Tengen eventually slowed his pace just as dawn was breaking and came to a stop at an abandoned looking shack. "The sun is rising and we've gotten far enough away from the danger," he concluded aloud. "So we'll stop here and rest for a while."
He then set her down and she swayed a bit, still reeling from the mild whiplash she received from their swift escape. When she regained her balance and thoughts she spoke.
"Wow…That. Was. Amazing! Your speed…it's incredible!" The brunette commented incoherently before realizing something. "Wait…Now that I think about it, you must be one of that group of strongest slayers! What were they called again? Ha…Hash…" She trailed off into thought, trying her hardest to recall the proper title.
The white haired male let her sit and simmer for a minute, then finished for her. "It's a Hashira," he stated simply before pointing to himself confidently. "And I'm the Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen."
"Hashira of course! I've only heard of them in passing and all the slayers I've almost crossed paths with are lower ranked slayers, so you're the first I've actually met! To think, meeting a Hashira of all things…" The female rambled on excitedly. As she finished she turned to face the male who was gazing at her with an utterly blank expression.
She flinched and continued meekly, "…Sorry. I'm Shinomori Fuyume…"
"Shinomori Fuyume…You seem to know a lot about the corps despite the fact that you're not wearing the uniform," Tengen stated seriously and she tensed up in response. "So tell me…Are you working under cover, or are you currently in possession of someone else's nichirin?"
Fuyume flinched at his question, for his assumption was horrifyingly one hundred percent correct. She thought about evading the question and making another attempt at escape, but now that she knew she was in the presence of a Hashira, she concluded it would be impossible to shake him if she tried.
Of all people, why did she have to encounter someone like him?
She took a slow steady breath to calm herself down and then answered. "This nichirin…it was my brother's…" she said softly with a sad tone, trailing off before shooting him a worried gaze. "Could I be…breaking some sort of violation for possessing it…?"
"Perhaps," was all the man had to say in response, which was all she needed to hear to throw herself into a panic.
"No, no, no! This is bad! I've probably been summoned to Headquarters because of this!" Fuyume started to pace back and forth, holding her head between her hands. She paused for a moment and concluded, "Escaping from a hashira is impossible so I should give in and go…" - she then started pacing again, grumbling as she argued with herself under her breath - "But I can't go! Even though it goes against my better judgement, there's something I must do first!"
There it was again.
That statement piqued the hashira's interest last night too. He decided to ask again, knowing that there were no more demon threats to interrupt this avenue of discussion. "What exactly is this 'something' you must do?"
Upon hearing his question the brunette stopped her pacing suddenly. Her back was turned towards him, but he could tell that when she drew her shoulders close and started to tremble slightly, she was clearly remembering something truly tragic.
She stood silently like that for a while, either processing the memory or contemplating on whether she wanted to share it or not. Maybe even both. Fuyume eventually released the tension in her shoulders and then without turning explained.
"My brother…was unexpectedly devoured by a demon. All I found of him was mostly eaten, except for his nichirin. I took the weapon, feeling only rage and vowed that I would take my revenge." She spoke steadily, but there was an ever so slight tremble in her tone.
"I've spent far too long trying to track it down on my own and now I'm positive I know exactly where it is, but I don't think I have much time before it could change locations again." - she finally turned to face him, revealing her tearfully determined expression - "That is why I can't go with you. Even if it means I'll be in trouble with your Master, I must kill this demon first."
Tengen listened carefully to her explanation and took a minute after she had finished to process it all. In his mind however there was only one answer.
"Your story is tragic indeed, and I give my condolences for your fallen brother as a fellow demon slayer," he stated seriously. "But I stand by the order I was given. I must take you to see the Master, and then perhaps I can offer take on your-."
"No, it has to be me! I'm the only one who will slay this demon!" Fuyume insisted. "And this is quite possibly the only chance in years that I have to do so. I will not back down on this."
The hashira crossed his arms and frowned, but saw that there would be little to no point in arguing with her if she was this insistent. 'I hate to admit it,' he thought with exasperation. 'But I may have to consider meeting her in the middle…'
He sighed and then said aloud, "Tell me where you believe this demon is then."
The brunette was taken aback for a moment but calmed down enough to pull a map from within the folds of her kimono and pointed to the spot quite confidently. Tengen stared at the map, silently gauging the distance from where they were to the pointed location, as well as to where Headquarters was located.
Finally he straightened up and concluded excitedly, "It looks like fortune is with the both of us! The demon that you're after seems to be on the way to Headquarters, so I shall accompany you, we'll slay the demon, and then you'll come with me to see the Master!"
Fuyume couldn't help but show disgruntlement at the silver haired male's plan, but after seeing his unfaltering eager and also somewhat stubborn expression, she felt that he was beyond arguing with on this. It was his way or the highway.
Still, at least he was considerate enough to find a common middle ground for the two of them.
"Okay, we've got a deal. But I only have one condition," the brunette said after some thought. "Do not carry m-."
Unfortunately she failed to finish her sentence before promptly fainting.
