It was weird to not have the boys around anymore.
There was still a lot of things to get done around the Butterfly Estate, with the occasional Demon Slayers coming in for rest and healing.
But aside from that, the hallways were quiet once more.
None of the other Demon Slayers that came in did the training that the boys did. Their injuries never being to same extent as theirs.
The silence in the hallways left you even more restless than when you knew that the boys would be leaving the estate. So to quell the nerves, you kicked up your training regime difficulty. The girls of the Butterfly Estate woke up the next morning to find that they didn't have to make breakfast. As you had already been up for hours and finished with your morning workout.
As lunch time rolled around, you had already gone over all the admitted Slayers and could be found scouring the estate looking to Tsuyuri to train and spar with.
You noticed, during the spar, that Tsuyuri would stare at her coin before putting it away and talking with you without flipping it. So despite your anxiousness, you were extremely happy that she was confident and willing to talk to you out of her own will.
Sparring with Tsuyuri was always fun and a great challenge. One long blade verses two of yours? It was definitely a feat that took you all those weeks of tied spars to finally winning. That first week with Uzui, and all the times he visited you here at the estate, helped strengthen your body. Now, as Kocho appeared on the engawa to watch, your steps were smooth. Tsuyuri, and even Kocho, could say that you moved with the wooden Yoroi-doshi and Wakizashi as if they were extensions of your arms.
Using the wooden Yoroi-doshi and Wakizashi only when sparring with Tsuyuri was something the both of you had agreed with. As you kept the two real blades safe in your room for when Uzui would come (as you very much didn't want to die while sparring with the hulking man you call brother.)
Kocho could only hum as she watched, your style of fighting was a similar -if not exactly- like Uzui.
Despite there being no chain to connect both of the wooden blades you wielded. You swung them around both together and apart. Making sure to never over extend your arms and kept yourself centered.
Tsuyuri came at you, her wooden katana slicing horizontally from the right thinking that you had left your side open. You surprised her by swiftly bringing both of your blades down to meet the katana, saving yourself from what would have been a heavy blow. The way you held them this spar was interesting and Kocho made sure to make note of it.
The Yoroi-doshi was a very small blade, more like a dagger, but with only one sharp edge. That, you held in your left hand upside down, with the blade under your fist instead of on top. The flat side of blade resting along your forearm when not engaged in the spar. The Wakizashi you held was still smaller than a katana, but was much longer than a Yoroi-doshi. You held that in your right hand, like one would a regular, one handed sword.
You pushed the katana away with both your arms. Using the motion to follow through, you stepped forward into Tsuyuri's space. Your left hand preventing her katana from getting closer while your right was held at her throat.
Both of you were panting from the exertion of the spar, but smiles brightened up on your faces as you released Tsuyuri and bowed to her in thanks for a good spar.
Kocho clapped her hands, catching only Tsuyuri by surprise as you had seen her earlier from the corner of your eyes. "My, what an excellent sparring match! Are you sure you wouldn't want to try out to be a part of the Demon Slayer Corps (Y/N)?"
The mention of you joining the corps made you shiver.
Maybe it was time?
You've been doing all of this training, only to keep yourself here at the Estate because you were too afraid of Demons despite never seeing one before.
But all the stories that Inosuke and Zenitsu (sparingly) talked about only made you more afraid.
How would you know if you would be able to kill something?
Do you even have conviction or the right motivation?
It was silent between the three of you as you stared down at your hands. The thoughts swarming your mind as your gaze traced over your toughened hands.
No longer were your hands soft and weak as they were back in your universe. No, you had toughened them up as a means of survival. You wanted to live, but were you living?
You spend day after day training both your body and your mind as you go over all the exercises that Uzui showed you and the medicinal treatments that Kocho ingrained into your mind.
Maybe it wasn't time, not yet.
You'll think about it tomorrow.
"Thank you Kocho-sensei for your kind words, I will have to think about it." Kocho raised her eyebrows in surprise. Months had passed and not once had you given thought to partake in the Final Selection. She understood and was under the impression that you would stay here living and working at the Butterfly Estate. Kocho was more than willing to help, as you had expressed yourself thoroughly that you knew you wouldn't be able to do a thing when facing a Demon.
However at the moment of your reply, she knew something must have changed your mind.
"I'll go help Aoi prepare our evening meal." As the spare between you and Tsuyuri lasted late into the evening. The sun was lowering into the horizon and you knew everyone would be hungry soon.
~~~~~
Dinner was just as quiet as it was during the day.
The pit was back in your stomach and it was hard to stomach your own cooking. Why were you so nervous?
You couldn't stop yourself from fidgeting the whole meal and Aoi had to scold you for playing and tapping your chopsticks on your bowl.
Aside from keeping yourself busy all day, it all felt like there was a blanket over the Estate. No one was loud. There were no seriously injured Demon Slayers that were admitted to the wards. Even the long spar with Tsuyuri was relatively silent aside from the wooden weapons clashing against each other.
It was if it was the calm before the storm.
Were your gut instincts trying to tell you something? That something was happening right now as you sit there finishing your meal with the other girls?
A solid hard shiver wracked your body.
One that wasn't due to a sudden breeze.
It started from the top of your head and crawled its way down your spine.
Leaving you feeling extremely uncomfortable.
None of the other had noticed as they were finishing off the last bits of their food.
"Here, I'll clean those." You offered. Tsuyuri and the others smiled gratefully, unaware of your suddenly stiff body. Making your way to one of the basins of water, your thoughts were running rampant.
Something must have happened. There was no questioning it as your body no longer felt like fiddling with anything. It was in fact, that it felt like your muscles had coiled up and were ready to spring into action at any moment.
Maybe, this was the sign?
Was it time for you to face your fears?
Thrust yourself even more into the world of Demon Slayer and become a part of the story?
There was no way for you to know what was to come, you never even got to finish the series.
But the pit in your stomach was suddenly gone, that innate fear you had only moments early was gone.
Your body was ready to pounce at whatever you willed it to, as you were suddenly in control.
You placed the last dish to dry, letting yourself wander about the estate.
It was quiet. Everyone was asleep.
Almost everyone.
You found Kocho's office door open, and let yourself in after giving the door a knock.
"What brings you here so late at night (Y/N)?" You steeled yourself at her question.
"I wish to take part of the next Final Selection."
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Taisho Secrets!
It's finally some time for some more Taisho Secrets!
- Zenitsu had cried for a long time and swore to himself that he would cherish the charm that (Y/N) made for him even though none one knows what it was that she carved for him. (It was in fact a lightning bolt, but it was hard to get the shape as straight as she wanted it)
- Kocho was pretty much convinced after watching (Y/N) and Tsuyuri spar that (Y/N) was in fact Uzui's Tsuguko. She believed that he just wasn't able to call her that as she never been through the Final Selection process to become an official Demon Slayer
A Question for all you readers. What do you think it was that happened when (Y/N) had that painful shiver?