so many rules for but a tea ceremony! You had to remember how to spin the cup properly so it would face with the drawing on it the others or how desserts, that come before the tea, should be consumed in three parts.

The book itself wasn't entirely about tea ceremonies, only the first few pages were that went deeply into detail of how everything must be done.

After that, it was the history of tea.

Freminet vowed to himself to remember as much as possible from this, starting with facts about tea and ending with all sorts of different brews. If the day would come and he returned to Fontaine, he would tell his siblings about everything he'd learnt. After all, all of them were tea lovers.

Page after page, he was sucking in the information, drowning in this world of history and tea, until he turned the page once again just to find that it was the last one.

As the helper saw that, she said "How about we talk for a bit now? What did you understand?"

Freminet took a breath in, he would have to focus now, his answers should be such as to not ruin the mission.

"Tea ceremonies are an impo-" he couldn't finish the sentence as heavy loud steps could be heard outside until something was hit. Hard.

"Stay here, I'll check it out," the woman said before standing up and opening the shoji. After looking at whatever it was she said worriedly, "Y-you're free to go, you were shown where your room would be, right?"

He answered positively, before standing up himself and exiting the room just to see what happened. The wall was smashed. As well as a guest's face, too.

Based on the punch, he could guess only one thing: all of this was Inosuke's fault.

Damn it, damn it, damn it if their mission would be failed - no, no, no, Freminet couldn't allow it. Alright, for now Freminet didn't make any mistakes, right? He would still be able to continue even if Inosuke were to make any mistakes.

___________________

The next evening was calm, too. Except for the madam of the house scolding Inosuke, everything was going to plan. This time Freminet had some time to learn some information that could be useful for the mission.

He would have to start by asking around.

He was getting ready for this for so long, come on, muster up a conversation with somebody... Somebody that looks knowledgeable of this place.

His eyes started running around the halls he was passing. Just like Father taught everybody, don't look too suspicious, listen to everything around and coax your way into the conversation.

He was never able to do the last step, but with how much he's been trying to learn how to... He hoped he would be able to finally do so.

His ears caught onto a conversation.

"Makio is still sick, huh? Guess we'll have to leave the tray of food here once again."

That was the name of one of Tengen's wifes!

Trying to look as if he accidentally overheard something, Freminet looked from over the corner.

"Oh, it's the new girl!" he was noticed as expected.

"W-what..." he gulped the forming lump in his throat, making the girliest voice he could muster, "What were you talking about?"

His heart was beating. Fast. Freminet was sure the other two women could hear it, it was that loud.

"Nothing much, it's just that Makio hadn't come out of her room for a very long time already," one of the two women sighed. "We're worried about her."

"Who is Makio?" Freminet knew everything about her he needed to know already, but for his play, he would have to...

"Ah, she's such a nice girl, she joined us not too long time ago but recently got sick and hasn't talked to us since," another sigh.

So they didn't know anything other than that. So it was fruitless. Couldn't you do better, Freminet?

"I-is that how it is... W-well! I have to go now, thank you vely, umh, I mean, very much!" he made his escape, going behind the first corner he saw.

Oh archons, he said vely! That was so embarrassing!

Never again, never, never, never!

___________________

"I swear, there's a demon in our place!" during the day everyone met up on a rooftop. Inosuke was telling about what he found while Freminet could only stay quiet as he didn't learn anything.

I wasn't right, he thought, I shouldn't have been mad at him.

Some more time passed but Zenitsu didn't show up.

Inosuke continued describing the demon, "It was like this," he started making spider like hand movements "Do you get it?"

"Yes, uhm, Zenitsu and Uzui should come here soon," Tanjiro said and at that a voice on the side of them stated that:

"Zenitsu isn't going to come."

Huh? He isn't...

"Where do you know that from?" Tanjiro asked with concern on his face.

"I suppose I'm to blame for it," even though they couldn't see his expression, Freminet was sure he could hear a hint of guilt in it. "I made a few bad decisions wanting to help my wives and now we've lost contact with Zenitsu, he hasn't contacted me since last night.

Leave this place, your rank is too low for this."

Does that mean Zenitsu is dead...?

While Freminet was calmly going through his tasks at the Ogimoto House, his fellow slayer-

"If an upper moon is hiding here, you will not be able to fight against it," Tengen continued, "Let's count all the missing people for dead."

...

Freminet had no say in this. If his higher-up were to say that he should stop, he would.

"From now, I'll be working on my own," Uzui finished his statement, standing up but not looking at them yet.

"No, Uzui, we-"

"It isn't shameful," the hashira interrupted Tanjiro, "Every survivor is a victory, it's too early for you to do anything."

After finishing his sentence he left, disappearing in a matter of second.

Freminet let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't that rare when missions were canceled due to them being too hard. They just had to obey their higher-ups and don't question it, which Tanjiro, it seems to be, is not used to.

"Our rank is the lowest one, maybe he doesn't trust us?" the burgundy haired assumed sadly, still wanting to help.

"Our rank is Kanoe already, we've been promoted a long time ago," Inosuke answered, showing a cool trick how to reveal their rank.

It said Kanoe for Inosuke, but when Freminet tried it... Of course it was Mizunoto, he's just joined after all.

Tanjiro promised to come to Ogimoto house for Freminet and Inosuke when it gets dark. They were getting out of here, it seemed, their mission canceled. Not the best outcome, but not the worst either, the three of them were still alive.

"Inosuke!" Freminet jumped to the green-eyed when he started hitting Tanjiro for not coming to Ogimoto house right now... "Don't, ugh... Don't make any noise," he was able to separate them, even if it took quite a lot of strength to do so.

"Uzui was watching everything from the streets, right? But Zenitsu still disappeared and your demon keeps on hiding! I think there should be some sort of passing between the buildings," Tanjiro explained his thoughts. It was rather logical, but they still shouldn't disobey orders, no is no.

Inosuke got interested though and finally relaxed, making it easier for Fremient to hold him. Tanjiro continued.

"Since Uzui didn't notice anything suspicious, perhaps the demon is one of the workers. And if the demon's been working for long enough, that would mean it learned to mask itself very well and won't kill anyone absentmindedly," Tanjiro, why were you always so much against orders...

"Uzui told us, we aren't strong enough for this," Freminet finally said something after being silent the entire conversation, "We shouldn't disobey orders."

He couldn't approve of Tanjiro's way this time. Sometimes they had to retrieve, they shouldn't go head on into the unknown, especially when it's known that it's extremely dangerous.

"I'll be leaving today as Uzui told us to," he spared one last glance to the two of them. "And I hope you do, too."

Freminet felt bad for saying this, but... It was what it was. They-

No.

He was weak.

He couldn't go against orders.

Unlike them.

__________________

By the evening, Freminet got ready.

His uniform and cryo vision were brought to him by Tengen's specially trained buffed mice. They would be helpful in Lyney and Lynette's magic shows, although some people could find them unappealing, so Freminet had to scrap the idea.

He went to the House's madam, the headmaster as far as Freminet understood, and told her he was leaving. It took her by surprise, definitely not expecting him to be a boy... And she was still dealing with all the damage Inosuke caused a while ago. All those broken ceilings and floors would have to be repaired for quite some time.

There was some noise on the other side of the district. It sounded like a few explosions, buildings collapsing. Some people already started questioning what was happening, but nobody really cared enough and just continued on with their jobs.

He felt bad for leaving everybody fight on their own. They were actually brave enough to go against the orders they were given.

Why, why, why, Freminet?

All of these people are in danger and you are doing nothing to prevent it.

If he were to help Tanjiro... If he were to help everybody... He wouldn't disobey, right? Fighting wasn't a part of the initial mission, infiltration was, so would that mean that...?

He didn't want any of them to be hurt, especially Tanjiro, who he considered his family.

If Tanjiro were to be hurt what would Freminet do? It was Tanjiro who encouraged him to talk, it was Tanjiro who always listened to his rambles about clockwork and his family.

Freminet's breathing was uncomfortably fast.

It was unbearable, he felt so guilty.

He shouldn't disobey orders, but he couldn't ditch his family like this. He had to protect his family, it was a core principle in the House, but when that went against orders-

A familiar voice got Freminet out of his whirlpool of thoughts, making him snap back to reality.

"Freminet!"

Freminet stood there like frozen, staring at the person before him.

N-no, this was impossible. This wasn't true-

Lyney...?

Chapter Text

Lyney was saying something, but he couldn't understand it. Only weird sounds that sounded distantly familiar could be heard from his mouth.

"Lyney, what are you saying?" Freminet asked, overwhelming emotions washing over him, ready to overflow every second. No, emotions are product of weakness, not now-

"Freminet," Lyney repeated the same words he said just a few seconds before but, once again, Freminet couldn't understand any of them.

"Please, Lyney," tears started flowing at his words, Freminet couldn't notice anything around him besides his older brother, "Is this just my imagination...?"

He wouldn't be able to bear it. What if this demon too, could create realistic dreams and all of this was just another wistful thinking of Freminet's?

"Can you understand me now?"

Finally!

Tears escaped Freminet's eyes and he launched himself at Lyney to hug him.

Touching him, hugging him-

He was real.

This wasn't some sick sort of blood demon art, right? Please, let it not be.

This was his smell, the smell of home, the smell of comfort. It was the same hug, the hug he would get from Lyney and Lynette whenever he was upset.

"Freminet, we should get out of here, it's dangerous," although reciprocating the hug, Lyney was serious. There wasn't much time for his usual teasing.

To be reunited after so many months, it just hurt... But he could understand him.

Lyney took in a shaky breath.

"I missed you so much, Freminet," the magician hugged him tight, so tight in fact, Freminet struggled to breathe. "But we have to go now."

Lyney pulled away from the hug and held Freminet's hand. He started guiding him to the exit of the district, swift steps not slowing down even for a second, expecting Freminet to follow unquestionably.

But then the younger one remembered. Tanjiro...

"W-wait, Lyney," his voice trembled, just like the entirety of him, still not believing all of this was real.

The people around them were still having the most normal evening, they were still having the most normal conversations and they still were the most normal people.

So why would Lyney not be?

It was a conflicting feeling, but there was no time for that.

"I want to do... Something stupid," Freminet looked at the direction where the loud explosions were coming from.

"You are with them, aren't you?" Lyney sighed to which the diver could only nod.

"I... One of them... I consider one of them to be my family and I don't want him to... Get hurt" he was trembling impossibly more.

He valued both Lyney and Tanjiro, he couldn't choose between them.

Lyney looked at him right in the eyes, mouth slightly opened, thinking about it. After a second of thinking, he frowned.

"You have weighted down everything, right?" the older sighed, looking dead serious. "Calm down and think about it one more time."

He was thinking about it this entire evening, nothing could change his mind anymore.

"I'm sure Lyney, I want to protect my family," he tightly held the hand connecting him with his brother. "I don't want to run away knowing that my family is geting hurt."

Lyney looked at him and then... Laughed?

"Pfft! Where did my brother go? You sure you aren't a doppleganger that looks like him?" he brushed off a fake tear, before getting serious again. "Freminet, you forgot your language and now you're saying that you consider someone you met just recently your family?"

Forgot his own language...?

Did that mean that...

When Lyney was talking to him just a few minutes ago it was actually the fontainian tongue?

"What do you mean, Lyney, I've-"

"Freminet, I don't want to see you hurt," his eyes lacked the usual warmness, replaced with a cold, soul-staring, but still caring, look. "How long have you known this person for? Two weeks? While I was desperately searching about where we are, you simply found somebody and now you're gonna risk your life over it?"

Two weeks...?

"O-of course not, Lyney, I've known him for months!" the diver really didn't want to choose between the two of them, it would break him.

"What do you mean for months?" now Lyney got more concerned rather than serious.

Freminet swallowed down another forming lump in his throat "I've been in this world for a few months already."

"So you also think that this is an another world?"

There was a moment of silence between the two of them.

It was never really quiet as the bustling and hustling of the district continued on.

"Alright."

Huh?

"I'll believe you," Lyney stated. "But only because you trust him enough to call this... Whoever it is, your family member."

Freminet's eyes were wide open in surprise. He wouldn't have to choose.

"Have you got a plan for this?" the magician added, his usual charisma finally back.

_____________________

"Evil creatures that were once human? Hm, I might have met one recently," Lyney reminisced the day, or more correctly, night he got into this world.

The moment he woke up there, he got attacked and had no choice but to kill the "demon". Well, he didn't plan at first, but the moment he shot a card enhanced with pyro in its direction the creature started burning into ashes, leaving nothing behind.

"Huh? You met one?" Freminet, who was the one that explained the concept of demons to the magician, was surprised. "How did you defeat it? A slayer helped you?"

"Oh, my dear brother, I'm not that helpless, you know?" Lyney chuckled before explaining, "It turned into ashes the moment it got in contact with pyro."

The blond stopped in his tracks, Lyney following after him.

"Demons can only be killed via the nichirin swords, the ones that slayers use, though?" a frown was plastered upon his younger brother's face.

That was weird then... And it wasn't like they could check it at the moment.

"We'll find out later then," Lyney resumed running, "If you want your friend to stay alive we'll have to hurry up."

And they would really have to as just a few streets away a few building just got new entrances... Yikes, Lyney thought, if their opponent was that strong they would have to wait out a bit and observe before making any moves.

...

What the heck was happening there?

When Lyney and Freminet got there, they stayed quiet, not giving out themselves and sitting on a rooftop to see how everything unfolds. They couldn't go straight into danger unknowingly.

"Nezuko, don't give in!" a boy was shouting over and over.

"It's him," Freminet said even though they couldn't see the owner of the vocie, the diver's voice just above a whisper, hinting that this was the person he trusted so much. Well, the magician hoped he would understand what Freminet saw in this boy by the end of all of this.

Growls and shouts were heard but nothing really could be seen from the sibling's point of view.

Dammit and if they tried they would be noticed, not good, not good!

After some time of this Tanjiro, as Freminet introduced him, apologizing to Nezuko, they got completely out of view as the latter escaped to the second floor just by jumping.

"Is she the one we're looking for?" the magician asked, sparing a glance at Freminet.

"N-no, she never ate humans and..." he carefully thought of his words, before continuing, "She's Tanjiro's younger sister, he's always been going on missions with her and she never caused trouble."

Hm, so why the sudden outrage?

"And now?" Lyney was suspicious, of course. He didn't know these people and they got a bit too close to his family than he would've liked. The magician was no judge, but he would judge whoever got close to his family and wasn't worthy.

"Now..." the diver stumbled over his words. "I... She... I-I don't know. I've never met her personally before, only heard about her from everyone."

Now that wasn't nice at all and Lyney hoped Freminet understood that quite well.

Soon enough more noise could be heard from the destroyed building, even more destruction, but still nothing could be seen. How annoying.

For some more time, nothing else could be heard. Right until two people flew out of the building - a girl, a demon, Lyney supposed, and a burgundy haired boy that was holding her to the best of his abilities.

Were those Nezuko and Tanjiro? Based on the context clues and the nod from Freminet, that he got after he sent him a questionable look, said that it was so.

It wasn't pretty to look at at all. Tanjiro's shoulder was bleeding while his sister was fighting as he held her down as if she was just an animal. Well, from what Lyney understood, demons sort of were like that unless they got enough human flesh to eat. And considering she hasn't had any...

"Hush... Hush! Baby rabbit on the hillside," a lullaby? Rather interesting trick, but would that really work? "Why are your eyes so red?"

Such an ugly sight indeed, but that was how battles were like.

"When I was small... Mother ate the fruit of the red tree."

Lyney could see the worry in Freminet's eyes, but "No, Fremi."

The younger one understood it of course which relieved Lyney. He wouldn't go recklessly into battle.

"And that's why my eyes are red...!"

The song made its work as in the next moment Nezuko calmed down and started ugly crying before smalling herself and falling asleep. Good, one less thing to worry about.

In the meantime on the second floor, where the siblings flew out of, there was still something happening, some cries could be heard.

"I really am the upper sixth moon!"

Upper sixth moon? Now what did that mean?

Lyney looked at his brother just to see the horror on the younger's face. "What is it, Freminet?" Lyney frowned.

"The upper moons are the strongest demons out there," excuse him, what?

"Freminet, we're not doing this," Lyney stood up, ready to leave. He would not risk his family and life for some other people. Even if Freminet considered them his family...

"Wait, Lyney!" Freminet was resilient, not so soft anymore. What happened to him while he was here? Those changes would be good if it weren't for the situation at hand.

"Please," Freminet's hand that was holding Lyney's was trembling, "We'll figure something out, I can't just... I can't leave everyone behind like this."

"... Since when did you learn how to stand up for yourself?"

"Big brooooooo!" there was a scream, it was the same female voice from before, right before an explosion.

Alrighty, there could be two figures seen from the fontanians' perspective. A woman, the one that just screamed, and another one, a man, extremely thin and a sickly gray color, patting her on the head. The girl's head was already cut off, but she didn't die. Instead she was connecting it to the body again.

"Looks like even if her head is cut off, she's still going to stay alive," Lyney whispered to himself. If the situation wasn't as serious, he would've teased Freminet about him saying that demons could only be killed with nichirin swords.

Swift motions that were hard to see through - nothing escapes a magician's eyes though - happened and now the dude that sold Freminet was the one visible through the broken earlier window. And the demon man was now, supposedly, further inside the building. Welp, damn it, they chose a very bad spot to bserve from.

The girl kept on crying about how well she did her work, how many she killed until the slayers came.

Oh-

Archons!

Two sickles flew out of the building, spinning in a way for them to return back.

If that's the weapon the demon used then it wasn't that unpredictable. Some of Lyney's tricks required him to use boomerang-like techniques in order to work so he knew the limits of those abilities. Although they would have to count whatever powers the demon had, too.

More help has arrived. The magician recognized one of them - the blond that was the last one the Freminet-kidnapper sold. The other person was wearing a boar mask.

An explosion from inside the building got everybody's attention again.

"Freminet, stay here, I'll switch spots and you be careful," Lyney commanded, swiftly making his way to the opposite side of the street before anyone could notice him. Lynette's techniques of hiding in the shadows were pretty useful here, weren't they?

Alright, now he could hear more, which meant that...

"I won't let you leave," a hoarse voice said, "Bend, sickles of blood."

From the brief explanation on demons Freminet provided Lyney with, this must've been this demon's blood art.

Blood manipulation... How far did it go? Dammit! With an enemy like this, how could they ever defeat him?

Freminet, I hope this is going to be worth it...

Ugh!

Another explosion erupted, blasting the building into nothing. If Lyney were to be any closer he would've been fried, or torn apart, by now.

Was it the demon's doing? If so, then Lyney would have to apologize to his brother. They would not be doing this.

Just a tad longer. He would stay for just a tad longer for his brother and then...

"Hell nah! The poison isn't working at all! Want me to dance? I can even eat a hundred portions of tendon! And sparkly!"

Well, they were at it again.

The slayer was strong, sure, good for him.

But Lyney would rather not risk it any further.

He made his way back to the rooftop where Freminet was at and he hoped that he wouldn't have to say it out loud.

"..." a dead silence fell between the two of them, both wanting to prove their point right.

Freminet changed so much... It was all Lyney could think about, excluding the problem at hand.

Tanjiro has returned - the magician didn't see him leave nor did it matter. The two others, Inosuke and Zenitsu, if he heard right from earlier, joined the battle, too.

"There are enough people already, we'll only crowd the place more than it already is," Lyney stated. Putting Freminet at danger was the last thing he wanted to do.

"But we can wait outside for the perfect moment to strike," even the diver himself understood how weak that was of an argument, it was written all over his face.

"What moment, Freminet? At least one of them doesn't die when her head is cut off and the other can manipulate his blood into poisonous blades," he breathed in. "Do you want us to die? Did you forget what "Father" has taught us? Every life matters, we shouldn't use it as a resource."

Both of them stayed silent again, staring at each other right until, as if lightning, something flew up in the air.

And that something was the female demon and the blond sleeping dude.

"Lyney-"

"No," the older interrupted him. "I don't want any of us to be hurt. They know their own strengths and so do we."

He hoped Freminet would understand what he was saying. But, to his misfortune, he didn't.

"I've got a plan."

__________________

Endless obi were flying everywhere, making it hard to aim. Especially from the distance of a whole street, as Lyney was on the opposite building where the demon was.

Damnit, Freminet, screw you!

By the plan they would have to defeat both of the demons at the same time. The plan had two variations: in case if pyro is or isn't effective against them.

And they would check it by...

Lyney sent a card enhanced with pyro flying towards the female demon, right at her neck.

He hoped Freminet was already on his position, ready to fulfill his part of the self-created plan.

The card sliced through the demon's neck, setting the entire body and detached head on fire, rapidly burning them away.

"Now!" Lyney shouted as Freminet leapt up onto the rooftop, sending the burning head flying with a perfect hit with his claymore.

Now, since they were weak against elemental power, the next goal would be-

Archons!

Lyney dodged last second from the flying towards him sickle. Welp, it just made his job easier, he just hoped that the demon would like the present he left on it, it would be a bomb-astic surprise for him!

But of course just one sickle wasn't the price for getting his darling, uhm, sister...? Whoever it is to him, beheaded!

Lyney was already lucky enough for the demon to sent just a sickle from the start, he expected him to use that blood demon art but whatever.

Freminet has escaped, which was good. The demon's head got shot quite far away and if anything it was still burning just like the main body, which was writhing in pain.

The magician should also leave the scene as planned.

He lept off the rooftop, running away. For the course of one and a half weeks in the district he managed to learn the streets quite well, so navigating through them wasn't a problem at all.

The prop finally exploded by the sound of it. Lyney hoped the plan succeeded and Freminet would calm down now. They did everything possible.

He was pretty sure he saw a beautiful woman running with a wooden something filled with blades. Whatever it was, it would help, too. At least he hoped so.

____________________

Freminet watched everything unfold from a distance, not entirely following his own plan, but neither breaking it. He was in a safe spot, that was the important thing.

Lyney succeeded, setting both of the demons on fire - they were lucky that the older one found this out and it actually was true. The effects seemed to be a bit different though as they didn't burn into ashes straight away. Still, it was enough to do damage to give the slayers an advantage.

That didn't change the fact that the plan was just a huge gamble, relying on the alleged vulnerability the demons may have had. If that would turn out to be false they would've had to run as fast as possible to not get hurt and not put anyone else at danger.

A beautiful woman, one of Uzui's wifes, Freminet supposed, shot numerous blades at once using whatever construction she had on her. It would be interesting to ask about it later although he could already guess the hang of it.

The combo of both pyro and whatever those blades were worked quite well.

Freminet was so glad he and Lyney could help somehow, even if they simply used the technique "hit and run".

Anyway, now he had to check the head of the demon. They couldn't allow it to be returned in any case. Freminet's hasty deductions narrowed the solutions as to why the demon didn't die just to two possibilities: the brother's body was the main one and had to be beheaded or both of them had to be beheaded at the same time.

He got to the place rather quickly, the head was rolling and screaming in pain, still burning.

I'm so sorry to bring you pain, but you hurt my friends and many other people...

Freminet looked at it with pity, deciding to look from over a corner just for extra caution.

Something weighted on his heart though, some sixth sense saying that he should run as far away as possible... Something was wrong.

He turned around, feeling something creeping up, his eyes widening in the last second seeing huge blades of red destroying everything in its way.

....

......
________________________

...!

Lyney was panicking. The entire district got blown into nothing, it became one with the ground. Freminet, his brother, where was he?

His breathing was fast, he couldn't think straight. He should've supposedly been at where the demon's head landed - where was it was though? It was some tiny street for sure, he didn't want to see his brother crushed by the debris.

Nothing around him mattered, even if there was still a demon, he didn't care. He had to find his brother.

"Freminet!" he shouted, hoping to hear an answer from somewhere. Please, answer me, Freminet, please.

Lyney wiped his tears off, smudging the make up, too, probably, not that it mattered.

Don't cry, you dumbass. You knew you should have left. Everything would've been fine then, everybody else would've manage on their own.

His thoughts were nagging at him, making his heart beat even faster. His eyes scanned everything around.

There was the big man, three women around him arguing as he was just sitting there, halfway dead already.

A bit further, around the place he attacked from, he could see the other slayers, the ones that were fighting the female demon, which meant he was going in the right direction.

Just a bit further, somewhere around here and-!

There he was!

Surely enough, a blond head could be seen from underneath of a building. Thank the archons those weren't out of concrete like the ones in Fontaine or his brother would've been crushed to death.

He ran up to Freminet, touching his artery on the neck for pulse. Sure enough, it was still there.

As if a weight was off his shoulders, Lyney finally sighed with relief.

Getting his brother from under the building wasn't much trouble, removing the debris safely felt more like a breeze after such stress.

He was simply unconscious.

Lyney picked Freminet up, carrying him on his back.

After some time, he finally reached the place the others were at again.

Just where was Tanjiro? Who knew. On the other hand, the big man, who has now lost an eye and a hand, didn't seem to be as purple anymore so that was good probably.

Lyney shot a glance at him. The look on his face showed that he didn't forget what the magician told him that evening. Good.

Feeling lightheaded himself, Lyney sat down next to the four of them after carefully putting Freminet down.

A silence fell between them before big man finally started.

"I should thank you, I think. Your performance was trully sparkly," he smiled. "The name's Uzui Tengen and those are my wifes Makio, Suma and Hinatsuru," each of them waved their hands in hello as their name was said.

"Lyney," the blond introduced himself back.

"What was that that you used?" Hinatsuru, Lyney recognized her as the woman who was running with some mechanism on her, asked.

"Magicians don't reveal their tricks, you know," Lyney chuckled. "But it has to do with my pyro vision, I suppose you don't have these here."

"Oh, so the same one Freminet has, but not ice?" Uzui asked. So he knew about Freminet's cryo vision.

"Yes, pyro, fire in normal terms," he added, just to be sure. Never once has the word pyro risen up in this place before.

"But why would it work so well on the demon...?" Hinatsuru said her thoughts out loud, saying the question everyone had on their mind.

Everyone started staring at Lyney as if he knew.

"Hey, I don't know myself!" he raised his hands as to show that he's innocent, making the most dumbfounded expression he could. "The only thing I can think of is that elemental magic works a bit different from the normal forms of the elements."

That wasn't a satisfying enough answer for all of them, but it was the only thing they had at the moment.

"Magic? Are you a wizard? You aren't a demon, right?" Suma started asking question after question, while Makio scolded her for dumping so many at once.

"No, I'm simply a magici-"

"What do we have here?" a dude in a black and white stripped haori appeared behind Lyney, stressing the latter.

"We defeated the sixth upper moon," Uzui explained. So this was another slayer?

"Hmm, is that so? The sixth, yes? That's the weakest of them all," this dude was talking in such manner as if he were better than anyone else, which he obviously wasn't as he was late to the main fight. "Even if it's the sixth, we still defeated an upper moon, that's something to celebrate.

It's the worst of all upper moons, but it is something to praise you for."

Oh alright, maybe it's just a person with an annoying way of speaking and there was some hope there for nice traits.

"I kind of don't need your praise..."

"You weren't really hurrying, were you?"

"You're late! Might have as well just not come here!"

A hiss from the man's snake quietened them down a bit, as he continued "What are you going to do now that you lost your left hand and eye? And it was only a fight with the sixth upper moon..."

And that was the moment Uzui announced he was retiring. Snake guy tried to stop him, apparently they still haven't filled out a vacant spot in their rank.

That reminded Lyney of aunty Signora, let her rest in peace. Her spot among the harbingers was still vacant even after so much time since her passing.

Welp, this conversation wasn't Lyney's deal anymore.

He put Freminet on his back again, and started leaving. Nobody really cared about that anyway.

But now, where should he go...?

He wasn't anywhere besides the red lights district here, only hearing about different cities from other people.

A crow flew up to him and Lyney extended his arm so that it could land on something.

"To the butterfly estate!"

Chapter Text

Freminet was still unconscious...

Lyney sighed, sitting beside the bed his brother laid on. Even after the long trip to the butterfly estate, his brother hadn't woken up. He must have suffered some sort of head injury during the explosion and it made Lyney worry.

The people here were rather nice. They immediately took care of Freminet and allowed the two of them in. As Lyney learned, Freminet's been living here for the past few months. Which was sort of weird.

Lyney himself was in this world for only two weeks, how is that possible? What was the reason of such a time gap?

The magician reconciled what happened before he woke up here.

_____________________

Lady Furina herself recommended their magic show!

Those were the news Lyney learnt about that morning, reading the newspaper from the Steambird. With their upcoming show he was constantly worrying, practicing with Lynette every second the both of them had time.

It would, after all, be their first show ever in the Opera Epiclese itself!

After returning home from another day of street shows, Lyney plopped down on the couch in the living room, Lynette sitting next to him.

"You did great today, even better than usual," she commented, drinking a cup of tea she somehow already managed to make. "Should we practice after a while?"

Lyney hummed in agreement, eyes closing as he took his hat off and leaned back on the soft couch.

Freminet would usually return home by now so he must've been in his room. Lyney hoped his young brother finished with the blueprint of the aquarium they would need for their show. He knew it wasn't easy, but his brother always managed to design exactly what he wanted and just the right way.

"I'll go check on Freminet," Lyney stood up, going upstairs to the younger's room. He knocked on the door, not waiting for an answer, and entered inside.

To his surprise, Freminet wasn't there. It wasn't something unusual, sure, sometimes he would come a bit later. Lyney checked the clock hanging on the wall.

Never this late though...

Pers was still on the desk, usually Freminet would never go anywhere without him, but, if Lyney remembered correctly, it was because of the toy's wing being broken. Sigh, Freminet never ever delayed Pers's repair! Welp, the magician took the mechanical penguin in his hat. Gotta prank his dear brother for staying out so late!

When he returned downstairs, Lynette was eating a cake - honestly, when did she manage to buy it? - before she looked at him.

"How is Freminet doing?" she asked, taking a sip out of the definitely not first cup of tea.

"He hasn't returned yet," Lyney answered, taking Pers out of his hat and replacing, well, transphorming, him into a card. More compact, easier to prank with. "Lynette, I told you not to eat so many sweets!" he pouted as the sister took another bite of the cake in front of her.

"It's alright, I'll burn the extra calories during our rehearsal," she put everything down to show thumbs up with the blankest face ever. She-!

When Lynette finally finished her small snack, they started rehearsing. A lot of the tricks were impossible to practice without the required equipment, whether it's the swapping box or the aquarium in which Lynette had to "dissolve" in. But they went over the simpler ones, the ones that didn't require anything extra.

Freminet still hasn't returned yet...

It was really concerning, making Lyney get distracted every second.

"He's grown up enough," Lynette assured the magician, but something was still nagging him. "He's probably on a mission he didn't tell us about, there's nothing to worry about."

"Didn't he go diving today? If he were on a mission, he would surely leave his wet clothes here before leaving."

Lyney always knew what was happening in their family. The fact that he didn't notice Freminet getting a mission was something he couldn't process.

"He told me where he would dive today, if you're so worried, let's go there."

____________________

Freminet's clothes were still there.

It was the region near Poisson, the small dock where people would sometimes fish on.

Freminet's coat and boots were just right there, supposedly the entire day.

Concern hung in the air.

"Lynette, we should dive in to see if anything's wrong," Lyney suggested, although, no, he said, to which Lynette agreed with a hum and thumbs up.

The night water was chilly, were it not for their visions, they would easily get hypothermia. Sharp eyes quickly scanned everything around, looking for a blond head. Not here, not there...

"Lynette, look here, I'll go deeper," the sister nodded and started looking around while Lyney went futher down.

Nothing, nothing, nothing!

Where was he?

"He's here!" he shouted, indicating to Lynette that he has found their brother. Freminet was under a big leaf of the marine plants of Fontaine, unconscious.

Rosseland was also there? How did it get here? Is that the reason it was so uncharacteristically out of his hat for the entire day?

Nevermind that!

The water was weird, even Lyney could tell it. It made his head spin and skin slightly prickle. He was sure it was the water, it couldn't have been anything else.

Lyney guided the diver out, Lynette helping halfway through and Rosseland following closely behind. How can cats even swim underwater?

When they brought the diver back home, they laid Freminet down on his bed. He was having a fever and was still unconscious. And as Lynette went down to get a cloth to reduce the temperature, Lyney dosed off, sitting right next to the younger's bed...

_____________________

And then he woke up in a forest, some human-like creature jumping at him. He didn't want to kill it at first, just scare it off, but the moment Lyney sent a card flying into it, it started burning, before being reduced to nothing, but ash.

Then, he found the red light district. He figured it was a nice place to find information in. He managed to learn all the streets rather quickly and it was useful indeed. He couldn't recognize any of the cities' names that were mentioned, nor was the language familiar to Lyney, which was surprising since he could somehow understand it. The names had an Inazuman feel to them, but no one even once mentioned the Electro Archon's name...

He couldn't notice any elemental trails either. Even the water here had little to no hydro energy, which was... Extremely weird.

The nightmares of him drowning weren't the nicest thing ever either, as every morning he would woke up coughing his lungs out trying to get rid of the water that wasn't even there.

He's been collecting information the entire two weeks he's been there, right until he saw him - his brother.

He arrived on a taxi of some sorts, together with a few other people. What were they doing here...? Here out of all places? He wanted to snatch out Freminet right now and here, but couldn't. The people soon went to the Wisteria house and when they came out, everybody, but the big man, was dressed in women's clothes, disguised.

If Lyney didn't see them earlier, he would actually think three of them were actually girls. The budget seemed to end on the blonde dude though as his make up was... Something for sure.

Either way, when he found out it was actually a mission, Lyney let it be.

A few days later though, some noise started happening in the less crowded area of the district and lo and behold! It was one of the people from Freminet's group, fighting a woman in an outfit a bit too revealing that destroyed multiple buildings in seconds. Luckily the magician didn't get hit, but at that moment he understood something.

It was time to run.

And then... Well then he saw Freminet coming out of Ogimoto House and the rest was like a nightmare of some sorts.

___________________

But the most concerning part for Lyney was something else.

He was looking at his brother with a worried gaze, brows furrowing as anxious thoughts couldn't leave Lyney's head.

Why couldn't Freminet understand Fontanian anymore? And his brother overall seemed to change so much and all, but...

Even after months of not speaking some language, at least some memory of it should've remained. There have been multiple cases of when somebody from the House of Heart would be sent to another nation for over a year and yet when they were always able to understand their mother tongue by return. Yes, they couldn't speak it for a bit, but to not understand it entirely?

Lyney remembered that panicked look Freminet had on his face when he couldn't understand a single word the older one spoke.

It was as if he couldn't even recognize it and the words "Lyney, what are you saying?" and "Is this just my imagination?" would be forever engraved in Lyney's head. He didn't want for any of his siblings to ever sound so weak and hopeless.

The door to the room opened and a girl with a side ponytail entered the room with a tray of some food.

"How is he?" she asked, offering the food - a piece of cheesecake - to Lyney, which he refused with a shake of his head and hand stopping the plate.

"Still unconscious as you can see," he sighed. He hasn't seen him in two weeks, such a short time compared to the multiple months Freminet has spent here, and he already missed him so much. And yet the first thing his naive little brother does is get knocked out, not allowing them a peaceful reunion without any worries!

"... Are you close?" the girl asked another question, leaving the tray of food on the bedside table.

Lyney nodded, "Yes, he's my brother."

"Oh," is all she could answer. "I'm Tsuyuri Kanao. And you are?"

"Lyney, the greatest magician of... The entire world," he introduced himself to Kanao, trying to keep at least a bit of his usual charisma on the surface.

"Magician?" she was obviously confused at that description, tilting her head.

Lyney would show her a magic trick, but... Later. He wasn't feeling it right now.

A light silence filled the room. Lyney didn't feel the need to answer the question, nor did Kanao insist on it.

The magician was holding Freminet's hand, squeezing it from time to time, to asure himself that he's real more than anything.

Soon enough Tsuyuri left, leaving him alone with the diver once again.

Unbeknownst to him, Lyney started slowly dozing off...

Chapter Text

It hurt...

His head hurt.

Freminet slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry. What happened?

After he focused for a bit, he could differentiate between the figures in front of him, even though still blurry. There was somebody beside him. Who though? It was too much of a blur. Their hair was paler than Zenitsu's blond though...

Freminet tried remembering what happened before all this.

He was pretty sure he went to a place called the red lights district and then... What then? His memories were a total mess.

Whatever happened, he must've hit his head real hard.

The throbbing headache made him feel sleepy and he gave in to the sensation, eyes closing, everything becoming black once again.

Next time Freminet woke up, he remembered a bit more.

Right, they fought that demon and-

Lyney!

He reunited with Lyney!

His eyes opened wide open and, although his vision was still blurry, it was much better than before. He could now see he was in a room. Alone this time.

It looked like one of the rooms in the Butterfly mansion, the ones that would be used, as he was told, only when somebody needed special treatment and couldn't be in a shared room. And it was one alike the one he spent his last few months in, alone and away from everybody else.

Considering the UV in his arm he now noticed...

Well, leaving the room or even standing up without notifying anyone wouldn't be the best of decisions. Even if he wanted to see Lyney right now and there, he simply couldn't.

What would Freminet say to him? How would he react? What if he'd be disappointed or mad with him because he put them in grave danger?

Breath, Freminet, breath.

Concentrate on something else...

Freminet sat up and looked around. It was day outside, that was pretty obvious as bright light filled the entire room. Ice Pers was on the bedside table, watching over him, and beside him there was one of Lyney's cards.

He reached out the best way he could and grabbed it to read. First there were letters that were only distantly familiar to Freminet, Fontanian ones he supposed. How did his memories from Fontaine even become such a blur? Then it was written in japanese.

"I'll be back by lunch," with Lyney winking was drawn next to it.

And how much o'clock was it?

There was a clock on the cupboard a bit further from his bed, but his blurry vision didn't allow him to see it well. More so, the tiny hands of the clock were practically non-existant in his vision, merging into one with the white background.

Sigh, this would be a long wait.

Maybe he could do some eye training? Would that help his blurry vision?

He decided to do it nonetheless, touching his nose with the index finger of the hand that didn't have the UV, distancing it a bit before slowly moving it to right, then left, then right again...

He repeated this a few times, then doing a set of the same motions, just of up and down, finishing it off with circular motions of his eyes.

He looked around - did it help? No...

The time wasn't going any faster either.

It gave Freminet some time to think: he could start thinking about the next modification for ice Pers or test what he could create without the use of any tools, just using his vision...

Well, he could possibly try to modify ice Pers so that he could swim just like real Pers did. Actually, then he would simply float on water - he was out of ice, after all - so that was out of the question.

But then the question laid... What sort of thing would he try to do first? A gear? What sort of? Spur, bevel, screw... The list went on. And such things should probably be done while you're not having a UV in your arm. The needle was awfully big, too, making it extra uncomfortable.

Just how much longer would it take?

It would be fine if Freminet could at least see the things around him better and concentrate on counting the lines on the floor, but his entire vision was as if a kamera's lens wasn't cleaned up and it couldn't get focused on what he needed.

Freminet looked at ice Pers.

He reached out to get him, grabbing him by his wing and taking him in his arms. He winded up the key and then watched the toy flap his wings, before coming to a halt. And then again. And again, and again... And again.

It was entertaining, bringing Freminet back memories both sad and happy.

The door opened and the person in the frame froze at the sight of Freminet being awake, standing there for a second. Guessing from the hair, it was...

"Lyney?" he couldn't see the color of his eyes, everything was too blurry, but by the way the person's shoulders twitched at the name, he must've been right.

In the next second, Freminet was enveloped in a warm hug, one that he didn't feel for so so long... Ice Pers was put aside, being forgotten for this moment.

Lyney trembled, trying and failing to keep his sobs to himself, but there were no tears. They were, after all, a form of weakness, the fact that Lyney could control them so well...

No words were needed for this moment.

When Lyney backed off after quite a few minutes, his face looked quite serious from what Freminet could see - it was still a blur after all.

"You remember everything, right?" Lyney asked to which Freminet nodded. "I hope you understand what a huge risk it was?"

Tension filled the air as that question came out. Despite the final happy reunion, with no worries this time around, the choice Freminet made was obviously based on emotions rather than rationalism - something that past him would never do.

It was obvious he changed, forgot a lot of unspoken and spoken rules of House of the Heart. Of course it was normal to forget, but huge things such as the language? It was abnormal. Freminet couldn't even remember any other child's name from the rooster besides the little group he formed with Lyney and Lynette consisting of the three of them.

And the risk...

"Was it worth it?"

Freminet asked back, eyes afraid to look at Lyney's violet ones.

"You didn't answer my question, Freminet," this time the older's voice was more stern, but still filled with worry just like always. Lyney would always care so much for their family...

"I do," the diver sighed, his brows creasing together.

"Can you elaborate on that? If you remember it well enough that is."

The question gained a new sigh out of Freminet, but after thinking for a fast second, he did as asked.

"I put us both at danger against an opponent that was too strong for us, putting us at risk for people that I don't know that well except for one of them."

"And what did you learn from it?"

"I should not think on emotions," they are a product of weakness and vulnerability.

"I'm glad you understand that," Lyney let out a relieved sigh, smiling afterwards "As to answer your question, your friend, Tanjiro, is currently in a coma, just like everybody else, and the Sound Hashira retired."

The way Lyney could jump between different moods was always something inspiring for Freminet, even though one was just a facade and not so good for Lyney.

"Oh, is that so..." was all Freminet could answer, breaking the eye contact to look at his sheets instead.

("You've embraced the local phrases, huh?" Lyney chuckled, lightly hitting Freminet's bicep with his fist.

"What do you mean?" Freminet could only ask to which the older one explained. "This 'is that so', people here are constantly saying it whenever they're trying to answer something!"

"Is that so... I-I mean!")

__________________________

For the next few days, Freminet would go through rehabilitation, after he would get a bit stronger.

He was out for just a few days so his muscles didn't atrophy and in the end it was just a concussion. Still pretty bad, but could've been worse. He was informed of the injuries Tanjiro had. Freminet was glad his and Lyney's help could shorten the fight so much, he couldn't imagine what would've happened with Tanjiro otherwise...

And as for the moment, all Freminet had to do is rest. It was boring, but at least Lyney was there to show him magic tricks.

"Ta-dah! Is this your card?" Lyney made a card appear in his hand. One of the classics, but still entertaining nonetheless.

This time though it seemed like something went wrong, "It isn't."

"Oh?" Lyney's eyes - Freminet could see them better now - sparkled with something mischievous as he looked at the card between his fingers. "I meant the one behind your ear."

Freminet reached for behind his ear and could only stare at the drawn Pers on it. Just when did he...?

Before Freminet could finish his thought, Lyney snatched the card out of his hands, taking a close look.

"How cute, it's Pers! I see you even managed to make an ice version of him," the magician chuckled before shaking the card, just to reveal actual Pers.

Freminet's eyes widened, he couldn't believe this, how-

"You left your dear Pers on your desk so I decided to take him with me, for no purpose, really," which, in Lyney language, meant definitely for some purpose. "Who knew we would get teleported here with me."

Freminet chuckled at that. He couldn't even remember anymore how exactly he got there. The only memories he held of that period of time is that Lyney and Lynette would hold a big performance of sorts soon, but the details escaped his mind.

"I also wanted to ask you, what is that scar on your hip?" Lyney snapped Freminet out of his thoughts.

Oh, the scar... The older must have seen it when they changed his clothing.

"A demon, another upper moon, got intrested in me, if I remember correctly he called me 'More akin to a water droplet than a human'... He wanted to kidnap me, but the hashira I was with on that mission managed to scare him off," Freminet explained.

"That doesn't explain the scar," Lyney commented.

"Well, in the end, as I was told, the demon did manage to get a piece of me, leaving this scar," the diver averted his gaze.

"As you were told?" Freminet could feel the worry in Lyney's voice.

"I hit my head and got knocked out," red crept up to his cheeks as he answered.

A disappointed sigh escaped Lyney, "You'll have to tell me everything that happened to you for these past few months, got it?" to which Freminet nodded. "But right now I have chores to make! Living isn't free here after all! I'll return in a few hours, okay?"

And with that, the older left.

And with that, thoughts started coming to Freminet's head.

Freminet could feel just how tense Lyney was all the time he was here. Starting from the red light district to now, he never once seemed to be relaxed. It's obvious why, but because of that Freminet couldn't help the nagging feeling that the magician would snap every second now...

If only Lynette was here, she would be able to calm both of them down if something was close to a fight.

After all, Lyney and him were way too different, Lynette being their bridge. The older didn't understand that probably, but it was apriciated nonetheless.

And as for Freminet... It was time for a few hours of daydreaming. It would be nice if his vision wasn't this blurred. He constantly wanted to rub his eyes to remove what feels like morning haze, but he couldn't.

Sigh.

Once upon a time, there was Penguin town...

Chapter Text

"Freminet," Lyney's head perked up from behind the door, Sumi, Kiyo and Naho's beside him. "Let's go on a walk!"

____________________________

It's been a while since Freminet was outside. He had to rest for a few days after his concusion and, now, the start of his rehab would be taking calm walks.

And, in order to go together with Freminet on his first walk, Lyney and the girls multi-tasked and rushed all of their chores for the day.

The streets were tranquil, only the singing of birds and rustling leaves making some background noise. This, combined with the soft light of the sun, made a very nice atmosphere for an afternoon nap that Freminet's been in indulging himself in out of boredom.

Of course having Pers besides him was nice, but not enough. If he were able to fix the toy's wing, it would've been nice, but he didn't have the necessary instruments or parts. Making them out of cryo for an absolutely normal mecha wasn't an option.

"So, it's perfect timing for you to tell me what happened to you these past few months, no?" Lyney smiled to Freminet, the girls happily smiling beside.

"When he just arrived at the butterfly estate, during his first full warm-up, he was so embarrassed he lost to Kanao in a reaction game in the first few seconds he ran away!" Kiyo said, embarrassing Freminet who could only "H-huh?!" in reply.

"And then he got lost in a forest where he encountered a demon. Tanjiro and Kanao barely managed to come in time to safe him, but he passed out nonetheless," Naho added to that.

"Honestly, is coming back unconscious from every encounter with a demon a tendency of yours...?" Lyney looked at him mockingly, but a hint of concern was present in his eyes.

"I... I wasn't embarrassed, Kiyo," was all Freminet could mutter up, his cheeks getting red. He hid his face behind Pers, whom he took with himself when leaving.

"Then what was it?" she asked back.

Well, he couldn't just blurt out that he was overwhelmed so easily in front of everyone.

Whenever he remembered that period of time, something heavy sat upon the diver's heart. So many new acquaintances at once, new locations, new everything, so different from what Freminet was used to. He remembered how he felt, so lost, constantly stressed. It was as if it was harder to breath.

Maybe it was best that he could barely remember that period of time, together with the two months of training with the Wind Hashira... When remembering even slight details of the latter, nausea was creeping up his throat.

"Let me guess," Lyney smiled before whispering to Freminet's ear. "Everything was simply too much?"

Freminet nodded and the girls started flooding him with question what did Lyney say...

"And then what happened?" Lyney quieted everyone down by continuing with the conversation.

"The Wind Hashira started training me and it was even more intense than 'Father's' training..." Freminet averted his gaze to the side. "I would say it was similar to the previous director's, but the hashira was training me so that I could survive more than anything else."

The three helpers looked at the two of them bewildered as they didn't get the context.

But that arised another question, "Freminet, I always wondered, why did you know how to fight so well? You weren't a slayer back then after all," Sumi asked.

She was always the most grown-up out of the three of them. But how could he answer her? Freminet couldn't possibly say 'Oh, it's just that I am a killing mecha, going after debtors.'

"We grew up in the underground part of Fontaine, Fleuve Cendre, which is known for being very dangerous and criminalistic," Lyney answered for him. "Not knowing self defense there is basically a sui... Cough, a bet with death."

Nice safe, both for the story and the word. Although Freminet wasn't sure if the girls didn't know what suicide is, they did work in such an interesting niche after all. Who knew how many slayers commited when they were deathly scared before danger?

But then, Freminet remembered he said something about this on his second trial... It was hard to remember, it was a huge blur, all the stress he endured back then caused him to forget it. The diver could only hope the different stories wouldn't clash too much.

"And who is Father?" was the following question.

"'Father' took us in and trained us," considering they were kids they shouldn't question more than that. The story had a good base, based on what actually happened, with slight changes to make less questions appear. And if they were to tell this story to anyone, it would make sense to them, too. It was surprising how quickly Lyney managed to come up with this made up origin. Or has he been thinking it through for a while?

"But let's return to the topic at hand, shall we, dear little brother?" Lyney looked at him with the look he would always have on stage: mischievous with a hint of elation.

"Ah, y-yes, so while training with the hashira, I decided I want to help everybody else on their next mission," Freminet continued with the story.

Kiyo perked up "It was the Mugen train mission, the one where you encountered upper moon three, right?"

The diver hummed in confirmation, "But before that, the train itself turned out to be a demon, too. The Flame Hashira was like someone straight out of the light novels from Inazuma during that fight," he told.

"And since when have you switched to light novels, eh?" Lyney chuckled again, rubbing Freminet's head.

"I mistook them with... Books about mecha and diving a few times," with fairytales actually, but he couldn't admit that he still read those.

Shooting Freminet a sly look, Lyney indicated him to continue wordlessly.

"The demon's blood art was..." the diver was trying to find the correct word, "Sickening. It would cause you to have mesmerizing dreams, very realistic ones at that, blurring the border between real and imaginary."

He still could remember the soothing waters of Fontaine in that dream, it felt way too real. He's already forgotten how it was like to experience the soothing waters of his homeland for real, leaving that dream the only thing still anchoring him to the roots of his hobby and adoration to the waters.

"When we defeated the dream train demon, the third upper moon appeared," Freminet continued with the story, even the girls listening intently as they haven't heard the full story either yet. "He didn't even notice me at first, but when he did he stopped fighting Rengoku-san and almost kidnapped me," it was surprising to Freminet how well he was finding adventures on his soul these past few months. "And then I've already told you the rest."

But the question why did the demon need his flesh was nagging Freminet to this day. It was obvious they consumed human flesh as food, but such strong demons wouldn't need it as much.

Of course, the slayer was acquainted with the concepts of some people having blood more appealing to demons, but... What was so special about him?

And the "More akin to a droplet of water"... What did it even mean?

There were too many question and no answers.

Freminet then continued with everything else that followed afterwards, making ice Pers, helping Tanjiro learn how to dive, going to the Final Selection and then the Red Light district where he eventually met Lyney.

The girls were starting to get tired from walking at this point and it seemed like the small walk turned out to be not so small.

Basing on the sun, it's been at least an hour and a half for sure...

Sigh, they'd have to continue catching up next time.

("Hey, Freminet," Lyney whisper-shouted to the younger on their way back to the estate.

"What is it?"

"Have you been, um, told... Any comments about your clothes when you first arrived here?"

Uh oh. Freminet remembered his first day at the estate. Well, not the day, only that single comment that was now etched into his brain.

'You're dressed like a whore!' echoed in his mind and Freminet nodded, turning red out of embarrassment.

"So it wasn't just me... Phew," Lyney breathed out. Wait, was he also-

"The people here cannot recognize the beauty of Chioriya Boutique, huh?"

"..."

"..."

Awkward silence fell between them.)

_______________________

The next day, Freminet didn't have to do anything, but was free to do as he pleased. Without any orders, there was no solid ground, so he would do something he learned in the Red Light district.

Assign his orders by himself.

And if Freminet was good at anything, then it would be fixing things around the house. The numerous times he had to fix Miss Washing machine and Mister Vacuum cleaner after Lynette used them was engraved in the boy's mind so well that even with all this weird memory loss he could still remember it.

Although there were barely any mechanisms requiring his help around the house, everything was rather traditional and not technological at all.

Well, then he could help with the cooking or cleaning? The girls would always praise him for his work - although it was probably just to cheer him up.

Or he could renew the ice in their handmade fridge they made for medicine and other products. Oh, no, wait, he did that not too long time ago.

Freminet looked at the time, his vision almost fully recovered by this point, as he was able to look at the clock and read the time from his bed.

It was past lunch time... He slept in too much.

Well then, cleaning.

Ah, right, Lyney and the girls made everything shine yesterday, there was no need.

Here he was, as useless as ever.

To just think, even after all this time, after learning so many new things and slowly starting to communicate, he was still unable to find a purpose for himself.

The only thing he was forbidden from doing was doing any exercise which would've been lovely.

And it was so lonely... Lyney went out to buy groceries, he woke up Freminet just to tell him that, Aoi was having her day off today, she even reminded everyone about it beforehand so that nobody would bother her, and the girls... They were too young to understand.

Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu were still in a coma with no signs of them waking up any time soon.

Maybe he could do the laundry? No, it must've been done, too, and wasting water on what accumulated for a single day would be just that - a waste.

Well then, if he had nothing to do, might as well train his cryo abilities.

Sitting outside on the edge of the engawa, Freminet started to think. What sort of technique would be useful in a battle?

He knew cryo catalyst users could create constructs in their needed shape in mere seconds after enough practice, but Freminet couldn't use a catalyst, more so he'd never touched one before, nor did he think there's any in this world.

But he already learned to create cryo contructs - pretty good ones at that anyway, so...

What if he tried to create a construct at the tip of his claymore? He would usually channel it through the entire blade, in order to create a saw-like pattern that would cut through the enemiesʼ flesh, but, considering that demons had regeneration here, such wounds wouldn't do much to them, right? But then-

Ah, scrap this idea too, it was going nowhere! Demons would regenerate from a blunt hit too, Freminet, remember your first encounter with one!

Then Total Concentration breathing? Tanjiro used it all the time after all.

Of course, Freminet also breathed in a specific way - one that he found the most efficient during his trainings and diving. Being able to break that huge gourd spoke everything for itself...

When he thought back to that day, it was so embarrassing. He made the kids at the river and the Water Hashira worry back then... The hashira even had to "save" him! Could he just erase that memory from his head?

Speaking of the water hashira... He could try send a letter to him, right? Although the hashira said that Freminet could repay him for saving him by showing great results in battle, he still wanted to thank him.

Freminet had a kasugai crow now and would be able to send the letter no problem.

_____________________

After asking for paper and ink from one of the helper girls, Freminet started thinking.

First, how does he use a brush...? Secondly, he could read japanese just fine, but what about writing? And at last, how does he even write a letter of someone with a status so high as the water hashira?

Japan had strict rules about hierarchy that were very offensive to break, if he were to break them...

The door to Freminet's room opened, "Freminet, I'm back!"

It was Lyney, happy he returned to his sibling once again. He was so clingy lately and, of course, he would always shower his siblings with love, but as of late, every time he could, he would spend it with Freminet. Although it was sometimes too much, it was appreciated nonetheless.

"What are you doing here?" the magician looked over Freminet's shoulder to look at what he was doing just to find a blank piece of paper.

"Trying to write a letter to the Water Hashira to thank him," the diver sighed. "But I don't know how to even start it..."

And what to write about...

Both of them pondered for a while, before Lyney said he would come back soon. He probably needed some time to think, Freminet supposed.

_________________________

Ah, how could the greatest bigger brother not help his naive little one! Was what Lyney would say if he was in public, but instead, he still thought about it, just less dramatically.

How do I help Freminet?

He understood the concern the younger one had and the easiest solution he could find was to look at an example.

Lyney didn't spend time here just doing chores and nothing else after all.

He went into the shared bedroom that, as he got to know for the few days there, was where the currently in coma slayers were settled in. He's already gone through all of the bedside tables a few times while searching for something interesting so he knew where exactly to search.

In a particular bedside table there were numerous envelopes that one of the slayers that lived here exchanged with his penpal buddy or buddies.

He opened the cupboard, and-! Something was wrong. A letter he hadn't seen there before laid upon all others, being the only one unopened.

Well, if the reciever couldn't look at it, then it was time for Lyney to bat an eye at it. Who knew it could be urgent or something interesting~.

And in the end, any letter would be a nice model for Freminet, so that way Lyney would kill two birds with one stone.

Alrighty, time for his precise little fingers to do a careful job of not ripping the envelope, he would have to pack it back as if nothing happened after all.

He intercepted letters only a few times in his time at the House of Heart, but it was enough to do an immaculate job of not even damaging the paper or the stamp!

"Dear Tanjiro Kamado" na na na na na..... "I hope this letter finds you and your sister well..."

There were the usual formalities - seems like language cliches were a thing everywhere, huh?

"... provided from the Sixth Upper Moon..."

Now this was interesting.

"I have noticed that the blood you provided from the Sixth Upper Moon had an interesting compound in it I have never seen before. I would say it's water, but water's molecules don't react the way these did, nor does this compound abide anything I've observed before."

Now now now, who is this person, some demon researcher? Then why did they conctact exactly Tanjiro on this matter? Was the slayer some sort of a big deal?

"I think Kibutsuji has gotten his hands on something he shouldn't have, something that may be a big obstacle in the future."

Lyney would have to ask around some more later, he was missing some key context here...

At the end of the letter was beautifully written the name Tamayo. It didn't click Lyney anything. He'd already forgotten what a privilege it was to know half of the people in all of Fontaine. Here it was new names after new names.

Who is this Kibutsuji? Who is Tamayo?

Well, nevermind for now, he should note it, but not pry too much.

Lyney put the letter back, sealing it by warming the wax stamp with his pyro vision, before putting it back in the cupboard it was in.

He understood how the letter structure worked now, so he would be able to help his dear brother and that's all that mattered.

Freminet was his last family left...

And Lyney definitely didn't want to lose him, too.

____________________

Sheepishly giving the letter to his slightly forgetful kasugai crow, Freminet could finally breath out.

"Good job, Freminet," his brother patted him on his back, giving him a warm smile. "You managed to overcome one more fear of yours!"

"Are you totally sure it's written fine?" the diver was still worried - he barely ever sent any letters, let alone for purposes such as making friends!

"Why of course, no need to worry, come on."

The two of them sat on the edge of the engawa as the setting sun colored the sky in red and pink hues. It was finally time for just the two of them...

"Ah, Freminet, I'll be busy all day tomorrow, okay?"