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Here I'm back again to answer your questions!

Guest: Yeah, I'm sure Yua earned the rest, especially after that rough fight with that archer spider demon! Will there be other Moon Breathing forms that are original to this story?

-That she did! I have planned that Yua will at least invent one form of Moon Breathing herself. ^^ Thank you for your comment!

Chapter 8: The Butterfly Mansion

The young woman didn't know how long she slept.

She just knew it was still not enough as she woke up.

With a loud yawn, Yua stretched herself and blinked into the sunlight that streamed into the Butterfly Mansion Patient Room.

She knows the room well.

Wasn't the first time that she was here for cures after a heavy battle with a demon.

You never quite forget the smell of the flowers and antiseptic in the air.

"Uurgh, what time and day is it?", she asked into the room.

She hoped that Aoi-San was in the room or the least one of the little girls.

Luck was not on her side since a well-known and shrill voice shouted: "Yua-Senpai, you are awake!"

"Agatsuma...", she growled, turning to him, a vein popping up on her forehead. "I just woke up, I'm cranky and ready to commit murder, I don't need your shrill voice! Keep it down."

A little shriek escaped Zenitsu, till he noted what he did and clapped his tiny arms over his mouth.

Huh...?

"What the heck happened to you?", she asked astonished. "What's up with your arms?"

The blond-haired boy started to cry softly.

And with a lot of snoot.

Urgh.

"It was terrible Yua-Senpai. I followed your guys up the mountain to protect Nezuko-Chan and one of these Spider Creeps injected me with venom! I nearly turned into a spider myself! That's why my arms and legs are shrunk! With my breathing style, I could stop the transforming process long enough till Shinobu-Sama could give me an antidote. But I need to drink disgusting medicine till I'm back to my old self again.", he told her all teary and winy his woe.

Yua just deadpanned.

"Woman-up, Agatsuma! Be glad you are still alive."

He didn't woman-up and whined into his pillow.

That's when Yua saw Inosuke in the bed next to Zenitsu. The wild boy Aura was all gloomy.

Okay, now that was terrifying.

"Do I wanna know what happened to Hashibira?"

"I heard he lost his voice or something.", answered Zenitsu anyway. "I don't have all the details, but I heard he, like, got hit in the neck, and when he yelled at the top of his lungs at the end, that finished it off, and that did a number on his throat. He's depressed now, so it's made him gentle, and it really cracks me up! Hehehehe… Hehehehe!"

"Stop it with the creepy laugh or I will suffocate you.", promised the midnight blue-haired girl.

Immediately the blond stopped to laugh.

He could smell how murders Yua was feeling. Better not to go on her nerves.

"Where are Kamado and Nezuko?", she asked.

"I don't know. They wouldn't tell me. I'm worried.", admitted Zenitsu.

With a sign, Yua got again comfortable in her bed.

"Then we can only wait and pray."

Somehow Yua managed to fall asleep again.

The Spider Demon did really a number of her if she still was so sleepy and feeling weak.

When she woke up again, Yua felt a bit better.

She sat up and looked around the room, taking in the familiar surroundings.

It was quiet except for the sound of Zenitsu's soft snores. She glanced over at him and saw that he was asleep, his arms and legs still shrunk from the venom.

Inosuke was laying in his bed still as a statue, his Aura gloomy.

That didn't fit him at all, but Yua didn't know how to raise his spirits.

She wasn't good at this kind of thing.

Yua sighed and leaned back against her pillows, wondering how long they would have to stay here before they were fully healed.

She missed being out in the field, fighting demons, rising in Ranks and finally becoming a Hashira. However, she knew that she needed time to recover after her latest battle.

It was just awesome.

After six weeks spent in the Wisteria Mansion, now she was in the Butterfly Mansion and who knew how long this time it would take to heal?

Her grandfather would give it to her, if she returned home and wasn't at least a Kinoe, for all this wasted time in his eyes.

She flexed her arms, saying the secret password and watched the Kanji appear on her skin.

Kinoto.

She raised two Ranks.

Normally she would be proud, however, she could only think that if she raised one more Rank she would have been a Kinoe.

So close and yet so far.

How long would it take before she became one?

How long till they would offer her the position of a Hashira?

The midnight blue-haired beauty missed her family, besides her grandfather, and she didn't want to stay away longer from home.

Yet it seemed she had to.

She would not face her grandfather like that.

Never.

As she lay there, she directed her thoughts away from this and to Nezuko and Tanjiro.

She hoped they were safe wherever they were, and that they would be able to join them soon.

Yua closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for their well-being to Tsukuyomi.

After a few minutes of restful silence, Yua heard a knock on the door.

She opened her eyes and called out, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Aoi." came the reply.

A little smile formed on the midnight blue-haired young woman.

"Long time not seen, Aoi-San," she greeted her.

Aoi entered the room with a tray of food.

"Indeed, Yua-San. Good morning," she replied with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better," Yua admitted as she set down the tray on her lap. "So tell me, how bad of shape I am?"

"You have significant muscle strains all over your body, your cousin Sayako said you used the forbidden technique of the Moon-Breathing?"

She just nodded.

"It did a number one you, but Sayako-San said you could have broken bones too. Anyway, you need to rest, we bandaged both your arms and one leg, there were the strains the heaviest. The compression should help the swelling. Also, you need to put ice on the muscle strains. It should take more than a few weeks till you are good again. We will see.", explained Aoi her.

Yua didn't realize that Aoi had the ice packs in her hands.

"Eat and then put this on your arms and leg."

"I will, thank you, Aoi-San."

The girl with the pigtails nodded before turning to leave the room. "If you need anything else, just let me know."

Yua thanked her before digging into her breakfast.

After finishing her meal she put the ice packs where Aoi had said she should.

She noted how the area started to feel better.

Yua sat back against her pillows. It was somehow good to have some normalcy in her life again, even if it was just breakfast in bed.

She wondered what the rest of the day would bring.

A yawn left her mouth.

Well, she still was tired.

No problem to take a nap again.

And she did so.

Zenitsu's creepy laughter awoke Yua suddenly from her nice dream of her beloved late mother.

Angry she gripped her pillow and threw it in his face!

That shut him up!

"AGATSUMA, STOP IT WITH THE LAUGH!", she screamed.

"Yua-Senpai!", called her Tanjiro voice.

Surprised Yua rubbed her eyes to fully wake up.

There really was Tanjiro, kneeling beside Zenitsu's bed, a Kakushi was also there, but that wasn't important.

"Kamado-San!", called Yua back a bit too happily even for her taste.

She long ago decided that it would be bad to fall in love with Tanjiro, so why did she feel and sound so happy seeing him?

This feeling needed to die.

So she cleared her throat.

"I mean, Kamado, good to see. I assume Nezuko is alright too?"

Pointedly she ignored the looks of the two boys and no she didn't think that a confused Tanjiro was cute!

Perish that thought!

Thankful Inosuke directed the attention to himself as he said in his crooked voice that they should forgive him for being weak.

"Hang in there, Inosuke!", encourages Tanjiro. "It's not like you to get depressed!"

"Come on, you did good! You're awesome!", added Zenitsu.

"Your Aura is creeping me out, that's not like you Hashibira.", tried Yua her luck to cheer him up.

It showed how bad she was at this since Tanjiro and Zenitsu (Even the Kakushi!) gave her WTF-Looks. The young woman may shrunk a bit into her bed.

"What?", she crooked out. "It's the truth..."

"Anyway...", said Tanjiro into the awkward silence and turned back to Inosuke. "I'm just so happy that you're alive!"

All of a sudden Zenitsu screamed about whether he took his medicine, if someone had seen him taking it.

A vein popped up on Yua's forehead.

"You took it before I fell asleep the first time. Can I have my pillow back, please?"

Tanjiro was so nice to throw it back to her and the girl didn't waste time to put it over her head to block out the noises.

Could she get a single room?

Please?

She had fallen asleep again because the next thing she knew was that she needed to breathe. Slowly she put the pillow away and looked around the room.

It was sunset, and beautiful red and orange light falling into the patient's room.

Zenitsu was snoring away and even Inosuke seemed to sleep.

Only Tanjiro was missing.

Like her thought made him appear, the red-haired boy entered the room.

"Ah Yua-Senpai, you are awake.", he greeted her as he made his way over to his bed.

"Kamado, from where you you coming from?", she asked a bit curious.

"They were so nice to give Nezuko her own room. All dark so we don't have to worry sunlight will hurt her.", he explained, crawling into his bed.

Yua nodded.

It was probably for the best that the Demon Girl had her own room.

Yua closed her eyes and settled back into her pillows.

She felt a sense of relief knowing that Nezuko was safe and being taken care of.

It was good to see Tanjiro again too, even though she tried to hide her happiness at his presence.

She couldn't let herself get too attached or distracted from her goal of becoming a Kinoe and then a Hashira.

As she lay there, Yua couldn't help but think about the future and what it held for her.

She knew that there would be more battles and challenges ahead, but she was ready for them. She had worked hard to get where she was, and she wasn't going to give up now.

With a deep breath, Yua opened her eyes and looked around the room once more.

She saw Zenitsu snoring away, Inosuke still as a statue, and Tanjiro settling in for the night.

It was strange...even if she didn't want to get too attached to people, these three and Nezuko had somehow wormed their way into her heart.

Sure most of the time she wanted to hit them for their stupidity, but...it was nice being with familiar people in the patient room.

This happens if you spend six weeks with the same people, she supposed.

Yua knew that it would take time for her body to fully recover from the Spider Demon's attack, yet she was determined to come out stronger on the other side.

And when that day came, she would continue on her path towards becoming a Hashira.

"Yua-Senpai.", called then Tanjiro out for her. "You have fallen asleep before I could ask, but how are you feeling? How did the fight with the Spider Demon go?"

She turned to face Tanjiro.

"It was tough, but I managed to defeat the Spider Demon with the help of my strongest Moon-Breathing technique. However, it did a number on me." The young woman gestured towards her bandaged arms and leg. "But I'll recover soon enough."

Tanjiro nodded in understanding before settling back into his bed.

"I'm glad, me and Inosuke were worried when we left you alone to face her."

"All is good Kamado, don't worry so much. You will get grey hairs this way."

This made Tanjiro laugh, till he held his ribs with a pained expression.

"I have a feeling your fight was a whole other number.", guessed Yua.

And it was.

The red-haired boy told her, how he managed to kill the Spider Mother, but had to leave Inosuke behind in the arms of the Spider Father. Then it turned out that the Spider boy they had seen, was one of the Demon King Lower Moons.

Only with Nezuko's help and a new Breathing Style Tanjiro managed to keep fighting till the Water Hashira Tomioka Giyuu took care of the Lower Moon.

With only one technique.

That was impressive.

However, Yua was more fixed on the new Breathing Style that Tanjiro had suddenly used.

"The Hinokami Kagura Dance?", she repeated surprised. "And it's dedicated to the fire god? Huh..."

Cutely Tanjiro titled his head and now Yua didn't want to pet his hair.

No!

Forget it!

He was not cute at all!

"Do you have heard of this Yua-Senpai?", asked Tanjiro curious.

The young woman got comfortable in her bed, crossing her arms. It hurt a bit, but she could manage.

"My family has something familiar. It's a dance called Jihibukai Tsukigami No Mai (Dance of the benevolent moon god). All children have to learn it.", she starts to explain. "It mimics Moon Breathing. If you learn the dance without problems it means you are fit enough to learn Moon-Breathing."

"Huh, what a coincidence.", mubled Tanjiro.

"Kamado, I don't think that it's a coincidence."

"What you mean Yua-Senpai?"

"A dance that turns into a powerful Breathing Style? And you are really sure your family was only coal makers? This sounds more like an ancestor of yours wanted to hide his Breathing Style in the dance."

Tanjiro frowned and scratched his head.

"No, I'm pretty sure we were only coal makers, but I agree it's strange at that Dance turned into a Breathing Style and then your family has something familiar for their breathing style..."

"Hey, don't try to crack it now.", advises Yua. "It mimics Flame-Breathing from what you told me, if I'm not mistaken one of the Hashira uses it. You should talk with Shinobu-Sama about it. Maybe she knows more about this."

Now Tanjiro was smiling brightly, which did not make Yua blush. However cute and handsome Tanjiro looked.

No.

She probably had a little fever not more!

"When we are better, we can visit my home.", offered Yua, stroking her hair to distract herself from Tanjiro's damn handsome face. "The Mochizuki Mansion isn't far away from the Butterfly Mansion, but it will take us at least half a day. We need to get better first. Maybe we have something in our archive about the Hinokami Kagura Dance."

"Really Yua-Senpai you want to help me?"

Oh no, was he going to start to cry from thankfulness?

Yua's heart wouldn't take this!

"Now, no tears, even thankful one!", she admonished. "I'm not doing this out of the good of my heart or some sappy shit, I'm curious myself what's up with this dance."

This made Tanjiro only laugh quietly and send her a soft smile.

Okay, maybe she did blush now and felt shy.

Why did Tanjiro need to be so handsome and have a beautiful soul and heart?!

"You act all tough and rough, but I can smell how kindhearted you really are Yua-Senpai.", told Tanjiro, pointing at his nose. "Don't hide behind your anger, we are friends you can be yourself around me."

"Be me?", she repeated confused.

The midnight blue-haired beauty had to admit she didn't know who she really was.

She was what people wanted her to be.

And when she didn't get what they wanted, she reacted with anger, sarcasm and homicidal tendencies.

Probably not sane, if one thinks about it.

Eager Tanjiro nodded.

"I can see and smell that you are confused but...we are friends. I will help you to find out who Mochizuki Yua really is like you will help me with the Hinokami Kagura Dance."

This made her snort.

"Seems like you got the worst deal. I'm a handful."

"Not for me...not when it's you."

Did...did she hear right?!

Shocked she looked up his face.

Was she imagining things or was Tanjiro blushing?

He was playing shyly with his blanket at least.

In turn, this made her feel all mushy and clammy inside. Yua had never felt like this.

So she fell into her default behaviour.

Avoid, ignore and get pissed.

"Enough with the mushy stuff, Kamado.", she hissed and let herself fall on her bed. She closed her eyes, so she couldn't see him and his Aura. "Let's just sleep. I'm tired."

It was still for a few seconds till Tanjiro quietly agreed and she heard how he lay himself on his bed.

The older girl let out a breath and ignored the burning in her eyes.

Becoming a Hashira, and bringing her family honour was all that mattered, she repeated to herself.

Then why did feel these words like bitter medicine in her body?

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