Ch.3 Changing Things
This story is always in the Third Person P.O.V
This Ch. is 2909 words long.
Sitting in the living room, Tanjiro and Tengen examined the rectangular screen that had connected them with an unknown man the day before. As they watched, Tanjiro asked, "Are those images moving?" The screen displayed a man performing stand-up comedy, his voice echoing through the room as he entertained a sizable audience.
"Eh, does seem to be!" Tengen added, "It feels so real, like it's all happening right in front of us," Tanjiro observed, his eyes glued to the screen. Although he felt a sense of familiarity towards the man, he couldn't quite place where he had seen him before. Nevertheless, he decided to push that feeling aside for the moment and continue watching the performance with Tengen.
Aoi was busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, making sandwiches for everyone. As the morning progressed, the rest of the household slowly emerged from their rooms. Although Aoi was still unfamiliar with some of the kitchen appliances, she was starting to understand their functions. For instance, she recognized that the large door with ample space inside could keep things cold and fresh (refrigerator). Likewise, she learned that the small metal box could be used for baking, provided the correct temperature and timing were set.
As she worked on making breakfast, Aoi couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as she thought back to her own experiences learning how to cook. She remembered how everything had initially seemed so confusing, but with time and practice, she had slowly begun to grasp the basics.
Suddenly, Inosuke's loud voice shattered her reverie. "MOI, IS THE BREAKFAST READY!" he shouted from the dining table. Aoi looked up and smiled, shaking her head at the young man. "Almost!" she replied, her focus returning to the task at hand.
Inosuke impatiently waited for breakfast while Zenitsu and Rengoku sat nearby, sipping tea. Zenitsu's eyes widened in awe as he peeked over Rengoku's shoulder, admiring the magazine's stunning models and their avant-garde fashion sense.
"Wow, this is amazing! The fashion in this era is so cool!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement and wonder. Rengoku grinned, his enthusiasm for life shining through. "Yes, it's quite a sight to behold! These models are truly beautiful, and the photography is simply exquisite. I find myself getting lost in these pages." Together they continued admiring the magazine.
Yoriichi sat on the couch with Tengen and Shinobu, sipping tea and discussing the ins and outs of their respective occupations. As Shinobu spoke about the hospital she ran for demon hunters, Yoriichi listened intently, nodding thoughtfully as he absorbed the information.
Tengen, on the other hand, was more interested in sharing his own experiences. "Man, I can assure you, the Butterfly Mansion is one hell of a scary place!" he exclaimed, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Shinobu simply took a sip of her tea, unfazed by Tengen's theatrics. Yoriichi took another sip of his tea as Tengen continued to regale them with tales of the Butterfly Mansion. "Why is it so scary?" Yoriichi asked, intrigued by Tengen's vivid descriptions.
"It's all thanks to Shinobu's rehabilitation training," Tengen explained, a shiver running down his spine. "You wouldn't like it, I swear! Especially if you're a Hashira!" Shinobu nodded in agreement. She then turned to Yoriichi with a curious look in her eye. "And what about you, Yoriichi? What is your rank as a demon hunter?"
Yoriichi smiled wryly. "Hashira," he said simply, placing his cup back on the table.
Tengen let out a strange noise, earning a bemused look from Shinobu. "And what breath style do you use?" Tengen asked eagerly.
"Oh, I use Sun Breathing," Yoriichi replied, his voice laced with a quietness that spoke volumes about his skill as a demon hunter.
Shinobu and Tengen exchanged a perplexed look as Yoriichi revealed his mastery of the Sun Breathing technique. Before they could question him further, Gyomei descended from his room and greeted them all with a booming "Good morning!" in his deep voice.
"Morning, Gyomei!" they chorused in response.
Giyu and Nezuko followed shortly after, with Giyu receiving playful teasing from Shinobu for oversleeping.
"Eh~ Tomioka, you overslept," she jested, "It seems you're getting older and lazier!"
As Zenitsu caught sight of Nezuko, he couldn't help but let out a loud "Nezuko-chan!" - prompting Sanemi to swiftly bonk him on the head.
As Zenitsu whimpered in pain, Sanemi glared at him. "Your screaming hurts my ears, brat," he growled. Kanae appeared and chided Sanemi for bullying kids. "Ara-ara, Sanemi, it's not a good thing to bully kids," Kanae said, her soft voice ringing out as she walked down the stairs into the living room. Sanemi stopped hitting Zenitsu and turned to look at her, a faint flush of embarrassment on his cheeks. Despite his tough exterior, he was always a little flustered around Kanae, whom he secretly had a crush on.
"Kanae, good morning," Gyomei greeted her with a warm smile, always happy to see her. Tengen grinned and winked at her, feeling a bit mischievous as usual. Yoriichi nodded in greeting, his stoic expression giving nothing away. While Shinobu gave her a friendly, warm smile.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro and Aoi were busy setting the table for breakfast, placing plates and silverware with practiced ease. Nezuko, ever the helper, carried a tray of freshly baked bread to the table and began to slice it up. As soon as the food was set on the table, Inosuke couldn't contain his hunger anymore and practically pounced towards it.
Aoi quickly intervened, scolding him with a raised finger, "Hold yourself, Inosuke! Everyone needs to be here before we start eating," she scolded him, pointing a finger. "Or else no food for you!" As Inosuke tried to grab a piece of sandwich, Aoi playfully slapped his hand away. In the meantime, Kanae scanned the room and noticed some missing faces. "Namely, Mitsuri, Iguro, Muichiro, Kanao, and Genya," she listed the absentees.
Kanao returned from the garden, exclaiming about the stunning flowers she had just watered. Kanae smiled in agreement, admiring both her sister's green thumb and her kind heart. Kanao then made her way over to Tanjiro and engaged in conversation, bringing a sense of joy to Kanae as she watched her sister thrive. Kanae couldn't help but notice the way Kanao looked at Tanjiro, sensing a potential romantic connection that only added to her happiness.
Just as Kanae was lost in thought, Mitsuri and Iguro entered, with Genya trailing behind. "Finally, you guys are here!" Rengoku exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. Mitsuri blushed and apologized, "I'm sorry, I was just indecisive about what to wear. I wanted to look my best for everyone." Iguro, who had a stoic expression on his face, added, "I was merely assisting her." Genya, a bit embarrassed, said, "And I was perfecting my hairstyle. Sorry for the delay."
Inosuke let out a loud growl as his impatience got the best of him. "I'm starving over here!" he exclaimed, flexing his muscles for emphasis. "To be honest, I am hungry too!" Tanjiro's said, his stomach chimed in with a rumble, drawing laughter from the group. Gyomei remained unfazed, continuing his prayer while Inosuke fidgeted with growing frustration. Just as he was about to erupt, a timid figure descended the stairs.
Muichiro arrived, appearing a bit dazed but still collected. In his grasp was a large rectangular object with a foundation and a monitor, reminiscent of the sizable one in the living room but much smaller. The gadget was wired to a device encasing Muichiro's ears. He looked extremely tired and sleepy but somehow composed himself and said, "Good morning, everybody and Tanjiro" He then walked towards the dining table and sat his gadget beside his plate.
"Ahh, Muichiro, are you feeling alright?" Aoi asked. Mucihiro, about to say something, got cut off by Inosuke, who shouted, "This is it! Everyone's here, I'm starving!" Inosuke quickly dug into the sandwich, and the others followed suit, eager to enjoy the delicious food.
"But seriously, Muichiro, you seemed to have not slept the entire night," Shinobu said, pointing to the dark spots beneath his eyes. "Well, yes, I haven't slept!" He said, yawning and taking another bit of his sandwich while watching something on his gadget. "What is that?" Mitsuri said, pointing towards the gadget. "Eh, it's a laptop!" He said, "A laptop?" Everybody exclaimed. "Mhm, oh yeah, I forgot you guys don't know about this year's technology!" He exclaimed.
"Allow me to clarify," he said with a mouthful of sandwich. "This is a laptop, a portable computer that provides access to information from all over the world via something called the Internet. The Internet is a global network that connects millions of people worldwide. I spent the entire night researching and learning about the history from the Taisho era to the present, as well as human technological advancement and the industrial revolution, which greatly influenced our current era!"
His words grabbed the attention of everyone at the dinner table, except for Inosuke, who was too preoccupied with his meal. "Dang, kid, you really pulled an all-nighter on this, huh?" Tengen exclaimed prompting a glare from Muichiro. "You are amazing Muichiro! Your info would be really helpful for us!" Tanjiro exclaimed causing Muichiro's anger to wipe off entirely.
"Tanjiro is right, but you should take care of yourself Muichiro. No need to overwork." Gyomei said, taking a bite from his sandwich and a sip from his coffee. "Will doooo......" Muichiro said. "If you were searching everything here all night, then can you explain the weird appliances in the house.." Aoi asked
"Hmm yeah sure...." Muichiro replied. He pointed towards the black rectangular thingy in the living room from which the strange man spoke to them from the day earlier. "That thing is called a Television or a TV. It is used for entertainment purposes." He then pointed towards the Big white door situated in the kitchen. "That is called a fridge, it can keep things cool and fresh for a period of time." He then pointed towards a black box with a small glass gate. "That is called an oven, it can heat things and is used for baking mostly...."
Before Muichiro could point towards anything else, Sanemi intervened, "At this rate, it's going to take the entire day for him to be done explaining everything in the house." He barked, prompting Muichiro to shoot him an annoyed look.
"Hmmm... Say Muichiro, you talked about something called the internet, right? The thing you used for researching all night." Yoriichi asked Muichiro. "Yes.?" Muichiro replied, "Can we access this Internet thing too? It would help us to search for things at our own pace." Yoriichi asked him. "That's a good idea, Mr. Yoriichi!" Tanjiro exclaimed, "You can call me just Yoriichi, Tanjiro." Yoriichi said with a small smile.
"Yes, you can. You just need a browser and a laptop." Muichiro replied to Yoriichi's question. "Wait, so we will have to carry this thing with us everywhere we go?!" Mitsuri exclaimed.
"Oh no, there are a smaller version of computers called Smartphones." Muichiro started typing something on his laptop.
"That's great! But where are they?" Kanae took a sip from her coffee
"We have to purchase them." Muichiro's typing came to a halt and he stared at the screen in front of him
"Why am I not surprised?" Iguro finished his breakfast.
"Well, it is an economic world Iguro... So where can we buy these 'smartphones'." Shinobu was particularly curious about the name of these gadgets 'Smartphones, I wonder how smart are they.'
"I ordered them last night, they should arrive any minute no-" Muichiro was cut off by the sound of the doorbell.
Giyu got up from his seat and walked towards the door. He opened it to reveal a man, wearing a blue colour uniform with the words 'EXPRESS DELIVERY' Printed on the front and back. "Good morning sir, does someone named 'Muichiro Tokito' live here?"
"Yes." The man presumed by Giyu to be a delivery person handed Giyu a big heavy box. "This is a parcel in his name. Could you please call him and ask him to sign some papers here as well as pay a total of 2,787,966 Yen." Giyu almost dropped the box after hearing the amount needed to be paid for these smartphones.
Before he could say something, Muichiro appeared in front of the delivery person, signed the papers in his hand, and handed him the money all in a matter of ten seconds. "Thank you, sir, shop from our store again!" The delivery person said and left the house in his big vehicle.
Muichiro turned towards Giyu and said, "Talk about the amount inside and I'll tell Shinobu about who put a cat on her head while she was sleeping." Giyu immediately turned away and walked back into the living room, put the box down, and sat quietly in his chair not speaking a word.
"Welp, here is the parcel I ordered last night, let's open it."
Aoi brought a kitchen knife as everyone except Inosuke hurdled around the box (he was still eating). Aoi cut off the tape sealing the box and opened it to reveal even more boxes. But these boxes have a much more appealing design to them with an image of some small screen-type gadget printed on them.
"Everyone, grab one box for yourself. I ordered one for everyone." Muichiro picked a box from the stacked boxes and walked towards the sofas in the living room.
Following his lead, everyone picked a box for themselves. Tanjiro took a box for himself and sat at one of the sofas in the living room beside, Iguro. He opened his box (which took him a while because he couldn't figure out he had to cut the tape binding the upper and lower part of the box) to reveal a nice shiny-looking screen-type gadget reminiscing to the TV and Muichiro's laptop except it didn't have a base and was pocket-sized, unlike the other gadgets.
Tanjiro flipped his phone to see that its back was solid metal with some lens-type things encased at the top-left. It was black in colour and at the centre was a logo of an apple eaten from one of its sides. There was a button on its right side and two on its left.
"Guys hold the button on the right side of your phone to switch it on," Muichiro instructed everybody.
Tanjiro as Muichiro said, pressed the button and hold it for a few moments before his phone vibrated and the screen now showed the same Apple logo on its back. After a few more animations played out, his phone was now completely active and functional.
"Okay, now let me give you a rundown of everything present in this phone and everything you can use it for." And so began a technological lesson from Muichiro lasting nearly the whole day.
But between them......
"Damn, this online shopping thing is amazing! I can make my phone as FLAMBOYANT as me!" Uzui browsed one thing after another and added them to the cart followed by Mitsuri who was trying to make her phone look more cuter.
and.....
"These cooking magazines....!" Aoi eyes were as bright as the sun upon seeing the hundreds of dishes and cooking recipes. She wanted to try and make all of them.
or......
"Perhaps I could make a small little shrine in this house with these miny statues of gods." Gyomei had sculptures and statues of gods to put inside in his room.
"Wait, Gyomei how are you even seeing what's on the phone? Aren't you blind?" Sanemi questioned.
"I honestly have no idea, but I just know what's on the screen, like there is a clear image of it in my mind.."
"I guess that's good..."
"hmm"
and finally......
"I am hungry again...." Inosuke murmured,
"Seriously you at like just some hours ago!" Sanemi shouted at him.
"Some hours? Look outside." Sanmei turned his head towards the windows to see the sun setting down. He then looked towards the clock to see that the time was 6:00 PM.
"Oh my, it has gotten a little late." Kanae got up from her seat and stretched her body. "It seems we were so captivated by our phones that we lost track of time"
"Ahh, I have to make dinner!" Aoi cried and walked into the kitchen but stopped moments before entering. "Wait what should I make for dinner?" She asked turning towards the crowd in the living room.
Silence.......
There were absolutely zero preparations to make anything interesting except rice, and beans that were in the fridge. After a while of humming from the crowd, one redhead spoke, "How about we order something online for today?" Everyone agreed upon the suggestion.
"Ok, I am ordering. What do you all want to eat?" Genya asked as he dialed the no. of a famous restaurant in the city near to them.
"Double cheese...pizza?" Sanemi read from the menu of the restaurant on his phone.
"Same here to be honest" Zenitsu gave his order.
"How about a pizza party for today!" Mitsuri exclaimed and everyone agreed.
"Pizza it is then." Genya sighed and gave an order of 7 Double cheese margaritas, 4 seafood pizzas, 2 extra large mochi pizzas, and 4 Teriyaki chicken pizzas. He also ordered some drinks and some ice-creams alongside it.
It didn't take too long for their order to arrive. When everyone was settled, they shouted "Itadakimasu" in unison and began eating. Tengen turned on the TV and they all watched animes, having a good time with each other and enjoying the beautiful evening.
They were ready for their new lives.
Next Time:
"So.......we need to find jobs?"
"Yeah because at the rate of our spending, we will go broke in no time!"
"And we need to send these kids to school.."
"US? SCHOOL?"
"There ain't no way I, The Mist Hashira is going to school."
"I suppose, we as teens would have to go to school to get into colleges and gain degrees."
"Nvm, just make sure me and Tanjiro are in the same class."
"Wait, so shouldn't we first visit the city near to us?"
"Oh yeah!"
"Well then, I think we all know what we have to do."