Upper Moon Meeting

(Daki POV)

Stumbling forward, I suddenly find myself sanding amidst the endless walls of the Infinity Castle with our new Upper Moon Two sitting comfortably on her tatami mat, strumming her biwa in an extremely troubled tune.

"Hyo!" Turning my head to the left, my gaze landed on a pot, a pot who belonged to a man I really didn't like.

"Well, well, Daki." Gyokko stated while popping out from his pot. "Dear me, you seem to be looking swell. How've you been since I last saw you some few years ago. The mere possibility of you dying made my heart leap with jo- cough, cough! Made my heart cringe with pain. Hyo! Hyo!"

"This is quite terrifying." Looking upwards, I stare at Hantengu and his large bulbous head which was perched over a handrail. "Gyokko has forgotten how to count during our long absence. We haven't been called for six years. An invisible number… an unlucky number. An even number. Terrifying indeed…"

"Nakime. Has Muzan-sama arrived yet?" I ask, wanting to ignore the two nuisances who were next to me.

Strumming her biwa one more time, Nakime speaks. "He has not yet arrived."

"Then where's Upper Moon One or Three? There's no way they'd be killed."

"Upper Moon One was the first to arrive. He has been here this whole time."

Casting my gaze over the edge of the Infinity Castle, I watched as a curtain opened and revealed Kokushibo.

"But what about Upper Moon Three?" I mumble to myself.

"I... am here… Muzan-sama… has arrived…"

Following Kokushibo's voice, I turn my head slightly upwards and look at an upside down Muzan who was conducting a chemistry experiment.

"Akaza is dead. The Upper Moons have waned once again."

This inflicts a shock upon all of us, even the ever so silent Kokushibo.

"How can we apologize to you?" Gyokko warily asks.

Instead of answering his question, Muzan calmly continued his experiment.

"It was out of my expectations that Akaza would be killed when he'd been subjected to such a simple task. He should have won if he began fighting all out from the beginning, but well… it doesn't matter anymore. Worthless. He had too much humanity in him. So, he lost. But his death seems to deeply effect out strength. Along with that, the Ubuyashiki family has yet to be entombed and the "blue spider lily" has yet to be found." The pressure around Muzan then suddenly changed, leading to me plopping down on my legs, sweat drenching my back. "Why can't we find it after hundreds of years? I… don't really know why you guys exist anymore."

"Eeep! Please forgive us! Please! Please" Hantengu begs for our lives.

"I… have nothing… to say… Ubuyashiki cleverly… hid himself…" Kokushibo slowly inputs.

"Muzan-sama!! I'm not like them! I have some information that can get you one step closer to achieving your dreams. Just a moment ago…" Hearing as Gyokko continued to blabber, it was rather a surprise when his headless body fell to the ground and Muzan was holding it instead.

"The one thing I hate is "Change". Changes in circumstances, changes in body. Changes in emotion. In most cases, every change is "degradation". It is decline. The one thing I like is "permanence". If something doesn't change for an eternity, it's in a perfect state." Seeing Muzan's face contort, he continues, "I am at the height of my displeasure because it's been only four years since an Upper Moon was killed. Don't get all excited and give me information you haven't even confirmed yet."

Dropping Hantengu's head, Muzan returns to his calm demeanor. "From now on, you guys should serve me with suicidal devotion. I seem to have spoiled you guys too much because of the mere fact that you're all Upper Moons. Gyokko. If you can confirm your information, head over there with Hantengu."

Still shivering in fear as I stare at the unimpressed Muzan, he continues his experiments, no longer giving us attention.

With the strike of the Nakime's Biwa, I found myself out of the Infinity Castle and once again in the hall, heading back to my room in the redlight district. The sweat from Muzan exhibiting his pressure glistened against my skin.

Turning around, I head outside of the head hall, reaching a hidden cave, letting myself be embraced by my century long work of collecting humans and my face slightly lit up in joy as I eyed my next targets to capture and embrace.

"Before Muzan calls us back again, why don't I have just a little bit more fun." I say while licking my lips and cackling.

---

(Shiro POV)

Currently, I was doing a dogeza at the entrance of the Butterfly Mansion to the person who currently leaned herself against the doorframe.

"Do you understand what you've done wrong?"

Hearing Shinobu's, I couldn't help but reply, "No, not really."

Yet upon hearing a sigh of irritation, I knew that I had answered incorrectly.

"Shiro, you went out on a "easy" mission with Rengoku to track a demon who was committing murders on trains, yet upon you completing this mission, we soon hear that you'd killed a Lower Moon and an Upper Moon in the span of a single night. Do you have divination? You're the only one who seems to find and kill the Upper Kizuki after all."

"I just got lucky."

"Well, that luck just so happened to involve Tanjiro and his friends, putting their lives in danger. And, from what I've heard, you also allowed for Rengoku to get slightly injured even though you were standing right there."

Feeling as sweat began to drip from my face, I begin with, "Well… I… he… you know…"

However, when I connected eyes with Shinobu, I knew that no matter what I said, Shinobu would accept none of it.

"Sorry." I breathe out, putting my head back down.

Shinobu sighs once again before her warmth envelopes me, "Shiro, when we were told that you had once again fought an Upper Moon, both Kanao and I worried for you. If it was anything like when you had fought with Doma, we hadn't a clue as to your own condition. The crows only reported that you had killed an Upper Moon after all. The two of us care for you too deeply for you to be doing things like this. Even if it is our job, you should try and erase our worries by informing us by crow, rather than sending us into a frenzy, waiting for you to return."

Nodding inside of Shinobu's embrace, we stay like that for a few more minutes until I'm released. Staring back into Shinobu's pupilless eyes, she points to the inside of the Butterfly Mansion.

"Now, go and apologize to Kanao, she near has a panic attack when we received word but no personal message from you."

Nodding, I go to walk into the Butterfly Mansion, but upon feeling a presence rushing towards us, I quickly place Shinobu behind me, ready to draw my blade. But all worries immediately disappeared when Uzui appeared atop the Butterfly Mansion sign.

"Ah, Shiro, just the flamboyant guy that I wanted to see." Uzui exclaims while showing a large smile. "Such an extravagant job with your Upper Kizuki fight, but I'll be needing your help shortly."

"Your… asking for help?... Who are you?! What did you do with Uzui?!"

"Oh, please my dear friend, no one could ever hope to emanate the same level of flamboyancy that I do. And of course, I'll be asking for help, after all, it seems that I've caught wind of a rather powerful demon lurking in the red-light district. I might be a little stuck up, but with your achievements of killing not one, but two Upper Kizuki, of course I'll come to get your help. After all, it'd be rather entertaining to watch a Lower Kizuki or Upper Kizuki shaking in their boots at the sight of you."

"Ah, so it's just for your own personal entertainment." I breath out in relief. "Glad to know that you hadn't been replaced Uzui."

"As much as I would like for it to be just another way for me to entertain myself, this time I'm rather serious about dealing with this demon." Uzui begins, locking eyes with me, "I recently lost connection with my three wives who had been exploring the red-light district for this Demon. It seems that you killing another Upper Kizuki are causing demons to become restless and indulge themselves in a bit more pleasure."

Flicking my eyes to Shinobu and then back to Uzui, I carefully ask, "So, there might be a high possibility that we'll be facing an Upper Kizuki, correct?"

Uzui nods his head.

"You're taking us with you." Rather than posing it as a question, Shinobu made it a demand.

"I didn't even think about leaving you or Kanao behind." I answer while once again having the sweat gates open under the piercing glare of Shinobu.

"Oh, I was going to request the assistance of females anyway, so having your own beauteous girlfriends helping makes this a lot easier for me."

"Why do we need to the help of females?" I confusedly ask.

"When my wives had infiltrated the red-light district to collect information on the demon and our regular form of contact was cut off, they had been disguised and had infiltrated the brothels as something more than a mere customer." Uzui begins, "And, I'm not sure if you're aware, but my three wives are top of the line female ninja, kunoichi. So, before I lost connection with them, we had successfully gathered some information. We managed to narrow it down to three suspicious stores. 'Suma' in the 'Tokito House'. 'Makio' in the 'Ogimoto House'. And 'Hinatsuru' in the 'Kyougoku House'"

Thinking deeply, I point out, "Well this mission is all fine and dandy, but I only have two females, and you listed three places. How are we to infiltrate the third one?"

"Oh, don't worry, I've got that one covered."

Called by Uzui, a head popped from around the Butterfly Mansion, revealing the ever-bright faced Mitsuri.

"Hallo!" Mitsuri calls out, quickly strutting out from her hiding place, placing herself directly in front of me, looking at me with cute anticipation. "I guess we'll be working with one another for this mission."

Unable to resist the urge, I begin to pat her forehead. "I guess we will be."

Chuckling as Mitsuri seems to push herself into my hand, Shinobu loudly coughs into her hand.

"I hope you're not forgetting to do something."

Turning my head towards her, I flash her a smile. "Of course not."

"But Uzui, it's rather interesting that we're having three Hashiras go on a single mission."

"Well, this one," Uzui begins while pointing to Mitsuri, "Literally refused my adamant, flamboyant refusal, saying that if you were to be going, then she would be going too. Also, I'd rather not choose to risk the lives of my wives. You feel the same right, with your two girlfriends and two other potential girlfriends."

"I shall neither confirm nor deny such a statement. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and apologize to one of my girlfriends before leaving with you 'God' Uzui."

With the addition of God to his name, Uzui smile grew to a disproportionate size as he waved me off.

"Go. The venerable one shall wait for your return."

Disappearing behind the walls of the Butterfly Mansion, I find myself knocking on the door that leads to Kanao's room. Hearing as the door opens with a crack, two slightly reddened dark lilac-colored eyes stare at me. The two eyes continue to stare at me for an abundance of time, even blinking, before the door is slammed open and a body is hurled straight into my chest. Running my hand over Kanao's hair, fixing the stray strands, Kanao eventually releases me from the hug.

Before I can say anything, my face is gripped between her two hands, and she runs her thumbs across my cheeks. Her original blank stare is replaced by a large smile and her cheeks gain a slight pink twinge. Pulling my face slowly towards her own, Kanao gives a short, but heart-felt kiss that conveys all her current emotions.

"Welcome back Shiro." Rubbing her cheek against my uniform, I chuckle slightly.

"I'm home Kanao."