𝑀𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒
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*＊✿❀ 𝓔𝓷𝓳𝓸𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻!❀✿＊*
༺♥༻❀༺♥༻༺♥༻❀༺♥༻༺♥༻
Kanroji had thanked everyone for attending and all the pillars began to dig into the food we prepared, I handed the bowl of simmered radish to Tomioka and continued to get my servings. Until I saw a tug at the water pillars lips, he was smiling..?!
I pointed at him, there was a pause, and he glanced over at me with a full mouth and a raised eyebrow, "YOU.. DID YOU SMILE AT THE RADISH?!"
Tomioka's eyes widened in response, he swallowed his food and began to protest against my words, "No I didn't."
An open-mouthed smile took over my face, "You totally did Tomioka!"
A booming laugh was heard from the flame pillar, "It's wonderful to see you showing emotion Tomioka, a smile is a long way to go for you!"
"How cuteee!!" Kanroji squealed with pink dusting her cheeks, Iguro's glare burned holes into the water pillar
All of the pillars agreed with Kyojuro, well.. except Iguro and Shinazugawa. I already had a stacked-up pile of plates in front of me, I guess my big breakfast wasn't enough. Though when I took my eyes off my plate to glance around the room, only to meet the minty orbs of the mist pillar. Tokito averted his gaze from me, looking everywhere but my direction. An uncontrollable smile spread on my face, my stomach was doing flips, maybe I was just hungry.
The dinner had finished with the pillars bringing out a bottle of sake. Kanroji had excused Tokito and me since it was going to get.. mature. So we walked out to the Engawa.
"Tokito, would you like to go out to the garden?" I questioned, only getting a hum from the boy in response
I slipped on my shoes and the mist pillar followed behind me as I led him to the garden, that lavender scent filling my nose and intoxicating me. I sat down on one of the flat rocks, patting the spot next to me. The boy only stood there, his mouth slightly open, seeming like he was trying to remember something. That train of thought stopped when he walked over and sat himself next to me.
I brought my knees up to my chest, admiring the twinkling stars in the sky, the moon was full, bright and beautiful as always. The moonlight got covered every now and again from the passing clouds, though you couldn't see them in the night sky, they were there. Loud laughter was heard from inside the tamatis, and you could see the shadows of the pillars messing around, a soft smile tugged at my lips.
Tokito broke the silence with his soft voice, "What's that constellation again?"
I followed the point of his finger, "Oh that's Andromeda, beautiful right?"
He agreed with a hum, his gaze kept on the sky, and the stars shone in his eyes, I couldn't take my eyes off, why was this boy I had just met yesterday suddenly so interesting to me?
The mist pillar glanced over, "What am I doing here?" He questioned
I picked up on him forgetting where he was, maybe it's just because he got so lost in the sky, "We had a gathering with the pillars, remember?"
A wave of silence washed over, he didn't hum to assure me that he heard what I said, no words fell out of his mouth, though it wasn't awkward, I enjoyed this silence.
"It's getting pretty late, shouldn't you be heading out now, Tokito?"
His orbs were now focused on me, I once again found myself not being able to think properly, my cheeks had a tingly feeling, and my stomach was once again doing flips, had he poisoned me??
"I guess so, goodbye.. err.."
"L/n Y/n,"
"Right.."
He walked off without looking back, turning the corner and disappearing out of my sight. The last thing I saw were his teal tips, I was somewhat hoping he would stay longer, I want to get to know this mysterious pillar more.
"Mist is really fitting for him.." I rested the side of my cheek on my hand
Hoshi landed next to me, "Mission! Mission for you!! Leave before sundown tomorrow!!!"
I scratched under his chin, usually, I get missions to leave right away, but alright, Hoshi had joined me to watch the stars; most of the kasugai crows choose their own name after they get sent out to a demon slayer, but Hoshi kept the one Oyakata-sama gave him. It's honestly fitting, Hoshi adores the night sky. If only he could find a bird name Tsuki or something else related to the moon.
I decided to head in for the night, most of the pillars have passed out in the dining room, I only giggled at the sight and continued the way to my room. I wasn't home often, since missions and everything, I don't think I've ever gotten an assignment that doesn't also have one immediately after it. I only stared up at the ceiling in my futon, well till I drifted off into sleep.
"Y/n.. why don't you come have dinner now?"
How come that sounds like mother? Where am I..? I glanced around and took in my surroundings, home?
"Y/n, don't ignore your mother."
Father? My uniform is missing, I'm.. wearing my kimono? Ah, a dream.
"Sorry, I don't want to remember this day.. I miss you both, dearly." A sigh escaped my lips, their faces only filled with concern.
I shot up from my sleep, my mother and father's faces began to fade away, I'm sorry. My body felt cold, I only stood up to walk downstairs. Some dango might cheer me up right now.
"Are you awake, Y/n?" Kanroji called out
"Yeah, can we go to town today? I'm craving some dango.."
"Of course! I'm starving anyway!" She happily agreed
We arrived at the town, and Kanroji entered the first food place she saw, though, after an hour of being there, we had eaten all the food in the restaurant. We still had to stroll around to find someplace selling dango, it's bittersweet for me, memories that I've hidden deep down come back when I take a bite out of the delicious treat.
We returned back to the mansion after a short while, Kanroji went to check on her bees, and I began to water the plants, Hoshi had flown down and landed on my shoulder, the message that I received crushed everything.
"Rengoku Kyojuro, has fallen in battle, against an upper rank three of the twelve kizuki."
Tears began to well up in my eyes, the grip on my watering can weaken, and it crashed onto the ground. "Upper.. rank three? Make this known, I will behead him. I loathe demons."
I clenched my teeth; the anger radiating off of me was indescribable. The next demon I see will die a painful death, I'll make it known that I'm after that upper rank.
"Kanroji!" I snapped out of my blind rage, running along the path to find my mentor
She had to have run off somewhere, Kyojuro was like family to us, I can't believe he's really gone. I returned to my training. I couldn't do much else besides that mission later. Blood splattered on the floor as I coughed it up, I had reached my limit on the number of Plant breathing forms I could do. I wiped the red liquid off of my lips, only for it to smear. I continued for who knows how long, and I finally realized the time of day. The sun was almost set.
"Hoshi, send another slayer out on that mission." I coughed out to my crow, he only listened to my command.
My body was on fire at this point, the training grounds looked a mess, with cracks in the dirt, and multiple dummies were cut to pieces. I would rise to in the ranks, become a pillar, and avenge Kyojuro. No matter the amount of blood and tears I have to shed, I will not let his death be in vain.
"Y/n, you're coughing up blood!" Kanroji expressed great concern and ran over to my kneeling body, she brought out a handkerchief and held it to my mouth as more blood drops fell.
"I'm fine." I gripped my blade once again and pulled myself off of the ground.
I sucked in another breath, it felt like tiny pins plunging into my lungs. The bottom half of my body felt like giving up on me, but instead, I pushed it further.
'Plant breathing, eighth form: Humble.'
Before I could even reach the dummy I fell to my knees once more, coughing out those tiny needles that felt like they were pricking my lungs. More blood splatter, the red liquid flashed in my mind, before everything began to fade, just slowly into black.
"n.. Y/.. Y/n!!"
Big green eyes were staring at me, that pink hair.. Kanroji. I had fainted, it usually happens when I use that form, I'm not able to keep up with it, especially in my state right now. I groaned and slowly sat myself up.
"I fainted.. didn't I?"
"Of course you did! I told you not to use that form, I was so worried you'd die!!" She cried out on the side of my bed
"I'm alright, but I need to go train." I threw the covers off of me and got used to using my legs once again.
Kanroji pleaded for me to take a break, but she knew how I could be easily blinded by my emotions, "At least get rest tonight."
I nodded and slid open the tatami door once again, I saw the damage I had done to the training grounds, I'll call the kakushi in later to clean it up.
"That sound.." It was a demonic one, what was a demon doing so close to the estate?
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ahhh we gon have a fight next chapter muahahaha this is totally plot armor bc y/n survives so much throughout this story lmaoo she should've died like 5 times but its wtv lmao
Word count 1708
Edited 5/25/23