"Tanjiro! Rokuta! Mother! Takeo! Shigeru and Hanako! What happened?! Someone answer me! Tanjiro?"  Bloodied and torn up bodies were sprawled out before her. The red stained the snow and tatami mats and the chilly air clothed her once warm home in darkness like death itself hovered at the door.

The next thing she knew, she blinked and her world was a  snow covered forest and inches of snow on the ground. 'Oni-chan! I will save you for sure!' Nezuko thought to herself. Every step she dragged her legs, ice cold air filled her lungs. 'You always help others, but this time I will be the one who helps you!' 

As the tears fell from her eyes, she watched as Tanjiro  grew monstrous and unfamiliar. 'Claws, fangs, and cat-like eyes? Did Ni-chan really turn into a demon?'

"No! Tanjiro! Fight it! You can do it! Please do it for me!" She yelled out, feeling her throat wallow down and her senses grow numb in the darkness around her. She stumbled her words, her lips cracking as Nezuko cried and pleaded with the man who appeared before her. "He didn't eat anyone! I'm sure! My instincts never lie to me! There was someone else I promise!" Everything was a blur and before she knew it, everything went black.

--

"Don't!" Nezuko shot up in her bed, frozen forest now a tiny cabin with a fire in the middle.  Her heartbeat raced and raced, placing a hand over her chest with tears dripping from her eyes. "I dreamt about it again." She whispered, shuddering with the reminder of her dream. Nezuko glanced to the side where a window let the moonlight shine through. It never helped that its illustrious glow mirrored the night she let slip through her hands.

"Hmph!" Tanjiro huffed, nuzzling himself beside her bed. His eyes were shut closed with a warm smile behind his bamboo muzzle. Nezuko couldn't resist the urge to ruffle his hair, bringing a corner of her lips to her ears.

"Don't worry Ni-chan. I'll turn you back into a human." She says, letting her mind wander to places beyond reach.

A yawn then washed over her and she found herself letting out a big sigh laying her head back on the pillow. Her eyes grew heavy, and her senses grew fuzzy once more. It had been a long, long day as her indoctrination into the Demon Hunter Corps left her clutching to a walking stick.

But soon the sun replaced the moon, and Nezuko stepped outside the humble home, stretching her arms and back, listening to the birds chirp and the trees rustle in the wind.

Urokodaki walked by with a pile of wood in his arms. Nezuko let a small smile appear watching the tengu masked man zoom around though dawn had just broken. 'Ah, it's nice to have a slow morning for once.' She thought, leaning against the door frame and pushing those hellish days to the back of her mind for now. From becoming one with water to the countless sword swings and the training with Sabito and Makomo. It seemed so long ago when she met Urokodaki with Tanjiro on her back, running down Mount Sagiri for the first time. Looking back, she wouldn't change it for the world and those days brought her to the start of a new chapter of her life. She's now a demon slayer.

But her day wasn't as slow as one would expect. Nezuko spent the day training much like she was just a week earlier, much to the disapproval of her teacher. It was tiring but she never minded the hard work, at this point it felt like it was a part of her nature.

"Nezuko." Urokodaki called as the sun set. "Come." Nezuko nodded, putting down her training sword and followed her teacher inside. His home wasn't anything grand or even middle class. Every room was mashed into one with a pit for a fire in the middle and a small side room big enough for a one person bedroom. The wooden walls that held the roof from falling were scratched and creaked like a baby's cry and the tatami mats they sat on were worn out and rough.

"Tell me. Tell me what happened." Urokodaki began, as the sound of fire crackling filled the room.

It took her a moment to think and with a deep breath she replied, "It was really scary at first when they removed the wisterias. But after killing my first demon, I was really happy." Urokodaki nodded as she continued on to detail how she tried and failed to get answers for a cure from the demons.

"Demons will never cooperate with us Demon Slayers. We are only food to them." He said. It wasn't the best way to comfort her but it worked then.

"I see. In the past seven days, I also heard a lot of participants screaming for help and witnessed a lot of them get eaten. I couldn't help at all and... by the time I tried to, they were devoured. There were only four of us left.

"But I was able to save a few people. On the first night, I was running towards the east of the mountain when I heard someone about to get eaten. He was running away from this gigantic demon that had hands all over his body and he did not look like any other demon. At first I couldn't move but then I was able to cut one of his hands off when the demon grabbed the poor guy. He was really mad but then he saw the fox mask you gave me and he started acting all happy and arrogant. I could feel so much hate inside him and when I mentioned Mr. Urokodaki, he told me I would be the 14th of your students that he's killed."

Urokodaki shifted in his seat. Nezuko watched uncomfortably as her teacher went through an array of emotions behind the wooden mask. "Did you kill this monster?" He asked.

Nezuko looked at him as if she peaked into his mind. Urokodaki Sakonji was always a tough and sturdy man, so to see him crack up was heartbreaking. "Yes. Sabito, Makomo, and my family helped me through it." She replied with a soft smile.

"Finally. It's so great that you came home alive." Urokodaki said in relief, taking a moment of silence to bask in each other's presence.

"However, it is probably time, I tell you that there are several types of demons." The former pillar said, breaking the silence. Nezuko felt her body lighten up as learning more about demons piqued her interest.

"There are those who can use a type of special spell, called Blood Demon Arts. The so-called caster demons. You'll most likely fight against those demons later. They will be a lot harder than the ones you have experienced." An unsettling feeling dawned upon Nezuko, but her spirits were lifted when her teacher said "But Nezuko, you will definitely be fine."

"Well, it seems Oni-chan is different. Is he the spell-casting type that you said?" Nezuko asked, glancing over at Tanjiro who returned to sleep after waking for the first time in 2 years.

"No. I don't think he's the type who practices Blood Demon Arts. This is just my guess but Tanjiro sleeps to compensate for the lack of human flesh. Maybe he's using this method to regain energy."

Nezuko smiled at this. "Thank you, Mr. Urokodaki."

"No, thank you for surviving Nezuko...  Now, it's getting late. We should get to sleep." He said, getting up and pulling out their two beds from a cabinet and laying them out for the night. Nezuko meanwhile slipped into the room at the back and sat against the wall across the foot of Tanjiro's mattress. 

As she watched him sleep, her conversation with her teacher played in her head. Her eyes wandered across the mostly empty room. The cobwebs in the corner, the small pile of belongings they had, and the table that carried her some 10 training logs, each labeled with a date on its cover.

"No matter what happens. I will protect Tanjiro." She vowed to herself as she hid her head in her knees and dozed off.

--fifteen days later--

    The faint sound of bells ringing and footsteps made their way to the small home. Nezuko's eyes filled with curiosity as she saw a man with a large straw hat with bells attached to the rim approach. "So you are?" She inquired.

Keeping his eyes to the ground he replied with a robotic voice "I'm Haganezuka. Kamado Nezuko's sword is ready. I came here to deliver it." 

Her eyes beamed in excitement as she bowed, introducing herself. "I'm Kamado Nezuko! Please come i-"

"This is a Nichirin blade." Haganezuka interrupted with the same monotone voice, now kneeling on the floor with the case in his hands. "I forged this sword."

Nezuko was left slightly appalled. "Well.. please come in. I'll make some tea no-"

"The raw materials of the Nichirin blade are mined from the mountain nearest to the sun." Nezuko grumbled in frustration. She tried and failed to speak against him but Haganezuko continued. He made wide and trivial movements, pointing to the sky and running his hand over the ground. "Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore. Thus, the forged steel can absorb sunlight."

"I see." Nezuko exclaimed, motioning him inside. "Why don't you tell me more about this inside-"

''Because Sunlight Mountain is basically bathed in sunlight throughout the year. It doesn't rain or snow on the mountain."

Nezuko groaned, eventually poking Haganezuka's hat to gain his attention but still he did not budge, thinking, 'Does this guy ever listen?' When he suddenly turned to her, scanning her face from all angles. 'A hyottoko mask?'

"Are you the daughter of a Kakushaku? This is a sign of good fortune." He suddenly pointed out.

"Uh no. I'm the daughter of Tanjuro and Kie."

"That's not what I meant. I mean you have red eyes. If a family business relates to fire and a child like you is born," He poked a finger at her cheek. "It's an auspicious sign that deserves celebration."

"Wow! Is that so? I didn't know that!" Nezuko said, forcing a smile.

"At this rate, this sword will most likely turn bright red. Am I right Urokodaki?" He called out to the house where she left her teacher waiting.

'Urokodaki?' Nezuko thought. A muffled "yes" came from inside the house.

"Now, let us go in." Haganezuka stated, pushing past Nezuko and plopping beside Urokodaki.

Once she settled down, Haganezuka held the sword out to her as she took it gently with both hands. It's handle was black with a dark crimson red cord wrapping and an oval black guard and dark crimson scabbard. 'My very own Nichirin blade!' Her mind screamed, admiring the details of her blade.

"Alright. Unsheathed the sword already." Haganezuka complained, waving his arms like he was casting a spell. "The Nichirin blade can also be called the color-changing sword. The color will change depending on its owner."

"Really?" Nezuko beamed, looking at Urokodaki who nodded. Without a moment's notice, she took the sword out of its scabbard holding it up for everyone to see. Slowly, a black dye crept up from the blade collar, making its way up to the tip of the sword. "Woah!" Her eyes awed at the midnight shade that gleamed in the sunlight. "It's so beautiful" She muttered, turning to the 2 men, waiting for their reaction.

"It's black!" Haganezuka spat out.

"Black." Urokodaki repeated.

Their reaction proved unsettling to Nezuko. "Huh? Does black mean misfortune?!" She panicked, her palms sweating and her shoulders crunching.

"No, there's no such thing. It's only uncommon to see such a pitch-black sword." Her teacher assured as the swordsmith seemed to writhe in frustration. 

"Dammit! I thought I could finally see a red blade!" He cried out. The sudden outburst made Nezuko jump while Urokodaki remained stoic. "I'm pissed!" He screamed in anguish, pouncing onto Nezuko. Pulling and pinching as air huffed from his mask's mouth.

"Hey, that hurts!" Nezuko yelled as the swordsmith held her in a chokehold. "Didn't your mother teach you not to hurt girls! Please calm down!" She cried as they wrestled until a black crow swooped in the window.

"SQUAWK! SQUAWK! SQUAWK! Kamado Nezuko. Listen to your mission." 

"Huh? How is it talking?" Nezuko exclaimed, breaking free from Haganezuka's grasp.

"Hurry to the northwestern town. Young girls have been vanishing there. Every night girls disappear. Find the demon and put an end to it!" The 3 people and 1 demon in the house leaned towards the bird as it continued its message. " Kamado Nezuko. Exercise caution! This will be your first mission as a demon slayer."

Nezuko felt the ends of her mouth grow into a grin, scoffing in disbelief. "My first mission." She muttered under her breath, itching to it.

--

Hope you guys like my first chapter!

(2164 Words)