Chapter Text
Kamado Tanjirou has had a long day. Up at dawn, truck down a mountain, help townsfolk, watch the sun get lower and lower in the sky until now. When it was finally set- only to have to trek back up a mountain. His legs hurt a little, but he smiled nonetheless.
Afterall, it was all worth it. The strangers have it easier because of him. His pockets weight on him in a much better way than the charcoal that was on his back. And the idea of seeing his family after a day of hard work made that oh so tall mountain seem a little less daunting.
So he forced his legs to walk. Through the town. Through the fields, and up the mountain, where he paused.
Tanjirou had to double take to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. He blinked, before rubbing his tired eyes. But low and behold, there it was. on the side of the path, sat a tiny, golden star. It stood out, both against the snowy forest surrounding it, and as something Tanjirou had never seen before. Walking closer, he held his hand out. It was glowing, and warm. A nice warmth.
It was shaped like a star would be, and he had heard of ‘falling stars’, so perhaps it was one of those? It looked nice, not shiny, but bright and attractive all the same. Maybe he should get it for his mother. She worked quite hard, and while it was tiny, it’s a nice gesture.
So he reached out to pick it up. For the very first time, he reached out.
And he touched it.
*The thought of your family makes the obstacles seem surmountable. You are filled with DETERMINTATION*
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Kamado Tanjirou LV1 00:00
Mount Kumotori- Snowy path
♥️ Save Return
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Tanjirou’s eyes widened, something was… in front of him? It was kind of like a sign, but… Tanjirou wasn't sure it was really there. He could sort of see it, and stranger, he couldn’t smell it. Between the two options, save and return, he wasn't quite sure what either meant. perhaps, was he seeing things?
No, he couldn’t be. While the ‘letter’ didn’t give off a smell, the star did, so that was definitely there. He would trust his sense of smell more than his common sense (which was telling him he was seeing things for sure).
But… it was hard to grasp, the smell. He could smell peoples emotions pretty well, and this star gave off a scent as well.
Using a hand to tap hesitantly, Tanjirou watched the thing in front of him change -
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Kamado Tanjirou LV1 00:01
Mount Kumotori- Snowy path
File saved.
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Not 5 seconds later, he heard the voice of a man behind him. Turning around, he spotted a man.
“Are you gonna go back up the mountain? It's too dangerous.” Tanjirou was about to respond back, but he was interrupted when the man continued, “hurry up now! I'll house you for the night.
Before the demons come back”
Old man Saburou, was quite a kind man. He decided to house Tanjirou from the ‘demons’.
Maybe, he should bring the little ones down here. Saburou did lose his wife and daughter recently, so bringing Hanko might cheer him up.
Yeah, he could help him realize there are no demons.
The next morning, Tanjirou left for home. He stopped to check on the glowing star. He didn't get to pick it before being interrupted by old man Saburou. Retracing his steps, he came across the clearing from before.
The star was there, and like last time, he went up to grab it.
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Kamado Tanjirou LV1 06:21
Mount Kumotori- Snowy path
♥️ Save Return
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Huh. the numbers on the side… was it a clock? It had been roughly that long…
Either way, it didn't matter. He tried move it, but the star just wouldn’t . It felt like it was stuck. Oh well, Tanjirou thought. He could just return to grab it later.
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Kamado Tanjirou LV1 06:22
Mount Kumotori- Snowy path
Save ♥️ Return
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Yeah, he decided he would come back later.
He had a mountain to move up anyway. Tanjirou smiled, he really couldn't wait to be home, out of the cold, with his family. They were the reason he worked so hard. He loved them, so he did it with joy, but it was tiring nonetheless. Maybe he could bring Nezuko down to look at the star later too-
Tanjirou’s nose caught it before anything else did. The smell of blood.
His heart dropped, and he broke out into a sprint. He felt his blood running through his body grow colder and colder, the hum under his veins was all he could hear, and the snow didn’t even register.
It felt like a nightmare. That's the only way he could describe it. He ran home, only to be confronted with Nezuko and Rokuta bodies. bloodied, on the ground. Their bodies overlapping each other with that crimson red pooling out into the snow under them. his eyes traced the large gash over his little- so little- brother. The smell was too strong- it was all too much- and-
a cry broke out from his throat. He started to cry, as he stumbled forward to grab onto their bodies, before his eyes caught the open door to his home.
He saw his mother, holding Hanko in her arms. He sees Shigaru crumpled in the corner and Taeko splattered on the wall and it was all too much and-
Tanjirou fell. He was screaming, and crying.
It wasn't fair. This wasn't fair.
It was… it was too much… they were all gone.
What did it? A bear? Why? Why his- why did they have to die!?
Why were they dead?
It just wasn't fair.
He didn't want this. He wanted them back.
He wanted them back
He wanted to go back.
Go back
And then he did.
Tanjirou opened up his eyes. It was dark. A wooded path was laid out before him, and he saw a single shining star hovering in front of him.
he saw images of his dead family.
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‘Huh?’
This wasn’t right.
Wasn’t he home alrea-
“Are you gonna go back up the mountain? It's too dangerous.”
Stiffening up, Tanjirou spun around quickly to find a man- old man Saburou-who was shouting from an open window.
“Hurry up now! I'll house you for the night. Before the demons come back”
He had heard this before. He was positive. This had already happened. What was happening?
Then he remembered his family.
He remembered the way Shigaru was crumpled over his own neck
“S-sorry! I have to go Mr. Saburou!” ignoring Old man Saburou’s shouts about safety, Tanjirou ran up the mountain. This already happened. He knew what would happen. The how could be saved for later, same with the why. What mattered was right now he could change what happened later.
Or at least. He would try.
Once again, Tanjirou smelt it before he could see it. It wasn't his family's blood this time, but a smell that made his wanna vomit all the same. It was putrid, and it almost froze him in place.
But he couldn’t stop running over some bad smell. Rushing with all his might, he saw his home just up the hill. It was right there, he was so close.
Turning the corner, he stumbles to a pause, as he takes in the view of his once cozy home.
His mother was reaching for Hanako, who was standing nearby. Takeo was clinging to mother with fear in his eyes. And then Tanjirou's eyes caught some stranger, holding Shigaru by the neck. Tanjirou, mind flashing to the future he saw, ran forward as fast as possible, slinging his basket off his back into the strange man's back, hoping that it would make him drop Shigaru.
Tanjirou felt his hope shatter the second the basket broke across the strangers back without even a flinch.
The man turned, showing his red glowing eyes. The slits in them, and the anger they carried.
Tanjirou blinked, and he felt something hit his chest. Hard enough to send him into the wall.
“Shigaru! Tanjirou!”
“Nii-san!”
"stop it!!"
He heard his family cry out. Laying face first on the ground wouldn't help, he had to get up and- and help.
Staggering to his feet, Tanjirou was met with the face of a man-no, this had to be a ‘demon’.
One second felt like an hour, as he was subjected to the heaviest pressure he’d ever felt. It was oppressing, it felt like he couldn't breath, and all that had happened was the demon focused on him. “Perhaps it will be you. You will make a fine demon” it spoke, causing Tanjirou to go numb.
“No! Not Nii chan!” he heard, followed by his mothers cry. Hanako had gotten lost, and ran forward. Seemingly trying to help.
All Tanjirou could was plea to the heavens that she would stop.
He tried to move, but the demon was faster. It moved faster than anyone could even see, and before he could even close his eyes, Hanako’s body was ripped apart. The carpet was stained red, and Tanjirou cried. He cried, and heard the sounds of bones snapping, his family screaming, and by the time he opened his eyes again, it was a massacre.
Tanjirou tried to breath, tried to think rationally. But what could he even do anymore? What-
He stopped, it felt like time slowed down as a thought came to mind. What happened last time? What happened last time, in the visions he saw?
He just- he just went back right?
…p-please… Please let me try again…
…please…
Let me go back
And suddenly, he felt a warmth in front of his body. His eyes shot open, and he saw that same golden star as before.
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Kamado Tanjirou LV1 8:45
Mount Kumotori- Snowy path
♥️ Save Return
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Tanjirou's mind was racing fast. What was this? It was something that let him rewind time, or something like it. He’s come back to the same place each time, and it works whenever I try really hard. I've only ever seen this here, and the only other weird thing is that demon, so-
Wait- the demon!
Tanjirou barely hears the words out of Old man Saburou’s mouth before he’s sprinting off. He would apologize after this, but he needed to move fast. If he can shave off some minutes, maybe he can make it there before tragedy. He dropped the basket too, since it didn't help last time.
Okay, run, and think. What do I do when I get there? How can I convince them to run? Should we go to town? Or- no i wont know, the demon could come from anywhere, so running might mean we run into him…
This was going to be very, very hard.
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Kamado Tanjirou LV1 9:32
Mount Kumotori- Snowy path
♥️ Save Return
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Tanjirou looked down at the words with a frown, before starting his run (hey, he got going before he could even be stopped! No need to apologize if this goes well)
It said roughly 50 minutes passed. Last time he got there a little late, and had to see his mother get…killed.
It tried not to think about it. About the dead bodies. But- it felt like they were piling up in his head. He’d seen his mother’s throat slit, her stomach pierced by that demon's arm, he- he hoped he wouldn't have to see anything else.
He didn't want anyone to see that.
…Back on topic, this time, grab the hatchet outside before coming in. i-ill just fight the demon. It has to be cuttable…
It was not.
He did get some valuable information though. He could finally name that beast. Muzan. Just thinking the name made him sick. Also, he found out the best way to ‘go back’.
He just had to think about this star, and it was a lot easier to ‘do it’, whatever ‘it’ was, he still didn't know.
Nothing that actually helped, but still something.
At this point, he just got used to running after feeling that warmth from the little star. The faster the better. But it seemed like he was never fast enough.
He’d tried 3 times now (4 if you count the first, but he slept through the attack that time… how awful of him) and it was getting old fast. Honestly, he wanted a break.
But it was way too early to stop trying.
So he tried again.
And again
And again
And again.
And. Again.
… this… isn't working-what am I doing wrong? What can I do better? Come on…
“Are you gonna go back up the mountain? It's too dangerous.” old man Saburou sounded off behind him. Looks like he forgot to run this time… jeez, a wasted try- i should come up with a better name then “try”. Maybe he would spend the next 20 minutes thinking, before going back. Before Muzan could possibly show up, but still, a little time to think…
“Yes, old man Saburou, I’ll come inside.” Tanjirou said, surprising the man. He hadn’t offered the young boy in yet, but he was going to, so it was alright anyhow.
Settling down, Tanjirou asked the man all he knew about demons. He didn't hear anything he didn't hear the first time, but it was a distraction none the less.
At least he didn't have to fight in this one.
“You-all…huff, RUN!" Tanjirou sputtered out. He was here, he had minutes to spare, this could work!
“Tanjirou? What are you talking about? It's late-” but Tanjirou interrupted his mother “No!... you all… you all have to run!” Tanjirou caught his breath, before grabbing Hanako and moving for the door.
“Tanjirou, please! Calm down and explain a little!” mother called out, worried, both in general and for Hanako, who was being taken out into the cold…
“Nii-chann?” Hanako said, or more, asked up at Tanjirou, who was shifting her into a better hold to move with.
“Seriously! We need to get up and move! Where’s Nezuko and Rokuta?!” The answer was something he actually wanted to know. Not once had he been seen either in any reset- other than as corpses.
“Tanjirou…” his mother dawdled on. He loved her, really, but the worry was taking too long.
“Listen! Everyone is in danger! We need to hurry before Muzan!"
Suddenly, he heard his mother scream, and felt his body slide to the side. Then, he saw it. As he fell to the ground, he watched his legs fall in another direction.
Last, he felt it. And he screamed (he thought he was screaming before, when he found his family dead, but this was gurgling, and bloody).
He was dying. He-he needed to go back, he-
He heard Muzan chuckle a little before it all went black.
His eyes opened, but he wasn’t in the snowy forest.
Instead of a snow covered forest, he saw nothing at all. Nothing but darkness.
It was black. Everything was black-
Turning to look to the side, Tanjirou stopped, he-he knew he turned, but he couldn’t tell anything happened. He knew he chose to move his neck, but he couldn’t feel that neck, or anything. It was like his sense of touch- like his sense of everything was gone. Still he tried, to his left, right, below, all of it was pitch dark.
Except for the giant letters above him.
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GAME OVER
Continue ♥️ Give Up
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Tanjirou couldn’t feel anything. No wind, no air. It didn’t smell like anything, it was truly a field of nothingness.
And Tanjirou never wanted to be in it again. He wanted his senses back. He-he needed them. as redundant as it sounds, he didn't feel like himself without them.
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GAME OVER
♥️ Continue Give Up
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He needed to get out of this. He needed to save his family.
Suddenly (all too suddenly) he felt the chill, the snow, the warmth of the star, his own body. He could feel it all again
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Kamado Tanjirou LV1 21:36
Mount Kumotori- Snowy path
♥️ Save Return
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…
I need a break.
Staring down at the screen that only I could see (or at least, the only other person around hasn't commented on it), that feeling was stronger than it had been in any of these attempts. He was on…23? I could figure it out, but the timer will move past 999 soon, so it'll be hard to tell.
Why bother anyway, with counting anyway. It's just the amount of times I failed…
“Are you gonna-” old man Saburou started speaking again. Honestly, he was getting a little sick of him, he knew he meant well, and was honestly correct with the words he spoke. But hearing the same thing over and over again gets tiring, especially when your family was probably about to die in 43 minutes (yes, I spent two runs checking that).
“Well, if you’ll have me. Thanks Mr Saburou!” I replied, getting ready to sleep will be hard, but I decided that this run I would rest a little.
Getting ready was hard. All I could think about was my now-dead family… It was really, really hard to sleep.
The next morning, I walked up the mountain. I'm not sure if the world gets turned back with me, or if it keeps living on without me, so I should… bury them before I leave. Since… Muzan will come back.
*sniff* *sniff*
“That's!-"I break off into a sprint. It's another demon- not him, nothing as strong as him but a demon at his home all the same. The thought is sickening, a demon would be doing only one thing with my family!
My thoughts freeze, as I spot the demon, leaning over little Rokuta. “N-Nezuko…?”
Tanjirou heard a hard crunch, as Nezuko- or the demon that looked like her, bit into their little brother beneath her. He screamed out, and rushed at her.
Tackling her down, Tanjirou yelled out at her, asking what she was doing asking “why! Why is your mouth bloody! How are you alive?!” he just… couldn't understand. how, why, just,- huh?
He didn’t get it. Suddenly, he spotted a man rushing at Nezuko with a sword out. The dual colored haori moving swiftly, far swifter than he could get to Nezuko.
So he watched her die. For the second(?) time. The scream that dared to crawl at his throat was killed just as quickly. He couldn’t scream. He-he needed information.
The stranger turned to him, “...I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. Will you be alright?” It was short, spoken in a sort of clipped tone. That was fine though. Tanjirou smelt the guilt rolling off him.
“I-i have a question! H-how! H-why did she become a demon! W-was it Muzan!?” I call out, tears slipping out. The smell of blood was still so strong here…
“...how do you know that name?” the swordsman stopped smelling guilty, and suddenly was quite closed off. Was saying that name a bad idea? Crap. “i-i… he… told me. Can you please answer me? Please! Why did Nezuko become a demon!” he tried to ignore the way his voice cracked when saying her name.
But it seemed saying ‘Muzan’ was a mistake, as the mysterious, now cautious swordsman wasn't answering him.
Oh well, he knew what to do.
Golden stars.
Go back.
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Kamado Tanjirou LV1 27:55
Mount Kumotori- Snowy path
♥️ Save Return
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