#Tamayo Records

[demujeresblog]

La banda panameña de rock Alternativo “Sonoparalelo” lanza su nuevo álbum  “Mitomanía”

[an-idyllic-novelist]

Hi, could I request for a Lady Tamayo!Reader paired with Buddha?

This reader was revived by Brunhilde to be the doctor for the 13 champions and she's loyal (not too loyal) to her bc she saved her from her punishment from being a demon.

The scenario would be that they met when she treated him after his fight and they got to know each other after that?

Please and thank you

Here it is! Special thanks to @nixes-noxes for proofreading/editing to make sure that the characters weren’t OOC. Enjoy and have a lovely day/evening!

Warnings: manga spoilers

Buddha was…a difficult patient. Despite all of the odds that were stacked against him in his fight with Zero, he won. Yet his victory for humanity isn’t an excuse to sneak out of his room to bask underneath the canopy of his bodhi tree and enjoy a passing breeze with sun shining down from the sky.

That is one of the reasons why Brunhilde had summoned Lady [First Name] [Last Name] from Helheim despite being a demon; before she had been killed by Muzan after drugging him with an elixir during their confrontation in the Infinity Castle, Lady [First Name} had been a doctor. Together with her companion Yushiro, she helped as many humans as she could with their alignments,including those who had been afflicted with Muzan’s poisonous blood and became flesh-eating demons.

In retrospect, dying to give the Demon Slayers a chance to destroy the man who had ruined her human life wasn’t a terrible thing…but Lady [First Name] had not expected to wake up in a dark wasteland teeming with demons that were just as dangerous, if not more, than the demon king himself. It was through sheer dumb luck that she had survived for so long until the Valkyrie had brought from her ‘punishment’ and offered her the position of being humanity’s chief physician in the medical wing.

It did not take the young woman very much time to give Brunhilde an answer. At this point anything was better than being stuck in Helheim. Disinfecting wounds, monitoring a patient’s health, and making sure that they are being properly fed? Yes. She can do that.

But the demon did not recall that being the ‘chief physician’ also meant chasing after a stubborn god.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Lady [First Name] walked up the steep grassy hill as best as she could in her [Favorite Color] kimono and zori sandals till she was standing right behind Buddha, munching on snacks that she specifically recalled telling him to cut back on until he was ready for the next stage of his treatment.

“Why am I not surprised to find you here, my lord?”

“Should ya even be surprised anymore, doc?” Buddha snarked back, unwrapping a candy bar and throwing it in his mouth. “Besides, do you really believe I’d miss an opportunity to get some fresh air?”

She frowned. “I never said that there was a problem with being outside, Lord Buddha. In fact, it is supposed to improve your sleep, cognition, and overall well-being rather than being confined indoors all of the time. I did, however, say that you can but it would be in everyone’s benefit to inform myself or the staff that you wish to go outside instead of sneaking out. Lady Brunhilde was quite upset when she came to the medical wing earlier this afternoon to find out that you were…missing.”

“Bruni will be fine, she’s a lot tougher than she looks, believe me. Let her focus on the eighth round. I might have won but we still need more wins if the gods’ll leave the humans alone. More importantly,” He glanced over his shoulder, a single aquamarine orb staring right at her. “Do I even know you?”

Lady [First Name] tilted her head, staring at him for a moment before smiling softly. It appears that Lady Brunhilde was not joking when she had casually mentioned just how laid-back Buddha is…or simply doesn’t give a shit about anyone. The Valkyrie’s words, not hers, thank you very much. But being a doctor secretly researching demonic transformations or performing blood transfusions did not have its own issues. She also had to handle human patients too. Inhaling a deep breath through her nostrils, she calmed her anger before answering Buddha.

“All you need to know is that my job is to ensure the mental and physical health of all humanity’s champions, Lord Buddha. It goes against my oath as a doctor to force a patient to do something against their will. In this scenario, however, I offer…an ultimatum.” She paused, staring at the blonde-haired deity. Since Buddha didn’t interrupt nor look away, the demon took this as a cue to elaborate.

“I will speak to the staff and allow you to lounge outside here or in the greenhouse until a fixed time. When that time is up, you must return to your room and rest. Yes, this is a curfew, but this is the best that I can offer you right now. You may no longer be in critical condition, though there is a chance that your health or recovery might have some setbacks.”

She could tell immediately that Buddha wasn’t too thrilled with this restriction. No one likes having someone hovering over their shoulder or counting down the minutes until they have to go back to their room when all they want is a little time to themselves before running through medical tests for the nth time of the day.

“Is there any chance you can include snacks-”

“That will be taken into consideration once your bloodwork comes back, Lord Buddha.” Lady [First Name] chuckled, witnessing one of the most powerful gods pouting petulantly like a child. Shaking her head, she decided to do something that she hadn’t done in all of her years of practicing medicine: she sat next to him under the bodhi tree, paying no heed to getting grass stains on her kimono as she stared up at the floating islands of Valhalla in comfortable silence.

He did not say anything….that was progress. Maybe?

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Hey! Can you write a Yushiro! Reader with Yan! Record of Ragnarok, where they are chosen to fight for the humans, and they fight solely for Lady Tamayo, who's in the crowd with tears in her eyes, along with her husband and child? With either the gods or humans, they gain their attention with their demon blood art, and with how much they talk about Tamayo and her beauty?

-You were definitely a prickly person, choosing to keep to yourself, if you had your way, and not interacting with others, and if you did, you weren’t the nicest person.

-You were a hostile and crass person, insulting others around you, calling them weak, since you were a demon- in your eyes, they were beneath you.

-You weren’t always like this- you used to be more cheerful, more willing to be with people, but time is a cruel mistress, and with time, you closed your heart off to all except for your one true love, Lady Tamayo.

-It was amusing for others to see how quickly you would turn if someone would mention Tamayo or if you were to see her. You could have a fierce glare on your face but as soon as you see her, you’re like a child getting your favorite treat, big smiles and bright eyes.

-You always denied this however, which amused those around you, including Tamayo, who knew of your rough personality but never berated you for it.

-When you and her ascended to Valhalla, despite being demons, she was elated while you were broken hearted as she was reunited with her family, her husband and child. While you were happy to see her so happy, you knew that she would only love them the way you loved her, and you couldn’t do anything against them, as that would make her sad.

-Tamayo still welcomed you into her family, her husband and child accepting you as well, as you had been her for far longer, but you were just her assistant in her eyes- her good friend, her little brother, she would never love you like how she loves her husband.

-When Ragnarok was announced, you couldn’t care less, as you were a demon, so it didn’t matter who side won because it wouldn’t affect you, at least until you visited Tamayo who was in tears, as she was at risk of losing her family a second time.

-Despite wanting her love- you would never willingly do something or allow something like this to happen- nobody was ever allowed to make Lady Tamayo cry.

-When you told her that you were going to fight, you found yourself in a group hug of her family, something that made you flush, yelling at all of them to let you go. Tamayo couldn’t help but giggle, thinking you were adorable- being so shy.

-You didn’t interact with your fellow fighters, not wanting to bother, as you were only fighting to keep the smile on Tamayo’s face, and you couldn’t help but beam as you thought about what she might do if you win! Like a hug or a head pat! You were very quickly fired up.

-You looked bored against your opponent who sneered at you, “A demon- why are you fighting for humanity?!” you just shrugged, looking bored, “I used to be human myself- but my reason is to make sure that someone I care about doesn’t lose her smile.”

-Tamayo smiled softly, her hands covering her lips as tears welled in her eyes as you pulled out your paper talismans and stunned all by turning invisible, masking your presence only until you attacked with your knife strike and various other combat attacks, having honed your skills over the years.

-Many were intrigued about your Demon Blood Art, curious on how it worked, and it brought some questions about Tamayo and her own skills as you were announced as the winner.

-Your sharp hearing picked up someone insulting your lady, “She must not be strong if she’s not fighting as well- must not be anything impressive-GACK!!!” you were instantly in front of this pig who dared to insult your lady, your eyes blazing, hand around his neck, pain and death were the only emotions in your eyes, “You dare insult the perfection that is my Lady Tamayo?!”

-Tamayo came over and pulled you off by the back of your shirt, and you turned, a bright smile on your face, stunning all those around you, who you had been threatening moments ago.

-She couldn’t help but smile softly, “Don’t threaten others who won’t even fight for themselves.” The man who insulted her held his chest in an offended manner as she insulted him back as you escorted her back to her family, enjoying her praises of your hard work and winning your fight.

-If it was to keep her happy, you would do anything for Lady Tamayo.

[fancypantsrecords]

Zuntata - RayForce | Zuntata Records | 2023 | Black/

[demonslayedher]

Just thinking about how Chachamaru is a male calico, at least according the Taisho Secret right before chapter 195 that calls him manly. It really doesn't surprise me that he's male, because so many references to calicos I've seen in manga, mascots, and temple architecture specify that the featured calico is male.

This is because they are rare, and therefore considered lucky.

The figure that gets thrown around the internet is that supposedly only 1 in every 3000 calicos is male. (I'll bet the people who did the often quoted study at U. of Minn. College of Vet Med would love to tell you how it's more complicated than that.) This has long made male calicos popular not only in Japan, but in other countries as well. The thing is, though, the male calico might not always be so lucky.

To be very brief about why calicos (and some other multicolored cats) are almost always female, this is because, put very simply, one X chromosome gives us the black splotches, and one X chromosome gives us the orange splotches. That might leave you wondering where the white patches come from, and this is the part where I say that genetics is never simple and you should have fun reading about it. The important takeaway here is that in order to show this color pattern, a cat needs two X chromosomes, one from its mother and one from its father.

Typically, a male cat has an X chromosome (from its female mother, who only has two X chromosomes) and a Y chromosome (from its father, who had both an X and a Y), but because the calico coating can only occur with two X chromosomes, this male cat somehow got an X, a Y, and... hmm, another X somewhere.

So not a typical XY male, not a typical XX calico... this sterile XXY male calico has an extra chromosome, and mutations often are not ideal for the health of the animal with the extra chromosome. This particular condition is Klinefelter’s Syndrome, which can lead to a male calico having cognitive and behavior issues, weaker bones, increased risk of diabetes due to higher body fat, and perhaps a shorter lifespan.

Now, none of the fictitious lucky cats I've seen have ever been portrayed as anything less than smart and pleasant, though a lot of the maneki-neko are pretty round. For everything Chachamaru is tasked with, I have to assume he's above-average when it comes to intelligence, reasonably healthy enough to handle long-distance travel, and for a cat, he's extremely, extremely cooperative. For the record, the same Taisho Secret (as well as Yushiro's statement in Chapter 194) makes it clear that for most of canon Chachamaru was a regular cat, for he was not made into a demon until right before the final showdown with Muzan. Even with her hands full making the medicine for Muzan, she still put a lot of effort into changing Chachamaru so that Yushiro wouldn't be lonely. It's ironic that Chachamaru winds up immortal, rather than doomed to a potentially shorter lifespan due to his mark...ings. In the first place, was Tamayo perhaps moved with pity for a sickly kitten and nursed him to the health he's in now?

Or did she always keep her eye out for a male calico, wanting to put some faith in them being good luck?

Also, what sticks out to me in this Taisho Secret is that Chachamaru, not having a language in which he could communicate with Tamayo, had no choice in becoming a demon. Tamayo felt sorry about that. The word bubble over manly little Chachamaru says, with bravado, "Fine by me, if that's what the woman I'm smitten with wishes." If Chachamaru truly is that smitten with her, that perhaps accounts for what an unusually cooperative cat he is. But it also reminds me of a fan theory that I saw once (and found worthy of weight) which said that perhaps Tamayo's blood technique has an effect like makes others smitten with her, and Yushiro might had been under its influence, however strongly or subtly. If such a thing were the case, it might or might not had been something Tamayo was conscious of. If she was conscious of having some effect like that, she probably felt awful about it but found it a necessary precaution to keep any demon she made under control. If she wasn't conscious of such a thing, that means she might had subconsciously developed it out of loneliness, and had been trying to keep company at her side.

[im-just-sal]

Demon Slayer Highschool AU(ish) Head Canons

Uzui totally seems like a popular playboy in high school.

With Rengoku being his best friend and only nice popular kid.

Giyu's the weird bad boy Rengoku is friends with and no one knows why.

Muichiro's the kid in the younger grade they took pity on because he had no friends.

Shinobu is the nerdy chemistry expert who's popular because a lot of boys like her.

Mutsuri is one of the popular guys exes, but nobody can remember who's, but she's in the group anyway.

Iguro is the weird kid who brags about his pet snakes and thinks he's cool for wearing bandages. He repeatedly gets told off by teachers, and is a wanna be bad boy. Misturi loves him anyway.

Gyomei is a senior, and he doesn't play any sports. No one can remember how he got popular, he just did.

If the hashira are popular kids, what are Tanjiro and his squad?

They're BAND kids.

Tanjiro plays Trumpet.

Zenitsu was passed down his grandfather's tuba and hates it so much.

Nezuko plays the xylophone .

Yushiro has spent his whole life mastering instruments, and he plays the flute for band, but loves playing piano.

Kanao plays the drums in the back. Little effort needed.

And Inosukes on triangle.

So Tanjiro I imagine has an amazing singing voice.

He's the best at it.

Zenitsu sounds like a dying cat.

Inosuke is surprising good, but he mostly listens to death metal, so he scream sings.

Nezuko doesn't sing, but she'll do a little Dancy dance to any song she hears.

Uzui thinks he's the hot shit at it, but he's not. He's average.

Rengoku cannot sing. He doesn't try. He knows his voice sounds awful.

Muichiro doesn't really sing, but he can. He's okay at it, but if he's doing karaoke he's going all out on that demi Lovato high note.

He'll hit it even higher.

Iguro is good at singing, but he'll sing my chemical romance until even Misturi wants to rip out her eardrums.

Shinobu thinks she's good, but she's just fine at it. Nothing special.

Mitsuri's voice sounds like nightcore singing.

Gyomei opera sings in the shower and that's it.

And Sanemi has a raspy ass voice that cracks if he tries to hit any note higher than the bass.

Yushiro sings to himself in his room. He also sings in the shower, but do not tell anyone.

He performs Call me maybe.

Lady Tamayo has recorded it.

He has no idea this recording exists.

Zenistu also sings in the shower.

Buts it's the take cover shut your ears kind.

He thinks he is the HOT SHIT.

He made Yushiros ears bleed.

Tanjiro had to literally yank the shower curtain back to get him to stop.

But then he screamed for the next hour so it was a lose lose.

Believe me, he was searching for bleach for hours.

Inosuke hid it tho because he wanted Tanjiro to suffer.

After Zenistu got out of the shower Yushiro punted him to next week.

[capobegone]

Can you do headcanons of Kiriya Ubuyashiki and his grandkids???

Hello anon!! I would love to! I’ve thought about this a couple times in the past, I hope that Kiriya had a wonderful life after the events of canon. As for headcanons:

-He lives with his sisters in a much more humble estate after their previous home was destroyed. Because it’s no longer being used as a headquarters, there really is no need to live in a mansion, so they settle down in a nice house close to the Butterfly Estate.

-Kiriya is an academic through and through, just like his father. He spends much of his young adult years recording as much as he can possibly remember of his family history to make up for what was lost in the explosion.

-After becoming Oyakata-sama, Kiriya saw visions of his father telling him to trust in Nezuko. He still sees them to this day, as is common for the Ubuyashiki heads.

-Every once and awhile, he’ll be laughing with his sisters or wife only to look up and see his mom or dad watching fondly in the corner :’) <3

-He remained in touch with Yushiro after it all. They have not seen each other in person since Kiriya was a young man in his twenties, but they regularly exchange letters. Kiriya is very hopeful that Tamayo will be reincarnated soon so that Yushiro may finally find peace.

As for his grandkids:

Our boy Kiriya is the oldest man in Japan in chapter 205 of the manga. Assuming that it takes place 100 years after Muzan’s death, placing it in the modern era, Kiriya would be ~108. A manga extra tells us that on the night he turned 30, he was convinced that he would die of the curse. He stayed up with his wife, sisters, and children, expecting to pass away that night, but he lived and was overcome with emotion. This means he had kids by 30, and most likely grandkids by 50. By the time he is 108, he probably has great and great-great grandkids.

Headcanons:

-One of his grandsons moved to America in the 1970s with one of the Rengoku boys (their families remained very close after the war on demons). They attended college there together and remained very close, and there is now an American branch of the Ubuyashiki and Rengoku families. They come to visit every now and then, and are very excited to see their extended family.

-One of his granddaughters has a very successful career as a musician. They say that her voice has the power to move the masses.

-Kiriya’s grandkids all adore him. For the most part, they think of the war on demons as a tall tale their grandfather spun when they were young, but he doesn’t mind it that way. It proves that nature has finally heals, and he has the truth recorded in records anyway should it ever be needed.

-Kiriya burst into tears the first time he held his great-grandson, who stared up at him in wonder rather than crying. As he grew into a young man, his personality remained gentle and empathetic, but there is a strange wisdom to him that reaches beyond his years. Each time Kiriya sees him, he is overcome by the similarity between his bright young descendent and his own late father. He secretly wonders if his father’s spirit has been reincarnated.

-Kiriya named his first daughter after his mother, and when she had daughters of her own, they were given the names Hinaki and Nichika.

Anyway that’s what I’ve got!! Thanks for the opportunity to talk about the Ubuyashiki family, I love them dearly. And sorry for the late response!! I take a bit to get around to answering asks but I truly do enjoy it so thank you for sliding into the inbox :D

[colored-comas]

No Rest For The Innocent.

" Falling asleep usually leads into dreaming or darkness, and thats held close as relief. Calming, safe, and wanted...

Though, for some, when they slip into sleep?

It's not the same peace and relaxation.

For some, it's a reenactment.

A WarZone for others.

Never getting to feel the grip of sleep, instead only waking into alternative realities. Replaying the familiar scrips of their own stories, beloved creativity and creation. Turning sour as they're forced to live it's story out at night.

Writing, recording, all expressions leading into those hellish nights.

Leaving,

No Rest For The Innocent. "

Colored Comas. Prequel, Completed.

Upwards Bound. Early Story, WIP.

WarZone.

No Rest For The Innocent.

After Hours.

HellBent.

[ TBC ]

While this is not the main or core part of the story, I feel the need to address it before continuing on:

This story covers incredibly dark topics, the storylines and characters are reflections and/or projections of the people writing the story. We do not support nor glorify any dark topics such as abuse, child experiments, or forms of extreme violence and harm. It's all in the name of fiction, or things that the authors are projecting from our own bad experiences.

This story is not aimed for those under 15 years of age, it includes dark and serious topics, possible adult content, and themes of harm. Be careful and take care of yourself, please.

The authors of this story are all 18 and older, despite the story not being focused on such themes mentioned above, they do appear within the text at times. Thank you.

Authors Info:

❤️Zachary Torres, he/it, age 19. @warpaint-sys

🩶Hosuh M., they/she, age 21.

💜Stephen Zhou, he/it/xe, age 19.

💚Beccah Scott, she/they, age 20.

🧡Cole Seiler, they/she/he, age 21.

🩷Kelly Basset, she/her, age 18.

🩵Siren Rae, he/void/xei, age 19. @siren--squid

🤍Sam Tamayo, it/he/they, age 20. @sammy--moh

Main Characters:

Adam Dyam. ☀️

Star Zhou. 🌟

Tyler Elijah. 🦇

Barney Yavuz. 🍃

Rory Brooks. 🌧

Maxwell Lewis. 🔥

Michael Sawyer. 🌈

Tobias Evans. 📺

Side Characters:

That would make this list so long.

Spotify Playlists for the characters!

Adam.

Star.

Ty.

Barney.

Rory.

Max.

Mike.

Tyler. { Side Character! }

Ramen. { Background Character! }

Songs are added either based on the character vibe, or we have connected the lyrics to the characters story!

DNI - proship, antiship, endogenic community, under age 15, believe in personality disorder abuse, and basic criteria you've read everywhere else.

[heyiwrotesomethings]

Not All Is as It Appears

Ghost Tamayo x They/Them Reader Modern AU

A/N: Eeked out another one before spooky month is over. Of course I don’t need the excuse of it being October to write something spooky, but it feels extra special then. I guessed that Tamayo is from maybe the mid Muromachi Period because she’s about 500 years old during the Taisho Period. If I’m off, in my defense I’m bad at math. Sad story for Tamayo but happy and hopeful ending. Word Count: 2,585

(Y/n) couldn’t believe their luck! A beautiful, traditionally styled home and it was all theirs! When the realtor shared the asking price, (Y/n) was sure she was pulling their leg because it was ridiculously cheap for how well kept the historical home was. It history dated back to the mid Muromachi Period, and it had gone through many renovations over the years of course, but it still looked like you were walking right into the past. Yes, a house this special should really be worth much more.

“Why is it so cheap?” (Y/n) had asked, thinking there had to be some kind of underlying issue, such as an unstable foundation.

The realtor fidgeted though she expected the question. She shared a story that was nearly as old as the house itself. It was said that a deranged woman had killed her husband and children within their home as they slept. In the morning, she was found by her neighbors covered in their blood, holding their corpses tightly to herself.

The neighbors had left screaming, alerting the rest of the village of the heinous act. As punishment for her sick deeds, the woman was dragged from her home to face judgment for her crime and was subsequently hung in a form of upside-down crucifixion until she died some hours later.

The realtor pointed a shaky finger towards the dead sakura tree that stood not too far from them.

“They hung her right there. They say that tree died right along with her to serve as a reminder of what had happened, that this house was tainted. They’ve tried to have it torn down many times over the centuries, but something would always come up. Rain to stop the fire, faulty demolition equipment… nothing else in the area has survived as long as this house. It was taken under control of the local historical society for a time until they didn’t have the funding to keep it any longer. Now it’s simply back on the market, but given its history, no one wants it. It’s cursed or haunted to say the least.”

A movement in the window caught (Y/n)’s eye, but when they turned to get a better look they saw nothing.

“That’s quite the story.” They chuckled awkwardly.

“Yes, I assume you would like to look elsewhere?”

“Oh no, I’ll take it.” (Y/n) stated definitively.

“R-really? Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

The history was a little unnerving, but that had happened insanely long ago! The home itself and the surrounding property was breathtaking. They’d be crazy not to take the deal of a life time. If there was such things as ghosts or curses, they would take their chances. They had been searching for a place like this for too long.

And so, (Y/n) moved in just a few days later. It was like the realty business expedited the process so (Y/n) wouldn’t have time to have any second thoughts, which was more than fine to them because they had no second thoughts to be had. This was all simply perfect to them.

They spent the whole day arranging their belongings and doing some house keeping. They had their phone playing a mix of today’s hits as they worked and that’s when the first strange incident occurred.

There was a pause after one pop song played that was particularly long, long enough for (Y/n) to look in the direction of their phone to see what was up. Then the phone crackled to life with a very old recording of an even older traditional enka, beautiful and haunting and more than a little freaky considering (Y/n) was a thousand percent certain this was certainly not a hit of today.

However they didn’t let their discontent show, instead choosing to let the song play out like it was a completely normal thing. When the song ended, it was quiet for a few beats before the same song started playing again.

And again (Y/n) pretended that was a completely normal thing… until the song played a third time.

“You know, there’s plenty of other songs to choose from… here,” (Y/n) pulled up a playlist of the oldest traditional Japanese songs they could find before setting the phone back down, “pick whatever you like.”

Did they actually think they were communicating with a ghost? Hard to say. They thought maybe there was just a new trend going into hey weren’t aware of, maybe that’s why that song had played. They were probably being influenced by that realtor’s story is all, but on the off chance that there was a ghost, best to stay on its good side, right?

An opening clunk clunk of a shishi-odoshi accompanied by a few plucks of a biwa played and a new song began without (Y/n) choosing it.

Maybe it was just set to automatically play…

The rest of (Y/n)’s unpacking was serenaded with old folk songs. When they finished they were hesitant to stop the music so they waited for the song to finish before closing the app.

“Maybe you can listen to some more later.” They were definitely just talking to themself. That was a more normal explanation than talking to a possible ghost was.

Then they went to take a bath before they would make some food and settle down for the night. The in-ground bath was one of the neatest features of the house. The tub filled up fast and the insulation kept the water warm for quite awhile. After a day of pushing a bunch of heavy things around, it felt especially nice.

The room soon fogged up from the warm steam and (Y/n) closed their eyes as they soaked. Their eyes shot back open when they heard something clatter against the ground. They looked over to see their shampoo had fell over near the shower station. Perhaps they had set it down a little too close to the edge.

Their eyes then differed upward and they held back the desire to scramble out of the tub and run out of the house naked as the day they were born.

Upon the foggy mirror, was a kanji character written clear as day.

“Help…?” (Y/n) whispered under their breath. They slowly turned their head away, pretending they didn’t see it.

After a few agonizingly long minutes, they decided it was time to get out of the bath and go eat something and go to bed. Maybe they were just seeing things because they were tired.

Their dinner and tv viewing went uninterrupted and when they finished washing the dishes they turned off the tv and went to their new bedroom. When they pulled the covers over them they kind of wished they had camped out on the couch instead to let some baking show lull them to sleep because the quiet of the room felt eerie, especially after the bathroom incident.

At some point they did manage to drift off until their dreams took a dark turn.

A woman in a blood stained, floral-patterned kimono stood hauntingly before them, they were surrounded by the mutilated dead as angry voices shouted from outside, growing louder, the walls slammed into with force.

“My heart, my reason for living,” the woman spoke in a soft tremor, a single tear slipped down her blood stained cheek, “I didn’t know that man, that demon, would go to such lengths.”

Arms leapt from the darkness, grabbing the woman and (Y/n) from behind.

(Y/n) leapt from their bed with a sharp gasp. Safe to say they didn’t go back to sleep that night. They stared blankly at the tv while they sat on their couch instead, flinching at any unexpected noise.

***

The next several days went much the same. (Y/n) was already regretting their purchase, but they refused to give up. Whatever spirit haunted this house had it for well over seven hundred years. As far as (Y/n) was concerned, they thought the spirit had long overstayed it’s time.

The dreams, the ominous one-word messages, the music, they weren’t a single night occurrence. They drove (Y/n) to further look into the story the realtor told them, but they were going crazy trying to find any more information.

The details in the dreams they had weren’t something any old record of the centuries old mass murder would disclose.

As days turned into weeks, the strange and troubling phenomenon seemed to grow more persistent. Then there were introductions to the foot steps and disembodied sobs. The crying was the worst, bone chilling and so mournful.

Finally (Y/n) couldn’t take it anymore and they searched something new on their laptop.

How to communicate with a ghost.

“This is so stupid, what am I thinking?” (Y/n) berated themself as they set the scene in the middle of their bathroom as the cleanup would be easiest there.

They checked the time, it was nearly three in the morning. As the shady internet page they had found stated, this ritual worked only during the witching hour.

When the clock struck three, they lit the final candle and waited. And waited, and waited and…

“I knew this was stupid.” They muttered, they leaned forward to start blowing out the candles when the flickering flames suddenly blazed stronger, the orange light became a vibrant lilac color and the smell of flowers and something metallic overtook the room.

(Y/n) fell backward away from the flames. When the fire died down, a woman, the one who haunted their dreams, stood in the middle of the crudely drawn glyph.

“Oh my god!” (Y/n) yelled, running from the room.

What did they expect, really? They had set out to communicate with a ghost, and a ghost is what they got. Yet they still hightailed it out of there, sprinting to their bedroom and shutting the door behind them. When they turned to get something to barricade the door, they screamed.

Ice cold hands grabbed their wrists, stopping them from trashing or running away.

“Shhh, stop struggling, please,” a haunting, melancholic voice pleaded, “I mean you no harm.”

(Y/n)’s voice stuck in their throat, but they did stop struggling against the woman, the ghost, the whatever she was at the moment.

“I am sorry that I frightened you. It’s been so terribly long since I’ve had company. I’ve been trying to talk to you for awhile, but after you started covering up the mirrors, it’s been difficult.”

“W- well, what do you expect when you write things like help, trapped and death?” (Y/n) protested weakly, trying to slow their racing heart.

“… I can see how that would be alarming.” The woman pursed her lips then apologized, “I’m sorry, it takes a lot of energy to write.”

(Y/n) took in the woman’s despondent look and relaxed a bit further, “It’s okay. I’m uh, sorry for screaming at you.”

“It’s fine. I seem to often have that effect on people. Unnerving them by simply existing.” She let (Y/n) go and glided around the room, “Especially when they think they know my story…”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you.” (Y/n) said, a bit bolder now, “Who are you, why are you here, what really happened all those years ago because the dreams I have seem to paint you so differently.”

“You want to hear my story? Would you even believe me from what history has already told you?”

“History doesn’t always get things right. Especially if certain people control the narrative to show only what they want people to see. I want to hear what happened from you. I want to hear your side.”

The woman wrung hand hands, though (Y/n) saw a glimmer of hope arise in her expression. She lifted her head to meet (Y/n)’s eyes.

“My name is Tamayo,”

(Y/n) listened to Tamayo’s tale with rapt attention. Long ago, Tamayo lived happily with her family, a well respected healer in her village. All was perfect until she had noticed that she was growing weaker and weaker by the day. She had discovered that she was dying from an ailment she could not treat. She spent a lot of time searching for a cure.

One night, she met a man who promised her a cure so long as she stayed by his side. However, his condition included leaving behind her family, something she simply could not imagine. The only reason she desired a cure was to spend more time with them. If she could not do that, then the cure would be useless to her, so, she declined.

This enraged the man. It was as if Tamayo betrayed him to the highest degree. He told her she would regret this dismissal of his miracles before storming away. Tamayo didn’t realize what that would mean until a week later.

The man and his followers came into her home under the cloak of darkness and slaughtered her family. Tamayo tried to stop them, but she was held back. She expected them to slaughter her too, but they didn’t. No, that would have been too simple. They left her to cry over her family until sunrise.

The misinterpretation of the neighbors and the following crucifixion, that much was true. It had been pure agony, but still not as painful as watching her family die before her eyes.

“And then, I was here again and have been since.”

“You’ve been here alone all this time? What about your family?” (Y/n) asked.

“Not here. I’ve searched, but I cannot go far. To a certain point, I just end up back where I started.”

“That’s awful. I’m so sorry.”

“You needn’t apologize. It’s cathartic to finally share this… oh,”

“What?” (Y/n) then noticed that Tamayo was becoming translucent.

“The witching hour is nearly over is all…” Tamayo smiled sadly, “Thank you for listening…”

(Y/n) bit their lip, hating to see the lonely look on Tamayo’s face.

“We can talk some more tomorrow night! And, and I won’t cover the mirrors anymore, I’ll leave the radio or the tv on for you when I leave the house! I- I’ll get a cat! You wont have to be alone anymore, okay?”

Tamayo’s mouth fell open in surprise, then it became a small, more honest smile. Her eyes shone with unshed tears. She put her hand over (Y/n)’s they could barely feel it.

“I’d like that, I’d like that a lot.” Her voice seemed to fade as she did until she was gone.

(Y/n) took a deep breath and rubbed at their eyes to dissuade any tears from falling. Then they cleared their throat, slapping their hands on their thighs with finality before standing up from their bed.

“I’m gonna watch a movie in the living room. You are more than welcome to come along.” They spoke out to the seemingly empty room before awkwardly making their way out.

They sat on the couch and turned on the tv, pulling up a list of light-hearted movies.

“I’m gonna slowly scroll through and if you see something you like, ummm, can you knock that pencil off of the table?”

It took a moment, but the pencil did clatter to the ground.

“Okay. Great.” (Y/n) set the pencil back into place and begun slowly scrolling through the movies until the pencil fell again.

They began the movie and put the pencil back on the side table and sat down again. They didn’t really know what it was like to be a ghost without any spells attached, but they made sure to leave room on the couch just to be safe.

[echantedtoon]

Demon Bride Ch61 Origins

(Warnings: Mentioning of death.)

It seems Kokushibo wouldn't  let up on your traveling schedule. Fine by you. You were just as eager to get answers and return as he did. Even if your mother had passed, you still wished to visit her grave sight. At least once. Kokushibo bargained already with someone else for more food so you both set out again in a direction he pointed out and you followed his direction. The routine of traveling with him by day and letting him carry your sleeping form at night helped you both travel farther and faster. You were concerned about him not getting any rest and told him as much but he insisted on doing so. You remembered Akaza mentioned they could go for long periods without sleep so you supposed he was alright. Slowly there started to be more and more houses and less country side. You had again fallen asleep in Kokushibo's arms but was shaken away shortly afterwards and looked up at him sleepily.

"Awaken...We are here."

You were then placed on your wobbling feet yawning and rubbing at your face. It was still night judging by how dark it was. You blinked and blinked around you...and your eyes widened.

THE AREA WAS HUGE!! YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE!!

BRIGHT LIGHTS WERE EVERYWHERE!! It nearly blinded you by the amount of lanterns and lights glowed warmly against the sky, when you looked up it was almost completely night again. The sun was just setting giving a small bit of light left. But that wasn't the most shocking bit. PEOPLE WERE EVERYWHERE!! TONS OF THEM!! All human too. Walking around, shouting at one another, talking loudly, and sometimes carrying objects like bags and boxes. The murmuring of voices together was loud enough to be a buzz like that of a bee hive. It rattled your head in a way that was unpleasant and new. You hissed and yelped as a strong arm pulled you against Kaigaku's side as a swarm of people ascended to board the train as fast as possible. It took a moment but you realized that you all were standing on the platform of a train station. The buildings surrounding the people were bigger than any of the ones back in your village. Two or three stories each. At the base of said houses were small stalls and wagons the tons of people swarmed but you couldn't see what they were about, there were too many different faces. It was dizzying. It reminded you of a slightly less crowded area of the Entertainment District. Eventually after you were looking around you looked back to Kokushibo.

"Right. Where do we go from here?"

He hummed before looking around. "...We should locate Asakusa's undertaker...If Tamayo had passed here...then there should be a record of her death...and burial there... That would be the fastest route."

You nodded. "That's a great idea. Ok. Let's go find that undertaker."

So you two set off for the local undertaker. It took nearly three hours for you both to find him walking around and asking directions until you both gotten to a gloomy building and finding a strange man in black robes inside. He looked to be in the middle of carving a headstone for a customer when you two walked in and explained exactly what you were there for. Only to be given devastating news. 

"If you're looking for records from twenty something years ago then I'm afraid your out of luck. The old building caught fire five years ago and any records before the fire was burnt to nothing but ashes."

"WHAT?!" You stared gobsmacked at him. "You mean you can't tell me anything?!"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. But even if there was records of her here, I wouldn't be able to tell you anything. My apologies and condolences to your loss."

That's how you both ended up sitting outside a kimono shop a little aways from the undertakers building. A dead end. Possibly quite literally. What could you do now? There's nothing you could do now-

"There is nothing left...for us to do now..." Kokushibo spoke after he had handed over an apple for you to eat. "The undertaker..was a loss and anyone...old enough to remember someone..as impressionable as her claim they remember no one ...like her. It is most...likely she has passed away..and the records were burnt..in that fire.."

"I know but..." you threw your hands up. "I was really hoping to get something out of this."

"And you did..You finally learnt the truth... Perhaps not everything you would...like to know but you now know a lot..more of your origins."

you nodded with a sigh. "I suppose you're right...but where do we go from here?"

"Home." He turned but gave you a serious look. "I will be getting a few...supplies for our long trip back..Remain here while until I return."

You nodded at him and watched as the tall demon turned and began walking off leaving you there alone with the throngs of people walking around. Just you and your thoughts. And your disappointment for what you wanted to do. Everything always felt like a dead end and never finished didn't it? Just another thing you had to deal wit-

Meow!

You joked up feeling something furry wriggle against your arm. On instinct you pulled your arm away quickly and looked down...only to blink seeing a small orange and white kitty cat staring up at you. It purred loudly before tilting it's head at you and loudly meowing...You immediately calmed down with a sigh.

"Hello, kitty." You reached out and it happily let you pet it. "You're a pretty little kitty cat. I wonder where you came fro- HEY!!" 

Without a warning, the cat suddenly leapt into you climbing onto your shoulders climbing onto your head. Something gave away as your hair fell down your shoulders, the cat jumped off and ran a few feet away, it looked back at you with your hairpin in it's mouth, and then ran off. You blinked a hand grabbing you head... before you jumped to your feet dropping your apple. 

"HEY! That's my hair pin! Give it back!"

You then gave chase. The cat ran away from you as you ran after it shouting for it to stop and give back your hair pin but it didn't. Only running faster. Thanks to your new heightened senses and speed and stamina, you were easily able to keep up with the cat and keep track of it weaving through the people. But the crowds of people awere making it impossible for you to actually get close to it. Street after street you both crossed as you weaved through the crowds until it turned a hard right down and alley way and you followed. It ran out the other side across the street, and right to a building. You stopped in the middle of the road panting and heaving for breath. The cat stared at you from the front of the building before hoping onto an open window next to the door and climbing inside. You gotta be kidding yourself. With a groan you made your way across the street and up to the front. It... looked like some kind of store but you couldn't tell what kind. You couldn't even tell if it was open. The lights were still on so you assumed it was. With a weary hand on the doorknob, you turned it and pushed the door wide open.

It creaked open with a loud cream sound and you slowly stepped inside. The first thing you smelt was the strong scent of..paint?? Blinking you looked around and widened at the sight of paints. A giant shelf of paints lined the back wall and scattered about the place was a few canvases of many sizes, a table with scattered paint brushes, and next to the table was a giant blank canvas set up in front of a chair and ready for someone to paint on. To the left corner of the room was a doorway covered by a curtain leading further into the building. No signs of anyone or the cat. Cautiously you stepped further inside, turned, and stopped.

A single large painting hung on the wall right next to the door. You stared up at the beautiful lavender eyes of the woman staring back at you. And you couldn't look away. Only noting how BEAUTIFUL she was. Her beautiful soft features smiled at you from her pose holding a bouquet of mixed flowers in front of a pretty landscape. Raven black hair tied up in a bun and held by a hairpin. It looked so realistic. As if it would move any moment. As if she could reach out and touch you.. Without thinking you reached out a hand to it-

"Our shop is closed." You jumped with a gasp, turning your head around. You were met with a middle aged man with green-black hair and purple eyes. He was carefully setting down a few canvases in order from biggest to smallest. "If you wish to have something or yourself painted, you'll have to come back tomorrow morning and make an appointment like everyone else, Girl."

You blinked at him for a moment before bowing your head. "I'm so sorry for intruding like this! But it was an emergency.''

"Do you need the doctor? She's asleep right now but I can wake her up if it's that important," he said still not looking up from his work.

You looked back up to him. "Um. No. I was actually chasing a cat. It took my hair pin and climbed in through your window."

At this the man scoffed. "Chuchumaru would never do such a stupid thing." He finally turned to you. "He might be a cat but he's not-" 

He froze the moment he saw you. The canvas he held dropping from his hands and clattering to the ground. You blinked at the action staring back at him he stared at you.. before his eyes slowly looked at the painting up at the wall behind. His eyes widening further before looking back at you slower. 

"It can't be..." He mumbled staring at you like you were a ghost. "...Y/n."

This time it was your turn to blink eyes widening in surprise. "That's right..But how do you know my name? I only just met you."

He said nothing at first. Just staring at you blankly, almost as if he was about to cry, before he straightened up and returned his arms to his sides. "...Why have you come here?"

You rose a brow. "I just told you. Your cat took my hair pin."

"NO!" He said firmer making you blink as he frowned and pointed at you. "What are you doing here in this town!?" He practically demanded.

This time it was your turn to scowl. "Why should I tell you?! You didn't even answer my question! How do you know my name when I didn't tell you anything?!"

"Answer mine first and then I'll answer yours!!"

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF- IM LOOKING FOR MY PARENTS!!" You shouted at him making him flinch as you pointed back at him. "The last I heard of them was that my mother died in this town! Now are you going to answer my question or not!?"

He only stared at you more. "What is your full name?"

"Y/n Tamayo."

His eyes widened again before he quickly calmed himself and turned. "Follow me." He said before walking away towards the door and disappeared on the other side flapping the curtain.

You stared at where he was... before quickly following. The curtains pushed aside to reveal a flight of stairs and you saw the back of the man disappear at the top. Blinking you quickly followed him up the stairs and got to the top revealing a hallway. The man gone but a single room open. You heard quick mumbled voices from inside so you quickly approached and stopped in the doorway. You stared wide eyed at what you saw. Inside was a woman. The SAME woman from the painting downstairs only an older version of her with wrinkles under eyes and looking tired from just being woken up by the man kneeled next to her. She looked bewildered but ended up staring in shock at you the same way the man before did previously and...That was it. You three just stared at one another for a long silent moment before she softly smiled at you.

"I suppose I always knew this day would come. Hello my dear." She smiled wider. "You have Yushiro's eyes."

"Please. She looks more like you than me. I'm glad she does." He looked at you. "Although I should answer your question as promised. I recognized your name because I was the one who picked it out. Y/n.." his hand grabbed the lady's hands. "We are your parents. I suppose the dosage of human antidote wasn't strong enough to make you human permanently like us. Oh well..I suppose you would've seemed us out sooner or later."

Your face paled.  Parents. Your parents. These were your parents! That was Tamayo! You finally found them! They weren't dead! So...why didn't you..feel anything? You felt numb. Just staring at these two people who looked so calm and even happy to see you as you only stood there numbly staring... before you slowly frowned. Hands balling into fists at your sides.

"Why?" They both blinked at your words and sudden anger. "I spent so much time in confusion and misery and that's all you have to say to me? Not a sorry? Or even a bit of remorse for what you've done?...Why?" You stared at them harder. "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME AT THAT DAM VILLAGE KNOWING FULL WELL I'D BE DIFFERENT!?"

"We just wanted you to have a normal life. Just like every other girl your age. We wanted to give you the best life you could've had." He spoke with such a matter of fact tone, like you should already know this and be grateful on top of it, so bluntly. "You grew up out of danger. You had every chance at a good life."

"The...THE BEST LIFE I COULD'VE HAD?! ARE YOU BOTH SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!" Anger bubbled to the surface as you just stared at the man whom just stared at you with the same unchanging expression. The woman in the futon stared. "Do either of you two know the HELL you put me through?! I NEVER HAD A 'GOOD LIFE'!!" Your entire life up until months ago had been an entire lie, and nobody had ever bothered to even consider how you would ever feel about it. "From the very moment I could remember things, I never had a good life!! Do you want to know what my life has been like for me?!"

You stared past your father looking your 'mother' directly in the eyes with the most burning scowl your body could produce from the pain and anger flowing through you. She did not react.

"For YEARS I felt trapped in! I thought my family was DEAD!! That woman you left me with worked me to the bone to pay off her debt and then left me to clean up her family's mess!!" A hand struck your chest. "Ever since I was a child, I had to work for EVERYTHING and it was NEVER for me!! I spent YEARS working in poverty on a farm, taking orders from and caring for someone who only saw me as a means to get out of her own troubles, and working countless days and nights doing backbreaking work just to pay off a debt that wasn't even mine!! And that stupid old man was in on it!!!" Neither reacted when you pointed at them. Why didn't they react?! Why were they just standing there watching as your eyes began to sting with hot salty tears. "I spent so much time worrying about work and others I was never able to make any friends! I spent countless days and nights going hungry because I couldn't afford food or didn't have any time to grow any. I spent YEARS getting soaked by leaky roofs and shivering from cold drafts because I couldn't ever afford to fix the simple house I grew up in!! And do you know what?! I was almost married off to someone who literally HATED me because that dam old man wanted to keep me in the village forever!!! I almost was forced into a worse life than before and nobody CARED to think about what I wanted!! I LITERALLY HAD TO RUN AWAY AND LIE IN ORDER TO NOT END UP A SOMEONE'S HOUSE SERVANT!!! DO YOU KNOW DEGRADING THAT WAS FOR ME?! AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT TO FIND OUT EVERYTHING WAS A LIE AND PLAN TO CONTROL MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!" Your arms finally plopped to your sides. "Does that mean anything to you? To either of you!' "It was...to dangerous for us to raise you ourselves. If we were ever caught or Muzans decided to betray the agreement to not go past, the Eastern Mountain then you could've been killed." "Yeah?! Well that didn't happen?! Now DID it?!" The man flinched when you jabbed his chest with a force he wasn't expecting you to have. "YOU got yourself a high paying job as a painter and he's a wealthy doctor!!" Your arms flung at the woman still staring. "You two had one of the best lives in the world and never bothered to even check on me because you assumed I was in a good place trying to protect me from so called dangers that never even existed AND you even had the gull to strip me of my own powers!! IT TOOK ME ALMOST GETTING MARRIED TO COUNTLESS DEMONS AND GOING THROUGH MULTIPLE MISUNDERSTANDINGS JUST TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH!!! AND YOU HAVE GULL TO STILL ACT LIKE YOU DID NOTHING WRONG?!" You wanted to smack that look off his face. "YOU'RE THE WORST FUCKING FATHER IN THE WORLD AND SHE'S JUST AS HORRIBLE FOR COMING UP WITH THAT PLAN FOR ME?!" There was silence as the man just stared at you unable to form a sentence to say. But you both looked behind him at the sounds of rustling sheets. Blankets fell to the ground. The woman had stood up and you were finally able to see her fully. She was INDEED human. And she was certainly getting up in age. Maybe almost fifty physically with silver hair already starting to show in her hair and wrinkles appearing on her face. Despite all that however she was still admittedly beautiful. You couldn't deny that. But you could deny it when her hands reached out to you with a few steps back. "I don't want you to touch me. I don't want or need or comfort or pity." They both just ended up staring at you again. "You know...You both really hurt me in a way you'll never understand. Maybe you did have good intentions but it was hell for me! Your past may have left you scarred in ways I couldn't even imagine but that wasn't an excuse for what my future became! You could've checked on me ONCE! You could have written to me JUST ONCE IN MY LIFE!!....I would've just been happy with once. Now?... I'm going to decide what to do with my own life! I'm going to accept myself for who and WHAT I am. And I don't CARE how you two or anyone else feels about it." Your feet took another step back. "And my first decision is going home to my son."

Both shock and surprise graced their features. "You....You have a-a son?!"

"That's right. Every day he gets so big that one day Im scared he's going to tip me over when he hugs me but that's ok. He can hug me as much as he wants because I'm going to let him know his mother loves him so much. And I'm going to give him everything he needs to grow up to be a strong man. A man who knows his mother loves him, and will always be there for him. And I'll give him things he doesn't need too just because I can. I'll let him make his own mistakes and learn his own lessons even if they're hard life lessons. But I won't let him walk through it feeling like he doesn't have someone to help him."

You turned and began walking away. Not bothering to even look back at the two demons turned human watching you exit. You didn't need them. You had a small family back home, and right now you had a son you wanted to see. You turned to leave but was stopped by an arm grabbing yours. Snapping around you saw the face of the woman. The face of Tamayo, now human and aging, she stared at you as you stared back at her.

"Please come back to see us?," she asked in a soft, gentle voice. "I'm so sorry for everything. There will always be a place for you here. With us."

You stared at her before scowling and removing your hand from hers. "I'll have to think about it...I'm leaving now."

Neither of them said anything as you just turned and walked out quickly. The bell rang above you as you quickly left the building past all the paintings and back into the night and crowd of people. Letting tears stream down your face as you cried and reached a sleeve up to whip up your tears and pink puffy eyes. You knew everything now. You'd finally gotten all the answers...but it still made your heart hurt. Kokushibo was right when he told you that the truth would hurt. You continued to walk fast, distancing yourself away from the painter's studio and just walking and wiping at your face not paying attention to your surroundings until you ran right into something hard. Face first you ran into someone powerful and taller, making your pink eyes blink as you stumbled back a few steps. Blinking as you stared at a checkered black and purple coat, and looked up at a calm but disappointed face.

"I told you to stay...near the dress shop...Did I not? You deliberately ran off."

You stared at him for a long moment before looking at your feet deflated. ". I-I...I-Im sorry." You barely managed to whisper out of your tight throat.

He knew from the moment he sensed your presence again that you were anything but happy. "Did you...find what you were seeking?"

No matter how upset you were..You wouldn't rat out someone else who tried to escape in a similar way you did. You nodded your head yes still not looking at him. "Yes....I f-found my m-mother's gr-grave..."

He hummed at you. "So the rumors...were true....I am sorry." An arm wrapped around your shoulders and gently pulled you close. "Come...We should head back now...we will take the train halfway...back to the  Infinity Castle and walk..the rest of the way."

"I want to go home," you confirmed softly.

His only response was to move you back up the street towards the train station and held you close to his body. A small comfort that you forever appreciated.

"Where's Mother?"

"I already told you two days ago, they're on their way back. Just like the time before that you asked. Now finish your homework?"

Akaza sighed as he sat in the center of three children. It wasn't easy being a single guardian to three boys AND run an entire race and a few human provinces for days on end. He only hoped Kokushibo and Y/n would return soon to help him with his workload. It was at that moment that the sliding door opened and all looked up and stared wide eyed as a woman slowly stepped through the door.

"MOTHER!!" 

Three little boys dropped what books they were holding in favor of running up to your form and hugged you tightly as you smiled tiredly from days of travel. You breathed a sigh of relief after so much so soon and were relieved to finally get home.

"I'm home."

[opineonionated]

Shapes

Fax - Shapes

Out now on the ever excellent Superpang label!

Shapes was produced, recorded, mixed and processed by FAX. All music by Rubén A. Tamayo (ASCAP) 2023. Mastered at Facsimile Sound, Mexicali, Mexico. Gracias CDV. Dedicated to A + B. www.faxmusik.com

[popmusicu]

The Shirelles' history and legacy

As I was at the crossroads of deciding which story would mark the beginning of my journey on this blog, the echo of The Shirelles Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, blaring from the teacher's speaker, enveloped me in instant nostalgia. I can't fully explain the depth of my connection to music created by women throughout my life but in that moment I knew their story had to be my first entry. Beyond being the pioneers of the ‘Girl Group Sound’ and leaving a mark on the genres of doo wop and rhythm and blues, The Shirelles represent a pivotal chapter in popular music.

It was 1958 and the scene was New Jersey. Four talented young women called Shirley Owens, Doris Coley, Beverly Lee and Addie ‘Micki’ Harris came together to form a musical group. Under the name ‘The Poquellos’, they began sharing their music at local events and talent contests, never imagining the fate that awaited them. That same year, fate came knocking on their door in the form of Florence Greenberg, a music producer impressed by their talent. Despite their initial reluctance, they ended up signing a contract with her record label, Tiara Records. Greenberg decided to rename them ‘The Shirelles’, an amalgamation of ‘Shirley’ (the group's leader) and ‘Elles’, in homage to  another prominent female group on the music scene at the time. Written by themselves and sung many times before, the group released I Met Him on a Sunday, which gained them local popularity. 

In 1959, they changed labels twice before returning to Greenberg's new label, Scepter Records, as their songs were not that successful. So, with the collaboration of songwriter Luther Dixon, they released Tonight's the Night, managing to perform on various stages with major artists. Subsequently, with Will You Love Me Tomorrow, they got their first number one on Billboard. 

After a string of hit singles, the group faced legal problems with Scepter over unpaid royalties, but eventually settled in 1965.

Despite line-up ups and downs over the years, with the departure of Doris Coley in 1968 and Shirley Alston Reeves in 1975, The Shirelles' legacy continues to resonate in popular music. Their impact as African-American women who succeeded in a white male-dominated industry lives on in subsequent generations of female artists and vocal groups, and their music continues to be celebrated for its vocal beauty and invaluable contribution to music history.

 - Tomás Tamayo.

[an-idyllic-novelist]

Masterlist

Hey guys, welcome to my fluffy blog! You might have seen my yandere literature blog, @forbidden-sunlight! I hope you will enjoy your time here with a cup of tea and your favorite treat!

If you would like to read my yandere content, I will leave the link to it here.

Chainsaw Man

Morning glory [aki hayakawa x gn!reader]

The Sunless Sands [aki hayakawa x fem!reader]

Record of Ragnarok

A Brilliant Color from A Voiceless Volundr [jack the ripper x nezuko!reader]

Buddha headcanons with Yoriichi Tsugikuni!fem!reader

Buddha with Lady Tamayo!reader [request]

Ares with Haganezuka!fem!reader [request]

Qin Shi Huang headcanons with Yoriichi Tsugikuni!fem!reader

Buddha headcanons with Muichiro!fem!reader

Jack the Ripper platonic headcanons with Muichiro!fem!reader

Hades with Kanae Kocho!reader [request]

Chen Gong headcanons with fem!Tanjiro reader

Sasaki Kojiro with Mitsuri!reader [request]

Raiden Taeemon with Mitsuri!reader [100+ follower milestone special]

Hades with gender-neutral!Muichiro!reader headcanons

Rudra headcanons with Tanjiro!fem!reader

Giyuu!fem!reader headcanons with Leonidas and Buddha

Buddha with fem!giyuu!reader scenario

Anubis with fem!giyuu!reader scenario

Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Kim Dokja headcanons with a fem!reader who is a writer

Kimetsu no Yaiba aka Demon Slayer

Hotaru Haganezuka headcanons with Chise!reader

part one

part two

part three

Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy!

Dark Schneider with Shinobu!reader headcanons

part one

part two

Dark Schneider with Shinobu!reader scenario

The Amazing Digital Circus

Jax and tired!fem!reader scenario

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Rimuru Tempest with fem!Tanjiro!reader headcanons

Hazbin Hotel

Husk with gender-neutral!reader headcanons

Alastor with gender-neutral!reader Christmas scenario

Platonic Angel Dust with Violet Evergarden!reader fluff scenario

Lucifer Morningstar with Violet Evergarden!reader scenario

Husk with Violet Evergarden!reader scenario

Lucifer Morningstar with Violet Evergarden!reader scenario in honor of Valentine’s Day

Alastor with Violet Evergarden!reader scenario: daily routine

Helluva Boss

Stolas Goetia with sinner!reader scenario

[rubylarkspur22]

Questions and answers below the cut.

1: SE&BH Zenitsu, Sabito, Inosuke, and Yuichirou; How would you feel if Inosuke and Zenitsu got accidentally married?

Zenitsu: Oh, kill me now. How did I get married to that dumb boar?!

Inosuke: Who are you calling a dumb boar! No way I'd marry a shrimp like you, anyways, Monitsu!

Zenitsu: Zen! It's Zenitsu!

*arguing and fighting*

Sabito: I would certainly have some questions. Namely, how they even attained the marriage license, and why.

Yuichirou: Telling Nezuko or Tanjirou. They're the only two who can keep the newlyweds from strangling each other, and they're gonna need to have pulses to divorce. Because we all know it's not lasting more than a month.

Sabito: Even that would be a stretch, given their track record.

*screaming*

Yuichirou: And that's our cue. Nezuko! Tanjirou! Your idiots are fighting again!

2: To the Kochou sisters in Moonlit Butterfly, How do you feel about the Hashira?

Well, Miss Nezuko is lovely. She's taken us in, though she didn't have to.

Mm-hm! Very nice!

But I worry about her. Her aura speaks of a lot of anger and pain, even when she's smiling. It... It worries me. Mister Tomioka and Sabito are also quite nice. We've met them a few times, since they're such good friends of Nezuko.

Tried to cut my head off!

They apologized, Shinobu.

Hmph!

Another quite friendly few are Miss Kanroji and Mister Himejima. As well as Mister Rengoku, once things got sorted out.

Pink girl and big man are my favourites!

She means Miss Kanroji and Mister Himejima, respectively. She's still working on names. And vocabulary in general, but Miss Nezuko and Miss Tamayo both said she's doing better than expected! Now, who next? Shinazugawa?

*growls*

Now, Shinobu, that's not nice.

Stabbing isn't nice, either!

*sigh* I will admit, I was far from happy when he stabbed my sister. But there's an aura of... quite a few things, really. Envy, hurt, but also protectiveness. I hope whatever it is that's hurting, he can heal. We haven't interacted much with Iguro and Tokito, but I hope to in the future!

[saellefanwork]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖

Reminder: This Demon Slayer fic is rated Mature (adults only) for canon-typical violence and eventual suggestive or explicit sexual content

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Chapter 21: Upper Moon Three

The Slayers strive to rescue their Master, but their efforts prove futile—the Domain already lies in ruins, devoid of survivors. The Hashira engage in a fierce battle against the Lord of Demons before they fall inside the Infinity Castle. Inside this perilous dimension, Kyojuro and Kanoko confront their arch-nemesis once more.

Author's note: Just a friendly warning, this is not a "nobody dies" AU. Some characters might die during this Arc. Not all of them, not necessary the same as in canon… to be honest I haven't decided yet. I have some ideas though XD.

Trigger warning: Blood, gore. Reader is suffering a lot, cuz I'm a torturer. Honestly this warning is true for the whole Arc.

Giyuu and you surged through the forest, twisted branches casting haunting shadows under the moonlight as the crows guided your way. Running alongside were Tanjiro, his two companions, and Kanao. The other butterfly girls had stayed behind, including the Insect Pillar who was still in recovery. There was no sign of other Slayers so far; the lower-ranking ones likely trailed behind, struggling to match the frantic pace of their elders, while the other Hashira might have already reached the destination or were converging from different directions.

After roughly twenty minutes of relentless traversal, you reached Master Ubuyashiki's secret shelter— possibly setting a record for such distance. Yet, with every passing second on the way, a feeling of dread crept in, considering that the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps was defenseless before Muzan himself.

The sight that greeted you upon your arrival offered no comfort or hope. The domain lay in ruins, torn apart by a devastating explosion. No member of the Ubuyashiki family was in sight, and even your demonic senses failed to detect their presence. Tamayo, Gyomei and Kyojuro were already on-site, engaged in a fierce battle with a scorched silhouette, likely a demon affected by the blast. Despite the distance, the overwhelming power of this adversary sent shivers down your spine.

Kibutsuji Muzan...

Never before your transformation did you think you would encounter the Lord of Demons himself in your lifetime—the one who had reigned as the master of the night for a thousand years. Yet here he stood, almost within striking range. In unison, you and the reinforcing Slayers unsheathed your katanas. The Nichirin steels sparkled with multicolored gleams. Your canines protruded in the surge of adrenaline as you pushed your muscles to the extreme, rushing toward your companions. You were on the verge of achieving your goal, blade ready to strike down the sworn enemy of humanity when suddenly...

The ground gave way under your feet. Shoji doors opened beneath each of you and Muzan himself. All the present Hashira and Slayers sank into the void.

"Kanoko!"

Kyojuro swiftly caught your arm, and you clung back to him to avoid being separated in the abyss. Sumptuous corridors flashed around you at breakneck speed, spreading in illogical directions. The Hashira plunged his sword into a wooden panel, slicing through a considerable distance. The motion gradually slowed, ultimately halting your free fall.

Breathless, you hastily surveyed your surroundings. The laws of physics seemed to heed their own rules in this upside-down architecture. Walls, floors, and corridors formed suspended labyrinths in what appeared to be endless expanse. Glancing downward, you noted the dizzying height that separated you from the next platform. While confident in your survival due to immortality, doubt lingered regarding Kyojuro's fate. Swallowing hard, you looked up at your companion, whose expression was contorted with pain and exertion. His shoulder had absorbed a substantial blow to halt your rapid descent, and he continued to strain to keep you above the void.

The katana threatened to slip out of the wall, intensifying the urgency of escaping this precarious situation. Reassessing your environment, you spotted a balcony below, diagonally to your right. Although inverted from your perspective, the angle revealed a vase standing upright beneath its surface. Gravity seemed reversed on that platform. The jump appeared complex, but if executed with precision, grabbing the edge and landing on the right side should allow you to stand on the floor, mirroring the vase.

"There's a spot at 2 o’clock under our feet. I'll jump first," you informed your partner.

Kyojuro nodded, his gaze fixed on the same spot. Still holding onto him with one arm, you sheathed your sword and braced your zori against the wooden wall. Releasing the Hashira, you propelled yourself toward the platform. Grasping the edge of the engawa with both hands, you found yourself momentarily disoriented—suspended in the void, with the corridor in front of you appearing upside down, the ceiling toward your feet. Ignoring the dizziness of your confused inner ear, you pulled yourself up and tipped onto the engawa. Your assumption was correct: your orientation shifted once your feet touched the ground, allowing you to stand on it, much like the vase. Cautiously observing your surroundings, you put your hands on the guard of your katana, ready to draw it out if necessary. No demons were in sight... at least for now.

Peering from beneath the edge, you locked eyes with your childhood friend, who remained suspended with his feet pointing toward you.

"The path is clear, Kyo!" you called out, extending one of your arm toward him, trying to ignore the disorienting sensation caused by the fact that both of you were oriented differently.

The young man nodded and, in turn, braced against the wall before flexing his muscles, propelling himself in your direction. He swung his red katana away from the facade, sheathing it mid-air to prevent accidentally hurting either of you. Despite months of training with his new handicap, his missing eye impeded precise jumps, and only one of his hands managed to catch the balcony. You seized his other hand, pulled him, and he quickly stood on his feet beside you.

"What a disconcerting dimension," he grumbled with a somber expression. "The Upper Moon generating it must be very powerful."

You nodded. "The Infinity Castle. Tamayo had already told us about it. I thought she was exaggerating when describing it, but her account now seems to pale in contrast with reality."

The Blood Demon Art at work seemed to be a superior version of what Kyogai, a demoted Lower Moon, had possessed when Tanjiro and his friends faced and defeated him at the beginning of their Slayer careers. Similar to how Meikaishi had a power akin to Enmu's but more potent. You shuddered at the thought of the remaining Kizuki you had yet to face, not to mention Kibutsuji himself... and in their own fabricated territory, no less.

You and Kyojuro found yourselves navigating through twisted corridors, trying to find your way to Muzan. Kaname had spotted you and was trying to guide you through the labyrinth, communicating with other crows and Kagaya's heir through talismans. As you pressed forward, deftly defeating lower, mindless creatures that roamed in the area, you noticed the air was gradually growing thick with an otherworldly tension. The occasional unsettling echoes of distant battles grew closer and more frequent. A sudden ominous feeling engulfed you. At the same moment, the ceiling opened, and a figure landed in front of you with a crash, scattering fragments of wood and bamboo in all directions. Both you and Kyojuro came to a halt, pointing your katanas at the newcomer - indubitably a strong demon. As the dust settled, the monster responsible for your beloved's demise in many timelines was revealed.

Akaza

A crimson haze of rage blurred your vision. Beside you, your lover fared no better. Veins pulsed on his forehead and the hands gripping his katana's handle. He had every reason to harbor hatred toward the tattooed man. Not only did he bear the guilt of numerous crimes as a Kizuki, but he was also the catalyst for your transformation into a demon.

"Well, well... look who we have here, Kyojuro, and you, the demon who turned away from Muzan-sama... Nagase Kanoko, right?" Your had never disclosed your name to him. He must have gathered it from someone else. "I could sense your strong battle spirits from the opposite side of the Fortress."

"Akaza!" roared the Flame Pillar.

With ferocious speed, Kyojuro lunged at your opponent, leaving a fiery trail behind him. Following suit, you shifted to the side, aiming to catch your enemy off guard.

Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!

Akaza effortlessly dodged the attack, a playful smile gracing his lips. In response, he unleashed a series of punches impossible to follow with the naked eye in the direction of the Hashira.

Destructive Kill: War Style

Despite the powerful impacts, Kyojuro managed to block most of the assaults with his fourth form, being pushed back a few meters. Akaza was still facing away from you, focused on his fiery opponent. Seizing the opportunity, you aimed directly for his neck.

Time Breathing, Fourth Form: Death Knell Tolls!

Destructive Kill, Leg Form: Cap Tip Slice

Anticipating your movements, the pink-haired martial artist leaned forward, slamming his hands to the ground and propelling his heel directly toward your chin. You narrowly avoided it by slowing down his attack and executing a backward somersault.

The battle unfolded with you and Kyojuro executing a flurry of attacks on either side of your adversary, yet failing to inflict him serious injuries. It became evident that he had adapted to your combat styles since your last encounter. His regeneration abilities were impressive, allowing him to almost instantly regrow severed limbs. The only demon you had faced capable of such rapid healing was Douma, and that encounter had involved six against one...

Destructive Kill, Leg Form: Flowing Light Flash

The demon striked a series of kicks that sent Kyojuro hurtling off the platform. The Hashira collided with another floating building in a muffled crash, tearing through several walls without slowing his trajectory.

"Kyojuro!" you shouted in panic.

Akaza didn't grant you a moment to worry about your partner; he immediately lunged at you, chaining punches and kicks at a breathtaking speed. Despite your attempts to use various katas to slow down his assaults, he adapted his rhythm to your forms without showing signs of fatigue. It was as if he could predict your moves in advance, regardless of their execution speed. How was such a feat possible?

"I was distracted by my fight against Kyojuro and the sunrise, last time. Your Breathing technique won't work on me anymore," he declared.

Feigning a punch, he swiftly changed his stance, sending his heel towards your liver. You managed to parry the impact with your arm, which ended up crushed against your ribs. Bones shattered, and internal organs ruptured. Spitting blood, you curled up, retreating several steps, holding your sword with your only functional arm.

"I don't usually kill women, even Slayers," explained Akaza as he attempted to sweep your leg - a move you narrowly avoided. "But since you're a demon, you won't die. I can let loose. Your Blood Demon Art is powerful, and your martial abilities surpass those of Daki; it would be a waste to eliminate you. I'll bring you back to Lord Muzan. If he spares you and puts you under his command, we'll have the leisure to face each other for eternity!"

While remaining on the defensive, you cast a brief glance at the gaping hole in the neighboring facade. Still no sign of Kyojuro. It was brief, but you had seen him parry the blow in time, so he must be alive. Perhaps he had momentarily lost consciousness?

"That won't happen. I'd rather burn in the sunlight than become Kibutsuji's puppet. And if you had even a shred of honor left, you would do the same."

The insult to his honor brought forth veins of rage all around Upper Moon Three's pale face, his golden eyes glimmering with resentment. His assaults accelerated, which you didn't think was possible. You were almost regenerated, but despite the almost inexhaustible energy of demons, you felt yourself weakening. Your black horns were growing back, and your canines emerging again, unable to concentrate to maintain your human form any longer.

"You willingly chose to become a demon, though, didn't you? I'm pretty sure you did it for power too, in order to face me. Could you not convince Kyojuro to do the same? He has such magnificent swordman’s qualities, but his human condition limits his potential."

You were not in the mood to argue with one of your sworn enemies, but Akaza seemed talkative, and you needed to buy time: to regenerate and assess the situation, hoping for the arrival of Kyojuro or other Slayers. You doubted your chances of winning this formidable fight alone were high. You shook your head.

"You're wrong," you said, shifting your guard to a lower stance to conceal your next move. "Kyojuro is strong because he is a human, one of the best of his kind. Turning him into a demon would ruin him. Only the weak like you and me accept losing their humanity for a force as superficial as ours. The true strength lies in the flame that burns within one's heart, much like his or Kamado's. But I guess you've been a demon for too long to understand."

With a look of pure disdain, the demon lunged at you again, ready to tear you apart. You managed to cut off his arms in time with your first kata, catching him off guard with your speed and precision. Seizing the opening, you exhaled hard, endeavoring to manipulate the flow of time long enough for you to sever his head from his torso.

Time Breathing, Fourth Form: Death Knell Tolls!

It seemed like the perfect opportunity, yet it failed again. He once more anticipated your actions, blocking your katana with his freshly grown left hand and striking the flat of the blade with a punch. The silver-blue Nichirin steel shattered like mere glass. In the next moment, Akaza's arm pierced through you, impaling your vital organs.

As you vomited blood, eyes wide with pain, the agony surged to unimaginable peaks. Such torment was not meant to be one anyone would survive. Was this what Kyojuro had felt in his final moments? How had he gathered the strength to attempt a deathblow to his assailant with such a gaping hole in his stomach? No... if he had done it, you too must endure. Giving up now would feel like a betrayal to him.

Trying to ignore the biceps still-twitching within you, you drew Akaza closer. Locking your free arm and legs around him, you attempted to immobilize him before starting to cut his neck with the remnants of your shattered katana.

His skin and muscles were as hard as steel. Inhaling with a hiss, as much as your punctured lungs allowed, you focused your all your strength. The blade was halfway through his neck, when Akaza managed to break free. He twisted your arm, compelling you to release your sword with a weak scream. Weaponless, you sunk your sharp fangs into his throat, striving to tear the rest of his head off with the force of your jaws alone.

"Wow! You have a very vicious way of fighting, like a rabid beast," mocked the Upper Moon. "Is that pathetic move the best you can do with your fighting spirit? Seems like I misjudged you."

Grabbing your hair, he pulled you backward, casually tearing his jugular in the process. The deadly flow of blood instantly ceased. He executed a move that you struggled to follow, but the next moment saw you pinned to the ground under his control within a pool of blood. This man wielded more experience in close combat, and your regenerative abilities were not as rapid as his, likely due to insufficient feeding on humans.

The Kizuki ruthlessly compressed your arms under his knees, causing your shoulders to dislocate and bones to give way. A choked cry escaped you, as you found yourself unable to muster the strength to resist. The gaping hole in your chest persisted, accompanied by a severe skull fracture and various other injuries, casting your vision in a reddish haze.

Suddenly, Akaza stopped his movements, looking down at you as you weakly groaned beneath him, utterly helpless. His malevolent smile faded, replaced by a fleeting expression of horror and doubt. His golden eyes clouded slightly, as if a different vision blurred his sight. Was he seeing someone else in your place? Could this be the reason he typically refrained from attacking women?

Perhaps entwined with the remnants of his distant human life, the demon failed to immediately sense Kyojuro's approaching presence.

Flame Breathing, Eight Form: Undying Embers!

Upper Moon Three narrowly avoided decapitation; only the top of his skull was sliced, but it almost instantly grew back. The kata involved a series of circular cuts, but the martial artist skillfully defended his neck each time, though each blow landed on different parts of his body.

"Oh! Something has changed, Kyojuro! You're even stronger than before! Interesting... I thought you had already reached your limits! Perfect, it's even more exciting like this!"

He was right, there was a notable transformation in your childhood friend. His execution speed was even higher than you remembered, but his red eye and the rest of his features were devoid of their usual warlike rage while caught up in a difficult fight. His visage was drenched with blood, likely from the severe concussion from his brutal impact against the other building. Yet, beneath the river of hemoglobin, you discerned darker, flame-like patterns.

 

Kyojuro had awakened his Demon Slayer Mark.

Taisho secret: The canonical story remains silent about the Flame Breathing Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Forms, leaving room for our imagination. With this chapter, we have finally seen all my interpretation of these missing kata:

Flame Breathing, Sixth Form: Meteorite Fall The swordsman descends from above onto his opponent, cutting them into pieces.

Flame Breathing, Seventh Form: Phoenix’s Wrath A deadly scorching attack, taking the shape of a phoenix.

Flame Breathing, Eighth Form: Undying embers Multiple circular or oblique attacks designed to decapitate or corner a formidable opponent.

Next chapter: "The Tsuguko's Teachings"

[kahran042]

My OT3s

I used to be squicked by threesomes, but not anymore, so I thought I'd list some of mine here.

Ryu x Katt x Nina (Breath of Fire II) Lucca x Crono x Marle (Chrono Trigger) Terra x Locke x Celes (Final Fantasy VI) Rikku x Tidus x Yuna (Final Fantasy X) Tamayo x Kotaro x Misaki (Angelic Layer) Haruma x Makoto x Chitose (Chocotto Sister) Taichi x Sora x Yamato (Digimon Adventure) Rin x Shirou x Saber (Fate/stay night) Yuki x Tohru x Kyo (Fruits Basket) Heero x Trowa x Quatre (Gundam Wing) Yui x Azusa x Ui (K-On!) Kagami x Konata x Tsukasa (Lucky Star) Hikaru x Umi x Fuu (Magic Knight Rayearth) Hikaru x Haruhi x Kaoru (Ouran High School Host Club) Oz x Alice x Gil (Pandora Hearts) Slayn x Leylia x Ghim (Record of Lodoss War) Madoka x Lan x Muginami (Rinne no Lagrange) Rainbow Dash x Soarin' x Spitfire (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic) Connor x Evan x Zoe (Dear Evan Hansen)