The empty dojo was silent in the absence of Akaza and Ali. The sky was a pale purple as sunrise slowly approached, the horizon a symphony of warm colours as the sun was only minutes away from rising. The dojo was silent, yet not lifeless, although a simple design, the rooms included a variety of cupboards, enough to fit all of a superstar's clothes, however, the cupboards remained empty, Akaza and Ali both wore simple clothing, so instead the cupboards were in use for piles and piles of belongings, old and new. The cupboards filled with the items of the previous owner, Akaza had forcefully taken the dojo from an old collector of all sorts of items 54 years ago. The old man only took what he thought was valuable and fearfully hurried away from the mountain and the house, Akaza turned the house into his own personal dojo of sorts. It was empty, desolate and isolated with only Akaza residing there. Until Ali brightened the dojo with his inclusion.
Ali had often gone through the hordes and hordes of items that lay dusty in the cupboards, toys, old files, pens and much more. As the time ticked by and sunrise got closer, a cupboard in the corner rustled with activity.
There was something in there.
While the cupboard's movements got more and more restless, the front door of the dojo slowly creaked open, Akaza and Ali had returned. Akaza quickly shut the door, they had cut it very very short, if they were even a minute late the sun would have risen.
"What a terrible meeting. I supposed they always are." Akaza stretched out his body and walked into the dimly lit room, he grabbed a box of matches and walked around, lighting lanterns hooked on walls.
"Yeah really terrible, you had to meet your least favourite co-worker, how tough. I almost died two times." Ali deflected Akaza's comment, he believed that Akaza had no excuse for disliking the meeting. On the other hand, Ali had gone through two horrific, near-death experiences in one night. Akaza smiled and started to laugh, he couldn't help but laugh at Ali's blatant sarcasm, he couldn't explain it, Ali was like the best friend he never had, even if Ali was a student, their relationship had bloomed past the mentor-student into a friendship like no other. It was inevitable, two stubborn fighters with relentless ambition, they had too much in common. The first couple of weeks however, Ali was relentless in displaying his hate for Akaza, it took a while before Ali started to enjoy his time with Akaza as well.
"Oh right, I forgot to ask you on our way here. You mentioned Daki offering you something before Lord Muzan stepped in. What did she exactly whisper to you?" Akaza asked Ali as he crushed the match in the middle of his palm. Ali almost immediately looked away, a small pink tint spread across his face.
"Don't remember..." Ali spoke softly, Akaza's eyes glowed with curiosity as a smile spread across his face. Akaza walked up to Ali and playfully punched Ali on the shoulder, although, even Akaza's playful punches could knock a regular human out.
"Come on. Tell your mentor, I can give you advice. You're lucky I don't know how to read minds like Lor-" Akaza smiled until a sudden crash came from the cupboard in the corner. The same cupboard that had been restless with movement. Akaza's eyes shot towards the corner.
"Maybe it's a rat." Ali walked towards the cupboard, and with little hesitation, he pulled the handle of the cupboard, from the shadows of the dusty cupboard, something flew out. Within a microsecond of Ali glancing at the creature, he recognised it. Grey feathers, a defined beak and that familiar twinkle in his eye.
"Ali Junior?!" Ali shouted with both confusion and excitement, his heart bounced with joy as he saw his old friend. Ali Junior ruffled his feathers and dust flew off. Akaza's eyes narrowed and he dashed at the crow, in his eyes, it was a spy Kasugai Crow, sent to find the whereabouts. Akaza's fist acted on its own and swung at the crow before it reached Ali Junior, however, Ali sprung to block the attack. Akaza's fist connected with Ali's two arms. Both of Ali's arms felt an unimaginable amount of force and his bones snapped, an excruciating pain broke out in his wrists and forearms.
"He's a friend." Ali stood in front of Ali Junior, who hadn't even flinched from his position. Akaza looked a bit shocked as Ali stood there with both his arms broken. That same look in his eyes, the intense look that was the reason Akaza saw potential in Ali. Ali Junior was shocked at Ali's appearance as a demon, but let it slide, he had other things to worry about.
"Upper Moon Three huh? You're lucky I'm not in my prime, I'd tear you apart if I was." Ali Junior flew up onto Ali's shoulder and spoke with a serious tone then burst into laughter. The crow's laughter was unusual and weird yet contagious, Ali and Akaza both laughed in unison with the old crow. Ali's arms regenerated quickly, the power he had gained from Muzan's blood at the meeting was evident in the speed of regeneration.
"Ali Junior… What are you doing here anyway?!" Ali was still excited out of his mind to see his friend. Just the sight of Ali Junior took Ali back to his journeys with Asumi and Eira, a wave of nostalgia hit him as Ali Junior spoke again, he remembered thor first encounter in that grey forest he once resided in.
"Well, I'm here to tell you that I'm retiring from being a Kasugai Crow." Ali Junior spoke proudly. Ali's mouth went wide with surprise, and he started to laugh.
"Ali… I served 14 Demon Slayers in my time, most of them longer than the time that I accompanied you. Yet in the short time we had together… You were my favourite Demon Slayer, out of the 14 I worked with, you were the only one to give me a name, the only one to talk to me like a friend." Ali Junior's eyes sparkled as he jumped down from Ali's shoulder and flapped his wings to stay at eye level with Ali.
"That's… That's great to hear. I don't think I'd want any crow other than you man." Ali smiled, Ali didn't quite know what to say, but the silence between them was comforting and warm.
"So… Where are you going to go now? Just in case, I ever want to visit you." Ali laughed and looked at his feathered friend who flapped his wings in the air. A glistening tear seemed to form in Ali Junior's eye.
"Me? I'm going to go to a better place." Ali Junior spoke softly, "Maybe a tropical island, or a nice rainforest, I really don't know what awaits me."
Ali smiled at the idea of Ali Junior relaxing on a sandy beach. The crow slowly dropped down and landed on the floor, he walked towards the main door.
"I… I guess this is it. I can't exactly come outside because of the sunlight." Ali leaned down and looked at the crow. Ali Junior looked back at him, he fought tears with all his dignity.
"I really meant it. You really were my favourite partner. I won't ever forget you." Ali Junior's voice squawked. Ali didn't reply, instead, he gave the crow a warm smile and extended his hand, the crow stared at Ali. His wing extended and they shook hands. Ali stood up and opened the door carefully, he hid behind the door making sure no sunlight hit him.
"Ali… I heard about how you became a demon and… It takes a lot of nerve to sacrifice yourself like that. You're a strong person." Ali Junior's face was hit by sunlight, on his side of the door it was bright and sunny. On Ali's side, it was shadowed and dull.
"Can you promise me… You'll stay strong? You'll never bow down or give up?" the old crow's voice strained. Ali took a deep breath and pressed his head on the cold wood of the door, he closed his eyes.
"Yeah… I promise." Ali spoke loud and boldly, making sure the crow would hear him.
"Goodbye, Ali Junior." Ali spoke from the other side of the door. His heart broke at the fact that he couldn't even see his friend fly away, who knew when they could meet again?
"Til we meet again. Ali." Ali Junior took off, and the sound of wings flapping slowly got quieter and quieter. Ali shut the door with a smile on his face.
"Jeez…" Ali sighed with a heavy heart, the memories were overcoming him like waves on a beach. Both sorrow and joy fought in his heart as he remembered past memories, his past friends, his life before he was a demon.
Akaza put a hand on Ali's shoulder as a comfort. Ali's heart beat slowly and his eyes dropped.
"You gonna tell me about that offer now?" Akaza smiled.
"Huh?! Hell no!" Ali whacked Akaza's hand off his shoulder, Akaza laughed as Ali became embarrassed at the offer again.
Ali Junior soared high in the sky, the warm orange of sunrise awoke all living creatures. The dojo got further and further away, and the mist of the mountains clouded as the morning wind breezed. The wind breezed past the old crow's wings. Silent. For one last time, the crow's head turned back to the dojo, the vivid image of Ali, embedded into his mind.
"It's best I didn't tell him." Ali Junior thought. The image of Ali didn't leave his mind. The crow took a deep breath as it felt its heart thump loudly and slowly. Fatigue took over the crow. Ali Junior slowly dipped in altitude, as if a plane was landing, the crow slowly descended and his eyes struggled to stay open. The crow couldn't deny it. In the past years, his wings grew weaker, his feathers more grey, and his voice more hoarse.
Old age caught up to the crow at this moment, the crow knew its time had come, his heart slowed and his eyes teared up. A thought came to his mind, that he should've retired a long time ago. However, a sudden feeling of relief came with that thought, the relief of not retiring earlier, as the choice to not retire led to him being able to meet his best friend, Ali. Ali. The image of Ali pounded at the crow's head. Ali Junior's eyes opened wide, he took a deep breath and poured all his strength into his wings. The crow's last moments were taking place, yet he aggressively beat his wings, the crow rose and rose, higher and higher. Ali Junior broke out of the misty clouds of the mountain and continued to soar upwards.
Ali Junior didn't want a depressing and calm death, he wanted to have one last outburst of energy, inspired by Ali. The crow felt the fatigue continue on his worn body, the harsh breeze stung the eyes of the crow. The crow finally stopped, his wings tired out and his heart thumped out of his chest. The crow's vision blurred slightly, like a camera focusing and unfocusing. The crow's eyes glued onto the sun, which slowly rose from the horizon. It wasn't long before Ali Junior started to drop rapidly, he didn't attempt to resist the vicious fall, instead, he fell back into it.
"Hopefully there really is a better place waiting for me." Ali Junior took one last breath and his whole world went black. It fell from the grace of the sky, a black crow, falling through a cloudy sky. The ground awaited the crow.
After a life of service, troubles, laughter, chatter, journey and friendship. The crow fell at an increasing speed towards the ground.
Ali Junior's body hit the ground, it had died a while before the impact, it had passed while it was mid-air.
The crow's corpse lay on the floor, wings spread apart, a faint hint of joy on his face. He was gone. Gone to a better place.