My Missing Piece {Uzuren}

7

🍩

———————

The scent of blood hung heavily in the air. Tanjiro let out a choked cry, unwilling to accept what his eyes were showing him.

Akaza's hand penetrated Rengoku's stomach, burried wrist-deep in the pillar's gut. The demon looked calm, victorious, even. Upper Three made a fist, digging his nails into his own hand to make four deep cuts in his palm. Kyojuro's insides were scorching hot, like Akaza had stuck his hand into a blazing inferno. He could feel his blood mixing with the slayer's.

Pain swamped the hashira's senses, being worse than anything he'd ever felt before. Letting out a small gasp, he sucked in a breath to try and suppress the waves of agony that rippled through his broken body.

———————

'Kyojuro, why do you think that you were born with more strength than most? It's so you can protect the weak. Those who are born gifted, are meant to use those gifts to better the world. Never use it for your own desire, or to bring harm to humankind. Never forget that.'

'I believe in you.'

———————

Rengoku grit his teeth, shoving his katana into Akaza's neck, and gripping the demon's other arm as tight as he could. The sun would rise soon. All he had to do was keep him there long enough, and the sun would do it's job.

To his shock, the demon didn't fight to get away. He instead seemed to be trying to drag Rengoku with him away from the sunlight.

He saw in the corner of his eye that Hashibira and Kamado were racing to his aid, brave yet stupid on their parts. They could get hurt. He pushed his heels into the earth. I will not let him escape.

Akaza tugged furiously on Rengoku, only managing to move them a few inches towards the forest. "Quit resisting, Kyojuro! It's too late for that!"

Suddenly, bright golden blades severed the two apart. Rengoku inhaled sharply as the force sent him stumbling backwards, falling to his knees as waves of pain resumed to wash over him. He was tired. He wanted to lay down. But he couldn't move.

Akaza hissed in frustration. His new quarry had arrived at the worst possible time.

The sun was rising rapidly over the distant mountains, its first warm rays beginning to shine above the horizon. Upper Three stiffened, turning quickly to dash into the forest before the new slayer, whoever they were, could pursue him.

———————

Rengoku clenched his hands around fistfulls of his fiery hair, screwing his eyes shut against the pounding headache. The man could usually ignore any pain in his body with the help of his breathing, but any effort he made to calm his breathing was in vain. The moment he thought he had himself under control, another wave of hurt would wash over him. He knew what was happening to him, and he despised it. No one said turning into a demon would be painless. His body was racing to regenerate the gaping hole in his gut, while simultaneously going through a huge change. Before he could rip out any of his hair, two strong hands wrapped around his wrists, guiding them down away from his head. Through the ringing in his ears, Rengoku could hear orders being issued to the younger slayers.

Faintly, as if far away, he heard someone say "You, go back and keep aiding the civilians. Kamado, you stay here."

His skin on his face and arms tingled uncomfortably for a moment, and then he felt nothing but the unfamiliar sensation of his stomach knitting itself back together. He opened his eyes slowly, seeing and hearing and smelling the world in greater detail than ever before. As his vision came into focus, Rengoku's gaze fell on the hands holding his wrists, trailing up to finally recognize the Sound Hashira.

Uzui studied the face of his fellow pillar for a few seconds, disbelief contorting his features. Tanjiro had conflicting emotions running through his head; Rengoku was alive, but he was... different. A demon. He prayed that the man would be like Nezuko, and not try to devour humans.

Rengoku opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the rising sun, its pale light casting immense shadows on the wreckage. Something inside him screamed to run, but he was too disoriented to do so. With the smallest of glances to the sky, Uzui understood the danger immediately, darting into the nearest shadow with Rengoku in tow. He set the turned pillar down on the ground gently, not removing his cautious gaze from Rengoku. Hashira or not, he was a demon now, and they had to be careful.

Why am I so tired? Rengoku squinted at the ground, not fully comprehending what had happened just moments before. All around him, the world faded once more into darkness.

———————

"CAWWW! FLAME HASHIRA KYOJURO RENGOKU HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A DEMON!! CAWW...!"

———————

Some time later...

"Is there any way we can turn him back?"

"Kamado said he's been working with a doctor to create a cure."

"Did he say when it'll be ready?"

"He said he can't tell us any more for the sake of keeping the doctor safe."

"That's a shame... What do we do then, when he wakes up?"

...

"We have to hope he isn't like the others."

"That girl is the only demon like that. It's unlikely that Rengoku will be like her."

Someone entered the room.

"I'm sure it'll be fine! Rengoku has always had a great deal of self-control and a sense of duty and loyalty."

"If you say so, Lady Kocho."

Footsteps receded into the distance.

"She scares me."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds her terrifying."

...

"That Kamado boy has been asking about him quite a lot. Him and his friends."

"I don't blame them. He's a great man, and they had to see him... um..."

"You don't have to finish, I get your point."

"Thanks."

"I'm going to head out, don't forget to close the curtains before you leave."

"I'll do that. See you tomorrow night."

———————

Boring chapter, sorry. Mostly filler, but an important segway into the plot I came up with.

Happy Valentine's Day!