The two had been frequently going on missions lately, even if it wasn't a difficult mission; they enjoyed just talking and each others compony. However, tonights mission was a bit harder, even with 2 demon slayers, one being a hashira.

"oh, look what we have here" the demon smirked. "two fresh demon slayers... Y'know, if you just surrender, I'll just rip your hearts out quick and easy. You won't feel a thing"

"Sorry, but unlike you, our lives have purpose. We'll be keeping onto them, thank you." The Mist hashira glared straight into the bloodshot eyes of the demon.

Genya, beside him, tried not to blush or laugh. He always has the most savage come backs...

"whaaaaat?!" The demon's spikes down its back got larger, enraged. "What did you just say to meeee?!"

"We're only standing a few yards apart. You must have horrible hearing." Muichiro pointed his nichirin blade at it. " I said that-"

The demon suddenly charged towards them, claws being almost a foot long each. Genya shot its head off, but the body continued sprinting at them. Muichiro sliced its body in half, preventing much movement. The two watched as the body turned to ash.

"Well that was boring" The hashira turned around, heading back to the village they were staying at.

Genya nodded as he followed him. He then stood and looked back at the disenigrating demon, like an upsidedown cockroach, wiggiling its legs and flailing around. "yea. Hopefully the next one will be a bit more challen-" He turned back to the direction they had taken off, seeing nothing but a dark forest of silence. He stood there for a minute in confused shock, looking around. "Mui?" He called out. "Hello?.. uh..okay, you got me..." He strained his eyes to see any trace of anything. He was surrounded in pitch black woods of utter dead silence. "Muichiro?!" He felt an odd instinct to grab his gun, then suddenly sensing another presence. This wasn't Muichiro.

"well well well..." A demon, at least 7 ft tall, emerged from the forest, its footsteps silent.

"Mui!" Genya cried, seeing the demon holding the unconsious hashira by his collar, his torso and limbs stained with blood.

"uh uh uh.." It put its claws up to Muichiro's neck. "dont you move... This is what he wanted, after all."

"...what?!"

"oh, yes thats right... I snatched him while you were distracted. He said he'd rather die than me killing you! Ha ha! how stupid can so called hashira be?!"

No. this wasn't happening. Muichiro didn't. no. Genya's world spun. No. " YOU KILLED HIM?!" He screamed, shooting the demons head, only for it to dodge.

"Haha... no, not yet. I wanted to do it right here, in front of you. Since I'm a truthful person, I'll keep the promise of not hurting you, while I have fun with him" It dangled Muichiro around.

This is my fault. why did I come with. Mui nows gonna die becuase if me! Dammit! No! Genya stood paralyzed, mind utterly flying. Should he run? Should he try to kill the demon? Should he call for backup and stall until help arrives? Should he try to grab Muichiro and outrun the demon?

"aww... are you scared?" The demon mocked. crap. the suns rising soon. I know, Ill injure them now, and come back for them tomarrow night since they'll be unable to move. yes. that'll do. "oh, and whats this?" It pulled out Muichiro's sword from its mouth, then stabbing the hashira before Genya could react.

"MUICHIRO!" He screamed as blood poured out.

"I would absolutely love to stay here and have fun, but, I'll come back for you two later." It rushed up in a slipt second and knocked him uncounsious. "I could eat you now quick, but whats the fun in that? I'll savor every last drop of blood"

Sun rays shined down on the now lit forest. Genya's eyes opened. His eyes watered and tears poured out. His older brother was right. He shouldn't be a demon slayer. He can't even protect, save, or help anyone or anything. He sobbed into his hands, curling up. He knew the reality. Last night was no nightmare. It was real. Muichiro, his best and closet friend. Dead. Because he sacrificed himself. "For a worthless piece of shit like me?! Why?!" He screamed. He sobbed for a bit, wailing into his hands. He then remembered the demon said it'd come back for them. He didn't care. "Die... just let me die..."

"...don't ...die.."

Genya froze. Did he hear that just now? He sat up, looking around, seeing a forest and the pool of blood around Muichiro, laying down facing away from him. He sat there for a while. Was he hearing things now? Suddenly he heard coughing, along with the hashira's body slightly jerking.

"Mui!" He ran over to him, well, more like crawled. He hadn't even realised the demon must've pierced his leg. He was alive. Muichiro was alive.

His face was pale and weak, blood streaming out his mouth. "s-sorry I.. got us into this... I had let my guard down.. and then that demon-" He started chocking up more blood, as Genya turned him more on his side.

"What are you talking about.." tears rolled down his face. "I cuased this.. If I wasn't here, then-"

"...then we'd both be dead.." Muichiro slowly sat up, wincing in pain. "...the demon woulda just killed me... but now we're.. somehow alive... ngh..."

"Mui!" Genya caught him as he started tipping over, catching him with his body as he leaned on him. He was out. Genya knew the demon would be coming back. They needed to get as much distance as they could. But how? He looked at his stabbed leg. there was no way in hell he was getting anywhere. And Muichiro was in critical shape. Heck, would he even make it that long?!

Caww! Caww!

What? He looked over. Kasugai. The Kasugai crows! They were here!

"What happened to the king?!" Ginko, Muichiro's crow, squaked, panicked.

"He's in critical condition! please! help! are the Kakushi coming?!"

"Those slowpokes better get here! I'll pluck out their souls if they take too long!"

They eventually did come, providing the basic medical equipment to at least stabilize him. They transported the two to the butterfly mansion, Genya, knowing they should never return to that location; a demon awaited them there, full of evil bloodlust.

Back at the Butterfly Mansion, the two were hospitalized for days, being able to do nothing more than stare at a blank ceiling. Muichiro was in a different room, needing more critical care. Genya had been discharged a while before Muichiro was. "Mui!" Genya spotted him in the hallway, coming towards him. The two threw their arms around each other, relived to see both of them were on their feet and okay.

The following night was filled with cracking thunder.

"Mui?" On his way home, Genya had seen a figure through the rain, teal hair barely visavble. "Where are you going?" He noticed the sword sheith on his waist.

"...where do you think?... I'm going to kill that demon."

"What?! No! Wait! you can't be serious! It'll kill you!"

" Im not letting it track you down while you're still injured!"

"... but Mui, you're still inj-"

"I'm going." He shot him a cool glare, then took off in the rain.

The mist hashira dashed through the stormy forest, hand on sword, having one focus. Kill. Kill the rotten demon that hurt his precious Genya. He ran miles and miles. Finally. Thus was the place. It looked slightly different in the rain, but it was it.

"Show yourself. I know you're here." He called out to the windy leaves and branches.

"So you came back?" The demon silently walked out of nowhere. "What a suprize. My dinner is still ready and alive. The names Zehan, if you were wondering. Yours?"

"Muichiro. Tokito"

"Ah... well, Muichiro.. hm, what did that other kid call you? Mui? aw, well, isn't that sweet. Well, tell me, Mui, what why would you like me to devour you? You pick. Top to bottom, bottom to top, limb from limb, you get it. Well?"

"... Shut up, you retard."

And the fight begn. Blade vs. claws. Vision wasn't perfect due to the constant wind and rain. All could be seen to the normal eye was sudden clashes and sparks of light in the stormy woods. The hashira had successfully sliced off Zehan's right arm, but that didn't slow down either side's attacks. Both caused significant damage. Now, Zehan was sticking to trying to corner Muichiro in attacks, charging from different angles. He could keep up with it for a while, but his body was still injured, and one attack hit, sending him flying into a nearby tree.

"Finally, got a hit on you, hm?" Zehan walked towards him, keeping constant eye contact; its eyes gave off an eerie glow through the dark rain.

Muichiro stood, holding his sword, hands shaking. He knew his body wasn't ready for real combat yet. Shit. Zehan closed more and more distance. He was dead if it charged at him."Well, so called hashira. Sinve you're a disgrace anyway, I'll make it quickand put you out of your horrible misery, sound goo-"

Bang.

In an instant the demons cheast had a gaping hole through it.

"Don't you dare speak about him like that!" A figure jumped down from the trees above. Genya. Muichiro stared in shock. Why. Genya knew how dangerous this was. Why would he risk it.

"ooh, you're here too? Awfully protective of your little Mui, hm?" Zehan laughed. "This'll be even more fun. I cant wait to-" He suddenly coughed up blood from m the massive injury. Taking this new opening, Muichiro ran towards it, using the last of his energy to use his mist breathing to slice the head off, then nearly collapseing.

"Mui!" Genya ran over, catching him.

"S-sorry... I was stupid.. thinking I could beat it alone.. running off.."

"No. it wasn't stupid. that motherfucker needed to die" Zehan had touched a deep spot in Genya's heart, and only it's death could calm it. "C'mon. let's go back" He held him through the continuing storm untill they got back.

"..thank you, Genya.."