Kage's P. O. V:
I enter my estate later that night, in the black hours of the morning, after I'd gotten back from my mission. It was silent, a single light left on for me.
I know then that my wife, Rin and our daughter, Izumi, will be asleep. I got married to the priestess the year after Yosei ran away from me. Of course, I never told her nor my daughter about what I did. And I don't plan to.
I lock the door behind me before I get some leftover dinner and heat it up. I eat it before I wash up the dishes.
I sit on the couch for awhile, lost I thought.
I'm still amazed by Yosei's beauty, and how much stronger she's grown since we reunited all those years ago.
I smirk to myself as I chuckle.
I saw the Fairy Hashira in the marketplace with Tomioka earlier this afternoon. A frown appears on my features as I remember the way she'd moved closer to him when they left.
Now she seems to have a bodyguard with her at all times. I'll have to find some way to deal with Tomioka. As long as he's around, I definitely won't be able to get to Yosei, despite the fact I have seven more years of experience up my sleeve.
Then there's the problem of Oyakata-sama constantly watching me like a hawk.
I'm always going to be loyal to him and the fight against those vermin known as demons, but l can't do it without the Fairy Hashira. I don't even want her to share her powers with anyone else. I had Yosei first, after all.
I still cannot comprehend why she's so overprotective of that half blood girl, Nezuko Kamado. I thought I taught Yosei that all demons are our enemies.
It would seem as though she's forgotten since Sakonji Urokodaki took her in and stole Yosei from me.
I remain on the couch for awhile as I try to think of ways to steal Yosei-chan back without the Master or Tomioka interfering.
Yosei's P. O. V:
"Tsukino has been around Headquarters quite a lot lately, hasn't he?" Kocho asks as we sit on her back porch, green tea between us.
"Huh? Oh, yeah," I say absentmindedly. I sip some o my tea. I'm dressed in a yellow kimono, my brown hair in a braid.
"Tsukino usually stays away from Headquarters, but not since the trial. Kind of strange, don't you think?" Kocho asks, before sipping her tea.
"Y-Yeah. It is." I don't meet her gaze. The only reason he's been hanging around Headquarters more is because he's watching me. I flick my gaze around as I eat some tamagashi, thinking the Eclipse Hashira might be in the garden hiding somewhere.
"Are you alright, Senshi?" Asks Kocho, regaining my attention. "You seem a bit jumpy lately."
"Oh, I'm fine, Kocho. Really. C-Can we talk about something else?"
She grins as she asks, "How are things between you and Tomioka?" I was surprised by the sudden change in topic.
"Wh-Why would you ask that?" I stutter in surprise, a lush on my cheeks.
"Well, you have been staying at his estate the last couple of weeks, right?" She says teasingly. "I want to know the details! Have you two finally confessed yet?"
I reply as I avert my gaze, "N-No. and there's nothing to tell. Giyu-kun just doesn't want me living on my own at the moment because he's worried about me. So he offered let me stay at his estate for awhile."
"Why's that? What's going on, Senshi?" The Insect Hashira wants to know.
I struggle to answer as I don't want anyone else involved in this. I was saved, however, by the Water Hashira showing up before us.
Giyu glances to Kocho before he addresses me. "Yosei-chan, we have a mission together."
Relieved, I set down my snack and jump to my feet. "Okay. Thanks for the snack, Kocho."
"Anytime! Good luck on your mission," She calls back as Giyu and I leave.
"What was that all about?" The blue eyed man wants to know.
"You know Kocho. She just wanted to pester me about us staying together at your estate," I reply.
"What did you tell her?" He inquires.
"Just that you're letting me live with you at the moment because you're worried about me. I almost ended up telling Kocho about Tsukino but then you came to my rescue."
Giyu offers me a smile as he says, "It's alright. Though I don't see why you can't tell anyone else."
"I don't want to drag them into it," I sigh, looking down. I flick my gaze back to the Tomioka. "I'm gonna head back to change my clothes."
"I'll go with you, just in case Tsukino tries anything," He tells me. I know there's no arguing with him so I nod my head.
With the Water Hashira, we return to his estate so I could grab my Demon Slayer uniform.
Once I was fully changed, Giyu explains the mission as we head to Biei Village.
Apparently, we're to slay a demon with a powerful Blood Demon Art that can lure its victims to it, and that it lives in the forest outside the village.
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We arrive at the village by sunset and Giyu and I marvel at how beautiful it is. It's mostly rural but filled with colourful flowers, both in and outside of the village.
Giyu and I walk through it as I gaze at the flowers in awe. We reach the edge of the forest where the demon was supposed to be hiding in a few moments.
"I think we should split up," I suggest, glancing at the black haired man. "Cover more ground. If we don't find the demon in 1 hour after sunset, we'll meet back here to report and search the forest again."
Giyu nods his head as he agrees, "Sounds good. Be careful, Yosei-chan."
I reply as I turn to go into the forest, "Right back at you, Yu-kun." I then take off running as I hear Giyu head in another direction.
When the sun fully sets, I begin searching for any signs of the demon. The forest is mostly quiet save for crickets chirping. I spend about an hour looking for my target, wandering through the darkened forest and keeping a sharp eye out for clues.
I was crouching by some twigs on the ground but there was no sign of the demon, when some beautiful flute music reaches my ears.
"... Huh? A flute?" I murmur aloud. I pause and furrow my brows as I listen intently. The sound continues playing and I gain a strange sensation. I begin walking in the direction of the flute.
The sound gets louder the closer I get to its source.
After awhile, I enter a glade in the forest. Moonlight spills in through the treetops and lights up a small group of large boulders where a tall and beautiful blonde haired woman was perched. Her eyes closed as she plays a wooden flute.
The woman pauses as her eyes open and she looks in my direction with forest green eyes. "Oh? A Hashira? I haven't devoured one in awhile."
And as she climbs to her feet, I realise with a start she's a demon.
I try to move away, to unsheathe my sword, but I couldn't move. I stare with widened eyes as the demon woman glides closer to me. She grips my chin in a vice like grip, and I feel her incredibly long green painted thumb nail prick the surface of my skin.
A thin line of red trickles down my chin. She croons, "From those two butterfly hair clips, I'm going to assume that you're the Fairy Hashira. I think you'll do nicely for dinner, Hashira."
Her red lips curl into a greedy smile and she leans closer while opening her mouth.
I was shaking as I struggle to fight against her, yet I still couldn't. I squeeze my eyes closed as I silently pray for Giyu to come and save me.
"Giyu-kun... please... save me...!" I plead mentally.
I can feel the demon's breath on my face, but before she can bite into me...
... "Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!" There's a rush of water and a scream of rage. I snap my eyes open just in time to see the demon woman get her right arm that was holding my chin cut clean off by Giyu, a look of rage on her features.
The Tomioka appears just as livid as he lands in front of me protectively, knees bent in a steady stance.
The blonde haired demon glares at him with narrowed eyes as I exclaim, feeling the strange hold on me break, "Yu-kun! You came for me."
He says as he glances at me over his shoulder, a smile on his lips, "Always, Yosei-chan."
"How did you find me?" I ask him.
The black haired man replies, "I was lured here just like you. But when I saw the demon abut to devour you, I guess I just got so angry that I snapped myself out of it." Giyu pauses as he takes in the sight of blood dripping down my chin. Giyu's swivels his glare back to the demon. "You'll pay for hurting her!"
"And you'll pay for cutting off my arm, Water Hashira!" She retorts just as her arm regenerates. She creates a wooden flute, just like the one I saw her with before. "Flesh Melody Blood Demon Art: Melody of Shock!"
She puts the flute to her lips and plays a tune. A loud, piercing tune, unlike the peaceful one from before, rips through the air and blasts into my and Giyu's eardrums.