Chapter Text
Yori was walking around in an unknown forest. He wasn't sure how, what, and why he was in a forest, he doesn't know or remember anything how he end up there. All he remembers is his mother comforting him in a pitch-black room while she herself was distressed and worried and almost paranoid about something.
As he continued walking, Yori noticed that the forest was eerily quiet. There were no sounds of birds chirping or leaves rustling in the wind. He began to feel a sense of unease and wondered if he was truly alone in this mysterious place. He began noticing that the trees around him looked unfamiliar. He tried to recall any memories or landmarks that could help him identify his location, but nothing came to mind.
He continued walking deeper into the forest, looking for any people to help him out. Though he highly doubt there were people this late at night and how deep this forest was.
The darkness made it difficult for him to see, but he kept moving forward. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, and the rustling of leaves, owl’s howling, and snapping of twigs only added to his unease.
A gush of cold wind touches his skin causing him to shiver. He pulls his black haori tighter around him and looks up at the darkening sky ‘It’s cold. I have to get out of here’
He walked faster, quickly picking up his pace, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of shelter or life. His pair of zōri with red straps touches the crunchy leaves and tree branches as he makes his way through the forest, not knowing where he was going but certainly out of this place.
He remembered the stories his grandmother used to tell him about the dangers of getting lost in the forest, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread creeping up on him. As he walked, he prayed that he would find a way out soon before it was too late.
“How curious… What is a child like you doing in this forest…?” A slow, but powerful voice spoke. It was strong and firm, yet had a hint of curiosity and amusement in his tongue.
His breath caught to his throat, Yori halted and stopped in his tracks. He stood completely still, he couldn’t help but sweat and trembled as he was shaking violently. He could feel a dark, ominous presence behind his back. The air around him became suffocating as he felt the temperature drop, he shivered, his hair on his body stood on end, and his heart was pounding so fast that he could hear it from his ears.
"Fascinating… even the Hashiras throughout the eras… have rarely been able to control themselves like you are now and yet you're not one of them. You're just a child…"
Yori took a deep breath and slowly turned around to face the source of the voice. His eyes filled with fear and terror when he saw a 6’28 feet tall man leaning against a tree. 'Has he been standing there the whole entire time?!' Although this man… doesn't seem human. It was like the demon's fairytale that his mother used to tell him.
His mother once told him she encountered a demon once in her life and could have died if it weren't for a mysterious man with a katana in hand. He vividly remembers his mother saying she had no idea who that man was and didn't have the chance to give or express her gratitude because the mysterious man disappeared in front of her eyes. Yori never expected demons to be real. There was 50-50% chance he did believe that demons were real. He never brushed off his mother's trauma, but he never expected them to be real, let alone encounter one
When he turned to face the man, he could have sworn in the corner of his eye he saw the man's eyes wide open in shock.
With the demon's glowing six eyes piercing through him into his very soul, he could feel shivers run down his spine.
The demon was staring at him eye to eye as if trying to examine him deeper aside from his appearance. It almost felt like he was looking into a world that the child couldn't see.
The demon was a very tall man of muscular stature and pale skin complexion, he looks very human despite his appearance. He possesses long, spiky black hair with red tips that he keeps in a ponytail.
He also has red markings resembling flames on the top left side of his forehead and the bottom right of his chin, which was similar to his scar on his forehead. The demon wore a purple-and-black hexagonal patterned nagagi kimono and black umanori-styled hakama pants tied with a white uwa-obi. He carries a fleshy katana at his waist that has eyes in the space between the tsuka ito wrapping of the handle of his sword. The tsuba and blade are shown to have eyes and veins. The scabbard is also fleshy in appearance.
Yori assumed that this demon was once a swordsman himself a long time ago
His most notable feature is the three sets of eyes on his face with yellow irises and red flesh sclera that have black straight lines diverging from each iris. His middle set of eyes that reads… Uppermoon One
He wasn't sure what that meant, but he knew it was bad news
Before Yori could even turn and run away, he felt someone grab both of his wrists in a tight grip in front of him, stopping him from escaping, he could have sworn he heard his bone cracking.
Yori was completely petrified on the spot and was trembling uncontrollably when the demon looked at him directly in the eye hovering over him with his lips parted. Had his luck gotten any worst? All he ever wanted was to get out of this dark forest into his home, now he encountered a real demon. The demon turned his focus to the scar on his forehead as his hand trailed and traced it carefully, taking extra care to not cut him with his claws.
“Yoriichi… Have you come back to me in a new life…?” The demon questioned. Yori couldn't believe that the demon was speaking to him, let alone in such a soft tone. Despite how gentle he was, he didn’t relax, he was still frozen in the spot and his body was shaking as his heart raced with fear and dread.
“What is your name…?” The demon asks, he leaned closer to Yori's face, blinking with all of his eyes. His grip loosened a bit, and his other hand cupped his cheek caressingly. It was such an unexpected move that Yori flinched back at his touch
Yori's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to find the words to answer the demon's question.
He gulped, he avoided his gaze "I-it's- Y-y-yori…" He managed to let out an almost whispering tone, but it was audible enough for the demon to hear.
He didn’t even realize he was crying when the demon wiped the tear away from his cheek. The demon's touch was surprisingly gentle, and for a moment, he felt a sense of comfort despite the fear that still gripped him.
The demon knelt down on his level, he shut his eyes, bracing for impact, but instead felt a sudden warmth spread through his body. Cold skin touches his warm skin, Yori shuddered. Opening his eyes, he saw the demon was hugging him in his chest. He was taken aback by the unexpected display of affection. Thinking it was some sort of trick, he tried to pull away from the hug but due to his size and strength difference, it was futile.
The demon hugged the shaking child tighter when he tried to pull away. He ran his hand through his hair, carefully not hurting the child with his claws as he murmurs softly "Forgive me Yoriichi… I didn't mean to scare you…"
It didn’t modify the child
"I won't hurt you… I promise…"
It seemed to calm the frightened child's nerves slightly although he was still tense. He stopped his struggles and began clinging to the demon, he was trying to catch his breath and trying to ease his heartbeat. He was still shaking but not as bad as it was before. The demon held him gently, whispering comforting and assuring words.
The child collapses on the demon’s arm on the pressure that was putting on his shoulder. He clutched the demon’s purple kimono as tears were rolling down his cheek in relief, he was gasping for air and perspiring still. The demon held him in his arms and stroked the shaking child’s hair on his lap.
“Yori… huh…” He confide softly as he continued petting his hair “That’s a beautiful name… Yoriichi…”
Yori shifted uncomfortably. He doesn't know why this demon was calling him Yoriichi, or even that person was but he knew he was referring to him. His name was close to this “Yoriichi”, it doesn't take a detective to see the similarities between their names.
Yori wondered if this demon had mistaken him for someone else, or if there was some kind of connection between them that he was unaware of.
They stayed in that position for a while. The demon lifted his head and looked at the sky and stopped immediately.
"We should go. Now…"
He said slowly but the words came out rushed. Before Yori could even look up at the demon, the demon quickly stood up, grabbed Yori’s hand carefully, and pulled him along with him, making the child stumbled a bit before rebalancing himself.
“Excuse me sir...” Yori called out, nervous and discomfort started bobbing in his stomach. The demon hummed to let him know he acknowledged his presence
“Who are you? And… where are we going?” Yori inquired, unaware how those words impact the demon as he flinched. “And why did you call me Yoriichi?” Yori continued
The demon remained silent for a moment before finally speaking in a low, gravelly voice
“I’m… Kokushibo... but you may refer to me by my original name… Michikatsu Tsugikuni… As for your other question… you are Yoriichi Tsugikuni, or rather you went by that name my little brother within a previous life. As for where we are going... it will be anywhere that is safe so I can protect you, unlike my failure in the past...”
Yori looked at him in pure confusion, and a bit surprised. Reincarnation? You mean the other folk tail that his mother used to tell him? Where is the soul of a person reborn into a new body, a new life as a fresh start after dying? It was said that depending on the moral quality of the previous life’s action were, the soul may begin its new life in a new body as a human, animal, or spiritual.
But why does this demon think he is the reincarnation of his brother? Also, reincarnation is a thing?
Yori had always been fascinated by the idea of reincarnation, but he never truly believed it could be possible
The duo continued walking into the forest in silence. It was a very uncomfortable silence, but neither of them were willing to break it.
Yori looked up at the demon, opening his mouth, he uttered his next question that he wanted to ask “Umm… Can you explain what’s going on Michikatsu-San?”
Granted, he doesn't want to pretend to be a person he wasn't, but he doesn't want to get eaten. He heard that demons eat humans and as they do so, they rip apart their bodies and continue to eat them alive in their stomach which was enough to send shivers down Yori’s spine by just thinking about it.
Even though Demon was right about him being the reincarnation of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his younger brother… that wasn’t who he was now, and he pitied him for thinking otherwise.
“You do not need to refer to me with such formalities… As for what happened… you are better off if you don’t remember…” Michikatsu explained, there was sadness in his tone that Yori could hear in brought daylight
Surprisingly he let go of his hand, but despite that, Yori still followed him instead of running away. He wasn't dumb, his mother told him that demons have insane abilities that humans don't. Which made killing demons nearly impossible with just a normal weapon. Besides, the demon can just teleport or whatever to him as he did a minute ago at such speed taking him by surprise.
Yori blinked, his brows rose “But-” before Yori could even start, he felt a sharp pain on his shoulder and was dragged and spun him around. He found himself face to face with another demon.
The demon infront of him was a demon that his mother described to be. It was nothing like Michikatsu-San who still looked human. It was indistinguishable and doesn't have any resemblance to any remains of being a human being.
The demon grinned as drooled in his mouth, he licked his lips with a sensation that he was hungry. He didn't seem to acknowledge that there was another demon infront of him, he was more focused on the terrified and injured child.
The demon continued to dug his claws in his shoulder deeper like he was gonna rip him apart. Yori could have swore he was on the verge of collapsing if it weren't for his remaining strength to stand up. The aroma of the child's blood filled the air which made the lust of the demon grow even more, so eager to rip the child into pieces as he eat his inside out.
"A Marechi. You would make such a fine meal"
He was about to take a bite on his right shoulder when in a flash, Yori couldn't see, he saw a blurry Michikatsu infront of him as he was thrown in the distance
Yori found himself laying on the ground away from the demon who was about to devour him. He felt a sharp pain on the side of his head and blood losing from his right shoulder
Upon opening his eyes, he slowly lifted his head with the support of his arms. His head was spinning and felt pain all over his body.
He put his other hand on his bloody shoulder, ignoring his black gloves soaking with blood to try to ease the pain and put pressure to stop the blood from welling out more, ignoring the blood leaking out on the side of his head.
Yori knew basic medical procedures since he was a kid, his mother used to teach him for emergencies, especially when she wasn’t around. With or without medical tools.
Yori could hear muffled voices in front of him and turned his attention to Michikatsu and the demon. He couldn't see much with his other eye covered but he could clearly see the demon was currently at the mercy of Michikatsu as he was towering over him with his fleshy sword on his side.
"K-Kokushibo-sama! Please forgive me, i-!"
Before the demon could even finish, the demon was beheaded in an instant. Yori stared in horror as he watch the body of the demon being cut into pieces in the blink of an eye without Michikatsu even lifting a finger. Blood splattered all around the area, only leaving the pieces remaining, bloody pipe, disgusting flesh on what it was, before it started to crumbling into dust as the wind passes by.
In a short brief moment pause, Michikatsu slowly turned his head to face Yori, giving him a clear picture. The demon had a small splattered blood on his cheek but it was nothing compare to how bloody his kimono and his pants were. It looked like he had gone a blood bath.
He slowly turns his body and steps forward. Once, then again, then again, then again. Yori began to panic when he realizes, stupidly late, that the demon is walking towards him.
He wanted to get away, to scream, to run away from this place and him. But he couldn't, he was frozen in place. He watches as Michikatsu walks towards him slowly and stopped when he was infront of him
He quiver as he watches the demon knelt down slowly. He reach out his hand and brush the lock of his hair where his head was bleeding, giving the demon a clear view of his injury.
"Yoriichi… are you alright-"
Before he could finish, Yori flinch and leaned away from his touch with his eyes shut, whimpering. Making him think he was gonna hurt him.
Unaware of it, Michikatsu was deeply hurt by his action and stopped caressing his hair and immediately let his hand slump to his side.
Yori slowly, reluctantly opened his eyes when he felt no touch harming him. The demon was looking at him with a frown, he could see clearly that there was something in the demon's eyes that was shimmering something he couldn't recognize.
The two stared at each other for a moment before the demon began to open his mouth to speak when all of a sudden…
“Flame Breathing Esoteric Art, Ninth Form: Rengoku!”
A male voice yelled out
A huge fire dragon charged forward at an incredible speed that seemed to catch Michikatsu off guard, dividing both the child and the demon. But despite the surprise attack, he avoided the attack and only lost a little bit of the tip of his hair as a result.
A woman zooms past infront of Yori and scop him on the ground and jumped away from the battlefield to avoid inflicting harm to the child, and away from the demon.
Once they were away, the woman looked at the child in her hands whose eyes were shut
"Are you alright?"
A soft, angelic feminine voice questioned. Yori slowly opened his eyes half-lidded to see a woman smiling down at him while holding him on her chest in a kneeling position. He felt a sense of trust and warmth in her arms, and he couldn't help but feel safe with her presence
A young woman with bright green eyes was staring at him with kind eyes.
She has long pink hair mixed with neon-green paint, wearing three thick braids and five shorter clumps falling over her nose like bangs. She seems to wear a modified violet-tinted uniform and a white haori. Within' her uniform the chest area is unbuttoned and she wears a short skirt instead of the Hakama. She wears a striped lime-green socks with a pair of navy blue thigh-high socks and a pink lined boot with sandals.
Yori slowly nodded in awe. The woman gave him a bright smile, warm as the bright sun "I'm glad" she said, her face turned serious when she swiftly turned her head away from Yori. Yori slowly turns in the direction the woman was looking and saw a man infront of them, hiding the two with his cloth and a katana with a red flame pattern along its blade, a handguard shaped like a flame with a red core and an orange border, and a white handle in hand from the demon’s sight with his back turned
The man had long bright yellow hair with red streaks akin to flames in the tips of his hair. His hair was shoulder length and the back of it was formed into a small ponytail.
He wore a haori with a white-yellow gradient pattern and red flame-like ridges at the end and tattsuke-hakama pants. he wore a red kyahan with pale brown tabi socks and a pair of white zōri with red straps.
Michikatsu turned to face the woman and the man with a growl and scowl face. He was clearly not happy to see them and his body language showed it. His eyes widened ever so slightly when he looked at the sky where the sun was setting up.
And he understands why, it was said demons die at the touch of sunlight. It would burn them instantly if it met their entire existence.
Michikatsu turned his back and ran, seeking shelter from the bright light of the sun, and almost instantly disappearing from the sight of both the man and the woman and Yori in the forest.
Once the Demon was gone. The man turned his head and gaze at him full of worry and concern, giving Yori a clear view of what the man looked like.
The man was a young adult of tall stature and muscular-athletic build. He had long bright yellow hair with red streaks akin to flames along with two shoulder-length bangs and two chin-length bangs on the side of his head, black forked eyebrows, and golden eyes that fade to red with white pupils.
The man wore a paler brown version uniform of the woman wears, which consisted of a brown gakuran jacket, a white belt around his waist, and tattsuke-hakama pants. Over this, he wore a haori with a white-yellow gradient pattern and red flame-like ridges at the end. He wore a red kyahan with yellow flames erupting from the bottom-up, with pale brown tabi socks, and a pair of white zōri with red straps.
“Are you okay alright kid?” The man asked and he bent down to meet the child face to face. He gently placed a hand on Yori's head and ruffled it to try to comfort the scared child
Yori smiled and nodded silently, he was still a bit shaken by what happened "Yes, thank you, sir."
The man returned his smile, he retreated his hand and got up without breaking eye contact "We should get you some help first kid, before we could talk. That wound of yours looks pretty deep"