ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ sʟᴀʏᴇʀ: ᴀɴɪᴍᴇ sʜᴏʀᴛs "ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs x ᴏᴄ"

2

-WARNING: SPOILER ALERT-

Demon Slayer: The Mugen Train "Rengoku's Death"

*Right after the fight between Kyojuro Rengoku and Akaza, upper rank demon 3

As Tanjiro got down to his knees and cried, scared to look at Kyojuro's bloody face, Akari came to the scene a little too late to save the love of her life.

Akari Mitsuma, the Phoenix Hashira. She became a hashira together with Kanae, Shinobu's sister, her companion and friend. She stayed with Kanae and her sister, Shinobu for half her life. When Kanae died, Akari was there for Shinobu. She was devastated and angry at the one who killed her and vowed to get revenge. She was already a-kind-of bitter person, but she grew to be more so. She related to Shinobu though, because the exact same thing happened to her family, to her. A demon invaded her home in which she slept, and it killed her parents and her sister. Luckily, she was safe. But she was heartbroken and even with the comfort Kanae and Shinobu gave, she grew cold and distant. She was stubborn and serious, like Giyuu they say, but she was also smart and a good listener. She became Shinobu's big sister and she loved Shinobu so much. You could say she became Kanao's big sister, too, since they adopted Kanao, saving her from eternal enslavement.

               She and Kyojuro were rivals at first, though only in the eyes of Akari. She hated how nosy Kyojuro was or how he was always talking. Kanae made a remark of Akari liking Kyojuro, but she truly hated his guts. She even hated how he would always shout at her whenever they were eating. "Umai!", he would say after every food his mouth came in contact with. Annoyed by Kyojuro's loud voice, she shouted, "Goshōdakara akarui yatsu o damara sero". Kyojuro looked at her with a blank expression, but still continued with his eating. "Umai!". Full of annoyance, she was about to charge at Kyojuro, when Shinobu came to Kyojuro's rescue. The mere thought of Kyojuro's bloody face if she hadn't stop Akari from unleashing hell crossed Shinobu. She stops her and hugs her plainly, a smile on her face, an awkward one. Akari tries to break free from Shinobu's hold, but as small as Shinobu is, she is also strong, much like her sister. Kyojuro walks out of the scene without even acknowledging anyone around him. He seemed like he did not care at all. Kyojuro remained like he always was and he manage to soften Akari's stone heart. Eventually, as they grew closer, with having missions together, Akari fell in love with Kyojuro's smiley face and bright heart. Despite having lost his mother, he still remained optimistic about life. He valued the lessons taught by both his parents and he carried it with him to every battle. Akari understood Kyojuro's reason for being so lively all the time. Kyojuro admitted that he was intimidated by how serious Akari was. He even thought Akari and Giyuu were relatives and he laughed about it. But maybe, it was Akari's stubbornness that made Kyojuro fall in love with her first. Meeting her for the first time was like eating sweet potatoes for the first time. And it wasn't just her stubbornness, but her ability to know who to trust and how soft she truly is, despite her having a rather complex attitude. He admired her so deeply and truly. Not just that, she also resembled the aura and beauty of his deceased mother. He felt at ease, whenever he was around her. After telling the hashiras their news of being together, their master, Oyakata-sama, gave his support and they were both thrilled. Mitsuri, the love hashira, teased them endlessly, reminding Akari of how she used to hate him and now, they were together, romantically. Shinobu, the insect hashira, was very happy with her best friend/ sister having found love. Tengen, the sound hashira, out of nowhere gave relationship advice to Kyojuro in which they both laughed hysterically. "Love her, flamboyantly", Tengen said, with all the 'flamboyant' words flying out of his mouth. He loves that word so much. Gyomei, the stone hashira, cried in tears of joy, while he prayed for both of them, to have a fruitful romance. Sanemi, the wind hashira, was a little heartbroken for the fact that he also admired Akari, but he respected the decision and was happy for them. Sanemi liked Kanae as well and although Akari knew that they could have been a potential, it was never meant to be. Giyuu, the water hashira, did not make any sound or big deal about it, but Kyojuro knew that he was also happy about Akari and him being together. Muichiro, the mist hashira, quiet as always, just looked at the happy faces, the others were making, but Akari knew he was more annoyed with Mitsuri with her bickering and squealing. Obanai was just happy that Mitsuri was happy. All the hashiras celebrated the joyous day and as Kyojuro looked at Akari, they both smiled as they held hands.

Akari, upon seeing Tanjiro crying looking at Kyojuro, she instantly knew that something was wrong. She ran to Kyojuro with tears in her eyes and gasped seeing a demon's hand inside Kyojuro's abdomen. She fell to her knees and held Kyojuro's cheeks. She stuttered, trying to say something, but words won't come out of her mouth. She looked at Inosuke, stopping himself from crying inside his mask, slowly breaking down. She looked at Tanjiro in sadness, knowing that they couldn't do anything to help Kyojuro. "W-who did this?", asked Akari. Tanjiro could not stop from crying. "It was an upper rank demon 3, Akaza". She looked at Kyojuro, feeling guilty. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't here. I could have helped you", Kyojuro held her hands in his cheeks. She thought to herself why she could not feel a demon when it was there. Maybe because she was thinking of a lot of things and was not focused enough. He looks at her and says, "It's okay. You've helped enough, everyone is safe". She heavily cried, she opened her mouth, trying to get something out, but it was too hard. "Kyojuro... I'm pregnant", she finally said. Kyojuro could not believe his eyes, he was going to be a father, or that he was already a father of an unborn child. He slightly gasped softly, eyes grew bigger, so surprised, but then he gave Akari a gentle smile. "Akari", he said.

*a few months ago

"What would you name our child?", asked Akari as she played with Kyojuro's bright sunset hair. Kyojuro laid on her lap. They had been discussing of the possible future they might have together. Although, they both knew it was just a possibility, because of the job they had. "How about Momi?", said Kyojuro thinking of random things to name a baby. "Or how about Satsumaimo", he added thinking of his favorite food, which was sweet potatoes. "You're naming our baby after a food?", Akari said annoyed, like she was always with Kyojuro's love for edible things. She could not think of a moment where Kyojuro was not eating every second of every day. She even thinks Kyojuro's first words as a baby were 'Umai'. She hits him in the head for being an idiot. "You are not naming our child, Baka", she said as she giggled at Kyojuro's expression after she hit him. "How about Kyori or Kajuro, from our names!", she said excitedly, but Kyojuro ignored it and went to go find something to eat, because the sweet potatoes he was thinking was making him hungry. Akari filled with annoyance, rolled her eyes. "I wish the first words of our child would be Okāsan".

"Otōsan would be better".

"Okāsan!".

"Otōsan!". He giggles at her face.

"Kyori or Kajuro would be as beautiful as their mother, and as awesome as their father. I love the names you thought of, which you got from ours", she smiles at Kyojuro, now holding her face. "Listen to me, Akari. Tell my brother, to follow his heart and walk in the path he feels is right. And tell my father, I want him to take good care of himself. Please, don't stop smiling, Akari", he said as slow as his heart was beating. The hand left by Akaza soon burns into ashes as blood flows out of his body. "I might die, but I know our child would be taken care of", Akari breaks down. Hurt by what was happening before her eyes. Kyojuro looks at Tanjiro and Inosuke. "Young Kamado, Young Boar Head, and to Yellow Boy, I believe in you, I believe in you all and I believe in Nezuko", Kyojuro says as a final goodbye to his supposed tsugukos. "I accept your sister as part of the organization. She protects people and she deserves to be a member of the Demon Slayer Corps", Tanjiro's face seemed to lighten up a little. He wanted to smile, but this wasn't a smiling situation. "Tanjiro, take care of Akari and of your sister, always", he said. He looked at Akari one last time and saw his mother behind her. Akari, sits down beside him and she puts her head on his right shoulder and held his hand as he held hers. "Mother... did I carry out what I had to do? And my duties?", he asked as his mother looked at him with such joy. "You made me proud", his mother said and he smiled so happily, so wide. "I love you, Akari", he said as his last words to the love of his life. "Go now, Watashi no ai . I'm very proud of you", and with that Kyojuro had his last breath and died beside Akari, holding their baby together.