Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Keiko’s Bio

Name: Keiko Akuma 

    (In Japanese Keiko means “adored one” and Akuma means “demon, devil, fiend”. So in full Keiko's name means "adored one demon". It's fitting for her character. She’s liked and sometimes even loved by almost, and almost being very important here, by everyone she meets despite being a demon.)

Father: Tanjin Akuma

Mother: Hana Akuma 

    ( Maiden Name: Saga)

Age: 0-15 (chapter 1), 16 (chapter 2), 17 (chapter 3), 18 (chapter 4), 19-20 (chapters 5-6), 21 (onwards)

Birthday: February 3rd

Hair Color: brown

Hair Length: mid back length

Hair Style: side swept bangs, mid back length, bangs framing face, wavy, kept down

Eye Color Before Transformation: green

Eye Color After Transformation: red

Skin Tone: pale

Height: 5’8

Outfit Of Choice: brown boots, black pants, red knee length horai with gold hems over a dark red long sleeved shirt, gold chained necklace with ruby charm in it, the ruby has little blue specks in it that you can only see if your looking closely at them, brown belt with two daggers attached, an ankle length black cloak with a golden clasp

(She doesn’t get the necklace until after her transformation. She only wears the cloak sometimes, I’ll specify when.)

Species: human (previously), demon (currently)

Basic “All Demons Have These” Powers: super healing/regeneration, enhanced strength, enhanced speed, enhanced seight, smell and hearing, night vision, 

Her “Only I Can Do These Things But Their Not My Blood Demon Art” Powers: memory warp, Relive, 

             (Relive allows Keiko to see people’s memories. The ability is activated by physical touch. She has no control over when the power is activated. The power allows Keiko to see important memories in people’s lives,  the memories that made them who they are today. Unfortunately this power has many drawbacks the first being the person also relieves through that memory whether it's good or not. The power also works both ways; it forces Keiko and the person to relive Keiko’s important memories, the ones that made her who she is. The power will only works once for each person unless they go through a big personal change.)

    (Meanwhile the memory warp allows Keiko to mess with a person's memory. She can make them forget things or remember them happening differently compared to what actually happened. The only downside to this power is that she can only mess with a person’s memories of the past seven days. That’s only one week of memories she’s allowed to fiddle with, of course a lot can happen in a week but still.)

Blood Demon Art: Blade Recoil

                 (Keiko wields two Nichirin daggers. She uses the daggers mostly by throwing them but will stab and cut in close range combat. When thrown the dagger will perfectly hit the target despite her bad aim. The only way to stop the daggers is for something strong to intervene such as a very strong demon. When a demon is hit with one of the daggers the regeneration process is greatly slowed. The blades don’t hurt anyone Keiko does not want to be harmed. At full strength she can throw  the daggers 800 meters (almost half a mile). The daggers automatically return to her as soon as it hits her target or she loses it. It works kind of like Thor’s hammer where it flies into her hand and does not teleport.)

Weaknesses: sunlight, (She finds a work-around for this one), Nichirin blade to the throat, Wisteria Poison

Base Personality: very kind, empathetic, understanding, very book and street smart, brave in the face of danger, loyal, very protective of those she cares for, generous, loves helping others, creative, is the ultimate “mom friend” but in a good way, will sass you on occasion but was raised to be very polite so it doesn’t happen a lot, loves to learn,

Goals: to become human again, to kill Muzan and avenge her fallen family, to be with the person she loves without someone trying to kill either of them for it, to live her life peacefully without having to get into some major fight at least once a week

Worst Fears: losing those she loves/not being able to protect them, 

Chapter Text

Chapter 1 childhood

NIGHTSHADE PROVINCE

THE AKUMA MANOR

THIRD PERSON POV

A woman dressed in a golden and red kimono sat in a rocking chair in a lavish nursery. In her arms lay a swaddled pink blanket, inside the blanket lay a baby girl. The girl had her mother’s hair and bright green eyes that she’d inherited from her father. This woman was Hana Akuma, a wealthy noble woman that lived in the Nightshade Province. Only a few weeks prior she had given birth to a baby girl whom she had named Keiko. One day she knew her daughter would be married off to another noble man, more to benefit her family in terms of status then her own joy much like her mother, but for now Keiko was a child and Hana would simply enjoy having her around. Hana would love her daughter and teach everything she’d need to knw but at the end of the day Keiko was as much of her daughter as she was a tool for her family to gain more status and wealth. Little Keiko began to fus in her mother’s arms and Hana chuckled, her little one was already proving to be someone who would not stay tied down for long, raising her would certainly be an interesting experience. 

2 YEARS LATER

THE AKUMA MANOR 

THIRD PERSON POV

Little Keiko sat in her mother’s lap watching as she sewed. Keiko was still very young but she had already proven to be a quick learner, she could speak in full, clear and understandable but short, sentences, walk and feed herself already. Now Hana was testing to see if her little girl would pick up sewing if she watched her mother do it. Hana was hoping that it would but knew not to get her hopes up, Keiko was only two years old after all. 

TWO YEARS LATER

THE AKUMA MANOR

THIRD PERSON POV

“Mommy! Mommy look what I made!” cheers a now four year old Keiko holding up a neatly sewn handkerchief for her mother to see. The handkerchief was made up of scrap fabrics from her mother’s sewing supplies but it was still neatly held together with very well done stitching. Hana was making her daughter into the perfect future wife already.

“That’s wonderful Keiko! You did such a good job!” says Hana, smiling proudly at her daughter’s handy-work. Hana was a very proud mother, Keiko had proven herself to be very talented, she could read and write at a much higher level then most of the other noble children her age and had picked up sewing rather quickly a few weeks ago when she’d asked her mother to show her how to do it. Yes, Hana Akuma was indeed a very proud mother. 

A YEAR LATER

THE AKUMA MANOR

THIRD PERSON POV

“Mommy, how come I have to learn to cook?” asks little Keiko as her mother shows her how to properly and safely cut vegetables. 

“Because one day you're going to have to cook for your husband dear,” says Hana.

“Why?” asks Keiko.

“Because wives do the cooking and house chores for their husbands,” says Hana.

“Why?” asks Keiko.

“Because that’s just the way things are dear, we’re better in the home taking good care of it while the men go off to work,” says Hana.

“But what if the husband wants to cook? Or do house chores? Then what does the wife do?” asks Keko.

“Well a husband wouldn’t want to do those things, he goes off to work everyday to provide for the family just like your daddy does, that leaves the wife at home to do the cooking and house chores, to keep their home nice and comfortable to live in” says Hana.

“But what if I don’t want to do those things when I become a wife?” asks Keiko.

“Well you're a noble woman dear so we have servants to do these things for us, it’s still good to learn them though,” says Hana.

“Then how come you do them?” asks Keiko.

“Because I like to stay busy,” says Hana.

“Oh okay,” says Keiko.

“Mommy?” asks Keiko.

“Yes dear?” asks Hana. 

“What if I don’t want to do “wife” things or have servants when I’m big?” asks Keiko.

“Well I’m not sure, but certainly nothing good would happen to you, your a part of this family and to be a part of this family you need to keep a high social status,” says Hana.

“Oh,” says Keiko, seeming to deflate a little.

“Do you have any more questions dear?” asks Hana.

“No,” says Keiko, shaking her head. 

TWO YEARS LATER

THE AKUMA MANOR

THIRD PERSON POV

Keiko sat out in her mother’s flower garden watching the clouds slowly roll through the sky. Growing in the garden Hana had Roses, Sunflowers, Tulips and Orchids. 

Keiko was bored.

Very bored.

She had nothing to do, she’d finished her cooking, reading, writing, hostess and dancing lessons for the day and there were no new books in the family library for her to read that she hadn’t read already. What was she to do if she wasn’t preparing for her future or reading? Her parents didn’t let her leave the estate yet, they said she’d be able to do it when she was older but for now she couldn’t leave the house. Suddenly a pained chirping drifted into Keiko’s ears. The little girl sat up straighter and looked around. She soon found the source of the noise. Lying under an oak tree was a baby bird, its nest sat high above in the trees. Keiko quickly scrambled to her feet and ran over to the bird. She then, as gently as possible, picked up the little bird.It didn't appear to be hurt. Keiko carefully checked its wings to make sure they weren’t broken, lucky they were fine. Keiko needed to get the little bird back into its nest. But how could she carry it and climb the tree at the same time? Keiko suddenly perked up, thinking of a proper solution. The little girl ran inside her home, careful to hide the baby bird from the few servants she passed on her way as she passed them in the halls. Live animals weren’t allowed in the house after all. She quickly made it to her room and pulled out her sewing kit. And in no time Keiko had sewn a sling to wear on her back in order to carry the baby bird up the tree. Keiko quickly snuck back outside and began to climb the tree. It was a bit of a struggle for her seven year old body but she managed neither the least. The little girl soon made it to her intende branch and easily settled on it without wobbling. Learning to dance with grace and elegance had given Keiko very good balance for a child of her age. Keiko then gently placed the baby bird back into the nest and made sure it was comfortable and that the nest was secure. The bird made a little chirping sound in its thanks for her help.

“You very welcome little bird,” says Keiko before climbing down the tree and heading back inside. Her kimono had gotten a bit dirty while helping the little bird and she knew her mother would be upset if she saw it so Keiko knew she had to go change. 

THREE YEARS LATER

THE AKUMA MANOR

THIRD PERSON POV

Keiko sat quietly strumming her Koto in a nonsensical but still charming tune. Her Koto lessons for the day had just ended and Keiko found that she really liked playing the seventeen-stringed instrument, even if it was taller than her when placed upright at its full height. Keiko looked up as her mother entered her room.

“Your father has returned from his business trip,” says Hana. At this statement Keiko’s face lit up with a bright smile, her father traveled a lot for his job as a merchant so Keiko didn’t get to see him nearly as often as she like to. He had been gone for almost a month now, in Tokyo trading with other wealthy people. Keiko quickly stands and the two leave the room and rush down to the entrance home of the manor. 

“Father!” cheers Keiko happily running over to her father and embracing him in a hug.

“Hello Keiko,” says Tanjin Akuma, hugging his only daughter back. The two pull away and Tanjin greets his wife with a peck on the cheek and hug. 

“Did you bring anything back with you on your travels?” asks Keiko curiously. 

“Yes indeed I did,” says Tanjin, pulling a wooden box from his bag and handing it to Keiko.

“It’s for you,” says Tanjin.

“Thank you father,” says Keiko, ever polite as she was taught to be. Opening the box. Inside are two twin daggers, handles wrapped in crimson leather. 

“Tanjin, what on Earth would our daughter need those for?” asks Hana, more than a little horrified at the odd gift. 

“They're made of Nichirin metal, it’s said to ward off evil spirits, besides Keiko is growing up now. She’s ten and it’s high time she learned how to defend herself,” says Tanjin. 

“Very well, I suppose we’ll have to buy her a belt to hold them in and cleaner to avoid them rusting,” says Hana, still seeming a bit put off by her little girl owning weaponry. Meanwhile, intrigued by the beautifully made weapons Keiko gingerly picks one of them up and to everyone’s shock the metal on both daggers becomes as black as midnight upon Keiko picking up one of her new weapons. 

“Do…Nichirin weapons usually do that?” asks Keiko curiously.

“I’m not sure,” says Tanjin, seeming just as bewildered as his daughter.

“Well I suppose we’ll have to find her a teacher to show her how to use this now,” says Hana as Keiko puts the dagger back and closes the box. Today had certainly turned out more interesting than she had been expecting. 

TWO YEARS LATER

NIGHTSHADE PROVINCE

KASUNI VILLAGE

THIRD PERSON POV

Keiko Akuma happily walked down the main market path of the village nearest her home humming a sweet tune to herself. Her parents rarely ever let her go anywhere alone, even though they both knew she was fully capable of defending herself. Her skills with her daggers were very great now-a-days and she never went anywhere without them, she even wore them around the manor. So today was a special day for her. Out of the corner of her eye Keiko spotted an older woman dropping some of the packages she was carrying. Keiko’s ever-helpful nature quickly jumped into action and she walked over to help the woman gather her things. 

“Here, let me help,” says Keiko, picking up most of the larger packages. 

“Oh why thank you dear!” says the old woman graciously.

“Do you need help carrying these to wherever you're going?” asks Keiko, tilting her head to one side, emerald eyes twinkling. 

“Oh yes thank you, that would be lovely,” says the old woman.  The woman begins walking and Kekio begins to follow her.

“So what’s your name?” asks Keiko, deciding to make light conversation with the woman.

“I’m Kanako, and you are?” asks the woman.

“I’m Keiko ma’m, it's lovely to meet you,” says Keiko.

“Well Keiko you certainly are a blessing of a child, so polite and kind, your family is definitely raising you right,” says Kanako. 

“Thank you ma'am,” says Keiko as they turn down an alleyway. 

“Stop!” says a man jumping out in front of them. He’s brandishing a knife at them. 

“Hand over all your money now!” says the man, he’s maybe in his late twenties at most and has dark hair and eyes. Kanako reaches for her pockets in fright but Keiko just rolls her eyes. 

“Your stance is awful,” says Keiko bluntly.

This causes both the man and Kanako to pause in confusion. 

“What do you mean?” asks the man squinting at the girl before him.

“Your stance is awful, I could easily disarm you,” says Keiko before setting down her packages, and as she had claimed, easily disarms the man and tosses his knife away. 

“How did you..?” asks the man trailing off.

“It was easy, your grip on the knife was all wrong for threatening anyone and your body stance is easily targetable, I could have stabbed you easily if I wanted to,” says Keiko motioning to the daggers on her hips. 

“Oh,” says the man lowering his arms in defeat.

“Now why did you want to steal from us?” asks Keiko, recollecting her packages. 

“I’ve been laid off of work and now I have no money to provide for my family. I have a wife and two young sons. And if I don’t find a way to pay my rent soon my family and I will be evicted from our home and will be forced onto the streets,” says the man miserably. Keiko’s eyes fill with sympathy and she digs into her pockets. She hands the man a coin purse. 

“Here, use this to pay your rent and I know Mr. Gii is looking for workers, he runs a flower shop down the street, it pays well,” says Keiko. 

“Oh thank you so much! How can I ever repay you for this? And after I tried to steal from you?” asks the man gratefuly. 

“Just help your family and never attempt thievery again. That’s all I ask,” says Keiko.

“Yes! Of course I will! Thank you!” says the man before collecting his knife and quickly hurrying away. 

“That was so good of you dear helping that man, this world certainly needs more people like you,” says Kanako as the two begin to walk again.

“I just did the right thing, that's all, anyone in my situation would have done the same,” says Keiko.

“Oh I wish the world really did work like that dear, you have quite a lot of faith in people if you truly believe that,” says Kanako.

THREE YEARS LATER

THE AKUMA MANOR

THIRD PERSON POV

Keikoe sat under the Oak tree in her mother’s garden reading a book, it was the story of a girl named Mulan pretending to be a man to take her elderly father’s place in the army in order to protect him from the coming war. It was very interesting and Keiko was having a good time reading it. Keiko glances up though when she sees her mother approaching her.

“Hello mother,” says Keiko as Hana sits down next to her.

“I have something to talk to you about my dear,” says Hana, seeming sad. Hana had tried to have this conversation before with her daughter, it had never ended well. Keiko, picking up on this, adopts a worried look on her face. She hopes that the conversion isn’t going where she thinks it’s going. 

“What’s wrong mother?” asks Keiko squinting and leaning forward a bit to pear into her mother’s eyes.

“Soon you will be of age and then we will have to start looking for a husband for you,” says Hana.

“But I don’t want to marry a man I don’t love,” says Keiko in protest. She had been raised for this, Keiko knew that but she didn’t want to marry any random man, especially not one she didn’t love. Her parents and her had gotten into multiple debates about it over the years always ending in an angry and stubborn silence.

“I know dear but that’s just how the world works,” says Hana.

“But moth-” begins Keiko but Hana cuts her off. 

“NO. Keiko you will be marrying, whether you like it or not,” says Hana before standing and leaving her daughter to stew in her own anger at the world. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 transformation

NIGHTSHADE PROVINCE

THE AKUMA MANOR

KEIKO’S POV

It’s a stormy night out tonight, it’s raining but not storming completely. My mother, father and I are sitting near the fireplace in our entrance hall, just in case someone comes knocking at our door. We’ve sent all the servants home for the night. Mother and father are playing a game of chess and I’m reading. I glance up from my book when I hear I knock at the door.

“I’ve got it,” I say standing and setting my book down. I walk over to the door and open it, standing on our doorstep is a middle aged man holding an umbrella. He has dark brown hair, pale skin that almost looks sickly and startling eyes. They are red, deep and frightening, like some kind of demon’s eyes. A slight shiver runs down my spine, something in my instincts whispering that this man is dangerous, even if only his preditory eyes are the only things to present that assumption to be true. The man is wearing a nice red suit, cream pants, a red and cream hat and black shoes. He must be from the city judging by his clothes. There’s a strange feeling surrounding the man, further worrying my nerves, it’s dark and threatening, evil in a way that I’ve never felt from another person. 

“Hello sir. Can I help you?” I ask after a beat of silence, I must polite, he hasn’t even said a word to me yet. By now my parents have come to stand behind me. Their presence is a comfort while near this stranger.

“Why yes, it’s rather cold out here and I was hoping if I could come inside for a bit. At least until the rain stops,” says the man in a smooth voice, it feels cold, unkind. Apparently my father doesn’t pick up on it or my nerves because he nods.

“Why of course, come in,” says my father. We step aside to let the man in and he does. I shut the door behind him and went to stand a short distance away from my parents. 

“Thank you kindly,” says the man.

“May we ask your name sir?” asks my mother.

“Of course, my name is Muzan Kibutsuji,” says the man. The name sends shivers down my spine and I feel my hands unconsciously twitch towards my daggers ready to grab them at any moment. He feels like a threat, but I can’t pin down why, he seems respectable. 

“By chance have any of you seen any Blue Spider Lilies around here, they look just like red Spider Lilies but blue,” says Muzan. 

“No, we haven’t,” says my father, shaking his head.

“Well then I suppose I have no use for you,” says Muzan voice turning cold and harsh.

What?

Suddenly with a flick of his wrist my father is sent flying into the wall. With a sickening crunch and splatter my father lands on the other wall, his blood flying everywhere and his bones and insides falling to the ground. It’s disgusting and horrid smell of blood stings in my nose. My mother lets out a horrified scream and I draw one of my daggers. With a quick motion of his wrist Muzan easily does the same thing to my mother. 

HOW DARE HE!?

With a scream of pure rage and anguish I toss my drawn dagger at the man. I hit him dead in the shoulder and blood began to leak from his wound. 

To my absolute horror Muzan Kibutsuji just laughs and pulls the knife out. His bleeding wound heals itself in the blink of an eye and he tosses my dagger away.

“Hmm it seems you have some fight in you, you might make a good pawn,” says Muzan. Before I can make any moves Muzan is right in front of me and grabbing my left arm. He squeezes it tight with his claws. Claws! When did he grow claws!? Muzan’s claws dig into me and it feels like I’m being pricked by a needle. I can feel something injecting itself into me. Then suddenly the worst pain I’ve ever felt shoots through my entire body. I collapse to the ground shaking and start to scream from the pain. It feels like I’m being torn apart, sewn back together, lit on fire, frozen and then lit on fire again all at once. 

THIRD PERSON POV

As Keiko convulses on the ground screaming in pain Muzan looks down at her blankly. The pain of others meant nothing to him anymore. If this girl was strong enough she’d survive the process of turning into a demon and soon start devouring humans. If not…well then she would die a rather pain filled death. Slowly Keiko’s screams of agony stop and she stills. Muzan bends down and checks her pulse. Her heart is beating steadily, she’s just asleep. Good..she’d wake up a very hungry demon and start eating the human villagers soon enough. Without making a single sound Muzan kicked the thrown Nichirin blade towards the new demon and left, his search for Blue Spider Lilies would just have to continue. How a non-Demon Slayer had even procured a Nichirin weapon Muzan didn’t know, but he also didn’t care.

HOURS LATER

KEIKO’S POV

Hungry…

I’m so hungry…

I must feed!…

Wait…what happened…?

Mother…father… Muzan Kibutsuji!

That…that fucking monster killed my family!

I sit up slowly and look around. I’m still at home and it’s still night out. My parents' remains are still splattered all over the wall. My fallen dagger lies near me. I reach for it and put it back in my belt with the other. 

Muzan…

Rage boils in my blood and I growl, it sounds more animalistic then normal but I don’t care much. How dare he kill my family!? We didn’t do anything.

I slowly stand up and start to get my bearings. Muzan is gone and not a trace of him remains. I sniff the air, huh strange, my senses feel..stronger somehow. Muzan’s smell, something evil and old, is still here in my home but it’s distant. It's been hours since he was oh-so-briefly here. I probably won’t be able to track him. Muzan injected me with something when he scratched me with his claws. How did he even grow claws anyway? Or heal himself the way he did when I literally stabbed him? He couldn’t have been human, of that much I’m sure. I look down at my arm to find that it’s completely fine, no claw-made puncture wounds or bruising. Strange… I wonder if my appearance has changed any. I slowly turn to the mirror we leave on the wall and gasp. I had always been a light skinned girl but now I’m as pale as Muzan and my eyes…

They’vre turned red.

They're a deep shade of crimson, like a ruby, no not like a ruby…

More like freshly spilled blood.

What on Earth did Muzan do to me!?

Maybe..maybe one of my father's books can tell me. He never let me read any of the books in his study before. 

THIRTY MINUTES LATER

KEIKO’S POV

I set my father’s book down and let out a scream of frustration. 

My findings were most unpleasant to say the least. 

Apparently demons actually exist!

Muzan kibutsuji was the first fucking one!

He turns people into demons by injecting his blood into them!

Demons can’t walk in sunlight because it will kill them!

And to top it all off a demon’s main food source is human flesh!

Well this is just fucking great!!!

Rage simmers in my very soul, in my blood and bones towards Kibutsuji. How dare he do this? How dare he? 

I hate him. 

I hate him! 

I hate that damned demon with everything I have!!

Now what do I do!? Muzan turned me into a demon. I can’t go outside during the day anymore and now I’m going to have to start eating people…

Disgusting.

The thought alone makes me want to throw up. 

Although on the plus side I now have regeneration abilities so any injury I get will just heal itself very quickly. On the subject of food though maybe I can find some other food source, like animal meat instead. Demons are carnivorous so that instantly throws out me living off of plants anyways. 

Now that I’m thinking about food I’m actually noticing how very hungry I actually am. Well let’s try out the animal meat theory because I really don’t want to have to eat some innocent human. Though I suppose the person doesn’t have to be innocent. I could target criminals or abusers if I really need food and can’t eat animals. The thought still makes me feel sick to my stomach but it’s better then eating an innocent person. I open up my father’s window and pear down at the moonlit forest below. It’s very nice out now that the rain from earlier has stopped. I can smell wet grass, pine, and animals. Distantly I can hear running water from the river I know is nearby and closer to me the movements of nocturnal animals in the night. These enhanced senses are nice, I quite like them actually. I spot movement down in the grass with my newly sharpened eyesight, everything is easy to see even though it’s so dark. If I were still human I wouldn’t have any real sight right now. My ears pick up on a faint rustling. The smell of rabbit hits my nose and I lick my lips hungrily. 

Meat.. 

I can feel my predatory intincts kicking in, the thrill of the hunt calling to me. I can feel my teeth sharpening into fangs in my mouth and my nails extending into claws. 

This will be fun…

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 survival 

KANJINA PROVINCE

KEIKO’S POV

It’s been a full year now since Muzan Kibutsuji turned me into a demon. I’m seventeen now and adjusting to a demon's lifestyle has been hard for me. Early on it was very hard for me to resist my urge to eat humans instead of animals but I managed, I haven’t eaten a single human yet and I plan on keeping it that way. Avoiding going out during the day has been a bit hard on me in terms of finding places to rest and avoid the sun. I’ve been avoiding villages and towns just in case my human-eating urge raises its ugly head. I’ve encountered a few other demons on my journey across my homeland. Of course I’ve swiftly killed them, I can’t have them killing people after all. I also once ran into a boy that belonged to the Demon Slayer Corps. I managed to knock him out without hurting him too badly, just a few bruises nothing more. I left him outside the closest village with his sword and everything and booked it out of there as fast as I could. One good thing about being a demon is that my strength, speed, durability and senses have greatly heightened over my old human body. The enhanced senses make hunting easier and I enjoy it, if I have leftover food from my hunts I usually leave it for wolves or other predators to eat.

Currently it’s night out and I’m walking along a dirt road surrounded by the large trees of a Redwood forest. The smell of a burning candle hits my nose. I pause and sniff the air, yup that's definitely a small fire, I also smell human, wax and a merade of basic types of cloth. The human must be a traveling merchant then. The smell of the human is male and on the older side. I can hear wooden wheels rolling along the ground and footsteps coming towards me as packages lightly knock against eachother in a cart. I turn to see an old man coming towards me dragging a wooden cart. There’s a lit lantern hanging from his cart. He’s a merchant…like my father had been. I pause in my walk to let the man catch up to me, he’s a ways away so i takes a few minutes but I don’t mind burning time by waiting.

The man stops as he comes up to me. 

“Good evening young lady and what may I ask is a young demon such as yourself doing out here on the road and not out hunting?” asks the man. 

How did he know?

I’m wearing my claok and my hood is up. My horns are hidden and my claws aren’t out.

So how did he know?

As if reading my mind the old man answers.

“I’m a former demon slayer dear, we can just tell these things, even when you try to hide your appearances with disguises,” says the man chuckling good naturedly in a slightly gravely voice.

“Oh,” is all I can manage to say. Slowly I pull my hood down, he knows what I am anyway, it doesn’t matter if he sees my horns now.

“Wait, why aren’t you trying to kill me?” I ask squinting at him and comitting his wrinkled face and every speckle of brown or green in his old hazel colored eyes.

“Why aren’t you trying to do the same to me?” asks the man turning my question right on it’s head.

“I don’t eat people. The thought of doing so disgusts me,” I say stiffly.

“A demon that doesn’t eat humans you say?” asks the man sounding intruiged.

“Yes. I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s true,” I say.

“I never said I didn’t believe you, dear. I’ve always believed demons can be good if they choose to resist their urges and be good. You're just the first one I’ve ever met to prove my belief right,” says the old man. 

“Oh, well your vote of confidence definitely helps,” I say. I have had self-loathing issues thanks to being a demon, hating myself for being made into a monster and wishing Muzan had just killed me too. Even if my hate for the Demon King is so much more intense compared to my hate for myself. My hate for myself is fleeting and comes in short bursts when I feel my more unsavory instincts trying to take hold, I won’t be made into a monster even if I now hold the species of demon.

“Say dear, have you ever heard of Blue Spider Lilies?” asks the man.

“Yes, just once, when Muzan killed my family and turned me he asked about them,” I say.

“Do you know what they do?” asks the man.

“No,” I say, shaking my head. None of my father's books told me what they did, just mentioned them in passing as important to demons.

“Well, ingesting them will allow a demon to walk in the sun,” says the man. Wow. No wonder Muzan seemed to want one so badly. 

“Why are you telling me this?” I ask.

“Because of this,” says the man, handing me something wrapped in a blue cloth. I unwrap it to find a golden chained necklace. Attached to the chin is a sun shaped ruby charm, looking closely at it I can see small specks of a bright blue something embedded in the gemstone.

“That Sun Ruby your holding is  infused with Blue Spider Lily. Wearing the two objects combined allows a demon to walk in sunlight,” says the man.

“Oh,” I say.

“You can keep it if you wish Muzan Kibutsuji doesn’t know of the necklace’s existence so you would be safe from harm,” says the old man. I feel a rush of gratitude run through me.

“Thank you so much! Is there anything I can do to repay you?” I ask. 

I-I’ve forgotten how warm and loving the sun is.

I miss it.

“Simple, use your abilities to protect humans from other demons,” says the old man. 

“Yes, I will!” I say thankfully. 

THE NEXT DAY

REDWOOD FOREST

KEIKO'S POV

I slowly open my eyes as my body wakes up from sleep. Being a demon I don’t actually need to sleep but it puts my mind at ease to do it every once and a while. It’s easier and more calming compared to being stuck with my thoughts constantly. I reach up to the charm around my neck and finger the sun shaped charm lined in gold plating on the back and side. 

Here’s to hoping it really works. 

I crawl to the edge of the shadows in my cave and slowly reach out a hand towards the sunlight, squeezing my eyes shut as I go preparing myself to rip my hand back into darkness if I feel the searing pain of the sun. 

But no pain comes, I open my eyes and let out a gasp to see that my hand, fully engulfed in sunlight, isn’t burning. It’s completely fine. I slowly crawl from my cave and smile widely as the sun doesn’t burn me. 

I feel a large face splitting grin form on my face.

“Whooo!” I scream jumping up into the air in joy. I smile and twirl around. Finally,I can feel the warmth and be in the light of the sun again. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to enjoy that simple pleasure ever again. I start walking through the woods, smiling to myself, this is so nice. 

I owe that old man so much, I wish he’d have let me pay him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4 The Spirit Of Nagawani Woods

KANJINA PROVINCE

THE NAGAWANI WOODS

OUTSIDE NAGAWANI VILLAGE

THIRD PERSON POV

Young Mai Kojo looked around the woods fearfully. She had gotten lost while playing hide and seek with her older brothers and it was dark now. Night had fallen and the five year old girl was very afraid, more afraid then she’d ever been before in her young life. Somewhere in the woods a twig snapped and the little girl’s resolve finally broke. She began to cry big sad tears. She was lost and scared and it was dark and cold.

Mai just wanted to go home.

Footsteps could be heard behind her, a soft thump, thump, thump as the person walked. Mai spun around screaming but stopped when she saw what was behind her. It was a girl of eighteen years in a red and gold kimono, around her neck a ruby sun hung from a golden chain. At her waist lay two twin daggers, sharp glinting things thanks to the dim moonlight that did very little to help Mai see in the dark. The girl had wavy brown hair and bloody red eyes. The girls' eyes weren’t scary though, they were kind and gentle. Oddly enough though the girl had no lantern with her and seemed to have no trouble at all seeing in the dark forest. The girl smiled down at Mai, a gentle and reassuring thing despite the fact that her teeth were ever so slightly pointed. The girl in the red kimono bent down to Mai’s height. 

“Hello there sweetie, are you lost?” asks the girl in a gentle tone, being sure to seem as un-frightening as possible.

“Yes,” sniffs Mai tearfully.

“Hey now, no crying. I’m going to take you home okay?” asks the girl. 

“Okay,” says Mai, nodding and wiping her tears away. The blood eyed girl held out a hand and Mai gingerly took it. The girl’s hands were soft for the most part but held a certain ruffnes in the tips of someone who did lots of sewing and played a stringed instrument. As the two began to walk the girl in the red kimono began to hum a soft lullaby under her breath. Slowly as the time went on Mai grew tired and at one point they stopped so that the girl wearing a sun could pick her up and start to carry her. 

The girl in red stroked Mai’s hair and eventually she began to sing.

“Deep in the forests, under the Oak.

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow.

Lay down your head, close your tired eyes.

And when they open again the sun shall rise.

Here it’s safe and here it’s warm.

Here the Orchids will guard you from all harm.

Here your dreams are happy and tomorrow makes them true.

Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the forests hidden far away.

A cloak of leaves lit by Moonbeam rays.

Forget about your worries and let your troubles fade away

And when again it’s morning they’ll be washed away.

Here it’s safe and here it’s warm.

Here the Orchids will guard you from all harm.

Here your dreams are happy and tomorrow makes them true.

Here is the place where I love you.

Ladadadada…

Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the forests hidden far away.

A cloak of leaves lit by Moonbeam rays.

Forget about your worries and let your troubles fade away

And when again it’s morning they’ll be washed away

Here it’s safe and here it’s warm.

Here the Orchids will guard you from all harm.

Here your dreams are happy and tomorrow makes them true.

Here is the place where I love you.

Ladadadada…

Here is the place where I love you…”

Before Mai even knew it they were at the edge of her village and she was being put on her feet.

“Can you find your way home from here?” asks the girl in red gently tucking a strand of Mai’s hair behind her ear.

“Yes. Thank you very much for helping me,” says Mai gratefully. She didn’t even know the girl’s name but Mai already knew…

When you're with the girl in red, you're safe. 

“I was happy to help,” says the girl smiling gently. Mai then walked home, not turning to look back as the girl in red disappeared back into the forest under the cover of night. In the morning she wouldn’t remember the girl wearing the sun, just a pair of kind red eyes and the ghost of a soothing lullaby. Mai’s family would be overjoyed when she returned home and the girl in red, satisfied with her work would turn in to the monster of the woods, slightly pointed teeth turning in to fangs, nails turning into claws and senses sharpening, she would go into the dark and she would hunt. 

(The lullaby Keiko sings to Mai is a re-written version of Rue’s lullaby from The Hunger Games. Orchids are used in the song because they symbolize safety amongst other things. Oak trees replace willow trees because I like them more and forests replace meddows because Keiko lives in a forest and the little girl had gotten lost in one. Other than that the lyrics have been tweaked in wording and length to avoid copyright issues.)

Over the next few months more children and even a few adults would lose their way in the vast woods and they would always be led back to the village without a scratch on them, safe and sound. All they would remember of the experience the next day was kind red eyes and a shadow of a song. Unfortunately though, much more frequently than the lost being returned home was farm animals going missing. Whole cows would disappear about once a week. The superstitious believed a spirit was leading the lost home and taking the animals as tribute and payment for giving the villagers aid. Meanwhile the religious believed there was a demon in the woods stealing away their livestock and damaging the memories of the townsfolk who entered its woods. No one really knew which it was. Until one day a young girl came to the village, she claimed to be here to kill the demon terrorizing the farm animals. She carried a katana and her confidence put the nervous villagers at ease. But the next day the girl turned up unconscious at the edge of the woods, lightly bruised with no memory of the past night's events except for a pair of cold red eyes and the feeling of a demonic presence. The girl with the katana left the next day. Weeks later another stranger came, he carried a katana as well and wore a half marron, half yellow and green coat over his black uniform. He was a demon slayer too, and was apparently better then the last one that had come. He went into the woods at midnight, as stealthy as a tiger and found a clearing, 

he’d wait for the demon to come to him. 

He was the hunter now.

KEIKO’S POV

I jump from branch to branch in the trees of the forest outside of the village I’d been watching over for almost a full year now. I’d been helping those who got lost in the woods get back home, and thanks to a pretty nice and subtle demon power I was able to make sure non one ever really remembered me. Though I do feel kind of bad for stealing their livestock every so often. A couple weeks ago a demon slayer came into my woods. I dealt with her easily and left her outside in the morning. Now they’ve sent another one in. Note to self, move away after I deal with this one, I’ve been here too long. Their starting to get suspicious of my activity. I pause and inhale sharply. I quickly pick up the new demon slayer's scent, this one being male, I follow it into a clearing, one that’s much too close to the cave I live in for my comfort. 

This demon slayer is very different from the girl I faced before. This one radiates power on a whole other level of crazy compared to her, he must be really good at his job. He’s around my age and has fair skin and spiky black hair that falls down to his shoulder blades. He’s wearing a half maroon and half green and yellow jacket over his demon slayer uniform and wields a katana longer than the girl’s had been. His eyes though are what really catch my attention. They're deep blue, like the ocean. Beautiful but also scary and mysterious if you look too deep. Father took me to see the ocean once when I was young. I remember being so amazed with how big and how stunning it was to look at. This slayer's eyes give me a similar feeling. He’s not facing me completely but a part of me can tell that he knows I’m here. 

Oh well I might as well introduce myself.

THIRD PERSON POV

Giyu Tomioka turned to face the demon he’d been sent here to kill as he heard them jump from the trees behind him. What he saw standing there wasn’t what he’d been expecting. Instead of the demon being tall, large and muscular or intimidating and deadly looking before him stood a girl a few inches shorter than he was with skinny arms and legs with no real muscle showing. She had two twin daggers at her hips and her fingernails were extended into claws. Giyu knew he couldn’t let her appearance fool him though. She was still a demon, still bloodthirsty, still evil and still strong. 

But he was strong too and this demon would die tonight. 

Giyu drew his blade content with ending things quickly.

The demon however seemed to have other plans.

“Now hold on before you try and kill me, why don’t we talk?” asks the gi-demon, he has to remind himself for just a moment. Demons aren't civil beings like humans. 

“Talk? Talk about what?” asks Giyu, careful to not let his confusion show, he didn’t drop his guard for even a second. 

“How about I disarm myself? Would that make you feel better?” asks the demon in red. The demon shrugs when Giyu doesn’t reply, taking off her belt and tossing it at his feet, daggers and all. They land with a soft thud and slight clinking of metal from the blades of her weapons. Her claws turn back into nails and she sits down in a crossed legged position. Giyu can’t help but glare at her, she is so strange even for a demon. Who just throws their weapons away when being held at sword point? Is she that over confident in herself? Does she not care about what happens to her? 

“Well come on now put your sword away, we’ll talk and then fight if you really want,” says the demon offering a friendly smile. Giyu isn’t fooled by it for a second. He sits down but doesn’t sheath his blade, it rests on his knees instead.

“You have ten minutes demon,” says Giyu. Perhaps some patience is alright with this demon.

“Very well then, I suppose that’s all I need,” says the demon shrugging dismissively.

“What’s your name?”

“Why do you want to know?” 

“Because I need to address you somehow,”

“Fine. My name is Giyu Tomioka, happy?”

“Yes thank you Giyu-San,”

“What’s yours?”

“What?”

“I told you my name so you should tell me yours, so what’s your name demon?”

“Keiko, Keiko Akuma,”

“Akuma?” asks Giyu, raising an eyebrow. He recognized that name, it rung a bell of recognition in his mind.

“Yes,” says the de-Keiko, nodding.

“Like the Akuma family? The ones that were found brutally murdered and had a missing daughter? Those Akumas?” asks Giyu.

“Yes. I’m the missing daughter. My home was visited one night by a man who called himself “Muzan. I later discovered he was a demon, the first demon. He killed my family and turned me into one, a monster just like him,” says Keiko.

“But there’s one difference between myself and that man, I don’t eat people,” says Keiko.  

Did she really see herself as just like the demon king?

“That’s not true, all demons eat humans,” says Giyu in defiant disbelief. A demon not eating humans was like a fish not living in water. Unnatural, impossible.

“No, I don’t eat people. The very thought makes me feel sick. Don’t you find it odd that all the people, especially the little children who got lost in these woods came out alive? Don’t you find it odd that they were never injured and could never remember how they got out of the forest the next day? Isn’t it odd that no one in the village has been brutally killed yet? Isn’t it odd that only farm animals have gone missing? If I was truly a human eating monster then all of those people would be dead and you would have come here much sooner. So isn’t it odd to you that no human has been harmed?”  

“So let me ask you this Giyu Tomioka, do you really think I’ve eaten any humans?”

“Even if you haven-”

“Do you think I have? Answer the question,”

The demon's eyes narrow ever so slightly, hardening with a challenge, daring Giyu to avoid answering her question again. Giyu sighs and rubs at his temples, they just had to give him a mission that would be so damn complicated. And a demon that doesn’t eat people? How is it even possible? How has she managed to go multiple years without eating anyone? Giyu finally looks up after another moment of thought. His ocean eyes meet the unexpectedly beautiful red ones of the demon Keiko and all he can do is answer honestly.

“No. I don’t think you’ve eaten any humans Keiko. If you truly are surviving off of animal meat instead of humans like all the evidence points to then I will spare you and leave your forest without a fight for I now have no valid reason to kill you,”

At his words Keiko’s face brightens up and she smiles, something Giyu finds to be oddly charming. 

“Excellent! I didn’t want to fight someone on your level of power anyway, I would have lost most likely,” says Keiko like it's nothing but a fact and with one swift motion she’s on her feet and putting her belt back on. Giyu stands as well, slower than the demon and sheethes his katana. A part of him nagged to just kill her now, that she was a demon and deserved to die, but the rest of him just couldn’t do it.

Keiko Akuma was an anomaly.

A demon that didn’t eat humans. 

And Giyu Tomioka couldn't bring himself to kill her.

When morning comes Giyu leaves the forest, having not killed the demon of the Nagawani Woods, mostly confused but a part of him awe struck at the strange demon. He would certainly sooner forget his own breathing style then forget anything concerning Keiko Akuma at this point. Especially not her eyes, soul piercing but not at all unkind. A beautiful crimson, seared into his mind with a bright intensity.

And when the sun reached its midday peak Keiko Akuma would leave the province all together, a ghost in the wind. Never to be seen in that area again but for generations onward the people of the Nagawani village would tell stories of the kind red eyed spirit that led lost children home and of the ocean eyed swordsman that failed to kill her. 

Chapter Text

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