Wishes in the Waves

•~Chapter 14: Thinking~•

Third Person POV:

As Tanjiro and the others thought of ways to save their friends, a long ways off, their friends were thinking of them too.

The captured merpeople turned human sat under a glowing white dome. No matter how hard someone banged on it, it wouldn't shatter.

Toma and Zenitsu were the ones banging on the magical glass dome along with Mitsuri. Kanao sat in the corner, sobbing to herself so quietly that only she could hear.

Kanao rested her head on her knees and curled up into a little ball.

Oh, how awful she felt.

She could just imagine Tanjiro hating her for not telling him that she wasn't even a human. She imagined she was back in the seaweed fields before the adoption...

The heartbroken look in Tanjiro's eyes felt like another slap in the face.

Since she was so deep in thought, she didn't notice that the banging sound had stopped. When she looked up, she saw a hand extending out to her.

She took it and stood up. It was Zenitsu's hand.

"Kanao..." Zenitsu said sadly. "What's the matter?"

She wiped her face. "N-nothing."

"Oh c'mon Kanao." Zenitsu sighed. "We're all upset that we've been taken away by whatever this...thing is."

"That's not really w-what I meant...." Kanao sniffled.

Zenitsu crouched down beside her as she sat down on the ground again. "Then what did you mean?"

"I..." Kanao began, hesitating.

Zenitsu nodded to tell her to go on.

"I just feel so...guilty." Kanao said, breaking out into another fresh wave of tears. "Nobody stopped me from telling him what I really am...but I kept the secret to myself, and now that he knows, I bet he's going to hate me..."

It took Zenitsu a few moment to figure out who she was talking about. His eyes lit up in realization.

Does she mean...Tanjiro? he wondered.

"Listen." he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Don't say things like that. He's not the kind of person to hate you just because you kept one secret!"

She smiled, and wiped her eyes. "Thanks, bestie. I needed the pep talk."

He smiled. "No problem!"

The four inside the dome now began to pace around, tapping on the magical glass to try and find weak spots.

But no such luck.

Half and hour later, they had basically given up hope of getting out through weak spots.

"Argh...it's no use! We're not going to find a way out!" Kanao grumbled, tearing at her hair.

The other merpeople suddenly began staring at her. She felt herself turning pink.

"W-what...is there something on my face?" Kanao asked.

"No...but Kanao...your hands...they're glowing!" Mitsuri exclaimed, scurrying over to her.

Kanao looked down at her hands. A faint purple glow was being omitted from them.

"Does that mean..." Toma began.

"You're one of the chosen Great Protectors?" Zenitsu finished.

And, as if one cue, the rest of the people's hands glowed, Zenitsu's hands being yellow, Mitsuri's being pink, and Toma's being orange.