Sunlit Blossoms is a Reverse AU Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fanfic, written by RubyLarkspur21
where Nezuko is human and Tanjiro is a demon. Cue butterfly effect! What events and fates will change when Nezuko takes up the blade under the Flame Hashira?
Sunlit Blossoms: When Kamado Nezuko went to sell her family's charcoal in place of Tanjiro, she never expected what she came home to the next morning.
Her family slaughtered, and her older brother turned into a demon, Nezuko sees no option but to find a cure and destroy the monster responsible for the attack. It will be a long journey, one full of risks and obstacles at every turn.
But for her family, what little is left of it? She'll do anything.
This work contains examples of:
- Adaptational Badass: While Nezuko was pretty awesome as a demon, she's grown a lot in strength by training under Kyojuro. Not to mention she's already taken steps to learn Sun Breathing/Hinokami Kagura far earlier than Tanjiro did in canon.
- Adaptational Early Appearance:
- Instead of Giyuu encountering the siblings, it's instead Kyojuro Rengoku that comes to the Kamado home after the attack. After a brief confrontation, Kyojuro agrees to spare a demonized Tanjiro if Nezuko agrees to train under him.
- Since agreeing to train under Kyojuro, Nezuko meets the entire Rengoku family way earlier than Tanjiro did in canon. Nezuko likes some better than others.
- Mitsuri joins Nezuko's training in chapter 7, meeting a sleeping Tanjiro in the same chapter. Like canon events, she completes training and Final Selection within 6 months of training.
- Obanai meets Nezuko in chapter 8 by nearly getting impaled with a kitchen knife. Not the best first impression, though he comments on Nezuko's decent reaction speed.
- Kagaya & Amane Ubuyashiki come visit the Rengoku estate in chapter 14 to meet the siblings. After giving permission for Nezuko to travel with her demon brother, Kagaya mentions to his wife (and Kyojuro, who's escorting them home after) that something is changing in the Corps. He doesn't know what it is, but he does know that Muzan made a huge mistake turning Tanjiro into a demon.
- Instead of Giyuu encountering the siblings, it's instead Kyojuro Rengoku that comes to the Kamado home after the attack. After a brief confrontation, Kyojuro agrees to spare a demonized Tanjiro if Nezuko agrees to train under him.
- Ascended Extra: Shinjuro takes a more active role in Nezuko's training after witnessing Nezuko performing the Hinokami Kagura on New Year's Eve. Nezuko agrees to the arrangement in exchange for Shinjuro getting sober and treating his sons better.
- Battle in the Center of the Mind: As Tanjiro sleeps for two years, he not only resists Muzan's commands but trains under the ghost of Yoriichi to resist his demonic urges to eat human flesh. By the time he wakes up, he succeeds in completely severing his mental connection with the demon king.
- Big Brother Instinct: Despite becoming a demon, Tanjiro hasn't lost his protectiveness toward Nezuko. Good thing too, as it's his protective actions that convince Kyojuro to ultimately spare him.
- The same could apply to Kyojuro with Senjuro as he promises to kick their dad out of the house if Shinjuro ever gets physical with his youngest son again.
- Cool Big Sister: Mitsuri. Enough said. She practically adopts both the Kamados, not even bothered that one of them is a demon.
- History Repeats: According to the manga, it's implied that not only did Sengoku-era Rengoku bring Yoriichi into the Demon Slayer Corps and created Flame Breathing through him, but he was the only demon slayer to defend Yoriichi when he was banished from the Demon Slayer Corps. Now we have a Rengoku who has taken in two possible descends of Sun Breathing into the Demon Slayer Corps. Perhaps a chance for Sengoku Rengoku to correct his mistakes?
- Jerkass Has a Point: Despite not liking him for many obvious reasons, Nezuko can't deny that the advice Shinjuro gives her with her Flame Breathing and Sun Breathing is ultimately helpful, especially when Kyojuro is away on missions.
- Like Brother and Sister: Nezuko practically adopts the Rengoku brothers, and the brothers see Nezuko and Tanjiro similarly. Throw Mitsuri into the mix and you have an impromptu family!
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Kyojuro’s signature smile vanishes after he, Nezuko, and Tanjiro leave the Kamado home. The reason? He has Nezuko promise that if Tanjiro ever attacks a human, she would it only decapitate him, but commit seppoku to atone. He will do the same should this tragedy occur. Only after Nezuko recognizes how serious this situation really is and agrees does he start smiling again.
- After learning Shinjuro had hit Senjuro, Kyojuro's usual upbeat personality vanishes as he has a serious conversation with his father. Basically, if this happens again, he'll be removed from the estate, no ifs, ands, or buts.
- Trauma Button: Muzan still has PTSD flashbacks of Yoriichi just from seeing one of the Hanafuda earrings. Yoriichi continues to traumatize Muzan when he appears in Tanjiro's dreams, preventing the demon king from finally finding where the blue spider lily is through Tanjiro.
- Villain Takes an Interest: When Muzan attacks the Kamado family and sees one of the Hanafuda earrings Tanjiro is wearing, he gives Tanjiro more of his blood than usual, thinking Tanjiro has the best opportunity to overcome the sun if they are descended from Sun Breathers.
