He feels pain shoot through his arm. You can't escape me. A voice rings through his head. The pain starts to travel through his body. He falls to the ground, breathing hard. When he looks at his arm, he sees his veins pulsing with a sort of venom. I will find you. You can't run. You can't hide. Just give up.
"Stop, leave me." Hoshi says while gasping. He feels his body collapsing. "Help me." No one can help you now. That serum that saved you is only temporary. I will find you, Hoshi Suzuki.
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Hoshi wakes up and looks around. He sees an all white room. He realizes he is also in a bed. I'm back in the Mansion. I didn't even do anything at the mountain. He realizes there is a weight to his right. When he looks Aiko is asleep, her head an the bed and her body on the ground.
"Aiko." He says with a hoarse voice. She raises her head, seemingly half asleep. She jumps and and hugs Hoshi. "Ow. Turns out I'm still sore."
"Sorry" She apologizes. "You've been asleep for a few weeks. Some others were here but they started rehabilitation training." She pulls away from the hug and Hoshi tries to sit up and a pain starts in his body.
"Okay, no, that's not happening. Are you okay? There are giant bags under your eyes. Have you gotten any sleep?"
"No," A voice says from the doorway. Hoshi turns to see Shinobu. "She has been sitting with you every second you've been unconscious." Aiko's face turns bright red.
"I-it's not like that. I-i-i was just a little worried. That's all."
"Don't worry, I'm fine now" Hoshi smiles slightly. "Just need to figure out how to get up."
"Hoshi, you've shattered your left arm. Without your... demon side, you wouldn't be able to heal at all. But even with you regenerative abilities it will take awhile to heal."
"When may I start training." He says with a change in tone.
"I'm not sure. It'll take a while for sure."
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I'm not even sure how long it has been. But training is difficult. My arm is almost back to it's full ability. Shinobu keeps saying I am constantly growing. My body is different. I feel like I am sharing it with the demon. That voice keeps ringing through my head, but it's just a memory. I still don't what that was. I am still in contact with the trapped demon. He keeps saying something is coming. The Kamabako Squad is leaving soon. I'm going to stay for a while. What other choice do I have.
"Hoshi!" Aiko yells. "You still there? Training is about to start." Hoshi blinks a bit and gets up.
"Sorry, thanks Aiko. You should watch, Tanjiro and the others will be leaving tomorrow to today is the last practice." He says. He's actually just wants to show her how good he is at the training.
"Fine, jeez, you ask me everyday, then complain saying, 'you should've been there, it was awesome.'"
"Well it always is. Come on, now you will see how much I'm better at this then they are."
"Ha! Sure, we'll see."
"After, we should all go against each other."
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Aiko looks on as Hoshi dominates the others in the practice. He beats Kanao in the cup game almost immediately. He catches Aoi in an instant and he is... weirdly flexible. She wasn't sure if she should be impressed or weirded out. To be honest, she didn't know how to feel about him in general. She thought he was great, she liked him a lot. But he is also part demon. That is weird, even for her, who has seen things.
"How was that?" She was snapped out of her thoughts by Hoshi's question.
"I don't know, cool but, scary. How do you bend like that?" Hoshi smiled nervously.
"Years of practice. And a lot of pain."
"Wow, okay."
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Hoshi smiles, a little sad. He has done a lot of self improvement in these past weeks. Now he is watching his friends depart.
"Goodbye Tanjiro, take care of Nezuko." Tanjiro and him share a smile and Hoshi turns to Zenitsu. "Stop being such a simp, it's revolting, but I know you can be better." Finally he turns to Inosuke. "Farewell, King of the Mountain, may we cross paths again." After he bids them farewell, he returns to his room. Soon after, Aiko knocks on his door. "Come in."
"Hey Hoshi. I was wondering what you're doing." She told him. For some reason, she's been really curious lately.
"Not much, but I wanted to ask... Do you really want to become a demon slayer?" He has been training her after he was done with his rehabilitation.
"Yes, I do. I'm tired of seeing everyone hurt. It seems that every injury I see hurts me as well. Especially that winged demon. Why?" Her heartfelt confession surprised him.
"It's just, most everyone becomes a slayer because someone they loved died to a demon."
"And you think I'm different. Well you're wrong. And I saw it all happen right in front of me."
