Jin's Story

Jin noticed Katsu's brothers arrival, but said nothing...........even after Katsu began to engage him. He never was a fan of Bishamon, and chose not to bother with him if he didn't have to......so instead, he just kept a watchful eye on the situation. But when he caught a glimpse of the wound atop the strangely dressed womans head, his attention switched to that. However before he could do much, Tahra sprung into action and he let her be....before inconspicuously stepping back from everyone so that he could make his way around the strangers, to study everything about them.



"What do you say? We talk to their leader, make a break for it, wait and see what happens? What?" he heard one of the girls say to the only male in the group. to which he responded [i]"Molly, try to relax some, we'll wait and see what happens first. It looks like these two guys are going to sart fighting and when they do we might be able to slip away unnoticed"

Jin would slip his hands into his pocket, before walking up behind the small group of friends.
"I'm afraid there's a couple of problems with your plan." he said, suddenly speaking up behind them "First, we have no leader........the village might, but we're travelers....not really permanent residents. Second, you could get a long head start, and Katsu or Bishamon there would still be able to catch up to you with ease."

He stepped from behind the small group to beside them.........so he could once again keep an eye on Katsu and Bishamon .
"Besides, do you know where you are? You appear, pretty lost....what good would running do you?" he began again "And I can seal the wound on your friends head there if you'll just wait a moment for Tahra to clean it."
After finishing his second statement, Jin pulled out a small container filled with a clay-like herbal mixture used to seal small wounds.......he dipped his pointer finger in it and swiped out just the right amount. He'd wait for Tahra to finish cleaning the wound before holding out his finger to the small fox demon, so she could take the medicine from it when ready.

Out of the blue, the boy in the group suddenly stepped back on his heel in a manner that Jin knew all to well..........so the container he had been holding suddenly fell to the ground as his hands dropped beside his lower torso, just in time to stop a kick to his stomach.
Without thinking the demon slayer instantly pulled the boys leg forward, lifting him off of the ground. He then let go of the leg and jammed his his elbow into the side of the boys head - stepping forward only after the oddly dressed boy hit the ground. Jin then pressed his foot underneath the guys neck and glared down at him, just as Kirara suddenly appeared beside him and transformed into her larger form. He hasn't hit him hard enough to knock him out, just hard enough to knock him to the ground.

"That was foolish" he spat. "I try to help your friend, and you attempt an attack?"
He'd glare down at the boy for a few more seconds before sighing, and stepping back - removing his foot from the boys neck......not being one to prolong a fight unless it was necessary, he didn't wish to prolong the current tension.

"Kirara stand down, he's no threat to you........" Jin said, as he turned around and picked up the container holding the medicine paste from the ground. "I don't want to fight you, you're only a human who seems to be frightened and lost, i understand that.........but i will if i must, so don't attempt that again...on any of us. Because Katsu over there, wouldn't be as nice' as i just was."


Jin turned back around and wiped the dirt out of the container before holding it out towards the fox demon again. "I got the dirt and dust out......what was on my has spilled, but i think there should be enough for the wound on the girls head..........so take it Tahra."

OOC: Okay, I'm done for the night, since i don't want to post again until others, especially "Bishamon", has had a chance to post! =)

Jin sighed,
"And we all call Katsu irrational for his lack of patience with people..........but these people, are so uniquely annoying" he whispered, NOT MEANING TO BE INSULTING....he was simply confused, as he then turned around to face the crying girl and her male friend.

"Your other friend here is injured-" he started, now speaking at a louder, but still soft, tone "-and you want to yell and fight? I'm sorry, but i don't understand that."
The young demon slayer simply didn't comprehend, as humans, how they weren't taking such an injury seriously. Sure, demons and half demons didn't have to worry about such things, but infections among humans is rampant and a regular cause of death in their time, and head wounds always bleed profusely, making them more susceptible for infection......so why try and stop preventive treatment?

He sighed once more, before turning towards Tahra again. "However, i don't wish to see her cry......and apparently crowds seem to distress her, so here Tahra, take the medicine....just throw it over to me when your done."
Jin would place the jar of medicine atop the demon girls head, and then make his way towards the entrance of one of the village shops several yards away. However he wouldn't go inside, and instead would tighten his jacket around his torso, cross his arms across his chest, and began to stare over towards Katsu and Bishamon - who were still in viewing range.

Kiraras small form quickly ran up beside Jins feet and peered on as well, both completely ignoring the strange humans now.......confused by their erratic behavior, and not wishing to exasperate the situation with them anymore.

"They’re too jumpy anyway. The fox should have left them in the forest where they came from.”

Jin couldn't of agreed more w/ the first part of the statement. He didn't dislike his own kind like Katsu seemed to half the time, but the erratic behavior of these newcomers was just too strange for his liking.......and besides, their manic-state could bring unwanted attention to the group during outdoor travels......as demons would likely view the foursome as easy targets.

The monks arrival onto the scene just threw another dramatic wrench into everything, as the sun begun to set. It was rather obvious the man had more than just "helping" on his mind, but the girls appeared to be able to handle themselves against the mans advances quite well........which made him smirk.


As the supposed holy-man made his offer and then walked away. Jin softly shook his head from side to side.

"I wouldn't follow him. He may be a monk, but he's a lecherous one." Tahra chimed in with.
"She's right........but then again-" Jin paused for a moment to pick up the medicine bottle from the ground and place it in his pocket. "-you have free will. Leave if you wish.....i just wouldn't waste time thumbing it over for too long if i was you. Once it's dark, as you should know, you'll make easy victims."


Lord Bishamon didn't seem to be making a move, and the weight of his swords on his side was becoming a bit annoying.........but he'd wait for this odd standoff of sorts to come to an end, and the four to make up their mind as to where they'd be going for night, before he'd walk back inside the small hut the group had been staying in for the last few days......anxious to sit by the small fire set in the middle, with his weapons close beside him.

The monk had an odd interest in Katsus sword, and Jin quickly took notice.
Katsu had shared only but so much with him about how he found it. But Jin had heard a story from his father long ago about the powers of a unique demon sword, but over the time they've traveled together the sword hadn't shown itself to be the one from the legends. However Jin knew it could simply be a matter of time, and was always on watch for the power to truly show itself.


A breeze suddenly brushed by the group, and Jin closed his eyes momentarily............but they shot open again at the sound of his name being called out from the crowd.
At first he thought it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but when the soft feminine voice could be heard again calling out his name, he quickly pushed himself off the hut he had been leaning against and stepped a few feet forward......just as a young girl, who appeared no older than twelve or thirteen, stepped out from the crowd.

The moment she locked eyes with Jin her face went from uncertainty, to pure relief. "Jin! It really is you!!" she said before running up and hugging him. "I have been searching all over, trying to find Kirara & you....it's been nearly a week!"
He was completely caught off guard, and didn't have much time to look at the girls face before she buried it into his chest........so since he was unsure of who she was, he didn't return the hug, and instead looked down at her, befuddled.
"I'm sorry, but who are you??" he asked......causing the girl to suddenly jerk herself back a foot or so - a look of great disappointment written all over her face. "It's me Jin.....Megu-" Jin suddenly cut her off and finished her statement, as her face was all of a sudden recognizable. "mi! Kojio's sister, Megumi! Oh my, I um, apologize.....it's just been so long.....i didn't recognize you." Jins voice trailed off as the girl once again perked up, and Kirara jumped up into her arms.



When the village of Demon Slayers was decimated by an unknown demon, and Jins entire family was wiped out in one horrible day, there were only three survivors.........him, his friend Kojio, and Kojio's sister Megumi. Him and Kojio had been in the fields when the village was attacked, and Megumi had successfully made it out of village and to the two boys without being killed.

While the anger inside of him, and the burning need for revenge - his whole reason he has been traveling in the first place - , prevented Jin from staying in his village after the tragedy, Kojio and his sister, who weren't trained in the art of demon slaying, didn't wish to leave. So after months of cleaning up the village and completing the proper burial ceremonies, Jin parted ways with his friends......but would always visit at least once a month.
But as he now stared at the young girl, he realized that it had been nearly two years since he had seen her.......and she had grown quite a bit.



"How could i not.....recognize you?" he whispered to himself, suddenly feeling guilty.
"It's okay Jin, you just-"
"-It's not okay......i should have visited you two, i just.......i guess, i just lost track of time..."

Megumi placed Kirara on her shoulder and took a few steps towards Jin - grabbing his hands in hers. "It's okay. Your journey is an important one, we understand. But...." she'd pause for a second to look at the awkward bunch of people nearby, before turning back towards Jin. "....i'm hoping you can part from your, new friends?, for a few days......because we need you and Kirara back in the village. A demon has taken refuge in the fields......it prevents us from framing for food. And every night it moves closer in towards the village gates. Once there, we won't be able to stop it from fully intruding. We've taken in a few random wanderers over the past couple of years, but they too aren't trained to slay such a fearsome demon. We need you, please. Can you come back with me and-"

[;color=Red]"-of course Megumi, i will do what i can. We should leave now, before it gets darker. Kirara!"[/color]

The small demon cat grew into it's normal large size, and Jin helped the young girl atop it's back..before turning to face Katsu and Tahra.
He wasn't really sure what to say at first........it's not like he HAD to give them any explanation for his leaving.........but in some strange way, the two of them had become his close travel companions over the last several months........so he felt he had to say something.

"My friends......need me back home. I have appreciated your companionship, and occasional help in battle, on my journey........but i must leave now. Good luck with your further travels.........be safe."
Jin wouldn't wait for a response, before jumping atop Kirara's back, with his Hiraikotsu firm in his hand, and his swords at his side. He'd nod at Katsu and then the others.........before taking off into the darkening sky.

He figured it doubtful he'd ever see any of them again.....

Thanks to Kirara, their travel time was brief.
"It's rather quite for a demon to be roaming the fields" Jin said, as the two of them hopped off the demon cat and into the tall grass outside the village gates.
"It's there, trust me...." Megumi whispered, just as the gates pushed open and there stood her brother - Kojio.
"Megu, finally.....you're back! And you found Jin!!" the boy said with a wide smile. "Hurry, come inside and rest....we have rice and warmed herb water inside."


Once inside the villages small shrine, the group made their way to a back room and sat in the middle of the floor
"Did Megu tell you of the demon stalking our fields?" asked Kojio
"Yes she did.....but feel free to tell me your take on the beast, my old friend...."
And that he did.
"It's GIGANTIC!"
"It's eating all our crops!"
"It's eyes, they're so wide and terrifying!"
Were all details Kojio threw out, as the three enjoyed their small small meal and warmed waterf. The conversation then turned into a walk down memory lane.....

"I really do miss grandpa....and well, everyone...." Megumi said solemnly....to which both boys nodded softly in agreement.

"Ah, enough of the sad talk!" Kojio piped up with after a few moments of deafening silence."Let me introduce you to the few stragglers we've let into the village over the past-" Kojio was cut off by the gate slamming shut abruptly.
"LOCK IT UP TIGHT!" one of the men yelled from outside.

Kojio grew tense. "It must be back...." he whispered.

"Well then..." Jin began calmly, as he hopped to his feet and grabbed his Hiraikotsu....which had been placed against the wall behind where he was just sitting. "...it looks as if we'll have to take care of this demon tonight Kirara!"
He'd warn his old friends, and the others, to stay back......before changing into his fighting attire, flying over the tall gates and into the fields, courtesy of an enlarged Kirara.



"There!" he said to Kirara, as the hairy back of a creature nearly 40 feet high, came into view. Jin was alone in this battle, so the size of the beast caused momentary worry...but he quickly pushed that aside as he pulled his Hiraikotsu from his back and held it over his head. "DEMON!!" he yelled out, as Kirara landed several feet behind it. The creature was so wrapped up in whatever it was eating, he appeared to not hear Jin. So the demon slayer spoke up again, but this time in a much more antagonistic manner.."DEMON! Turn and face me......unless you're afraid of a painful death.....from the likes of a lowly human."
A small smirk appeared on Jins face after the the sarcastic comment, as the massive boomerang rested up on his shoulder.

"D-D-death!??" the creature said.......in a surprisingly kind and frightened voice, as he slowly turned to face Jin.
When the Demon fully turned around, the smirk on Jins face turned into a smile for a few brief seconds before he burst out into laughter, and his Hiraikotsu was swiftly hooked onto his back again.
"Meiji? It's you!?......what are you doing in our fields, and wetlands, eating all our bean crops and rice? You've scared my friends up there to death...."
"W-what!?? Oh no, i'm so sorry, I-I....well, I just got tired of the berries and herbs from the trees inside the forest. I wished to try something um, different...i didn't mean any harm, really!!"

Meiji was the resident guardian of the neighboring forest Jin had befriended him in childhood, so he knew that while being immensely large in stature, and intimidating via stare, the furry demonic creature was a gentle giant.......who was often scared of his own shadow. It was rare the guardian traveled out of the forest, but apparently he had taken quite the liking to the beans & rice in the fields

"You know, they thought you were a blood thirsty demon trying to take over our land....."
"WHAT!?"
"Yeah. You should be more careful....your looks are pretty intimidating."

Meiji sighed. His only friends, outside of Jin and a few other humans, were the creatures inside the forest he dwells, and he frequently wishes he could commingle with the rest of the people in the villages around the land more......but deep down he knew that just wasn't meant to be.

"I'm sorry Jin, i'll-"
"It's okay......come, let me introduce you to my friends before you leave."






At first his friends were uneasy to say the least, but after several minutes it became quite obvious that Meiji was far from the menacing demon they had thought he was this whole time.


"Now Meiji has agreed to not eat our crops anymore. But i don't think it would hurt our fields to provide the Forest Guardian with SOME snacks here and there.....as a way to say thanks, for possibly watching over the small group of people here?"

Meiji quickly nodded and agreed to the terms..........so did Kojio and his sister.
The Forest Guardian parted ways with them, and after a few rounds of stories over more warmed herb water, the group fell asleep.





---------------------------------------------------





Jin yawned, as he woke up to Kirara licking his face, like an average house cat.
"Morning already?" he muttered, not wanting to get up. But just as he was about to doze off again Megumi burst through the doors. "Jin, Jin! Wake up!! I'm going to go the market, want to come?"{/color]

In all reality he didn't, he could of slept for hours longer. But being one who rarely says no to a kind request, he smiled and said "Sure" instead.



By an hour later Jin was fully dressed in his normal clothing, and him & Megumi were at the market miles away. However, instead of buying anything, they instead went fishing in a near-by lake.


A few hours later they were almost home, walking w/ both their arms where lined with freshly caught fish.
[color=DarkRed]"You didn't have to carry much, really, we could always go back tomorrow!" Megumi said, as the village gates came into view. "I'm really glad you're back home! We've missed you." Their was a wide smile on her face........but it quickly vanished as she studied Jins facial response. "You're leaving again..........aren't you?" she said softly. Jins face was kind, but serious, when he looked down at her to respond. "I'm sorry Megu......i can't just let it go. That demon killed our entire clan......our family. I won't rest and settle down until i find, and destroy it. I just can't...".





---------------------------------------------------





After a nice lunch in the shrine, Jin parted from his old village and friends once again,, and began to walk aimlessly through the rice fields and towards the forest.

He wondered about Tahra and Katsu...........where they were, if they were okay..........and if they ever figured out exactly why the bizarre strangers arrived at the village.
"Perhaps i should track them down....." he whispered to himself, just as he entered the dense foliage.

Jin smiled when Tahra jumped up on him. If anyone else would of done such a thing, he probably would of recoiled from them.....but since it was the ever friendly Tahra who did, so he didn't move a muscle.

"Oh! We should go start cooking the food before anything starts following the smell of blood or anything!" said the fox demon, before hopping off of the roof and making her way back into the hut.
"Well off we go Kirara...." Jin said to his companion, before grabbing the sack of food from Kiraras back and jumping down to the ground below......something the demon cat would do as well.

In mid jump, Jin noticed the monk from before. "The monk, is still here??" he wondered, milliseconds before his feet touched the ground.

Kirara would shrink down to her smaller size, walk inside the shack, and then sniff the small game that Keisuke had just skinned, before grabbing it in her mouth and pouncing over towards the fire pit & Tahra.
Jin however, would stay outside to respond to the Monk.....who had greeted him with; "Well hello there my good slayer. Where have you been all this time?"

"Hello...Kiske, is it?" Jin Responded. "Like i mentioned before, i had to leave to attend to something in my village.........turned out to be an innocent misunderstanding. I must say though, i'm a little surprised to see you here still."
Jin would then walk into the shack, but stop to hold the cloth at the door for Kiske. "The name is Jin by the way...." he'd say, with a hesitant smile.

Once the monk decided to either enter, or stay outside, Jin would walk inside the shack, place his Hiraikotsu in the corner, and then take a seat against the wall near Tahra and Kirara - placing the foot beside him on the ground.
"So where is Katsu? Did something happen with Bishamon??" he'd ask the fox demon, with a slight trace of concern in his voice.

Jin listened to the monks point of view, before speaking up again. "I wasn't suggesting the two began a fight.....i merely meant Katsu might of left on his own to follow his brother, if the circumstances were right. You have yet to experience the rivalry between the two of them.....at least, the rivalry in Katsus mind. But it doesn't matter, whether he left because of the sword, or his eldest brother, i'm sure he's fine. If he wasn't, despite his pride, i beleive he'd find us and ask for help. Now," Jin would put the left over rice and semi-cooked fish he brought with him from his village, beside Tahra and the firepit. "It's not much, but i brought this from my village. We have rice fields there, and managed to catch a few fish before i left.."

He suddenly noticed Deirdre come into the hut rubbing the back of head, and couldn't resist the urge to ask what was wrong.
"Are you hurt!??" he asked, before standing up and walking behind her to see if there was any blood. Jin went to grab her hand to see if there was a knot underneath it, but then remembered how abnormally jumpy these three seemed to be, and decided against it. "I guess it's not that bad" he'd say softly, before walking back over towards the firepit and sitting beside it. "This fish could stand to be cooked a bit longer...." he said to no one in particular, as he untied the fabric around the bundle of food.

His eyes then glanced at the strangers clothing again, and he had to ask."Perhaps you went over this in my absence, but i'm curious....where exactly are you all from? I've traveled to many places, and have never seen clothing as such."