𝙴𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 | ᴋɪᴍᴇᴛsᴜ ɴᴏ ʏᴀɪʙᴀ

XII: Home

    Hanako grunts under her breath as she falls to the ground, sliding underneath gnarled and old tree roots. The demon behind her growls in frustration as it slams into the roots.

  "I have a question for you. Can–" Hanako jumps back when the demon leaps over the tree roots. Her foot barely touches back on the ground before she holds up her sword, blocking a clawed slash towards her neck.

  "Is there a way for a demon to turn back into a human?" Hanako asks as she forces the demon back. It laughs cruelly, veins popping out of its arms.

  Disbelief-hunger-amusement-anger. "A way?! No, of course not! To become human again would be torture!"

  The black haired girl frowns before she races forward. The demon pulls up its arms to protect its neck. Hanako easily slashes through it, decapitating the demon.

  "Thank you for answering, at least," Hanako sighs as she sheathes her sword. She turns around and sprints away, leaving a screeching demon to disintegrate.

  "It's already been seven days," Hanako follows the faint presence of the edge of the mountain where the wisteria grows, "and not a single demon knew if there was a way or they were too hungry to answer."

  She wasn't hoping for it to be that easy, but it still would've been nice if it was.

  Hanako leaps into the trees above and starts sprinting faster. Excitement bubbles up in her chest the closer she gets. She's going to become a demon slayer. She's going to be a step closer to helping her siblings. She's closer to getting revenge for her family and everyone who was affected by that monster.

  "I've made it back... Urokodaki-san, I'm coming back..." Hanako speaks with a bright smile. She leaps one more time and lands on a path, surrounded by wisteria trees.

  The endless feeling of death and dread slowly fades away, replaced by the soothing and pure presence of the wisteria. Hanako breathes a sigh of relief and starts walking towards the entrance.

  She gently touches the hanafuda earrings she was given and smiles. "Thank you for believing in me, Nīchan. I'll give these back to you soon. I promise."

-----

    Hanako basks in the warm sunlight of a new day. Even as she barely keeps her composure to be able to stand and keeping moving, she takes a moment to revel in the moment. She survived seven days in a demon infested forest, defeated the demon that killed so many of Sakonji's children, and allowed the children to rest in peace.

  She opens her eyes and glances around, her smile fading back into a calm expression. Only four people had survived.

  "The boy I had saved... he's not here..." Hanako frowns as her shoulders slump. So many people died... some she could have stopped... Fear-terror-acceptance.

  "I'm gonna die. I'm a goner." Hanako glances over at a teenage boy with bright yellow hair and a haori to match. "Even if I survive now, I'm gonna die in the end anyway."

  Hanako scowls at the amount of self-loathing and acceptance rolling off of the boy's presence in waves. She opens her mouth to speak, but two voices cut her off.

  "Welcome back." The two kids dressed in kimono walk in front of a cloth covered table. They turn and face the remaining initiates.

  "Congratulations," The white haired one speaks first.

  "We're pleased to see that you're safe," The black haired boy continues, both still smiling calmly.