"He's here."
Just then, the two twins from the final selection appeared and announced.
"The Master of the Demon Slayer Corps will address you now." in unison.
In a fraction of a second, Tanjiro was pinned down by Sanemi and was shocked to see that he was.... bowing?? All of them were bowing, including Tsubasa.
At that moment, a man with black hair and something that looked like burns on his face came from a door, accompanied by one of the twins.
"Hello, my dear children."
"Master, it is an honour to be in your presence once more," Tsubasa beamed, respectfully.
'Aww Tsu-chan beat me to it. I wanted to address the master!!!' All other nine Hashira thought and Tsubasa flinched at the sudden words in her head.
"I am glad you could all make it to our semi-annual meeting," the master, Kagaya Ubayashiki, spoke.
Before the meeting commenced, the Hashira expressed their concerns for the fact that Tanjiro had been travelling with a demon and Ubayashiki told them that he'd been excused. But the Slayers were still resistant to the idea.
"But how can we know for sure that she won't ever eat any humans?" Rengoku voiced.
"I received a letter from former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki," Ubayashiki announced and asked his daughter to read it out loud.
The letter explained how Urokodaki allowed Tanjiro to travel with his demon sister, Nezuko and how if she were to ever eat a human, he, Tanjiro and current Water Hashira, Giyuu Tomioka would kill her and slit their bellies.
"So what if they made that claim? It doesn't change anything," Tengen asked.
"The former Water Pillar also got reassurance from our current Emotion Pillar, Tsukishiro Tsubasa, who 'read and felt' that Kamado Nezuko truly will never try to eat any humans because she has broken Kibutsuji Muzan's curse," the girl explained.
The other nine Hashira stared at Tsubasa, confused.
"You knew about the demon?"
"And you allowed him to stay with her?"
"Wasn't the cloud just there a minute ago?"
"With all due respect, Master," Sanemi spoke up. "Are you certain you can trust a child enough to let a demon like this run loose?"
"Are you doubting me, Sanemi?" Tsubasa asked, her smile still in place but her tone went icy.
Everyone froze, including Sanemi. If there was one thing the entire Corps knew, it was not to upset the Emotion Hashira.
"Because if you truly are," she continued. "I could easily show you what this child is capable of."
"Now now, Tsu-chan," Shinobu tried to calm her down.
Tsubasa took a breath, then faced her master again. "Master, it seems Shinazugawa would like to test the theory."
Sanemi wasn't even listening. He took Nezuko's box again just as Tanjiro was pinned down by Obanai. Sanemi cut open his arm and let his blood drip onto the holes in Nezuko's box.
"Come on now demon!" he hissed. "Show us your true colors!"
"Need I remind you, Sanemi," Tsubasa beamed, her words dripping poison honey. "Its daytime and you're out in broad daylight. Do you truly think you're special enough for her to come out?
Everyone froze, trying not to burst out in laughter from the burn she just gave Sanemi. The Wind Pillar on the other hand was furious.
"My deepest apologies, Master," he said before going into the shade where Ubuyashiki was and throwing box away, opening it in the process. He let his blood continue to drip and a tiny Nezuko crawled out.
"Now show us all who the real demon is!?"
Nezuko stood and stared intensely at his bleeding arm. Sweating and panting but staying still.
"Would you like to help us enter her mind, my dear child?" the master asked Tsubasa.
She bowed. "Of coarse, master." Then she looked at Nezuko, trying to form a sentence out of all the thoughts swirling in the demon child's mind.
"Humans must be protected," she spoke. "I'll never hurt a human. They're precious."
Everyone stared in disbelief at the Emotion Hahsira.
"I'll never eat a human! I'll never hurt a human! Never!!"
And with that, Nezuko turned her head away in disgust. "I never liked the smell of blood anyway." Tsubasa ended in a sassy tone.
"Explain what happened, children," Ubuyashiki said to the twins.
"Kamado Nezuko turned away from the Wind Pillar, Shinazugawa Sanemi," the first twin spoke.
"Despite there being blood dripping from his hand and her being stabbed three times by him," the second added.
"Which denotes the fact that she truly is willing to never hurt any kind of human."
"Thank you, children."
The Pillars where still in disbelief, most of all Sanemi. He wanted to object further but that wuld result in him disrespecting his master, which he wouldn't do to save his life. Instead he simply huffed and walked back to his post beside the other Hashira.
After that, Ubuyashiki spoke to Tanjiro and the Pillars about Tanjiro and Tsubasa's encounter with Muzan Kibutsiji. Everyone was shocked.
"That must have been a flamboyant encounter!"
"Did you witness his power first hand!?"
"Oh, poor Tsu-chan," Shinobu patted her head. "It must've been difficult having to be so close to such a demon. His thoughts must've tormented you."
It was then Tanjiro vowed he would slay Kibutsuji with his own sword and turn Nezuko back!..... But Ubuyashiki reminded him he wasn't strong enough and that he should start off small first. After that Tanjiro was finally carried away to the Butterfly Estate for treatment.
"Why don't you go and recover in your own estate as well, Tsu-chan," Ubuyashiki suggested. "You have been extremely busy these past few days after all."
Tsubasa blushed furiously in embarrassment. She politely declined, "I can assure you Master, I can manage."
"Please, I insist. We aren't going to start the Semi-annual Hashira meeting anytime soon either way," her master urged.
"O-of coarse, Master," she said and bowed. "Please excuse me."
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Tanjiro and Nezuko were carried to the Butterfly Mansion where they were greeted by Aoi, one of Shinobu's helpers, who guided them inside and set down. They were led to a room that had both Zenitsu and Inosuke in it.
Zenitsu was whining and crying about the medicine. Inosuke looked depressed. Tanjiro was set on the bed in the middle. It was then the Kakushi decided to speak.
"How much of an idiot can you be huh?" he exclaimed. "Speaking to the Hashira with such disrespect. Especially the Emotion Hahira! What were you thinking!?"
"Emotion Hashira?" Tanjiro replied. "Do you mean Tsubasa?"
"That's Tsukishiro-sama to you!" he retorted and started looking around, as though scared. "The Hashira are the most highest ranked demon slayers in the Corps! You have to treat them with respect!"
"Especially Kocho-sama and Tsukishiro -sama," the second Kakushi, a lady, spoke.
"They're scary."
"The Insect Pillar created a poison that kills demons!"
"And I've heard that the Emotion Pillar just has to look into your eyes and you'll instantly be paralyzed under her gaze."
"And she can tell every single thing you'll think say and do before you even know you're going to!"
Tanjiro didn't respect the fact that they were talking so fearfully about his friend but.... everything they said was accurate. He saw the way the swamp demon froze under her gaze, as though paralyzed. And how the fact that she could tell anyone's intentions without then knowing was unsettling at times.....
But she wasn't scary!
"And I heard that she....."
"It's really not nice to talk about people behind their backs y'know."
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I. AM. BAAAAACK!!!
I'm back from Boarding School for the entire month!! I'm so excited to be able to write again and I've had so many ideas for all my stories. Hope you enjoyed this chaoter!
Happy Day and Happy Reading!!
~✨Blu<3✨~