The Life and Times of an Average Coward
Chapter 21: Butterfly (Hope) in the Dark
"Oh, so we're going to a mo-mountain of de-demons that work to-together, huh?"
~Yes, that's what I got from the network.~
I swallowed down the snack that we just shared earlier with difficulty, smiling – well, more like grimacing – to Tantan in reassurance. It didn't work just as I thought, even Inocchi's sound is worried.
What am I even doing, we're going to arrive earlier than expected to our destination because Inocchi thought it would be cool to see who's the fastest out of us three, the only reason I even agreed to the stupid competition is to get my mind off to our current predicament and Tantan agreed because why the fuck not? But alas, I am stupid, because of that stupid competition we are going to make it to the demonic mountain earlier than expected.
Which I should have seen coming, since it is supposed to be our mission site.
Fuck.
"Oi bird! What did you say to Renitsu to make her scared?!"
"Inocchi don't! Ukogi is my partner!"
~Sen help!~
"Inocchi don't!"
"Inosuke no!"
"Inosuke yes! It made Ventosa cry!"
"Who the freak even is Ventosa?! I'm not a freaking massage therapy!"
"Gahahahahahaha!"
~HEEEELP!~
We settled down eventually. Ukogi permanently scarred and has now resolutely taken to either, burrowing close to my neck, or flying out Inocchi's reaching range.
Not that I blame him.
Now that I think about it, where's Inocchi's avian partner?
He cannot not have one. All demon slayers in the organization has to have one Kasugaigarasu, for communications and intel. They're essential, for a demon slayer since that's how they get information for their next extermination task. And Inocchi must have one, regardless of his wishes to not have one. Oya-sama and Kurotsuki said as much when I asked.
So, where is Inocchi's partner exactly?
"Inocchi, where's your bird partner?"
The boy just continued to sulk, kicking a pebble moodily. He's been like this since we've finished lecturing him.
"You didn't eat him, did you?" Tantan asked cautiously, his loud crow partner eyeing Inocchi.
"...mfff, shu– ek stu ber…"
I whipped my head towards him fully then just sighed, there's no use getting worked up for it.
"Don't worry Tantan, the poor bird managed to escape him before he could do more. He said that it only gives him information on where he should go next before flying away."
Of course, Tantan won't just let that go.
"INOSUKE!"
Ahhh… is this how our dynamic is going to be?
"–ould say sorry to the poor thing and repent thorou–"
Sounds exhausting.
"SHUDDUP! I GET IT ALREADY! HEY YOU, THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU STARTED THIS!"
Why are all my friends like this?
Staring at the thick fog, ominous forest noises, moving shadows and looming trees, I once again swallowed down the food threatening to crawl up my throat. My knees felt weak and I felt cold all over, nervous sweat already trailing down the back of my neck as I practically vibrated in place.
"Sen?"
"Monitsu?"
There's even some leftover light yet from the setting sun yet it made the whole mountain look more terrifying. I can hear a lot of buzzing and crawling from the area which is not good for my insect fearing heart. Spiders in particular seemed to be the ruling population here, I can't even hear any other usual woodland creature here, not even a damn bird, just insects and more insects.
"Sen?"
"Zenitsu!"
I shivered at the thought of squishy, crawly, multi-legged abominations running up my arms.
"Sen, are you okay? Are you cold?"
Warm skin touched the back of my hands, one far more callous than the other, reminding me that I wasn't alone at the mouth of the hellscape mountain.
"Don't worry Senritsu, the Great Inosuke-sama will graciously save your ass when needed."
Right, right, I'm not alone.
Smiling, I looked to my left to stare at Inocchi's mask.
"Thanks, Inocchi." I said with sincere gratitude, making the masked teen freeze and suddenly I'm being smooshed to a half-naked body.
As I am me, I blushed furiously.
"Gahahahaha! Leave it to me!"
To my right, Tantan grinned at our interaction and Nezzun tapped at her box and made humming noises.
"Tantan, Nezzun wants to be let out."
"Oh, thanks for telling me Sen."
The redhead kneels and takes off the box to settle it on the ground, I heard a latch being popped off from the inside before the cover opened and out Nezzun crawled. She stands up, pink yukata and dark haori pooling at her feet, staring at us with wide pink eyes. Her eyes settle on Inocchi and I, pale eyes lighting up before bounding to us as she grows in size, latching to me and making Inocchi take a step back.
She nuzzles to my neck and purrs.
"Haha, yeah, thank you for comforting me, Nezzun." I smiled softly at her, fixing her hair and pulling it out of her face.
She pulls back and stares at my face, seeing something she likes, Nezzun smiles through her muzzle, eyes crinkling and cute dimples appearing at the apples of her cheeks, then proceeds to pat my head with a clawed hand.
Oh God that was so cute!~
I think I just ascended.
"You alright Sen? We still need your soul attached to your body, please come back."
Tantan's amused voice pulled me back down from paradise. Catching his gaze, I pouted at his teasing grin but I immediately sobered up, knowing very well that we are about to enter a dangerous territory.
Inhaling deeply, I glanced back to the ominous mountain of doom before us, after a full ten seconds, I released my breath.
"Okay, let's do this."
It's eerily silent.
Apart from the normal forest cacophony, it's eerily silent so far, which from experience, is not a good sign. At all.
There's also tons of spider webs and spiders everywhere but that's besides the point.
"Ah… guys? Maybe we shou-should turn back, I'm getting mega bad vibes here."
Tantan looked back towards me.
"I know it's scary Sen, but we have to do what we swore to do. We can't just run away from our duty." He faces forward, swinging his interlocked hands with Nezzun as they run. "And I get what you're feeling, it's too quiet, but the scent of demons," The redhead raised his head, scenting the air. "Is not."
"Gahahaha! This is exciting! I can tell that our prey today is strong!"
I was about to tell Inocchi to pipe the fuck down when the sound of movement came to the far north northwest. Moving bodies, mechanical, bones creaking like they're about to snap, taut strings and amused female laughter.
"Did you hear something Sen?"
"Ye-yeah, up ahead. No-North northwest, there's a lot of movement there but nothing concrete. A female demon even further ahead but to the east and possible hostages she's holding from a distance, wait, that's the sound of– they have blades! There must be other demon slayers up ahead! They're alive!" I strained my ears further. "A-And they're fighting… against each other? I think the demon has to do with this in some way, they, they don't sound like they want to fight each other."
The fast jog we had going turned into a full-blown sprint.
"I have an idea everyone!" Tantan yells as he jumps over tree roots like an experienced mountain dweller, Nezzun in her smaller form keeping up with him, arms outstretched.
"What is it?!" I yelled back, because any plan is a good one, specially to this demon who is toying with her targets.
"Let's split up, I'll go on ahead with Nezuko and handle the demon, while you two help the others."
That's rational enough.
"Hey! How come you get to hog all the fun?!" Inocchi protested, fists waving in the air. Ridiculous. Can't he take the situation more seriously?!
"Because I know you'll do great helping Sen in rescuing our comrades!"
A blast of warm, almost bubbly and giddy thrum came from Inocchi, and for all that he is wearing a full head mask, I can practically see a dopy smug grin on his face, pleased blush spreading on his cheeks. But Tantan isn't here to witness it, he's gone ahead to face off the female demon.
"Damn right I will! You'll see, I'll save more asses than Tonkatsu just you wait, Totoro!"
"Who the hell are you calling Tonkatsu, stupid pig!" I sniffed, and just because I could, I went on ahead with a burst of speed.
"Get back here Tiramisu!"
"For the last time, it's Senritsu! Or just Sen!"
"Whatever!"
Someone is hiding in the bushes, scared and panicked. I assessed as soon as I entered the area littered with scuttling spiders that didn't sound exactly like spiders should. Plus, there's a demonic hum coming from the whole area, not easy to identify where it is specifically coming from, but earlier, I have a vague feeling of being observed, before it disappeared when we separated earlier.
Maybe it followed Tantan and Nezzun. Which is not a very comforting thought.
'Is this where I'm going to die? I haven't even confessed yet to Ozaki-chan.'
"Ha-Hi, I'm Agatsuma Senritsu and we came here to he–"
The faint sound of moving strings gave me a pause from coming close to the bushes, pivoting to the left, I pulled up my sword just in time to block a blade aiming for my neck. I didn't even hear until the last few seconds.
"Hey! What are you–"
My eyes widened in shock when I realized that the person before me is just a body, chest unmoving and heartbeat nonexistent, through the sliver of pilfered moonlight from the treetops there, I saw the thin sheen of pulled strings.
"You should get out of here!" The man from the bushes showed himself, dark eyes clouded with fear.
Ha, that's what I've been trying to tell my stubborn friends the whole time.
"Kotatsu!"
I ducked down and tucked myself into a roll, dodging two pointy weapons held by two corpses wearing demon slayer uniforms, again, there are strings attached to their limbs. That female demon must be using these strings to control the bodies. Quickly, I flipped to a stand and dashed forward, severing the wires sticking to their bodies. They all crumpled down like puppets with no strings attached.
The unknown older teen gasped.
'Ha! I'll show off too by chopping them to pieces!'
As soon as I heard those thoughts I whirled to face Inocchi, horrified.
"Don't even think about chopping them to pieces!" I yelled at Inocchi who looked very disgruntled.
"Why not?! They're the ones attacking us! And you and Manjirou told me that fighting against fellow demon slayers is forbidden so they must be at least punished!"
I dodged and spun away from the crying hunter who was pleading with her eyes. I gave her a reassuring smile, before the strings attached to her were sliced off and I caught her, the guy from earlier rushed to assist me with a "Thank you.".
"Get her away from here."
He nods and darts away through the underbrush.
"Idiot! They currently don't have any control with their bodies and it's most likely the demon's doing! Some of them are even still alive too! But even if they're just corpses you still can't attack them! If you're going to chop anything then chop the wires that's being used to move them like puppets! We just have to keep doing that until Tantan kills the demon so nobody gets hurt!"
Inocchi huffed in irritation but did what I said anyway. "I knew that from the start!"
Gooseflesh rose from my skin and I instinctively cut something from behind me. At first I didn't see anything, but when I peered down, there I saw four tiny spiders with round gray bodies cut in half. My left hand then suddenly moved without my control, so I glanced down and there I saw the same gray tiny spider, eight black beady eyes staring unto my soul, casually attached to my uniform sleeve, the same gleaming wire coming out of its butt.
The realization on what the fuck is happening is solidified when it was tugged to move a certain way again.
With a squeak, I sliced the web and flung my arm back and forth to throw off the arachnid.
"Inocchi! Senpai! Don't let a spider get attached to you! It's how the demon is taking control! And no Inocchi, we are not crushing the spiders, they're tiny and harder to spot, let's just focus on cutting the webs away."
The half naked teen halts from his spider squishing spree and goes back to slashing the wires to useless strings, as the older teen runs back to help us with sword in hand, his face is set in determination and fear.
"I knew that!"
We continued to slice the strings to pieces but it's all futile when the spiders reattach themselves to the bodies.
"Watch out!" I pushed Murata-senpai, who introduced himself amidst the chaos, out of the way of a swift three person skewer.
I held my breath for a good fifteen seconds to prepare my body and my lungs to switch my breath style to water breathing.
I leaped to the air in the space where I could see the shiny strings congregate and made my move.
"Water wheel!"
I learned the trick of switching styles early on in my quest to create my own brand of technique by merging water and thunder breathing to suit my body's strengths. Water for my flexibility and flow, thunder for my speed and agility.
And let me tell you, figuring it out is harder than playing Flight of the Bumblebee having stubby fingers on one hand while blindfolded with a metronome ticking at the wrong rate, and I would know, since I was dumb and ambitious enough to actually try. For one, because my body has no idea how to do it. Second, because my physique already has no inclination to the two breath styles. Thirdly, I felt like I was hacking up a lung while I was vomiting blood. Jii-chan was super concerned about this stage of breath style development, and I saw it in his face that he wants me to stop.
I had fevers because of the drastic changes in body temperature caused by technique alterations to get to the middleground. The exercises to strengthen my diaphragm and lungs could only go so far from preventing me from bleeding through my eyes, nose, ears and mouth.
It was a very terrifying ordeal and I almost gave up a quarter way, but everytime Yuu and Sachi visit I'll get my motivation back.
So yeah, I could say I'm proficient at changing breath styles, just not an expert at it and it has a fifteen second cooldown before I could even switch. And so far, my limit for switching techniques is five, if I go over it, I would pass out with blood pouring down every facial orifice.
"You can also use the Water Style?!"
"Shut up and dodge, Bowl Cut!"
"That's Murata-senpai to you!"
After five seconds of full time dodging and slicing, the human dolls suddenly stopped moving and fell on their own.
"Huh? What happened?"
"Tantan did it!" I crowed in joy.
Murata-senpai cautiously toed a body with a sad look in his eyes. I sheathed Suzu-yan back and knelt down to close the person's eyes.
"Who's Tantan?" He asked as we checked for anyone else who had a pulse, sadly, only three were left alive and had resolved themselves to go down and carry the comrades that they could.
It was a few more minutes before the question was asked again and the three people were tended to and finally capable of walking.
"Oh Pontaro? He's one of my minions." He declared, arms akimbo.
"Ignore him," I huffed. "Tantan, er, Tanjirou is the other guy that came with us to this mission to help. He's the one who eliminated the demon that did this."
"Oh." He blinked. "By the way, why do you keep calling me Senpai?"
I blinked at him in return, confused as to why it was even a question.
"Tantan, Inocchi and I are all of Rank 10 and we were directed here to provide support."
"Ra-Rank 10! That's–How come you can use different techniques then?! You have to be joking with me!" Murata-senpai exclaimed. Bug-eyed and disbelieving.
Is it really that big of a deal?
Inocchi huffs. "So what if Senritsu can? I, the great Inosuke-sama, himself, created his own breathing style." He bragged and pointed both thumbs to himself. " Now, bow down to me, weakling."
What in the hell kind of logic is tha— I swerved to face southeast. I didn't care to monitor Tantan's movement earlier because I can tell that he was heading towards us, but then something dangerous, huge and fast came out of fucking nowhere heading towards his direction with other two sounds hovering somewhere near him.
Fuck! How can I forget that there was more than one demon here?! Tantan and Nezzun are in danger! And oh shi–IS THAT ONE GUY STRONGER THAN THAT DRUM DE—
"Ren–"'
"It's Tanjirou. He's in danger, there's three demons around him, one directly about to confront him we need to–"
"AAAAAAH! HELP! HELP ME!"
I knew we were also forgetting something when we let those three walk away!
The chilling cry halted my nervous rambling, thinking quickly, I turned to Inocchi who was looking conflicted on where he should go. Then, I turned to Murata-senpai who's going gray with horror in his face, body frozen in fear, fear and panic that shouldn't be clouding my mind right now. Things would turn for the worst if I don't take actions now.
Thinking fast, I could only think up one plan.
"Inosuke," I turned to him, no silly nickname given the situation. "Go to Tanjirou and help him. I'll stay with Senpai."
Inocchi should go since he has brute force to deal with the equally brutish demon that's about to face Tantan and I'm staying because I'm the fastest, and time is of the essence for rescue.
I hope this works. Tantan is more adept at strategizing than I could ever be, but it would be the best for now since Inocchi knows nothing about it, and Murata-senpai just got out of a traumatic experience then into another, he won't be able to think clearly at this point. This is the best we could ever get.
"Fine. I'm going to go to Forehead to fight strong demons and not because you told me to alright!"
"Whatever, just go!"
I turned away and bolted out of there to the direction of the jackrabbiting human heartbeat that I can hear, distantly, I heard Inocchi do one last huff before bounding away, Murata-senpai following me afterwards, lagging behind me in speed.
Oh Gods, please let us make it in time…
It didn't take me a long time to find where they went, the sharp, heavy stench in this area is on a whole other level of foul, but not as foul as that one egg-throwing demon.
She is strangely hovering above ground on her back, likely being carried by something small, coughing up blood and losing… hair? Having no time for that, I sped up and snatched her from the thing that's carrying her and in the same movement, I jumped back while holding her in my arms, my eyes zoning in on the inflamed purple mottled skin on her neck.
I ran back towards Murata-senpai.
"Please hang in there!" Her eyes filled with tears, staring blankly at me. The hopelessness in her face and in her sound poking a hole to my heart. "Try using your breath technique continuously, it will help stop the venom from progressing further. I've been in a similar situation before and it worked, so please don't lose hope yet." Please, someone is still waiting for you. I smiled the best I could, trying my best to hold back my own tears. "Help is coming, and I'm sure the topnotch doctors we have will figure this out."
She nodded and tried for a smile that almost broke my heart, and with all the willpower she have, did full concentration breaths despite all the pain she must be feeling right now.
"O-Ozaki-chan!" Murata-senpai gasped as soon as she saw her.
"She's been bit." Thinking better than to linger here with someone injured, I gave her to Murata-senpai. "Take her down the mountain, and if you see a sparrow with a lilac kerchief, tell him to ask for backups."
God, I feel so disrespectful ordering a Senpai around. But at the moment, I am in a better headspace than him, and I could tell that Ozaki-san is someone special to him, and he's barely holding on to his calm up to now.
"But what about you?" Concern and tears glimmered in his dark eyes, Ozaki-san mirroring his gaze through hazy eyes filled with pain.
I know that he's asking for me to assuage any guilt he might feel if I turn up dead after this because he is fully committed to going down the mountain to save his friend.
"I'll be fine." I smiled with the confidence that I don't really feel. "Hurry down to get her treated."
With one last nod, she carried her away in his arms, determined to save Ozaki-san more than anything, while I turned back to face where the foul crawling sounds and foul sharp stench were coming from.
Well, time to face the awful music, I guess.
I exhaled and rubbed the remaining tears out of my eyes with an arm.
Okay, let's do this.
Let's not do this.
I gaped at the floating house, the huge ass Spider Demon with his spider body with a young man's head, the strewn human's caught in his web in the process of turning to his mini-me's and the mini-me's currently trying to climb up the tree that I'm on.
My mind had stopped processing his villain rant and is currently hyperfocusing on the fact that I've been bit and would turn into a brainless spider minion soon under 30 minutes. And, oh God, Ozaki-san has been bit too and I hope she's doing fine and not turning into a spider minion yet.
That, and the fact that I don't really want to turn into a spider monster.
(Her head provides the image of the Centipede Demon and his dark satisfied chuckles.)
"SHUT UP!" I clawed at my ears to get rid of its stupid voice in my head. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT! UP!" But no matter what I do, the image won't go away, nor will the sound of its voice. "I'm not going to turn into a monster like you! I'm NOT!"
"Oh yes you are!" The Spider Demon pleased thrill makes me dizzy, or was that one of the symptoms? "Don't worry girly, after you've turned into a spider your brain would already be completely mush for me to command. You'll be one of us. Running is useless, yes, so just give up, and accept your fate."
"SHUDDUP! I CAN'T TURN INTO A MONSTER JII-CHAN WOULD BE–"
(Disappointed, she was just a waste of time after all. He wasted his time and effort on someone as untalented as her. What a joke? Why did she even say she'll help Yuu and Sachi with their dreams? Why did she think she could help them? She's just a nobody after all. Why did she even say that she'll help Tantan to save Nezzun? She can't even help and save herself. Now she's going to die. Turned into a monster because she was stupid and wasn't careful enough.)
I gazed at the hair gathered in my palm, they came away after one measly pull. So, I'm going to go bald as I morphed into a horrifying monster, huh? Why the fuck didn't the spider freak said that?
I wonder if Inocchi managed to reach Tantan on time. I hope he did, too many lives have already been lost on this mountain. I would be sad if he followed me to the afterlife too.
My eyes fell on the skittering abominations that looked exactly like Babyhead in Toy Story, other than being nightmare fuel it's also silly looking. The venom and hysteria is really getting to my head.
It made me giggle.
It's the thing that startled me earlier when I was just reaching this zone, the reason why I fell from being jumpscared, then subsequently got my hand bit by a small spider scattered on the ground.
Remembering that, it made me giggle harder.
I felt lighter for some reason, like I was myself but was not. I felt calm, my mind clear of negativities that I'm used to hearing in my own head, it's a bit unsettling really, but who cares, I've stopped crying didn't I? Maybe it's the venom messing with my head or I've gone and totally cracked it.
"Oi! Have you finally turned insane because of your hopeless situation?"
Hearing him speak turned my giggle to full blown laughter, laughter that was followed by tasting iron that flew out of my mouth. I still didn't stop laughing.
"Ma-Maybe." I swatted the things with my Suzu-yan, and lost my head as it all made a 'thwomp' sound as it hit the ground. My gaze turned to him, and whatever he saw in my face, made him uncomfortable.
Maybe it's the too wide joker worthy grin I had going on.
Whatever, he deserves being unsettled for doing this shit to me. Besides, it's distracting him into doing nothing else but watch me. That's a win in my book, especially when the numbness is settling down to excruciating pain.
"You look like Babyhead."
"What? What nonsense are you spouting now, crazy wench."
For effect, I giggled and stood on the thick branch I was on, I swayed a little and had to steady myself with the trunk.
"I said, you look like Babyhead, you know, from Toy Story, a baby head doll attached to a mechanical spider body."
"Ha," He turned away, appearing put off with my crazy act, but I can tell from the sound of his ugly beast heart, I heard a tremor of fear in there. "What a complete waste. I should kill you now since I have no room for a defective slave."
"You even have a baby face." I continued, tilting my head to the right and blinking away to get rid of the double vision. If I have to slice off his neck quickly, I have to be precise about it. I can't afford to waste my movements. "Maybe I should get a closer look."
At my words, he looked horrified, it's a hilarious expression on his dotted face, so I laughed, uncaring of the burning ache writhing in my body, uncaring of the blood fountain that gushed out with it.
Is this what they call hysteria? I don't understand. But it sure feels 10x better than crying or fainting!
"What are you guys waiting for? Get her! Put more venom in that crazy wench!"
The little things that had been staring up at her for a while started climbing up her tree of choice.
"Oh~ Is the baby afraid?"
The demon leered at me, but the trilling of fear just became louder. I canted Suzu-yan towards him, my thumb teasing her guard just so the little bells would chime in her answer while my right hand hovered over her hilt. I adjusted my stance, but to the demon, I appear to stagger, steadying my right leg to support all my weight.
I pouted and he sneered in answer. "You don't have to worry though, it'll be over,"
The world blurred to a mess of dark gray colors before it doubled, and tripled, and right itself and I am falling, the moon looking so bright and so big in the sky, the stars winking at me as my vision goes wonky.
"Soon."
My body falls on the wooden house thankfully, the sound of falling ash already out of my mind as I focus more on my breathing.
I can't…
My mind flashes to Jii-chan huffing and hitting his cane with the palm of his hand, of Tengu-jiji, standing there, shaking his head in disapproval.
I can't just…
I stared at the moon above, its waxy gaze reminding me of Yuu, Mei-nii, Mui-chan and Nezzun.
Not now…
The flickering balls of gas glittered one by one, fiery and unafraid to be the light in the dark, reminding me of the boisterous fights between Sachi and Kai, of Tantan's incandescent warmth and Inocchi's want to shine.
Not yet…
A breeze passes by, cooling me even more, its pressure makes the strung up house rock and the wood debris to clatter around, distantly reminding me of drums, the bells on Suzu-yan chimed alongside the percussion.
I closed my eyes.
"Songbird?"
I woke up lying on a sea of red, I could hear a river running just a few paces, and on the other side I could hear a familiar tune that made me bolt up.
"Kaa-san?"
Across the river is a beautiful woman with the same amber eyes I often see in the mirror.
"Kaa-san!"
I stood up and made a run for it, but the flowers on my feet kept tangling my legs up.
"Kaa-san!" I stretched out my hand towards her with tears already falling on my cheeks, when she mirrored my motion I couldn't help but cry harder.
"Kaa-san, wait for a second, I'll be there!" I glared at the stupid flowers at my feet, it seems like trying to wriggle around made them tangle even further.
"Don't."
The achingly missed melodious voice made me look up, my heart squeezing at the sight of her crumpling down on the field of red flowers, tears running down her cheeks as she shook her head. I struggled on my binds to reach her, but it was all futile.
"But Kaa-sa—"
"Don't," She shakes her head vigorously, her flowing hair following the motion. "It's not your time yet."
"I don't understand." I stopped struggling, the flowers somehow grew and went up to my hips, surrounding it in a tight circle. I shook my head. "I don't understand."
Through her tears she smiled, the same breathtaking smile she gave me all those years ago. Filled with such joy and love and warmth that it enveloped my whole being despite the unreachable distance.
"It's not your time yet, my Songbird. You have to go back."
"Go back?" I twisted my body to see the white nothingness behind me.
I faced her again. "Go back to where?"
"They're waiting for you Sweetheart."
"They?"
My mind flashes to everyone, to Yuu, Jii-chan, Tengu-jiji, and everyone else I hold dear, smiling faces on each one.
"Oh."
"You have to go back my darling, they're still waiting for you."
I swallowed and nodded.
"But what about you?"
"Hm?"
"Will you wait for me too?"
A new flood of tears came rushing down the woman's eyes. Yuu was right, they do look alike.
She nods.
"We'll wait for you until it's time."
"We?"
She nods again.
I rubbed my tears off with an arm, willing my body to turn away from her lest I make another run for it.
The flowers untangle themselves from me.
"I'm glad you're not alone then." I resolutely stared up to the nothingness and started marching forward
"I would have come to you if you were, regardless if it's my time or not. Kaa-san shouldn't be alone after all."
Then, I kept walking and walking without turning back, I would be tempted to stay if I stayed there for another second. The urge to turn back is strong, it's so strong that it physically hurts. So I howled to the nothingness because I don't know how to contain all of it. The tears won't stop coming down as I resolutely strode to somewhere in this white, expansive, blank plane.
I wailed, but there's no one there for it to hear. I was alone, it weighed in my heart like an anchor, each step I took felt like I was sinking, I don't even know if I was going the right way. There's just no direction in this, whatever this place is, but still, whatever this is, it felt familiar.
(It's like she's walked in this place of nothingness, a sense of strong deja vu right at her core. And maybe she had been to this place, when she just died in that first lifetime, but placed into a new body, shocked, traumatized and grieving, she ultimately forgot about it.)
I walked and walked until I woke up to another dream. The bright moon above with the twinkling stars, peering from above was a beautiful fairy. For a dream, my everything hurts and the taste of iron on my tongue too potent. I scrapped the idea of this being reality with the very fact that I'm staring face to face with a fairy, or an angel, but with butterfly wings, it's so surreal and hazy that it could be nothing more than just a dream.
The beautiful dream fairy lady gave me a painted smile, her colorful butterfly wings shimmering under the moonlight, her wide purple eyes almost doll-like, reminding me of Yuu and his ever-blue eyes hiding the writhing raw rage and grief.
"Is… Ozaki-san sa-safe? Is every-everyone?" I asked, trying to find reassurance despite this all being a figment of my subconscious imagination.
The dream fairy's smile turns into something more real, something less airbrushed and put on for show, warmer, her eyes crinkling just right to reflect the light from the moon above.
"Yes, " Even her voice is dream-like, airy and soft and floaty. "And thanks to Agatsuma-san's quick thinking, the spreading of the venom in Ozaki-san was slowed down and I was able to administer the antivenom just in time. Everyone who came with Agatsuma-san is okay as well, so she doesn't have to worry and should focus more on her recovery."
I blinked languidly, trying to process what she just said, and when I did, I found myself smiling, it scrunched my eyes just so and let a lone tear fall on my cheek.
"That's go-good… I'm happy tha-that everyone is okay."
Unbiddenly, my eyes closed again.
The woman left alone on the field of spider lilies cried and cried, happy and sad at the same time, overwhelmed with emotions after seeing her daughter, all grown up but still the same sweet child she loved.
A man walks up to her, kneeling down to join her while another hovers on the back.
"Is our daughter pretty?" The man with dark spiky brown hair and split thick eyebrows asked, his brown eyes dewy with tears but not falling. He wipes the tears of the woman instead.
"The, the prettiest." Suzuran answers. "Oh, she's the prettiest Akihito, you should have seen her."
"I can't, it's not my place." Akihito shakes his head.
"What are you saying? You're her father!"
"Yes, that I am." He nods agreeably. A sad smile lighting his youthful face, a smile that Suzuran notes once again to be similar to their daughter. "But she doesn't know me, if anything," Akihito turns to the bear of a man who's standing awkwardly behind them. "This guy over here should've seen her."
Daiki scoffs and crosses his burly arms. "What nonsense, Aki. If you won't see her, then I won't see her. Simple as that."
"You both are stupid. Men are stupid."
Suzuran scoots away from her husband, head turned away.
"But I'm glad that she's not alone." Her voice shakes, a new batch of tears going down her face.
"I'm glad that she's happy."
Akihito didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around his wife, tucking her face to his neck the way he always did when she cries. It serves to make her cry harder.
"I'm glad that she is happy too."
Giyuu is beside himself in worry. Seeing Senritsu, his precious, loving little sister, looking pale, with her own blood spattered on her lips and breathing harshly in concentration breaths makes him want to tear the dead spider demon's ashes apart. His stomach is heavy with guilt, his mind loud and blaring dark voices of how she shouldn't have been experiencing this in the first place.
(It's his fault. He's the one who pushed her to become a demon slayer. Because he was selfish and couldn't let go of his hatred, and Sen was too much of a loving fool to follow him in his steps to help with his dream of protecting innocents from the same experience they had. He was too much of a selfish coward to dissuade her into following him. Giyuu wishes that he had tried to discourage her stronger, but he knows that it would be useless in the end at the face of Sen's stubbornness.)
Kochou gazed at him in a new light, with dawning understanding after finding out Giyuu's connection with Sen, it made something in his stomach twist at her sympathy, but he ignored it and kept his gaze on Sen.
"I could carry her instead. What if you jostle Sen in her sleep? What if you trip and take Sen tumbling down with you? What if you injure her further. On second thought, maybe I should carry her."
His hands were about to take the precious cargo from the frightened female – it was a man earlier, a man! How dare he lay his hands on a defenseless Sen! – kakushi when another hand strikes his arms down.
"You're getting ridiculous Tomioka-san. I know that you're worried, but the Kakushis know what they're doing, so quit harassing them already or you'll be further delaying your precious Sen's treatment."
Blue eyes glared fiercely to raging purple but after a while, Giyuu backed down because he knows that he kept this up, he is going to exacerbate Sen's condition.
So, with great reluctance, he relented and stepped away, making the Kakushi relax significantly but no less tense with his gaze solely focused on the patient swaddled to her back.
"Everyone, we will be moving in five minutes! Make sure that the patients are secured and the recovered bodies properly prepared for transportation!" Kochou commanded the whole encampment with great cheer that is wholly inappropriate for the somber atmosphere.
But everyone replied with a "Yes, Ma'am!" anyways.
Who would have thought really, that the cold, strict, stoic Water Pillar would have a younger sister. A younger sister who shares no physical resemblance whatsoever to the said Pillar. It's almost as shocking as the news of a newly minted demon slayer, running around carrying his own sister turned demon alongside his missions. The most shocking part of it all is that THE cold, strict, stoic Water Pillar Tomioka Giyuu is the one who knew about it. And Tomioka Giyuu has a reputation of slaying demons without prejudice, whether they appear to be a child, a woman or an old man, he would not hesitate to strike them down.
All of them could only wonder, what's so different about this demon that made Tomioka Giyuu let it live?
The Kakushis eyed the little demon girl now secured in its little box, large pink eyes stared at them in curiosity at first before going back to eyeing the three badly injured demon slayers that it came with. They all note that despite their being a huge amount of blood in the air it didn't appear hungry at all, its eyes devoid of bloodlust, it didn't even try to make a run for it, just obediently staying on its box like Kochou's Tsugoku asked it too. Its pink eyes, they note, only straying to its brother, Tomioka's sister and the weird boar guys forms, again, there's no hunger in its gaze despite all the blood the three were covered in, all it has was worry and crazily enough, a haze of sleepiness.
Whenever it nods off in sleep, it would jolt awake and shake its head, then its eyes would trail again to the injured three. And whenever she wasn't able to see them in her line of sight, she would coo in distress so the Kakushis moved away just in case it would aggressive.
It never did.
When the preparation was done, the demon had already fallen asleep, and no noise seemed to wake it up as Kochou's Tsugoku slung it over his shoulders.
They want that this weird night to be over already, and strangely enough, even while there's a weird little demon being carted in their midst, none of them felt nervous at all. Rather, the discovery of the weird little demon felt like a sign from the Gods above, like a long awaited answer to a grand mystery.
They could only hope that whatever answer it might be, it would be for the good of humanity.
Omake: The Blood that Binds Us
(AU in where Senritsu was born during the Feudal Era and was saved by a terrible man)
"Don't say it." Blood red eyes, cold and unforgiving as they are, held the shimmer of plea, of fear.
How unfitting and unusual for a cruel man like him. What she has to say he does not want to hear.
She opens her mouth again. "But—"
"I don't like repeating myself." He cuts her off, the statement is as monotone as before, dismissive.
Controlled anger flared bright in his burning gaze, the air of power and death and authority filled the room in a suffocating chill, grinding everyone in the vicinity to freeze and gasp for aching breath while bowing over to him and his might. She stood her ground still, unflinchingly staring straight to the vision of crimson reflecting her face in its unnatural beauty.
The exchange of gazes did not let up, she knows that she is the only one capable of staring into his eyes straight ahead without dying by his hands. To the powerful and inhumane such as himself, he had made many exceptions and liberties only for her. Only she alone can try to defy him and live, he finds it amusing to see her struggle against the binds and chains that he had wrapped around her beautiful wings, but still only she alone has these liberties and freedom to question him, no one else.
(But much to his distaste and fondness, she rarely takes advantage of said liberties, and most of the time not for her own benefit. Such a silly child.)
(It's her retained humanity that he finds amusing. After all these years since he ripped what he sowed for his gracious favor he had given her, she still looked at him with the same eyes as she had when he first met her. A tiny thing with matted dark hair, malnourished and maltreated by her own kin, unnamed and unwanted, looking at him with those weary determined eyes holding the promise of devotion, faith and warmth as she pledged all of herself to him if he kept her alive until the spring of her adulthood. They were eyes that are much too old for her body, but it's there, the burning inferno to stay alive, the overwhelming want to survive.
It's the same eyes he saw in the mirror all those years ago, when he was a child, frail and pale in his sickness.
For that, Kibutsuji Muzan is amused and maybe a bit endeared, humored her meager request and bestowed her the name *Senritsu, for her terrible fate for finding sanctuary in a great and terrible monster.)
After twenty seconds of eye contact between ruby red and amber gold, she sighed and nodded her head in agreement, fondness, exasperation and resignment coloring her features. Beautiful and youthful for all eternity, forever stuck in the spring of her prime, the most beautiful of all his unique creations.
(Muzan has no need of marking her eyes to claim her as his, when he already holds her soul within the palm of his hands. Besides, he does not want to mar the beauty of that golden gaze, akin to the searing warmth of the sun, his Sunshine, glorious and burning all at once. He does not want to blemish that beauty, for what is a king like himself without his most treasured gold piece, one that rivaled the beauty of the sun itself?)
"Okay."
The woman's rosy lips turned up, the smile of the Buddha he notes, someone who had reached acceptance wholeheartedly. Muzan can hear all his closest subjects fawning within the link, he lets them do so for it is only right to be in awe to the extension of Muzan's greatness.
"This servant shall hold this conversation once again since Milord is displeased." From her graceful seiza, she bows into a kowtow. Elaborate black kimono pooling around her artfully, it plays contrast with her golden silk hair and fair rosy skin. Like he thought, black, red and gold are his treasured Sun's colors. "This servant is grateful for the Lord's graciousness for letting this servant speak and hold an audience within his court."
Muzan lets her stay bowed for ten seconds as he usually would, rivalling the full minute he gives to his closest subjects.
"You may rise and go back to your station."
She rose from her obeisance, eyes casted down in deference, but before she could take a step to hold her place to sit beside his throne, Muzan's troublesome second moon opened his mouth.
"Ano… Muzan-sama, if you're not going to consume her, can I do it in—stead?" The fool continued to speak despite having been beheaded by his furious first and pierced straight through the back by his enraged third.
"How dare you, filth!" The fake sixth shrieked like a banshee, stomping repeatedly on the fool's head. "Daki's right," The real sixth snarled, joining his sister on turning the fool's head into a smear on the ground. "You filthy scum don't even deserve to get looked at by Osen-hime-sama!"
"Dacchan, Gyu-tan." The light reprimand sees the two going back in line immediately, faces still set in ugly scowls.
"Seki-chan, don't think I missed you taking his tongue, and you too Gyo-chan, for the last time, please stop stealing Madao's eyes."
The emotionally unstable fourth grits back a growl and tosses away the dismembered tongue.
"He should stay quiet if he wants to keep it."
"Ohhh… but I want it for my art." The fifth and living abomination, whines and Muzan had enough of it.
They may have jumped for his precious jewel's defense, but all their arguments are getting tiresome to Muzan's ears.
"Silence."
The room's temperature climbed to a chilling level, the biwa music halts with a twang as everyone bowed at his anger.
"Milord, please calm your anger the children are–"
"I said silence." Muzan flashed towards Senritsu, picking up her chin and squeezing it. Until now, there is still no glimpse of fear in her golden eyes.
"You cannot keep shielding them for their disobedience, dear Senritsu."
All the demon moons, his unruly servants, held their breaths in pain and he let them stew in it and there, finally, fear entered those eyes, making them glow brighter. Lovingly, he let his free hand caress her cheek, making sure to trace those eyes, still focused solely on him.
"And you cannot make me… devour you either, so cease your useless pestering."
Why would Muzan even do such a thing?
"You have nothing to fear, dear, they won't be able to kill me. I will find another way to walk under the sun with you."
(Muzan knows that Senritsu wants him to absorb her in fear that he would die, and that she would be left alone for all eternity. This child, after so many decades past, was still the same one who cries when she is left alone for a mere week, fearing that she would be abandoned again, yet one who would meekly greet him with red eyes and gap toothed smiles. This silly child, it seems, has not outgrown that worry.)
Yes, his goal is to conquer the sun, to bask in daylight once again, to not live in the shadows he so hates. Yes, he might be able to do so, by absorbing his most precious masterpiece, his finest creation. After so many decades of yearning for light by his side, she is finally capable of walking under the sun, and she wants to give her life to him to fulfil his greatest wish.
But why would he do so when Muzan is a creature of greed and vanity?
He wants to have it all, why not have one Sun to conquer when he can have two?
Muzan wants to keep the sun that he has stolen from humanity, and to conquer the sun that shields humanity from him.
Why can he not have both?
Muzan did not mark Senritsu's eyes not only because of their beauty, he had feared that with the mark it would lose the warmth it held when it gazed at him, or worse, a gaze that was made to burn like the sun he so hates.
"No matter what, my precious Sunshine," He kisses her forehead gently, ignoring the chokes and gasps of pain that surrounds the room.
Muzan moves away, red eyes trained to glowing amber.
"I won't let them take you away."
"You are my Sunshine,
My only Sunshine
You make me happy~
When skies are gray"
Tears after glistening tears fell away in those eyes and Muzan thought, seeing such a sight is much more painful than being burned alive.
"Muzan-sama, Muzan-sama, please, take me! Absorb me! Please…"
Senritsu pleaded, bodily shielding him from the sun, the burning wings of flames and lightning on her back cocooning around them protectively as demon slayers futilely try to penetrate the barrier of frozen flames from the outside. They yell and scream their attacks, but it's all useless when the wall keeps regenerating itself, not even a second it was slashed away.
(They were taken by surprise, nobody knew up until now that Senritsu was a demon, that she, for decades, dawned the facade of one of her descendants as a demon slayer or an informant. They didn't know, for years, that she slayed demons for the side of humanity to get back relay information to him, but Muzan knew that Senritsu undertook this to slate her guilt and somewhat alleviate human suffering, Muzan granted - lies - her this to keep her obedient and happy - lies - to stay under his command.)
"Stop it child, it would be all useless," He coughed and the child only cried harder. "that Tamayo woman made sure that if I were to absorb more blood, it would only hasten my aging further, it would only serve to hasten my death."
"But," Her lips wobbled. "But what about me? Please don't leave me."
Muzan remembered her pleading face all those years ago, fear of being abandoned, fear of being alone.
And like before, he finds himself saying these words again.
"Pardon me," those eyes trailed all over his face, hands shaking as more of him turned to ash. "But I have to–"
"Father! Don't leave!" She wailed, the sound of blades outside halting.
His eyes widened at her interruption, her warm tears dripping down to his face catching at his lashes and trailing down his face like he was also crying, like he is also like Senritsu who has a human heart with eyes capable of tears.
"You said that you won't ever leave me alone, you promised it. You promised that you'd walk under the sun with me one day. You promised that we would see the world together! So why are you leaving me now! Why are you, are you leaving me?"
Muzan's vision blurred, this pain, it's more searing than the infuriating ball of gas hanging from the sky. How funny, he always thought that this sun creation of his is the only sun that would never cause him pain, but here he is, head on her lap and feeling like his eyes and heart are being burned off by just her words.
"I apologize," How great is his sunshine to get him to apologize. "But I have to leave first, dear," Muzan reaches out to her, but his hands crumble into dust midway. "Take care now,"
"You'll never know, dear~
How much I love you"
His left eye and part of his head follow suit, fragmenting, but he keeps his gaze steady on her, despite all the pain and blurriness in his eyes, taking in her beauty, her warmth, her love. For one last time.
And for one last time, he lies again.
(She isn't just a beloved creation, but a beloved person to his guarded heart. The only one he let in and never released. He bound her to him, chained her wings down so she won't fly off, imprisoned her to have her remain by his side. But this time, Muzan would let her go with this lie, let her find happiness of her own.)
"Beloved Servant."
(Beloved one, dearest daughter, his sweet little girl, his treasure, his Sunshine.)
Muzan whispered to the winds and he knew no more.
"Please don't take,
My Sunshine away~"
Omake: All is Fair in Love and War
(OHSHC AU)
Tamaki openly gaped at the student who entered the double doors of their classroom, she wasn't alone, surrounded by two boys who's as striking as her, the three of them gathering the attention of everyone else present in class like the way Tamaki and Kyouya had earlier but with more curiosity and awe.
Tamaki couldn't really begrudge them, the three are new faces here in Ouran, most students know each other already, having known each other since nursery or because of business ties, family ties or business rivalries. And, even if they don't know each other's names, faces have become familiar enough, unless you are sadly too plain and average.
Both boys are quite tall – the girl too with her being a few centimeters shorter – and more muscular than most teens. Athletes perhaps, Tamaki muses. The taller of the two has wavy burgundy hair that gleams crimson under the room's bright light, it's all natural as far as he can tell. His red eyes were kind and warm like two pools of heated rubies, despite the unnatural color it didn't come off as unsettling, they were rather lovely in Tamaki's opinion, especially with his warm tan. His facial structure masculine, a strong jaw and a wide brow, his nose straight and the kicker for his beauty, a lovely heartwarming smile on his lips.
Now, to the other boy, whose likeness is the exact opposite of the other, the very definition of Snow White. Porcelain rosy complexion to complement shoulder length dark hair that looks like the midnight sky under the light. Big, bright mischievous green eyes framed with thick dark lashes. His features were delicate, doll-like in its elegance if not for the wild smirk on rose colored lips to match rose colored cheeks. If not for his very male voice, Tamaki would have thought of him a crossdressing maiden for his fairness.
Last but not the least, to complete the trio of beauties is the sole lady of the group. Straight waterfall of golden sunset-like hair cascaded down her back to her waist in one massive braid. Her figure is full and womanly to match her rather statuesque height. Hime cut fringes frame her sweet countenance. She was fair skinned but not as fair as her doll-like friend, her cheeks tinted with a natural peach shade – and oh, dimples, how adorable – to complement her rose coral lips set in a shy smile. And her best feature in Tamaki's opinion are her eyes. Doe-like and molten gold that reflects a kind gentle soul, swarmed with long pale lashes that sweep against her cheeks whenever she blinks. With her overall coloring the cream yellow of the Ouran uniform should have been too much on her, but instead it made it all the more striking with the color of happiness wrapped around her.
When he met her gaze as she looked upon the seats of the class, she gave that lovely shy smile and Tamaki felt himself burn from the inside out.
"Kyouya?" He called out to his friend.
Kyouya didn't even pause with his furious typing, most likely trying to find information about the mysterious trio of beauties.
"What?"
"I think I'm in love."
(Later, Kyouya finds out that Agatsuma Senritsu is not only a lovely face but one well-connected woman.)
And so, first year Tamaki tried to court one Agatsuma Senritsu but was always blocked by her best friends Hashibira Inosuke and Kamado Tanjirou. When her band of overprotective devoted adopted brothers/ best friends found out about it, it was not pretty, with seniors Tomioka Sabito and Giyuu breathing down his neck, and even the collegiate senior young genius Tokito Muichirou and the new prestigious school founder Himejima Gyoumei did not pass him. When both of Agatsuma's adoptive grandpas and one ferocious adoptive grandma found out about it, it did not get better for the Suoh heir.
It became even worse when the whole Ubuyashiki Clan got involved, who deeply adore the lovely Senritsu, from the very head of the clan and the matriarch to their youngest child. Not to mention the Fujisaki branch family, and even the infamous Kibutsuji line who are said to be demon-like, loves the young lady to bits for being one of the two – Kamado Tanjirou is the other – who treat their family with warmth and human decency despite their bloodthirsty way of conducting business.
Ootori Kyouya can only shake his head at his best friend's foolishness.
~Taisho Secret~
Sen's partner is not a crow because Kurotsuki, her Kasugaigarasu friend, does not want to share the title of being her most favorite crow. He was even motivated enough to look for a different bird genus that was common to different regions of Japan, who is smart, with capabilities of understanding humans and can be trained for Kasugaigarasu work. He's the one who personally picked and trained Ukogi the Sparrow to be Sen's companion. Oyakata-sama just rolled with it because he found it amusing and endearing.
*Wakana Suzu - Sen named her sword this. Wakana 和 (wa) meaning "harmony, peace" and 奏 (kana) meaning "play music, complete" and Suzu 鈴 (suzu) meaning "bell". The whole name means "The bell that plays/rings for harmony" Sen named her that as a reminder that she only pulls Suzu-yan out to bring peace or that by pulling Suzu-yan out would bring about harmony.
**Senritsu - other than the name meaning "Melody" as it actually means for Sen's name, if a different character was used it could mean "Terrible", "Miserable", "Shivering" or "Hair-raising".
A/N: EYyyyyyyyyyy it's me! I'm back woooo! Happy holidays everyone! Hope y'all are doing great, because I am with school finally out of my back HAHAHAHAHA. Anyway, I'm feeling a bit manic rn bcs it is 3:12 AM and I'm up bcs my power nap earlier -well yesterday, I suppose- turned into full blown sleep and now I can't sleep.
Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter and lemme know what ya think, and yes the omake is angsty but it's all that I have in my drafts rn so I guess you guys just have to deal with it, sorry. I felt guilty of leaving such an angsty omake when it's almost the end of the year so I tagged on the silly blurb that I thot up at the last minute hahahaha.
Again, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everybody!
