My Missing Piece {Uzuren}

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Welcome to My Missing Piece!! This book turned out much longer than I thought it'd be TvT

And since some people don't read the descriptions- there is NO SMUT in this story. I'm not allowed or willing to write it.

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Kyojuro returned to his seat on the Mugen train, confident that there were no more demons in the transport that he could deal with at the moment. Both the long-limbed demon and the one with many faces were easy kills for the flame hashira. Now he planned to remain on the train until the true threat showed itself, and lay his life bare for the taking if necessary. After all, that was the purpose of a demonslayer. To defeat and slay demons in order to protect humanity, no matter the cost.

Kyojuro's young companions settled into their cushioned chairs as well, still hyped from the quick victories they'd witnessed minutes earlier. The fights were 'flashy', as the sound pillar would say.

As Tanjiro took his spot next to him, Rengoku felt a sudden wave of exhaustion overcome him. The others seemed to be affected as well, so he didn't think much of it as Inosuke yawned and flopped over Zenitsu's legs to sleep. The blonde could barely register his friend's action before he dropped into a peaceful slumber as well.

"So." Tanjiro piped up, drawing Rengoku's attention without making the man turn his head. "What's the plan from here on?"

"We wait!"

The younger blinked, tilting his head slightly with confusion. "For a demon?"

"Correct!" Rengoku paused before continuing, choosing his words wisely. "There is, without a doubt, another, stronger demon on this train. Perhaps even a member of the twelve kizuki!"

Tanjiro's eyelids fluttered closed for a moment before he snapped them back open. He didn't respond, simply nodding as he processed the situation in his mind.

Their short conversation grew more drawn out, each taking longer to respond. Soon, Tanjiro's head fell onto Rengoku's shoulder. The hashira checked quickly that the boy was asleep. After confirming the fact, he finally allowed his own awareness to drift away until he too was out like a light.

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"To die while in the rapture of a dream.. what a blessing."

At the head of the Mugen Train, Enmu held his hands clasped together behind his back. His seemingly cheerful voice dripped with venom, face captured in a relaxed, half-lidded smile. Already his body was partly fused to the locomotive, though you wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at him.

"The spark that drives these beings comes from the heart, the human spirit."

He imagined the demon slayers, wrapped peacefully in their happy dreams. How amusing, that with barely a thought, he could send them cascading into nightmares. Crushing their spirits wouldn't be a trouble for the lowermoon, but that was the humans' job.

"Like a delicate glasswork, they're so pitifully fragile and weak."

Any emotion that tied a being to something else made it weak. In Enmu's eyes, Kibutsuji was the only demon cured of any form of attachment. He didn't need any of his subordinates, merely keeping them around to do his bidding.

Loyalty and love; the strongest of the weak. They were not necessary, nor were they unavoidable.

"I'm sure you've all loved someone in your short lives," he addressed the passengers in the cars behind him. "It's a shame you'll never return to them."

"You must be having such wonderful dreams. Fall deeper... and deeper still, into your dream."

His eyes narrowed in delight as he uttered one final sentence. "Continue to slumber, and you shall never be roused again."

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In Rengoku's dream...

"Worthless. You'll still never amount to anything."

Kyojuro's eyes widened, surprised but not entirely shocked by his father's dismissal. Of all the things he had accomplished, he thought that upon becoming a hashira, Shinjuro Rengoku would've at least mumbled a word of approval.

After a moment of silence, a few seconds of hoping his damaged ears had misheard, Kyojuro dipped his head in acceptance. Unwilling to give the man any more of his time, he stood and quickly exited the room.

The dark wooden boards creaked softly under his feet as he walked along the side of the house. I'll put my things away, then spend time with Senjuro, he outlined the vague plan, not bothering to shake the frown off his face. As if his thoughts summoned the boy, his brother poked his head out of a doorway up ahead. Senjuro's expression brightened at the sight of his older brother, adorned in his flame-pattered haori.

Approaching the newly appointed hashira, he spoke up in a small voice. "Brother! Did your news make father happy?"

Kyojuro gazed down at his younger sibling with the same blank dissatisfied look. He couldn't lie. Senjuro's face fell when he noticed the older's unhappy expression.

Kneeling in front of the boy, Kyojuro forced a smile as he talked to him. And when tears began to form in the eyes of the younger, he brought him into a warm embrace, reassuring him that they would continue to do their best, and that he loved Senjuro very much.

"Let's both do our best- no matter how lonely it gets."

So, how do we like the third person point of view? I kind of like it..

Is this chapter okay? Please tell me if there's something I can do to make it better...

I've found that kickstarting a story is one of the hardest things for me to do, so my deepest apologies for taking so long to get this on the road. I'm also aware that the Mugen Train arc isn't the best place to start an UZUREN fanfic, due to some... unfortunate... events. Bear with me, I know what I'm doing.