Before Kokushibo can experience true peace, he must overcome a final promise he made to his brother.
Experiencing his final battle and choosing to succumb to his enemy combatants, Upper Rank One Kokushibo awakens in a place unknown to him. His memory between death and life was hazy, but he knows of only one person who could do something like this. And with that, he seeks the only thing that could potentially set him free from his past: redemption.
CAUTION: If you have not read the Demon Slayer manga and are only watching the anime, please read forward at your own risk as there will be spoilers from the manga not yet discussed in the anime.
Defeat. A word Kokushibo dealt countlessly to demon slayers for over 400 years. He bested every single one without any issue. Hashira were fierce, but even a Hashira couldn’t compare to the immeasurable power that Muzan’s Upper Rank One wielded. With the destructive and chaotic Moon Breathing by his side, no demon slayer had ever lived to relay the information on his technique to anybody. Defeat was too swift for them to even think about telling the next person about Kokushibo’s abilities.
Seeking the Blue Spider Lily was his number one priority. Pleasing Muzan was his main goal in the use of his gifted immortality and immeasurable power. Second to his main goal, he seeked strength. Honing his Moon Breathing to perfection. A residual memory burned deep inside him. A memory suppressed and burnt to ash by the demonization process sat deep within him, still very much alive. The purpose of sharpening his forms and blood demon art past the limits of any demon.
All to surpass him.
But defeat was his to consume tonight. Reaching the newest heights of his power, he has conquered beheading. However, this was not the warrior he’d sought after. A demon as ugly as him deserved the fate that awaited him. That being his last sight: the demon slayers. Three Hashira and a demon-human hybrid of all things was all it took. To be held at bay by an imitation. He could not begin to fathom the weight of Muzan’s disappointment in him.
How embarrassing. He thought. The demon slayers had become strong. Those blades. Bright red. Burning every cell in my body. Using derivative forms. Inferior forms…much like my own. I had sacrificed everything...just to attempt to surpass him. But what is a fading candle in comparison to the staggering sun. Yet...
He had found himself standing in a dark void. He turned his head left and right and saw nothing but darkness. He looked down at his own body and could see it clearly. He shifted his foot to find he was standing in what seemed to be an endless pool of very shallow water. He felt the water heating up below him. A faint red light began to manifest deep underneath him within the water, flickering like a wild blaze. The water continued to heat as he began to sink slowly. He attempted to shift his feet more vigorously, as he calmly fought the sinking. But it was for naught. The water began to consume him. As he fought against the now boiling waters, dragging him deeper into the ever growing red light, he felt an emotion of something old. Something he hadn’t felt in centuries. Something he dare not say out loud.
I’m...going to hell..? His light struggle evolved into a frantic flailing. He tried to step up onto nothing but he made no progress. The water continued to consume him. It began to pass his stomach. Yes...I’m going to hell… As the water began to pass his chest, his body slowed it’s movements, half of his own volition and half from the searing waters. To become...so ugly...and so worthless… He looked down once again, and saw his reflection in the water. His three pairs of eyes stared back at him, detesting what they saw. Heh...what a fitting look...a demon...nothing more…simply returning home... With a blank expression, tears crept to his eyes. One fell into the water with a loud hiss. He looked directly up and saw something he didn’t expect: a faint and distant white light. Tears rolled to the back of his neck as they overflowed from all six eyes as he reached up with a heavy and boiling arm. The water turned into what felt like tar and was already engulfing up to his face. His body felt as if it were lying on the surface of the sun but not given the privilege of death. He outstretched his hand to the light, even though it felt as if his arm were made of lead.
Brother...is that you..? He sank beneath the water, his arm remained above the surface, reaching helplessly for something he could not touch. He slowly grabbed at the light completely in vain. You came… to watch me descend to hell..?As he sank, he saw everyone he had left behind gathered around his extended arm standing upon the water. His faceless mother and father, his father’s faceless vassal, his faceless wife and children, his faceless samurai comrades. The amount of people grew to innumerable amounts, now including those he had slain. So many came to watch him drown in the folly of his spirit, as well as the folly of his decisions. As the water began to creep up his wrist, the countless people he’d let down and murdered began to walk away from his sinking form. He didn’t blame a single one. Murdering scores of innocent people ensured that. Even the murder of a single innocent damned him to this fate.
Before the scalding water claimed his body and soul, he felt something. A different warmth. One in his outstretched hand. What is this..? So familiar… Kokushibo took hold of the warmth and his sinking halted. The warmth sat perfectly within his palm and fingers. Another trick...false hope, perhaps to punish me..? Against his thoughts, the warmth seemed to reverse his sinking, as he began to rise above the surface of the water. The burning sensations that the water offered began to fade as his arm, and now his head, broke the surface and rose above it. He immediately looked to his hand to see another young and strong but disembodied hand, holding his own with a tender grip. As the burning began to fade, his body was completely above the surface. He floated there for what felt like an eternity, inches above the water that was only moments ago claiming his soul.
The disembodied hand dropped Kokushibo onto his feet, this time not sinking into the water. Rather, the water sent a single ripple from his position into the infinite darkness, bringing light. The light emanated from what seemed to be a mock sun directly above him in front of a brilliant blue sky. Clouds took shape, accentuated by vermillion outlines. The disembodied hand began to lower in front of Kokushibo. An arm started to materialize. It continued to construct a person from the hands and feet up to its neck. At the same time, black hakama trousers and a red haori sewed into existence, hugging loosely to the forming person. Kokushibo instantly knew who it was at this point. Regardless, he remained silent and reserved as his younger brother’s person completed its materialization. Yoriichi came to Kokushibo in the image of his young and strong self. He looked at Kokushibo with that same blank expression that he remembered since childhood.
“Hello, Brother.” Yoriichi said softly. “It has been quite some time.”
“Yes…” Kokushibo replied, as if he’d known this conversation was going to occur. “400 years or so.”
“Ah, I see. About time, it would seem.” Yoriichi said, coldly. Kokushibo felt that deep hatred for his younger brother well up once again. However, he couldn’t help but agree with him. For something that lived so long and so disgustingly, his death couldn’t have come soon enough. Something nagged at Kokushibo’s thoughts. Yoriichi wanted nothing more in his life than to slay Muzan. But when he found that his own brother had become a demon, Yoriichi felt the responsibility to destroy such a demon landed on his own shoulders. He bore this burden alone. Centuries later, Yoriichi had the look of unshaken indifference in his expression. Despite it all, Kokushibo felt a hopeful energy his younger brother was emitting.
“Brother,” Kokushibo questioned, “why are we here? What have you done?” Yoriichi closed his eyes and shook his head once at the questions, then reopened his eyes.
“I should be the one asking what you have done. You are my brother, yet demon blood runs in your veins. And for so long, it has embedded itself into your very nature. It seems as though you are always in the position to demand answers but never in the position to deserve them.”
“Enough!” Kokushibo raised his voice, swiping his hand outward across his body to emphasize his frustration. Yoriichi did not flinch. “What is the meaning of this? Tell me what you have done to reverse my death that I… so rightly deserve.” At this point, Kokushibo recoiled slightly at the sight. A translucent womanly figure wearing an opaque, white veil with the kanji for “Sun” and “God” over her face faded into vision behind Yoriichi. She clung closely to Yoriichi, her pale and frail arms wrapped gently around his torso. Mixed and hushed whispers crept into Kokushibo’s ears as the woman gazed in Kokushibo’s direction. An instinctual chill ran down his spine, unnerved by the sudden appearance of this ghostly woman. Yoriichi, on the other hand, was unfazed at the apparition. Kokushibo’s eyes widened as he deduced who she was. “Brother...is that..?”
“There’s little time to explain.” Yoriichi interjected. “I apologize for my curtness, but I’m not sure how much of this information will remain with you.” Yoriichi took a breath. The woman in white rested her chin on his shoulder, giving a patient tilt of her head. Kokushibo noticed her otherworldly image was completed by her levitating inches and barefoot above the water. Yoriichi continued. “I am offering my soul back to her so that you may live once more for a very slim chance at redemption. Should you fail in this endeavor, you will have damned your soul twofold, and she keeps my own soul for eternity. Should you succeed, however, you will be spared the horrors and suffering of hell… and I may find peace in my death all those centuries ago.”
Kokushibo felt a reactionary, hollow desire to refuse the bargain. He opened his mouth to respond with venom but quickly shut it. He then realized that he was no longer influenced by Muzan’s cells. Demon blood still flowed through him, but his connection to Muzan had been severed the moment his body crumbled entirely. He no longer felt Muzan’s presence. His decisions, after 400 years, were finally his own. With his true feelings and conscience intact, he decided to make a decision completely of his own accord and reconsidered the offer.
“And should I refuse?” Kokushibo questioned.
“Then nothing would change.” Yoriichi responded simply. Kokushibo believed that then he would return to his damnation in hell and his brother would belong to the kami anyways.
“What brought you to this...kindness?”
“We are brothers.” Yoriichi responded flatly but infallibly. “Need I any more reason? I see you still have the flute. You kept it after my death and until after your own demise?”
“...” Kokushibo felt the pouch carrying the flute in question beneath his kimono. In the end, though he carried himself with hatred for his younger brother, he couldn’t help the fact that they loved each other first. He wanted to protect Yoriichi from the dangers of the world. He wanted to become a samurai. To be the older brother and protect his sibling with his own mortal body. Even though he had failed in this and their roles reversed, he couldn’t help but unconditionally love his brother. This love broke the dam of hatred and came rushing back and struck him like a tsunami, but he remained composed and seemingly unmoved.
“Please, consider my offer with haste.” Yoriichi said, breaking Kokushibo from his reminiscing.
“Even...after all that I’ve done…?” Kokushibo tried to look away from Yoriichi, but felt an outside force influencing him to look his brother in the eyes as he said that. “The countless people I have killed? The lives I have destroyed?! And yet here you stand, speaking to the gods as though they were your own kin…” Yoriichi’s expression didn’t change. A twist of hate tried to reignite in Kokushibo’s heart as he clenched his jaw. Even in death, he thought, he makes deals with otherworldly beings? I know my requests to do the same for him would fall on deaf ears… still… He relaxed his body and calmly delivered his answer. “I accept.” Kokushibo could see what looked like the ghost of the haunting smile his brother gave only a handful of times. This time it felt more comforting than anything else.
“Thank you... Michikatsu.” Yoriichi stepped forward and stopped an arm's length away from Kokushibo. Yoriichi lightly placed his hand onto Kokushibo’s shoulder. He flinched at the utterance of his true name given at birth. At the same time, he felt a small hand take his own. He looked to his occupied hand and was surprised to see a young Yoriichi gently holding his calloused hand. The young Yoriichi looked up at him, expressionless, but a glimmer of hope could be seen deep in his eyes. And finally, he felt a final hand on the center of his back. He looked over his shoulder to see Yoriichi’s elderly form that made the one attempt on Kokushibo’s life, tears in his blinded and aged eyes.
Kokushibo turned back to the adult version of his brother. The veiled woman was gone. Yoriichi gave him a slight nod as Kokushibo’s vision began to be engulfed by a mix of a bright white and a deep crimson. He heard all three forms of his brother give his final blessing to him in perfect unison.
“Good luck, Brother.”
~
Kokushibo’s eyes shot open. He sat up quickly, his vision still hazy. His vision began to focus as he scanned his environment. Looking up through the canopy of rustling leaves, he saw that the sun had already set, mixing the sky with shades of red and tints of amethyst. Hmm, the hour of the dog…? He cast his eyes down to ground level and saw thick brush and winding, swamp-like trees. The ground was firm, but damp. The air was weighted by the swamp’s humidity. A mire, it seems... Before he continued his observations, he shot his left hand down to his waist and felt a familiar distorted scabbard. The eyes in the spaces of the handle’s wrap and guard continued giving him extended sight. Realizing this, he turned over to a puddle of water next to him. He gazed into it, seeing he retained his demonic, six-eyed form. “Upper Rank 1” remained stained on his center two irises. He sighed, frustrated with his appearance.
He stood up with a dejected posture. During which, he thought about his encounter with his brother. Redemption… He pondered Yoriichi’s intention for him. Pieces of what had happened in limbo had begun to fade from his memory like a dream. He consciously held on to important pieces of information that had transpired as he trekked forward through the winding mire.
He could hear the life forms all around him. Most sounded to be insects, but there was distant rustling of what sounded like something larger. He moved like a ghost in the now thickening fog, making little noise, and keeping his eyes on the lookout for any kind of major movement. He pushed past bush after bush until he reached a small clearing of moss and mud that was lit by a calming moonlight. As he stepped into the open, he heard a ghostly howl followed by resonating howls from the opposing treeline. He continued despite the threatening howls now growing in volume. He focused his eyes on the treeline seeking the source of the howling, but was surprised to find nothing. The Transparent World...if there are wolves, then I should be able to detect them through the brush. Another thought, more haunting than the last, crossed his mind. Wolves in Japan went extinct...so, am I not in Japan anymore?
Before he could delve into deeper concern, the source of the howling showed itself. A light green mist flowed from the treeline and spilled into the edges of the clearing. Countless timberwolves varying in size emerged behind the lime colored mist, completely surrounding and circling Kokushibo. Although almost unmoved by the horrific sight before him, he was now truly concerned about this new environment that seemed to defy the laws of his home world. Wolves...made of wood? He drew his katana, its wicked design and myriad of eyes was retained alongside his body. Now then, let’s see if my blood demon art remains as well.
“Moon Breathing,” He drew in a large amount of air, expanding the size and strength of his muscles. The timberwolves readied a combined attack at the same time. He readied his stance to deal his attack. “Fifth Form,” he gripped his sword as he brought it to his side, ready for the ideal moment to strike. The timberwolves made the first move and collectively charged Kokushibo’s position. Once all of the wolves were well within Kokushibo’s range, he released his attack alongside his blood demon art. “Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy.” He made multiple horizontal slashes layered one on top of the other, each slash unleashed countless crescent moon blades scattering chaotically around him. They continuously changed size and speed, shredding every single timberwolf into a hail of sticks and splinters. Ghostly howls bellowed from each fallen timberwolf that clattered in pieces onto the ground.
He exhaled with a low hiss. He panned his eyes slowly from his right to his left. His sword offered a wider range in his vision to see behind himself. All of his eyes detected no more movement. My techniques are still here, at least. He stood up straight from his stance and slid the katana back into its scabbard. After which, he knelt down and examined the now inert timberwolves. He looked the chunks of timber over and saw nothing out of the ordinary. He ran his fingers lightly on the trunk, tracing the slash marks from his attack. The wood was hard and dry, despite the ambient humidity. How peculiar… He looked at the moon’s height. Despite it being the early hours of night, he decided it was best not to ponder the nature of this new world without knowing if the length of night was the same as his old home.
He stood, quickly continuing his trek through the foreign swamp. Moving between trees and pushing through more thickened brush, he came to a new, but smaller clearing. Strange bottles hung from the low branches only a few feet above his head by loosely woven string. As he walked deeper into the clearing, he looked into each bottle. They all seemed to be completely empty with a layer of condensation on the outside of the bottle. He cast his eyes to the large tree trunk that all of the branches were connected to. A small window-like hole was emitting light from it. A door to the apparent abode is adjacent to the window. He approached the door, taking note of its abnormally small size as the top of the door only reached to his collarbone. He listened closely and heard slight movements from within.
Although not intimidated by whatever was inside the abode, he stood with his left hand resting on the pommel of his katana. With his opposite hand, he used his index finger’s knuckle to knock politely on the door. As he waited, he listened closely through the door again. The movements seemed to stop for a moment followed by steps approaching the door. The steps were almost inaudible through the door even for his sharpened senses. The door opened slowly, only slightly ajar. Kokushibo was surprised by the sight.
A chestnut skinned woman, adorned by golden rings around her neck and piercing her ears, peeked her head out from behind her door. She traced her eyes upward until her eyes met Kokushibo’s. Her jaw lowered a small amount and her eyes grew whiter, even more shocked than Kokushibo was by the sight before her.
“Hello..?” Kokushibo said carefully, not able to mask his intimidating aura. “I apologize for the intrusion.” The Transparent World remained his to behold, as he examined her quickening heart rate and trembling muscles. He assumed his sight didn’t work on the timberwolves due to their lack of muscles, vessels, and the like. Fear was running rampant in her body, despite Kokushibo’s gentle greeting. The woman seemed to calm herself slowly, realizing that he meant no harm, evident by his greeting and relaxed posture. Opening the door wider, she revealed to be skimpily dressed. A black and white striped wrap covered her chest with a thinner strip crossing over her shoulder. A waist cloth of the same material and design clung to her hips and reached halfway down her thighs.
“Hello,” The woman began, “and who might you be? I know I have never met a person with eyes in pairs of three.” Kokushibo was utterly shocked to see her abnormally casual reaction to his appearance. And what surprised him even more is that he understood her perfectly. Such exoticism, yet he understood every word. But it was strange, it was as if he were talking in two languages at the same time. Hearing one, but interpreting it in another. The thought forced his head to begin to spin.
“My name is Kokushibo.” He introduced himself by his demon alias, his true name being far above and beyond his form as a demon. He bowed slightly at the waist in introduction. He retracted his bow, looking intensely at the stranger before him. Fascinating..
“Ah, a very foreign name and face indeed.” She relaxed in her rhyme to the point of even cracking a smile. “I am Ancora, ready to help you who seems in dire need.” She quickly looked him up and down, noticing his lack of anything but a gnarly blade in its scabbard and the clothes on his back. Her sense of hospitality overpowered her unsettled nerves over the strange scabbard and hilt as she prodded for any issue with the strange man. “Are you hungry? Or maybe lost?” She had a look of, what seemed like, concern on her face. “I can assist you without the worry of cost.” Kokushibo sighed in relief that he stumbled upon a decent person in his first interaction in such a strange place.
“Thank you, miss.” Kokushibo exhaled. “But all I need at the moment is a place to stay for the upcoming day.” It was at this moment that he noticed another strange anomaly within himself. A completely defenseless person standing before him, yet not an ounce of bloodlust from within himself. He had not eaten a human for what was surely several hours now at the very least. Utilizing his breathing and blood demon art, he expected himself to be a bit on the peckish side to say the least. However, he did not seem to feel compelled to kill and eat the would-be vulnerable prey before him. Instead, the grinding voices in his head went completely silent as all that was left was his own voice. A space in his thoughts once occupied by the desire to kill and devour, now replaced by emptiness, silence, and loss of direction and purpose.
“Of course!” Ancora said, stepping aside and allowing entrance to her tree home. “Please, show yourself in and make yourself at home. I’m sure you must be tired from wandering this swamp all alone.”
Kokushibo ducked his head as he entered the abode. As he stood up straight, his head was but a few inches from the abode’s ceiling. With a click behind him, Ancora closed the door. He looked about the inside of the surprisingly spacious tree home. A circular wooden table took up most of the center space. On it were various herbs, none familiar to him, strewn about the tabletop around a small mortar and pestle. Shelves built into the tree’s inner trunk lined each wall, all holding a collection of strange jellies, branches, liquids, and even some insects all sealed within small jars. The walls were decorated with local flower arrangements and even some strange masks that hung flush with the walls. He quickly noted the sweet, natural smell that seemed to occupy all of the airspace within the home.
He removed his mud ridden sandals next to the front door and proceeded inside, continuing to look around at the many eye-catching sights within. Ancora stepped by him, his stocky frame taking up more space than she expected. She gave a small waving gesture for him to follow her. He followed, as instructed, closely behind. On the far end of the home, she revealed a spiraling staircase downward. She descended, minding her head as she continued her descent. Kokushibo followed but struggled as he had to almost crouch and shimmy his way downstairs under the flooring.
As they made it to the bottom of the staircase, he noticed that the dimly lit room here had a lower ceiling than upstairs as his head was now hunched forward and he had to bend his knees slightly just to not bump his head. Ancora picked up small chests and other odds and ends off of what looked to be a shelf and placed them off to different sides. As she continued, it became clear that the shelf turned out to be a fairly large cot fashioned of loosely threaded cloth strips and sturdy looking branches. It didn’t look particularly comfortable.
“I am truly sorry, but this storage space and bedding is all that I can spare.” Ancora laid out a thickly woven blanket over the weaved layer. Once she finished, she turned to face her guest. She looked a little bit downcast as she made eye contact with Kokushibo. “But feel free to come and go as you please for something to eat or some air.” She gave him a friendly smile, to which he replied with a silent nod. She gave a friendly but cautious smile to Kokushibo as she bypassed him and ascended the staircase. He approached the bed and sat down. He placed his sword down on the floor and took in a deep breath. For the first time in almost four centuries, he felt a faint fatigue. His body felt heavy as he laid back onto the cot and closed his eyes for what he meant to be a few minutes.
~
“…use me..”
Kokushibo stirred awake slowly at the voice speaking to him. At first it sounded distant, but quickly grew near.
“Excuse me…”
He instinctively shot awake and sat up quickly. Ancora jumped back slightly at his speed. Kokushibo shot his eyes around the room, remembering that the events of the previous night were not constructs of his imagination. He felt a cold sweat trickle down his spine.
“I’m sorry to intrude and startle you awake.” Ancora apologized, inching her hand closer to Kokushibo’s shoulder. “I wondered if you were hungry, so I can see what I can make.” Kokushibo calmed himself once her hand made contact with his shoulder. He felt that he had dozed off for a little bit it seemed. He tried to avoid direct eye contact, knowing his gaze was an intimidating one. He tried to give a smile of gratitude, but it came at a certain difficulty.
“It’s quite alright.” Kokushibo sat up fully and threw his legs over the side of the cot. He felt his hunger rush him down all at once. However, it wasn’t the hunger for human flesh. If it was, he knew he would’ve already slaughtered this defenseless woman. Rather, his creeping hunger was, for once, a hunger for normal food. He stowed his shock and responded to her offer. “And yes, I would appreciate something to eat actually. Thank you very much.” Ancora smiled.
“It is of no issue to help you.” Ancora stood up straight, Kokushibo followed in suit only after he retrieved his sword. They began to climb the cramped stairway once again after what felt like Kokushibo to be an hour. Ancora reached for the cellar door handle. “After all, I have already prepared a morning meal for two.”
“Morn..?!” Kokushibo was only able to get that much out before Ancora opened the cellar door. Next to it’s entrance on the ground floor was an open window. Morning light quickly spilled into the cellar. Kokushibo jumped to the side as the light was too fast for him to react. He felt its touch against his exposed hand as he landed in the most recessed corner of the cellar. Ancora quickly turned at the quiet retreat and saw Kokushibo with a serious face. Her face shifted to confusion as to why her guest seemed to be stricken with some fear.
Kokushibo felt his own hand that the sunlight had grazed. He inspected it with surprise to see that the sunlight had not affected him at all. He put his arm down and slowly approached the stairway once again. He squinted at the sunbeams inches away from him. Using the same hand that was exposed just moments ago, he allowed his fingertips to be bathed in the sunlight. He felt no sensation of pain. His body didn’t disintegrate. The sunlight felt warm against his pale skin that had been cold as a corpse for hundreds of years. He couldn’t help but smirk quickly at the forgotten feeling. He slowly stepped into the sunlight, letting his body be washed in morning warmth. He closed his eyes and felt as though the light pushed him side to side in small waves.
Ancora watched in awe as this man before her seemed to sway drunkenly in the morning light. His behavior was very strange to her to say the least. She continued up the staircase quietly, hoping not to disturb the man. She placed multiple sliced fish alongside mixed vegetables onto a larger plate for her guest. She served herself a smaller portion and then placed the plates onto a small table separate from her working table. Once she finished pouring tea into small teacups, she heard a light shuffle behind her. She turned to see Kokushibo much closer to her than he sounded. Kokushibo looked over the breakfast, his serious visage returned to him.
“Thank you very much, um...” Kokushibo couldn’t remember her name as it was quite outside of his native tongue. She chuckled.
“Ancora. Please have a seat.” She gestured to the empty chair across from her own. “I hope you don’t mind fish in place of other meat.” She took her seat and Kokushibo mirrored her in his own seat. He placed his sword next to him leaning against the wall.
“I actually prefer fish.” He put his hands together and offered a prayer to the gods, something he hadn’t done in quite literally ages. Offering prayers to the gods over his “meals” was ridiculous. Even as a demon, he knew better. But this was finally something different. A meal that didn’t scream or beg for its life before he devoured it. He almost felt human again despite the nausea he now felt in the pit of his stomach. “Thank you for this meal.” He whispered inaudibly. He took up the small fork and politely began eating his meal.
They ate in relative silence. Ancora was more open about her curiosity towards him than Kokushibo was with her. She would occasionally ask a question in which Kokushibo responded with a vague or cryptic answer. Where he was from, what does his name mean, how long has he been traveling, and what exactly was he. That question burned him up. He felt different but the choice to become something else is what defined him as a demon. A choice like that was simply impossible to escape. As defensive Kokushibo was with this stranger, it didn’t douse Ancora’s curiosity. In fact, it further fanned the flame. Even after they ate and Kokushibo bid his host farewell, indebtedness, and deep gratitude, Ancora stood by her door with many burning questions. None would be answered as he disappeared from her sight into the brush with seemingly no particular direction. Still, it’s a small visit that won’t be forgotten by her.
~
As Kokushibo walked in daylight for the first time in what felt like forever, he enjoyed every sight and sound as if it were the first time. The bugs of the swamp, the sunbeams peaking through the canopy, the birds chirping, and the morning warmth on his skin filled him with a joy he had not gotten used to yet. Every time a sunbeam glazed over his eyes, his memories came back to him. It was like pictures being shown behind a bamboo lattice. Snippets of a life that were once his. The remembrance was bittersweet. As he continued to wander, the sunlight became slightly diluted with a creeping fog that slowly rolled in. He stepped out of the brush onto what looked like an unimproved road. He followed the road closely.
It wasn’t long until Kokushibo reached another small clearing. However this clearing was bisected by a cliff. At the edge of this rocky cliff was a stone bridge that extended into a much more thick fog. He peered around and underneath the bridge and saw thick stone supports that extended downward into more fog, seemingly bottomless. The bridge looked rather recently built as the stones remained fairly clean with a layer of morning dew laid onto the whole bridge. He started to cross the bridge, noticing traces of wagon tracks on the transition from the mire’s soil to the hard, cut stone.
The cliff where he had originated faded quickly to the fog behind him. The sounds of the mire also quieted with each step until he was left with nothing but a light breeze in his ear. The air chilled with the wind. He rested his left palm onto the pommel of his sword, ready for any kind of surprise to hit him. He walked for what felt like nothing less than fifteen minutes.
“Halt!” A thundering voice suddenly rang out. Kokushibo slowed to a total stop. The fog around him was still as thick as ever. He scanned left and right in front of him. He found this fog odd. The Transparent World gave him extended visual range. Something natural like fog shouldn’t impede him at all. Yet here it looked like any regular fog that can obscure anyone’s eyes. He tensed, well aware that his environment wasn’t as powerless as it seemed. The voice came again. “What is your business here?” Kokushibo tried to pinpoint the voice, but it sounded as if it came from all directions.
“I’m a traveler.” Kokushibo tried to match the volume but failed. “I’m lost and simply need a map of the area.” . . . . .
“Come forward at a half pace.” The voice ordered.
Kokushibo complied. He stepped with care and steadiness ahead of him. The fog quickly cleared with the sunlight returning in full strength, forcing him to bring his hand up and shield his eyes. Once his eyes adjusted, he brought his hand down. He was in awe. A massive portcullis before him. The wall it had been built into wrapped around an extravagant castle. The castle was built on a naturally formed pillar of stone. The castle was built high with spires reaching into the sky. Along the walls, sentries clad in golden armor marched and surveyed outwards. Watchtowers divided sections of the walls. Atop the towers, Kokushibo could see what appeared to be ballistas.
The portcullis before him rumbled and shook, catching his attention. It slowly began to rise up around eight feet and then came to a halt.
“Enter and wait, traveler.” The voice’s source became clear. A large man in more accented armor at the top of the gate, peered confidently over the wall and down at Kokushibo. Kokushibo stepped past the ajar gate as it slammed down and shut behind him. Another portcullis stood before him, but it remained closed for several minutes. He heard a loud rattling to his left. A large iron door made a hefty chunk sound, and then opened.
The man from above stepped into the space between the tall gates followed by two subordinate-looking guards. Now up close, Kokushibo noticed the significant difference between the taller man and his guards. He was more sturdily built than his counterparts. Kokushibo found it laughable that these two smaller men were his guard. Now up close, Kokushibo could see his left pauldron bore a chromatic and simple design of a shining sun.
“Okay, traveler.” The large man started very roughly. He looked startled at Kokushibo’s appearance, but the man did his best to hide his reaction. “What is your name?” One of the guards had a small board, paper, and quill. The guard looked a little sickly underneath his open-faced helm as he took down what Kokushibo assumed was his appearance.
“Kokushibo.” He responded flatly to the guards. He knew that the man in charge was seemingly trying to intimidate him. However, Kokushibo was not shaken in the slightest.
“Odd name.” The man looked at Kokushibo's waist. “What’s a traveler need a sword for?”
“Considering I have no particular destination…I’m sure it’s fairly obvious as to why I would need a sword.”
“Hmph.” The man scoffed. “Well we need to confiscate that before you enter the grounds. You understand, I’m sure.” Kokushibo hummed in agreement. He slid the scabbard from his waist and slowly handed the weapon to the other guard. That guard drew the blade slightly and examined it in a mixture of confusion and disgust.
“What an ugly sword!” The guard exclaimed. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” At that moment, the two eyes exposed along the blade quickly locked to the guard holding it. He dropped it suddenly with a gag. “Euh!! Is that thing alive?!”
Kokushibo remained stone faced, using his whole internal voice of reason to keep himself from chuckling at the guard. He reached down and retrieved his sword and scabbard. He closed the blade into the scabbard and handed it to the large man who took the blade with a cautious look. He continued to stare down Kokushibo for a few seconds.
“Listen,” he began with a serious tone, “I don’t know who or what you are, but while you’re here, I’m going to keep a very, very close eye on you.”
“Have you finished harassing our guest, Captain?” A female with an even more thundering voice rang through the checkpoint. Kokushibo winced at the volume and looked to the source of the voice.
On the other side of the portcullis within the castle’s main courtyard stood a young woman with medium skin tone. She had an indigo, midnight blue and black battle skirt that reached to her shins and parted in the fron. She wore a shining silver chest plate that clung tightly to her torso, defending the vital organs within it. A translucent, violet shawl sparkled platinum white stars in the daylight. At her waist hung a short sword in a navy and silver accented sheath. From her back were a pair of folded and eggplant-colored wings. Her hair matched the indigos, blues, and violets of her dress and was held up into a loose ponytail, strands draping over her face like curtain tassels. Her hair was something Kokushibo had never seen before: as though they were housing an early night sky, the “stars” in them twinkling seemingly on their own as if alive. Accenting her hair sat a pitch black tiara, devoid of any visible gemstones. Despite the shocking beauty, she had an irritated look on her face.
“Excuse us, Princess.” The supposed captain responded with a slight bow of his head. “We were simply confiscating this man’s weapon before he entered the premises.” He turned back to Kokushibo and shot him a glare. “Raise the inner gate!” He boomed, not taking his eyes off of Kokushibo’s. The inner gate rumbled and opened to the same eight foot height. Kokushibo moved his eyes to the woman beyond the gate who stood, unmoving. He passed the gate as it closed shut like the first one. Now that Kokushibo was right in front of her, the apparent Princess was also very small in height. A shining, silver, crescent moon-shaped brooch clipped together the shawl made for rain. As for her physique, the Transparent World allowed Kokushibo to examine her in detail and was quite surprised to see she was very sturdily built despite her feminine facial structure. He bowed deeply at the waist before her, now knowing of her royalty.
“Good day, your highness.” He remained bowed. “I apologize… for my unannounced intrusion. My name is Kokushibo.” She looked down on his bowing form, despite his normally towering height over her, with a small scrunch of her nose.
“And exactly what are you?” She asked bluntly with volume. “You obviously are not human.”
“I am… a demon.” Kokushibo responded, hoping something half decent would come of his honesty. He remained bowed in silence.
“Demon..?” She responded curiously. “Raise your head and speak plainly! We have never heard of such a creature.” Kokushibo followed the order and stood up straight. He could see her heart rate quicken a few beats. Kokushibo assumed it was due to his vertical stature compared to hers.
“A demon…” Kokushibo quickly debated on a path to take, when he vaguely remembered what his brother said. The sad and sympathetic look in his eyes gave Kokushibo the guidance he needed. “is a… horrible creature.” He remained silent as his eyes looked past the Princess with shame. She seemed impatient. “A cursed creature…that kills… and feeds on its prey.” He clenched his hand. “No matter how much…it begged for its life…”
“Ridiculous!” The Princess exclaimed. “That is no different from a human.” Kokushibo’s face fell as his eyes diverted further from the Princess’. After a few seconds, his three pairs of eyes returned to her single pair.
“And if that prey… were humans?” Kokushibo asked, almost regrettably, his face giving no sign of aggression nor comfort. If the Princess were shocked or felt fear, he would have noticed immediately. Her heart rate had already returned to normal, but her right arm as well as both wings tensed.
“Do you consider Us a prey item, Mr. Kokushibo?” She pronounced his name perfectly as if she had known him all her life. “Because if that is so, then We must remind you that you are severely unarmed and surrounded. Choose your next words wisely!” Kokushibo only stood there. He could feel the eyes of the multitude of guards who watched over his body very closely for even the slightest movement. He sighed and closed his eyes for a second and then reopened them.
“If I were any other demon, perhaps.” He started, heeding her warning. “As for me, I can assure you that I have no intention of hurting you… or anyone, for that matter.” The Princess examined him closely with squinted eyes, trying to see any hint of deception. What felt like several minutes, she relaxed her tensed arm and wings. She huffed a small breath of what Kokushibo could only assume was relief.
“Very well.” She said, confident in her judgement. Kokushibo was surprised at her sudden shift in mood, going from defensive to regal in a matter of seconds. “You are welcome here, Mr. Kokushibo. We are Princess Luna, Princess of the Moon. We control the rising and setting of the moon. Where you are presently is the Castle of the Two Sisters.” She gestured broadly with one arm at the entire castle.
“I’m honored.” Kokushibo responded almost reflexively. “And again, excuse my interruption.”
“We hear that you are in need of a map.” She said, turning and beginning to march through the courtyard, almost ignoring his apology. Kokushibo quickly caught up and followed her pace behind her.
“Yes. I simply need directions to the nearest town, if it isn’t too much trouble.” They approached a large and heavy looking dark wood double door. It creaked open and allowed both Luna and Kokushibo through.
“It is of no trouble or hindrance.” She said with no fault in her voice. “We will have Our cartographer’s apprentice present you a simple map, posthaste!”
They entered a grand hall. A column of pillars lined symmetrically down the hall. At each one, a relic of some kind sat on a pedestal or in a glass case. They walked up the center following an emerald velvet carpet in between the pillars as he looked into each case and pedestal. The relics varied from scrolls, talismans, staffs, and broken weapons. Once halfway down the hall, he looked upwards to the high ceiling to see a massive mural that spanned the whole length of the hall. The mural was split into multiple epochs. A recurring pair of royalty appeared in each epoch: a female in a white dress with sparkling white-gold and violet-tipped hair alongside a man clad in heavy and blackened armor, wielding a large halberd. He noticed the male figure’s hair resembled the Princess who currently guided Kokushibo.
Luna sharply turned right at the end of the hall through a small doorway. They were now walking down a hall with large windows to one side that exposed another courtyard. Except this one was considerably nicer with four trellises that divided the courtyard into quadrants. All of the trellises converged into a large gazebo in its center. After passing the row windows, the pair made multiple turns through the labyrinth of tightened hallways. Kokushibo was astonished at the beauty and intricacy of the castle. Every corner turned brought another fascinating sight.
They had finally reached their destination. Luna entered the cartographer’s workshop while Kokushibo remained outside. After a quick peek inside, the room looked typical to Kokushibo’s expectations: papers strewn about with measuring tools and various types of quills and pencils. After Luna had spoken to the cartographer, a few seconds passed and she returned to Kokushibo’s side. She handed him a small, rolled piece of parchment.
“For you.” She said aloud. “A map to the nearest town: Ponyville.”
“That was fast.” Kokushibo said, surprised. “I have no money, however…”
“Unnecessary!” She held her chin up and pressed the map into his hand. “For something as simple as a map, a guest need not pay. All We ask of you is to not cause trouble while visiting Our kingdom. Is that understood? Because if it is not, We will be forced to subdue and eliminate you swiftly and mercilessly!”
“Understood.” Kokushibo replied simply despite the aggressive warning and gave a slight bow. “And thank you, Princess. I intend to repay this debt.” She waved her hand dismissively.
“If you wish to repay it, We shall not deny you your desire and We shall keep that in mind. Do as you please.” She looked him in his two center eyes. She looked at the symbols more closely. She felt an odd feeling in the back of her neck. He bowed once more in farewell as he left her presence. Once he had turned the corner and was out of sight, she thought about this feeling. It was a chill as she slowly realized that what had just happened was she read a language that was not her own.
Upper Rank…One? Hmm…
~
Kokushibo continued his journey down the main path that led from the castle. The castle slowly disappeared behind him in the trees. It was midday now and the sun pierced the canopy of trees once again. As he followed the path to the designated junctions on the very simple map given to him, he thought more deeply about the situation he found himself in.
Royalty…kingdom…Two Sisters… Such a strange place. I wonder if it is like this everywhere here. A thought crossed his mind that sickened him to his stomach. Could there be other demons that made it here..?! Perhaps maybe… He then remembered what Luna had said when she first met him. She’s never seen or heard of demons… so maybe I’m the first…hopefully. Either way…I need to be ready for the worst. His mind turned to more immediate matters as he exited the forest and entered an apple orchard. Lodging…money…connections…I need to get all of these things settled. He pulled the parchment from his nagagi and looked at it closely. Through this large orchard…
“Get ‘im, Redwood!” A shrill voice called out loud from across the orchard. An inhuman roar bellowed across the orchard. Kokushibo put the parchment back into his nagagi and picked up his pace towards the sound of the voice and roar. He used the trees to conceal his movement as the yelling got louder.
“Gala! Get the axe! And keep the kids inside!” A deep voice called back at the shrill voice. As Kokushibo approached and hid behind a nearby tree, he saw a large farm hand holding back what looked to Kokushibo like a large, winged lion that brandished a scorpion’s tail. Kokushibo squinted in fascination. The creature looked as though it’d come from a fairy tale. He shook his stupor off and saw the creature reared its tail to attack. The large man had his attention focused on the woman in a nearby barn who was rifling through the equipment.
Kokushibo moved with great speed towards the man. He grabbed the man under his arm and tackled him in his blind spot. Right then, the tail’s stinger crashed into the earth where the farmhand once stood. The two men rolled through the dirt, but Kokushibo recovered and slid across the dirt on his feet before his momentum dissipated. The farmhand named Redwood lay on the ground and looked up to Kokushibo’s back. Seeing the swordsman’s composed stature and still body, Redwood could only think that Kokushibo was a soldier of some kind.
“Who..?” Was all Redwood could say before Kokushibo drew in a slow but deep breath. The manticore pulled its tail from the ground and roared at Kokushibo. His sword remained in its scabbard as he held the grip tightly. The manticore readied a charge, snarling at its target. “It’s gonna charge!” Redwood scrambled to his feet and ran to the barn entrance. When he turned, he saw that Kokushibo hadn’t moved from his spot. He remained still as ever. “Get back! That thing’s gonna trample you!!”
It was too late, as the manticore began its charge. Its quickness was surprising to Kokushibo for its size. Still, the speed was nothing to him. A wild animal making a direct charge was childsplay. “Moon Breathing, First Form…” He readied his attack. Once the manticore was within range, Kokushibo unleashed his attack. “Dark Moon, Evening Palace.” His blade drew at immeasurable speed. From his blade, multiple crescent moon blades emitted and rotated forward. His sword cut through the jaw and skull of the leaping manticore while his crescent blades stopped the momentum the beast carried and shredded it. The manticore dropped to the floor dead and slid forward to a halt, Kokushibo stepping out of its path. With the manticore slain, Kokushibo sheathed his sword, his crescent moons dissipating, and signifying the end of the one-sided battle.
“Sweet apples and caramel…” Redwood whispered under his breath, the woman named Gala cowering closely behind him. Redwood stepped out and slowly approached the swordsman, the woman following close behind, trembling, and still wielding a wood cutting axe. They heard an almost ghostly exhale pass Kokushibo’s lips. “Thanks, mister…?”
Kokushibo turned his head slightly, his face hidden behind the spiked locks of his hair. He stopped himself from showing them his face. Since he knew his appearance was not ever seen, he felt obligated to keep the clarity of his presence to a minimum. “Kokushibo…and your thanks are not necessary… I apologize for the mess…” He felt a massive lack of worthiness of thank you’s. A scornful look and distasteful words were all he wanted to make walking away easier. But he knew it wouldn’t be that easy once he heard that deep voice once again.
“Oh crab apples to that modesty and the little mess!” Redwood chortled after that. He approached the paused Kokushibo. “The name’s Redwood Smith. And this is my wife Gala Smith… Ya gonna turn around and shake my hand, stranger?” He extended his bulky hand to Kokushibo’s back. Kokushibo felt as though there was no other choice. He turned slowly as to hopefully not startle the farmhand. Once his face was in view, Redwood didn’t seem to budge, his wide smile remained plastered on his face. The woman’s face, on the other hand, melted into shock and fear at the sight. Kokushibo kept his eyes fixated on Redwood, unsure if this was simply a daydream. He extended his hand towards the rough farmer’s. Kokushibo was yanked forwards slightly as Redwood grabbed his hand with great force and squeezed tightly. Kokushibo returned the shake slowly.
“Son, you could have a hundred extra eyes and it’d all mean the same that you protected my wife and I from that manticore there.” Redwood released his grip from Kokushibo’s hand. “Plus, you look human enough. Sound human enough too.” Kokushibo averted his eyes in self disdain. “Is there any way we can repay you..uhh?” He chortled again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch your name the first time.”
“Kokushibo… and perhaps an apple from your orchard? If it’s of no trouble.”
“Shoot, asking for an apple from an apple farm is too easy!” Redwood placed his hands on his hips. “Well, take some time to think of better repayment while I go get you a basket!” He turned and walked with his wife to his house as they talked amongst each other. Gala made a cautious glance over her shoulder to Kokushibo. Once again, he averted his intense gaze to his left.
He remained in the spot for several minutes while Redwood and Gala entered the cellar of the farmhouse. Kokushibo looked at the cozy structure. In the main window in the front, he could see three separate pairs of eyes peeking over the windowsill. When his eyes locked on to theirs, they quickly dipped under the windowsill. His attention was quickly brought to Redwood once again, now approaching alone with a rather large basket wrapped together with leather strips to make it easier to carry. He dropped the basket with a heavy thump onto the ground.
“Hope this ain’t too heavy to carry.” Redwood rubbed the back of his neck, obviously hoping he hadn’t overdone it. “This was one of the baskets that had the most bright red and emerald green apples we picked this harvest. Normally I’d hate to see ‘em go but I’d be more than happy to give ‘em to someone willing to lay life and limb down for my family.”
“Thank you…” Kokushibo bowed quickly and picked up the basket. He threw the basket over his shoulder and held the thick strap close to his chest as the basket hung close to his back. “I’ll be on my way now.” He started to turn to walk away but was stopped by the large hand on his shoulder. Kokushibo stopped.
“Come back now, ya hear?” Redwood said with a smile. “A basket o’ apples is too small to be repayment. Far as I’m concerned, you’re always welcome here.” He released his hand from Kokushibo’s shoulder.
“I will...” Kokushibo started, but then he stopped to think. In a flash, he changed the end of what he was going to say into it’s opposite. “Very soon…”
Kokushibo left the farm, continuing on the path before him to Ponyville, a small smirk sneaking up on his face.
~
Once he arrived at the outskirts of Ponyville, he took in the sight of the small town. It seemed quiet and uninteresting. He felt it was perfect for him to lay low and out of the way. However, he knew walking straight into town would not be good for the steadiness of the quiet town. Instead, he had opted for a small cottage just outside the town. It was abandoned and decrepit, but it was now his home. The path to the cottage was overgrown and wasn’t used very often. The front door had a bifurcation that worked, but only barely. The inside of the cottage was dusty, covered in glistening webs, and it lacked light. The sun had set an hour prior to him entering the cottage, but he could see well enough in the moonlight. There was even a small, run down couch for him to sleep on for the time being.
He remained in the cottage for multiple days. He cleaned out all of the dust and webbing with an old broom he found in a small closet. At night, he’d enter town with a black cloth sack over his head as a hood to conceal most of his face. He went through the town and asked the townsfolk for various small things that they’d be willing to spare. People in town were apprehensive of the “shade” or “ghost” that only appeared at night and asked for simple and common household items. They were unsettled at first, but since Kokushibo would always thank the citizens with a bow and was very polite when he asked for things, people became used to him surprisingly quick.
Soon, Kokushibo had essentials: lanterns, means to wash his clothes, old pots and pans for cooking, and some of the more generous citizens regularly gave him food and ingredients. These people he was especially thankful to. However kind the people of Ponyville were, he felt this unending feeling of indebtedness to them. He could only imagine how Redwood felt about him in that regard.
Kokushibo went back to Redwood’s home within the month. As a form of repayment, Redwood offered work at Sweet Apple Acres with an increased wage. After negotiation and a drink, they settled on a large wage for a few months until Kokushibo felt the debt was repaid. If he continued to work, he insisted on a lower wage. He would go on to do heavy jobs alongside Redwood. Lifting bales of hay for animals, moving large barrels of apples across the orchard, and Redwood even showed Kokushibo how to drive the combine. One of the myriad of tasks Kokushibo was assigned was that Redwood’s kids would pick apples and place them in the baskets Kokushibo would hold up for them. The kids were a fine source of entertainment for him on the longer work days.
The oldest one, Jam, always acted tough and strong around Kokushibo. However, the boy would always have a quickened heart rate akin to fear or nervousness when Kokushibo would look down at him. The middle child, Bramley, was more reserved than his older brother. He didn’t really speak to Kokushibo, but seemed unnerved as well by his eerie presence and light step. Finally, the youngest of the three: Sweet. She only did home chores with Kokushibo and never did much farm work. She was very small compared to Kokushibo who towered over her. She, of the three siblings, was the most curious about him. She asked him many questions in a small voice. No fear ran through her when he was around or when he looked at her. In one instance, she even asked to sleep in his room out of fear when a thunderstorm rolled in too quickly for Kokushibo to get to his cottage with dry clothes. So when he lodged in their guest room for the night, he allowed the small child to sleep in the bed meant for him as he sat next to the bed in a chair, calmly stroking her back so that she could fall asleep.
Sweet quickly became Kokushibo’s favorite. He treated her like a daughter of his own. Without fail, she was the first in this world to see him smile.
Kokushibo trekked the path he took every day to the farm. It was a clear and open path exposed to some of the most vibrant sunlight and clear skies. Despite this path taking longer than the more direct trail, he walks it to bask in a sun that did not destroy him in his first instant in this world. It was early morning as he crested the final hill and looked across the orchard. The farmhouse and barn stuck out amongst the rows of apple trees. It was oddly quiet for the morning as Redwood would normally already be out on the farm performing his morning chores.
Once he passed under the main gate, Kokushibo made his way over to the barn to begin his own daily chores. He ran through the list in his head as he started to work. He glanced out of the small window on the side of the barn towards the farmhouse. Silence, once again. He squinted all of his eyes and stood from the water trough he’d been filling. His hearing sharpened, listening for even the slightest peep from the Smith family. Only the lapping of water from the cows in front of him could be heard.
After exiting the barn, he ambled to the front door. As he approached, a chill ran down his spine and his shoulders tensed. Complete silence echoed from the house through the door. He placed his hand on the door’s knob to find it unlocked. At the same time, his off-hand lowered to behind the tsuba of his sword, breaking the seal. The door creaked open to a darkened, untouched living room, the only source of light coming through the front window. His eyes scanned across the room and saw no signs of life. He crept through the living room, not making a sound, his eyes piercing the darkness easily. He rounded through the kitchen and into the dining room. As quickly as the silence overtook him in worry, it left him with nothing but joy.
“SURPRISE!!!” The Smith family jumped from behind cupboards, cabinets, and the large dining table that occupied the center of the elongated dining room. Kokushibo quickly removed his hand from his sword and blinked in relief.
My senses have dulled… He thought to himself.
“Happy one year anniversary, Kokushibo!” Redwood exclaimed aloud. He was carrying a large cake adorned with decorative sprinkles and violet icing that matched the hue of his own attire. Despite his stoic expression, the Smiths could see the surprise in Kokushibo’s eyes. His lips fought to curl, but they did anyway into a soft smile. The Smiths found this contagious and smiled along with him.
“We got you a present!” Sweet called out with a colorfully wrapped box above her head. Her father chuckled and shook his head as he placed the cake onto the table.
“That was supposed to be for after cake.” Redwood tutted to his youngest. “But oh what the hay. Have at it, brother!”
“But-“
“No ‘buts,’ mister!” Redwood cut Kokushibo off. “It’d be more rude if you didn’t accept that there gift. Go on, then. Open that sucker up!”
Kokushibo felt his blood run warm for a second at that term of endearment. His hands took the present as he began to tear the wrapping from the flat box that contained his gift. Once revealed, his gift sent another pump of warm blood through his veins. A farm working hat made specially for sunny days on the farm when he would be moving hay bales or feeding the animals. Underneath the hat was a pair of high quality working gloves. And finally around the gloves was a leather utility belt.
“We were hoping that you’d be a bit more… long term.” Redwood explained bashfully. “Gala and Sweet weaved the hat, nice and tight. As for the gloves and belt, that was the boys n’ me. So, whaddaya think?”
“I…” That was all Kokushibo could muster in that moment. The gift in his hands became heavier almost. His mouth was caught open in a mixture of disbelief and gratitude. The warmth this family imprinted on him was spreading throughout his body. His fingers tingled lightly. “…thank you. All of you. I…really don’t know what to say. I’ve only ever received anything like this only…one other time.”
“You’re very welcome, Mr. Kokushibo.” Gala responded softly with a smile. He was surprised at this sentence as Gala took the longest to warm up to the intimidating demon. To hear her speak directly to him without a hint of distrust or malice was a breath of fresh air. On this one day, it was like Kokushibo could feel the weights on his mind lighten twofold despite the crushing weight that drearily remained.
“Now then,” Redwood exclaimed with a single dry clap of his hands. “Today is a no-work, all-play day! Kids, you make sure that there’s no shortage of fun for our new family member here while your mother and I whip him up the best lunch we can muster!”
“Yes sir!” The two boys, Bramley and Jam, stood straight and gave their dad a stern salute. They bolted out of the room towards the front door excitedly discussing what activities to do. Sweet took Kokushibo’s hand into hers and pulled him along.
“Come on, come on, Koki!” Sweet cooed his nickname she gave and solely addressed him by. “We gotta hurry to get started!” Kokushibo let himself be pulled along by the tiny girl. He showed her a wide and genuine smile as he passed through the front door.
Once back outside in the bright morning light, Bramley and Jam had stopped dead in their tracks, looking out towards the rising sun. Kokushibo felt Sweet let go of his hand as he followed their gaze. He shielded his eyes against the sun’s light and could see what looked like large birds approaching the farm.
“Daddy!” Jam called to the farmhouse. Redwood came bounding out of the house with Gala hot on his trail in response to the call from his son. The apparent birds grew in size to reveal that they were winged people in blackened armor towing a large carriage. They landed with a running stop on the dirt clearing in front of the Smith’s residence. The navy blue, indigo, and gold carriage’s door opened as a very young man stepped out and to the side of the door. He cleared his throat.
“Announcing the arrival of Princess Luna of Equestria, Princess of the Moon and Wardeness of the Night!” The young man exclaimed, kneeling with a bowed head. The Smiths and winged people drawing the carriage also quickly followed suit. Kokushibo bowed at his waist, knowing who was to exit the carriage. Princess Luna exited the carriage and stepped upon the farm’s dirt clearing. Kokushibo could feel the air of authority and how her presence alone could cover the clearing.
“Rise!” She ordered loudly. Everyone present followed the order. Kokushibo noticed she was adorned in the same armor and skirt as she did a year ago. The Princess approached Kokushibo, her face bearing the same indifference she had on the last time they interacted. “We’ve come for you, Mr. Kokushibo. Our sister has requested an audience with you at the Castle of the Two Sisters!” Her voice boomed across the orchard. Kokushibo responded, unfazed by her volume.
“It would be rude of me to decline.” Kokushibo flatly stated, his mood deflating at the idea of leaving the Smith’s anniversary festivities.
“It would be.” Princess Luna sharply responded. “Now, join Us in the carriage. We must depart while the sun is still rising.” She began walking back, her gaze drifting to the sun’s rising. Kokushibo noticed that, underneath her shimmering indigo and violet cape draped over her left arm, she was clenching her fist abnormally hard. Kokushibo thanked the Smiths for their birthday surprise and promised he’d return for the activities they had planned. After prying a teary eyed Sweet from his leg, he joined the Princess in the carriage. The winged people took flight and began their journey to the castle.
The ride to the castle began in silence. Kokushibo sat upright, examining the detailed craftsmanship of the carriage. Luna mirrored his rigidity, except her eyes and head were fixated on her guest. She broke the silence with a sudden question Kokushibo was not ready for.
“The symbols in your eyes,” she began, “what are their meaning?” Kokushibo quickly brought his attention to the Princess.
“They mean…nothing.” Kokushibo hesitantly stated. The well-experienced Princess could see right through it though, as if she herself had access to the Transparent World as well.
“Upper Rank One.” She bluntly said. Kokushibo flinched ever so slightly at her utterance of his rank, hiding his shock well. “We may not understand how We can interpret those symbols to words, but We can see that they hold some kind of meaning to you. Otherwise, those two eyes would look the same as your.. other ones. Now, We’ll ask again, but keep in mind that misleading or lying to a Princess, even by omission, while residing in Equestria is minimally punishable by imprisonment!” Kokushibo didn’t want to anger his host, the highest authority in all of Equestria, any more. He decided to tell the truth.
“Where I am from, there were many demons. Thousands. Among these demons were twelve particularly powerful demons. We were divided into two classes: upper and lower ranks or ‘moons.’” He glanced at her crescent-shaped clip, chuckling inwardly at the irony. “The upper ranks were far superior to the lower ranks; they were worlds apart. Each class consisted of demons ranked from six to one; six being the least powerful of that class, and one being the most powerful of the same class.” She slowly nodded her head in understanding.
“So out of thousands much like you,” she began presuming, “and with eleven others meant to be your peers, We are to believe that you are the most powerful of them all?” Kokushibo remembered a glimpse of his brother at this point. Kokushibo has fallen from grace in order to reach a new height in power. But no matter how much he augmented himself and climbed to different heights, he was no match for two beings. He hated being branded and bound to Muzan. He hated what he looked like. He hated what he had become.
“…That’s correct.”
“Impressive!” Princess Luna commended, giving her own leg a hearty pound with her fist, much to his lament. “Now, power comes with its reasons. You carry a sword and exude an otherworldly presence. Tell Us: what exactly are you fighting?”
“Demons fight…humans.”
“Ah, so they aren’t simply a prey item as you had summed up a year ago.”
“No…” Kokushibo quickly remembered his timely defeat. Once again, beaten by the humans who so feared him. “Far from it, actually. A small number of humans called ‘demon slayers’ hunted us the same way we hunted them. Except…no demon was defenseless….” He huffed a breath, feeling more and more disgust for himself as he described his world to her. “We were impartial when it came to devouring humans. Though, some upper ranks requested…preferences.”
“Demon slayers?” Luna jumped in. “Being hunted while also being a hunter would make for an interesting set of battles.” She said that more to herself than to Kokushibo. “These preferences.” She moved on to the next topic. “Would they request permission from you, being the strongest one?”
“No, there was one demon…stronger than us all. A truly evil man with no ambition short of destroying the demon slayers and seeking true immortality.” He said this freely, venturing into a conversation topic previously unthinkable. “He was known as the Demon King. But I…fear… to speak his name.” Luna guffawed regally in response.
“That much fear in a name is unheard of!” Luna couldn’t believe such a name could exist to not even be spoken. “Please, We are curious. The name?” Kokushibo knew he felt no presence of Muzan in the year he spent working the Smith’s farm. Not a single inkling had come over him suggesting that Muzan was there, listening. He lost the hunger for human flesh. He harbored no bloodlust for humanity. He walked in the sunlight. He hesitated, but he entered previously unexplored waters, expecting the worst.
“His name was…Muzan Kibutsuji.” He clenched his core, awaiting the curse to take hold and end his life once more. But nothing came. The curse was not present any longer. He truly felt no presence from Muzan. The weight upon his mind lifted further, and he felt a little bit more human.
“Huzzah!” Luna exclaimed, sitting up straighter. “No damage ever came from mentioning a name!” Kokushibo felt a new kind of joy in his heart. One that a person only feels when being trapped for hundreds of years to only be set free. His moment of joy melted away slowly at Luna’s sudden change in tone. “This Muzan. He is not a threat to Our kingdom, correct?” Her praise shifted to concern at the drop of a pin. Kokushibo thought for a few seconds, coming down quickly from the euphoria of his freedom and composing himself. The more he thought, the less he felt that Muzan could traverse the Plain of the Dead to Equestria. Kokushibo was allowed here due to the undying love and pity his brother felt for him. Although he couldn’t remember the conversation he had with his brother, he knew he was here through his brother’s doing. That conversation still felt like a dream to him. This further fueled his doubt that Muzan had someone like that in his own life.
“I doubt the possibility.” Kokushibo finally answered. “The means that brought me here are not completely clear to me now…but I have a feeling that he would not be granted the same chance as I.” He felt confident in his answer, some human instinct coming back to him with its utterance. “He would not be so fortunate…or blessed.” The warmth of the rising sun laid over him like a blanket would as he said this, feeling his brother’s presence once more.
“Well, Mr. Kokushibo, We hope you’re right for your sake.” Luna threw that last line in. Before Kokushibo could say anymore, she announced their arrival. “The castle.”
Kokushibo looked out the small window to see the rapidly approaching castle. The carriage pulled in close to one of the castle’s towers and remained afloat next to a balcony of one of them. Luna and Kokushibo disembarked their transport. With haste, Luna guided Kokushibo down spiral stairs and through the castle to the main hall he had traversed one year ago. Only this time, he was surprised to see something vastly different. Fifteen tall and heavily armored guards stood around the dais, all wielding halberds, each vigilant as an owl. None of them moved a muscle in response to his presence, but he could almost feel eyes piercing him from underneath the helms. Kokushibo was led to the front of the multi level dais. Luna ascended the steps of the dais and took her seat in the throne that matched her color palette. In the neighboring throne sat someone new who’s gaze fell on Kokushibo like a feather.
“Princess Celestia!” The same young man from before announced, mainly to Kokushibo. “Princess of the Sun, Wardeness of the Day, Scorcher of Evil, and Defender of Equestria!” He then knelt and bowed his head as before. The armored guards followed in suit and in unison with a heavy chunk. Before Kokushibo could bow, he examined Celestia for a moment.
A tall, pale-skinned woman sat with her hands folded upon her lap. She held a calming smile towards Kokushibo. Unlike Luna, Celestia wore a more feminine dress. The dress, flowing and having multiple layers, sparkled brilliantly in all hues with the sun’s rays that peeked through the windows high up the walls. Astonished, Kokushibo saw colors he’d never seen before within the layered fabric of the dominantly white dress. Golden, spiraled arm cuffs sat upon her upper arms. Her tiara had much greater extravagance than Luna’s dark and smaller counterpart. Solid gold and tall, the tiara was adorned with a single amethyst gemstone at its center, accented by smaller gems surrounding it. Her hair flowed out greatly and sailed constantly despite there being no wind; sporting a very bright, serene, mauvelous pink color. Her physique was less sturdy than that of Luna’s, but Kokushibo sensed that her power didn’t really come from her physical body. Rather, her power, similar to Luna’s, was something that he couldn’t quite see with his eyes. He bowed deeply at his waist in respect. Celestia waved her hand and all parties rose, despite no eyes being upon her. Kokushibo found this a bit haunting as he followed everyone in suit, rather than rising at the sound of her voice; her mere presence was as though being issued a silent command. He became very wary of her might.
“So, you are Our guest?” Celestia began. Her voice carried a lulling sound into Kokushibo’s consciousness. It reminded him of his brother. Contrary to Yoriichi, her volume did not falter and was comparable to her more stalwart sister. “Our sister had reported your presence many moons ago, yet no word of disturbance came to Our or Our sister’s attention.”
“My apologies, your highness.” Kokushibo said with posture and volume, trying in vain to not be overwhelmed by her regal voice. “It was rude of me to take lodging without your approval.” She put up her hand before Kokushibo could say more. He had more to say, yet he felt compelled to hold his tongue as she lowered her hand back to her lap.
“Every citizen pays their dues in Equestria.” Celestia stated bluntly, her tranquil smile never leaving her face. “After a year of…squatting, for lack of a better word, you will be given a purpose here. Is that understood?” Kokushibo gave a single nod of agreement. He felt his time on the Smith’s farm was good repayment for his uninvited arrival, but he decided against arguing with this high and powerful Princess. “Excellent. Tell Us, Kokushibo, how skilled are you with that blade?” She leaned forward and gestured a finger directed at Kokushibo’s sword. “You bear no armor and sport no banner, so We are curious of your adeptness with such a…unique weapon.” She turned over her hand with her palm to the sky. “Bring it to me.” Kokushibo approached the dais as the young announcer stopped him at the foot. Kokushibo handed him the weapon which was then brought to the Princess. She examined the scabbard, stubs, and handle curiously, making it a point that she had no intention of laying hands on any of it.
“I am…adequate, for whatever mission you have to assign me.” Kokushibo responded, to which Luna had let out a single but hearty “ha!”
“You misunderstand, Kokushibo.” Celestia responded, waving the announcer away as he quickly returned Kokushibo’s sword. “This is no mission, but a profession. A profession We implore you to accept.” Kokushibo had a good idea what she could be asking of him. However, his heart no longer craved combat or honing his skills. He hadn’t drawn his sword since that day he saved the Smiths. He knew his skill hadn’t degraded in the slightest, but he had become accustomed to the serenity and simplicity of farm life. For once in his life, he felt truly comfortable. But he was the guest, and this high noble and apparent ruler of the land he walked and worked was simply allowing him to stay. She had been observing him, but he never noticed. He confirmed at this point that she was no royal to be trifled with. Not wanting to press his luck and explore options with the Princess, he accepted her offer.
“I…accept.” Kokushibo responded, his body flowing with dejection at the potential loss of time with the Smiths.
“Excellent.” Celestia’s smile seemed to be more gentle at the sound of his answer as she stood from her throne. Her height surpassed Luna’s by six inches, yet she still didn’t match up to Kokushibo’s own height by around three inches. “We are curious as to what you will become while under Our roof. From here on, you are now under the responsibility of Our sister, Princess Luna. She is Our commander of troops and peacekeeper of Equestria. Orders from her are now above law to you. We pray you will follow them with diligence and without question.” She began to step down the dais and walked towards Kokushibo. Her guards followed closely behind her. Her gaze remained forward over his shoulder as she passed him. A chill ran down his spine, her power being more apparent as she passed, then fading as she continued her slow amble out the main doors of the hall into the intense morning sunlight. The doors slammed shut and echoed throughout the hall. All had departed except the Princess of the Moon and her new subordinate.
“Very well.” Luna cut the silence, almost sounding annoyed. “Let us begin.”
~
Kokushibo was led to a lower part of the castle. A large, subterranean yard sprawled in what looked to be a natural cave. The ground, however, was not natural. It was perfectly flat with patches of grass artificially planted into the flat floor. Equipment and training weapons dotted the walls of the cave, ready to be used by veterans and recruits alike. The center of the yard was solid concrete adorned with magical runes carved into it. One of the cave walls had a large opening that was a part of the cliff that faced from the back of the castle. Fog rolled around the opening, obscuring the view into and out of the yard. Off the edge, the cliff also faded into the fog. Princess Luna waited at the large yard’s center for the approaching Kokushibo. Next to her stood the guard captain from one year ago.
“Kokushibo, We’re sure you have met Captain Arrowhead, now Champion of the Sun.” Luna introduced the captain. Arrowhead, armored in the same armor when they first met, smiled at Kokushibo, who was unfazed by the captain’s complacent grin. The pauldron that once held a simple sun design was now replaced with an intricate, textured, and blazing sun. It shone in the same colors as Celestia’s dress, except far less extravagant.
“We have met briefly, yes.” Kokushibo replied flatly, recalling their first meeting being very hostile and tense. However, Kokushibo knew the captain was merely doing his job, so he made sure to keep his own feelings in check, especially in front of the Princess.
“Good.” Luna gave her hands a single clap. “Now that we are all acquainted, We’d like to see what you are capable of and to see if you are as skilled as you portray yourself.”
Portray myself…? He thought, wondering what image his demeanor had lain onto the Princess’ eyes.
“Proceed to your starting positions!” Luna announced, her voice bouncing off the walls of the surprisingly well-lit cave. Kokushibo saw the captain amble to a point in the yard. He moved himself opposite of the captain, some 25 yards away. “This will be a friendly bout. Three clean strikes. After each one, you will separate.” The captain drew his sword from his own waist, and what followed shocked Kokushibo. A decorated helm materialized from an emerald light onto the head of the captain, covering most of his face. In the same bright light, a medium sized shield appeared on his left arm. He crossed his sword over his chest and bowed from his waist. Kokushibo had never seen magic like this before. It was comparable in his mind to a blood demon art. Before he could fully comprehend what he had seen, Luna’s thundering voice shook him from his trance. “It is customary in a bout to bow, Mr. Kokushibo!” Kokushibo shook himself from his trance and bowed before raising himself and drawing his own sword. Luna squinted her eyes in disbelief for a moment realizing the sword was laden with eyes that matched Kokushibo’s unmarked ones. Blackened veins sprawled along the length of the maroon blade. It was as exotic as she’d thought. “Are you both ready?”
“Ready, your majesty.” Arrowhead confidently replied, readying his sword and shield. Kokushibo took a moment to examine the captain. His stance was strong yet his body was relaxed. Kokushibo saw no weakness or fear. He was confident and controlled.
He’s… just like that demon slayer…with the scars…
“I am…ready.” Kokushibo replied calmly.
“Begin!” Luna thundered once more.
Captain Arrowhead commenced his attack in an instant. He closed the distance in the blink of an eye. Kokushibo was surprised by such immense speed despite the heavy-looking armor. So fast…but he still needs to hit me. Kokushibo had the Transparent World, giving him a valuable edge on both defense and offense. Arrowhead made an experimental overhanded slash at Kokushibo’s torso, to which the latter dodged with ease. Arrowhead continued pressing his attack, attempting combinations of strikes at different levels and speeds, narrowly missing on most occasions. Kokushibo noticed the attacks inch closer and closer, as though the captain were climbing in speed. This time, Arrowhead rushed Kokushibo head-on. He saw the blood and adrenaline in Arrowhead’s body rush to his sword arm, ready to begin a slash. Watching the arm closely and preparing to dodge, Kokushibo noticed a slight glimmer off to his own right. He changed the direction of his attention, quickly realizing the sword arm was a ruse. Kokushibo brought his own sword up in an instant to block the incoming shield bash, his arms being quicker than moving his whole body. A loud clang echoed, followed by bright amber sparks. Kokushibo hopped back and slid with great momentum, creating distance between the two once again.
“What’s wrong?” Arrowhead taunted. “Can’t swing your sword? You better not be going easy on me.” He shot another smug grin at Kokushibo. At this point, Kokushibo was bordering on impressed.
Impressive…such exuberant confidence. And not an ounce misplaced…
“I apologize…” Kokushibo lamented openly. “It was rude of me to not issue an attack…please, I’ll come to you.” He brought his blade to his side, ready to begin his attack. He drew in a slow, ghostly breath. Arrowhead readied loosely to defend from the oncoming attack. “Moon Breathing, Sixth Form.” Kokushibo exploded forward, becoming completely invisible for a little more than a moment. Arrowhead strengthened his shield arm. “Perpetual Night, Lonely Moon - Incessant.” His sword was a blur as each slash unleashed multitudes of bright yellow and rotating crescent blades forward. As Kokushibo continued his attack, he saw no change in the captain’s expression. The confidence remained as the overwhelming blades rapidly approached him. He raised his shield as jets of emerald magic burst out from the edges of the shield, effectively increasing the surface area of his already seemingly impenetrable defense. The blades crashed into the shield and the magic wall he produced, each blade fizzling into a sickly red smoke and disappearing. Kokushibo gripped the handle of his sword and widened his eyes in frustration, trying not to exhibit this feeling on his face.
“What an interesting ability!” The captain said from behind the shield. The magic dissipated and he began to approach Kokushibo. “Now, let’s see more!” His speed was now blinding, Kokushibo quickly flicked his eyes to his left in surprise, but the shield had already begun to connect with his cheek. The force behind it was crushing as Kokushibo had no choice but to accept this quick and powerful attack. A loud bang could be heard as Kokushibo flew back on his heels, involuntarily separating himself from the captain. His cheek had received a large gash, but it quickly closed as though he hadn’t even been hit.
“Hit!” Luna exclaimed. “For Captain Arrowhead!”
Kokushibo drew in another breath, his veins becoming visible around the edges of his face. “Fourth Form: Loathsome Moon, Shackles.” He swings his sword in a broad X form. The crescent blades crossing each other’s paths and almost interlocking with each other but only narrowly missing. Arrowhead warded many of the blades off with his shield as the rest continued forward and eventually dissipated. Arrowhead looked unimpressed. “Second Form: Pearl Flower Moongazing!” Kokushibo made three arching slashes, the moons reflecting his now frustrated psyche by spinning faster and more erratically. Under normal conditions, Kokushibo preferred if the blades scattered to increase the chance of hitting a target. However, with one target with an excellent defense is just a waste and he knew it. He quickly retreated, his eyes locked on the shielding captain, still teeming with confidence.
What impressive skills…perhaps I shouldn’t show too much…restraint..
Kokushibo brought his sword up, as though readying it in front of him, the eyes of the sword attempting to pierce the captain’s own unwavering eyes. In an instant, the sword grew into an enormous odachi, while more blades protruded unnaturally from the sword’s blade and mune. The rapid growth of flesh forced blood to drip from the blade’s seams, pouring onto the floor at his feet. Arrowhead was surprisingly repulsed, as his face contorted into a cringe.
“That sword.” Arrowhead called out, curious, “Is it its own entity?” Kokushibo brought the sword to his right side, wielding the giant sword with one hand.
“It is.. an extension of myself.” Kokushibo responded calmly. “And not just in the metaphorical aspect, as it is literally made from my flesh.” Arrowhead stood firm, now a bit more cautious. Kokushibo took the sword into both hands, readying it. The breaths he drew in now had a small bellow to them, Arrowhead tensing slightly at the sound. He could feel his armor and clothing being slightly drawn to Kokushibo like a vortex pulling in air. “Seventh Form: Mirror of Misfortune, Moonlit!” He unleashed a singular slash that covered and reached across a large swath of the area in front of him. Crescent blades crashed down, following five straight slashes that quickly overwhelmed the captain. He opted to dodge the straight slashes, but this is what Kokushibo had hoped for. The majority of the crescent blades came down in between the straight slashes. Arrowhead attempted to block as many as he could, but one blade found its mark, striking his side.
“Hit!” Luna announced. “Kokushibo!”
Captain Arrowhead looked on in surprise, realizing the crescent moons changed from its shining yellow to a dull aqua. The blades also remained on the field significantly longer, embedded into the floor and distant walls behind himself. He readied a charge but noticed Kokushibo was not in his spot. Rather, a wave of violet ebbed to his right. Before he could avoid the attack, Kokushibo’s enormous blade struck true, cutting a sizable gash into Arrowhead’s leg armor. Kokushibo created distance once again in the blink of an eye.
“Hit! Kokushibo!” Luna announced once again. “Final strike for Kokushibo!”
Kokushibo repressed the urge to aggravate the captain, as he was sure Luna had been watching him closely to not only judge his combat skills, but also his character on the field of battle while having the upper hand. Respect came naturally to him, especially when his opponent is on par or stronger than himself. Arrowhead focused a large amount of mana to his legs. Kokushibo didn’t need the Transparent World to see this. And it was at that moment that Kokushibo noticed that the magic of this world was nigh undetectable with the Transparent World. But he could still see the emerald fog that gathered at the ankles and calves of his opponent. He couldn’t react as he felt Arrowhead’s sword already being thrust into his shoulder.
He’s faster than before!..
Kokushibo knew this would surely count as a hit and began his retreat. He didn’t hear Luna call it out with what happened next. With Kokushibo’s feet planted for less than a moment after his retreat, Arrowhead rushed with immeasurable speed once again, appearing in front of Kokushibo. He attempted another thrust now aimed for the edge of Kokushibo’s abdomen. Kokushibo warded off the attack with a swing of his own blade. Kokushibo is now on the back foot, this process repeating multiple times. Luna saw flashes of emerald and amber as Arrowhead continued his assault and Kokushibo looked for a window to turn the tide. Kokushibo didn’t see his backpedaling as a direct retreat, but rather a prod. He learned Arrowhead’s movements quickly as Arrowhead intended to keep the space close so that Kokushibo could not use the full potential of his sword. Despite Arrowhead’s deceptive nature and uncanny ability to control his dispersion of energy, Kokushibo began to feel patterns and rhythms in Arrowhead’s repertoire.
He found it. Kokushibo turned the table and forced Arrowhead’s back to be directly in front of him with a flick of his sword. He was mid step and airborne. There was no escape. Kokushibo brought his sword down with quickness and precision, slashing Arrowhead’s backplate. A flash of lime and neon spread from the slash all along the surface of Arrowhead’s body, his expression unchanged. It was then, Kokushibo felt a sharp pain run from the back of his left shoulder to his right waist. Kokushibo turned to see Arrowhead actually behind him, his sword slightly bloodied from the slash he just delivered to Kokushibo’s back.
“Two hits!” Luna called out. “Captain Arrowhead is victorious!”
I…lost? But my blow was struck…?
Kokushibo turned to see that he had slashed what looked like a jade statue that had begun to crumble into a dispersing and glimmering green dust. He blinked in surprise turning back to the real Captain Arrowhead who had just sheathed his sword. The smirk on Arrowhead’s face seemed more genuine now. Kokushibo felt the same frustration from earlier welling up inside. The blades jutting from his sword receded as Kokushibo sheathed his own blade.
“Excellent bout, Mr. Kokushibo!” The haughty captain exclaimed. He stuck his open hand out to Kokushibo, which the latter looked at with a blank side eye. The welling up frustration dissipated as quickly as it rose as the captain accepted victory with grace and respect. Kokushibo turned his body to face the captain and took his hand in his own, shaking it firmly. The two released their grips and stepped to the Princess. Arrowhead took his place behind the Princess to her left as Kokushibo stopped in front of her.
“Well fought, Kokushibo.” Princess Luna praised in a sturdy tone. “You are well beyond ‘adequate,’ as you describe yourself.”
“Thank you, Princess.” He gave a slight bow and raised himself. “But Captain Arrowhead bested me.” Arrowhead laughed deeply.
“Please, Mr. Kokushibo!” Arrowhead joked, now chuckling at Kokushibo’s words. “No knight under my or anyone’s command has ever gotten anywhere near as close to beating me as you have. And that regenerative ability! You must teach me how you do it.” The captain’s sudden friendly attitude put Kokushibo even more off than he was before the bout had begun. Kokushibo remained on guard, as he feared the captain’s misleading combat style would reflect onto his strategy with social interactions.
“It’s not something that can be taught, fortunately.” Kokushibo replied with slight relief. “It’s a… curse for those who have hatred, inferiority, or fear in their heart. A…horrible curse, handed to me by someone truly evil.”
“It was that man.” Luna spoke suddenly and softly. “Muzan, was it?” He was surprised that Luna had remembered his name. He made a short, confirming hum in his throat. “Well, you will use this ‘curse’ and your great strength for the greater good of Equestria. Do you agree?”
“I owe many debts.” Kokushibo shifted in place. “To the Smith family and to you and your sister. I intend to pay them all back in full.”
Not to mention the debt to my brother…
Luna enjoyed Kokushibo’s simplicity and direct way of speaking. Within herself, she knew that what Kokushibo said to her was as true as the sun and moon are to rise and set. She felt something inside resonate with Kokushibo. Not strength or power, but something much more meaningful. Watching Kokushibo for the better part of a year, Luna couldn’t help but see real desire and drive to give back what he’s taken. Not just from here, but whatever blighted life he may have had that only leaves her to speculate. He carried an over encumbering weight on his shoulders that she could see in his eyes; his human eyes, which became more apparent with each passing conversation.
“Excellent.” Luna said with another single clap of her hands. “Now then, while the sun is still low in its rise, come with Us.” She waved Kokushibo to follow her, which he quickly did. “Captain, return to Our sister’s side.”
“Yes, Princess.” Arrowhead snapped his heels together quickly and followed Luna and Kokushibo out the door and they went their separate ways. Luna looked over her shoulder, looking to see if the captain was out of earshot.
“We didn’t want to say this in front of the captain.” Luna said as low as she could to Kokushibo who followed closely behind her on her side. “But We were more than impressed with your performance in the bout. You are well beyond the skill and strength of Our candidates for Champion of the Moon.”
“I wished to ask you about that title, Princess.” Kokushibo was curious, and wondered how many more titles could exist in the kingdom.
“The title of Champion,” Luna began as she continued her speed walk through the corridors, “is the highest title that can be bestowed onto a soldier of Equestria. As there must be a Prince or Princess of the Sun and Moon, there may only be two Champions actively servicing the Crowns at any one time. While it isn’t necessary to have a Champion, they serve their respective Crown by being the voice of the Crown when they aren’t present, act as military envoys to other governments, as well as assigned menial duties when they are not immediately needed. They carry great political weight as diplomats and even greater weight as emissaries of war. Although, We haven’t experienced war for several years.” Kokushibo nodded in understanding.
They briskly moved through the castle together once again like a year ago. It was soon that the pair arrived at a large ornamented double-door. Lined with silver, midnight blue, and sparkling azure inlays, the door was dominantly colored a deep indigo with a large sky blue crescent moon being bifurcated by the two doors. Two massive guards in blackened armor made of pure magic stood vigilantly at either side of the door. Luna turned to the massive doors and didn’t stop her pace as the doors swung open. The room they entered together was a rotunda with a beautiful, sparkling mural of the night sky adorning the dome that shifted with life and movement. Bookshelves with countless books lined one side of the room while cabinets filled with trinkets, weapons, and artifacts lined the opposing side. Towards the back was a large desk with parchments and scrolls scattered across the desk. Luna made her way to the opposite side and took a seat as Kokushibo stopped to stand in front of it.
“Please excuse Our untidiness.” Luna scooted papers left and right as she seemed to search for something. She began pulling drawers, mumbling to herself about how she’ll need to take time to reorganize her desk. After a couple seconds of rifling, Luna pulled a sealed scroll from one of her lower drawers. “Here!” She exclaimed, sitting back up. She held the scroll out to Kokushibo who promptly took it. He examined the seal and noted the unique wax moon surrounded by complex designs. “A simple assignment. All information needed will be in that scroll. When you’ve completed your assignment, report to Scribe Lamplight or one of his apprentices west of the entrance courtyard here in the castle. Have you any questions?”
“No, Your Highness.”
“Excellent. From now on, you shall receive assignments in the form of these scrolls no matter where you are within or outside of Equestria. Failure to complete the assignment within the allotted time will result in disciplinary action. If there are no questions still, you may go.” Luna gave a reassuring smirk as though she knew she wouldn’t have to worry about his punctuality. She returned her attention to the mess that cluttered her desk. Kokushibo gave a quick bow and left through the door they had entered from.
Once in the large hallway, the large double doors shut themselves and Kokushibo broke the seal on his scroll. It puffed into a very small, glittering azure smoke. A pleasantly sweet smell crept into his nostrils. He recognized it as his favorite dessert: anko buns. He unrolled the scroll and read its contents. It briefly explained that a group of an estimated 40 bandits have occupied farmland north of the Castle of Two Sisters. He is tasked to support the neutralization of the threat with minimal casualties to civilians and the bandits. He had six hours to report to the head guard. He rolled up the scroll once again and slipped it into his nagagi. With a quick trip to the cartographer, he received a map of the route to the northern farmlands. Afterwards, he set out to his destination with intent to return to the Smiths within the day so that their celebration was not wasted.
~
Kokushibo arrived on the outskirts of the small farming village, the sun now at its zenith. He slowed his pace, becoming more wary of his surroundings; his senses sharpened. Fields sprawled out through a great valley, taking up more space than the center of the village itself. The path he walked was sunken in, his upper torso able to peek over the mound on either side of the path that led to the crop covered fields. The light spring breeze caressing and surrounded him. The whistling wind nearly fooled his ears as his head cocked to its side, the sound being replaced by a whistling arrow that nearly hit its mark. Kokushibo readied himself for an ambush. To his relief, he heard a gruff voice from the raised dirt defilade.
“Hold your shots!” The voice sounded out. Kokushibo relaxed slightly once the source of the voice made himself known. He showed himself, revealing himself from the crops to be a royal guard. His eyes flashed the whites for a moment at the sight of Kokushibo’s appearance. “The village is off limits! It’s overrun by bandits. Turn around now or we will arrest you!” Kokushibo reached into his nagagi and pulled the scroll from it, raising it to the guard.
“I have orders from the Princess.” Kokushibo called out. “I’m here to…assist.” He stuffed the scroll back into its hiding place. The royal guard turned over his shoulder, as though checking for signs of compromise of his position, then returned his attention to Kokushibo.
“Climb up here quickly.” The guard ordered. “There’s several of us here but a few are injured.” Kokushibo complied and approached the raised ground.
He leapt up in a single bound, keeping his head below the tops of the tall growing crops. He followed the guard through the brush as another guard, presumably the one who almost struck him with an arrow as she wielded a bow and had a quiver strapped to her back, followed closely as well. They came to a very small clearing in the crops where other guards had made camp. A few laid on the ground, bandaged and wounded. The remaining guards either kept watch out for any straggling bandits or were huddled around a crude map in the center of the clearing, planning an attack on the village. The guards, one by one, laid eyes on Kokushibo with mixed reactions ranging from confusion to disgust. He beared no mind, now almost completely used to the reactions.
“Hey, sergeant!” One watch guard said in a low tone. He seemed to direct this to the guard who escorted Kokushibo here since he was the one who replied.
“Yes, corporal?” The sergeant guard replied.
“When are the reinforcements coming in?” The corporal asked, returning his attention to the village only some 200 yards away. The sergeant glanced at Kokushibo with a twist in his brow and returned his attention to the corporal.
“It would seem as though the Princesses have sent us…him.” The sergeant laced a tone of defeat in the final word as most eyes were back on Kokushibo. He didn’t budge at how the sergeant sounded or what the corporal had to say next.
“One man?!” He almost raised his voice. “We waited all night and morning for the Princesses to send naught one man?” Kokushibo continued to stand hunched over in silence, his expression unchanging. “We need at least a platoon to make any kind of progress, sergeant, and you know that! That’s what all of this planning rode on! We can’t take on what’s in there with a dozen men plus one!” The sergeant closed the distance with the corporal to converse in a lower volume, reminding him of the importance of rank structure and respecting his superiors before explaining the situation to him.
Kokushibo took it upon himself to approach the guards gathered in the center as they parted warily, allowing Kokushibo to see the makeshift “plans” that were drawn on a large piece of parchment. Ignoring the plans themselves, Kokushibo only took mental note of the village’s layout. Multiple small buildings and homes dotted between larger warehouses and businesses. The plans showed where the higher concentration of bandits resided, that being in the local tavern and the larger center square. He turned to the sergeant and corporal who were still conversing about the means of reinforcement. Kokushibo moved to them and interrupted their conversation.
“Excuse me…for interrupting.” Kokushibo interjected. “What about the people living in the village? Are they still in their homes?”
“I don’t think so.” The sergeant answered. “They evacuated the minutes following the initial attack with our help. They ran to the next village downstream. There should only be bandits there in the village. Why?” The sergeant blinked and Kokushibo was gone. He shook his head in shock and looked around. The other guards also scanned their surroundings, unsure how the man moved with such quickness and stealth.
Kokushibo moved through the crop field in a moment, using a small shed as cover for his tall frame. He peered around the corner, looking down a stone path between some of the houses. The roads were barren and quiet. He moved quickly to the sidewalk where he lurked onward, keeping an eye on the many darkened and broken windows and doors for any kind of sudden movement. He saw and heard nothing as he made his way to the area of town where the tavern resided. As he got to the corner that turned to the square where the tavern was, he could hear more and more hooting and hollering from the bandits. Loud crashes and breaking glass became mixed in as he peered around the corner. Many unkempt and raggedy bandits were vandalizing private and public property in the town square. They were stealing the contents of personal, secure lockboxes and chests that they would break open with their bludgeons and axes. Money, heirlooms, and petty riches were being stuffed in pockets and sacks. Kokushibo squinted, looking past the ruckus to the tavern known as the Hopping Maiden. The windows showed many bandits inside, brawling and horseplaying. One bandit was thrown through a window from within.
Kokushibo chose that the rooftops would be his best method of approach. Combined with his speed and the ongoing disorder of the square, he was more than confident that none of the bandits would notice his approach. He moved quickly, scaling the business across the road onto its rooftop. The sound of his steps went unnoticed as expected; masked by the town square’s activity. He leapt across the way onto the roof of the tavern. Searching for a covert opening, he found a back window on the second floor of the establishment. Looking in, it seemed to be a small office that nobody occupied. He slid the window open and made his way inside, silent as the grave.
On the other side of the closed door, he could hear the sounds of boundless enjoyment. Opening the door, he was presented with the state of the tavern. To say these bandits left it in a state of disrepair would be gross understatement. Vaulting the railing, he landed on the ground floor with a foreign thump. Many bandits immediately noticed his presence and stopped their commotion. Many more followed in suit, their gnarled and scarred visages now focused on their uninvited guest. They drew their weapons in near unison, now pointing them in his direction. The tavern grew silent, all eyes on Kokushibo. He decided to speak first.
“Your leader,” Kokushibo broke the tense silence, “where is he?”
“Right ‘ere!” A horrid sounding voice thundered from behind the group of heavily armed bandits. They turned around and parted from the middle as a large and burly woman stepped heavily between the bandits, her height passing Kokushibo’s by about two feet. Her hands were large, as she placed a hand on the occasional bandit’s head, forcefully pushing them out of the way for not parting quickly enough. Her grungy, black hair was unkempt and filthy. She wore thick, unmatching armor of leather and steel. A massive zweihander clung to her back. It was at this moment that the scent from her breath reached Kokushibo from her call of attendance. It smelled of fish oil and aged beer. “What’s this then?” She stopped only feet away from Kokushibo. “Yer not one of ours.” She sniffed in his direction. “Too clean.”
“You’re trespassing.” Kokushibo stated with little inflection. “Surrender now and perhaps you will be… punished lightly.” He invisibly placed his left hand behind his tsuba, his thumb breaking the habaki. As expected, the burly woman laughed in Kokushibo’s face. The remaining bandits joined in. The laughs grew and grew as Kokushibo squinted, watching a quick rush of blood to her arms. In an instant, Kokushibo raised his sword to the side of his head, the zweihander connecting solidly and emitting a resounding clang throughout the tavern. The mob of bandits silencing themselves at the sound and sight. They had looks of shock strewn about them, obviously baffled at Kokushibo’s inhuman speed and unyielding strength despite his relatively smaller stature and build. He did not move or break eye contact with the bandit leader that now had her sword digging into the strong section of his own.
“Ooh yer a tough lil sprout, ain’tcha?” She hissed, her breath being a bigger assault on Kokushibo than her sword. “Quick too.” She brought her sword back to her shoulder where it rested. “What a nasty lil toothpick you got there.” She pointed a beefy finger at Kokushibo’s sword. “All them eyes are quite pretty.” Kokushibo brought his own sword down to his dominant side, the eyes glazing in each direction, surveying his environment and blind spots.
“I will not ask again…” Kokushibo spoke softly, readying his sword, “surrender now…or prepare for dire consequences.” The burly woman was about to fall into another guffaw when she looked closely into Kokushibo’s eyes. A killing intent bored into her soul, and Kokushibo’s cruelty filled the empty space of the room. Nearly all bandits froze at this new energy. The evil laced in it trumped all of theirs as each bandit nearly crumpled at the feeling. The bandit leader could feel her muscles cramp and tense into tough planks of wood, unable to move for a crucial moment. Just before the first cowardly bandit could flee, Kokushibo spoke only once more. “Very well, then.”
A flash of crimson and violet passed through the bandit leader, as Kokushibo was now behind her, assuming the same relaxed stance as when he readied himself. The leader stood there, unsure of what happened or where her opponent went. A sore pain passed over her from her shoulder in a straight line to her waist. It burned and cramped immensely, the pain becoming unbearable. She couldn’t speak, her lungs filling with blood as it seeped along the cut Kokushibo made, bifurcating her in a monk’s robe cut. She fell to her knees, dropping her enormous sword with a clang, her body falling apart in two. Her dying corpse lay there on the floor of the tavern for all bandits to see. Kokushibo’s eyes looked to the crowd, his gaze digging into their psyches. One by one, in increasing frequency, the bandits dropped their weapons and wordlessly fell to their knees in surrender. With no guidance or protection, they felt no other choice but to yield silently. Kokushibo had them stand and exit the tavern, and openly paraded their surrender into the hectic square that quickly calmed down at the sight of the surrendering and wordless gaggle of bandits.
The square full of bandits saw the perpetrator of the apparent surrender of half their forces and the slaying of their leader. Kokushibo, sword still drawn, looked amongst the rowdy miscreants. He offered them the same ultimatum: surrender or death. The pleading eyes and solemn headshakes that the already surrendered bandits made to their unshackled counterparts told them everything they needed. Few dropped their weapons and bolted amongst the alleyways and backstreets while the majority complied and surrendered at the knowledge of the demise of their leader.
It was then that Kokushibo saw the bandits who at one point fled now return to the square at sword point by the royal guards he had been with in the fields. The guards moved in and began restraining each of the bandits, some being taken aside and interrogated. Kokushibo noticed that there were more guards than he saw in the small opening he was at earlier so he could only assume that there were more guards in scattered groups throughout the field. He returned his sword to his sheath as more bandits were being hauled off to an outskirts location to be carted off to various dungeons across Equestria after trial. Noticing that the guards had the situation under control, Kokushibo decided it best to depart once he had talked to the sergeant from earlier. It wasn’t long before he found the sergeant speaking to another guard of equal rank across the square. The other guard took off in another direction while the sergeant remained put for the approaching Kokushibo.
“Well, I’ll be darned in Celestia’s sun. You did it.” The sergeant commended Kokushibo, who remained stoic. “I don’t know how you did it, but we got all the bandits rounded up. I also heard what happened to their chief.”
“Yes,” Kokushibo confirmed solemnly, “unfortunately…she would not surrender.” The sergeant chuckled and patted Kokushibo’s arm.
“Don’t dwell on it, soldier.” The sergeant responded heartily. “The Princesses had a bounty on her head for her to be brought in dead or alive, but everyone already knew how that would end if she was brought in at all. So no harm done! I’ll make sure to draw it up to the Princesses so you get the credit and the reward for the bounty. But anyways, thank you once again for this. I’m sure the Princesses will be pleased.” Kokushibo only gave a small affirming nod before turning and leaving the town.
As he exited the village, its villagers began making their way back into their homes. Some paid him no mind as they were cleaning up the mess left at their homes while others tracked Kokushibo with their eyes, unsure about the visage of their supposed hero. The expressionless, pale face did not sing songs of a hero to them. They were thankful, yet unconvinced. Needless to say, Kokushibo passed these looks, unfazed. He left the village as he entered: in silence. As the sun neared the horizon and the sky began to shift into a vermillion hue, Kokushibo knew the day would come to its end soon. He hurried his pace back to the castle to give his report and return to the Smiths before the day would be gone.
~
The night proved to be a well-spent replacement of the day’s intended activities. Kokushibo got to try the cake the Smiths made for him, played a few games with the kids, and ended up on the wraparound porch. He sat in a simple deck chair, staring off into the open yard that quickly turned into the enormous orchard. He contemplated the day. So much had occurred in such a small amount of time. He had woken up as a simple farmer and by midday he had returned to a life of combat. The thrill of combat was no longer there. A desire to become stronger was now completely absent. It came to the point that he may even feel detestment of combat. If not for the Smiths, he would feel as lost as he did before he met them. The silence grew louder and louder until a familiar deep voice broke through.
“You alright, son?” Redwood approached, two bottles with a detailed apple labeled on each one were between his fingers. He extended the bottles to Kokushibo who looked at them blankly for a moment before taking one into his hand. Redwood used an opener to pop open the homemade beverage and sat down in a chair next to Kokushibo. He handed Kokishibo the opener, to which he was unsure what to do. “You seem a little distracted.”
“I’m… not sure.” Kokushibo responded, examining the opener in his hand. After fiddling with it for a couple of seconds, he understood what to do and opened the bottle himself. He took a small sip, the drink being stronger than he’d expected. “I suppose I’m…disappointed.” He placed the bottle onto the small lawn table between himself and Redwood.
“Oh? What about?” Redwood shifted in his seat nervously as his thoughts ran back to the celebration earlier and wondered if it was adequate.
“I had spent the better part of a century…” Kokushibo began softly, “honing my skills; getting stronger. In the process…I think I lost something.” Kokushibo thought about his words, his mouth getting used to the strong drink offered to him. “Well, I lost many things. And since restarting my life here with your wonderful family, I feel as though I’ve picked up…fragments of who I used to be. But because I owe a debt to the princesses, I fear I may lose myself again…” He crooked his neck slightly, unsure if he had shared too much. The burly farmer sat back in his chair quietly, making sure Kokushibo had finished expressing his thoughts.
“Well, think about it like this:” Redwood said, “doing your civic duty, protecting Equestria, contributes to something more than yourself, right?” Kokushibo’s eyes looked over to Redwood, intent on hearing what he had to say. “I’ve an example, if you don’t believe a humble farmer. Decades ago, my grandpappy served in the Royal Army during King Sombra’s Uprising. The Crystal Empire to the north was under his tyranny and my grandpappy answered Equestria’s call to serve. He saw and did many great and terrible things. He killed, he saw his closest friends die next to him, he saw an entire city on fire.” Redwood paused at the thought, shuddering and taking another sip of his beverage before continuing. “It was a horrible war that cost the lives of many people. But my grandpappy, after the war, came back to us. He smiled every day and seemed unfazed by the horrors of war. They haunted him still to his dying days, despite the cheery face he put on. Why do you think that was, Kokushibo?” Kokushibo put two and two together.
“His family…”
“Family, Kokushibo.” Redwood repeated with fervor in his voice. “From what I’ve been able to gather about your past life, your life was lacking in that part. Am I right?” Kokushibo’s eyes drifted off slowly away from Redwood and to the orchard, not confirming or denying what he suggested. “You’ve been here a year. Up to you, but I’d like to hear about your family.” He sat back in his chair and took another swig of his drink.
Kokushibo’s eyes vigilantly remained on the orchard, watching the leaves sway back and forth. His mind was transported back to his home estate. He sat before his faceless father, looking over his shoulder at the waving branches and leaves behind him out the window. The muffled sounds of words came from his mouth, carrying no meaning or importance. He glanced over to his younger brother who sat next to him, his face drawn with the most accurate brush in full detail. Although the words his father said were unintelligible, Kokushibo remembers this interaction. He was scolding Kokushibo for allowing Yoriichi to distract him from his studies and training. Both boys heard what was being said, but Kokushibo didn’t listen. As though on cue, both boys responded with a “yes, sir” when the stern grumbling ceased. Many moments passed before him, all of them with Yoriichi with such clarity that it was as though he was actually there. Even the final moment they shared together passed. Yoriichi’s lament is clear on his face, tears running down in silent torrents. Every moment that withstood the test of time and demonization, involved his only brother.
“I…did have a family.” Kokushibo began as Redwood’s attention shifted from his drink to the man sitting next to him. “A brother…Yoriichi. He was…beyond words. Loving, empathetic, strong, kind to all. He was everything I wasn’t.” Redwood could tell from the solemn look on Kokushibo’s face that his brother was no longer living.
“You weren’t strong?” Redwood scoffed, reminiscing about their first meeting. He wanted Kokushibo to lead the conversation to keep things in his comfort zone. “I’m not so sure about the other things, but that…kinda hard to believe.”
“I paled in comparison to my brother. He was…flawless, regarding his strength. For lack of a better word.”
“You talk like he’s some sort of legend. Was he well known?”
“Ah.” Kokushibo scoffed. “Humble, too.” Kokushibo’s lips lightly curled into an invisible smirk that quickly faded. “He seeked no glory, reputation, or thrill. In fact, he hated the violence. Yet infallibly and in silence, he served humanity from the shadows, nameless. He fought a war with no end in sight for no reason other than it was good.” Kokushibo gripped the bottle in his hand to the point a small crack appeared. “He lived to slay evil…and evil is all that kept me afloat.” He relaxed his grip with a sigh.
“Sounds like you two are apples and oranges.” Redwood replied with a click from his mouth. “What is it that draws you to him then?”
“Long ago, it was hate. Hate drove me to him to gain strength and surpass him. Not kill him, but just surpass him. But I was not…gifted with such fortune.”
“You say that as a matter of fact. How do you know you hadn’t passed him?” Kokushibo winced at that, his fingers reached up and touching his throat where Yoriichi “failed” to decapitate him in their final meeting.
“Because… he bested me himself.” Kokushibo felt a knot in his throat. “As an elderly, frail man of 80 years, he casted away my strength gained in the same amount of time in nothing but a moment…yet he could not kill me. After that moment…he died.” Redwood tensed his shoulders at that.
“So you…you know..?” Redwood approached the topic carefully.
“He died of old age.” Kokushibo interrupted, Redwood relaxing slightly at the sudden interruption. After he had relaxed, he furrowed his brow in confusion at the circumstances of his death. His furrow disappeared as Kokushibo explained. “There, in that field after that last attack, he died. Standing on his own two feet. Never once losing to a demon.” There was a minute of silence between them. The light breeze made it deafening, Redwood being unsure of what to say next other than what he said.
“I’m sorry…” Redwood tip-toed his words once again, “for your loss.” That being said, Kokushibo stood, finished his drink, and turned away.
“Thank you.” Kokushibo said almost under his breath. “But I was destined to lose twice that night…the battle…and my brother.”
His final word lingered with a quiver, as he walked away to leave the farm. Redwood sat in silence with nothing else to say to the defeated man. He knew Kokushibo didn’t want to begin the conversation, but with the final words of it, he bore a portion of the weight that Kokushibo attempted to carry alone. Kokushibo felt the bittersweet twist in his heart knowing that he walked a lonely path, but now the Smiths stood by him just like his brother did. It was a loyalty he had completely forgotten the feeling of. He made himself stronger to the point where he felt he didn’t need anyone else. And yet, he accepted the hospitality of a farm grown family. So on the way to his cottage, for the first time in 400 years, tears fell from his eyes uncontrollably and unstoppably, now knowing he had made a life-changing decision.
The struggling bandit Kokushibo felt under his grip was minuscule. His fingers wrapped around both wrists of the bandit behind his back as he thrashed and twisted. Kokushibo, annoyed by his prisoner, decided to bring his hand down onto the side of his neck, the bandit going limp into unconsciousness. He quickly tied a restraint for the bandit, letting him fall over onto the dirt cave floor. Bodies lay strewn about throughout the dimly lit cave, some breathing still. He dug through the pockets of each bandit searching for his mission’s objective. It wasn’t until he dug through the pockets of a separated pair of legs’ trousers that he found what he was looking for: a shipping manifest stolen from one of Luna’s forts now covered in the legs’ owner’s blood. The scroll, with its seal broken, was relatively undamaged. He stuffed the scroll into his nagagi. Exiting the cave, he was met by royal guards now moving into the deep and expansive cave to arrest any individuals still alive. He approached the officer who had originally requested Kokushibo’s assistance.
“Excellent work, Mr. Kokushibo.” The commanding officer commended, his palm open and outstretched. “The manifest?” Kokushibo brought the scroll out and placed it into the officer’s hand. He immediately noticed the discrepancy, to which Kokushibo explained.
“They had already opened the manifest. My apologies I could not get here sooner.” Kokushibo bowed slightly in apology, to which the officer waved dismissively.
“We got it back in one piece. That’s what matters.” He opened it and quickly skimmed through it, checking for any tampering. He rolled it back up in a huff before putting it away in his trouser pocket. “But to think simple bandits intercepted a scroll mid-transport.” He thought for a moment before turning to Kokushibo. “Were there any magic-born within?”
“No magic was performed.” Kokushibo responded curtly as the officer hummed in thought, watching his men walk out the new prisoners to a guarded corner. He shrugged his shoulders.
“No matter. If there is one, he won’t get far. Thank you again for assisting in the recovery, Champion.”
It had been three years since his recruitment into Luna’s private task force. Only a month ago, Princess Luna named him her Champion of the Moon. Beating out many other candidates by a landslide, Kokushibo was the obvious choice for Luna. Sending him on solo diplomatic and combat missions, Kokushibo completed each one with minimal mistake or deviation. He completed each mission down to its finest details. Now as Champion of the Moon, Kokushibo would be spending more time with the Princess and less time on the farm. This, of course, bothered him. Redwood and the Smiths were happy and proud of their adoptive family member. So Kokushibo spends his free time away from his work to be back at the farm, keeping in touch with the only family he has.
He preferred walking to and from his missions when time was not of the essence, even though Champions have their own flying chariot. He chose to walk as it gave him the time he needed to reflect more on who he is and, more importantly, what he was becoming. With each passing step, his previous life felt more and more like a whole different life. He was now on the outside looking in, watching his old deeds pass him by. With the Smiths at his side, he was determined to move on one step at a time. Besides rebuilding himself within, he walked to experience Equestria’s beauty as it was intended. He had been to many places in the past four years. Visiting each corner of the kingdom, he found the Smith’s farm and Ponyville to be unmatched.
Reaching the Castle of the Two sisters after the sun had sunk below the horizon, Kokushibo made his way to Luna’s workroom. He entered to see the Princess gazing out the large window behind her desk, her hands clasped behind her. She stared at the rising moon, occupied with its action. Kokushibo approached the desk and stood in silence, allowing the Princess to complete her work. Once the moon was in its position, she continued to stare at it. Without moving a muscle, she spoke out softly.
“Dreary the night must be for all who sleep under it to miss such an ecstatic beauty.” Her head dropped with a sigh. She turned and approached her desk opposite of Kokushibo. He extended his parchment with confirmation of his mission’s completion. Luna tapped her desk with her palm, to which Kokushibo placed the parchment upon the slightly unkempt workspace.
“Was there anything else, your Highness?” Kokushibo did not move, only following the now pacing Luna with his head. Her brow had now furrowed, bringing concern to Kokushibo.
“With you as Our Champion, Kokushibo, We believe it is time to discuss something rather…personal with you.” Luna stopped her pacing and turned her attention to Kokushibo. “Tell Us…have you ever felt…” She paused, her mouth slightly open, the thought caught in her throat. Obviously frustrated, she shut her mouth and returned to the window. “Come here!” She said with more volume than intended. Kokushibo was sure now that something vexed her. In a hasty response, Kokushibo joined her at the window. From the window, he could see nearly the whole Everfree Forest. The moonlight was the only source of light illuminating the tree canopies. At the corner of his eye he could see Luna’s face relax a little bit, although he wasn’t sure if it was because of his approaching presence or something else. “I pity the people of Equestria.” Luna bluntly stated this. Kokushibo’s eyebrow raised slightly.
“And what brought these feelings forward?” Kokushibo asked, unsure what to expect.
“Equestria is a beautiful kingdom. But only the night reveals details and effects only visible under moonlight.” She sighed once again. “And they miss the effort put into each and every night…” She pursed her lips looking up at the sky she had worked on the entire day.
“Princess, if you wish to tell me something…you may do so plainly. I have no intention of sharing anything said in confidence.” Kokushibo had more to say, but he stopped abruptly, noticing a faint shimmer on her opposite cheek. It was subtle, but Luna was too late in turning her head slightly to hide it. She returned her gaze forward, the shimmer now gone.
“Kokushibo,” she began, her voice somber, “have you ever felt…overshadowed?” She turned her head more towards him to hear his answer. Kokushibo knew exactly what she meant. He almost chuckled, the parallel being cosmically comedic.
“Princess…” he started, feeling the importance of the moment. “Because you live in the shadow of another does not mean you must walk a dark path. All it means is you must light your own way. On the path of darkness, you may find power, but you will lose something gravely important to the people relying on you. I’ve walked that path, as you already know.” The Princess now fully turned to the demon, keeping her voice to as much of a minimum as possible.
“Countless festivals, holidays, and parades; all of them praising the other!” Her emotions began to unravel in front of Kokushibo, her frustration coming forward as Kokushibo figured who she was referencing. “No amount of work, beauty, or strength that We can bring to Equestria will award the recognition We so rightly deserve! What must be done for these people to look in Our direction and Our direction only?!” Her face was the most angry Kokushibo’s seen her. It’s the most emotion she’s exhibited since meeting her. Her eyes shined with a light glaze and her fists clenched. He felt her frustration and anger at every fiber laced into each word that left her mouth as he developed his response.
“Frankly, Princess…people like you and I…are not meant to be the faces of greatness.” The look on her face did not change for better or worse. “My own brother, a man beyond words, bested me in every aspect of life.” Luna’s face softened and fists loosened at the mention of his brother. She knew he had a brother but Kokushibo looked sore about the topic whenever brought up, even when he would inadvertently bring it up himself. “It led me down the darkest road possible: becoming a demon.” Luna’s eyes trailed off to outside the window, her anger melting into a mixture of frustrated empathy. “The world may be unfair for some people, but it’s what we do with the unfairness that shows our true strength. I am not strong…but you still have the potential to be.” Luna looked off blankly, her thoughts a mystery to Kokushibo. Silence fell over the two of them. It wasn’t a tense or uncomfortable silence, rather it was calm and serene. Kokushibo gave her the time she needed to say whatever she needed to say. However, the look on her face told Kokushibo that she needed time to muse over his words and her feelings.
“Thank you, Kokushibo.” A mixture of bitterness and genuine thanks interweaved her words. “You may go.” She remained by the window, her eyes unfocused yet vigilant.
“As you wish.” Kokushibo bowed and let himself out of the room. On his way out, he heard what sounded like a very faint whimper emanating from where she stood. He was tempted to turn back and say something else but decided it best to leave the Princess with her own thoughts. The doors shut behind him and an elderly man’s voice nearly startled him off to his side.
“She’s upset.”
Kokushibo knew the voice.
“That information is not within my right to say, Starswirl.” Kokushibo responded informatively to the elderly magic-born. “It would be a disrespect.”
“Oh do not worry.” Starswirl said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I have no intent on partaking in schoolhouse gossip. I was simply stating an observation. An observation I am sure you’ve also noticed these past months.” Kokushibo turned down the hallway and began making his way towards the main exit, Starswirl appeared next to him just outside his peripherals. “Tensions are rising, Mr. Kokushibo.” He matched Kokushibo’s speed, following him closely, the bells of his attire making a constant, slight jingling.
“I’ve noticed.” Kokushibo responded knowingly. “What do you propose?” He asked the bearded wizard this, knowing Starswirl’s wisdom surpassed Kokushibo’s intelligence. Starswirl hummed in thought for a moment before answering as best he could.
“I recommend we tread carefully in every aspect from here on out.” Starswirl answered seriously. “A storm is coming. Best we keep our wits about ourselves, lest we are swallowed by it.”
Kokushibo glanced over his shoulder to agree, but Starswirl was gone without even so much as a flicker of light or a jingle of a bell. Working alongside the powerful wizard, Kokushibo knew not to trifle with him. Making an enemy of someone so powerful would’ve been foolish. His magic far surpassed any magic-born Kokushibo’s ever seen in his time in Equestria, short of the Princesses themselves. Starswirl mastered every school of magic from explosive and offensive to nurturing and healing. Above all, Kokushibo respected the wizard’s humility. Despite not having any friends, Starswirl still knew how to behave in front of others even through his long list of achievements. He focused on his skills of wielding magic to its highest potential, so Kokushibo couldn’t judge him for being a little bit anti-social. Kokushibo generally enjoyed his presence yet he always heeded the old wizard’s word and advice today as though it were the most important information he was to receive. He could only hope that these “tensions” do not rise any further.
~
The throne room was silent. Kokushibo added nothing to the ambient silence as he waited for the Princess who had summoned him. The dais with both thrones stood unoccupied and ruled over the room as ever. Yet even with such power, they began to crumble against the march of time. The time in question being what Kokushibo looked up to at the mural upon the ceiling once again. It told the story of Equestria that he loosely put together:
The two regal figures created all that was darkness and light around Equus. Creating the sun and the moon, the two figures fell in love, raising the sun and moon and so day and night came to be. The people of Equus were created next from what Equus had to offer. The sky-born were brought by the clouds, the earth-born by the soil, and the magic-born by the air in between. It was then, the king and queen bore forth three children: an older brother and two sisters. The five of them lived in harmony for millennium, it seemed. That was until the older brother desired responsibility of one of the celestial bodies that took precedence over Equus. When the parents denied his responsibility, instead having him be the watchman of Equus’ people, the older brother’s frustration grew to the point that he rose up against his loving parents some eons after. With the pure and everlasting love for their children, the king and queen manifested six Elements of Harmony. At first, they tried to use them to contain their son, but to no avail. They then used the Elements’ true power, sacrificing themselves and splitting their son across the universe in small pockets of his power. Thus, the stars of the sky came to be and the Elements of Harmony scattered across Equus. Meanwhile, the king and queen became the space between, bounding them together, and the galaxies that populate the universe respectively. Celestia and Luna were then given the power required to raise and lower the sun and moon for the rest of the foreseeable eternity.
Kokushibo examined each minute detail of the mural. It almost breathed and shifted left and right in his sight. He could feel the force and heat from the portion depicting the older brother’s banishment. The mural’s colors bled into each other into one long portrait. It sparkled and shined with the exuberance of a setting sun over an ever-shifting ocean. He couldn’t help but lose himself in the designs, cracks, and flow of each stage of the mural. It spoke to him in a way he could begin to understand.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” A soft voice spoke, Kokushibo recognizing it to be Princess Celestia herself. Kokushibo couldn’t help but twitch at the sound as he hadn’t felt the tiniest breeze or shift in his environment at her arrival. He turned to her quickly and bowed deeply at his waist.
“Apologies, Princess.” He said flatly. He felt her hand raise itself, to which he responded by rising from his bow. “I…became distracted.”
“Do not fret, Champion.” Her gaze slid smoothly back to the mural above their heads. Kokushibo’s eyes followed hers. “We too lose Ourself in this piece. The Long Sorrow. This piece was painted by a man so miraculous and selfless, he never gave Us his name. The Artist is all he preferred to be known by. Such a wonderful piece of history was created, and then We never saw or heard from him again.”
“It’s undeniably beautiful.” Kokushibo agreed, going back to examining the mural but now with company. He pointed towards the two smaller sisters with a curious movement. “Is that…?”
“Mhmm.” Celestia hummed in affirmation with a light nod. “That is a striking likeness of Us and Our sister as babes.” She giggled lightly, now focused on the younger version of herself. “Even then, We were quite the sight.” With Celestia’s eyes glued to herself, Kokushibo decided now was the time to bring attention to the purpose of their meeting. He turned towards her and asked his next question politely.
“Princess, you ordered me here to discuss something?”
“Ah, yes.” Celestia’s gaze fell to Kokushibo’s eyes, her gentle smile hiding her emotions and thoughts. “You have proven your loyalty to Equestria and the crowns for approximately five years now. Above all else, you’ve proven your proficiency in diplomacy, discretion, and skill with your sword. And for that, We thank you.” She dipped her head once at her expression of thanks.
“Thank you, Princess.” Kokushibo bowed slightly in return for her compliments. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in his chest that filled a small space in his heart.
“Now to why We invited you here today,” Celestia continued, “was not simply to offer praise and thanks.” She took in a small breath. “We would like for you to know that you have been reassigned as Champion of the Sun.” Kokushibo kept a neutral face and posture, but his mind was now filled with concern and questions. Before he could even open his mouth to voice any opinion, Celestia continued. “Fret not, Captain Arrowhead has been reassigned to your old position. You are not usurping him, more as you are simply being laterally moved to Our time of the day. We believe your effectiveness would be far more valuable at Our side now rather than Our sister’s. Not only that, but so that our subjects become used to the face of their Champion.” Kokushibo chose this moment to interject.
“I am grateful, Princess.” He jumped in, hoping he hadn't been rude. “However…will Princess Luna not feel as though you are undermining her decision to make me her Champion? Is that such a wise decision?” He almost wanted to take back that final question, as he felt it came off far more aggressive than he’d intended. Even so, with the rising tension between the two sisters, it felt like a necessary question for him to ask. However, Celestia seemed unfazed by his question.
“This of all reasons is why We need you and not Captain Arrowhead.” She turned and began ambling towards the dais, Kokushibo following at her side. “The Captain is a good soldier. But that is all that he is. All he sees of Us is a crown and nothing less. We make a suggestion, even an obviously catastrophic one, and he will follow it to the ends of Equus. He has no sense of charisma with anyone who cannot match or best him on the field of battle. Diplomatic missions given to him are usually failures or have unfavorable outcomes.” She stopped in front of the dais, turning around to face Kokushibo. “You, on the other hand, have a soft tone and a strong disposition. If We are to make a disadvantageous decision, We would take your opinion into consideration. You are more…one with yourself. We simply feel your and the Captain’s skills have simply been…misplaced and unwisely allocated.”
“While all of that may be true,” Kokushibo began his counterargument, “may I advise you to reconsider your decision?” The corners of Celestia’s lips dropped slightly.
“And what reason brings this advisory?” Celestia asked in a more serious tone. Kokushibo shifted slightly to the foreign tone of the usually cheerful Princess. Her voice carried something in it that made Kokushibo begin to think he was on thin ice. How contradictory… Kokushibo thought to himself. She doesn’t seem too accepting of this… particular opinion. Perhaps this is what is frustrating Princess Luna…?
“Well,” Kokushibo tried to be respectful while still being firm in his opinion, “the people of Equestria see you as the face of the kingdom. Meanwhile, Princess Luna appears to be marginalized or…forgotten about. Living in your shadow… Because of this, she could become…disgruntled, to say the least.” Celestia let out a well-mannered chortle, her hand coming up to her chest.
“Preposterous, Kokushibo!” Her chortling came to a slow halt. “We are Princesses. We are equals. We are not a queen. Our sister knows she is Our equal.” Her facial muscles didn’t falter and her body language told Kokushibo that she was sure in her mind that they were both equals. Kokushibo, as well as everyone else able to think for themselves, felt otherwise. “But we are off topic.” Her tone now with a small disgruntled huff to it. “Your first mission will be in a week. You will be attached as Our guard and advisor. Oh! We had almost forgotten.” She stepped up the dais and took something from her throne. She came back to Kokushibo with ghostly silence. Her open, pale hand extended to him. A large, ornate pin in the shape of a blazing sun sat in the center. “We made sure our blacksmith forged it to be more subtle for your apparel.”
“Thank you, Princess.” He reached for the pin in her hand and took it into his own. He held the pin closer to his eyes, examining each hand-carved line and cut. He removed the already pinned crescent moon adorned on his left shoulder, replacing it with the one of the sun. He handed the crescent to Celestia, who paid no mind as she moved the emblem behind her back. She examined his appearance with a returning smile at the new addition to his garments.
“And worry not, as We will make sure the Captain receives his new emblem.” Celestia finished with a smile as she ascended the dais to her throne. She sat upon the throne with no sound. “Was there anything else, Champion?” Kokushibo had a nerve rubbing him wrong. His instinct rang bell after bell within his head, but he couldn’t decide what needed to be done. He considered being blunt and forward about what should be done, but the Princess before him could send him off in unceremonious fashion with a simple wave of her hand and he knew it. He opted for the opposite.
“Nothing else, Princess.” Kokushibo bowed once again. “I will do my best to be as vigilant and effective as when being the Moon’s Champion.”
With that, Kokushibo left through the main hall’s large double doors as peasants and business owners began to file in with their requests of the Princesses. A heavy weight slammed upon his shoulders at the sound of the door’s closing. Keeping the peace was his top priority at this point. As the thought crossed his mind, he noticed a singular guard patrolling the courtyard. The muscles and blood vessels becoming more and more faded and difficult to make out. The details lost sharpness as the inner workings of his body became blurred. The man marched past Kokushibo, who was now troubled as every guard after took the same blurred shape as the first.
~
The carriage rattled softly and shook occasionally. Celestia was looking over the schedule for the day and briefing her new Champion. It was a simple day of showing face for the Princess. Breakfast with the mayor of Fillydelphia, fundraiser event with the local hospital’s child patients, kick-off the city’s market festival, and finishing off the day with a firework show after sunset. It was a day well worth the pay. All she instructed Kokushibo to do was to stand by her at all times and, when photographed mostly, to look friendly. He agreed that his ever-stoic expression did come off as hostile and he promised to use today to try and appear more friendly. By the time they had covered every inch of the day’s itinerary, they were only halfway to Fillydelphia. The sun continued to rise above the horizon as she inquired with her Champion.
“How are you feeling, Kokushibo?” Celestia asked with her trademark smile. “We know you aren’t used to such public missions.” Kokushibo was watching the emerald fields zip underneath them as the carriage flew between clouds and the earth below. “You seem…distracted.”
“I am as well as I could be, Princess.” He answered with little inflection in his voice. “Simply preparing myself for the day. I apologize if…” Her hand slowly came up again, compelling Kokushibo to stop dead in his tracks. Her hand returned to its folded position on her lap.
“You need not feel compelled to answer Our questions while obscuring the truth.” She cocked her head slightly, still smiling. “Simply say that you are troubled, if you are. And if that is all you wish to share, then so be it.” Kokushibo felt the words caught in his chest as they ice-climbed their way to the back of his throat. He swallowed and spoke forth.
“I am…troubled.”
“About the mission?”
“No.” He made sure to keep his voice as calm as possible. “I assure you that it will not affect the quality of my work today. My… troubling feelings will pass.”
“If you need anything of me today, you let Us know. We will do what We can to assure your focus and comfortability alike.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
“Please,” she said, her smile looking more genuine, “in private, you may refer to Us as simply Celestia.” Kokushibo only gave a quick nod, knowing something like that would be far too difficult for him to grasp.
They arrived to Fillydelphia on schedule. The growing city was large for its very young age of 70 years. The tallest building, the city hall, stood at an impressive five stories. The intricate architecture emitted an energy of power and civilization. It was the most advanced city Kokushibo had seen in Equestria. Even the Castle of the Two Sisters kept a more traditional feel to it, being candle and torch lit. Meanwhile, the streets as well as city hall are lit by electric bulbs. Being a massively successful city of production, it made its advancements from within and is slowly sharing its reliable knowledge with the rest of Equestrian cities. After having breakfast with the mayor, Celestia and Kokushibo moved through the streets towards the hospital. The hustle and bustle of Fillydelphia made Kokushibo feel more human, as the people were too busy with their daily lives to pay much attention to Kokushibo in passing. Passing citizens only noticed and acknowledged their Princess with the deepest bows they could muster in their busy schedules. No matter what, Celestia kept her head up and her eyes forward with her violet shadow in tow.
The hospital event proved to be the more interesting part of their day so far. It gave Kokushibo a good feeling to be here accompanying the Princess as she helps serve food to the citizens in the hospital for the fundraiser event. Seeing the families that refused to leave their injured family member’s side resonated with Kokushibo. He couldn’t help but smile here and there as he saw and felt the strong connection between family members and their community. It was times like this that made him miss the Smiths. Every child that ran around him laughing reminded him of Sweet, all the while homesickness began creeping through his body once again. His heart beat with longing for his surrogate family as they left the hospital to move on to the market festival. He put aside his thoughts to refocus on his mission. His eyes scanned every crowd to the best of his ability. While he could see each person in perfect clarity, the inner machinations of each person became more blurred by the day. It worried Kokushibo, to say the least, but he carried on. Celestia led Kokushibo into a nearby shop that was nearly empty. He was surprised as Celestia closed the distance between them two.
“We have just received word of an issue.” Celestia informed Kokushibo suddenly, bluntly, and covertly. He blinked his eyes in the speed of these chain of events as he gathered what to say.
“An issue?” Kokushibo worried, hoping he hadn’t made a mistake and left an avenue of approach open for someone to do harm. “What kind of issue?”
“The pyrotechnician for the fireworks display tonight reported to the guards that more than half of his pyrotechnics had been stolen.” Celestia looked out the window to the shop at the passing people on the other side of the window, watching each passing citizen pay them no mind. “Normally this wouldn’t be too much of a concern and We would simply let the local guards handle it. However, these fireworks in particular are large and powerful enough for the small towns adjacent the city to see the show. That amount of firepower could be used to make weapons to disrupt infrastructure and potentially injure or kill many citizens.” Her attention returned to Kokushibo. “We will be okay alone for the time being. But this problem needs to be solved on a time-sensitive schedule. Make haste!”
Kokushibo nodded once, moving quickly out the door and into the street. He made his way onto the rooftops and traversed them at great speed. In no time, he approached the venue for the festival market. The market spanned five city blocks that were closed off for preparation. He made his way to the firework staging area, where around 13 men and women were scrambling to put together a firework show without the stolen pyrotechnics. Multiple workers noticed Kokushibo’s arrival. Many were immediately stricken with fear, expecting another robbery. However, a couple of workers had the wherewithal to notice the small emblem on Kokushibo’s nagagi and rushed towards him.
“Champion! Sir!” One worker ran up to him with his co-workers hot on his trail. They all bowed deeply, quickly raising themselves. “Our equipment! And the fireworks! They took them all!”
“Slow down.” Kokushibo raised a relaxed hand towards the frantic man and apprentices. “Calm. Now, who are we talking about?” The man took a breath and gathered himself.
“Bandits, I’d guess.” The apprentice said with urgency. “They had armor I haven’t seen before. It was black. And light looking. That’s all I know.”
“Where did they run off to?” Kokushibo asked the apprentice who shrugged, turning to his co-workers for help.
“They went that way!” A female voice among them said, her outstretched arm pointing to the northeast cluster of buildings and alleyways.
“Okay. And where is your boss?” Kokushibo asked, looking around for the lead pyrotechnician. The first apprentice spoke up to answer Kokushibo.
“He went back to our company warehouse to look for more spare pyrotechnics. He should be back soon.”
“Understand.” Kokushibo responded. “Continue your work, I will try to retrieve your equipment.” Kokushibo moved away at a speed so great, he may as well have disappeared right before their eyes as they all scattered their eyes in every direction looking for the Champion. He moved along the rooftops again, keeping his eyes open for any suspicious activity. The streetlights for dusk came on as each street became illuminated by the electric lights and the rapidly setting sun. He stopped occasionally to examine his surroundings and the now thinning sidewalks of the city. It was then that a light smell invaded Kokushibo’s nose. It sizzled the back of his throat, even in this small quantity. He knew the smell and looked in all directions, trying to find its potential source.
Sulfur? No…gunpowder. They’re here somewhere. There must be a lot of fireworks for me to be able to smell them so early before seeing them.
He transitioned to focusing his senses into his nose, trying his best to sniff out their location. He stopped on top of a small business, using his nose to scan his environment. Although his nose wasn’t precise, he could tell he was close. The smell only got stronger from where he stood. He began looking across at the small buildings for anything suspicious. He leapt to ground level, hoping to get a more accurate response from the smell. He stayed low to the ground, as the smell lingered closer to the ground as it began to dissipate. People continued their day as they simply walked around him as he tried to trace the origin of the smell. It got stronger and stronger as he crept down the sidewalk. He came across an egress window at the base of a communal abode. The smell was at its strongest. He got down on hands and knees to peer into the window.
A large basement with various machines and pumps lined the walls while the center of the floor remained relatively barren, safe for a few meters and pipes. It was dimly lit but Kokushibo could detect movement within. Multiple bodies passed left and right as Kokushibo struggled to get a clear picture through the muggy window. It was then he could see what he was looking for. The fireworks were being roped together, covered with disguised produce tarps, and stacked on crude pallets.
Hmm, smugglers it seems…
He daintily checked the window with his palm to, surprisingly, find it unlocked. He pushed it inward and slid his person within the basement. Landing on the floor with an inaudible tap, he remained crouched and in the shadows. He counted seven men moving things around, all of them armed with swords. He was about to approach one and eliminate him when he stopped to listen to the conversation they had apparently all been having.
“Off to the east with this batch.” A bandit with a clipboard said, his voice elderly and rough.
“Don’t they already have enough?!” Another voice, deeper and younger than the first asked angrily.
“No!” Clipboard bandit replied with aggression. “The boss said they’re going to need at least another 2,000 pounds worth and we can only get 800 to him this time around.”
“And what about us? We’re just supposed to fend for ourselves?!”
Hmm, Kokushibo thought to himself, fend for themselves..? From what?
“We’re to follow orders to the details and make sure these explosives are where they need to be when the time comes. Then…the fun begins.” Clipboard bandit paused on his last sentence, as though he were going to say something else but changed his wording. He sighed, passing his hand over the clipboard and then dropping it to the ground. He rolled up his sleeves while his comrades stopped what they were doing to look at him. “It seems we have an…unwanted guest… in the shadows!”
A bolt of azure energy left his quickly outstretched hand and passed over Kokushibo’s shoulder, striking the concrete wall with devastating power and focus, leaving a burnt hole in its wake. Kokushibo moved back into the shadows deeper to make himself harder to hit as he moved through the border of the room. “Pesky darkness.” The clipboard bandit brought his other hand up as a bright light emanated from his palm, shattering Kokushibo’s only cover. The remaining bandits dropped what they were doing, drawing swords and cornered a Kokushibo, who also drew his sword and stood upright and strong. The blinding light from the magic-born bandit made it hard to see his targets, yet he did not take a single step backward.
“You all are in violation of royal decree for larceny and smuggling.” Kokushibo gripped his sword, ready for what was inevitably to come next. “As Champion of the Sun, I am placing you all under arrest for the aforementioned charges. Please…do not resist.” Another bolt of energy was hurled towards him as he finished his warning. He deflected it with his sword, the bolt redirecting into the ceiling above. The remaining bandits charged the short distance between Kokushibo and them. Kokushibo readied his sword. Deploying his attack, Kokushibo moved with grace and speed, cutting each bandit down into a bloody and gorey mess with ease. The magic-born was all that remained, dimming his light magic so that Kokushibo could see his face. An older man hid behind the light he cast. Nothing was out of the ordinary except for the cat-like eyes he had. His expression did not change as he took stock, realizing all of his colleagues were now dead. “It’s over.” Kokushibo surmised out loud. “Surrender now and you will live.”
“I’m sorry…” The old magic-born said to no one in particular. Kokushibo squinted, unsure of what was to come next. “I’ve failed you…” Tears formed in his eyes as he looked to the ceiling, dousing his light spell completely now. He brought his hand up beneath his own chin, his index and middle fingers loosely touching it. His fingertips began to glow as Kokushibo’s eyes widened.
“No, wait!” Kokushibo was only able to get that out as another bolt of magic zipped out of the bandit’s fingertips, piercing his skull and striking the ceiling. The force exerted from the spell was so great, his skull stood no chance as it shattered into countless fragments. Brain tissue, skull fragments, and teeth littered the floor and ceiling as the magic-born’s decapitated body fell over into a puddle of mixed blood and entrails from his colleagues. “Dammit.” Kokushibo cursed himself for not capturing at least one of the miscreants.
He sheathed his sword, approaching the corpses before him. He knelt over the magic-born bandit, reaching for his pocket to begin searching them. Without warning, a black flame rapidly spread from nowhere and engulfed the corpses. Kokushibo jumped back in surprise, readying for a counterattack. No such attack came as he watched the flame burn all of the remains down to blood and bone into ash. It only took a minute, as Kokushibo could tell that the fire should not be disturbed in fear that he too could ignite. The flame did not feel hot as he approached the now dying flames. Waving his hand over it, they didn’t generate heat. The last bit of ash burned away as the basement was now empty of any signs of bandits except for the stolen fireworks. Kokushibo looked over and saw the overturned clipboard. He approached and brought the board up for him to see its contents. The letters and numbers were jumbled and moved in a hypnotic pattern. The magic-born placed a spell on the contents, encrypting it to be unreadable. As he examined it, he heard rushing footsteps coming down the stairs, the steps sounding heavy like knights armor.
“It came from down here!” A gruff voice called from the descending staircase. Multiple guards showed themselves as they flooded the room, noticing Kokushibo first. Once the space was taken up, they looked around, all of them unsure what to be ready for.
“All of the bandits have been eliminated.” Kokushibo informed the guards of the bandits’ fates. They responded by slowly lowering their weapons one by one. The sergeant who had spoken earlier on the way down spoke again, this time to Kokushibo directly.
“Where are they then? Where have they gone?”
“Well, they…” Kokushibo felt like he’d sound ridiculous if he told the truth, but he gave the sergeant his honest answer. “burst into a…black flame.” Now saying it out loud, it worried him thinking it sounded like he was trying to cover the true outcome of the scuffle. However, the sergeant looked unfazed and even scoffed as he approached the stolen pyrotechnics.
“Sounds about right.” The sergeant said, surprising Kokushibo. “We’ve been having these bandits in particular hiding amongst the citizens here in Fillydelphia. We’ve also received word from other growing cities where they could hide amongst the crowd and have been spotted doing so.” The sergeant cut the ropes and lifted the tarp, exposing the fireworks and equipment. He looked closely to make sure they were untampered with. “Anyhow, my men and I will handle this, Champion. Return to the Princess.”
Kokushibo agreed to let the guards return the fireworks to the pyrotechnicians. He ascended the staircase and exited the building. Once out on the street, he noticed the sun had set and the night was well underway. Stars began to fill the sky and made a perfect backdrop for the night. The streets and sidewalks had nearly completely thinned to a few people. Traffic was still busy but nowhere near to the bustle of the morning and mid-day. Fillydelphians were no doubt filling the streets hosting the market. It made Kokushibo’s walk there much quicker. He retraced his steps, making his way back to where Celestia would be presiding over the market. Once he arrived, the crowded ambience returned as people moved between and around each other to different stalls and merchants in the market. Warm colored lights hung up on posts crisscrossed overhead of the walkways. Kokushibo, although in lack of practice, was no stranger to navigating these types of bazaars. He joined the flow of foot traffic, letting his eyes wander free in search of the Princess.
It wasn’t long until he saw her speaking to someone just outside of the market in the direction of where the firework staging area was. He couldn’t get a good look at the person speaking to Celestia but her posture told Kokushibo that she was in no immediate danger. As he pushed passed person after person, he reached outside the flow of the market, his vision now unobscured. He quickly approached the Princess as the man she had been talking to was now rummaging through a crate behind himself. With her Champion back at her side, Celestia spoke to him.
“We have received word that you were successful in retrieving the pyrotechnics. Excellent work, my Champion.” She turned her head and attention to Kokushibo. “Thanks to you, the firework show remains on schedule. And to show his appreciation, the lead pyrotechnician here wished to relay a gift to you through Us. But since you are here, he may reward you in person.”
“Oh…” Kokushibo’s eyes drifted to the back side of the pyrotechnician who was still reaching around the crate. “That’s…unnecessary.”
“Preposterous!” The man said in a powerful voice. “It’s no full compensation, but it will show my appreciation! Once I find it…” He chortled a little at his displacement of the gift. He hummed and spoke to himself from within the box when suddenly he exclaimed at his find. “Aha! Here it is!” He stood back up straight and turned to face Kokushibo. He held something in his outstretched hand. Celestia had only just begun to look at what the gift was in the man’s palm when it was suddenly dropped to the floor. Her expression became serious as quickly as the gift fell as she saw the pyrotechnician was now several feet off the ground. He wriggled and squirmed in the intense grip placed at his throat. Celestia looked towards the man who now had the pyrotechnician in a death grip with a threatening gaze.
“Kokushibo!” She thundered. “What is the meaning of this?!”
Kokushibo’s grip did not loosen as he stared down the face of the man before him in his clutches. The man’s short, spikey, black hair was now frazzled and unkempt at the sudden offense. His sky blue eyes widened and were accentuated by his long and tended-to eyelashes. The man clawed at Kokushibo’s unyielding hand and wrist, the man’s face was stricken with terror against Kokushibo’s rage-filled one. Kokushibo looked at each feature of his face to confirm what he believed to be nothing short of the truth before him.
“Akaza…!” Kokushibo’s voice was laced with hatred and disgust. Thoughts ravaged every corner of his mind. It was obvious as he couldn’t think of anything else to say as his grip tightened. The man bearing the striking resemblance of the Upper Rank Three demon was released from Kokushibo’s grip suddenly against his volition. His arm fell to his respective side, losing all feeling and strength in it. The pyrotechnician fell to the earth and began coughing in an uncontrollable fit while trying to catch his breath. Kokushibo looked over his shoulder to see Celestia with her hand outstretched, a shimmering golden glow undulating around her hand. She aimed for his arm and caused the sudden loss of feeling and control, but she widened her range to target all of Kokushibo.
“That is quite enough, Champion.” Celestia said with a serious tone. Her eyes bored into Kokushibo’s, striking what he could only imagine to be fear deep in his heart. He tried to put up a strong face, yet he could not. Celestia lowered her hand as Kokushibo’s senses and control returned to his arm as though it had been asleep. Celestia stepped to the crumpled man on the floor as he caught his breath and felt his throat and neck. She knelt down and hovered her hand over the man’s neck. “Please, hold still.” The same golden glow from before enveloped her hand as it flowed forward like floating water and wrapped around the man’s neck. The bruises began to disappear and the man was able to breathe normally again.
“Thank you…Princess…” He stood back onto his feet, grabbing the gift on his way up. Celestia followed suit. The man looked up to Kokushibo’s still angered face. Although fearful and wary, the man stepped forward with his hand outstretched, gift in hand. “For you, sir. I am sorry if I was of disrespect or offense to you or Princess Celestia.” Kokushibo squinted at the man, the face of Akaza still clearly before him. If not for the different colored hair and lack of rank kanji upon his eyes, Kokushibo would’ve attempted destroying him right that second, even with the Princess present. Kokushibo’s eyes shot down to the gift in question: a glass orb, the intricate shape of a snowflake blown into it. It glittered sparkles of azure and sky. The glass itself lacked any imperfections. A perfectly smooth sphere. “My wife, Flurry Snowfall, is a glass blower. This is one of her best works. I’d like for you to have it.” He awaited Kokushibo’s response. His face began to relax as he stared into the man’s eyes, having no trace of Akaza’s bloodlust and thirst for battle. Kokushibo sighed, setting himself down to his knees, bowing deeply with his hands upon the soft dirt, the top of his head hovering inches above the dirt.
“I apologize for my behavior.” Kokushibo said genuinely. “Please, find in your heart to forgive me.” The man reeled back, unsure what to do as a man so high in rank was now bowing to a peasant in public. Passing eyes drew to the group as the man dropped to his own knees and pushed on Kokushibo’s back, urging him to stand.
“Oh please, sir! Stand! I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding!” He pleaded, looking up to Celestia who’s gentle smile had already returned and was looking down to the man and her Champion. “I-I accept your apology! Now please, to your feet! You’ll dirty yourself!” Kokushibo complied, returning to his feet along with the man he nearly killed. The man dusted Kokushibo’s hakama pants and stood back. He handed Kokushibo the gift, which he accepted gracefully.
“Again, I apologize. I mistook you for…someone else.” Kokushibo reiterated, still stunned that this man had that impeccable resemblance. “All of this and I have yet to be introduced. My name is Kokushibo.” He extended his free hand to the man. The man responded by taking Kokushibo’s hand into his own and shaking hit firmly.
“Lionheart Shore.” Kokushibo was impressed by Lionheart’s ability to forgive so seamlessly since he smiled as he delivered his name. They released each other's hands after their shake. “It’s funny, I’ve been told on multiple occasions that I have a very recognizable face. So it’s something I’m actually used to…minus the choking.” He laughed heartily while Celestia stifled a giggle herself. Kokushibo remained downtrodden, the image of what just happened now burnt into his memory. His eyes fell a little bit at the joke, feeling shame overcome him. Celestia moved herself next to Kokushibo, now ready to return to the market.
“Well, if all is well and settled, We shall be returning to the festival.” Celestia said, looking to her bodyguard with gentle eyes. Her pale magentas went unnoticed to the regretful swordsman. She took in a breath, returning her eyes to Lionheart. “We are eager to see your work, Mr. Shore.”
“And I am eager to entertain!” Lionheart exclaimed, crossing his arm across his abdomen and giving a quick bow. He made himself scarce as he intended to continue his work before falling behind. Celestia turned to continue her amble to the market.
“So, Champion, We were planning on purchasing some items from one particular shop where We saw some very intriguing trinkets.” After no response for a few steps, Celestia checked over her shoulder and noticed she was alone. Kokushibo continued to stand, looking off to where Lionheart had disappeared behind the street corner. Celestia approached the obviously unsettled Kokushibo. “What troubles you, Champion?” He said nothing in response, his eyes locked on the street corner. “You mentioned what sounded like a name. We wanted to wait until We returned to the castle to discuss this topic. But it seems that this situation is occupying much of your mind.”
“His face. His voice.” Kokushibo said suddenly. “It was a demon’s.” Celestia’s smile fell into a neutral curve.
“We were under the impression that you were the only…demon to have been brought here to Equus.” Celestia took a step forward from Kokushibo’s side and leaned to look into his eyes to see what he had to say in response.
“I had said that it was most likely.” Kokushibo defended himself, his eyes now snapping to Celestia’s. “If I’d have known, I’d have let Princess Luna know when she first asked me of it. But Akaza…looks different. He looks…human again.” His eyes wandered to the ground as he brought his thumb and index finger to his chin, thinking out loud. “I know it was him. I could feel it. But why wouldn’t he retain his demonic form?”
“Perhaps,” Celestia theorized inquisitively, “he is something else entirely. Perhaps he was never a demon in Equus.” Kokushibo pondered the thought.
While that may be true, why us two in specific..? And even if not just us two, what of the other Upper Ranks? Could others have..? Now I’m not too sure anymore. From here on out, I’ll need to be more observant of people here, as it doesn’t seem too out of this world to have more demons here. And yet, he didn’t recognize me. Perhaps it truly wasn’t him? If that’s the case, then I would prefer that over the alternative possibility of there being more demons hiding here in Equestria…
“Maybe.” Kokushibo replied after a few seconds of thought. His attention gravitated to the Princess as he bowed at his waist. “I never apologized to you as well, Princess, for my actions.” He raised himself, looking directly into Celestia’s eyes. “I simply acted at the sight of what I thought was potentially the most dangerous thing I could think of endangering Equestria.” Celestia almost seemed to glow at the words he gave her.
“Your concern for this land,” Celestia’s words lulled into Kokushibo’s ears, “is well-placed. We could not ask any more of you, as your priorities are very similar to Our’s. The simple fact that you had Equestria’s safety in mind as you acted gives Us hope and security of Equestria’s foreseeable future.” Celestia’s smile turned genuine again. When it shifted from a generic and ever-present smile to one she meant from her heart, Kokushibo felt a warmth similar to the sun bathing his own stained and blackened heart in sunlight. “Now then, We are missing the festivities. Come, Champion” She turned and continued her amble from earlier, this time Kokushibo following alongside her.
“As you wish, Princess.” Kokushibo replied sturdily, masking the smile he undoubtedly wanted to spread across his face at her words.
Celestia’s words rang back and forth in his thoughts, resonating with something deep inside him. His loyalty and alignment to the kingdom flowed into each fiber of every muscle. This was his home now. The children that ran by and the people that weaved and bumped into him. Every single person he saw fell under the Two Sisters’ reign, and so they were what he sought out to protect. Flashes of light and resounding booms emanated from above, echoing off the distant hills and mountains. Stars of many colors and flight patterns zoomed high above the city. The glittering tails of each explosion burning a brilliant array of colors ranging from aggressive reds to soft and calming blues to energetic yellows. Celestia and Kokushibo stopped amongst the crowd to gaze high above them and see each vibrant explosion. Kokushibo could see the best things to happen to him in each explosion. The first time he felt sunlight in centuries was a feeling he wished he could have again. Yet, he relished the sunlight every day on the Smith farm. The fireworks came alive and lit up the darkest recesses of his heart. Ironically, it reminded him of Akaza. His energy and style now showed itself here. He remembered the long time ago that they dueled, Akaza wanting Kokushibo’s place as Upper Rank One.
It saddened him now, thinking back to all the years demons like he and Akaza spent only getting stronger. He felt lucky that his purpose here was basically handed to him by the Smiths and now the Princesses. He missed his family, old and new, but his new sense of duty writhed within him. He looked amongst the crowd again. Each person looked up in awe at the spectacular show. Each person’s inner functions now blurred into obscurity for Kokushibo. The heart, brain, blood vessels, muscles, lungs, and all others lost total clarity. Kokushibo felt it in his eye sockets. He looked person to person, seeing nothing but the skin they exposed and the clothes on their backs.
