~*~

It all felt like a dream.........

I couldn't understand how I ended up in the small old ruined hut, with a matted straw roof and no blood stains from that night. Winding myself in a place that felt like years, felt like minutes all at once. It was a dream. It's gotta be a damn dream. My memory is so hazy I couldn't understand, let alone comprehend my own thoughts. Drawing my blade out to attack the footsteps that approach me, it disappears realising I wasn't in my uniform anymore but familiar old clothes.

"Big brother!!!!"

...and there it was, there was the proof I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or this was real. The difference between dreaming and reality was so compelling, that my memory began to fade back to where I stood. My sister rushes up to me, a smile that felt so warm yet it tore my heart realising she was meant to be dead. 

She wasn't supposed to be alive, right?

"What are you doing out here, big brother?" Kaiya asks me, her soft pale green eyes meet mine as if I'm looking at them for the first time in forever. 

How long was it that I thought I lost her? I thought I've forgotten what she looked like, but she's standing right there in front of me. Her pale complexion, her short raven locks neatly combed to her shoulders with her petite frame. She was only eight years old, it's like she has never aged once. This constant scenario kept playing before me for god knows how long, that even discovering my father looked unbothered when arrived.

"Son.......you look so pale, come in.....have some warm tea," He offers warmly, taking off his thick fur coat off from his hunting trip with a gentle grunt. 

The way his stumble was visible, but his hair was tied back neatly so it wouldn't bother his coordination. His scars were still visible, every imperfection was detailed with some precision that was beginning to become far too real. His forest green eyes were so bright, it was like he never struggled with our current situation. Last I checked where I was, I was on the train with........with........who was I with just now? A train? What's........a train?

~*~

"So.........catch any game?"

Father would sigh deeply, "No, not today.........winter is scarce......animals in hibernation," he replies, lifting up his cup and sips his tea slowly. "You seem to get your chores done so diligently, and you take care of your sister well......I'm proud of you my boy."

Those four words were enough to boost my confidence, despite the loss of mother.

"Hey big brother, I wanna try origami........" Kaiya smiles widely, as she jumps into my lap with a giggle. ".......wanna watch me big brother, seen your finished with chores?!"

Surprised by this I instinctively hold her so she wouldn't hurt herself, before I ruffle her short hair with a chuckle.

"Sure.....sounds fun," my smile softens, while she lays her head on my lap staring up into my eyes.

~ "The Dragon estate is now your home, I'm your home.........you don't have to put up walls for me. It will take time, but........I will help you in any way I can." ~

My breath hitches in my throat when that familiar voice rings through, the voice of a woman's tender tone like silk and honey melting together. Those words........why do they feel so familiar? A flash of silver eyes meets in the back of my head, like two half moons staring into my own. 

"Something wrong, big brother?" Kaiya asks him, with concern.

Father grunts in agreement placing a mouthful of leftover rice into mouth, "Hmm, you've acted weird earlier........something you need to get off your chest son?"

Blinking a few times I try to bury that voice away, focusing on my family that I have right now before me.

Shaking my head, "I'm alright.....must be catching a cold," I assure him, when something painful runs through my body as if something stabbed me into my core. "What's......I don't know.....I...."

Suddenly a burning body of flames surround my body causing Kaiya to jump away, as she cries out in fright and confusion. My hair blows wildly around me, with my eyes wide and taken back from the flames that didn't burn my flesh. Staring through the raging flames I could see my father's face in horror, and my sister in tears. Standing to my feet to try and distinguish the pink hue of flickering flames, a uniform replaces my tattered ones in the blink of an eye along with a sword. 

"Wait........blade, this sword......this uniform......" I murmur to myself, before realising this was all a dream. "Tanjiro........Zenitsu.......Inosuke....Rengoku and.......Big Sister."

"Son! Get outside into the snow and roll into it!" Father shouts, but I stood there registering the fact how detailed this dream was. "Kaito........Kaito...........!!!!"

"Big brother!!!!"

"Kaito........wake up....."

~*~

ON THE MUGEN TRAIN

"Kaito, wake up!!!!!" 

My eyes snap wide open drawing my nichirin blade, before meeting a familiar pair of red hue eyes seeing Tanjiro before me. His eyes were harden with his jaw locked, knowing for a second we must've been under some kind influence of a demon. "What did I miss? What's going on?!" I question him, smearing the cold sweat from my temple. 

"One of those people was tied to you, with rope that linked to our inner selves," Tanjiro quickly explains, before he rushes off allowing myself register what was happening.

Glancing around I saw a few unconscious girls resting against the chair, with singed off rope around their wrists and some weapon in hand of choice. 

Raking my fingers through my hair I stood up fully, rolling my shoulders glancing to see Lord Rengoku still under influence of his memories. Though curious of the others, I turn to Nezuko who sat there in her smaller form as her height would reach my hip. She glances up at me with a cute innocent expression, with her rose pink eyes staring into my own. Placing a gentle hand upon her head, I give her a small smile of assurance before heading to follow Tanjiro. 

"It's dangerous Nezuko, so don't follow me past here........" Tanjiro warns her, as she nods silently with a cute hum. "Kaito, you protect Nezuko........I've caught the scent of the demon above!!!!"

"But Tanjiro......."

"Just protect Nezuko and the others while they try to wake up!!!!" Tanjiro instructs, as I grind my teeth together in anger. "Once they do, find me!!!"

Stepping outside the door fully I glance up to see Tanjiro on the roof of the train, running off along the roof while my body was locked in annoyance and frustration. 

"Damn idiot.........that kid is gonna get himself killed," I mutter, before turning to see Nezuko burning the rope away and using her warm flames to rouse them awake. She focuses while I stood there guarding them, with my blade drawn steadily. Soon Inosuke's hand twitches for a moment, before he wakes up abruptly with full burst of energy and adrenaline. He jumps up on the seat and slams his head into the roof before bursting his way up, making a large hole through reaching the top.

"Good work Nezuko........" I smile gently.

She hums cutely with a nod, and tries to work on waking Zenitsu up slowly with her warm flames which I'm still registering the fact she's a good demon. Even the fact is that she got Big sister's approval for her to remain alive, which struck me surprised.

Shaking my head I decide to follow Tanjiro, hating the fact he went to investigate alone. I draw my blade back into the scabbard and hoisted myself up grabbing the edge, pulling myself up doing a backwards somersault with ease with my strength. Stealthily I ground myself on the rushing machine, the wind pounding against my ears while I flank right behind Tanjiro.

Inosuke was busily spouting nonsense with his pride, whilst I glance ahead to find nothing but an eerie feeling sunk in that turn to dread.

"Insouke, Kaito!!!" Tanjiro calls out, to both of us. "This entire train has turned into a demon, there isn't anywhere on it that's safe!!!"

What? That's impossible..........how can........could this be the work of an upper moon? 

No, this is still rather a lower rank demon if you compare to Mt Natagumo. However the power this train is emitting is rather stronger, but I couldn't have the time to guess what we're up against because we trapped along with the passengers. Shit!

Clenching my jaw, "The entire train has many passengers, we must counter the attacks simultaneously to protect the people!!!"

Tanjiro nods in agreement, "Inosuke! Do you know what I'm saying?!" He calls to Inosuke, who was further away from us. "This train is a demon!!!"

Finally as Insouke registers the fact that the train is a demon, he turns sharply diving back into the broken roof hole noticing activity from inside the carriers. 

"Well while he's handling those cars, we should go ahead and protect the rest," Tanjiro concludes, earning a nod in agreement.

I reply, "Right,--"

Suddenly a shockwave of some sort ran through both of us from beneath our feet, only to find this pink gooey kind of tissue moulding around the cars. My breath hitches in my response, drawing my blade out swiftly ready to attack by instinct. It was a squelching sound that caused a shiver to run down my spine, and the train to jostle abit from the foreign and foul tissue.

"What the hell?" I utter out, my jaw clamps shut.

Two large tissue worm things moulded up directing towards us both, like two serpents ready to pounce upon their prey. Without wasting time we both head to the edge and swung ourselves through the glass windows, and smashed right through colliding into the seats inside as the glass shatters around us. Picking myself up my eyes widen at the state of the interior of the carrier, as the tissue slowly moulds around the walls and seats and floors at a rapid rate.

"It's gotten this far already?" Tanjiro gasps in surprise, before two of the tissue like worms comes towards us as Tanjiro takes care of it.

Turning around I noticed more coming this way as I rush towards them, inhaling little total breathing concentration, "Dragon breathing: First form.....Water Tail whip!!!!" as I zig zag my body in sharp precise directions, before slashing both simultaneously. However they kept coming back, as they reappear or either growing back.

"It's not good Tanjiro, cutting these would be like a damn Hydra........" I spoke up, earning a confused look from him. Sighing deeply realising he wasn't as educated or read any western stories from the greek mythology I've learned. Big sister taught me since her family was centred on the beliefs of many dragons as gods, and the Hydra was no god or a dragon but a lake serpent monster. 

"Huh?"

Brushing it off as i slice through the thick flesh of the tissue, "Don't worry about it, but we need to find a way to prevent the people from being harmed," I spoke sternly, my feet ground me for a moment onto to feel them squelching against the tissue. Soon the sound of thunder causes the carriers to shake, as my head lifts up sensing something else.

"You heard that right?" Tanjiro turns to me, while keep his focus on the enemy around us at every corner. "Could it be Zenitsu? Also.....Rengoku hasn't woken up, I'm not sure....."

'Tanjiro, right now I know you wanna worry about your comrades...." I spoke up, before slicing the tissue worms that trailed towards the citizens upon the train. Grimacing through my teeth forcefully. "......just have faith and focus on now, I've got your back!--"

Before I could continue I swear the train jostled more forecfully, causing Tanjiro and I to lose our balance. Tanjiro went tumbling down the corridor and landed upside down against the door, while I stab my blade into the sweat to anchor myself from that sudden jolt. Blinking in surprise, a strong aura was far more present. Within seconds to register the attack, Lord Rengoku appeared before us with a bright expression.

"Young Kamado, Young Igarashi!" He addresses us, loudly.

Relief washing over Tanjiro while I pull my swords from the fleshed seats, "Mr Rengoku," he breaths out.

"I was quite thorough with my strikes on my way here," Rengoku informs us, kneeling to Tanjiro's level. "So it should take the demon some time to recuperate, but theres still no time to waste."

"Right!" Tanjiro nods.

"So that was you just now," I spoke up, as the Flame Hashira nods turning to me then back to Tanjiro.

"This train has eight cars, I will protect the rear four and Young Igarashi will take the one car in between from me and.......the other three will be handled by your sister and boy in yellow," Rengoku directs our next move, nodding by his instruction. "During all this, you will go with the boar headed lad, and search for the demons head......."

Tanjiro was confused, "It's head, but sir how can we--?"

"Kill something without a head, it's still a demon," Rengoku reminds him, with a steady and strong demeanour. He then stood up turning sharply on his feet towards the rear, "It has one. I will search for it as well, and I hope you two are fired up!" before suddenly disappearing from view again with such ferocity in his movements.

Standing there I knew I had to follow on, turning to Tanjiro one more time. 

"I will see you when we get that demons head," I ruffle his hair, gazing down upon him while he was still in awe by Lord Rengoku. Without wasting anymore time, I disappear from his sight before he could blink towards the fifth car where my priority is.

~*~

LATER

Pain ran through my body...........

All I could remember was the train jostling and tumbling down from the tracks, saving as many people as I could from the collision. Something warm runs down one side of my face, and my lungs were burning like ice. Holding a child and man over my shoulders, I gently lay them down on the ground with care. Glancing over my vision was rather hazy, with dust coaxing the air around the destroyed train. 

"Young Igarashi.......you did well," Rengoku's voice spoke, seeing him place down a few more people on the ground. 

"Lord.....Rengoku," I spoke up, more hoarsely than before. My hair was tangled and disheveled, and blood coating my face which was left exposed than the rest of my body. 

"You managed to get everyone off the train......Lady Mizutsuki would be proud," Rengoku smiles warmly, before he heads off to find the rest of the group. The gust of wind that leaves from his powerful strides, left me standing in a daze. 

Though we may have killed the demon judging by the crash, something felt unsettling despite the silence that followed. Taking a moment to breath steadily to master my breathing, blood flow began to slow down bit my bit. Stepping forward I began to find people that were under the debris, or that needed attention for now and even found Zenitsu still out for a moment. A sharp jolt of pain ran through my leg, causing me to hiss sharply through my teeth collapse to one knee. 

"Dammit........"

My breath shook seeing what injuries I've gained, only to realise I've either strained my hamstrings or I've fractured something. I couldn't even tell, as I pull out a metal rod that was embedded in my left thigh with another grimace. However a powerful thundering sound was heard from a distance from where I stood, as my breath hitches turning around ignoring the pain only to see a storm of dust  surrounding something or someone.

"What's........what's going on?" I mutter out, before seeing Inosuke helping some people from the rubble.

Hesistant whether to seek what was going on out there, or check on the people.....Rengoku did assure me the people were all accounted for and no lives were lost. 

Heading towards the commotion with little strength I had from the intense battle against the Lower Rank Demon, I soon began approaching an intense battle. My eyes slowly widen in horror sensing a deep, strong aura coming from the scene. A demon using Soryu-style martial arts in his blood demon art, which was rather rare. Judging by this battle that even Rengoku was having a hard time up against, this very demon is one of the twelve kizuki.

"Lord......Rengoku....." I utter out.

The battle was more close combat by what I've seen, as I stayed a good distance away to not let Lord Rengoku falter. Glancing over I noticed Tanjiro on his knees injured, as I make my way over to him with a slight limp with my injury in my leg and hip. Just when i was approaching him, Inosuke joins us as Tanjiro was about to head towards the battle.

"Stay there!!!!" Rengoku yells to us, causing both Tanjiro and Inosuke to freeze on the spot. "You can't reopen that wound of yours! It'll kill you!!!"

Rengoku then continues fighting one on one with the demon, as I kneel down to check Tanjiro's wound lifting his Haori to the side. Tanjiro seems surprised to see me, with little relief due to the overhwleming presence before us. "Just take it easy........did you use total concentration constant?" I assume, judging by the way his wound had stopped flowing with blood.

He nods, "Yes......."

With a heavy sigh, "Just........don't interupt Lord Rengoku, judging by this battle.......that demon is using a Soryu-style martial arts style......." I advise him, warningly. "Seeing this style makes it difficult to do long-range combat with his blade, so he's switched to close range combat........"

"How come you know so much.......?" Tanjiro utters out, still in frustration not being able to aid the flame Hashira.

"My mentor Lady Hayami..........she's a master of most styles seen she trains in the Dojo most of the time," I explain steadily, while digging in my small pouch on my hip for cloth or even gauze at this point to tie it around his torso. "She's mentioned many styles, shown me scrolls of instructions of the basics..........Kendo, Judo, karate, kenjutsu, akikdo......"

"I see........she must be very traditional then," Tanjiro assumes, when we saw Rengoku being punched with such ferocity into the train causing my eyes to widen.

"Rengoku!!!!!!" Tanjiro calls out, in alarm.

"Watch out bug eyes!!!!!!" Inosuke yells out.

Rengoku slowly picks himself back up seeing his body was becoming ragged and exhausted, as my eyes slowly realised something. Just before when we managed to get all the people off the train before the crash, he must've used most of strength and energy into saving the others. if he was at his hundred percent, he wouldn't be so exhausted as a hashira so early in the fight. Dammit, I thought using my strength I could cut some of the energy for myself so he was in better shape than us.

His hands were even shaking as they rest upon his hilt, picking himself up while the demon continues to convince him to become a demon?

Something courses through Rengoku before he dives back into their continued battle, as if I could see the flames of Lord Rengoku's strikes. His attacks were sharp and with every force, using everything to the best of his ability. Despite slicing off the demons limbs, they only kept regenerating at such a rapid rate which gave me one hint. 

This demon must be an Upper moon.......

Suddenly Rengoku came to a pause with his strike, "Wait.....is that it? Did he win?!" Inosuke questions, but I step in front of the two raising my arm to prevent the two to step forth.

Droplets of blood fall from where Rengoku stood, the tension was immense and I knew something was