I've been feeling somewhat sick the past few days so i'll just make a short chapter and call it a transicion for the next 'ARC'
—START—

-3rd Person POV-

The place her father had taken them on this trip as a form of apologies and to try and rise her spirits after her rejection of marriage.

It was a nice gesture meant to console her of a sadness that was not there and as a promise of more fortune in the future to come, that she would be better off next time.

Mitsuri fount it sweet, she loved her family and they loved her back to the point of doing these kind of things even when it wasn't their fault.

Her mother and little brother were all on board with his idea as he told her the plan.

Of course when she tried to tell him that the man simply laughed and smiled, telling her that it didn't matter that, he had still pushed for that arrangement and the guy was someone he had chosen for her.

Freedom to choose who to marry was a rarity after all.

But the more Mitsuri though about this repeated failed love the more she could see that, had this gone unimpeded, she may have lived a more miserable life than she would ever want.

This man would have never actually loved her like she wanted him too, and that was fine, you couldn't be loved by just anyone.

Maybe the rose tinged lenses were off now that she knew more of the world, that she had some experience, albeit fake, on something beyond normal society that she valued more the who than the act of marriage itself.

That there was only one person who'd she would be willing to share her life rather than the act of marriage itself.

Only that she had yet to find that person.

Kanroji spent most of the travel thinking, her face looking somewhere else as they closed in on the establishment.

A beautiful place with statues and arch spanning from the entrance of the compound towards the proper building itself. (Strange…I don't remember this place being here?)

One would think she'd remember it when it looks so recognizable, the red colors standing out like a sore thumb in this city.

Actually, wasn't the floor different too?

(Oka-san and Otou-san don't look as if it is new) The hashira looked back at the walked path, an unnatural line drawn upon the earth. (Did they build this place recently and I didn't know?)

"One-chan you're staying behind" Her brother called, the whole family having gone a couple of meters ahead the moment she had stopped walking.

"Ah, Coming!" Ignoring the strange circumstance the girl ran after them, arriving to the entrance where they had been waiting.

The staff of the establishment was really nice, attending to their needs and guiding them towards the room where they'd be staying for the night. (How could Otou-san afford a place like this)

Individual Onsens for each individual room, this was clearly the more expensive kind of places, and while they weren't poor, they weren't the kind of family that had enough to spare in places like this.

She'd ask later.

For now, Mitsuri would enjoy this experience much how she enjoys the baths in the swordsmith village.

The door to the outside rolled out of the way when she pushed, leading to a small but cozy pool of hot water, all the bathing equipment stored at the sides for the comfort of one.

"How pretty" It was really well decorated.

Kanroji approached the water, willing to dip a toe in just to see how the water was.

One thing to note was that Mitsuri Kanroji, despite all of her dexterity and flexibility when being serious is a completely clumsy individual when relaxed or when things are unexpected.

Slipping, is included in those cases.

The foot that once was outside of the water rapidly slides on the floor, shoving Kanroji's center of gravity completely out of place allowing gravity to take full effect and bring the girl down.

All she could do at this point was choose where to fall, and rather than hitting the floor water was a better alternative, even if the pretty green and pink Kimono she had been wearing would end up completely soaked.

And yet, upon impact with the hit liquid bellow falling was all she could do.

There was no floating, nor the feeling that she could push herself up from the waters

One way more deep than it should have ever been.

Things had gone wrong.

Creature was sure of it as they slowly realized how the control over the worlds slipped from them from time to time.

A mental impact of the size of the one made by that brat had half severed their control over the space and its inhabitants.

What had been a façade built for comfort until the pain arrived to his victims had turned into a 'recreation' of the events that had once gone on based on the memories of the individuals.

Creature needed to intervene directly for anything to happen, a difficult task at the current moment.

Still they weren't all too worried as they had all the time in the world to keep these Hashira until either they die, creature gets their control, or simply die in reality from thirst, hunger or whatever else.

For now however, they needed to throw something in the way of those three.

And they'd wait for the chance to.

Walking towards the waterfall was a silent affair.

It brought a sense of unease to mention anything after such a moment between master and student and neither of the two were so rude as to question Tomioka moments after it happened.

Even more so when Urokodaki came back, allowing them to borrow some of the swords he had for 'training' thus being able to properly defend themselves all of them.

So out of respect for an old man that wasn't the real one they decided to let that comment down for now.

It wasn't like it vanished from their minds though.

(Still, what the hell was that idiot talking about) Obanai still had his words in his mind, refusing like that the notion of him being a Hashira when he currently is, in fact, one of them. (Is he looking down on us again?)

Soon they reached an intersection, the mountain split into two paths. "How much longer?" Muichiro took it as a chance to ask, not bothering to ask the path.

Tomioka probably knew which so he didn't care.

"…Not much, we're going to the waters bellow not the training point…" He took the left path, looking back to make sure they were following him. "We're hoping we can find anyone else"

"That still doesn't give us any idea of how to actually get out" And that was the crux of the whole situation, no matter how much they could find anyone else here, and they would try to get everyone on board, none of that mattered if they couldn't find a way out of here.

"Or how ended up here" Muichiro raised the issue, what would be the point of leaving if they just end up back here? "We don't even know what 'here is'"

"I have a couple of ideas" They weren't much, but with a very needed distraction at his reach Tomioka chose to think about that over what he had to see again. "but I'd rather fin Kocho, she is much more knowledgeable and could shed some light on them"

"Kocho? What would she know of this place" The other adult wasn't doubting her intellect, far from it, but when they knew virtually nothing about what their surroundings were.

How could she know more when there was nothing tangible they knew.

"This place feels like a nightmare…things that I have long wanted to forget have just…resurfaced here" It was awful, downright cruel to force someone to relieve their worst memories. "But it's not exactly dreaming what we're doing as getting up would be simpler"

"So I think that this is a…I'm not sure… but a thing that does something to relieve our memories"

This place was inconsistent, it showed clear hostility in showing them their worst times, relieving their childhood and having strange divides in the origin of some while not in others.

People acted as they had done when the event themselves happened but there were things that didn't and yet had a natural conclusion as to how someone might have behaved.

With all of that laid out, what exactly could this place be? Tomioka didn't know, what he did know was that it had to originate from their memories.

Those came from the brain, and only Kocho knew enough on those matters to confirm some of his suspicions on why the world, his world, had been as it had.

"You've given it some thought" Obanai meant that as a mussing to himself and yet it reached the man's ears while they approached an exit from the forest like mountain.

As they stepped into the clearing, the cold air and clouds giving pass to a few sun rays reflected on the water, Tomioka answered. "Figuring this out is really important…"

Now the three were looking onwards at another lake, one that had a waterfall that led into a beautiful environment.

Some flowers were even blooming despite the fact that it should be impossible as those did not do so in Winter.

Just more signs of how fake this world was.

"Are we going in directly?" Beyond this body of water, whatever there was, was a mystery, with no guarantee of anything. "Or should one of us stay behind just in case?" The youngest turned to ask the other two, he was used to working alone group dynamics weren't his forte.

And that idea of leaving someone behind was shot down immediately. "You and I can't use our swords well, we would struggle to kill even the weakest of demons, we need the strength in numbers"

With Tomioka being the only one with a trained body currently, it was for the best that they all kept together.

"This place might also change" Added the water Hashira. "We can't be sure that we'll return here if we go to the other side and come back"

Their problem eventually circled back to one core issue, they knew nothing of this place.

It behaved erratically, random changes in the environment and the people in it, and was most likely a demon controlling a good part of this place.

Separating the group could spell disaster and none of them would know if it happened at all.

So the idea was receded. "Ok, then let's not waste time"

They checked their things one last time, some food they still had from Tomioka's house all mostly covered in a wooden box for easier transport, clean water safely contained in a leather jug, and lastly some cloth for utility purposes, whichever those are.

Each took their own portions just in case, holding unto what possibly was two more meals and water for days if they administered it correctly.

All was set so all they needed to do was enter the waters to see if they'd be able to cross.

All three hashira steeled themselves for the next step, walking from shore to the waters and quickly diving in it, each taking their time to do so.

Yet the moment their heads were completely submerged they felt it, the pull of something invisible…no, it wasn't a pull it was like falling through air, albeit with the feeling of being underwater rather than air.

To the depths they went.

…

And came out on the other side.

They floated upwards as one would normally do in the water, still conscious and gasping for air after the trip.

It felt both short and like an eternity down there.

"Are we all h-here?" Iguro was the closest one to the edge of what appeared to be an artificial pond, Koi fish of various type's scrambling to avoid the sudden influx of human in their waters.

Despite all doubt and lack of knowledge on this place they had succeeded in discovering something.

"Water is the passageway then?" In less than a minute they were all out of the water, laying on the rocks that surrounded the pond to allow themselves to dry.

It would take long however as the sun wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Muichiro had taken the cloth to attempt and dry his hair, speaking to Iguro as he did. "It looks like it"

Tomioka was a few steps away, walking around the area, another forest that wasn't covered in snow, trying to figure out where they could go from here.

(Is that…a mansion?) in the distance lights were visible, an entire compound of three or four buildings surrounded by plains in the middle of this tree dense area. (So far from anything else…is this like the Ubuyashiki state?)

Perhaps they weren't the only hidden organization there was, at least it could be a possibility in the Hashira's mind. (…This reminds me of something…)

He spent some more time looking around, making sure nothing nor anyone was around and they could act freely.

"Is that a house"

Giyuu jumped the moment Obanai spoke beside him, not having noticed his approach altogether.

Which was a surprise for both him and the other man. "Did you just…?"

There wasn't even effort put into hiding his presence or being sneaky about his approach, he had simply walked beside him, Tomioka should have noticed it.

"…" He didn't answer him, but Iguro could tell his thoughts were much the same as his with how confused his face looked and yet a small, embarrassed tinge of red covered his ears.

(This is the most I've seen him express…ever) which didn't help with the fact that the more he learnt of Tomioka the more he could not see the arrogance he normally caught from him.

And if he thinks a bit more about that then really they don't feel like arrogant claims the more he revises them.

Instead feeling more like really awkward moments or are outright him rejecting anything that involves doing something for entertainment.

(Ugrh…this is not the moment)

Ten more minutes went by before the trio made any move, after getting familiar with the area and finding out that there was another wall in the direct opposite direction of where that building was the only logical conclusion they could arrive to was that they landed unto someone's property.

A very rich individual if the size of this piece of land was enough measure.

Debating whether to go take a look at that place or not was slow, there were many possibilities and unknows, for all they knew that place was some sort of demon hideout.

But there was nothing else in what looked like a long distance, so if they were going to find anything then it was there.

Thus with half a plan to sneak by and attempt not to be noticed they marched in the direction of the light, unaware of who'd they find ahead.

Not even a day had gone by since father's announcement and he had already called for all of them one more.

(Has someone died already?) It felt strange thinking about that when from what he remembers it had taken more than that for the deaths to begin.

But since by that point most of his siblings had perished from the training then perhaps it was due to the idea of them being simply stronger.

Uzui shivered with that kind of thinking, not because he felt perturbed, no, it was because he could so casually think like that. (I just want to leave this place)

When he entered the room most of the others were already there, the multitude of siblings with ranging expressions from apprehension to worry as the contents of previous meetings were still fresh in their minds.

He took his seat in his usual place, paying his respect to the patriarch before.

His father stood there, watching on as all of his children entered the room, a slight frown of disappointment in his face. "Children of the Uzui clan, I debated whether to include all of you in this discussion yet it would seem like this is a perfect opportunity for the grading of your skills"

Lifting himself of the ground the man looked down on them. "We're currently under the invasion of unknown forces! And it shall be by your hand that they should be dealt with"

"We found one of them in the baths of the training grounds, feigning ignorance over how they found themselves there and we suspect they might not be alone as movement has been noted in our grounds by some of our family branches" He lifted his hand, one singular finger up. "For those who bring an invader their task will be null and they shall be permitted to continue as normal while also retreating from the possibility of marriage"

This was completely unexpected, invaders alone, in this house who no one should be able to find under any circumstances, but now they were also given an incentive for it to happen.

"That is all, deal with them however you prefer" And that was that, no plan, strategy nor any kind of information on their assailants.

If Tengen had to pinpoint a reason why they were led to do whatever they wanted, it would be one singular reason, they were shinobi.

Finding those kind of information, formulating those plans, or even working on the fly were all things they would be pressed to do in their future duties so he was basically throwing the chicks off a cliff and see if they could fly.

All while fostering competitiveness with the pardoning of the tasks.

The Hashira really had mixed feelings on how much he appreciated the smarts of his cunning father alongside the despise he held for his methods and way of seeing life.

Yet before he went to prepare for the hunt like everyone else, Father called. "Not you Tengen, I want you on another matter"

It took some conscious effort not to show surprise about that, as one of the strongest amongst his siblings Uzui expected him to want to take some lead in the operation.

Only he remained in the room, not even Kyoya was here.

"Tengen, your improvements in battle are outstanding, but Shinobi are more than just that, so I want you to conduct the interrogation of the already capture subject" He motioned him to follow as he took for the exit himself. "This will be a learning experience"

(He doesn't think they're a threat?) The arrogance of his father was known by all of them, as much of a man known for his pragmatism and cold thinking he held that as his mayor flaw.

It somehow made Tengen feel like his father was underestimating whoever had come for them.

Along the halls he could see some of the subordinate families coordinate a defense of the manor just in case they were to fail. (If they're all here, doesn't that mean it's just my siblings out there?) The attack felt so out of place too. "Do we know how many of them there are"

"That's what you need to find out" He didn't even look at him while talking, stopping in front of a door. "Your information source is in there, do whatever it's necessary"

"When you're done report to Kyoya, he should be around the manor's entrance" Without saying much else his father left, leaving Uzui alone with the job given to him.

He took advantage of the silence to peer into the room through his ears, trying to get any kind of glimpse into their captive before going in. (…Ok I've heard this before…)

The heartbeat of the person was accelerated but not to the point of panic, they were also staying silent enough that he couldn't tell much else other than their breathing.

Which sounded incredibly practiced, a type of breathing only found in one place. (Did…did de Corp invade?!) Humans weren't their target, why would they be here?

And the proficiency…he was dealing with a Kinoe at a minimum.

(Well I better not waste any time) The doors led to a wooden jail cell, one big enough for various people, where in time all of their invaders would end up. "Alright, it's time for you to…"

His voice had been steeled and intimidating, trying to instill some fear unto whoever was here, potential affiliation aside he wouldn't just let this person lead the conversation.

Yet all of the confident talk evaporated the moment his eyes landed on the person.

"Mitsuri?!" Despite being black haired at the moment there was no way he wouldn't recognize that hairstyle and face at all.

The blindfold she wore stopped her from looking at him, her body tensing as a voice she couldn't locate came out of nowhere. "Who's there?! How do you know my name?!"

Before any kind of turmoil could set in Tengen he recognized those shouts as his cue to take the cloth out of her eyes.

It might have not been the smartest decision, this might not even be the same Mitsuri he knows.

But how could he think on those possibilities when a comrade found themselves in the state she was, bruised and bound, most likely by his father and his interrogation methods.

Following heart over reason won in the end, so he took it off.

"Eh?" The moment the blindfold was off any complaints or threats the girl might have said in an attempt to liberate herself died in her mouth similarly to him.

Her eyes opening dramatically at who was it that let her vision free.

"Tengen-san?!" And in turn she screamed his name to all four winds.

But what was more important, she had recognized him, she knew who he was despite supposedly not having met before.

Which in turn meant that they, in fact, had and that what he believed to be a dream was the reality of his life.

And this was the fake scenario that didn't actually exist.

"Well girl, we're both in a tight spot here"

—END—

-Mystic-