Chapter Text
Taeko had a complicated relationship with Kanao Kamado.
For the longest time Taeko found it difficult to connect with her grandmother. It wasn’t that Kanao was unkind to her. Far from it, actually. The old lady always wore a smile on her face when little Taeko was around. She treated her granddaughter with kindness and love. But in contrast to her husband, who was widely known as one of the most outgoing and friendly people on the planet, her grandma Kanao was more… reserved. So, naturally, Taeko gravitated towards her more outgoing grandparent.
Ironically, it was the death of Tanjiro that brought the two of them closer. Back then, when the grief was almost unbearable, Taeko’s father wanted to keep his remaining family together. He tried convincing his recently widowed mother to move in with them, not wanting her to be alone at her old house.
The blind woman was kind but firm in denying the offer. The old house she lived in was precious to her, it carried decades of memories with her husband, son and her friends. In her own words, she felt more at peace there. It wasn’t the response Taeko’s father was hoping for but he respected his mother too much to argue with her.
So, instead, Taeko and her parents made sure to visit as much as possible. Hoping to at least give the retired swordswoman some company and to help her with the house chores.
In one of those visits, Taeko was left alone with her grandmother. The two sat in the room in an uncomfortable silence, neither sure how to start a conversation. Before, It had been Tanjiro that bridged the gap in their relationship, he always knew exactly what to say to break the ice and lighten up both their moods.
Now that he was gone, leaving them both in a deep state of grief, the two found it difficult to choose the right words to comfort each other.
Little Taeko had no clue how to spark a conversation. It was such a delicate situation, for both of them, and she feared saying something wrong and making her grandma feel worse.
Because of that, Kanao ended up being the one to finally speak up. And, in one of the hardest moments of both their lives, they found comfort in one another. They spoke of their feelings of grief, of their memories with Tanjiro and how his absence was affecting them.
For Taeko, It became easier to speak with her grandmother with each visit. Yet, never told her about Titania. She, her father and Yushiro had agreed that it was better to keep that as a secret between the three of them.
Sometimes Taeko considered telling her grandma the truth. But as she looked at her grandmother, who appeared to have aged ten instead of the one year since her husband's death, Taeko found herself unwilling to burden her grandma with anything else.
Kanao constantly exuded sadness. Even in happy times with the family together, Taeko could always smell sadness in her grandmother's scent. The little girl realized that no matter how much time passed, a part of her grandmother would remain mourning the death of her soulmate.
It was a scar that was never going to disappear.
But the child would soon learn that this was not the only scar Kanao carried with her.
Kanao had begun to open up to her granddaughter about her past. The old woman was not as talented of a storyteller as her husband, but Taeko enjoyed listening to her stories anyway.
The big difference between Tanjiro’s and Kanao’s storytelling was that Kanao was very blunt and descriptive in her recounts of her demon slayer days. While Tanjiro had tried to keep the stories “Kid friendly”, Kanao didn't do the same. And she had her own reasons for choosing to do so.
Reasons that led to an important conversation they had when Taeko was twelve years old.
By that time, Taeko had just joined her school’s kendo club. And she was also having some difficulties hiding her secret from her mother. Sometimes it felt to her like she was barely keeping everything under control. With that keeping her busy, it was becoming increasingly difficult to find time to visit her grandmother.
So, when the old woman requested her to visit, Taeko came as soon as she could. She was hoping to hear more of her stories but wasn’t prepared for what she would learn that day.
“Do you remember what I told you about my sisters?” Kanao asked as both of them sat on the engawa outside, in view of the garden that decorated the front of the house.
The mention of the sisters immediately sparked Taeko’s interest and words escaped her mouth before she could stop it.
“Of course I remember them! Grandaunt Kanae was your oldest sister, the flower hashira! She was the one that decided to take you in as both a sister and apprentice. She taught you the flower breathing technique! Grandaunt Shinobu was the second oldest, the insect hashira! She was the main medic of the demon slayer corps and she taught you medicine!” Taeko enthusiastically described both women until she realized that wasn't the response her grandmother had been expecting.
Kanao seemed a bit taken aback by the kid’s enthusiasm. The old woman let out a soft giggle, both amused and pleased by the deep admiration Taeko expressed for her sisters.
“They were some of the best demon slayers… and even better sisters. I owe them a lot.” Kanao said, mind momentarily lost in a sea of memories. After a brief pause she continued talking. “Most of the stories I told you mentioned at least one of them. But I never told you how I lost them.”
At that, Taeko frowned. A look of uncertainty formed on her face.
“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Taeko told the old woman, not wanting her grandma to relive any painful memories. “Grandpa never went into detail on the day he lost his family, and you also don't need to.”
Kanao had been blind for decades at that point but when she turned to face her granddaughter, Taeko felt like her grandmother could see deep within her soul.
“I do. I want you to know what happened all those years ago.” Kanao’s serious tone made her granddaughter feel uneasy. “I need you to know my entire story.”
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
Leaving Singapore behind, the team proceeded to their next destination: India. After the reveal Taeko had shared with them about her ancestry, the guys were taking the break to process the new information. Polnareff and Jotaro had already known and believed her. Avdol and Joseph were relatively easy to convince due to their past experiences. So, from all the group, Kakyoin was having the hardest time wrapping his head around the concept of demons. According to him, he knew the myths, but it was hard to believe humans walked among humans for decades and somehow most people didn't realize they were there.
Surprisingly, it was Joseph who changed the teen's mind. The old man took the chance to share a story from his youth about his fight against creatures he called the “Pillar men”. Somehow, his stories were more bizarre than her grandfather’s. And after listening to his descriptions of the creatures incredible abilities, Taeko couldn’t help but be grateful Joseph defeated them.
Well, at least most of them, since according to Joseph the strongest pillar man was currently floating in space… Taeko, and the rest of the boys, could only hope he remains up there.
After hearing such a crazy tale from the old man, Kakyoin became more open minded on the existence of demons.
“I find it easier to believe in things I can see.” Kakyoin explained to the group. “I probably wouldn't believe in vampires had I not seen one myself.”
As he spoke of the man, Taeko could catch fear and shame etched in his scent. Unlike Avdol, Kakyoin had not told them exactly what happened during his encounter with DIO. None of them felt the need to demand an explanation, already knowing the experience would be hard to recount.
“You won't see any demons around here. That, I can guarantee you.” Taeko told the other teen, trying to take his mind off his encounter with DIO. “As I said, Yushiro and Chachamaru are the only demons still alive, and these two were back in Japan.”
“I’m just glad we don't have to worry about demons too. We already have enough problems.” Polnareff added his two cents to the conversation and the rest of the group had to agree. They had been encountering enemy stand users left and right but at least they didn't have to worry about flesh eating demons as well.
“You have the demon slayers to thank for that. Demons were very hard to defeat. You had to either decapitate them or get them under sunlight, and sometimes not even that worked.” As Taeko explained, a tale her grandfather had often told her came to mind and Taeko took the opportunity to share it with her companions. “My grandfather told me about this one time when he fought one of the strongest demons. A demon had been devouring young women in the entertainment district so he and his friends were sent with their superior to find and slay it.” Taeko continued, her enthusiasm growing with each word. “The demon they found there was disguising herself as an Orian. She was a sadistic woman with the blood of many generations on her hands. She held the title of upper moon six, marking her the sixth strongest demon under Muzan’s command. Grandpa said the only reason they survived that fight was because a hashira had come with them. Hashiras were the strongest demon slayers of the corp, they were the ones that created the breathing styles. While my grandfather had not been able to decapitate the demon, the Hashira managed to cut off the demon's head so quickly that grandfather said he didn't even see him do it!”
The red eyed girl hadn’t planned to recount the entire story but when she continued to tell the tale, she found herself too immersed in her storytelling to stop.
“But, even without her head, the demon didn't disintegrate as they always did. Grandpa realised there was something wrong. Then suddenly another demon emerged from her body! And this one was even stronger!”
The sound of someone loudly clearing his throat made her stop and realize not only her travel companions but everybody in the train compartment was staring at her. The few people sitting on the other tables were throwing judgmental glares in her direction, probably annoyed she was speaking too loud.
With her face now crimson red, Taeko slid down in her seat wanting nothing more than to disappear from the other’s view.
Unlike the other people there, the other crusaders didn't seem to be judging her, not even Jotaro. They didn't at any point make any attempt to stop her from telling her story.
“You do admire your grandfather a lot, don’t you?” Kakyoin was the one to comment, chuckling lightheartedly at the girl’s embarrassment.
“I always loved hearing his stories so I guess I got a bit too excited to be able to share them.” Taeko explained, her cheeks still red.
“I think it's nice to see someone recount their grandparent’s stories with such enthusiasm.” Joseph said, feeling slightly envious if judging by his scent. The old man shot his grandson with a pointed look that was completely ignored by the teen.
Jotaro remained quiet while sitting comfortably in his seat, his eyes closed and cap tilted down. An outsider would have thought he was sleeping but those on that table know for a fact he was listening to their conversation.
“Can you tell us the rest of that story?” Avdol requested to the surprise of the girl. The reaction of the outsiders had discouraged her from continuing so she wasn’t planning to do so. ”I heard all types of stories from people that came to my shop. Never liked when they left their stories unfinished.”
She scanned the faces of the group, seeing if the others also wanted her to continue. Hearing no protests, she resumed the story.
“As I was saying, the demon slayers found out the upper moon six wasn’t one but two demons.” Taeko was a bit hesitant at first and to make sure not to annoy the other tables she was speaking more quietly and evenly. “The second one was even stronger than the first. They had to separate in teams of two, each duo fighting one of the demons. It soon became clear that to defeat them, their group would have to decapitate both demons at the same time. A feat that was hard to accomplish as the strongest demon was very protective of the weakest.”
“I thought demons were selfish creatures that only cared about themselves.” Kakyion asked with a raised eyebrow, his current interest a sharp contrast with his skepticism from before.
“Demons are more complicated than that. Every demon was a human at some point and even after their transformation aspects of their human selves remained.” Was Taeko’s response, remembering her grandfather’s words about the sadness and pain he sensed from the demons he fought. “The upper moon six were siblings, the brother being the oldest. Their demonic transformation soured their bond but it was still there. Grandpa said that even years later, he sometimes thought about them. He had become a demon slayer because his little sister got turned into a demon and he wanted to turn her back into a human. But had he also been turned into a demon, would he have followed the same path as the upper moon six to care for his little sister?”
The entire table became silent as the question hung in the air, making each member of the group question themselves on what they were willing to do for their loved ones.
“An older brother would do anything for his younger sister. Even dirt their hands with blood.” Polnareff said in a somber tone, not meeting anyone’s eyes. His hand resting on the table clenched into a fist.
Grief. Sadness. Anger.
Taeko’s eyes widened in realization, her mind replaying the scene from the day before of her sharing the info she got on Centerford with Polnareff and his reaction, of his look of anger.
Telling that story probably wasn’t a good idea. Polnareff didn’t need another reminder of his quest for revenge.
She feared for her friend. While his rage was understandable, this much thirst for blood never ends well.
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
“Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore…” Joseph spoke, mentally mapping the path they came from and the way ahead . “So the Indian leg of our journey is finally upon us… But, well, I'm a little worried.” He confessed to the rest, a sheepish grin on his face. “I've always heard India is the land of curry and rampant disease.”
The team of six were on a boat that was approaching India’s coast. They were waiting in one of the ship’s halls, standing close to a door they would be able to exit through.
“I'm worried my stomach won't be able to handle the culture gap.” Polnareff also shared his thoughts, tightening his hold on the strap of his luggage.
Avdol chuckled at their comments.
“That assessment is rather distorted.” He affirmed, to ease their nerves. “You needn't worry. It is a beautiful country with wonderful people. That I assure you.”
They all felt the boat finally come to a stop and then heard the sound of the ramp being lowered, signifying their arrival.
“Well, this is Calcutta.” Avdol presented, opening the door for them. “Let's get going.”
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
They quickly learned that Calcutta was a lot.
The moment they stepped out of the boat a crowd of locals immediately surrounded them. People of many ages jumped into the opportunity of talking with the recent arrivals. And as if that wasn't overwhelming enough, those people had no problem intruding in their personal space.
“Hey, give me a tip!” A group of children yelled as soon as they saw them.
“Let me carry that for you! “ One man offered to Polnareff, trying to take his luggage from his hands. Polnareff had to hold on to his bag to protect his belongings.
“Want a tattoo? You're very pretty.” An older man asked Kakyoin to which the teen was a bit appalled by.
“Need some anti-venom? It won't hurt your stomach.” A man asked Joseph and before he could even answer that came another offer from a second guy. “Let me show you my hotel!”
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
Calcutta, India.
In the 20th century, its population reached 11 million.
Calcutta buzzes with a bustling energy that will pull you in and never let you go!
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
“I stepped in a pile of cow shit!” Polnareff cried out while looking down at his foot. “ Merde! ”
“I don't need any.” Joseph had to give a response to each local that tried to talk to him. “Seriously, thank you, but no!”
“Somebody's already stolen my wallet!” Kakyoin realized after checking his pockets.
“Tip! Tip! Tip!” There were also kids talking with Jotaro. He seemed unfazed by them even when they began grabbing and pulling on his jacket’s chain. “If you don't give me a tip, you won't go to heaven, sir.”
“Hey! Don't rub your nose all over my stuff!” Polnareff exclaimed, pulling his bag away from a kid that had almost managed to take hold of it.
“Avdol! So this is India?” Joseph asked in disbelief of the mess they found themselves in, looking over his shoulder to the only member of their group that was calm at the moment.
“See? Great country, isn't it?” Unlike his companions, Avdol felt very tranquil. He was smiling as he interacted with the locals that approached him. “They're what make India great, don't you think?”
"So many scents..." Taeko was the one having the most difficulty with the new environment. She knew the locals were also trying to talk to her but all she could perceive of them were their scents. There were so many of them, her head felt like it was going to explode. Even when she tried to cover her nose with her hands, the sensation did not diminish.
Joy. Greed. Curiosity. Greed. Greed. Annoyance. Pride. Lust. Anger. Curiosity. Irritation. Sadness. Desperation. Joy. Excitement. Annoyance. And more.
Taeko felt her chest tighten as it became harder to breath in the heavily scented air.
She was startled by a hand touching her arm, looking to her side to see Kakyoin's concerned expression at her clear distress.
“Too many scents,” Taeko whispered to him with a shaky breath, knowing what he was going to ask.
His eyes widened as he remembered their conversation about her reaction to strong scents. His hand remained on her arm as he and the others followed Avdol as he led the group away from the crowd.
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
Some minutes later they were inside one of the restaurants in the area with Taeko now seated in between a concerned Polnareff and regretful Avdol. The girl felt her headache slowly ease now that they were somewhere calmer.
“I apologize, I should have warned you that this city can be a bit overwhelming for some people.” Avdol's mood had dropped the moment he realized the state the girl had been in. He felt ashamed to have forgotten the girl’s enhanced sense before bringing her to a place with such a huge crowd. When he realized what was going on with Taeko he had been quick to guide the group away from that place, something the girl was grateful to him for.
“It's okay, I'm better now.” Taeko smiled as she reassured him, not wanting her friend to feel bad for his innocent mistake. “As long as I keep away from any agglomerations of people I will be fine.”
A waiter came with the drinks Avdol had ordered for them, the Egyptian man took one of the drinks and placed it in front of Taeko. As a familiar sweet apple-like scent hit her nostrils, Taeko knew what it was before Avdol said it.
“Here, I asked for chamomile tea for you.” He said, his tone apologetic and gentle. He then spoke to the rest of the group. “As for the others, there is one of India's most popular drinks. A sweet concoction of black tea, sugar, ginger, and milk.”
Joseph was a bit hesitant to try it out but when he took a sip of the tea he found it to be quite delicious.
“At last, a little peace.” The old man sighed in content, his body relaxing in his seat.
“Be patient with India.” Avdol requested this from his companions as they drank their tea. “Once you get used to it, you'll see how wonderful this country is.”
“You know, I kinda like this place. It's pretty cool.” Jotaro confessed, to the shock of his grandfather.
“Really?” Taeko asked, also surprised by his opinion.
“What, Jotaro? You can't be serious?” Joseph exclaimed in disbelief, he had expected the commotion from before to have bothered the delinquent.
“Talk about culture shock.” Polnareff sighed as he put down his now almost empty cup. “Guess I'll like it once I get used to it, huh?” He mused as he picked up his bag and stood up from his chair. “Well, I suppose people adapt to their surroundings eventually.” Looking at a waiter close by, he asked for directions. “Where's the john?”
“Right over there, sir.” The waiter answered, gesturing with his hand to where the bathroom was.
“Polnareff.” Joseph called for him, making the frenchman stop and look back at him.
“Yeah?”
“What do you want to eat?”
“Pick for me.” Polnareff answered with a grin as he looked over his shoulder at them. “It'd better be something amazing. Something gorgeous and sophisticated that suits a Frenchman like moi .”
Taeko chuckled at his antics while Joseph just stared open mouthed at the Frenchman wandering off.
“Which means it doesn't matter.” Kakyoin summarized.
“I will choose for him.” Taeko smiled, volunteering for the task. She grabbed a menu and Avdol was quick to offer his suggestions on what she and the rest should try out. His excitement in introducing his travel companions to the local culture was evident in the way he spoke.
After they made their order, it didn't take long for the food to arrive. As the waiter was placing the plates on the table, Taeko threw a look in the bathroom's direction. She frowned, noticing Polnareff wasn't back yet.
“What is taking him so long?” Taeko murmured to herself.
Her friend reappeared the second those words left her mouth. Polnareff rushed back into the room looking distressed, the smell of intense fury following him.
“Stand!” He yelled as his eyes scanned the room looking for the one his wrath was directed at. “Where's the user? Who is it?” His frenetic behavior was unsettling to witness, disturbing the random people at the restaurant he was staring at. “The man with two right hands…”
A chill ran down Taeko’s spine, sensing the murderous intent behind those words.
Frustration. Fury. Pain.
He ran out of the restaurant and his companions rushed to follow him, leaving their food forgotten on the table.
They found him standing outside, his emotions running so high his body was trembling. His eyes darted from side to side, trying to find his nemesis in the crowd. His frustration grew as he realized he would be unable to find him among that many people on the street.
“Too many people… Merde! ” He spat through gritted teeth.
“What's wrong, Polnareff?” Joseph asked as he came out of the restaurant with the rest.
“What is this about?” Avdol added from right behind Joseph.
“If that…” Polnareff said, his mind in such a frenzy he barely registered their questions. “If that was a Stand, then that means…Then that means he's here!” He clenches a fist, every fiber of his body urging him to hunt that bastard down. “It's the stand user Kamado told me about, the one that uses mirrors!”
Seeing him in such a state made the girl almost regret sharing that information.
“The bastard who killed my sister!” He hissed, his fist now clenched so hard it dug his nails into his skin. It was becoming increasingly harder for Taeko to inhale his scent of pure hate due to how intense it was getting. “The scum who heartlessly trampled my sister's life, soul, and dignity. Finally…Finally I found him!”
“Are you sure it's him?” Joseph asked, now understanding the seriousness of the situation.
Polnareff looked back at him but, instead of answering his question, he made an announcement the old man had been worried would come soon.
“Mr. Joestar, I'll be traveling on my own from here on out.” The Frenchman informed, choosing to continue in his quest for revenge alone.
“What??” Taeko exclaimed, her eyes wide in shock.
“With my sister's murderer finally within reach, I'll be damned if I'm going to wait for him to come after me.” Polnareff said, his anger both fueling his determination and cementing the path he chose. “It would put me at a disadvantage, and that's just not my style. I'll find him first and kill him!” He looks away from the others, throwing his luggage over his shoulder.
“But we don't even know what he looks like, or what his Stand is.” Kakyoin intervened in an attempt to snap some sense into him. He knew Polnareff was hot headed but even he was surprised at how reckless he was being at that moment.
“He's got two right hands, that's enough for me!” Polnareff informed the redhead, more than willing to work with this little description he got. “And he knows I'm after him, so he'll be on the defensive.” He gave his back to them, giving his allies a brief and cold goodbye. “See ya.”
“Tough talk from a man who's digging his own grave.” Avdol spoke, eyes boring holes into the Frenchman’s back. His words made Polnareff stop on his tracks before he could take more than a few steps.
“And that means?” Polnareff turned his head to shoot Avdol a look.
“Just as it sounds, my friend.” Avdol stated, calmly and at the same time firmly.
“Are you trying to say I can't win?” Polnareff spat, getting irritated at the Egyptian's insulation.
Sensing the growing tension between those two, Taeko decided to say something.
“Not if you go alone.” Taeko took a step forward, now standing on Avdol’s side. “Don't you see this is just what he wants? He attacked you to provoke you into going after him. He wants to get you isolated and more vulnerable.”
Unfortunately, instead of sparking reason in him, her words seem to have struck a nerve.
“You stay out of this!” He snapped at her, his harsh tone making her recoil back. The glare he threw at her was more hostile than any he had sent her way during their fight in Hong Kong. “You don't know what you are talking about, little girl!”
“You better show some respect! This is the girl that saved your life!” Avdol exclaimed, offended in Taeko’s behalf.
“Listen. Let me make one thing clear… to all of you.” He said while looking in between Taeko and Avdol. “I never once gave a damn about DIO. I told you in Hong Kong I'd tag along so I could get my revenge. Mr. Joestar and Jotaro already know this.”
Joseph and Jotaro, while visibly disapproving of the French man's choice of going on alone, didn't sound any protest to his decision. Joseph just looked away as if resigning himself into accepting Polnareff’s departure. As for Jotaro, his expression remained stoic and hard to read but Taeko could smell his frustration.
“I've been alone from the start! I've always been fighting alone!” Polnareff declared.
“You don’t have to!” Taeko exclamation was left unacknowledged.
“You selfish fool!” Avdol hissed, marching closer to Polnareff so he could poke with a finger at his chest. His irritation with the French rising with each sentence. “Did you forget that DIO brainwashed you? Did you forget that he's the root of all this?”
“You have no idea how it feels to have your sister murdered!” Polnareff snapped and in his anger he proceeded to say things he deep down knew he shouldn't. “I heard the last time you met DIO, you ran like a dog with his tail between his legs! A coward like you would never understand why I need to do this!”
“Polnareff!” Taeko exclaimed in reprehension. She knew his accusation would make the situation even worse.
“What did you say?” Avdol’s eyes widened, caught off guard by Polnareff’s cruel words.
“Don't touch me.” Polnareff pushed Avdol away as he continued speaking. “You are lucky I chose to fight Kamado first in Hong Kong.” He said, insinuating he would have defeated Avdol if given the chance. “Enough with this lecturing!”
“How dare you…” Avdol hissed, body now trembling with barely contained anger.
“Oh, did that offend you?” Polnareff acidly mocked him, glaring daggers at Avdol. “Don't forget…I'm a hell of a lot more pissed off than you right now! You can just keep being yourself, with your holier than thou attitude, Avdol.”
“Why, you!” Avdol as his anger finally exploded into violence. The man raised a fist, about to land a punch on the French man’s face.
But he froze on his tracks when a smaller figure quickly placed herself in between the two of them, intense red eyes staring at him in disapproval.
“That’s enough! Fighting is exactly what the enemy wants us to do!” Taeko exclaimed, making the dark haired man lower his fist in shame of letting his anger get the best of him. The girl then turned to the furious french man, her expression softening sensing her friend’s emotional pain. “Please, Polnareff, don't act on impulse. You know this is a terrible idea, you are just too angry to admit it!”
“You have no idea how I feel!” He spat at her, both his hands balled into fists.
“I DO!” Taeko yelled so loud this time Polnareff was the one to recoil. “You are angry and frustrated! And you are in pain! You have been carrying all this resentment for so long so you want to finally be free of it!”
Polnareff froze, stunned. Truly realizing for the first time that Taeko had been able to get a clear read on his emotions since the beginning.
“I know you want peace for you and your sister. But I also know Sherry wouldn't want to see you getting hurt, or worse, killed.” Taeko realized talking about Sherry had been a bad choice when Polnareff's anger reignated at the mention of her name.
“Don’t you dare talk about my little sister!” He screamed while glaring at the girl, his hostility towards her back with force. “You can't know how she feels because she is dead!”
“I did indeed run in fear from DIO.” Avdol intervened, bringing the French's attention back towards him. “But I'm certain that foresight will let us win.” He sounded determined in defeating that monster now that he had his companions fighting beside him. “Rushing in without thinking will get us all killed.” He made a last effort to make Polnareff reconsider leaving.
Unfortunately, neither Avdol’s or Taeko’s words were able to change Polnareff’s mind.
“Oh? Do you think so? Then I'll say this with certainty, too.” Polnareff scoffed, flickering Avdol’s necklace in a mocking manner. “Your little divination will be wrong.”
He turned his back to the group and began walking away from his former allies.
“Polnareff! Wait!” Taeko exclaimed but her friend didn't stop. She was just about to go after him when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
“Just let him go. No one can stop him now.” Joseph said, there was a flicker of familiarity in his eyes, like he had seen this situation before.
Taeko felt helpless as she lost sight of their friend in the crowd.
“Maybe Polnareff will come back after he calms down.” Joseph tried to assure the girl, sensing how worried she was.
“But what if he doesn't calm down?” Taeko asked, still looking in the direction Polnareff disappeared at.
The older man had no answer to give to her.
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
In the last hours of the night, Taeko found herself gazing at the empty streets of Calcutta through the window of her hotel room. The teen had a nice view of the night sky but she wasn't standing there because she wanted to admire it. She had found herself unable to fall asleep. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Polnareff’s face, his eyes full of hate and pain. She couldn’t rest while knowing he was somewhere else all alone, seeking a fight he was not prepared for.
“Having trouble sleeping?” Taeko was startled when she suddenly heard Avdol’s voice coming from behind her.
“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up.” She spoke softly, offering him an apologetic smile. “I have a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
Her gaze went to the third bed in their room, where Polnareff was supposed to be sleeping. The fortune teller noticed what she was looking at and sighed. He had witnessed as she and Polnareff formed a close bond in the short time they knew each other; it made sense for the girl to be too worried about his friend to be able to sleep.
Avdol walked to her side, joining her in staring up at the night sky. They were quiet for a while, silently sharing each other’s company.
“It’s like story is repeating itself.” Came Taeko’s cryptic words in almost a whisper.
Intrigued, the man raised an eyebrow at her, not understanding what she was talking about. It was only when he reacted that Taeko realized she said that thought out loud.
The girl bit her lip, hesitant in sharing this specific story. While there were many stories she would eagerly share with her friends, this was not one of them.
“It's a story my grandmother told me.”
“You didn't mention her before.” He said and thinking back he was only able to remember her speaking about her grandfather. “Were you two close?”
“Not as much as I was to my grandfather.” Taeko confessed. She took a deep breath, composing herself as she began talking about Kanao.
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
Before becoming Kanao Kamado, Taeko’s grandmother had been known as Kanao Tsuyuri. And even before that, she had been a nameless slave sold into slavery by her abusive biological family.
Kanao had been rescued from her situation by two sisters, Kanae and Shinobu Kochou. She was an empty shell at that point, having learned to repress her emotions because of all the abuse she went through. But even after seeing she was incapable of making her own decisions and deeply traumatized, the Kochou sisters decided to take her in. They gave her clothes, food and even a new name.
Even after choosing another surname, Kanao had basically become the third “Kochou” sibling. They let her live with them at their huge mansion, the two sisters having a lot of patience with her. They took care of her, taught her how to defend herself and tried to get her to break out of her shell.
One day, she witnessed her oldest sister training her flower breathing technique. Kanao watched Kanae's movements intently, almost able to visualize the trail of flowers and petals her katana left behind.
The third sister then got herself a katana and began to train, trying to replicate the moves she saw Kanae making with her sword. Her older sisters didn’t encourage her new interest, not because they doubted her skills but because they knew the dangers of the life of a demon slayer.
Kanao had to sneak out of the mansion to be able to take part in the selection exam. When she returned, Kanao found the entire Butterfly state in distress. The three young girls the Kochous had also taken in were crying, Aoi( the oldest housekeeper) looked ready to blow a fuse, Shinobu didn't look any less angry than Aoi, and Kanae…
Her oldest sister gave her a sad smile. She wasn’t happy about the path Kanao chose for herself yet she still congratulated her. And she said that no matter what, they were all proud of her. Kanae opted to train Kanao in flower breathing so her younger sister would be more prepared to become an official demon slayer.
Then came that terrible day. When Shinobu gathered the girls to inform them of Kanae Kochou’s death at the hands of a demon. Kanao wanted to cry, she knew should have. It was what everyone was doing during the funeral. Yet, even as she felt sadness grip her heart, her eyes remained dry. To her surprise, none of her adoptive sisters condemned her for it.
They all had to carry on with their lives, having to learn to live with the empty space their oldest sister's absence left in their hearts.
Shinobu, now the new Insect Hashira, took her deceased older sister’s responsibilities and became the new master of the Butterfly mansion. She consoled her younger sisters, allowing them to cry in her arms as much as they needed. Even so, Kanao knew her behavior was a facade, she knew that her sister was masking her true emotions with the kind smile that had belonged to Kanae.
Shonobu’s anger for demons had turned into extreme hate. Kanao had seen her train till the latest hours of the night, pushing her body to the limit just for her to then let out a yell in frustration, realizing she would never be able to become strong enough to defeat the demon that took their sister from them. Shinobu was a very small and petite girl, her body lacked the fiscal strength needed to decapitate even weaker demons.
So, instead, Shinobu’s nights of training became nights of studies and tests on many types of deadly poisons. The insect hashira, on some occasions, spent days locked in her office trying to create something strong enough to kill a high ranking demon.
Kanao watched as her sister’s mental state declined, becoming more and more eager for revenge. And the worst part was that Kanao was the only one to see just how dire things were getting with her master.
It was like something instinctual was telling her that she was slowly losing another sister.
Then came the final selection and she finally became an official demon slayer. It was also the first time she saw the boy that would become her husband, not that any of the two knew at that point. Not too long after, she became one of the demon slayers to bring the Kamado siblings to the demon slayer headquarters. The time she spent with Tanjiro during his rehabilitation training sparked something within her, the boy had rekindled her will to follow her heart and make her own choices.
But while she became more willing to do what she thought was right even if it was against the rules it wasn't enough to give her courage to confront Shinobu about her plans.
Sometime before the final battle, Shinobu invited her to a private conversation and revealed what she had prepared to defeat the upper moon two. It was even worse than anything Kanao could have imagined.
The insect hashira told her sister about the huge amounts of wisteria flower poison circulating through her body after a year of preparation. The plan was to weaken the demon with the poison so Kanao could cut off his head and finish him off. But, for that to work, Shinobu’s body had to be eaten by the demon. Kanao’s older sister was fully intending to sacrifice herself to avenge Kanae’s death.
Kanao’s first reaction was to protest and say they could defeat him by fighting side by side, but Shinobu was quick to point out the facts. That demon was too strong for them to defeat without the huge dose of poison weakening him and at that point her plan had already been in motion. She just needed Kanao to agree to do her part.
It was an impossible choice to make. Kanao knew they needed to defeat all the upper demons before fighting the demon king. Her sister’s logic was sound, Kanao had to admit that. But, at the same time, she didn't want to lose her.
She wanted to protect her. She was willing to risk her life for hers.
And more than anything, she wanted them to go back home together.
When the time came, all of the demon slayers fell into the maze called “infinite castle”. Kanao knew what it meant, knew where her sister was heading. She searched for Shinobu, not to follow the plan but to protect her.
Her heart was telling her to save her older sister and that was what she was going to do.
Yet, when she got there it was too late. Her sister had already fought the demon, the plan was in motion. As the demon prepared to absorb her sister’s body, Kanao saw her sister sent her a signal for her to proceed with her part of the plan.
She saw Shinobu let go of her sword, ready to die.
Kanao made one desperate attempt to save her sister. Just for the demon to easily dodge her attack and absorb her sister’s body into his.
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
“She was able to defeat the demon with the help of one of grandpa’s friends, fulfilling grandaunt Shinobu’s last wish. Grandma didn't celebrate her victory, instead, she cried for her sisters.” Taeko finished her grandmother the tragic tale as one tear escaped her eye. She could still vividly remember the scent of grief her grandma carried, it was present even before her grandfather died.
Avdol had been quietly listening to the young girl as she spoke, not interrupting even once. He felt both sadness and admiration for Kamado’s grandmother. Not everyone would be able to go through so much pain and loss and still find the strength to move on.
He was also now able to see the similarities to their current situation. Where Taeko’s concern was coming from.
“While seeking revenge, one must dig two graves.” Avdol quoted solemnly as he lowered his head. “One for your enemy, and one for yourself.”
“One sibling seeking revenge for the murder of the other.” Taeko muttered, wiping away the tear on her cheek. “It happened when grandaunt Kanae was killed and it's happening again with Sherry’s murder.” She looked at her friend standing at her side, her concern showing in her expressive eyes. What she said next came as an hesitant whisper, worried that voicing her thoughts would make her fear come true. “I’m afraid both stories will have the same ending.”
“Polnareff may be reckless but he isn’t suicidal, really does believe he can defeat Centerford by himself.” Avdol promptly pointed that fact out. He remembered Polnareff’s exact words during their confrontation. The French spoke as someone with too much confidence in his own skills, not with a desire for death. “Dying is not a part of his plan.”
“His ‘plan’ is to run head first into what is more than likely an ambush to fight an enemy that he has limited information about!” Taeko snapped, face twitching in frustration and fear. “He is about to get into a fight he is not ready for, it's dangerous!”
“We have been in constant danger ever since we chose to board the plane leaving Japan.” He reminded her. “Besides, Polnareff was able to defeat Devo the Cursed on his own. You are right to be worried about him but remember that Polnareff isn't defenseless.”
“He came back from that fight looking like a train ran him over! I was surprised he didn't faint from blood loss!” Taeko pointed out, remembering the scene. And then, to Avdol’s surprise, she laughed. “Can you believe he bandaged his wound with his underwear??”
Caught off guard by both her sudden change of mood and reveal, Avdol also laughed.
“Sounds like something he would do.” Avdol admitted, smiling at the memories of their friend’s shenanigans.
Then Taeko’s shoulders dropped, the weight of the situation returning to her with force.
“I hope at least he found somewhere safe to sleep.” She said, looking out of the window at the empty streets.
“Even Polnareff knows better than to jump into a fight without an entire night of sleep.” Avdol told her, hoping Polnareff wouldn't be stupid enough to prove him wrong on that. He placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring against the cold night. “We should rest too, we must be ready for tomorrow. When we go after Polnareff there are huge chances we will find Centerford.”
Taeko was relieved to hear he did not plan to leave Polnareff behind to fight his nemesis alone. After Mr. Joestar told her to let Polnareff go, she feared the others wouldn’t be willing to risk losing precious time to look for Polnareff and bring him back.
“He still owes me a fight, remember?” Avdol reminded her, then he smirked confidently. “I can beat some sense into him if needed.”
A part of the Kamado teen wanted to go look for their friend at that moment instead of waiting for the next morning. Yet, she chose to trust Avdol’s judgment.
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
Taeko opened her eyes not too long after the sun had risen. The girl got up from the bed, resisting her body’s urge to rest for a bit longer.
Still sleepy, she walked to the bed Avdol was sleeping in with the intention of waking him up. She froze midstep, her eyes widening, when she saw the bed was empty.
“Avdol?” She called as she looked around the room, not seeing him anywhere. “Avdol??” She called for him again as she checked the bathroom only to find it also empty.
Taeko inhaled, trying to catch her friend’s familiar smell and trace it. To her dismay, the scent that was already dispersing led to the door, meaning her friend had left sometime ago.
Taeko had changed into her regular clothes in such a hurry she didn’t even realize she had forgotten her jacket. She flew down the stairs and ran outside, drawing more than a few confused stares from both the people of the hotel and the locals walking the street.
She searched for her friend among the people she could see around, hoping he hadn’t gotten far. The girl could barely make out his scent apart from the many others present there.
Knowing his trail would vanish soon, Taeko didn’t stop to think before rushing to follow it. Maybe, if she had taken a moment to consider, she would have realized that she should have warned Joseph, Jotaro and Kakyoin, who had been sleeping in another room, of the situation.
Instead, because of her decision, the trio would wake up soon after just to realize that both Avdol and Taeko had vanished.
｡⋆｡° | ⋆ 𐀔 ⋆ | °｡⋆｡
The teen lost track of Avdol’s scent when she reached a very crowded street. Without a trail to follow, Taeko was unsure where to head next. She tried asking the people working at the shops if they had seen someone matching Avdol’s specific description, just to get negative responses.
“I’m sorry. I have not seen him.” A woman that had been selling vases answered her with a shake of her head.
Taeko sighed, the knot in her stomach tightening with each denial she got.
“Thank you anyway.” Even while disappointed the girl was never impolite to the shopworkers. She understood they were too busy doing their jobs to notice everyone that walked by their shops.
Before she could ask another person, Taeko felt someone’s eyes on her. At first it didn’t bother her, she clearly wasn’t from around there so it made sense for people to look.
She only got alert when she got to the next street still feeling like she was being watched. A chill ran down her spine as she realized someone was following her.
Looking back, Taeko’s eyes searched the crowd for anyone looking at her. Queen Titânia appeared, floating beside Taeko, ready for a fight.
Then, she was startled by the sound of glass breaking and a scream. A window nearby had broken, scaring two women that were right next to it.
“What happened?” Someone asked, confused.
“It just broke out of nowhere!” One of the women said.
As if that wasn’t already weird enough, the next thing to break was a liquor bottle a man had been drinking. Unlike the women that were unharmed by the glass, he had been holding the bottle as it exploded. He let out a yell of pain, falling to his knees as his hand began spewing blood from many cuts.
That was enough to make some people run away from whatever was happening on that street. Others went to the man’s aid, gathering around him. Some were still watching the window, trying to figure out what happened.
As people moved around, Taeko was finally able to spot the distinct man that she suspected was responsible for what was happening. It was a cowboy that was standing a few feet away from her. He was smirking casually at her, unbothered by the mess he had just caused.
“What a surprise!” He exclaimed when their gazes met. “Didn’t think I’d met you here all alone, lil lady. Where are your bodyguards?”
She did not fall to his provocation. It was not his words that were bothering her, it was the terrible smell of blood in the air. It reminded her that someone innocent had just been harmed.
“Leave those people alone.” She glared at him, her words firm and authoritative. “They have nothing to do with this.”
“They aren’t the ones you should be worried about.” He said dismissively of the importance of the locals. Using her concerns against her, he held out his hand towards her as he made an offer. “I’m here because of you. Come with me and I promise no one will get hurt.”
Her answer was immediate, she knew better than trusting anyone that works for DIO.
“Liar.” She narrowed her eyes at him.
“It was worth the try.” He sighed, disappointed at her response.
What happened next was very fast. With his arm still screeched towards Taeko, he summoned his stand. At the same time, Titania placed herself in front of Taeko and changed into a defensive position to protect her user. Taeko’s eyes widened in shock when she saw that the enemy’s stand was a gun.
The blonde man’s smirk widened as he pulled the trigger.