Three Day Deal

Red Umbrella

     Tegen did his best to spend the rest of the day with his wives, trying not to think about Tanjiro and the blades waiting for him by the door.
     Makio had been upset indeed and he had to apologize three times on his knees before she let him eat at the table with them.  Hinatasuru had kept the situation light with her soft laughter while Suma had clung to Tegen's arm concerned for his health and fearing for the worst.  He assured her repeatedly and ate his fill, thanking Makio again for the food, she huffed and reached over the table to ruffle his hair before shoving at his head and sitting down again, he grinned at her through his now tangled bangs as Hinatsuru giggled.

---

     He feels bone tired as he walks to get Rengoku for their meeting with Ubuyashiki-sama.  The two meet up outside his estate and Rengoku, for once, looks exhausted and miserable.  His smile is weak but he makes an effort.
     "How has your day been?"
     "Nice.  Spent it with Hinatsuru, Makio, and Suma.  Took a nap after I got back from, y'know..."
     "The situation is pretty draining isn't it." Rengoku chuckles.
     "It is... I had a dream."
     "Oh?  About what?"
     "I took Tanjiro to a festival, there were fireworks too.  I think he liked it..."
     "I'm sure he did."

     They arrive at the Masters estate, knocking and bowing to the First Lady before following her to the meeting room.
     There is tea prepared and Ubuyashiki-sama sits with his hands in his lap, smiling as kindly as ever.
     "Master."  They speak in unison as they bow deeply.
     "My children, the crows told me you would be coming, sit down and have some tea."

     When everyone is seated with a warm cup of tea in their hands Rengoku starts.
     "There is a Demon Moon that ranks even higher than Upper Moon One.  A secret weapon.  A last defense."
     Immediately the room is tense.
     "I see... this is, unexpected.  Though I suppose it should have been, Kibutsuji has always been a cautious man."
      "Kibutsuji is a coward." Tegen huffs looking into his tea and picking his next words carefully.  "This demon is called the Final Moon.  And he does not eat humans.  He sleeps to gain energy and sustenance."
      "He?"
      Tegen flinches and catches himself, right, demons are its, "It, apologies Master, a slip of the tounge.  It sleeps rather than eats human flesh making it quiet the outcast amongst the other demon moons."
      "Four days ago, we were sent into the woods, east of here because a crow had spotted a possible upper moon." Rengoku explains carefully.  "This uppermoon shooed off Upper Moon Two as if he was no more than an annoyance and was openly disrespectful of Kibutsuji.  It also sensed us immediately."
     The Masters brows furrowed but his smile does not change.
     "It proposed a deal to us.  For three days we would meet it at dusk, no violence would be committed or suffered by either party until the end of these three days.  Each day an Upper Moon of our choosing would be revealed in the greatest detail the demon could manage."
     "And what did the demon receive from this deal?"
     "It wanted simply to learn about humans and our world.  It asked of our favorite foods and their tastes, our upbringing and families.  It loved the ideas of festivals and the thought of fireworks fascinated him."  Tegen wants to throw up, everything is heavy.
     "On the second day, this demon revealed itself to be the Final Moon, stronger than any of Kibutsuji's other creations."  Rengoku says this carefully and they both watch the reactions closely, Master straightens and the First Lady's face twitches almost imperceptibly.
    "The final part of this contract, was that on the fourth day, today.  If the demon had not convinced us to spare him, he would let us slay him without interference."
     "That is why we have come Master.  On the second day, the Final Moon said he- it.  Said it, would be willing to join the Demon Slayer Corps and fight against Kibutsuji if it was accepted.  On the third day.  He gave us this."
     Rengoku lays out the scroll kept safe in it's wooden case.
     "A scroll." The First Lady murmurs, taking it and opening the case with care, able to tell the ancient thing was fragile.  She begins to skim it most likely planning to read it outloud to the Master but her eyes widen in shock.
     "Oh my kami..." she mutters.
     "Dearest?"
     "It was written by Kibutsuji, this is from when he was human.  It's a document logging his findings about his own illness.  This is how he became the first demon."
     The Master looks back to his children, face as unreadable, as always, "The Final Moon gave you this?  Why?"
     "Because the Final Moon is betraying Muzan."