Chapter Text
The girl was used to hunger and pain.
Her parents beat her whenever she spoke so she learned to not speak. Her parents beat her whenever she tried to eat anything from the table so she learned to barely eat. Her parents beat her if she cried so she learned not to cry. Her parents beat her if she did anything without being told, so she learned to not do anything without being told.
And sometimes they beat her for reasons the girl didn't know but she tried to stop doing what she had been doing when they hit her until she did nothing at all.
In their hovel the girl would sit in the corner and stare at nothing for hours on end. Ignoring the feeling of the lice in her scraggy hair, the mites crawling through the tatters of her filth-caked clothes to bite red welts upon her sallow skin. Sometimes she would sit days on end, being quiet and still until her parents were asleep. Only then would she drink from the tepid puddles of water that fell through the cracked ceiling, or eat the scraps of food which had fallen on the floor. She was not allowed to touch any of the meals on the table, not ever. She had to obey and be good.
One day after her father dragged her from the hovel by her hair and kicked her until she threw up, the girl felt a snap inside of herself and everything became numb as she lay in a heap outside. Gasping, blood around her mouth, thick black hair strewn across the filthy ground, but the fear had vanished. Sucked away to leave her hollow and cold beneath the sun.
The girl welcomed the emptiness. The sadness, the fear, it all seemed to be swallowed into nothing after that day. It became easier not to cry, not to sob. Even when being beaten she didn't scream any more. Only the occasional gasp or grunt. Even when she was tied up in the backyard, a knotted rope tied thick around her waist, and woke in the dead of night to a rat gnawing one of her toes bloody she didn't scream. The girl instead grabbed the rat in thin, filthy hands and sank small teeth into its squealing body and ate and ate until she felt almost full. It had been the most she remembered eating since forever.
Once done she went as far as the knotted rope would let her, to scrub her hands through a patch of grass until they were not so red. The next morning her father simply thought the stains around her lips were from his punch the previous day.
She spent two weeks tied in the backyard. Most days were sunny, scorching and relentless, but some were thick with drizzle and frost. Her hunger gnawed at her belly, a constant for as long as she knew anything.
Then one day her father came to the yard with a tall bald man she had never met before. A hand in her hair dragged the girl upright and she stood without a noise of protest.
"Here she is," her father said.
"She's rather runty," the bald man sneered down at her. She stared at nothing, knowing to not make eye contact.
"So? You'll find a use for her, as you said."
"...She does have unusual eyes. Fine."
"Give me my money and take the brat."
The rope was untied from the post and handed to the man, who then handed over a fistful of money to the girl's father. Then the bald man yanked on the rope and the girl was led out of the yard next to the stranger, leaving her father in the backyard counting the money. He not once looked at her as she was led away, away from the hovel and down the dirt path until everything she knew was gone from sight.
"I'm your new master, got it?" the man said, yanking on the rope to make her quicken her pace. "Your father says you're trained already, know when to keep your mouth shut and only do as told. So keep doing that, even when I sell you. Obey all your orders, that's it."
The girl said nothing, having not been given permission to speak, and kept pace with her master despite her thin limbs and starvation. She could obey, she knew how to do that. She would do as she was told so she wouldn't be punished. She would obey her new master. Even when being sold she felt no sadness, just a great hollow in her stomach, so she was not afraid. As long as she was good, there would be no pain. She would obey.
That night when they stopped to rest half way to the nearest town, the man gave her a rice ball. It was cold, plain and unflavoured, unlike her master's hot meal, but it was the most delicious thing she'd ever eaten. The man had also been pleased that the girl had not taken the food, even with the food in front of her, until he ordered her to do so.
When they reached the town her bare feet were bloody and everything ached and her vision was spotty but she uttered not a word of protest. The sun was shining, hot and merciless, and the girl obediently followed along her master. Not at his side, she knew better than that, but two steps back.
The smooth planks of the bridge were a relief from the rocky path before and the girl kept walking, even as her master began to scout for someone to sell her to at the end of the bridge where the town began. She remained obedient and quiet, even as the sun beat down upon her, making her light headed and dizzy, while the lice squirmed upon her scalp.
She was distantly aware of the bald man calling out to passerbys moving to and fro, telling them of her obedience and silence. Of how pretty she would be with a bath and change of clothes, to be used as a maid or companion. Most ignored the man but some stopped, would have brief questions. One woman even tilted the girl's head back with painted nails, staring at her large purple eyes and tugging at her dark hair before carrying on down the street. It happened several times, pokes and prods and the occasional shake but none took the rope from her master- that would mean they were her new master, the bald man told her.
As the day stretched on she knew the man was getting irritated. He wanted to sell her quickly. She didn't know how to be more quiet or obedient so she simply stood and did nothing and hoped that would be enough.
At one point her master dragged her roughly behind him, his attention focused on two slight women crossing the bridge into the town. They were dressed oddly, in dark uniforms with hakama pants and flowing haoris. The shorter wore one in white while the taller had one with blue and pink edges. Both had clips in the shape of butterflies in their hair, the shorter a single one while the taller had two just above her ears. Both had swords at their waist, something which drew concerned looks from passerbys who gave them a wide berth.
Her master scoffed under his breath as the women crossed the bridge, "Demon slayers, can you believe that? A bunch of nuts if you ask me, running around with those swords and their stupid outfits chasing nightmares and rumours."
The girl said nothing, keeping still behind the bald man as she continued to stare blandly at nothing. She thought that perhaps the taller girl with the butterflies noticed her, pale violet eyes locking onto the girl and her stride stuttering briefly. Her master tightened his grip on the rope, pulling the girl further behind him. She made not a sound, instead listening to the soothing noise of the river flowing underneath the bridge. The bird calls in the distance, the swaying of the trees in the faint wind. The butterfly girl slowed even more, nearly stopping in front of the bald man but up ahead the other one called out to her. Words about investigating something, which the girl could not hear clearly due to her foggy vision and weak body.
A flash of long dark hair and the butterfly woman was gone, swallowed up by the town. The girl continued to blink without seeing, the welts underneath her ragged clothes itching. She wondered if her master would give her another rice ball.
When it grew dark, no one had brought her and when her master brought a room at the nearby inn he made her sleep on the floor. He would try again tomorrow, he said, before they headed to the next town. If that did not work then her master said he would dispose of her. She slept on the wooden floor and did not think upon her master's words any more, the knotted rope tied around a cabinet against the wall to keep her in place. It was nicer than the dirt floor of the hovel she was used to and had no rats to nibble at her. It was a good place to sleep. There was no leaks in the roof or drafts. The girl slept well.
Then in the middle of the night there was a loud knocking. The girl instantly awoke, shifting up onto her knees. Whenever her parents had been loud, she had to wake up quickly or would be punished for lazing around. Her master took several more knocks before he dragged himself out of the bed with an annoyed groan to stomp across the room.
The girl blinked as the door slid open to reveal the silhouette of an immensely tall man whose eyes seemed to glow with a kaleidoscope of colours in the waning candlelight. She could see how her master recoiled from the stranger, obviously taken aback by his size and appearance.
"Hello there!" the stranger's voice was gentle and sweet, as if he were smiling. "Ah, my sincere apologies for bothering you at such a late hour, but could you help me? I'm looking for two women, two lovely young ladies with butterflies in their hair. I heard they passed through recently?"
"Do you not know how late it is?" her master snapped. "Go ask the inn keeper and quit bothering me!"
"Oh I did ask him. And his tasty daughters. And the rest of the town. But it seems they don't quite know the information I seek. What a pity! So I'm trying the guests as well and you're the last one left in this sweet little village. Do you know what direction the butterfly girls went?"
"Go away, you freak."
"I'm taking that as a no?"
"Take it as a 'piss off'."
"Now that isn't very nice."
There was a sharp snick and then a thud as her master's head was cut off in a flashing of shining steel. The girl blinked as her master's body fell to the floor shortly after his severed head. His blood looked like thick black ink as it spread across the floor. The smell filled her nose, reminding her of all the times she'd gotten beaten and bleed. She did not move.
"Hm, usually I don't like eating men but waste not want not." The towering figure stepped into the room, bending down to grab her master's body with long clawed fingers. The girl said and did nothing as the stranger devoured the body, eating with gusto as the noises of tearing flesh and cracking bones filled the air.
The girl waited patiently. Was the man her new master? He hadn't taken the rope but her last master was being eaten by the stranger. Her father hadn't been killed but perhaps that was because he got money? The bald man hadn't. Perhaps this new man with the shimmering eyes was his master as well and since the bald man was bad he got punished. The girl didn't know and stayed silent. Silent was good, she averted her gaze to the floor. She would be good, so she would not be punished.
"Oh my!"
She blinked as a pair of feet suddenly filled her vision. She hadn't realized the sound of eating had stopped.
"You were such a quiet little mouse, I didn't even notice you!"
The man crouched down, looming over the girl. His silver gold hair was stained with red, as were his nails. His teeth were sharp, bloody incisors so long they poked over his lower lip as he smiled at her. Despite how tall and broad shouldered the man was his face was sweet and open, eyes large and bright. His eyes were all the colours of the rainbow. Kanji were etched into his irises but the girl could not read so she did not know what they said.
His hand was so large it easily encircled her throat, thumb and forefinger touching at her nape. The girl stared at him before remembering she wasn't supposed to look people in the eye, so her gaze dropped to his bloody smile which widened further.
"Don't worry," the man's voice was soothing, his rainbow coloured eyes glowing in the dark, "Everyone is afraid of dying. But when I eat someone, they're with me forever. Their feelings, their flesh and blood. I accept everything from them and guide them with me to enlightenment. You won't feel pain or suffer anymore. Don't be afraid, little mouse."
The girl wasn't afraid but she had not been given permission to speak so she said nothing. The man tilted his head to the side, smile fading to a confused pout.
"Aren't you going to scream?" he asked.
The girl said and did nothing.
His hand tightened around her throat, strong enough it cut off her breath. She did nothing, even when her vision began to blacken as her lungs struggled and twisted from the lack of air. After a moment his hand relaxed and she took a breath, but made no attempt to push away from him or fight his grip.
"That's strange," the man said, "Are you really not afraid?"
She blinked but did not respond. His hand loosened around her throat until he was pressing his bloody index finger against her neck, sensing her pulse. It was as steady and calm as it had ever been since that day she became empty and hollow.
"Well, aren't you interesting. I think I'll keep you," the man decided.
Sharp nails ripped through the rope tied around her waist and a moment later she was tucked into the crook of a muscular arm. The man must be her new master, the girl decided. He had taken the rope and taken her away from her old master.
He stood, humming to himself as he left the inn. The girl noticed many things as she was carried; the man did not breathe and uttered no heartbeat from his broad chest. The inn was shredded and there were blood stains across the floors and walls but no bodies. Outside in the small town it was strangely still, with many doors sliced open but like with the inn there was no bodies despite dark puddles here and there. Only a certain tense silence filled the village. The girl could not even hear any insects. Above, the moon was a glowing sickle.
"Nakime-chan!" the man's voice was cheerful, echoing through the silent village, "Would you be a darling and send me back home?"
The girl blinked, unsure as to who her new master was speaking to. Was that to be her new name? Her parents never gave her one-
There was a sharp twang of an instrument and a shoji door snapped into being on the dirt path. The girl stared as the screen slid open, revealing a room within instead of earth, and the man stepped through without hesitation, dropping down into a place that smelled of incense and lotus blossoms with the girl still held tight in his arms.
The shoji door slid shut as another twang strummed through the air and then it was if nothing had been there at all.