The Shifting Residence

Days later...

Genya had to meet with a Kakushi for his salary and giving his mission reports.

'Wow, you really get paid this way!' Kasumi marveled as after the exchange, the Kakushi immediately left with Genya's reports.

'Aa. I have to give reports, otherwise I wouldn't know if I'll get promoted or not.'

'Heee...'

The crow arrived again. 'South-South East! Head to South-South East!'

'Not specific, your nose is more reliable than these bastards.' Genya grumbled, making Kasumi giggle. He encountered more demons thanks to her nose, though most of the time she dealt with it as he was still healing. He could have healed long ago by eating a demon, but he didn't want her to see that side of him.

Three days later, in the Ubuyashiki Estate...

'Sanemi...you never mentioned you have a younger brother in the corps.' said Ubuyashiki Kagaya pleasantly as ever, making Shinazugawa Sanemi gawk at him. 'He joined without knowing a Breath technique, does well on his own until he found himself a mentor.'

'HE WHAT?!' came the shocked, and enraged howl in that one Pillar Meeting as it ended with their boss commenting on it, which was understandable as Sanemi...exploded. 'That bastard, I told him NOT to! I did everything imaginable and he still does this?!'

'Maa maa it's his choice.' said Iguro as a lot of men among the Pillars had to jump on Sanemi to restrain him.

'Besides, younger siblings do stuff behind older siblings all the time, you should've seen this coming!' Rengoku Kyojuurou boomed in laughter, while making sure Sanemi can't throw them all off in his rage.

'That's still impressive though...what does his reports say, Oyakata-sama?' Kanroji Mitsuri asked curiously.

'He met a girl, Kamado Kasumi.' Giyuu perked up at the name. 'She travels to train as her training was more focused on rehabilitation for her health, and technique learning while lacking in power as a trade-off for her health, so she compensates by training pilgrimage before going to Final Selection next year, but still does her duty as a Slayer. And he met her by following the smell of cooking hotpot leading to her camp where she cared for him and took to traveling together since...with Kasumi's little demon sister.' that got them all freezing.

'...demon sister?' Tokito Muichirou paused.

'Yes. Their family was a victim of Muzan's attack.' said Kagaya grimly. 'Only Nezuko survived but she was turned, while Kasumi was selling Charcoal in town. Giyuu was the one who saved them.'

'Ara, you didn't kill it?' Kochou Shinobu asked Giyuu.

'...its a long story.'

'We have time...' said Uzui Tengen with a raised eyebrow.

'...I was on patrol as usual when I heard a girl singing.' said Giyuu. 'She has a good singing voice, but sang shakily. Sure it's winter two years ago, but I usually find my prey in isolated residences as smarter demons attack homes with no neighbors.' he began. 'I followed the song as a precaution...and I saw those sisters.' he said. 'Kasumi was singing to calm her sister down while holding her back with a hatchet. Sure enough, after singing that funeral song, Nezuko remembered and began crying, and stopped her newborn hunger rage. It was a funeral song Kasumi sang when they buried their father years back. When I explained to the sisters what became of Nezuko, Kasumi came home to tragedy and thinks Nezuko went insane from grief...but not even she can deny her sister's changes.'

'Nezuko got her sanity partially back from that song.' Giyuu continued. 'But she lost her memories except for some parts that made her respond to the song and couldn't talk. She also recognizes her older sister. She never behaved like a typical demon around her family's quite-intact remains. Muzan never ate the family he killed. Nezuko was also clean...and refuses to eat her own family. With that kind of self-control...I wanted to see how the tale of those sisters will end since we all had the same old story for years. So I told Kasumi to see my former teacher to become a Slayer while ensuring Kasumi's safety with him. Should Nezuko...regress...he will do what is necessary in her stead.'

'Get off me this instant! I'mma gonna hunt down that idiot!' Sanemi fumed, struggling to shrug off his colleagues. 'A demon is still a demon and one is near my brother!'

'We shall see as well...as according to Genya's writings, they met more unusual demons in Asakusa.' Kagaya continued. 'Posing as doctors to have access to blood through donation as they refuse to eat humans.' he then told them about Tamayo's story, and the conditions needed to study demonification to restore Nezuko's humanity as she had little blood that she barely looked like a demon, save for her pink eyes, four fangs and claws. And given her behavior and personality, she really got off lucky, so Kagaya was interested in the development while knowing full well Genya will do for Kasumi what she can't bring herself to do should the worst happen.

So now Kasumi's goal is to look for powerful demons and get their blood, freaking Sanemi out even more as she has QUITE the goal, and was traveling while teaching Genya Water Breath...using a heavy metal pipe!

That, and Genya seems to have positive feelings for Nezuko's condition as she doesn't really behave like a demon at all, more like behaving like a happy joyful toddler at night being doted on by the older, only acting like a demon as a third fighter of their team when they sniff demons out. Genya finds Kasumi's nose more reliable than his own crow in finding demons and she can even tell, based on scent, how strong they were and what she compares it to, so she knew well to get serious as soon as possible. Just that, the only recorded missions are those delivered by crow and some of the killings they had, were 'off the record' so he wasn't sure what happens to him next regarding promotions.

'So since you're interested in what goes on with your brother, why not seek them out?' Kagaya suggested. 'Giyuu, as you are familiar with Kasumi, you should go with him. You should see with your own eyes the developments.'

'As you wish.'

'Hinaki.' Kagaya spoke as Hinaki gave a scroll to Sanemi.

'This is the report about Kamado Kasumi.' said Hinaki as Sanemi took the scroll. 'It should be easy to find them as he was thoughtful enough to draw his new companions.'

'Makes my life a lot easier and he did something right for once!' the older man grumbled, stuffing the scroll into his clothes. 'Come on Tomioka!' and the two Pillars left.

'...normally, there will be a formal Pillar Trial but as a non-member is taking care of a demon, not much we can do about that.' said Kagaya. 'However, I still wish to see with my own eyes...that Kamado Nezuko will be a different case, a sign that hope isn't completely lost.'

xxx

Countryside...

They came across at what looks like Sexual Harassment...by another slayer no less on a young lady around Kasumi's age.

So Genya had to kick him off the young lady who looked annoyed.

Apparently, she thought he was dying so she helped him out, leading to her predicament and she's already engaged!

'Its bad manners to hit on someone who's taken!' Kasumi scolded the blonde boy.

'I remember this idiot, he was the 'fraidy cat who was among the five who survived the Selection.' Genya grunted as Agatsuma Zenitsu meeped at him.

'And you're that bad-tempered guy back then!' Zenitsu screeched in freakout. 'How are you hanging around a cute girl?! It's not fair!'

'Unlike you I have something called 'human decency'!' Genya snapped irritably.

'I just want to get married!' Zenitsu cried desperately. 'I'm about to die! I'll definitely die on the next job! I'm super weak and don't think I'm exaggerating! I need to get married! I got tricked by a woman, got a buttload of debt-'

'Don't think getting married will get you out of it, that's basic common sense.' Kasumi sighed. 'Because while that lady is single and indebted, that debt is understandably hers. BUT if she marries a man, it's the man's obligation to pay for her as its a man's duty to provide. You'll carry that debt no matter what, unless you 'die' in records somehow and change your name.'

'That, and you need good friends in high places in the government to pull that shit off to shift debt back to her.' Genya snarked. 'And what official will do that for you?'

'How much is that debt anyway?' Kasumi asked.

'xxxxxxx yen!' the two other slayers paled in horror.

'That's as much as my salary in three years as a Mizunoto! Just what did this bitch do to get that much debt?!' Genya howled in disbelief.

'Probably a gambler...only gamblers make that much money as a debt.' said Kasumi weakly.

'Probably...well at any rate, with a job like ours, consider yourself legally dead.' Genya snorted. 'Maybe HQ can change your name or something but I doubt they'll go far for a mere Mizunoto.'

'That's so horrible!'

'That's life. You're clearly a guy who's so easy to get used by mean-spirited girls.' Kasumi sighed. 'That lady used your want to get married, fixed papers to ensure YOU pay her debt and ran away on you now that she got what she wanted. Moreover no girl would want to marry a man who has that level of debt anyway.'

Zenitsu sobbed at that.

'Anyway we wasted enough time here, we got work Kasumi.' Genya grunted in annoyance.

'O-oh, I got a next job too but I'm not sure if I'll get lucky this time...I'm supposed to head for wherever heck south-south west is! That's like, gonna take forever! Why can't they pinpoint better for once?!'

Kasumi and Genya exchanged looks.

So they got this crybaby as a tagalong now!

'Caaaawww! Hurry up! Hurry up, Genya, Zenitsuuuu!' Genya's crow spoke urgently.

xxx

Sometime later...

They came to a large residence which was quite out-of-the-way, but Kasumi was stiff as they got closer.

'This place...stinks.' Kasumi told them. 'We have a strong one here. And two fading less-stinky smells...and some fresh scents. These three probably fought over their victims.' she said. 'That explains why we're being rushed!'

'H-how can you tell? All I hear are drums in there.' Zenitsu pointed out, baffled.

'Her nose is more reliable than damn birds.' said Genya, thus getting him bullied by a crow and a sparrow. 'Geroff!'

Kasumi also found two shocked children. Being the big sister she was, effortlessly calmed down the two shocked children to get something from them.

'What happened? Is this house yours?' Kasumi asked them kindly.

'N-no its not...' the boy stammered, tear-faced. 'I-its the home of the monster!' Kasumi frowned at that as the boys also listened. 'We were traveling in the night. But a monster came and only took our brother and ignored us...'

'I see...then what does your brother look like?'

'He's...'

CRASH!

They looked up to see a bloodied young boy come out, making the two kids scream in fright as the boy fell flat on the ground, causing his blood to splat. They then heard an enraged howl from inside.

They checked on the boy.

'D-did I...finally make it out...?' the boy choked out, on his verge of death. 'Did I...?'

'You did.' said Kasumi kindly, with a sad smile. 'It's alright...you can rest now.' the boy sobbed before passing away. 'Kids, is he...?'

'N-no, oniichan wore a kaki-colored kimono.' said the girl. 'That's not oniichan.'

Kasumi put down Nezuko's box. On top of it,was a furoshiki sack.

'Nezuko! Knock twice if you can hear me.' Kasumi instructed the box and they heard two knocks and the box wobbled. 'If the two kids here are threatened by a demon, protect them, OK? Look after the young ones! We'll go after the demons in the house! If they go hungry, give them some of our food.'

'Mm mm!' the kids went bug-eyed as something was inside the box...

'Nezuko will protect you kids, so stay here with her, OK?' Kasumi told the children kindly, giving them comforting pats on the head.

'O-OK...'

'Let's go.' said Genya as the slayers went inside.

'I keep hearing a drum...why is that?' Zenitsu wondered. 'What's going on?'

'Zenitsu, what kind of demons have you encountered so far?' Kasumi asked him.

'Well, typical jerks who jump at you and try to claw you to death, why?'

'A demon that uses drums...did your teacher teach you about Kekkijutsu?' Zenitsu paled.

'Hiii! T-that means the bastards here are strong?!' he squeaked. 'Grandpa told me jerks who can use Kekkijutsu are strong ones! And Kasumi-chan smelled three?!'

'Possibly just one user who likes music.' Kasumi giggled. 'Anything can happen so we can't get separated.'

'R-right...'

The halls seem safe.

'There must be a condition to the kekkijutsu that involves drums.' said Genya, looking around as they shut the genkan entrance. 'The halls seem safe...what about the rooms?'

'Beats us...' said Zenitsu as he opened the door but its no genkan...its a closet! 'Gah?!'

'...'

'It gets us lost in forever changing rooms until we meet it...what a troublesome one this time.' Kasumi muttered. 'The halls are safe, no doubt about it. Let's not enter any room until we find our guy.'

'Right.'

'Oy whiner, make use of your ears to find lost kids.' Genya told Zenitsu. 'Without a trace, Kasumi can't track down anybody. Those kids are too scared to give us something of their brother's.'

'R-right...hopefully he's still alive...I don't wanna break the bad news to the kids...' Zenitsu whimpered as they checked every room without going in, and found...a pig instead.

'A pig?!'

'PIG ASSAULT!' he cried, running out of the room in a sprint! 'Bwahaha! I'm finally out! I gotta find the bastard who keeps getting me lost!'

'A-ano...you a human, right?' Kasumi sweatdropped.

'WHAT PART OF ME LOOKS LIKE A DEMON?!' the pig-boy howled indignantly.

'EVERYTHING!' they all yelled. Peeved, the pig took off its...not-quite-head revealing quite a pretty face under!

'I remember now! He's the fourth guy who passed the Selection! He's a hothead who wants to rush asap!' Zenitsu gasped out.

'He's a slayer then...what's your name?' Kasumi asked the new boy.

'I'm Hashibira Inosuke! Remember that name!' said Inosuke boisterously.

'There's a demon capable of Kekkijutsu here. Each drum beat changes the rooms, getting us lost. The hallways are safe.' said Kasumi. 'Let's check the rooms without getting in until we find our target. Otherwise we'll get nowhere as long as the drum keeps beating.'

'Gaaah! That's what keeps me getting lost?! Motherfuckeeeerrr! I've been here for three days now!' yup, Inosuke wasn't too happy.

They began checking rooms and one: they found a tongue demon!

'Fresh...meat!' it cackled, lunging at them but they stayed outside, and both Inosuke and Genya killed it.

'Kasumi, this one?'

'No, too weak! I'm not getting blood from that thing!' said Kasumi as they let it fade away.

'...why're you guys getting demon blood for?' Zenitsu asked curiously, leading to Kasumi explaining why. 'That box has your little sister in it?!'

'Yes...she stays in that box to avoid sunlight.' said Kasumi. 'She only comes out at night. She has hope to be saved but the conditions are tough. But I have to do it so she'll be human again. Tamayo-san will work on the cure and she's all I've got to help us both.'

'Well let's get moving! This room's a bust!' said Inosuke as they keep opening and closing the door, until they find a little boy holding a drum...

'Eek!'

'Kasumi, this must be the brother of those kids!' Genya exclaimed. 'Kid, don't beat that drum yet!'

'H-how am I sure you're people and not monsters?!' the terrified boy would ask.

'Your brother and sister are waiting for you outside.' said Kasumi. 'For now, let's go inside this room, and have this kid beat the drum until we finally get to the entrance so he can go out to his siblings.' they went inside the room and shut it. 'Boya, you have a demon drum...how did you get across that?'

'W-well, these three monsters were fighting over who eats me...they called me a Marechi, whatever that is...' the word made Genya pale in horror, his heartbeat very audible to Zenitsu's ears making Zenitsu look at him in worry. 'Then when they fought, one of the demons clawed out this drum out of the biggest one's back and it rolled towards me...I held onto it and its why I'm alive until now, I keep getting them lost! But the exit just won't show up!' he sobbed. 'I can't get out!'

This whole house was the demon's territory.

As long as it's alive, what comes in can't get out due to its ability to shift rooms.

'You've done well.' Kasumi reassured the terrified boy. 'Here's the plan, beat the drum and we'll check outside the room. But if we see our target, we'll all attack him and you quickly beat the drum for safety to relocate yourself once, OK? We can't fight outside in a constanty changing room. But if the drum disappears, that means we killed him.' the boy nodded. 'However, stay put until we come back for you. Be a good boy, OK?'

'OK...'

'Yosh, we'll start!' Genya declared as he opened the door and shut it. The boy then beats the drum, rinse and repeat until they found a wandering drum demon in the hallway!'

'It's him!' the kid wailed.

'PIG ASSAULT!' Inosuke howled as the boy watched the older kids come out with their swords, but Zenitsu stayed with him out of fright.

'Shut the door, quick!' Zenitsu squeaked in fear as the boy beat the drum, the door shut and they're now in an office! 'Phew...we wait here now I guess...'

xxx

Meanwhile...

'...we're here.' said Giyuu as nonstop running with occasional naps and meals got them to said residence. They saw a dead body, and two terrified kids with a wooden box and furoshiki with them. 'What happened?' he asked the children.

'Some oniichans and oneechan came here...they went inside to help us get our brother back from monsters.' said the girl. 'But when they got here, that boy jumped out the window and died not long ago...its our third day here when those big kids came today.'

'I see...we'll go in as well.'

'Well, let's get the brats out.' said Sanemi with a grin when they heard a growl.

'...oniichan...I'm hungry...' the girl moped to her brother.

'I know, but we can't leave until we get our brother back...besides, that oneechan left the box to us...' the boy knocked on the box. 'Nezuko,' the two pillars froze at the name and Giyuu worried considering who's with him. 'Can we have food?'

The door of the box opened and out came a cute little girl the size of a toddler with a bamboo muzzle in her mouth, wearing a pink yukata. She was tiny when she crawled out, but slowly got big! The kids went wide-eyed at the unbelievable sight!

'That means those brats are here.' Sanemi grinned viciously as Nezuko untied the furoshiki, and took out quite the luggage!

She set up a fire pit, and a pot set-up, then taking a hatchet, she kicked a treetop off, then the part close to the root. Then hacked her way for firewood and with her crazy strength, rubbed two of the firewood so hard and fast her arms looked like blurs until fire was made!

'W-wow!' the kids gasped out.

Then Nezuko poured water onto the pot out of the jug and put in konbu, poured a set amount of mirin, soy sauce and salt sprinkles. Followed by her cutting up vegetables and tofu.

'...a demon who can cook.' Sanemi deadpanned at the absurdity of it all, unable to accept the absurdity before him. 'And didn't eat the nearby body over there.'

'Nezuko didn't come out the whole time?' Giyuu asked the children who nodded. He too, was in disbelief that Nezuko really DID ignore the body of a child over there, with his blood spilled. A literal free meal over there and she's not even drooling! But they noted that she kept gulping for quite sometime now and deliberately ignoring the body...

'Nope...we didn't even know what Nezuko was like...we thought she's oneechan's pet dog or something, how should we know it's a girl?!'

'Let's clean up the body Sanemi.' said Giyuu. 'Then we help the others out.' Nezuko has really good self-control which was amazing. Maybe she really had LESS of Muzan's blood that she was far humane than she should...

Perhaps, these siblings could give him a happy ending for once in regards to the tragedy demons bring with them. Too bad Nezuko can never possibly grow up to adulthood and remain a child forever.

Soon, the Mizunoto came out, injured with a few bruises.

'Oh! Tomioka-san!' the pretty girl in bloodied torn clothing was Kasumi, recognizing the older male.

'You seem to be doing good, Kasumi.' Giyuu merely nodded at the younger girl's presence and jovially greeted him as if he were a longtime friend.

'Yeah, I got new friends at work too!' said Kasumi, very chipper about it while behind her was awkward.

'A-aniki? What are you doing here?'

'THAT'S WHAT I WANNA ASK YOU, YOU FUCKWIT!'

'Hey! There are impressionable children here, what's with that language?!' Kasumi yelled scoldingly and Nezuko threw a cabbage root at Sanemi to express herself.

Mt. Sanemi was on the verge of exploding...

Giyuu wondered what'd he do to deserve a day like today...