Chapter Text
“Mainichi Shimbun spread across Japan about a national emergency proclaimed by the Emperor. An attack occurred at the Imperial Palace, revealed to be a newfound existence of an unknown species that has yet to be identified. It is advised for every citizen to follow protocol and the newly instated curfew that will immediately take effect after— Ah!”
The young girl, Nezuko, occupied from reading the newspaper, tripped. She expected her fall to end in a minor catastrophe as she landed face plant into the snow. However, a pair of arms captured her, saving her from her downfall.
“Are you all right?”
“Thank you.” Nezuko heaved, sucking in a sharp breath before she straightened herself. She faced her savior with a beaming smile. “Thank you so—”
She stopped though. Upon the sight, she couldn’t move all of the sudden. She couldn’t command her body to do anything. With her basket on her elbow, slipped off and dropped by the heap of snow beside her legs. Her grasp on the newspaper tightened out of instinct.
The stranger before her is unnaturally sickly and pale, but… hauntingly beautiful. She briefly thought she had encountered a ghost wandering in the winter. But, the person before her is breathing very much, albeit faint. It was concerning.
Aside from their appearance, they stood out in western fashion. The quality of the fabric is basic, not too impressive. What is more worrying was that tight metal collar around their throat. The metal glinted in a strange glow reflected in the sun.
Nezuko grew worried, and the first thing that came into mind was that she wanted to help them.
Before she could speak, the stranger sharply walked past her, and Nezuko frantically flinched, thinking the stranger was going to do something unpleasant. Nezuko blinked at the thought. That was odd.
“Wait!” She exclaimed. “Uhm, don’t you need help? You don’t look well! Please let me help you.”
To her relief, the stranger stopped, but didn’t face her.
“It’s not me who you should worry about.” They murmured. “You should worry about yourself.”
“Why?”
“Because if you don’t, he will come for you just like what he did to your family.”
Nezuko’s heart thundered like lightning shot through her body. Those ominous words are simple yet it elicited so much dread. She almost didn’t hear the stranger speaking so quietly but she has never heard something so clearly in her entire life.
A glance met her before she could see it. Nezuko dashed towards Mount Kumotori, where her humble house resided. And when she reached the peak, she saw blood by the doorstep.
A scream echoed later in the mountains.
—
Death has a lingering scent.
The air thickens by the lurking pungency of blood and decay, once lived to create and share fond memories until death— who unfortunately came too soon.
Why?
Was it fate? Who decided this? Why do people have to die?
Tanjiro was selling charcoal. Everyday he does it to earn money for his family. After he did, a villager rushed to him and exclaimed that his family was killed, discovered after a bystander nearby heard of his sister’s screams. Nezuko was found clutching dearly to the corpse of their youngest sibling while the rest of their family members were found dead on the ground.
Adrenaline flowed within the boy. His nose picked up the scent as he made a mad dash to his house. A couple of villagers followed after him in his trail. Heavy footfalls crunch the snow. He almost collapsed multiple times from trudging through.
Upon arrival, he saw bodies. Inside the house was a massacre. Familiar faces that went lifeless. He cried out at the sight at the top of his lungs.
“Nii-chan!”
“Nezuko!” A shrill. Tanjiro does not sound like himself. He noticed Nezuko was clutching Rokuta’s body. Her pink kimono was stained in deep red blood. He approached and fell on his knees, coarse hands hovering hesitantly over their dead brother. “Nezuko! What happened?! What happened?!”
“I don’t know!” She wept harder. Her eyes are bloodshot red and her throat is hoarse. “I don’t know!”
What will the living do?
Two unfortunate siblings returned to find their family killed. In the air, Tanjiro smelled icky death and blood. The person who killed his precious family. It was unfamiliar and horrifying. So strong too that he couldn’t breathe.
When accompanied by the villagers as they bury the dead and mourn, questions were raised of the culprit. Tanjiro confirmed it wasn’t a bear. He sensed an unnatural scent. It was a person. That he was sure. He couldn’t identify more but the scent was enough. If he could find that scent again, maybe he would find the killer.
After retrieving and cleaning the bodies for a proper burial, the villagers panicked at the sight. Rumors of demons arose due to the questionable news that has been circulating around lately. Similar patterns of unfamiliar wounds. The skin of their loved ones lacerated in unknown forces. The attack at the Imperial Palace. There was word going around about supernatural crawling from Hell itself and that Japan is under a national emergency.
Both Kamado siblings were barely listening as they were still in shock. The villagers brought them comfort and helped whatever they could. When they were left alone, they remained beside the burial of their loved ones. Their graves are harder to look at.
Mere hours ago everyone was fine. Everyone was happy. Now they’re gone, just like that.
“Nii-chan…” Nezuko started. “What do we do now?”
Tanjiro frowned. “I want to find out who did this. Nezuko, I vow to avenge them. I want you to live somewhere safe and—”
“No!” She exclaimed so suddenly that her brother flinched. “How can we part our ways after what happened?!”
She is right. Tanjiro couldn’t argue with that. They lost so much already. How can he suggest separating himself from his only family he has left?
“You’re right.” Tanjiro gave in. He bowed before her. “I’m sorry.”
It is just the two of them now. That reality sinked in harder than it should’ve. Out of guilt, Tanjiro unclipped one of his sun earrings and handed it over to Nezuko.
“Here. So we could never be separated ever again. Wherever we are, this is proof that we will always find each other.”
Nezuko glanced at the earring with tears in her pink eyes. “Nii-chan.”
As she took it, both of them reached for another for a tight hug. A moment lasted a while until both heard footsteps.
Tanjiro rapidly turned with his arm protectively shielding his sister. He assumed it was someone from the village but what he saw was unexpected.
It was a man in a strange uniform, adorned with a white haori. His spiky hair is the color of peach. A deep scar on the right side of his face, dragged from the ear to mouth. What kept Tanjiro alarmed was that they were armed with a sword, and the stranger knew it. He hid it further within his jacket and raised his arms as if to show he doesn’t have intentions of harming them.
“Do not be alarmed. I have questions.”
Tanjiro hid Nezuko from behind him. He smelled no malicious intentions from the man but he doesn’t trust him. “Who are you?”
Before he answered, the man glanced around the place, assessing the scene. His face flickered something akin to anger and guilt as he saw blood splattered and the fresh graves. His fists clenched and unclenched.
“My name is Sabito,” he said. “And I am here to ask questions about the demon that killed your family.”
Both Nezuko and Tanjiro glanced at one another in bewilderment.
This is truly a turn of events no one expected.