KNY Fanfic: Priceless Smile

Chapter 96: Strings

     All of them inside the room fell down the floor unconscious. Fuji's smirk then turn into an expressionless look. Masako and her fellow kakushis then entered.

"Help us carry them into the living room. We'll make them sleep there." Kai said as the three kakushis nodded and started to move.

"Do you think.... Kazumi-sama would get angry once she found this out?" Fuji asked staring at the unconscious slayers.

"No she won't. Besides, I'm sure she'll understand." Kai replied.

They then looked at each other as they let out a sigh and helped the kakushis carry their victims to the living room. Their eyes are still on its demon form. As they all laid down the bodies on their respective futons, the kakushis excused theirselves leaving only Kai and Fuji inside with them.

"Let's get to work before the sun rises." Kai said as he sat down the tatami mat, his hands in a praying position as he closed his eyes.

Fuji did the same thing in front of him. Seconds later as they focus their Blood Demon Art to combine together, a black string seemed to come out from their nape and connect, a string invicible to the human eye. As those two black strings connect, white colored strings came out of the rest from their foreheads and connected to their backs.

'Sorry Master. But we have to show them the truth.'
Fuji thought.

     Tanjiro opened his eyes only to be met by nothing but a red colored sky and a lighter red colored clouds. He sat up and saw everyone do the same.

'Where are we?'
He asked himself in his mind.

He saw the others waking up too and sitting up looking around.

"Where.... are we?" Zenitsu asked as he stood up looking around.

Everyone have the same question looking around. Even the ground is different, it's not mud, sand, concrete, or the normal soil at all. It's just a solid black floor they're standing on.

"This is why I don't trust demons!" Obanai blurted out.

"And this is why we don't trust any of you the same way, except for Kazumi-sama." Kai said as him and Fuji appeared from behind them.

"Tell us, what is this place?" Shinjuro asked hugging Senjuro close to him with his right arm.

"None of you have to worry, this is but a mere dimension made out of Blood Demon Art. And we didn't kill nor harm any of your real bodies outside this dimension." Kai answered.

"If our bodies are left in the real world, then how come we could still have physical contact?" Kanae asked.

"You guys are currently nothing but mere souls in here, the same for us." Fuji answered.
"So if you guys die here nor get injured, your bodies will remain the same way but you will still feel pain in here." She added.

"Graaaaah! Then get us back! We're not demon food!" Inosuke exclaimed pointing his right index finger at the two.

"You guys wanted to know more right?" Kai asked.

His question made everyone stiff in shock. Then relaxed as they look at him and Fuji.

"If so, then talking wouldn't be enough so we'll just show you." Kai continued.

With those words said, their scenery suddenly changed. They're now standing in front of an old small house covered with snow. They couldn't feel the coldness around them.

"These scenes that'll be shown to everyone of us are nothing but mere memories of Kazumi-sama. You guys will feel normal instead of coldness since it'll be your own choice whether you would like to feel it or not." Fuji explained.

"If we do?" Shinobu asked.

"Then I'll let you guys feel it. That simple." Fuji answered.

Shortly, a woman opened the front door. She has an ash-gray colored hair with black tips and her long hair tied in a single braid behind her reaching her waist, she's wearing a blue colored kimono with a light purple obi. Her violet eyes then looked at the certain child with a sky blue kimono and brown colored hakama pants who came out with a basket behind her filled with chopped woods. The child has the same hair color as her but her eyes are heterochromatic, having the green and violet ones. The child's hair is tied neatly in twin braids falling behind her back reaching just below her waistline.

"Mother, I'll go down the town to sell some wood!" The child exclaimed happily.

'Is that, Kazumi-chan?'
Senjuro asked in his mind as he look at the girl.

His hand was about to touch her but Kai grabbed it.

"In here, everyone is prohibited to touch anything. Whether a living person, an animal, or things that you see. If you touch anything here, not only will it affect a single person's memory but the memory as a whole." Kai explained.

"So, there are risks doing this." Gyomei said.

"Yes, that's why please be careful." Kai replied.
"And also..." he added as he covered Gyomei's eyes with his right hand.

After what seemed like five seconds of covering it, he pulled his hand back. Gyomei slowly opened his eyes as black pupils showed. For the first time, he managed to see. Tears flowed down his eyes.

"I.... I... can see." Gyomei muttered out.

Everyone looked at him in amazement and smiled.

"That only works here. Once this are all over you'll lose sight again." Kai said.

"I see, then it's alright. At least I managed to see just for a short time." Gyomei replied.

The scene changed again and they saw the kid Kazumi going down the mountain and saw a boy sitting on the snow crying. He has a blonde hair and is wearing quite an expensive type of kimono with a blue color and a purple haori.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Kazumi asked.

The blonde boy then looked at her with his black colored eyes now puffy because of crying.

"*sniff*.... I wandered around town and run away from my maid, now I'm lost.... I don't know the way back." The boy answered.

"I'm Kazumi! I'll guide you back to town then!" Kazumi said reaching her hand out to help the boy get up.

"I'm Ayato.... thank you." The boy replied accepting her hand as he stood up.

"Huh?! You mean.... Minamoto Ayato?! That's him right?!" Tengen exclaimed pointing at the boy.

Fuji just gave him a nod.

     The two children walked down the mountain hand in hand. As they go down, the snow slowly disappeared and Ayato feels warm again. As they reach the town, they looked around until Ayato spotted his maid and ran to her.

"Young master, where have you been?! I was very worried about you!" The servant said.

"Sorry. But my new friend helped me!"

Ayato then looked at Kazumi and Kazumi just smiled at him before turning around.

"Huh? Where are you going?" Ayato asked.

"Sell some wood."

"Can you come with me back to my home after you sell them?" Ayato asked.

"Why? You're old enough to go back there so why should I come?" Kazumi answered looking innocent.

'She doesn't get it.'
Ayato thought facepalming himself in his mind.

"I-It's not like that, I mean, as my new friend I would like to invite you back to my home to thank you for bringing me back." Ayato said.

"I see, alright! I'll come after this!"

(A/N: Ayato here is 12 years old while Kazumi's 5 years old, they have a 7 year age gap.)