A/N: Based on a dream I had.

Features small spoilers for Chapter 131 of Kimetsu no Yaiba. Slight canon-divergent at some parts.

This story involves a young Giyuu who has not yet experienced the pain of losing a sibling. Also features Giyuu with special sight. Next chapters will involve the other Pillars and their subsequent reaction to the insanity that Tomioka Giyuu unwittingly displays.

Jibakurei [地縛霊)

: in Japanese folklore, Jibakurei are earthbound spirits who decided not to leave earth because of their affection for a certain place. Some do not seek to fulfill an exact purpose and are instead bound to a specific place or situation. Some choose to protect the thing they hold dear.

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It all started when he passed out because of fruit.

Wherever he was, it was dark, and it felt like several hands were slowly dragging him down into the abyss.

He had never experienced the sensation of drowning before, but this must be what it must feel like, although he felt no sense of panic at all.

He felt at peace, and he could've closed his eyes forever if he didn't hear a noise that reminded him of rattling chains.

It rattled in his skull, insistent, and tugged him awake. He held on to that taunt sensation, and found the strength to move his eyelids.

Slowly, Giyuu awoke to sunlight.

Next thing he knew, clouds waved at him as they slowly drifted in the sky.

Soft, his mind idly whispered.

And then he noticed the eyes.

Two pairs of eyes that were staring down at him like he was a rather interesting specimen of worm.

He screamed.

But because his mind was still woozy, it came out as a pathetic wheeze.

The two figures jolted out of their position.

"The poor boy's hurt," the one on his right side said, a woman as pretty as his sister, but slightly older-looking and exuded something strange. "He fell hard from up there. What should we do, Houshi-sama?"

Houshi…sama?

"I wish I knew, my dear Sango, I wish I knew." Flicking his eyes to the left, he saw a man holding a strange golden staff with several rings attached to it. The man kept shaking his staff, and it made an incessant, familiar clink that resounded in his ears.

That's it…that noise…

The stranger heaved a sigh. "We can't exactly help him in our current bodies now, can we?"

What?

"Can't we at least try to call anyone for help?"

"No one can hear us, much less see us. Have you forgotten already?"

The woman huffed. "Well, excuse me for refusing to act useless."

This wasn't real. Two people weren't having a conversation over him, not now, when it felt like his head was splitting open.

He screamed again.

Once again, the two strangers glanced at him.

"He's not going to die, but he might have a concussion. I see no bleeding though," the man said, as though the possibility of Giyuu dying was as normal as the topic of weather.

"The poor boy," the woman whispered, face contorting in a sorrowful expression. Was that all she could say?

"Can you try one of your incantations?" Apparently not.

"There's a high chance it won't work, but there's no harm in trying," the man agreed, and then he started to chant in a strange tongue.

It left Giyuu feeling more dazed instead of helping him. No. No. At this rate, he really was going to die.

"Stop," he wheezed. "Stop that."

The woman gasped. The chanting immediately stopped.

They stared at each other. A bird squawked in the distance. Leaves rustled in the autumn air. There was silence for a moment as the two unknown strangers marveled at him. He wasn't sure, but he hoped that he was somewhere in a forest, hopefully near the house that he and his sister chose to reside in, since their parents died a few years ago.

Giyuu remembered falling down after he tried to climb up a tree to get ripe persimmons for his sister. Persimmon was her favorite fruit, and the thing she was most fond of eating. He even failed at that simple task, and now two strangers were ogling him.

There was a foreboding feeling in his stomach, and regret seemed to seep into him the moment he opened his mouth. There was something unspoken, something wrong with the entire situation.

"You…" the man slowly exclaimed, staring at him in wonder. "You can see us? You can hear us?"

What exactly did he mean by that?

"Yes. Yes, I can. Who are you?"

"I can't believe it," the man mumbled instead of answering his question. "The gods have blessed our line with the gift of sight."

"What incredible circumstance," the woman echoed.

"Who are you?" Giyuu repeated, this time, more frantic.

The two strangers stared at each other again, a silent conversation in the air.

Then the man turned towards him again. "We will tell you our identities, but promise that you'll remain calm."

"He's…what, six? He's a little kid, he'll freak out anyway."

I'm twelve! Giyuu wanted to shout at the woman. But he held his tongue.

"Can you stand up?" The man asked him. Giyuu gritted his teeth and kept his mouth shut. He breathed through his nose. In, out. In, out. Ignore these two.

Slowly, he tried to stand upright.

"Be careful," the woman called out, as he wobbled on his knees. "Don't strain yourself."

She made a move towards him, but her partner held out an arm and shook his head. The woman sucked in a breath, looking even more grim.

His back was aching. It felt like a gigantic boar slammed through him. The pain wasn't too excruciating, but he would definitely have trouble adjusting his spine whenever he stood up for the next few days.

Finally, he did it. He stood up with firm legs. There was pain and relief, but mostly relief. He stared as he faced them.

What now?

"My name," he uttered, making it sound like a declaration, "is Tomioka Giyuu."

The man smiled. He looked kind enough, with the easy curve of his mouth and the laugh lines that crinkled at his eyes. There was an intelligent sheen in his eyes, which seemed to watch Giyuu like he was an interesting puzzle to be figured out. Giyuu strangely felt extremely uneasy towards him.

Giyuu was only twelve, but he was quick to read people. He had to, especially when their parents died and he only had his sister to depend on.

"My name is Miroku," the man replied. Giyuu stared at the earrings he had on each ear while Miroku gestured to the woman smiling at him. "And this lovely woman is my wife, Sango."

"Hello, Tomioka-kun," the woman – Sango – breathed out. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

They didn't provide any last name. Odd.

"You know me?" Giyuu said, surprised.

"Well, of course. After all, you're family."

Family? "Family from…Father's side?" Giyuu asked, uncertain. He didn't have many memories of his father, nor was he too fond of him, but one of the earliest memories he had were the numerous relatives that flitted in and out of their family home. That was a long time ago. Peering at Miroku and Sango, he couldn't recognize them even if he wanted to, and there was still the possibility of them being liars.

Sango glanced at Miroku again. "Yes, we're…related to your father."

"And you expect me to believe you?" He hadn't meant to sound harsh.

Sango frowned. "We have no reason to lie to you."

"We were there when you were born," Miroku stated. He spoke with a complacent, calm voice that indicated that he was used to placating people. Giyuu disliked him more because of it. "You were born on a snowy day."

Giyuu scoffed. "That's nice and all, but that doesn't exactly tell anything."

Sango sighed. "Your father was Kirei and your mother's name was Naoko. You have an older sister named Tsutako. You were born on the month of Kisaragi, when the winds were starting anew and the moon shone the brightest."

"Belated happy birthday, by the way," Miroku greeted him with a smile, and Sango not-so-inconspicuously nudged him on the back.

They were right. Still. He took a step back. "Why are you trying to find me?"

"We weren't trying to find you, actually," Miroku smiled, and there was something sinister in that innocent expression. "If luck would have it, you found us."

"We just wanted to visit you," Sango insisted. "It's not always that we get the chance to talk to family."

Their two statements seemed to contradict each other. Giyuu stared.

Ever since their parents died, no one really came to check on them. Some went, paid their respects in front of the graves, and then went their merry way.

Tsutako-nee-san took everything in stride. As far as he can remember, his older sister had always carried on without any complaints. The only time she cried was when they said their goodbyes in the burial spot, and soil clung to her nails and cheeks as she tried to wipe her tears. She was strong, both in spirit and in mind, and Giyuu loved her dearly.

She might be wondering where he was. But it was unlikely. She was in the market right now. Either that, or her fiancé made a visit in the house. Her fiancé was a young man named Kaname, her vibrant suitor since they were betrothed at the tender age of eight, before their parents passed on to the next life.

"Tomioka-kun?" Sango said, cutting his train of thought.

He blinked, and went back to the present.

Looking at the two, he could tell that these two weren't vagabonds. Maybe they were telling the truth. Miroku wore a robe of deep blue color and fine-looking material, while Sango wore a plum-shade kimono. They didn't look particularly out-of-place, but they still felt as though they didn't quite belong.

The foreboding feeling came back tenfold. "Really…just who are you two?"

The two exchanged glances again. This was the umpteenth time they did this, and Giyuu was getting sick of it.

"Don't you feel it?" Miroku asked.

"Feel what?"

"The flow of fate. Buddha has blessed us with a rare opportunity," Miroku exclaimed.

Giyuu stared at him with a blank expression.

Buddha? Can't this guy start making any sense?

His wife glared at him. "You're confusing him more." She turned towards Giyuu, expression softening. "Please excuse him. My husband is a monk, and fond of saying certain phrases. Old habits die hard."

"Yes, indeed," Miroku nodded, and his hand slowly crept towards Sango's back. Sango formed a fist and narrowed her eyes at Miroku, and he abruptly stopped with a miffed expression. Giyuu watched their strange interaction, having no inkling as to what that was all about.

A monk.

Giyuu was related to a monk. He was honestly surprised. But that explained his strange loose attire and staff.

"Anyway, to answer your question-"

"Why don't we head home first?" Giyuu interrupted, realizing too late that it was rude to do so. "I mean…we can't talk in the middle of a forest. It'll be improper of me not to let you stay inside our home." To serve his point, a sudden strong gust of wind flew towards them. "We can have tea and you can introduce yourselves to my sister once she gets home."

He was surprised when Sango furiously shook her head. "No! It's better if – if we talk to you first. Just for today."

"But…" There was definitely something odd about this.

"It's fine, Tomioka-kun."

Giyuu was growing more and more confused. "If you say so."

"Sango, be considerate. His back is hurting, and he might need to recuperate in the safety of home," Miroku chastised her.

"It doesn't hurt that much anymore, Miroku-san. Thank you for the concern," Giyuu muttered. Strangely enough, it was true. The pain in his back ceased to insist its presence. If Miroku truly was a monk, maybe his incantation actually worked.

"That's good to hear." Miroku cleared his throat. "Getting back to the matter at hand, it's time we formally introduce ourselves beyond our names," Miroku said.

Giyuu nodded, trying his best to indulge this strange behavior.

Miroku cleared his throat.

"We're your great-grandparents, several generations past."

What.

Giyuu didn't hear that right.

"Come again?"

"We're your ancestors," Sango chimed in, trying to clarify. Except it didn't.

"I don't understand." Confused, he was so, so confused.

"It's hard to believe, but we are. We've been dead for centuries, but for some reason, we're talking to you right now. It's truly unbelievable."

Unbelievable. That was the word.

"You mean to tell me…" Giyuu said, slowly, "that you're spirits of the deceased? From hundreds of years ago?" Even hearing himself, it was absurd.

He took a step back. Then another.

These two were insane. It couldn't possibly be true.

"Don't be frightened. We mean no harm," Miroku took a step forward. "You are descended from the line of our eldest child, our dearest daughter. We will never do anything to our descendant who carries our blood." He extended a hand towards Giyuu.

Giyuu recoiled.

"You're telling me you're ghosts," Giyuu's voice shook, but he forced it to sound firm. He was afraid, but if Tsutako was in his place, she wouldn't show her weakness so openly.

"Yes," Sango sighed. Miroku kept quiet, watching him with wary eyes, laidback demeanor gone in an instant.

"…and you actually expect me to believe you?"

"You already do." This time, it was Miroku who spoke. "Demons still exist in this era. Spirits are hardly any different."

Demons? This was too much.

Giyuu decided that enough was enough. He turned tail and ran, propriety be damned.

Only to feel a hand clamp down on his wrist. The hand was cold, very cold, and the hairs on his body stood up with frightening intensity.

Without even turning around, he knew it was Miroku. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, and he was starting to feel nauseous.

"Amazing…" Sango said in wonder. "You can touch him. How is it possible?"

"I'm not surprised. You remember how many evil spirits tried to harm us, back when we were still travelling with Inuyasha and Kagome-sama. We aren't exempt from this power."

"Idiot, don't say it like that. You're scaring him more."

Giyuu struggled to break free of his hold. For a dainty-looking man, he was exceptionally strong.

What if he was actually a spirit? He mentioned evil spirits. Giyuu felt sick.

"Stay calm," the monk told him, hands still wound tightly around his thin wrist, tight enough to break it if he wished. "Frankly, we don't expect you not to react in this manner, but you need to stay calm."

Easier said than done.

"Let go of me," he gritted out.

Surprisingly, the man did.

Giyuu stumbled. He panted, hands flat as he clutched the ground. Calm down, calm down.

The moment he looked up again, Miroku was in front of him, looking down at him with something like pity. Sango walked over to Miroku's side and stared at him with the same look.

Somehow, he was starting to believe everything they've said.

Giyuu took a deep breath. There was no use running.

"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing sinister, I assure you. We just wanted to watch over you for a while," Miroku said, and held out a hand. Giyuu stared at it. His hand twitched but he didn't take Miroku's silent offer of help.

"We can't roam beyond these lands. It can get boring sometimes," Sango added, and although she looked beautiful and lively when she smiled, the knowledge that she wasn't human still made him afraid of her. "This is the first time we ever made real contact with a living person. You're practically our grandson, so it's only fitting that you can see us."

Giyuu shook his head. "Spirits don't just materialize for nothing. What do you want from me?" he repeated. From what he'd heard, spirits only remained because they harbored an imperious desire that went unfulfilled in their past mortal life.

Miroku closed his eyes. "Want is such a strong word. We have no regrets in life, yet here we are. Destiny ordained for us to meet. Perhaps you would've suffered more if we weren't here."

Spirits were real. Of course. If they were…how about his parents?

"Is there really no afterlife? Does heaven and hell exist?" How about reincarnation? He was suddenly curious, in a terrifying way.

Sango laughed, and her eyes twinkled, serene and sad. Her smile followed her eyes. "That's not something you should know yet, Tomioka-kun."

"But what if-"

"Giyuu! Where are you?"

A voice rang nearby, and there was the sound of rapid footsteps on the grass. Tomioka Tsutako emerged from the small path that lead to part of the forest where he was presently in.

She approached him, a small frown on her face. "What are you doing here? It's almost sundown!"

Giyuu was too surprised to react immediately. He looked up, and she was right. The sky was turning into pale shades of orange and red.

It was supposed to be still midday. How long had he been talking to-

And then he remembered.

Miroku and Sango.

He whirled around, and found no one.

What?

Only he and his sister stood in the middle of the forest clearing.

He suddenly wanted to sit down, and it wasn't because of the pounding in his head and back.

"Giyuu? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost…" his sister said, and reached out to pat his shoulder in concern. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Tsutako-nee-san…"

"Giyuu? Giyuu!"

He slumped down on the grass.

When he closed his eyes, he heard them again.

"Maybe's he's not yet prepared to communicate with us." Sango.

"Look at the bright side." Miroku's tone was inappropriately jovial.

"Bright side? What bright side? He just passed out again!"

"At least he didn't pass out because of the pain, only because of fright. It's just natural," Miroku said, trying to sound reassuring.

He heard Sango huff in response. "Well, if he can still see us after this, maybe I can lead him to Hiraikotsu. It would be a shame if it remains forgotten. If I can help him find it, then I can even help him train in the family tradition."

"If he can even carry it," Miroku said, amusement laced in his voice.

"He can. He shares my blood."

She sounded resolute, determined. He didn't know why. He didn't even know what a Hiraikotsu was.

The last thing he heard was the sound of Miroku's staff, and then sleep took over him.

Little did he know, this was only the beginning of his troubles.

.

.

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End of Chapter One.

Terminology:

Kisaragi (如月) - a traditional name for February in the Japanese calendar. It is written as "like the moon" or "wear more clothes" respectively in kanji. It also means the rehabilitation of plants. In the lunar calendar, which was used until the Meiji Period, February was the second month of winter.

Hiraikotsu (飛来骨, ひらいこつ, "Flying Return Bone") - a gigantic weapon made of vanquished demons and their bones. Shaped like a boomerang. Sango's primary choice of weapon.

Although unmentioned, Miroku's sacred staff is called a shakujō (弥勒の錫杖). Used to ward off yōkai (demons).

I've taken few liberties with the portrayal of Giyuu's sister and the names of his parents, which weren't revealed in the manga. Giyuu's birth date is from canon material.

Wrote this mostly on a whim. Reviews are always appreciated.