Chapter 1: Mugen Train Part 1
Chapter Text
“So this is a train?” said Nezuko, looking at the train.
This was her first time seeing something like this. Living near the woods, trains weren’t something that was common. Nezuko, Aoi and Zenitzu had been sent here to accompany Nakime the music hashira on a mission involving disappearances. The corps believed that this was the work of a demon. Before coming, the trio hid their katanas as the public didn’t know about demons or the demon slayer corps. The three boarded the train and went to look for the music hashira. This would be her second time meeting the hashira. The first time, Nakime hadn’t accepted her or her brother. Something must have changed for Nezuko and her brother to accompany Nakime on this mission. They found Nakime near the back of the train. On one of the seats, she had a small bag of baked goods, which she handed to the trio to have.
“Nakime, I have a question about breathing styles,” said Nezuko.
Douma had told her that Michikatsu might know more about the Hinokami Kagura. Nezuko wondered if Nakime would also know about it.
“What’s the question?” asked Nakime.
“Have you heard of the Hinokami Kagura?”
Nezuko explained to Nakime what happened on the spider mountain and her father with the Hinokami Kagura.
“I am unfamiler with the Hinokami Kagura. You say your father used it and it was adapted into a breathing style? The main breathing styles are Flame, Water, Stone, Wind, and Thunder. All other breathing styles branch off from them. My own breathing style, Music breathing, branches from thunder breathing. Have you tried asking Michikatsu? He’s been with the demon slayers longer than me and he might know about the Hinokami Kagura. What color is your sword Kamado?”
“Mine is black,”
“That’s interesting. From I’ve been told, slayers with black blades are uncommon and often unlucky,”
“Do you think it’s related to the Hinokami Kagura?”
“Perhaps. When you see Michikatsu, you should ask him,” The door to the train cart opened and a the train inspector walked in, checking everyone’s tickets.
“Nakime,” said Aoi, “do you know what demon we might be facing?”
“I’m not sure, but keep an eye out. There have been disappearances on this train, so the demon might be on here somewhere. We’ve sent other slayers on this mission, and none have returned. It could be the work of a 12 kizuki,”
“A DEMON IS ON THE TRAIN!” shreiked Zentizu.
“Would you calm down!” yelled Aoi, “Do you want to freak everyone out?!”
“DIDN’T YOU HEAR WHAT SHE SAID! EVERYONE ELSE DIED. WE’RE PROBABLY NEXT!”
“May I see your tickets,” said the train inspector when he made his way to the group.
Just as the inspector was taking their tickets, Nezuko froze, sensing something. Nakime got up before her and went passed the inspector. Nezuko caught the sight of a demon. Nakime took her katana out.
Music Breathing, third form Harmonic Canon
With 3 strikes that followed after one another, the demon’s head fell before it could make a move. The body and head disintegrated.
“You killed that demon so easily!” said Aoi.
“While on this mission, I’ll teach you three a thing or two to improve your fighting,”
“I punched their tickets and put them to sleep just like you said,” said the inspector, “please put me to sleep too. Please let me see my dead wife and duaghter. Please, I beg you.”
“As you wish,”
The man fell asleep and the voice addressed the 4 people behind him.
“Wait a bit longer before you make contact. Some demon slayers are able to awaken when in danger. Be careful not to touch them when you tie yourself together. If you succeed, you shall also receive pleasant dreams.”
“Alright,”
On the roof of the train a demon stood.
“Sleep slayers. Sleep and never wake,”
Zenitzu stood in the forest, holding hands with Nezuko. A demon’s body disintrated. Zentizu sheathed his katana. Nezuko had a small cut on the side of her head.
“Don’t worry Nezuko,” said Zenitzu, “I’ll protect you,”
Aoi opened her eyes. She was in a similar house. One that she was familiar with. She got up and went to the main room. There she saw 2 people. Her older sisters.
“You’re finally awake sister,” said one of them.
“Where’s Kanoe?” asked Aoi, looking at her older sisters.
“She’s in the front,” said her other sister, “Is everything alright Aoi?”
“Yes, Everything is fine,”
Nezuko looked around. She was in the snowy mountains. Something was off, but she didn’t know what. She heard footsteps behind her in the snow. She quickly turned around. She gasped when she saw who they were.
“Nezuko!” said Hanako, “you’re back!”
“Did you sell the charcoal?” asked Shiguru.
Tears fell down Nezuko’s face. Her siblings. They were here. She ran toward them and threw herself at them. She hugged and held them tightly as she cried. They were here! They were alive.
Nakime was in her room. Strange. She didn’t remember coming her. In her hands was her biwa. That was weird. She thought it had been destroyed when-
A soft knock came on the door behind her.
“Nakime?” said a voice she was familiar with, “are you in there?”
The door opened. Her husband walked in. “Is everything alright?” he asked.
Something wasn’t right.
“Then Nezuko started crying,” said Hanako, “It surprised me,”
“Nezuko,” said her mom, “make sure not to push yourself to hard. Take some rest for today,”
“I’m fine mom. I promise,”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s like I was having a bad dream,”
“Is everything alright?” Nakime’s husband asked again, “If you’re not feeling well, I’ll them you can’t perform tonight,”
“Perform?” asked Nakime,
“You forgot? You’ve been talking about for weeks. Today is your first live biwa performance,”
Nakime thought for a moment. A memory formed in the back of her mind. The performance. The night before. Didn’t-.
“Nakime?” her husband asked again, “are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Thank you though. I’ll be out in a moment,”
…
In the background a young woman ran down the hall.
I can’t let her trueself see me. I need to find the edge of this dream and find her spiritual core and destroy it. Or I won’t get any happy dreams.
The young woman found a spot where she couldn’t go any further. This was the edge of the dream. Using the weapon she was given, she cut through the edge and made her way into the unconscious realm. The slayer’s realm of unconscious was errie. It had multiple rooms surrounding the area in different positions. She couldn’t see where it started or where it ended. It’s like it went on for infinity. The area had soft music playing. Music that sounded similar to a biwa. The woman walked around but kept getting lost. At this rate she would never find the spiritual core.
“Where’s Tanjiro?” Nezuko asked.
“He’s outside, collecting wood,” said Takeo.
“He’s in the sun!”
“Is something wrong with that?”
“Uh, no?”
Why am I saying weird things.
“Nezuko,” said her mom, “can you get water for a bath?”
Nezuko nodded and walked outside. Something caught her eye in the edge of the forest. It was a box. Strange. She thought she recognized it. She knocked over the pails and stumbled. She looked back up and the box was gone. Nezuko picked up the pails and made her way to the river.
What was it that I saw? A tool box?
She dipped her pail into the water. She paused looking at her reflection. It looked odd. She was wearing an odd (and familiar?) looking uniform. She was pulled into the water but she could stil breathe?
“YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP! THIS IS A DREAM!”
Nezuko’s eye’s snapped open. She was back in her family’s house.
“Can I have some of your pickled radishes Nezuko?” Takeo asked.
“Why are taking her food,” snapped Hanako.
I’m still in the dream. Even though I know it’s a dream. How do I escape?
Tanjiro fell out of box. He looked around. Nezuko was asleep but something wasn’t right. He tried shaking her awake. Frustrated, he shook her again and flames erupted. They surrounded Nezuko, but they didn’t burn her.
Nezuko’s body lit with a familiar flame. Tanjiro’s.
“Nezuko!” yelled Hanako in shock.
“You’re on fire,” yelled Takeo. “What do we do?”
Nezuko saw that she was now wearing her demon slayer uniform. Her katana was at her side.
I’m waking up. Little by little.
The flames disappeared. Nezuko got up. “I’m sorry, but I have to go,”
She ran outside, ignoring her family calling out to her.
“Nezuko,” said a familiar voice.
“Tanjiro?”
The rest of her family appeared.
“Nezuko,” said her mom, “why are you wearing that uniform?”
I want to stay here. I wish this was real. This is what should have been. But I have to go back.
Nezuko turned around and ran in the opposite direction. Her family called out to her and she struggled to ignore them. She wanted nothing more than to run back and be with her family. Even if it is just a dream.
…
Meanwhile, a young man watched. I have to find her spiritual core soon.
He walked till he found the edge her dream and entered her unconscious realm. The young slayer’s unconisus realm was beautiful. It was bright forest. The trees seemed to offer comfort and protection. A forest you could lay down in and relax and be at peace. It was so beautiful. The young man saw as the forest created a path. He walked down it and found an opening. In the middle was the spiritual core. Why had the forest led him here? He had come to destroy it but it still led him here.
…
How do I leave this dream? How do I wake up?
“Nezuko, there is something you must cut,”
I have a feeling that I know what I must cut. But if I’m wrong and what happens here will affect what happens out there, then I’m dead, but if I don’t do anything and remained trapped, I’ll be dead anyway. I have to take the risk.
Nezuko took her katana out and held the blade to her neck. There was no turning back.
Nezuko eye’s snapped open. She yelled out gasping. Her hand flew to the side of her neck. It was fine. She was awake. She looked around. Nakime, Aoi and Zenitzu were all still asleep. Tanjiro looked up at her, startled at her yelling. There was rope attached to the wrists of her friends that connected to other people. Something told her that she shouldn’t cut the ropes with her katana. She lifted her wrist. The rope was burned. Most likely from Tanjiro’s flames.
“Tanjiro,” said Nezuko, “Can you burn the other ropes,”
While Tanjiro burned the ropes, Nezuko tried to wake the others.
“It’s not working,” said Nezuko. “They won’t wake up,”
Nezuko was about to try to wake up Nakime when one of girls who were tied to the others lunged at her.
Is a demon controlling her?
“Don’t interfer!” she yelled, “because of you, he won’t let us dream!”
She’s doing this of her own free will.
Two other stood up.
“What are you doing?” she yelled at a different young man, “if you’re awake, get up and help us! I don’t care if you have tuberculosis or whatever. If you don’t help, I’ll tell him so he doesn’t let you dream!”
This guy was sick. That demon used his sickness to manipulate him. That’s unforgivable.
“I’m sorry,” said Nezuko, “but I have to fight,”
Before the three could react, Nezuko knocked them out easily.
“You all wanted to stay and have a happy dream. I understand. I wanted to stay in mine. Are you alright?” she said turning to the sick man.
He nodded, “thank you and be careful,”
“I will!”
Nezuko ran down the train to find a door. She opened a passenger door and she sense the faint aura of a demon.
“Tanjiro, stay here and try to wake the others. I’ll find the demon,”
Nezuko climbed aboard the train and walked on the roof. She looked ahead and saw a figure standing in front of her. Without a doubt she knew that this was the demon. It’s aura was thick in the air. It had to be a 12 kizuki, especially if it was able to put to sleep 3 demon slayers and a hashira. She would have to be carful. She remembered how powerful that lower 5 was in the mountain.
“Oh. You’re awake,” spoke the demon, the kanji for lower one was marked on one of it’s eyes, “you should have stayed asleep. After all, I showed you such a wonderful dream. I could have shown you your family being murdered. Perhaps I’ll show you a dream with your father alive,”
“Going around and messing with people’s desires is cruel. You won’r get away with it,” said Nezuko coldy. She drew her katana, getting ready to fight.
Water breathing, Tenth Form, Constant flux!
Blood demon art. Whispers of forced unconsous hynopsis
“Go to sleep,”
Seconds after Nezuko was hit by demon’s blood demon art, her eyes snapped back open. She prepared her stance for a new attack. The demon kept hitting her with the sleep attack but yet she stayed awake charging at him.
Why isn’t my spell working! Wait it is, but everytime she notices and wakes herself up. Even if it’s in a dream, to kill yourself over and over takes incredible will power. This girl is insane!
Each dream was nightmare. Her family dead. Her family critzing her for being alive. Instead of causing her despair, the nightmares only fuled Nezuko’s anger.
“HOW DARE YOU DISHONOR MY FAMILY!” she yelled swinging her blade at the demon. The demon barely dodged it, “THEY WOULD NEVER SAY ANY OF THAT! DON’T INSULT MY FAMILY!”
She swung her blade one final time, taking the demon’s head.
That was too easy. There’s no way this demon is weaker than the spider demon on the moutain.
“I can see why he wanted you dead,” said a voice behidn her. The demon’s head and body had not disintegrated. “I love that look on your face. Surrey you already understand. This was not my main body. I attached myself to this very train. The humans inside are my captives, ready to be consumed. Tell me demon slayer, do you think you can save all of them?”
The demon laughed before disappearing. Nezuko dropped back down to get the passenger cars. The people needed protection. Nezuko wasn’t sure if she could save all of them on her own, but she could at least save some from a terrible fate.
Flesh grew from the sides of train, moving towards the people. Nezuko swung her katana cutting through them, before they reached them. The flesh tendreails moved again. Instead of aiming for the people, they wrapped themselves around Nezuko. One of them wrapped around her sword hand and twisted it forcing her to drop her katana. Nezuko struggled as the tendrils started wrapping tightly around her. It’s goal was to kill her first then the people.
With a crack of thunder the tendrils came loose. Nezuko, now free, grabbed her katana and stood up. Zenitzu who was still asleep had cut through the tendrils.
“Thunder breathing first form: thunder clap and flash sixfold,”
“Thanks Zenitzu,” said Nezuko, “help me protect the passengers. I don’t know when Ms Nakime or Aoi will wake. Till then, protecting the people is up to us,”
The two worked between 3 of the 8 cars. As they were fighting through them, Nakime rushed in cutting through the tendrils.
“I apolgize for coming so late. I’m a hashira and should have been the first to awake. Good job on what you’ve done so far you two,” said Nakime, “there are 8 cars, I’ll defend the back 5, your brother and Aoi will defend these 3. I’m trusting you two to find the demon’s weak spot and destroy it,”
Nezuko nodded and rushed to the front. The demon’s aura felt stronger in that direction. That had to be where it’s vital point was.
Nakime, Aoi and my brother are all protecting the passengers. It’s up to Zentizu and me to kill the demon.
The 2 made their way to the front where a conductor was waiting.
“Who are you?” he yelled, “Get out!”
Demon flesh surrounded the train car. Hands shot out, surronding Nezuko and Zenitzu. The duo cut through the hands.
Water breathing, sixth form, whirlpool
Thunder breathing, first form, thunderclap and flash sixfold.
Nezuko looked around for a sign of the demon’s vital spot. She looked down below her sensing something. Below her is where the demon’s aura felt strongest. It had to be the vital spot.
“Zenitzu! The demon’s vital point is below us,” said Nezuko.
Zenitzu swung his blade below them, exposing the demon’s vital point which looked like neck bones.
Water breathing, eighth form, waterfall basin
Flesh hands appeared blocking Nezuko’s attack. The wound quicly regenrated, covering the vital point. The demon flesh on the falls formed hands with eyes that reached out. Nezuko’s eyes locked on one of the demon’s eyes, throwing her back in the dream. She quickly exited the dream as she had done many times before. Even if it caught her, she could wake up.
“Zenitzu, we have to match our attacks if we want to hit the vital point,” yelled Nezuko, dodging the demon hands.
She got caught again and again in the demon’s dream curse, but she kept waking up. She was about to cut through the floor to reach the weak point when she caught the demon eye again. She was about to cut her neck aagin to wake up when Zenitzu grabbed her arm and stopped her.
“Nezuko!” he yelled, this time he was awake and not asleep as he had been earlier, “this is reality,”
“Thanks Zenitzu. Let’s time our attacks!”
Nezuko spotted the conductor behind Zenitzu. He was holding some kind of weapon and was charging at Zenitzu. Nezuko pushed Zenitzu out of the way. The weapon picered her side.
“Nezuko!”
“Don’t worry about me Zenitzu,” said Nezuko. “Focus on the mission. Expose the demon’s vital spot,”
Zenituz hesitantly nodded before slicing the floor, exposing the bone.
Father, please be with me as I make my strike. Hinokami Kagura! Clear Blue Sky!
The train shook and a piercing scream from the demon echoed. The train flipped and went over the tracks. Nezuko put her hand over her wound, applying pressure so she wouldn’t bleed out.
I can’t die. If I do, then that man will become a murderer. Even though he tried to kill, he was being manipulted by the demon.
Nezuko tumbled out of the train. She focused on her breathing. She heard footsteps running to her.
“Nezuko!” yelled Zenitzu, “Are you alright? You got stabbed!”
“I’ll be fine Zenitzu. Is the train man okay?”
“Who cares about him! He can die for all I care for hurting my precious Nezuko,”
Nezuko chose to ignore his statement for now, “Zenitzu, please, go help him,”
“Fine! But only because you asked,”
Zenitzu walked (slowly) to the train man and pulled him out roughly.
Meanwhile, Nezuko went back to focusing on her breathing. Above her, the music hashira, Nakime looked over her.
“It seems that you are on your way to mastering total concentration breathing. Well done Nezuko. Focus and concentrate your breathing on stopping the bleeding. Mastering tital concetration breathing will lead to do many things. It will be one of the first step you’ll need to master if you want to be a hashira,”
Nezuko focused her breathing and the wound stopped bleeding.
“You did a good job Nezuko,” said Nakime, “even if the other hashira haven’t fully accepted you and your brother, know that I have. I saw your bother fight to protect the passengers. As far as I’m concerned, he is a member of the demon slayer corps,”
A rumbling noise was heard up ahead. A boom echoed through the area. Nakime turned around and put her hand over her katana, ready to draw it out. Dust covered the area of whoever arrived. When the dust settled, Nezuko saw a demon. He was wearing a red haori and had dark hair. The kanji on his eyes read upper 3.
Chapter Text
It was upper 3. Upper 3 was here. Nezuko moved to get up, but Nakime stopped her.
“Don’t move, Nezuko. You might reopen your wound. Let me take care of this.”
“You think you can kill me?” spoke upper 3, “you’re just a human. Hashira or not, you will lose.”
“I’ve defeated countless demons before,” said Nakime.
“But have you ever fought an upper rank. The lower ranks of the 12 kizuki shouldn’t be difficult for a hashira to kill, but us upper ranks are far stronger than them. I’m Mizu, the upper 3. Do you think you can defeat me?”
Mizu moved into an attacking position: Blood demon art, sea’s rath. Blue particles in the form of a wave erupted from the floor and moved to crash down on Nakime and Nezuko.
Music breathing, sixth form fermata.
Nakime swung her katana above them. With the speed she swung her sword to defend them against the attack, it appeared to be a shield Nakime was creating. Not a single attack hit them.
“Impressive,” said Mizu, “I don’t believe I’ve seen a music breather before.”
Blood demon art, whirlpool turrets!
Tornadoes in the form of water appeared and moved their way to Nakime.
Music breathing 7th form Cadence.
The 2 exchanged attacks. Mizu useing water-based blood demon art, and Nakime use music breathing. Nakime wasn’t able to evade all the attacks. She got injured a couple of times but pushed through it. She was able to slice Mizu’s arm, but it regrew seconds after. That was the power of an upper moon. Mizu’s regeneration was faster than any other demon Nezuko had seen.
Nakime has fought many demons in the past. She killed many, some of them lower moons. However, this was an upper moon, and the power difference showed. Nakime was losing stamina and she knew she herself couldn’t kill the upper moon on her own. She didn’t ask for Nezuko or the others to assist her. They would only get in the way or get hurt. Nakime was on her own, unless another hashira showed up.
“Slowing down Hashira?” said Mizu, easily evading Nakime’s attack. “I thought the hashira were the strongest of the demon slayers,”
Mizu moved out of Nakime’s attack. He moved for the killing blow.
Images . Memories passed through Nakime’s mind. Is this my life flashing before my eyes
I was supposed to be married. Growing up I was told that was all I could do for my family. My parents never said it but they wished for a son not a daughter. What I wanted more than anything was my family’s love.
For my 13th birthday, my parents gave me a biwa. I loved it. I wanted to be a professional biwa player. My parents said biwa playing would be a good hobby. They never believed that I could play professionally.
By the time I turned 19, my parents found me a husband. When I met him, he was kind. I thought this time, someone would love me for who I was. But after the wedding, he showed his true colors. He was always drunk and off gambling. Little things would trigger fits of rage.
The night before my first live biwa performance, he came home, but something wasn’t right. That night he had turned into a demon. At the time I didn’t know demons existed. I thought he was drunk but the blood on his front told a different story. He jumped at me. I held my biwa up as my only tool of defense, but he broke it easily. The gift my parents got for me was gone. I should have run out of the house, but my fear made it difficult to think. I ran to the other room, looking for something to fight him. I found his katana he received when he was a samurai. He found me and tried to kill me. Somehow I found the strength to win the fight. I drove him outside and managed to defend myself against him till the sun rose. His body disintegrated.
A demon slayer came soon after, Hakuji. He saw the body disintegrate. Seeing the sword, he put two and two together and asked if I wanted to join the demon slayer corps. Hakuji had just joined the corps 2 years prior and introduced me to the master. Muzan Kitbutsuji. The hashira, the master, and the corps, they are the family I always wanted. If this is the day I die, I will die happy, knowing I finally have a family that loves me.
Mizu made contact with Nakime. Right near her stomach. A blow that was no doubt fatal. Nezuko moved to get up. She stumbled, but Aoi caught her.
“Don’t move too much,” said Aoi, “you’ll reopen your wound,”
“But- Nakime!”
“Nezuko, look,” Aoi pointed in the direction of Mizu and Nakime.
Mizu had a confused look on his face. He pulled back his arm. His hand wasn’t there. It had been cut off. Had Nakime been fast enough to cut the hand off? Her confused look answered that question. A little ahead, Nezuko saw Tanjiro. He was holding a katana. Nezuko’s katana. He must have taken it and cut Mizu’s hand off before it made contact.
Distracted, Mizu, didn’t see Nakime move. She nearly took his head off. He jumped back. Nezuko looked up and saw the sun slowly rising. Mizu noticed it too and moved to run to the forest. Ignoring Aoi, telling her to stay put, Nezuko ran forward. She stopped at the edge of the forest where Mizu ran through. She took the katana from Tanjiro and through it at Mizu. It pierced through him, but he kept running. She got ready to run after him.
“Nezuko,” said Nakime, “don’t go after him,”
“But-”
“You’ll get hurt and we have civilans to attend to. One day we will fight him again,”
The sun was up, Tanjiro had reentered a train car to avoid the sun. The 4 demon slayers entered the car to find Tanjiro’s box.
“Nezuko, Tanjiro, Aoi, and Zenitzu,” said Nakime, “I want to thank you all for what happened. You all fought greatly and thanks to all your efforts, not one person was killed. I want to thank you, Tanjiro, personally. If it weren’t for you, I would have died. As I said before, I acknowledge you Tanjiro Kamado as a member of the demon slayer corps,”
Notes:
implied abuse, violence