DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kimetsu no Yaiba or NieR. Both are properties of Koyoharu Gotōge and Yoko Taro respectively.

I do not own the cover art. All credits go to Deviant Artist dishwasher 1910.

2B(a)DEMON SLAYER

CHAPTER_01: The Machine Girl Reborn As A Human

Her body was breaking. Every single part of her was tearing itself apart. Her conscious thought was on the verge of crumbling. Her memories were slowly fading, but she wouldn't let that happen. She refused to allow those precious memories, her identity, slip away. So long as she had those, she could continue moving. She could maintain a firm grasp of her sense of self.

But, 2B knew that couldn't last. By now, all of her functions had gone to hell. She could barely hold up her sword properly as two machines stared her down, glowing red eyes glaring at her with malicious intent. One approached in a slow walk, almost as if it was imitating a predator intimidating its prey. Weakly, she raised her sword in defense. The machine struck, knocking her away easily and falling right near the edge of the chasm below.

She gritted her teeth and tried to stand back up, only for an overwhelming pain to consume her mind. Her body locked up, feeling something dreadful and cold slither into her systems.

'Get out.' she screamed back at whatever was trying to take hold of her. 'Get out of my head!'

The machines raised their swords, ready to deliver the final blow. To 2B's surprise, however, they were swiftly cut down before they even had a chance. A familiar figure, garbed in tattered clothes and long white hair, stood there with her sword drawn and the machines cut into sparking pieces.

"A2..." 2B muttered her savior's name in surprise before hissing in pain. Her fingers twitched sporadically, and her eyes felt like they were burning. She gripped her sword, using it as a makeshift stand, but fell to her knees.

Something was worming its way into her head. Something her systems couldn't understand. A terrifying malice that was corrupting her, trying to take away everything she was. To erase her and replace this husk with something else. A mindless, insane drone that could only slaughter and kill and cut apart anything around it. The only reason it hadn't been able to do so was through her own force of will, struggling with every fiber of her being to keep her memories from being torn apart. But she couldn't last for much longer.

This was her limit.

"Guess this...is it..." 2B smiled sardonically as she cut away her blindfold and opened her eyes. A2 gasped and saw what should have been clear blue eyes were now glowing red. The sign of infection. "These are...my memories...!"

She refused. She refused to relinquish them. She refused to let this...thing delete them. She refused to lose herself. She looked up at A2, who stared back in sorrow. She wondered how many times she must have watched this scene play out. To see people she once considered allies or comrades to become corrupted. Or maybe A2 simply felt sorry for her.

"Take care of everyone for me..." she asked. No, pleaded. She begged A2 to do this one last thing for her. She hoped the android would do this. It was, after all, her last request. "Take care...of the future..."

A2's stare lingered for a moment, then decided. She approached 2B and took hold of her sword, pulling it from the ground. 2B smiled softly as she closed her eyes, then waited. A second later, she felt cold steel pierce her abdomen. The last vestiges of her strength began to fade. All of her systems went critical as warnings sounded off her head. She was dying, or what passed for dying in a machine. That thing was pulling away, realizing it couldn't make a pawn out of her.

"2B! Are you...!"

Blue eyes opened for a final time as she turned her head. She couldn't quite see who was standing on the bridge, but she could never forget that voice. The voice of the person whose life she had ended countless times.

"Oh... Nines..."

Her eyes closed, and her body shut down. Everything turned to black.

The android known as 2B was dead.

NO, NOT YET. YOU CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO PERISH JUST YET, DAUGHTER OF YORHA.

THERE IS STILL MUCH FOR YOU TO DO.

"Ooh, she's awake."

2B stirred from unconsciousness. Slowly, her eyes opened up and saw a man staring down at her. His features were unfamiliar and odd, shell seemingly made of tender flesh. Everything was blurry and a mix of colors. At first, she thought there must have been something wrong with her visual ocular system, then stopped to think. Why in the world was she awake? Did Nines create some kind of backup unit for her? No, that didn't seem right. That should have been impossible, given that her body was corrupted. YorHa had already established that even a non-functioning machine was still infected as a corpse.

"Kiyo, look. She has your eyes."

A woman entered her field of vision. Like the man, her shell was seemingly made of flesh, albeit pale. There were dark rings underneath her eyes, partially glazed over and blank. The visual symptom of being blind, but that couldn't be right. Androids couldn't become blind. Even if they did, their eyes wouldn't develop that symptom. Only humans did.

"Does she?"

"Yes. Very clear blue." the man smiled. "And so small."

Small? What was he talking about? She was designed to be the size of the average female human. She opened her mouth to question who he was and where she was located-

"Aaa?"

-and spoke in babbling gibberish.

2B's mind shut down.

'...huh?'

"Aw, look~ Little Yona's trying to talk!"

'What?!'

She opened her mouth again. But instead of coherent words questioning about what was going on, all that can out was:

"Aaa?"

What was happening?! Was there something wrong with her vocals?! No, wait. Calm down. If she couldn't communicate verbally, then maybe she could communicate with actions. While sign language was not entirely in use among androids, it was still viable in the event their voice was unusable.

...wait.

'Wh-why are my arms so small and tiny?!'

Instead of the lithe, hard limbs that she was used to, all she saw were two small, pudgy arms and hands. They seemed to be incredibly soft. Despite this startling revelation, she resolved herself to try something. She tried to sign out symbols using her fingers...only to end up moving them awkwardly and uncontrollably.

'What happened to my motor reflexes?'

There was something else wrong as well. Her inner systems felt off. Very off. Actually, all of her body felt off, and not just her mouth and limbs. It was like all of her functions were haywire or wouldn't work right.

'Something here isn't right. Why can't my body work properly. Is this...an after-effect of the logic virus? None of this makes sense. Who are these two? And why am I in such a small, defective body?!'

If this was some kind of practical joke, it was far from funny. She needed to get back to 9S and the others.

Suddenly, the woman started to cough haphazardly. "Kiyo, are you alright?" the man asked worriedly, still holding the tiny 2B. "If you aren't feeling well enough yet, I can..."

"No. I..." The coughing fit subsided. "I'm fine, Yukito. It's not as bad as it was the other day. Can...can I hold little Yona?"

"Of course."

'Will you people stop treating me like I'm some kind of child?' thought the irritated 2B. 'Why do they keep calling me Yona? Who are even these machines?'

With gentle hands, the woman called Kiyo held 2B in her arms and peered down at her face, a finger brushing up against her cheek. The sensation was different compared to the other times 2B had physical contact with another person, but she didn't understand why and chalked it up to another defective function of her body.

"My beautiful Yona..." the woman cooed. "My darling daughter... Oh, how I hope you live a beautiful and wonderful life..."

2B stared at the woman for a moment. Her brain lagged for a minute before Kiyo's words caught up to her.

"Aaa?!"

'WHAT?!'

That night, the infant 2B could only scream out in confusion and shock at the woman's words until her body was consumed by exhaustion and forced back into slumber.

In the past, there was a belief that humans once had. An idea that, when a human dies, their soul would enter the cycle of karma and be born into a new life and become a new person, walking down a new path. In the past, there was a genre in human literature called "isekai," in which a person would be brought to a new world either by death or being brought there at the hands of a powerful force or ritual. 2B knew about these concepts, as well as various other bits of information, but they were all so trivial and meaningless to her duties as part of YorHa that she couldn't have cared less about those plans. Instead, she focused on her given tasks and took down any threat to YorHa deemed dangerous enough to warrant action.

Had she known that this would have happened to her, she would have looked it up.

Ten years. That was how long she had spent in this body and world. In the body of a human being - the extinct race that she had been sworn to serve and protect. In this bygone age in the land of the rising sun known as Japan.

At first, she had been in complete disbelief and shock. She refused to believe that it was possible, as the idea of reincarnation was a mere myth and "isekai" born from the minds of otaku, or at least she assumed that word was correct. She thought that someone must have put her Black Box and stuck her inside a tiny defective body in androids who were disillusioned. Her infant years were quite the adjustment period as she was constantly trying to get away from the people who called themselves her parents. She even refused to be fed breast milk, much less believe that an android was designed with that function. Granted, androids were designed to look like humans, but who in their right mind would try and design them to perfectly replicate them?

It was only when she was a year old that she finally started to understand her situation, where she developed what was known as a fever.

It was a new experience. A dreadful one. One she couldn't even compare back when she was infected. Her body felt overheated. Her mind was clouded. It even became difficult to breath, a new sensation for her. The ones who claim to be her parents were wrought with worry as they tried to nurse her back to health.

It was the first real sign that this was a human body. That she had been reincarnated.

But that brought forth a very confusing conflict in her mind. Namely, why she was reincarnated. She was an android. A machine, built from metal pieces and wires and fluids. Made to replicate a human body and could express a semblance of human emotion. If a soul did indeed exist, then why would a machine have one? Why was it possible for someone like her to be reborn in the past as a human being? She who was made entirely of metal?

She couldn't understand how this was possible, but it was. She was unable to understand the logic of how it was possible, but the evidence didn't lie.

Growing up, 2B had done her best to try and mimic the lifestyles and customs of humans in Japan while understanding exactly where and when she was. Preliminary investigations told her she was living in the Yokohama region of what would become the central Tokyo region. Based on living conditions and the typical styles of the homes within the area, 2B believed that she was currently in the Taishō Period, which began in 1912 and would eventually end in 1926.

At present, winter had arrived to Japan and made its presence well-known by blanketing the village in snow. The roofs were caked in white sheets of crystallized water. It wasn't the first time 2B had experienced the cold, but somehow it felt worse than in the decade she had spent growing up. The yukata did little to nothing to keep her warm. And a human body, unlike her old android one, couldn't regulate her body temperature fast enough or provide her with warmth as well. She was forced to rely on the body heat radiated by the man who raised her.

"Are you cold, Yona?"

2B shook her head. "I am fine, Otou-sama." she said respectfully.

Growing up, she had come to accept her role as a daughter. She had come to accept the two humans as her parents. It was an unusual experience.

Yet...it was not an unwelcome one. For the first time in her life, she felt a warmth like never before.

She had no experience with people acting the role of parents. In fact, the closest thing she had to a relationship was with 9S and Operato 6O. Having parents was an unusual but beautiful learning experience, though she would have preferred her father not smothering her when she was in the single digits. Her reaction to a fever was worrisome for the man, as she learned her mother had also been rather sickly. She suffered from what 2B identified as "tuberculosis," having trouble breathing and suffering from severe coughing fits from time to time. Her condition fluctuated through the yen years 2B spent growing up, but it was only recently that her condition vastly deteriorated.

Today, 2B was experiencing an emotion she felt countless times while partnered with 9S. An emotion she had hoped that she would never have to experience. It was wishful thinking and foolish for her to believe she wouldn't suffer it, considering how her new human emotions had ultimately led to her becoming so attached to her mother. The reason why she was experiencing it was because her father and many others in the village were carrying her mother to a newly-dug grave that was quickly piling with falling snow.

Six days ago, the woman known as Kiyo succumbed to her disease. And today was her funeral.

This had been an experience new to 2B. She was no stranger to loss, as she had been forced to destroy 9S many times back then. But this form of loss was different.

She had spent years forming a bond with her mother. And now that bond has been severed by tuberculosis. The difference between the previous circumstances and now?

Her mother had no chance of coming back. Human lives are finite and limited.

"Yukito, how are you fairing?" one of the neighbors asked, walking beside the father. "It can't have been easy, losing your wife so recently."

2B's father smiled weakly. "I'm fine, or so I'd like to say. Kiyo, she...she was looking forward to the trip."

"Ah, right. You were planning on going to Shanghai, weren't you?"

"Yes." Yukito nodded sadly. "I...I just wish we had more time. Just enough so we all could've gone."

Shanghai, China. One of the four municipalities, and quite a ways off. Ordinarily, Japan wouldn't allow for travel to outside countries, but the Taishō period had a few exceptions, what with western influences beginning to make its way, especially in Kyoto. The reason behind the visit was to see a close friend of 2B's father, who had started up a trading business, or so he told her.

"Well, at least you have little Yona with you." the neighbor offered some consolation. "Poor girl, losing her mother at such a young age too. How are you fairing, little one?"

2B was silent. She couldn't even if she wanted to. These new emotions, these feelings...they were simply too overwhelming. She pressed her face into the yukata of her father.

They were approaching the place where she would be buried. The last time 2B would ever lay eyes of her mother, dressed in a pure white kimono, skin freshly cleaned and hair undone, eyes closed.

She looked to have been peacefully asleep. Alas, it would be a sleep she would never wake from.

The villagers gathered around the grave and watched with misty eyes, some openly weeping, as 2B's mother was gently set into the grave. A small candle was lit at the wooden headstone as the priest began to recite the parting prayers. The funeral was an experience 2B never felt, and though she couldn't quell this unusual feeling swelling within her, she watched as they shoveled dirt into the grave, soiling her mother's beautiful face and pure white kimono. The bits of grime and earth mixed together with the falling snow.

'So, this is what a human funeral is like.' She compared it to the funerals of an android. Nothing teary as this, but still somber. 2B witnessed many comrade's inoperable remains set into a furnace, so as to prevent its remains from being used by scavengers or being desecrated. 'It's...much more depressing than I thought it would be.' 2B looked up at her father. The man's face was screwed up, eyes shut while rivers flowed from his cheeks. Droplets from those rivers spilled to her face. 'He's crying... A normal human child should be crying also for seeing this. I should be crying, but...can I cry?'

Her silent question was answered as her vision blurred. She blinked, and her sight was still misty. She gingerly reached up and brushed her eyes, only for her fingers to become damp. She stared at it for a moment, then felt something wet cascade down her cheeks. It took her a second to realize that these were tears. Genuine, true tears.

The tears of a human being.

'Humans are...an odd species...' 2B thought as the feeling that had been with her for the last couple days tightened its grip on her. As her mother's face became covered with dirt, she turned away and pressed her face into her father's chest. He took this as a sign to hold on to her tightly and gently pushed her further against him. 'These emotions...these are what humans feel every day.'

She wished she had been brought to this time as a machine. At least then, her settings could prevent her from fully feeling these complex emotions. Perhaps this was the reason why machines were explicitly to never feel anything. She was drowning in emotions and feelings that she still couldn't understand properly. Had this been 9S, maybe he could have found a way to deal with this. Despite his own words that machines and androids, even those who pretended to emulate human emotions, couldn't truly express what it meant to feel and act like a human being, he understood. It was why she had killed him so many times. Because it was those same emotions that kept pushing him forward to discover what YorHa had been hiding from him.

'Nines...'

She had thought about him and A2 for a very long time. How whether or not they too were reincarnated in this place or if they were okay. She couldn't see the expression 9S had back then, but she could hear the fear and horror in his voice. He must have been chasing after her around the time the Logic Virus had started to take root inside her body. How often had she chastised him for expressing such emotions? How many times had she killed him and felt what he must have felt?

Her tiny hands trembled as she recalled the feeling.

"It's alright, Yona..." her father whispered to her through his sobs. "Everything...everything will be okay..."

No, it wouldn't. Not as long as she remained 2B, the android girl who had been reincarnated into a world that had no place for her.

The funeral had ended hours ago. After a moment to herself and without her grieving father hovering over her, 2B had managed to regain a form of control over her human emotions. She hadn't realized it until now, but the experiences she had as an android were conflicting with who she was at this moment. The android 2B was a battle-hardened soldier and warrior of YorHa, while Yona was just a mere 11-year-old girl who had the memories of 2B. A human who experienced emotions in full, not the subdued replica emotions androids knew. They were forbidden for feeling genuine emotions.

'But, I can't do that anymore.' 2B thought as she stared at her hands. They were so smooth and soft, not unlike the rough and metal hands that held countless weapons that cut down innumerable machines and former comrades. 'I can't regulate or suppress emotions anymore. I'm experiencing so many things now...' She furrowed her brow. 'Things are different now. I can't think the same way anymore. So many emotions are conflicting within me, and I don't know how I can stop them.'

It was truly a conundrum. The emotions within her swirled, churned, and raged like a hurricane. And no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't bring them under control. She was losing to them.

She thought she had gotten better at handling them, but after today, she wasn't so sure.

'I underestimated the complexity and force of human emotions.' 2B declared. 'It's little wonder why androids were forbidden from feeling them.'

Logic and reason were how they operated. Emotions, especially one as powerful as human emotions, could influence a person's actions greatly, be it for good or ill. But if one acted within reason and thought logically about the intended course of action, then they would obtain the best possible results. That was how 2B had always acted. She was sure if she had such emotions, she would have been a total mess and constantly fumble, perhaps even sympathize with the machines that she and YorHa considered to be enemies.

She sighed to herself and shook her head. If she continued to think about such things, she would surely drive herself mad trying to find a way to subdue these overwhelming emotions of hers. She stood up from her bed and left the room, bare feet tapping against the mats underneath her.

The comfort she experienced within this decade had been a wonder indeed. The term "culture shock" came to mind and best described what growing up in the Taishō period. While she had knowledge of Japan's otherwise "golden years," she never truly understood what the documents and historical texts had to offer until she began to experience them for herself, and learn the limitations of the human body. Though she was a human child, at her core she was still 2B, one of the best warriors at YorHa's disposal. Fighting was in her blood. But her body was so weak and frail, if she even so much as tried to replicate what she could do back then, at best she'd fail and have a couple broken bones. At worst, well, she would have demolished her body completely and died trying. A human body, even at the peak of physical strength, could never replicate the ability of a machine designed for war.

Thus, as the human child Yona, 2B experienced a life of complacency and safety. She needn't ever worry about fighting or drawing a sword unless she pursued the path of a warrior. Down in her bones, she could feel that yearning desire to hold a sword. But she refrained and lived the life she was expected to lead in this period. A woman in Japan was expected to be courteous, self-reliant, compliant and modest. As a child, she was expected to listen to her father. When she was to be wed and married, she was to listen to her husband. And when she had become old, she was to listen to her son. This was what was expected of 2B in the coming years as she entered adulthood and lived the life of a human. The odds that she would ever come to hold a sword would be quite low.

And yet, that was what 2B wished. To remember and feel the weight of a blade in her hand.

Perhaps as a result of such thoughts, 2B found herself in the living room. The candles had long since been blown out and the winter clouds blocking out the moon, so the room was eerily dark. The air was cold and left goosebumps trailing along her skin, causing her to shudder. She approached a small shrine up against the wall containing a candle whose light had recently been extinguished and a photograph. It was not her mother's, but instead of the man who had been the father of her male parent. A grandfather. Evidence to this was his wrinkled face and frost-white hair. However, her attention was not on the photograph, but instead on the item held up on a wooden rack up above it.

A katana. Its hilt cold gray and the handle wrapped in thick, woven white thread with black diamond shapes running down the middle. 2B knew not the state of the sword within its sheathe, but the scabbard itself was beautifully crafted and made with a true passion, a sleek black refurbished wood with white and black designs, reminiscent of a portrayal of a breeze.

2B stared at the sword longingly, reaching out to touch it. She stopped and pulled her hand back, shaking her head. What was she doing? The sword was not hers. It belonged to her deceased grandfather. She didn't have the right to wield it.

No matter how much she wanted to wield the blade again, she did not want to disrespect her ancestor and family.

"Yona?" Startled and surprised, another testament to the contrast between a human body and a machine and showcasing how the mighty had fallen, 2B turned around and saw her father Yukito entering the room. His eyes were puffy and red, showing that he had been sobbing all night. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Forgive me, Otou-sama. I could not sleep." 2B replied honestly.

Yukito's face softened. He saw her standing in front of the shrine. "Were you offering prayers to your grandfather?"

"Yes." At least, that was he believed so she wouldn't correct him. She let her curiosity get the better of her and looked back at the sheathed katana above the shrine. "Otou-sama, that sword... This belonged to Ojii-sama, right?"

"Ah, that..." Her father walked over to her side, carefully removing the katana from its rack and kneeling down. "You want to see it?" 2B nodded. He withdrew the sword from its sheathe and 2B gasped.

Before, she cared little about the design of any weapon she could get her hands on. So long as they performed well enough and helped her succeed in her missions, there was no reason for her to take a moment and admire their craftsmanship. But this time was different. This time, she couldn't help but stare in admiration at the katana's naked blade.

"Beautiful..."

A beautiful silver-coated sword, almost the color of moonlight. The edge was sharp and not a hint of rust, showing that the sword had been carefully maintained throughout the many long years it had been crafted. She had never seen a blade with such a color, nor one as finely crafted as this. As she took in every detail, she noticed something was carved into the blade near the hilt.

"Destroy...Demons..." she whispered aloud before looking up at her father. "Otou-sama, what does that mean?"

"Ah. I almost forgot about that." He said in nostalgia. "It's...a motto of sorts. A creed, if you will."

"Motto?" 2B tilted her head in confusion. "Creed?"

"Yes. You see Yona, your grandfather was a skilled swordsman. In fact, from what I recall, he was one of the very best back then."

"He belonged to an organization whose duty was to defend the people. You've heard how everyone talks about the demons, right?"

2B nodded. She had heard such talk, but she didn't put very much stock into it. Demons were just fairy tales and myths used to symbolize calamity and illness. There was hardly any actual proof behind their existence. That was one of the things that befuddled the former android, how humanity's imagination could find ways to explain explainable phenomenon at the time. All these talks of disappearances and brutal murders were the work of vicious animals and humans consumed by depravity. She didn't say as much to her father and let him continue.

"Your grandfather... Sakazuki-san, was a demon slayer." Yukito said to her surprise. "The Demon Slayer Corps purpose was to eliminate the demons. There are two ways you can identify their number. The first is their dark clothing. Almost all of them are dressed in black clothes and are usually accompanied by a raven or a crow. The second way is what you see here." He pointed to the engraving on the sword. "All demon slayers carry a sword with this engraved into it."

"I see..." 2B nodded. Though she was still skeptical about the existence of demons, perhaps they were actually vigilantes or something of the like. "Then, they're like the police?"

Her father shook her head. "No, they are not. You see, the Demon Slayer Corps is an unsanctioned organization and isn't part of the government. While many people know about their existence, and the police do aid them on occasion, they're otherwise working outside the law and liable to get arrested depending on the situation."

"But...that doesn't seem fair." She stated. The Demon Slayers protected people, but they're still liable to get arrested? That seemed counterintuitive.

"That's what I thought when my father first told me about them." He chuckled. "But there is a reason why they're separate from the government. It's to minimize the exposure of civilians to demons. If the entire populace knew about them, they'd fall into panic."

"To everyone else, the demons are just whispers and rumors. Signs of calamity, some say. But in truth, they exist." Yukito smiled wryly. "Of course, I've never seen one myself. I imagine I'd have soiled myself silly if I had!" He slid the sword back into its sheathe and returned it to the rack. "Now, enough talk of monsters. I can't have you getting nightmares. Off to bed now, Yona."

2B nodded. The two parted and returned to their rooms, but the girl was now slightly intrigued about this Demon Slayer Corps organization. Was it possible that they were like YorHa? Were the demons something else? The more she gave the matter some thought, the more curious she became.

"Aaaah~"

A yawn escaped her and made her realize her body was exhausted, physically and emotionally. It would be wise to get some sleep and think about this for another day. She slipped back into her room and settled beneath the blanket, closing her eyes and letting unconsciousness seep into her mind.

The next morning, Yona awoke to find that their home had a new occupant. A guest had arrived sometime in the morning, having traveled a great distance and was in search of lodgings. Her father, being the bleeding heart that he was, gave the stranger shelter in their home but not without setting some groundrules first.

2B felt her instincts flare the moment she saw the guest. A towering behemoth with short hair and blank eyes, obviously blind and bearing a scar across his temples. He was clad in a tattered robe, but there was no mistaking the hilt of an ax sticking out from beneath the cloth of his cloak. Around his neck were large crimson prayer beads, with similar but smaller beads around his hands.

"I do apologize for intruding on your home so suddenly, Yukito-sama." the towering man said humbly. "I have traveled a great distance and had hoped to find a suitable hut, but..."

Her father waved a hand in dismissal. "It is fine. It's a shame you came at such a bad time, though. The winter this year looks to be a brutal one."

"I have noticed. Many of the roads have either become piled with snow or frozen over. Even the lakes have turned to ice."

"Indeed. Pardon, but I never caught your name."

"Himejima, sir. Gyomei Himejima."

"Well, it is nice to meet you, Himejima-san." Yukito bowed. "You're welcome to stay until the roads become clear. I wouldn't want anyone to be caught up in the cold this time of year."

"I am truly grateful for your hospitality." He clasped his hands together in prayer.

2B continued to stare at the man in curiosity. Though he seemed gentle, 2B had long since learned to identify a potential threat. He looked kind and gentle, but those hands were rough. He was a warrior and had fought many battles.

'Is he a threat?'

She glanced at the sheathed katana above the shrine. Even in this small body, could she take him down if he were to turn his blade against her?

2B already knew the answer before the thought even finished. She couldn't. This was not her old body. She was weak and untrained. Even if she could replicate the feats she had done in her android body, she'd break her body in doing so. In fact, she believed that the man would be capable of ending her life before she had a chance to withdraw her sword from its sheathe.

Fighting this man was suicide.

"What are you doing there, Yona?" her father saw her hiding away around the corner and smiled weakly. His eyes were still red and puffy. "Come and greet our guest."

"...yes, Otou-sama."

Almost reluctantly. She made herself known to the potential threat. She just hoped that he was not a threat. If he was, then she couldn't do anything about it. Not with her current body the way as it is. She gingerly approached, footsteps alerting the man of her presence. He craned his head in her direction. "These footsteps...a child?"

"My daughter, Yona." Yukito introduced her to him. "She can be quiet at times, but she's quit the studious girl. I don't there have been as many girls her age who can read so much in a month!"

"Is that so? Forgive me for being blunt, but what of her mother?"

The mood immediately turned somber. Yukito's smile dimmed. The memories of yesterday's funeral caused those unpleasant emotions to swell up inside her chest. "Okaa-sama is dead." 2B informed him, voice tight. "Her funeral was yesterday."

"Ah, I see." Gyomei said solemnly. "I deeply apologize. You have my condolences." He clasped his hands into a prayer for the departed.

To both people's surprise, his eyes turned watery and tears spilled down his face like a river. 'Do humans cry this easily...?' 2B wondered to herself in curiosity. 'So strange.'

"Yona, can I ask a favor of you?" Yukito shook off his shock and addressed his daughter. "Can you run by the market and see if Mitsuri-san has any firewood? Just tell him your daddy sent you, okay?"

2B nodded. "Of course, Otou-sama." After he handed her a small amount of currency for the wood, 2B bowed and exited the room, leaving the two men alone.

Truthfully, she wasn't entirely comfortable leaving her father with a potential threat. He was a stranger she knew nothing about. What if he proved to be dangerous and planned on killing them? Or used them for some nefarious purpose?

'Good grief. I sound so paranoid.' the former android sighed deeply. She slipped on her sandals and tightened the grip of her kimono before she left the house and set her feet into the snow. The air had warmed slightly, but the frigid chill was still poignant enough for her to feel the cold snow through the sandals. She shivered slightly and quickly made her way to the market. 'You would think that living in this body for a decade would help me become used to its flaws. What wouldn't I give to have my old mechanical body back...'

She never noticed the black crow watching her carefully, perching atop the huge oak tree sitting beside her home.

2B arrived at the market without a hitch and saw that most of the villagers had recovered from yesterday. Some were still affected, those who knew her mother very well and could be considered friends with her, whereas the others simply attended out of respect. While they knew Kiyo to some level, they otherwise knew her as a neighbor and frequent visitor in the market and bought their wares on more than a few occasions.

As she walked with her bag of coins safely secured in her kimono, a group of children rushed by her and would have kept going, had one of them not recognized her.

"Hey, is that Yona? Yona!"

2B turned and saw the children approach. She often played with them with mixed results as she tried to pass herself off as the child she was in this body. It was actually harder than she thought, as on several occasions these kids tested her patients in a way she never thought possible. Not even 9S at her most annoying was as bad as them! It was only a true monument to her patience that she prevented herself from lashing out from their absurdities. They were children, after all.

"Masaomi-san." 2B bowed her head. "Good afternoon."

"What are you doing here by yourself?" the leader of the children, Masaomi, asked. He was the eldest of the children and the son of the village elder, perhaps a year or two older than 2B herself in her child body. "Shouldn't Yukito-jii-chan be here with you?"

"No, he is entertaining a guest who arrived in the morning. He traveled a great distance and is unable to travel further because of the snow." she answered honestly. "He asked me to retrieve firewood from Mitsuri-san. What about you all? What are you playing today?"

"We're not playing anything." Masaomi said, a wide grin forming on his face. "We're demon hunting!"

2B frowned. "Demon hunting? Masaomi-san, do you believe demons exist as well?"

"Of course!" the boy replied. "You remember Takeomi-san, right? The butcher's daughter who went missing?" 2B nodded. She remembered that particular nightmare, as it occurred a few days before her mother's illness consumed her. She suddenly vanished in the middle of the night and was nowhere to be seen for several days. The whole village went into an uproar and scrambled to try and find her. "Well, this morning, one of the villagers found her!"

"They have?" 2B inquired. "Why has no one spoken of it yet?"

Masaomi's eager look faded a bit. "Ojii-chan isn't really sure how to break the news to everyone. I haven't actually seen Takeomi-san, but I heard one of the adults say that her face was torn off."

"What?!" 2B gasped in shock. Her face had been torn off? How cruel!

"That's what the adults say. But we haven't seen for ourselves, they wouldn't let us."

"That's why were going after that demon!"

She stared at the children in a mixture of shock and anger. What did they think they were doing?! Were they trying to get themselves killed? They were children and couldn't fight, much less hold a sword properly! If what they said was true, then they were going up against a truly depraved man. That meant they were dangerous. Something like that shouldn't be entrusted to kids. Even 2B knew that much.

"Why don't you come with us, Yona?" one of the girls in the group asked. "Your dad has a sword, right? You should bring it with you!"

2B scowled. "You're fools." The children stared at her in shock. "Do you not hear what you are saying? You are trying to find someone who has no qualms about killing, especially in such a brutal fashion. Say you find this 'demon,' what will you do? Try to fight it yourselves? Have you had any sort of training with weapons?"

"W-well, no..." Masaomi quickly wilted. "B-but, what if-"

"Masaomi-san, I understand you mean well, but think of the consequences. What if one of you dies and must inform your parents of what has transpired? What if you all die and we must find your corpses?" Her glare hardened. "This village has just another person, including my Okaa-san a mere week ago. Would you truly subject us to the loss of more?!"

"The girl speaks the truth, little ones." To 2B's surprise, the giant that was Gyomei appeared. The children gawked at the man, having never met someone of his stature before. "To fight a demon is foolhardy, much less suicidal without any form of training. Think of what would happen should you fail in your endeavor. As Yona-san has said, the village is already in grief. Please, do not make it worse."

"T-that's..."

The fire in Masaomi's eyes died and lowered his head. One of the other children put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Discouraged and losing their drive, the children moved on.

Gyomei looked in their direction for a moment, as if to see them off, before he turned his attention back to 2B. "You are very wise, Yona-san."

"Thank you for your kind words, Himejima-san." 2B replied courteously as she bowed. "What brings you to the market?"

"I merely came to see if there was a butcher shop. Yukito-san mentioned having meat, and I offered to cook."

2B stared at him suspiciously. "Please pardon my rudeness, Himejima-san, but are you blind?" The man took no offense to her words and nodded. "How can you cook if you cannot see?"

"I have had years of practice, little one." Gyomei replied. "I once took care of a small band of children such as yourself when I was a monk."

"You're a monk?" She questioned. Granted, she probably should've had such suspicions given his accessories and behavior.

"I am. I'm currently on...let's say a pilgrimage. I'm traveling the country as per my instructions."

"Instructions for what?"

"To give guidance." Gyomei answered. "Yona-san, speaking honestly, what do you believe of this talk of demons?"

2B pursed her lips, wondering how she should answer. "...I do not believe that monsters exist." she answered after a moment of decision. "They are what people use to explain calamity and misfortune. However, if there is someone behind Takeomi-san's death, it is a depraved human being who acts like an animal than a human being. No human being would tear apart another's face for whatever reason."

The monk remained silent as he processed her words. Finally, he spoke. "I see. As I said before, you are very wise for your age, Yona-san. I understand your point of view."

She could tell there was more he wished to say, but he chose to instead speak silence and moved on. 2B watched him with an eagle's eye, now more than ever wary of this stranger. She did not know why he questioned her about the existence of the demons, but she did find his timing to be quite odd. A stranger arriving in the village, around the same time Takeomi's body had been discovered? Was it possible that he was the culprit? His stature and overall build suggested it would be possible for him to do it, but 2B had no evidence. Only her suspicions. and his overall presence.

She needed to keep an eye on him. But first, she needed to buy wood. And tell the village elder what his stupid son was trying to do. Though Gyomei and she had managed to deter him from this course of action, she knew him well enough that Masaomi would still try to hunt the demon. He would surely find himself in an early grave.

She did not wish to experience more negative emotions than what she was already experiencing. She had witnessed her mother, a grown woman that had raised her for eleven years, be buried. She did not want to experience what sort of turmoil witnessing a human child being buried would bring.

'Children...' 2B's memories went to a group of machines she and 9S had encountered so long ago. How Pascal, the leader of a community, was just trying to provide a safe haven for those wanting to live in peace. Away from the chaos instigated by those infected by the Logic Virus. She recalled what had become of the community and of the mechanical children Pascal had tried to protect.

Her hands trembled and shut her eyes. Her emotions surfaced and felt streams forming down her face.

She would not see another child, much less a human one, die.

Night had arrived. The sky was clear and the moon was full. He could tell by the way the light it radiated fell upon the small village, a bloodthirsty monster in its midst.

Gyomei Himejima had not been lying when he had said that his travel had been cut short. The unexpected winter's severity had blocked off most of the routes leading into the village and had gotten lucky when he arrived. To his disappointment and sadness, he arrived a couple days late.

A demon had already claimed its victim.

He lamented his lack of speed and caution. If he had left earlier, he probably could've made it to this village in time to save the victim. Alas, he was too late, delayed by a force of nature. But he lamented and moved on. What was done was done.

The demon had been running rampant two days too long. It was time to put an end to its sorrowful existence. He intended to patrol the village tonight and see what he could learn, as he couldn't simply just hunt for it without anything to go on. All he knew was its preferred method of killing. Some demons were known to devour humans in unique ways. For this case, Gyomei believed that the demon loved to devour humans by eating their face. As to why, well, he was not interested in learning why. Only saddened and dismayed that even a demon would marry another person's body in such a manner. A truly lamentable soul who deserved to be laid to rest post-haste.

It wouldn't be very hard to find the demon in a village as small as this, but the Hashira was concerned. The daughter of the man who offered him lodgings, Yukito, was a sharp one.

The young girl, Yona, was unusually wise and perceptive for a girl her age. He may not be able to see the maturity in her eyes, but her tone of voice, the way she spoke, and the way she carried herself told the man many things. But the more he thought of her, the more saddened he became.

Just what experiences had the girl gone through to behave in such a manner? Children deserved the right to live out their childhood days in peace, as it is a privilege many have lost due to existence of demons. While his opinion of children may have lessened over the years, considering the circumstances that led him to becoming a Demon Slayer, Gyomei still cared greatly about them and prayed that she would regain a happy life.

Perhaps that day would come when the demon was dead. After checking his gear, he nodded to himself and stood up. Carefully to not make any noise, he fled the household and entered the snowy world outside the home, katana at his hip.

It was time for the hunt to begin.

2B woke up to the sound of someone leaving. In truth, she had only been half-asleep as she had been plagued by nightmares earlier in the night. She was restless and could barely find the strength to return to slumber when she heard the soft and near silent footsteps of Gyomei Himejima. She left her room and peered down the halls, finding the man making his way for the entrance. To her surprise, his robe was gone and revealed a green coat over a black uniform, his sword now in plain view.

The words her father spoke to her the night before came to mind. Warriors garbed in clothing as dark as a raven.

"Demon Slayer Corps..."

Seriously, what the heck was this? She heard of coincidences, but this was just divine intervention at work or something. Assuming god did exist.

If one was here, then did that mean the murder was the work of a monster? Or a depraved human murderer? She did not know for certain. Everything just seemed to line up with what her father told her too well. Her curiosity grew more and more. Before she realized it, her feet led her to follow the blind man out in the snow. She made sure to keep her presence quiet and her footsteps as light as she could, stepping in the same footprints the man did to lessen the sound of the crunching snow. She felt the chills of the winter night. She pulled her kimono closer in an attempt to stay warm as she continued her pursuit.

The way he moved reminded her of A2. Driven and absorbed in a mission that he would see through to the end. A dedication few at YorHa, including herself, had. His hand also never left the hilt of his ax, either, as if he fully expected battle at the drop of a hat. His movements were slow and calm, and he kept his surroundings in full view. Though he had lost the ability to see, he relied on his other senses. Smell, hearing, taste and touch. Senses that became enhanced with the loss of one of the more vital senses in order to make up for the loss. With that in mind, perhaps he knew 2B was following him and paid it little attention. Or perhaps he didn't notice, but that was doubtful. This was no amateur, but a master of his craft.

With those thoughts in mind, 2B wondered what it was he was hunting that warranted such reaction. Whoever or whatever the "demon" was, it was dangerous enough to elicit a man ready to kill without a second thought.

They entered the market street, which was now devoid of life. The lights were out and not a soul in sight. It was utterly lifeless, and the harsh cold was not making things any better. 2B ceased movement and hid behind one of the shacks when she saw him stop. 'Have I been found out?' What would he do if he discovered her? Silence her to prevent her from speaking of this? Tell her to keep quiet? She saw him look about, eyes closed and his ears twitching, straining to her the faintest sound. Seeing this, she put a hand to her mouth, held her breath and slowed her heart as much as she could.

He was trying to discern any peculiarities through sound alone. If she so much as exhaled or twitched, he would find out about her presence. She had to keep quiet until he moved on.

...if only her human body didn't have to require breathing. She underestimated how long she could actually hold her breath with her current body. She started to feel her lungs burn and cry for air.

To her relief, Gyomei moved and walked further. Once she was sure it was safe to breathe, she exhaled and gulped for air. Once she swallowed enough oxygen, she prepared to continue her pursuit, only to stop when she felt a presence behind her. Out of the corner of her vision, a hand was reaching out for her. Reflex kicked in and her hand whipped out like a viper, grabbing the wrist and pulling her would-be attacker forward. Though her frame was small, she had enough strength to cause the average adult stumble. She then followed up with a swift knee kick, aiming for a man's most vital area.

"Guh!"

Only to instead strike a small waist. 2B stared in shock as Masaomi crumbled to the ground, clutching his stomach and whimpering in pain. "Masaomi-san? What are you doing here?"

"S-same as you..." he wheezed. "I was...hoping to talk...to the big guy." He shakily got up to his feet with a grimace. "He's-he's one of them, right? Those Demon Slayers people are talking about, right?"

"I do not know." 2B replied. Though his attire matched what her father told her, she still did not have confirmation that he was part of the organization. "Never mind that, why are you out this late at night? Couldn't have simply talked to him earlier?"

"I tried, but Ojii-chan freaked out when I told him about this afternoon!" Masaomi whimpered. "He's been really sick the last couple of days. Not as sick as your Kaa-san, but he was pretty bad. The coughing just wouldn't stop. The guy who came by our house, the man in western clothing, he said he could make Ojii-chan better, but ever since then, Ojii-chan hasn't left the house at all. All he does is sit in that dark room of his!"

2B frowned heavily. She had noticed that the village elder had made little appearance in the last few months, but the appearance of a man in western clothing was foreign to her. This was the first she heard of it. If what Masaomi said was true, then maybe he did something that worsened the elder's condition.

"And how does that relate to asking Himejima-san?"

"Because that demon showed up around the same time Ojii-chan's sickness got worse! T-they have to be related, right?"

"That depends, little one." The two children froze. A shadow fell upon them both as the looked up. There stood Gyomei, his blank eyes focused on the two. "Did you speak with your grandfather, face to face?"

'How did he...?' 2B stared at Gyomei wide-eyed. 'I didn't hear a sound, and yet he somehow managed to sneak up on us both.' She looked around and found not a single footprint in the snow. 'He didn't disturb the snow at all... The buildings here a rickety and would creak if someone tried to run on the rooftop, so how in the world did he manage to...?'

"W-when did you show up, mister?!" Masaomi squeaked.

The corner of the monk's lips twitched. "I have my ways. By the way, Yona-san. I must commend you for lowering your heartbeat while holding your breath. You have excellent control of your bodily functions."

"Um, thank you...?"

"Back to the matter at hand..." Gyomei turned his attention back to the village elder's son. "Masaomi-san, was it? Did you speak with your grandfather, face-to-face?"

"What? N-no, I didn't. He forbids me and our maid, Tsukume-chan, from entering his room. He said he didn't want us to get sick. B-but..." Masaomi looked down. "W-when I tried to talk to him this afternoon, I peeked inside. I-I could have sworn I saw his sheets stained red. Ojii-chan's never had coughting fits so bad he's start coughing up blood, b-but his sickness got worse when the demon showed up and killed Takeomi-san. S-so..."

"I see..." Gyomei sighed deeply. "How lamentable. Such a truly pitiable existence you have been forced to endure." 2B and Masaomi stared at Gyomei in confusion before he continued. "Masaomi-san. Could you tell me where your home is?"

"Huh? Uh...sure...but why?" Masaomi asked with uncertainty.

"I apologize. But I shall explain when we get there." Gyomei apologized.

Both children were unsure about this, but the man seemed earnest enough. 2B felt a creeping dread crawl up her back. She couldn't tell what it was, but there was a subtle shift in the air. Faintly, as Gyomei was led to the home of the village elder, she could see what looked like a bloody red mist where Masaomi's home was.

He could hear it. The sound of bloodthirsty desire. The unquenchable thirst for flesh.

Some Demon Slayers had various means of feeling the presence of a demon. The previous Water Pillar before Tomioka was said to possess an incredible keen sense of smell, and the former Roaring Pillar had an impeccable hearing. Uzui also had incredible hearing, though he likened it to having echolocation. Gyomei himself had an incredible sense of hearing. Nowhere near as good as the former Roaring Pillar, but still good enough to hear the sounds of a demon's malevolent intentions. It wasn't guaranteed that all Demon Slayers would possess a unique ability like that, but that was fine. All they needed was their wits about them and a good sword arm and technique.

Judging by the way young Yona stiffened as they grew closer to the demon's den, he could tell she too must have a unique sense. He had suspected her blood ties to his organization when Yukito had accidentally knocked down the Nichirin blade in his home. The sounds it made when it hit the ground told him it had not been used in years, but the sound of the metal scraping against the wooden confines of the scabbard were the same as any other trusty demon slaying blade. That told him that his grandfather, the previous owner of that blade, was a Demon Slayer.

To think that the household that generously sheltered him through the snowstorm hailed from a member of the Demon Slaying Corp. It was funny how fate works mysteriously.

But now was not the time to ponder such things. He had a job to complete...

...one that will be most difficult for the children accompanying him.

A man in western clothing. Illness suddenly growing worse to the point where he wouldn't allow anyone inside a dark room. A death occurring around the same time. Bloody stains on the bed.

It didn't take a police officer to figure out what this all meant.

He entered the house, immediately becoming disgruntled when he heard the sounds of bloodlust and hunger from within the house alongside flesh being torn apart. Once more, he was too late to protect yet another innocent soul from death and lamented his slowness. His hand went to his ax as Masaomi led him to his grandfather's chamber. Beside him, Yona grew more and more uncomfortable, feeling the malevolence in the air.

"This is Ojii-chan's room." Masaomi stopped and pointed to the double-sliding doors.

Gyomei's lips thinned. "Little ones." he advised. "Once I begin, you must flee from this place at once."

"Why?" Yona asked. Her eyes landed on his ax. "Are you...going to fight whatever is inside that room?"

"That I am."

"WhT?!" Masaomi cried. "B-But...But it's just Ojii-chan in there! He...he's sick! he wouldn't hurt a fly!"

Gyomei gently pushed Masaomi aside, and pulled the doors open. The second he did, Yona and Masaomi's face paled. Though Gyomei could not see the state of the room, the sound of sharp fangs tearing into flesh spoke volumes.

The room was splattered in crimson. The walls, the tatami mats, the ceiling and even the bed was soaked in blood. A rancid stench permeated the air, with the sole cause being the culprit. His body was thin and frail, thick veins popping out to the surface. His upper body was bare with only his yukata hiding away his nether regions, though much of his body was stained in red. His hair was frost white, utterly disheveled and untamed while his fingers continued to tear and grab at what looked to be a human body.

Masaomi blanced. "O-oh god... T-that yukata. That's Tuskume-chan's! Ojii-chan, what are you doing?!"

The elderly man stopped. "...Masaomi..." Yona shuddered. The village elder's voice was deep and throaty, as if there was something lodged in his throat. He slowly craned his head and saw his eyes bloodshot, pupils slanted and irises bloody red, his mouth containing bits of flesh and his mouth lined with fangs. "How many times must I tell you...not to enter my room?"

"O..." Masaomi whispered in horror. "Ojii-chan...?"

Gyomei stepped forward and slowly withdrew his weapon. "...as I thought. How lamentable. I had hoped my suspicions were wrong. You were weak from illness, and he offered you a chance to be rid of your sickness. In exchange for that cure, you would devour the people you were meant to protect. Truly pitiful. How I weep for your damned soul, elder."

"You..." the demon snarled as it turned around. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am to be your executioner. Remember this name as you enter the afterlife. Himejima, Gyomei." He pulled his arm back, ax over his shoulder. "Iwa no Kokyū, Shi no Kata: Ryūmongan・Sokusei!"

In the next moment, the house of the elder became a battlefield.

2B had seen witness to many battles, some lesser and others greater. She had seen the greatest war machines battling against YorHa and fell like the giants they were. She had seen countless mindless machines brought low by the blades of herself and her comrades. At one point, she had even battled against what she thought had been a magical being and barely came out of the experience alive and intact.

And yet, this world and time had so much to offer her.

'That is...a demon?!'

Despite being a frail old man, the village elder was moving and jumping around walls as nimbly as a YohRA droid. Add to it his savage behavior, and tenacity. It was hard for 2B to even follow him with her eyes.

And don't even get her started with Gyomei. His movements were practiced and all aimed with the intent to kill. His breathing was even and never skipping a beat. When the ax moved, so did the flail with enough power to shatter solid stone.

"W-what in the heck is going on?!" Masaomi, terrified and confused about the spectacle in front of him, demanded. "What happened to Ojii-chan?!"

2B didn't know how to answer that. She knew the village elder had been human, but clearly that was no longer the case. Something had happened to him and elicited a drastic change. What caused it, she didn't know.

All she knew was that they were in danger. They were children and standing right in front of a battle, one where even the slightest mistake would cost them their lives. Little wonder Gyomei had ordered them to flee the second things went to hell. Without a second thought, she grabbed Masaomi's hand and pulled him away, making a beeline for the outside world.

"L-let go, Yona! He's gonna kill Ojii-chan!"

2B glared at him. "That isn't your grandfather anymore!" she snapped back. "You know what you just saw! You honestly think a human being would eat another person?! Whatever that monster is, that is not your grandfather! Now, shut up and run!"

Masaomi looked like he wanted to argue, out of sheer desperation and denial given by his expression. But 2B was able to overpower him and drag him away from the scene of conflict. They had managed to get halfway across the path leading back to the village when the roof was suddenly obliterated into hundreds of pieces of wood and clay. The demon was soaring through the air and flailing and screaming before it came crashing back down, the snow softening its impact. It snarled as it scrambled back up to its feet and bared its fangs menacingly at Gyomei as he exited the house through the door, hand firmly wrapped around his ax. 2B wanted to continue watching the battle, but she was more concerned with fleeing this place before she and Masaomi were killed in the crossfire.

As she continued to run, 2B noticed something off. The blood red mist that clinged to the village elder was also in the village itself.

What did that mean...?

"Iwa no Kokyū, Ichi no Kata: Jamongan Sōkyoku!"

Both ax and flail danced with the chains as Gyomei attacked the demon with relentless intent. Despite being a newly born demon, the village elder was rather spry and was evading his attacks, but it was clear that it was wearing down. It couldn't dodge forever. Sooner or later, it was going to become tired. And when it did, he would be able to cleave its head from its shoulders.

The consecutive blows were evaded, but the ax tore straight through the demon's arm and severed it, creating a geyser of blood to spew out from its stump. The demon howled in pain and stumbled, rolling through the snow and staining its beautiful purity crimson before it came to a stop, holding its new stump and glaring at the Hashira in rage.

"You bastard! I'll kill you for that!"

"Aah, what foul words." Gyomei weeped. "You are truly a pitiful soul."

"Are you mocking me, you bastard?!"

"Confess your sins, elder. Why did you tear off Takeomi-san's face? You were practically tearing into your maid when we found you, yet the butcher's daughter only had her face torn off. Were you perhaps just starving?"

"What the hell are you talking about?! I had nothing to do with that!" the village elder sneered. Then it paused. Slowly, its fury gave way to amusement. "Gehihihi... Oooh, I get it. You have no idea, do you?"

Gyomei frowned. He did not like the tone the demon developed.

'The mist, it's getting stronger...' 2B thought worriedly as she and Masaomi rushed to her home. It was probably the only safe place away from this madness. 'But why? The demon is all the way back there. What's going on?'

The deeper they fled into the village, the thicker the bloody mist became. It should've been the opposite with the Demon far behind them. Something was wrong...and she didn't like it one bit.

"Y-Yona, slow down!" Masaomi begged. "I-I can't...!"

2B glanced behind her. His face was pale, breath visible in the cold air and sweat pouring down his face. They had been running for a while now, but the mist was worrisome. She hadn't stopped at all.

Eventually, she did come to a stop as they finally arrived at her home. She grew anxious when she saw that the mist was the thickest here. "W-we gotta go back." Masaomi begged. "L-look, whatever that thing was, it couldn't have been Ojii-chan! That big man is mistaken!"

"Are you serious?!" 2B couldn't believe the boy. "After what you saw, you still think it's a mistake?!"

"It has to be!" He argued. "Ojii-Chan would never hurt anyone!"

"You just saw him jump around the walls! He was standing over a corpse! I'm sorry, Masaomi, but you need to face the facts! Your grandfather is-" 2B was cut off when she heard a crash inside her home, followed by the sound of her father screaming. The mist grew heavy. Her eyes widened in panic. "Otou-sama." Leaving a spluttered and confused Masaomi behind, she quickly hurried into her home to find the source of the noise. "Otou-sama, what's-!"

"Y-Yona, stay back!"

2B came to a halt, eyes widening in fear.

The shrine holding her grandfather's picture was demolished and reduced to wooden scraps. Her father was sprawled against the floor, face pale and shoulder bloody. Standing over him was a towering man with ashen pale skin, the kimono covering his lower waist covered in tears. Compared to the village elder, this one had thicker muscle mass and his claws were sharper, left hand caked in freshly spewed blood. His hair was dark and fall to his waist while two horns protruded from his forehead, eyes dark blue with slits. A metal scythe was sticking out of his forearm, coated in flesh and attached to his own body as if it was produced biologically.

She now understood why the mist had not faded. It was because there was more than one.

"Another demon...!"

Gyomei's eyes widened in fear. "No..."

"I wasn't the one who killed Takeomi-chan, but she was my prey..." the village elder laughed sadistically. "I had no idea there was another demon running around in my village. I was pretty angry someone had the gall to step into my territory, but I ended up biting off more than I could chew. That's why I called Tsukume-chan for a snack."

'How could I have been so foolish?' the monk cursed his own foolishness. 'I should have anticipated that there was another demon lurking somewhere in the village, not just a singular beast.' He strained his ears and listened. Listened for the sound of bloodlust. His panic grew when he realized where the second demon was. 'No, not there!'

"Don't get distracted, you fool!"

The village elder leaped at him, taking advantage of Gyomei's moment of weakness. Then-

"Iwa no Kokyū, Ni no Kata: Tenmen Kudaki!"

Gyomei threw both his axe and spiked flail at the Demon in the form of a pincer attack. The Elder was caught off guard before he laughed.

"Really? Throwing your weapon at me?! How stupid are you?! I'll just avoid it!"

The demon tried to twirl its body midair to avoid the pincer attack. But Gyomei was faster. With a quick step, he smashed down on the chain. The sudden tautness caused the flail and axe to rebound and smash into his target. The spiked flail destroyed the elder's head while the axe cut through his neck.

Blood and gray matter flew through the air while the body soared right past Gyomei, crashing into the snowy mound right beside him. Soon enough, its body began to break down into ashes.

Usually, Gyomei would offer his prayers to the poor soul, but he had other things to worry about. He apologized to the deceased soul for his rudeness and hurried straight back towards Yona and Yukito's home.

"Y-Yona!"

2B gasped and choked for hair as her body slammed into the wall. She mustered back a glare of defiance at the monster before her, even as its grip over her throat tightened. Just a little more pressure, and her neck would snap. She knew full well how fragile her body was, and the demon knew it as well. It was toying with her, showing its dominance. It was trying to show her she was weak and it could kill her at any moment.

It made her its prisoner.

"Leave..." Yukito coughed up blood as he tried to stand, only to fall back on his knee. "Let my daughter go...!"

"Sorry, no can do." the demon smirked back at him as it revealed his pearly white fangs. "See, I need insurance. I know that one of those damned Demon Slayers is in this village. Can't exactly fight him head on."

2B spat in his face. "Go to hell."

"What a mouth! You kiss your mother with that tongue?" The demon's smile grew as it raised the arm with the scythe growing from its forearm. "If I were you, I'd choose my next words a bit more carefully, runt. Otherwise I might cut it off."

'This is the worst possible situation.' 2B thought angrily. 'If I had been in my old body, I would have killed this bastard with my bare hands. But I can't do a damned thing in this child's body!' She hated this feeling of uselessness. She was a fighter and protector, but now she had been reduced to this state. She glanced over at the sheathed katana, left abandoned on the floor. Her grandfather's sword, lying at her father's side. 'If only I could grab hold of it...!'

The demon chuckled as it looked at her, no doubt wondering what else it could do to intimidate before she saw its nose twitch and sniff the air. Its eyes widened in panic and quickly pulled her closer, neck now caught in between his forearm and bicep with the blade now dangerously close to her face. Gyomei barged into the house moments later, his weapon in hand.

"Stop right there, friend!" the demon warned. "You so much as twitch, and I slice this kid's face in half! Understand!"

Gyomei bared his teeth. "You fiend...!"

"Hey, I'm a demon! What'd you expect?" the demon cackled. "This is how we're gonna play this, see? I'm gonna walk out of here with the kid. You come after me? I chop off her pretty little head."

"You think I would trust the word of a demon?" Gyomei challenged.

"You don't have much choice, do you?"

2B glared at the demon. If it honestly thought she was just going to let this happen, it had another thing coming. "Himejima-san, do it." she called out. "Kill it."

Masaomi gaped at her. "W-what are you saying, Yona?!"

"Oi, brat! Shut the fuck up!"

The demon tightened its hold. She pushed back as much as she could. Her life was inconsequentual to the grand scheme of things. Was she scared of dying? As she was right now, yes. She was deathly afraid. 2B was never truly scared of dying as an android, but the human body had a finite lifespan. Sooner or later, she would die. She could not come back. The idea of dying like this would scare any child. But she couldn't allow this demon to escape. While it may be one of hundreds, if not maybe thousands, she could not allow this creature to escape and continue to kill any more people.

"Just do it! Hurry!" she urged him.

She could see on his face that Gyomei was hesitant. He was unsure what to do. If he was truly a Demon Slayer and someone who fought to protect mankind, he would do the right thing and kill this bastard and her along with it. This was his only chance. He may not have another opportunity like this ever again.

In the middle of this chaos and confusion, she had paid any attention to her father until his voice called out to her. "It's okay, Yona..."

2B turned her head. Her grandfather's katana was now in his hands, firmly against his hip with his thumb pressed up against the hilt and his other hand firmly holding the grip. His breathing was weak and labored, but it became even. Faintly, she could see what looked like a silvery mist flowing around him.

"Daddy will save you..." Yukito wheezed. "Just, hold on..."

"Yukito-san, do not do anything rash!" Gyomei advised. "That monster will kill your daughter!"

The demon sneered. "The blind monk has a point, you lowly human. How about you drop the bravado? Remember who's sword's just about ready to carve up your daughter's face?!"

"You...will not harm...my family."

Yukito sucked in a breath. His lungs expanded.

'Forgive me, Tou-san. I must break my vow to you...and use the taboo.'

"Tsuki no Kokyū, Hachi no Kata: Getsuryū Rinbi."

He withdrew the sword from its sheathe in a lightning-quick motion in a speed that no human should have been capable of normally. Not without enhancements. The cut in his body burned and screamed in protest to this action and would have otherwise hindered the movement, but at this moment, Yukito cared only about saving the life of his daughter. The only family she had left. He had put his whole body into this one single strike.

The second the tip of the blade left the scabbard, the technique was executed. To the untrained human eye, it looked as if he had only swung his sword at air. In truth, what Yukito had done was the result of years of practice and honing his technique.

To the eyes of those trained, a massive slash where the blade flew manifested. It's range was incredible, extending far beyond what the sword was normally able to reach. The gash in space resembled a crescent moon and cleanly severed the Demon's head from where he stood, leaving Yona unharmed. The demon's neck and lower jaw were entirely blown apart, leaving only the top half of his head. The body went slack and Yona dropped to the ground, coughing and hacking up a lung while the body collapsed on its back, blood spurting from the open wound.

'What? What happened?' the demon thought as its body began to break down. 'I don't understand. He didn't even move. What was that technique he used just now? Since when...could...'

That was the demon's last thought before it crumbled and turned to ash. Yukito, meanwhile, collapsed to the ground, the strain from his wound becoming too much to bear.

"Otou-sama!"

The young girl ran over to her fathers side. His skin turned pale and his breathing became shallow. He clutched the wound on his shoulder in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but it was a futile attempt. Looking at his state, 2B knew his fate. He was losing too much blood. Unless he received extensive medical treatment immediately, he wouldn't last the night. And there wasn't anyone in the village who had any medical skills to that degree.

Something inside 2B bubbled up to the surface. The same feelings she experienced when she had learned of her mother's passing.

"You fool..." 2B hissed. "Why would you do this?! Don't you realize what you've done to your body?! Why would you...!"

Yukito smiled weakly at her, eyes misty. Gently, he pressed a blood-caked hand against her cheek. "A man would do foolish things...to protect his daughter..."

"Masaomi-san, find help!" Gyomei barked as he quickly went over to Yukito's side, removing his coat and tearing off a piece in an attempt to bandage up the bleeding. "Wake the doctor if you have to!" Masaomi stood there, shell-shocked and unable to believe what had just happened. He raised his voice. "NOW!" The boy yelped and took off like a bullet, rushing out of the home and back out into the village. Gyomei quickly applied the makeshift bandage to his wounded shoulder. "Using a Breathing technique like that, in a state like this... It is a miracle you are even still alive right now!"

"Haa...haa...I know...never thought...I would...use it..." He panted.

"Please, save your breath." Gyomei urged. "Help is on the way!"

"Otou-sama, please..." 2B held his hand, hands shaking. She tried to push these emotions down and regain control, but she couldn't. They were too strong. Tears were openly pouring down her face. "You can't..."

"Forgive me, Yona..." Yukito said. The light in his eyes began to grow dimmer. "But it seems...I must leave you. Do not cry. Live...a beautiful life...just as Kiyo...hoped you would..."

His breath shook for a moment, then ceased. His eyes closed and his head lulled to the side. 2B's eyes widened, realizing what happened. She did not scream or cry out. All she could do was whimper and cling to his hand, his cold still hand, as she wept. Gyomei weeped as he clapped his hands and bowed his head, offering his prayers and safe travels for yet another parting soul.

The mood was entirely somber and depressing as the cloudy sky. The snow had ceased to fall, and the air seemed slightly warmer. It did little to ease 2B as she sat in the main room, tending to the broken remains of her grandfather's shrine. She did her best to try and fix it, but all she managed to do was get more splinters than any actual work done.

The house was depressingly empty. There wasn't anyone around, but that was a given. 2B was the sole remaining occupant of the house. Gyomei was currently handling the preparations for her father's funeral, having felt personally responsible for his death. 2B did not blame him for his death. If anything, it was her own fault for being so careless. She should have pieced together that there was another demon based on that red mist alone. It appeared around the home of the Village Elder, and it had appeared around the demon who invaded her home. The mist signified the presence of a demon, but she had been too slow.

Worse, she could do nothing. Had she had her old body-

'No. I must not make anymore excuses.' 2B ceased that line of thought immediately, her tiny hands balling into fists. 'I cannot keep going about what-ifs. I no longer have an android body. My body is that of flesh and blood now. I was unable to defend myself, nor was I able to protect my father. I was useless.' She bit her lower lip, the teeth nearly breaking through the skin. 'That cannot be allowed to continue.'

"...Yona-san. I have returned." 2B looked over her shoulder and found Gyomei entering. "The preparations are complete. The village's doctor and smith are handling it as we speak." She nodded numbly, then returned to her work. She felt the man's blind gaze lingering on her for a moment, then heard him speak again. "...you will not attend?"

Her hands stopped. She pulled her hand back and stared at the matted floor underneath her. "...it is disgraceful, perhaps." she said softly. "I know I am expected to attend and see to it that his body is buried with all due honors...but I cannot. I will not see yet another family member buried. I..." She inhaled, then exhaled. Her emotions were rising to the surface again. "...if I am to look at his corpse, I will only remember my failure to protect him."

"Yona-san..." Gyomei approached her. Gently, he put his hand on her shoulder. It was rough, but at the same time gentle. "You did not fail in any matter. You are still a child. In that situation, there is little you could have-"

"Why did you not kill the demon when you had the chance?" 2B cut him midway, turning to face him. "You could have killed it at any moment."

Gyomei frowned. "Your life is a precious thing, Yona-san."

"The elder and that monster are not the only demons, are they? There are more out there in Japan. In the world, hunting down humans and feasting upon their flesh. Demon Slayers are those who hunt the demons and prevent them from causing casualties, isn't that correct?" Gyomei nodded. Her stare became bitter. "I know little about the Demon Slayer Corps, aside from what Otou-sama has told me, but from my point of view, you are no different from a soldier. Shouldn't the duty of the soldiers be to eliminate any and all threats, even if they must sacrifice the few to do so? If my death could prevent countless more at the hand of that demon, I would not hesitate to give it up."

"...is that how you truly feel, Yona-san?" 2B nodded. The man looked at her for a moment, then let out a deep, troubled sigh. "...what you are saying is not entirely wrong. In a sense, we Demon Slayers are soldiers, serving the people and to defend them from the demons. And in a manner of speaking, you would be right. That demon, who used you as a hostage, would have disposed of you the moment he no longer had a need of you. He would have killed more if given the opportunity. By your logic, it would have indeed seemed more appropriate to kill the demon and risk killing you as well."

"Then why?"

"Because as I said, your life is a precious thing." Gyomei repeated.

"My life is worthless when weighed against countless others!" She argued back. "Even if it was just one demon, killing him would've saved many more lives! If you had just killed me, Otou-san...Otou-san would be...!"

She cursed as she realized the emotions had resurfaced, stronger than before. She broke down, unable to quell them and sobbed. She didn't even notice Gyomei wrap his arms around her in a comforting hug. The man rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her down. Based on his actions, he was experienced in quelling children like this. 2B gradually felt calmer as the minutes passed.

"...forgive me. That was..."

"You simply spoke what you felt. There is no shame in speaking your personal feelings." Gyomei assured her. "I have said this before, but you are quite mature for one of your age. Most children would not think of sacrificing themselves, much less take other lives into consideration."

"It...it was the logical thing to do..." She answered.

"Even so, you are wiser than most your age. However, there is a difference between knowing right from wrong, and acting logically. Logically, your sacrifice to kill the demon would be the correct choice, and it would have indeed spared many lives in the process. However, I did not because it is the correct action. One cannot possibly know how everything will go. For example, what if your sacrifice proved unnecessary and we would have been able to kill the demon without you risking your life? What if you had died, but the demon managed to flee? One must take those scenarios and possibilities into account."

2B gave his answer some thought. He was not wrong. She had not given any thought to the alternative solutions or scenarios, just the ones that would have provided the best possible result. "...I see."

"Yona-san, if I may ask, what do you intend to do now?"

"Before all of this madness started, Otou-sama and Okaa-sama and I were going to see my uncle in Shanghai. I have already sent him a letter explaining what has transpired. Ideally, I hope he will be willing to take me in. If not, then Masaomi's parents have offered to look after me until they believe I am ready to look after myself."

Gyomei nodded. "I see. That does seem to be a good plan to have." He pulled himself up from the floor. "I must be leaving now. I pray you will live the good life your father wished."

"Of course." 2B stood up and bowed her head. "Thank you for all that you have done, Himejima-san. Before you go, there is something I wish to ask. Before he passed away...when you spoke with Otou-sama, you mentioned something about a breathing technique. What did you mean?"

"In a battle, even a newly-made demon will triumph over a skilled human, even if they possess a Nichirin blade. A sword forged of a very precious metal." Gyomei explained. "In order to give ourselves equal footing, we utilize a unique method known as the Concentrated Breathing. Each Demon Slayer utilizes a different form of Breathing technique. With the Breathing Technique, we can stop clotting wounds from severe injuries slow the circulation of blood in our bloodstream. This also bolsters our lung capacity and the amount of oxygen in our blood. With these techniques, we can strengthen our bodies to combat the demons. Of course, simply because we have such techniques does not mean we will succeed. We will still lose battles and perhaps even our limbs. And unlike the demons, we cannot regenerate such severe wounds."

"I see..."

Gyomei stared at 2B for a moment. Then he bowed his head. "By your leave, young one." She could tell there was more he wished to say, but it seemed that he chose to refrain. He left her home and vanished. Somehow, the young girl believed that this would not be the last time she would meet Gyomei Himejima. Not with what she had realized during her grief.

The demons in this world were a threat. She had been skeptical of their existence, but now she knew them and understood what they were. Monsters. Enemies of humanity. They were a threat who antagonized and killed. If left unchecked, they would no doubt run rampant. The Demon Slayers were warriors who combated these monsters and knew of the techniques and skills necessary to fight them. In this sense, they were indeed soldiers. Warriors whose task was to defend humanity from such monstrosities that dared to harm mankind.

In her world, 2B was created for the purpose of destroying the threats that dared to harm humanity. Of course, by the time she had been commissioned and brought online, humanity had already gone extinct. Thus, YorHa, known only to a select few, had been fighting a war that had long since been lost. Yet even so, 2B believed that, if there was still even a trace of humanity left in that world, then YorHa would fight to the very last to defend what remained of it. The safeguard and protection of the human race would always be, first and foremost, their ultimate goal.

2B returned to the shattered remains of the shrine, but rather than continue to fix it, she instead took hold of the katana. With the passing of her father, by birthright, this sword was now hers to own and wield. As she was now, she couldn't hope to use it efficiently. She needed this body to become stronger. Faster. Better. Capable of fighting the demons. Up until this point, she had lived the life of a human girl in Japan. Living the life that was expected of her. Battling the lingering feelings of what had once been the unit designated as 2B.

But after last night, she now understood. She no longer battled these conflicts, but instead welcomed them and joined them together. Once more, YoRHa No.2 Type B would take up arms.

She looked at the sword in her hands, and pulled. The glimmering steel reflected her eyes which glimmered with resolution.

"Glory...to mankind."

It was time to return to the battlefield.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Daemon of Wrath for his contribution in creating this opening chapter.

Fun fact, the only reason this was written was because an artist on DeviantArt by the name of dishwasher 1910 created artwork of 2B as a Demon Slayer. So blame him or her for this story.

Writing 2B's character was a bit difficult for me, namely because she was an android who is now living the life of a human being. And something tells me that, depending on the reception, I may expect some very harsh criticism for her character portrayal.

As for the Breathing technique 2B will learn, I ultimately decided to have her learn the Breath of the Moon. Spoilers to anyone who is not ahead in the manga, but the Breath of the Moon technique was created by the Upper Moon 1 Twelve Kizuki demon Kokushibo when he was human. This fanfic was written with the idea that Kokushibo had taught others how to use the Breath, but after he became a demon, the technique was widely criticized and seen as "taboo" as the creator became that which the Demon Slayer Corps fights. While there are still practitioners of the Breath of the Moon technique, there are considerably few in number. As in, there are only ten people who know how to use the technique, and how to pass it on to another.

That said, 2B will only have access to the first eight forms of the Breath of the Moon, as form nine and above were created by Kokushibo after his transformation into a demon. Naturally, though, when you compare the abilities of 2B to Kokushibo, even if she knows the same moves he does, Kokushibo has had centuries to hone and master his craft. She is a novice who is learning to master a technique that others see as taboo.

I'm still rather unsure were to take 2B's character and how she will change the events of the story, but I'm not aiming for anything too drastic. You can bet that a few deaths will be spared along the way, but aside from that, I am still planning out future events.

With that said, I hope you enjoy.