Crystal Hearts (Kimetsu No Yaiba, Tomioka Giyu Love Story)

Chapter 6

Naomi's P. O. V:

"Mother, why do demons fear you?" I ask my mother as I sit beside her on a bench in our backyard where a sakura tree blooms above it.

"Because of my sword's power. I don't even need to hit a vital spot in order to slay a demon, as my sword can crystallise a demon and destroy every trace of it."

"That sounds amazing," I say. "Mother, do you think I'll become a great demon slayer just like you one day?"

Mother smiles down at me as she says, long pink hair swaying slightly in the wind, "Of course you will be, my love. You may lack the physical strength to decapitate a demon unlike me, but remember this: Crystal is unbreakable, and your heart is the crystal itself. It, too, cannot be broken, not by anything. Not even by a demon. You're strong, my love. Deep down, you have an unwavering strength that others will be happy to follow. Never forget that."

Mother then reaches up and plucks a sakura flower from the branch and places it in the front of my hair.

I smile before I hug my mother and bury my face in her stomach. "I'll definitely be the greatest Crystal Hashira ever! I'll surpass you one day, mother!"

Mother giggles softly, hand on th back of my head, as she murmurs, pride in her pink and purple eyes, "I've no doubt you will, my love."

"Naomi!" Giyu calls worriedly. I leap away just before the demon could slash me again. Giyu growls. "Water Breathing: Constant Flux!" He continually thrusts his sword forward as the water forms into a dragon, striking at the demon. It sees the attack coming and evades the strikes. "Water Breathing: Water Wheel!" Giyu creates a wheel of water that he brings down on the demon.

The attack slices off its arm and the demon leaps away. It lands and Giyu glares at it. The demon's arm regenerates. It laughs before running around the blue eyed man and straight for me.

"Crystal Breathing, Eleventh Form: Rain of Icicles!" I bring my katana down in a single swipe and long, pointy icicles rain down atop the demon. Two of them end up grazing his arms as he dodges the rest.

My eyes widen as the demon looms in front of me and slugs me in the stomach with a strong kick. I grunt as I tumble across the rooftop.

"Naomi!" Giyu cries out just as I stop before falling off the roof. I lean up in my elbows as I glare at the demon. "You'll pay for that!" Giyu gives the demon his own hateful glare. "Constant Flux!" The dragon of water launches at the demon as it dodges the attack again.

Giyu runs at the demon and slashes his blue tinted katana for it, while I slowly get to my feet. "Water Breathing: Striking Tide!" Giyu spins gracefully in place as water swirls around him before he sends the attack for the demon.

It only slices off its arm as the demon dodges and resumes running for me. I swing my blade in an effort to cut it but the demon dodges my attacks. It appears behind me but Giyu was there to slash at its right arm before it could strike me.

Giyu exchanges several blows with the demon while evading some in return.

"Crystal Breathing, Third Form, Crystal Tiger," I say and thrust my arm forward, sending forth a tiger made of crystal that attacks the demon. As it does, Giyu appears by my side in a protective stance.

"It's nimble, since it can evade our attacks," Giyu states, eyeing the wound on my left arm. "Can you keep up?"

I nod as I reply, "I can."

"Good," Giyu says as we face the demon once more. "It doesn't appear to have a Blood Demon Art, though. It's just a regular demon, though still powerful."

"If only Shinobu was here. We could really use her help," I say.

"We'll just have to hold out until she gets here. One of us just needs an opening," Giyu says, eyeing the demon.

"Crystal Breathing, Eighth Form, Thunder, Citrine, Thunder God's Judgement!" I announce as I spin my katana a few times. The demon looks up as several orbs of lightning appear around it. They crackle intensely just before exploding.

The demon is knocked back on the roof, but Giyu and I don't relax our stances yet. Our eyes widen when the demon gets to its feet, wounds already healing.

It charges for us and Giyu and I swing our swords at it, aiming to land a single blow while the demon swings its clawed hands for us.

As I duck behind the demon, I say, "Crystal Breathing, Tenth Form, Amethyst: Sakura Dance!" I flick my katana forward and pink sakura spin rapidly toward the demon.

Most flowers graze it while others fly past it.

"You're going to have to do a lot better than that to kill me, Crystal Water Hashira Duo!" The demon laughs before it lunges for us again, engaging both Giyu and I.

Giyu and I jump apart just as the demon punches the roof.

"Water Breathing: Drop Ripple Thrust," Giyu says as he thrusts his blade towards the demon. It strikes its stomach, halting the demon in its tracks.

Giyu pulls his sword out but is kicked in the side by the demon.

I go to bring my sword down on the demon's arm but it whirls and aims a punch for my face. I narrowly dodge it by leaping back.

The demon then engages me in combat and we exchange blows. I swing my hidden blade for the demon's neck but it doesn't faze him as he swings his clawed hands again. I flip out the way as Giyu engages the demon.

When the demon goes to swing its claws at the ravenette again, Giyu leaps back in front of me in a protective stance.

"Get out of my way, Demon Slayer! That girl is mine!" The demon says.

"I won't let you lay another finger on Naomi," Giyu shoots back, glaring. "I don't know why you demons keep targeting her, but I refuse to let you harm Naomi again."

"We're after the girl because of her sword! You know what it can do, and many of us demons fear it. We've been ordered by Kibujutsu Muzan to kill her," The demon says, much to our shock.

Is Kibujutsi Muzan... scared of me? Because I can destroy every trace of a demon without needing to be head them or hit a vital spot?

"I still won't let you have her!" Giyu snaps. He charges for the demon and they engage once more, slashing viciously at each other.

Giyu goes to swing his sword at the demon but he dodges. The demon aims a kick for Giyu but the blue eyed male avoids it. Giyu brings his sword down on his opponent only for them to easily dodge it.

Giyu gasps when the demon runs past him towards me.

"No you don't!" Giyu hisses, teeth gritted.

He uses his enhanced speed to get in front of me just as the demon reaches me as well. "Constant Flux!" Giyu thrusts his arm forward and the demon leaps back.

"Fine. I guess I'll just have to kill you, too, Demon Slayer!" The demon says, sneering, before it charges straight for Giyu.

"G-Giyu-kun!" I gasp. The memory of my older brother jumping in front of me to protect me from the demon that day flashes through my mind, and my heart pounds in fear, my pink and purple eyes wide.

"I'll protect you, Naomi," He says without looking back at me, not moving from his spot.