Written by: Lapis06

Winner of WattpadHornsandHalos prompt in Sakura Blossoms Contest

⋆ Author's Notes ⋆

As this story takes place in feudal Japan, it uses quite a few Japanese words. Here's an alphabetical reference guide to these unfamiliar terms. If you spot any mistakes, let me know!

Aji: The Japanese word for mackerel

Akuma-go: From 悪魔語, literally translating to "devil language"

-chan: An honorific. This is commonly used for younger girls or females you have closer relations to.

Chi no noroi: Literally translates to "curse of blood" or "blood curse"

Jinbei: A traditional Japanese outfit, consisting of a loose top and pants.

Katana: The most famous type of Japanese sword.

Kiden: A second-person pronoun. Used in man-to-man conversations, addressing equals or superiors.

Kikou: A second-person pronoun, most commonly used by samurai. It's used in man-to-man conversations, addressing equals or inferiors.

Kimetsu: From 鬼滅, meaning "demon slayer"

Kimono: Technically, kimono translates to "thing you wear". However, when referring to one, you usually mean a traditional robe-like garment.

Obi: A sash commonly worn with a kimono or yukata.

Otō-san: Japanese for "father"

-san: An honorific. This shows light, passing respect, and can be used if you haven't met someone. It's similar to Miss or Mister in English.

-sama: An honorific. This shows higher respect than -san and it can be used to speak to people like lords.

Saya: A wooden sheath specifically for a sword or a knife

-sensei: An honorific used for addressing teachers. This can also be used as a standalone word. Nowadays, -sensei is also used to refer to mangaka, or manga artists.

Shoji: The traditional Japanese sliding doors

Wakizashi: A type of Japanese sword

Washi: Traditional Japanese paper, made of rice, bamboo, etc.

Yukata: A traditional Japanese garment similar to a kimono. Yukatas are less formal than kimonos.

Zori: A type of Japanese sandal commonly worn under a kimono.

Also, note that surnames come before given names in Japanese.

⋆ The Silent Blossoms ⋆

Asahi sheathed her sword, her scars burning. She could still remember the day she got them. The day that the rest of the Kubo clan was slayed. She shuddered, running a hand through her black hair, tied up simply at the back of her head. She stepped toward the house, the freshly bloomed cherry blossoms glowing in the light of her namesake. She slid open the shoji door, biting her lip and kicking off her zori.

"Kubo-sama!" Saori, one of the help of the house, yelled. Asahi jumped out of the way just in time to avoid being tackled. Saori had been at the Kubo home ever since both she and Asahi were kids -- after her mom was killed in the incident that ended the lives of the rest of the Kubos, she had taken her position as the overseer of the help.

"You're going to kill me one of these days, Ri-chan," Asahi said with a grin.

Saori frowned. "You should have been inside a while ago! You need to get ready to see Satō-sama!"

Asahi sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll get ready. Just stop shouting." She stomped off to her room.

"You know, it would be easier if you'd let the attendants help you-" Saori began.

"No," Asahi called over her shoulder, opening the shoji.

Saori huffed. "Didn't know men were this shy."

Asahi slammed the door behind her, making Saori laugh. After the slaughter of the Kubo clan, she had taken on her twin brother's name so she could have access to all the records of their clan. While it wasn't forbidden, per se, for a woman to carry on the legacy of the Kubos, it was not something that was encouraged or that would have given her the support of her people. She could hardly remember her real name at times: Mayu.

She shrugged off her jinbei and removed the sword from her belt. While this one was by far more practical, she would bring the ornamental blade while meeting the lord of the Satō clan. As she slid on her formal kimono. As she tied the obi sash, there was a scratching sound at the window. She jumped up, grabbing her wakizashi and drawing it. She inched to the window, gripping the sword to the point where her knuckles turned white-

"Achi! Achi!" Baburu, one of the home's domesticated Kappas, cheered. He jumped through the window, into the house and on top of Asahi. "Achi feed Baburu! Achi hug Baburu!"

Asahi smiled, lifting Baburu off her chest. "You're going to get mud all over my clothes, Baburu."

"Baburu wiped feet. Baburu are good Kappa."

Asahi chuckled. "I have to leave soon, you know."

Baburu pouted. "Baburu want Achi." Kappas were humanoid demons that stood at about half a meter tall. They had turtle-like shells that gleamed in the sun and webbed hands and feet. They had beaks similar to a Blakiston's fish owl and bowls that grew on their heads. Baburu had yellow eyes, green skin, and a blue bowl with spiral designs on it. The demons used to be a big threat that would attack children at riversides, but they were mostly domesticated now.

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me or fish?" He had trouble making some sounds, so he just said "Achi" when talking to her. However, that was how he said aji, so it could lead to quite a few misunderstandings.

Baburu seemed deep in thought for a moment before smiling. "Yes," he declared.

"Yes...?" Asahi asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Baburu repeated.

Asahi sighed. "Maybe interacting would be easier if I just learned Akuma-go." Akuma-go was the name of the language of demons. It was notoriously difficult and only had a total of three hundred fluent speakers through all of Japan.

Baburu cheered something in Akuma-go. Asahi gave a tired smile.

"If I give you some fish will you let me finish getting ready to go?"

"Achi leaving?" he asked sadly.

She nodded. "I'll be back soon, though. I have to meet with a stuffy old man who thinks too much of himself."

Baburu cocked his head.

"A lord."

"Like Achi?" Baburu inquired.

She smiled. "No. I'm a warrior lord. Satō-sama is more of a merchant."

"Baburu thought Satō were powerful warrior. Strong and special sparkly powers," the Kappa said. "Father say great-grandpa were killed by Satō."

Asahi sighed. "Am I going to have to give you a whole history lesson, or will you take the mackerel and let me finish getting dressed?" she asked, waving the grilled fish in front of the demon.

Baburu jumped up and grabbed the fish with his beak.

"Shoo, then. I'll give you all the history lessons you want when I get home," Asahi said with a smile.

The Kappa jumped back out the window, and Asahi grabbed her ornamental chokutō from the shelf above her bed, smiling. What a strange little Kappa. She drew the blade from the painted wooden saya. The straight sword had ornate designs on the blade and a golden hilt. She put it back in the sheath. She fastened it to her hip and took a look in the mirror. Her breasts were still bound flat by linen and to any outside eye, she really was her twin brother. Her black hair was tied up, shining in the light from the window, but a couple of strands were still getting in her face.

She hesitated before the shoji before slamming it open, ready to face Lord Satō.

花

"You saw Oni?" Asahi asked, sweat starting to pebble on the back of her hands.

"Two Oni, one Kijo," Lord Satō Takashi confirmed, his face grave. "There hasn't been any contact yet, but we're... concerned."

"Describe the demons to me," she said, taking a brush and washi paper from a pouch hanging at a hip. Oni and Kijo were the same type of demon, male and female respectively. They were ogre-like and violent, and came from evil souls.

"There was a blue Oni... he had seven horns and tusks coming from the bottom jaw that went up to his cheeks. It had three eyes and six fingers on each hand, seven toes on each foot. The other one was green. A bit taller than the blue one, five horns, smaller tusks, two eyes, five fingers and toes." Lord Satō waited for Asahi to write this down before continuing. "The Kijo was about the same size as the blue Oni. She was red, with maybe ten horns, huge tusks, five eyes, eight toes, four fingers."

Asahi nodded. "I'll check the records to see if these ones have been identified. Do you have a large domestic demon population on your property?"

Satō tilted his head. "Is that important?"

You would know if you weren't too much of a coward to carry out your job as a kimetsu scion, Asahi thought scathingly. Kimetsu families often had special abilities to help them fight demons, and the Satō family had one of the best of those gifts: healing. "Yes," she said shortly.

"We have about three hundred Kappas on residence, four Tengu for security, my daughter has a pet Tanuki, I have a few Kitsune with contracts to help with hunting..." he listed, ticking them off on his fingers. "There's a couple of colonies of Kodama too, but they're not domesticated."

Asahi whistled. "That's a lot of demons, Satō-sama."

Satō waved his hand. "No need for honorifics, Asahi. I've known you since you were a child."

She gave him a hard look. "It's only proper, Satō-sama." Unlike her brother, she never liked Satō. She believed that Satō should have followed his duty as a kimetsu scion and became a warrior. Lords weren't born to sit around and sell spices, they existed to protect the people. However, there was no actual law that made Satō fight, so she knew it wouldn't change.

Satō shivered at Asahi's gaze. "Y-yes, Kubo-sama." He looked at her with a strange expression on his face. "You've changed a lot."

"Watching your family be killed can do that," Asahi replied, her voice piercing and cold. "Gives you some... perspective."

Lord Satō looked down. "I..."

A girl suddenly burst into the room, yelling, "Otō-san!"

Asahi turned around to find a pretty girl with long black hair that reached her hips, eyes like black pearls, and long eyelashes. Asahi smiled at her, and the girl paused.

"Otō-san, you didn't tell me you had company. I would have prepared you both tea," she said, frowning. "It's rude not to provide refreshments to guests."

Satō sighed. "Minami..."

She almost immediately turned to Asahi. "I apologize for my father's lack of respect for basic manners." She bowed. "I am Satō Minami. Pleased to meet you."

Asahi bowed back. "Kubo Asahi. No need to apologize. I'm almost done here, anyways."

Minami blinked. "You're the young Kubo lord?"

"Yes?" Asahi tilted her head.

"Sorry, I just expected..." Minami said. "I thought you'd be gloomy and weird looking. You're actually pretty handsome."

Heat spread across Asahi's cheeks. "O-oh..."

"Minami!" Lord Satō yelped, dismayed. He sighed and turned to Asahi. "I'm sorry, Kubo-sama. She's been fixated on marriage lately..."

Asahi composed herself and smiled, aware there was still a bit of pink framing her face. "It's fine, kiden." She nodded to Mirami. "Would the young lady like to sit with us while we finish up?"

Satō blinked. "I don't see why she should. She's just a young girl."

Asahi glared. "Her being a young girl doesn't make her less entitled to listening, kiden. She lives on this property and, more pressingly, a child of the Satō family. Besides, she can't be any younger than I am, and yet you're asking me to kill demons on your property. If age is the issue, maybe you should take matters into your own hands."

Minami sat down quietly. "I'd like to listen," she said. "I actually came in because of the demons. They destroyed one of the Kappa groves outside. We've lost several already, and many have lost enough water that they'll die in hours." The water in the dish on a Kappa's head was their life force. As a Kappa lived, the water was drained, and it would die when the water ran out. Normal water did not work the same as the water found in their dish, so their life force could not be restored when lost.

Lord Satō scowled. "That's a major loss."

Asahi didn't like how he dismissed the deaths, though the Kappas may be demons, but left it alone. "Did you catch sight of the demons?"

Minami nodded and gave descriptions about matching those of her father, though she said that there was also a Shikigami. Asahi gave pause to that.

"A Shikigami?" Shikigami were spirits crafted by Onmyoji, or humans with magic, to be servants. Although they weren't difficult to make, a weak Onmyoji could lose control of a Shikigami easily. "Did it appear to be conscious or still under the control of a master?"

Minami shook her head. "I couldn't tell you. I was never trained to be able to discern the two, Kubo-sama."

She turned to Satō. "Why hasn't she been taught at least that much? That's essential for even civilians to know."

"She doesn't need to know such things," he dismissed. "Now, if aren't any more questions, it's about time for kikou to leave. "

"Otō-san, there's no need to be rude-" Minami began.

"No, he's right. I need to prepare to hunt these demons on your property. Thank you for your time." She bowed to Lord Satō and Minami and exited the room, gritting her teeth. As she left the building, cherry blossoms fell onto her hair.

She approached a servant on the outside of the property who appeared to be searching for something. She tapped on the shoulder of the servant, who jumped.

"Apologies, did I scare you?" Asahi asked.

"N-not at all," the servant said, his face saying otherwise. He was a middle-aged man with graying hair and glasses a bit too big for his face.

"You seem a bit lost," she said, smiling.

"It's not that, it's..." He sighed, his glasses sliding a bit down his nose. "This is embarrassing, but I can't find my charge. You see, I'm the tutor for the young lady Satō, but she ran away mid-lesson towards a sound nearby and I haven't been able to find her since?"

Asahi blinked, seeing an opportunity. "What's your name?"

"Abe Kenji, sir," he murmured. "Please don't tell the house supervisor, she'll fire me..."

Asahi smiled. "You don't need to be formal, Abe-sensei. I'm no one special. Mind if I talk to you about your charge? Maybe she'll reappear in the meantime."

Abe blushed a bit. "I-I would like that." He led her to what she assumed was his personal space and made her a cup of tea before sitting alongside her.

"I met the young lady briefly today while I was conducting business inside the home, and I'm concerned that she might not have enough knowledge to be safe if she's not guarded. She says she couldn't even tell the difference between a conscious and controlled Shikigami, which is commonplace and essential knowledge." Asahi sipped her tea. "I have my concerns, is all."

Abe looked away. "Such topics were banned by Satō-sama."

She cocked her head. "What do you think of your employer?"

He shook his head. "I haven't met him. All communications go through the supervisor. I hope it remains that way - the times I've seen him around he seems scary." Abe blinked, realizing what he was saying. "Sorry, I shouldn't be talking like that-"

"It's completely fine," Asahi said with a smile. "Not as if I'm going to rat you out." She looked down into her tea. "He banned any knowledge about demons?"

"Not just demons. Political affairs, crimes, the whole mile."

"So basically anything that could help her stay safe," she said darkly.

He nodded. "I suppose."

"That bastard," she muttered. She got up. "Sorry, but I have to go, Abe-sensei. I was supposed to leave after my meeting with Satō," she said, not bothering with honorifics.

Abe blinked. "Who are you?"

She shrugged, smiling. "My name's Asahi. Kubo Asahi." She left the room and the stunned tutor, rage pounding in her veins.

花

Asahi steered her horse, Shun, onto the path leading back into her territory. The Satō and Kubo houses were only a few hours from each other on horse, so she let herself space out a bit. She thought about poor Mirami, not allowed to know anything. The simple idea of it made her blood boil. It was one thing to shelter your child — this was forcing ignorance. What could possibly lead Satō to think that this was a good idea? Why-

There was a bump, and the cart behind Asahi's horse made a peep.

She stopped the horse, her hand to her sword. It was heftier and less practical than the one she normally used, but it would cut through things just fine. She slowly inched towards the cart, prepared to strike. Did a demon sneak into it? Was it bandits? She took a look into it-

"Marry me!" Mirami cheered, popping up.

"Gods above!" Asahi yelped, stumbling and making Shun startle. "Satō-san, what are you doing here?"

"Proposing," she said. "Marry me."

"What in..."

"Before you say no, let me explain. Please?" Cherry blossom petals were tangled in her hair and sticking to her yukata as if she had jumped from one of those trees to get into the cart.

Asahi hesitated before jumping in the cart and sitting cross-legged. "Fine."

"I saw you talking to Abe-sensei, so you know about my... education situation, right?" she asked.

Asahi nodded.

"I want to carry on the Satō legacy and stand against the demons. I said that since I was little. My mom was a warrior, and I wanted to be strong like her. My father didn't encourage it, but he didn't push too hard against it." Mirami pulled a few petals off her yukata. "After she was killed by an Oni, though, he went a little crazy. I don't know how else to say it. He started pushing his ideas of femininity. He said I had to know my place. And part of that was keeping me out of the world of kimetsu families."

"That's disgusting," Asahi said. "Absolutely disgusting."

Mirami nodded. "It was. I still want to become a warrior. It would just be a legal marriage. I-I'll do anything..." Tears started to fall from her lashes. "There's a chi no noroi on the line of Satō — the women of the family are infertile, so I can't help you that way..." A chi no noroi was a curse cast by a demon by a blood oath, which required it to offer up its own flesh. "But I can do other things, I'm sure! I just want to get married so I can get away from Onō-san and learn how to fight the demons." She bit her lip. "Please."

Asahi looked down before answering. "If I marry you, I would need you to keep a secret. Could you?"

"Yes!" Mirami said desperately. "Anything!"

Asahi looked around to make sure no one else was around before opening up her yukata, showing the linen that bound her breasts.

"You're... a woman?" she said hesitantly, clearly surprised.

Asahi nodded. "My brother died the night of the Kubo slaughter."

Mirami blinked. "Your name is Kubo Mayu, isn't it?"

She nodded again. "No one else can know. If you can keep this hidden, I will marry and train you. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes."

Asahi smiled. "Then will you marry me, Satō Mirami?"

Mirami smiled back. "Of course, Kubo Mayu."

花

Asahi sniffed the air. The demons were downwind, towards the south. Just like the Satōs said, there were two Oni, one Kijo, and one Shikigami. She would need to get closer to be able to tell if the Shikigami was free or slave, but she had a feeling that it was free. Baburu nuzzled her shin, making a sound similar to a purr.

"Why did you bring one of your Kappas?" Satō asked, frowning down at Baburu.

"He's here to interpret Akuma-go. It's better to avoid a fight on a populated area to avoid casualties and destruction," Asahi said flatly.

"Baburu help!" the Kappa cheered.

"Yes, but we have plenty here."

"It's important to know the translator. I don't know the quirks of your Kappas' speech, for one. Plus, I trust Baburu more than some random Kappa, no offense to kiden. And he has battle training, so if things get hairy, he won't be dead weight."

Satō scowled, but didn't protest. "About payment..."

"I'll be asking for your daughter's hand in marriage, Satō-sama."

"What—"

Asahi and Baburu started to run in the direction of the demons without another word, the blossoms staring silently from under the moonlight. The breeze whispered in her ear, the scent of the demons getting thicker with each step. She stopped about two meters from the demons, hiding behind a tree. They were exactly as the Satōs had described. She gripped the hilt of her katana, her knuckles turning white.

Baburu looked up at her, and she nodded. The two came out from behind the trees, Asahi with her hands up. "We've come to negotiate." Baburu relayed the message in Akuma-go.

The demons growled to each other before speaking to him. "Why would we negotiate with you, kimetsu?" he translated.

"I am hoping to come to an agreement," Asahi replied. "I want to avoid combat on grounds. We are willing to exchange in order to get you off the premises."

The blue Oni sniffed in her direction and snarled. "We're not leaving just because some little girl told us to."

She hissed, putting her hand on her sword. "I am giving you an opportunity, demon."

Baburu pulled at her yukata. "Achi fight?"

"It's looking that way, Baburu." She patted him on the head, drawing her katana. "We'll just have to slay them before they can cause too much damage."

The Kappa nodded. "Baburu ready!"

"One last chance," she said, the Kappa repeating the words in Akuma-go.

The demons pounced without a second thought. Asahi ducked out of the way and the two Oni knocked their heads together. She jumped and twisted to slice their necks. The Kijo roared. She swatted Asahi down. She managed to land on her feet, dirt flying up under her feet. She leaped up, narrowly avoiding the Shikigami swooping at her. She slashed downward. A deep gash appeared in the Shikigami's head. It shrieked.

Asahi's hands itched with sweat. Baburu hopped up and blocked an Oni's claw from her face with his shell. She smiled and thanked him before rolling out the way of the Kijo. Asahi hissed, blocking an Oni claw with her katana. Her muscles burned as she repelled the strength of the claw. Baburu bit the Kijo on the arm, hissing in Akuma-go.

"Damn Kubo girl," the Kijo growled in Japanese. "I should have killed you along with your brother."

Asahi froze, recognizing the voice. "No..."

Mayu hid in the corner as the furious Kijo ate at her brother's flesh, her mother still in the monster's hand...

Baburu blocked a blow from the Oni. "Achi gotta be much careful!"

She nodded, flinching out of the memory. She ducked down below Kijo, rage bubbling up in her chest. "I hate you," she growled. "I hate you with every fiber of my being!" She swung her sword at the Kijo's shin. She tried to stomp Asahi, but she rolled out of the way of the giant foot.

"Achi looks!" Baburu yelled.

She managed to twist around in time to block the Shikigami's claw, grunting at the pressure. Despite the fact that it was made of paper, it was an intense foe. She sliced at the arm, the paper hardened with magic. Her teeth were gritted as she span the blade downward, cutting the Shikigami's legs. Baburu blocked an Oni as she sliced the neck, decapitating and killing the creature. It shrieked as it turned to ash.

The Kijo roared in grief. "Shibuya!"

Asahi's rage bursted. The Kubo chi no noroi appeared. Women of the line who gave into wrath would have demonic nature show. Horns popped out of her head, her fingernails turning into claws and her teeth elongating into fangs. A spiked tail appeared behind her. She roared.

"Uh-oh," Baburu said. "Chi no noroi..."

Asahi launched herself at the Kijo savagely, abandoning the sword. She bit at the creature's spine, her claws latching into the demon's flesh. The Kijo screamed, calling for her Oni allies. Baburu bit one Oni in the ankle, just deep enough to slow his movement. Asahi sunk her fangs deeper into the neck, eating her way through the flesh with a growl.

The green Oni pounced at Asahi. She swung herself and the Kijo, using the last bit of her neck to block the blow. The Oni's club knocked it clean off, killing the Kijo. Asahi howled, leaping off the corpse as it fell onto the Oni, clawing at its throat. Baburu jumped onto the other Oni, doing the same. As the demons tried to save themselves, the Kappa and the kimetsu continued to rip at their flesh. Baburu nodded at Asahi, and she nodded back. They both jumped off, pushing the Oni towards each other. Asahi's demon features faded as she grabbed her sword and chopped off the heads of the demons.

Covered in demon blood, Asahi watched the corpses become ash before letting herself cry for her fallen family, holding the ashes of the Kijo.

花

Asahi approached the Satōs silently, still soaked with blood. "Your problem has been dealt with," she said coldly. "I'd like my payment.'

The Satō lord shook his head. "You don't have to do this, Mirami..."

She grabbed onto Asahi's arm. "Let's go home, Kubo-sama."

She nodded, smiling. Baburu snuggled at Mirami's leg. She would live on for her clan, for the brother whose name she took.

Mayu and Mirami walked away from the Satō house under the watch of the silent blossoms.