"Nii-Nii, imagine if I could save people," a twelve-year-old Tsubasa said as she and the Water Pillar shared a cup of tea while gazing at the night sky.
"You save people every day, you're a Demon Slayer," Giyuu replied and gave her a skeptical look. "Just what are you thinking about this time, Tsu-chan?"
The girl returned his look with a small smile. "Remember the day you came back from a mission? You weren't severely injured but you hurt your hand pretty bad. What happened then?"
Giyuu didn't even have to think hard. He remembered everything when it came to the purplette. "You claimed you felt my pain, but refused to move farther away from me," he said. "Instead you looked at my hand really hard like you wanted to fight it."
"Then what?"
"Somehow, it stopped bleeding and healed instantly. It disappeared without even so much as a scar as a trace. Next thing we knew, you were the one with a bleeding hand." Just with that explanation, the Water Pillar knew what Tsubasa was pondering. "You don't think you..."
"Imagine if I could do that on command," she cut him off. "That happened by accident, probably because I care about you so much. But what if I could do the same thing to just anyone I please?"
"You could die if you just went around doing that to everyone who's hurt," he said with a serious look. "This is about your new Breathing Technique, isn't it?"
"I have eleven forms," she said, proudly. "But eleven is such an odd number, don't you think?
"You want your twelfth form to be able to kill you?"
"Not kill me, per say. But, it could be useful. Instead of just feeling someone's pain together with them, I could take it away. Think about it.... It could reflect on me and leave them completely fine!"
*-*-*-*-*-*
"With a wound like that, Kyojuro, you could die!"
Akaza had plunged his arm right through the Flame Pillar's abdomen. He was already bleedind severely, but would not give in.
"Come on, last offer. Become a demon and we can be together forever, fighting until near death every single day!"
"I'd rather die knowing I've done my duty than become a demon and hurt those I strive to protect," Rengoku grunted and tried to move his blade in inch closer to beheading him completely.
"Kyo..." Tsubasa stared at the whole scene, wondering how to react. She could well lose her close friend. Her partner. If I call the Kakushi now... maybe they'll be able to bandage him up immediately after he finishes this. She thought and nodded to herself, sending Taiyaki off immediately. Still, she couldn't just stand there and hope he would succeed.
Taking her blade out, she dashed towards them. Happy Dance is my most powerful form.... But I'm not happy in the least! Maybe, Akaza? What is he feeling.... Malice. That's all there is... What to do? What to do? If I don't do something quick, Kyo will.... "Emotion Breathing, Tenth Form:"
A dark grey mist followed her like a ribbon with its dancer and soon tied itself around Akaza's neck it a bow, tightening as she drew closer.
⁘•⁎Reign of Terror!!⁎•⁘
Her blade collided with the demon's neck on the opposite side of Rengoku's. Hopefully, they'd meet halfway and behead him completely. The Flame Pillar looked at her with wide eyes, "Tsu-chan, why...."
"Sorry, Kyo," she said with a smile. "You didn't tag out, but I'm here anyway." She struggled to move her sword. Unlike Rengoku, Tsubasa was much smaller and weaker, so it proved more of a challenge to to try and cut his neck, especially in such an awkward position. She couldn't angle the blade right so her swing wasn't up to par at that point in time.
"What's this? Tsu-chan has come to help you too?" Akaza asked, seemingly unaffected by the second sword wedged in his neck. "Would you like to become a demon as well then? I'm sure Kyo would be happy to have his partner with him as demons."
"Inosuke would never let me do that," Tsubasa grunted, using two hands now to desperately try and slice his neck. "So, I'm sorry, but I have to turn your offer down."
It was then the three realized that the sun was about to rise. When the demon saw this, he panicked and tried to release his hand so he could retreat. But to his -and Tsubasa's- surprise, Rengoku held it and kept the arm firmly in him. "I'm not letting you go anywhere!" he grunted and moved the sword farther.
The sun was rising fast, Rengoku was so close. But at the very last second, Akaza cut off his own arm and backed away quickly. "Sorry, Kyojuro. Maybe we can fight again in another life!" he beamed, removed both blades from his neck and made a run for it. "Goodbye, Tsu-chan!"
"No!!" The girl couldn't believe it. They failed. Not yet. She ran, picked up her Nichirin Blade and rushed after him with lightning speed. "Water Breathing, Thirteenth Form:"
She pointed her sword at the moving target and it was as though the heavens in the sky had opened up. Tanjiro had seen her use that same form only once before. On Mt. Natagumo, when they were battling Rui. It was incredibly powerful and beheaded him instantly, though it cost her her blade.
The pink and purple sword glowed a cherry blossom pink as petals of the same flower fell from the sky. Without thinking, the girl threw her blade right at the demon that was disappearing into the woods, not caring if she didn't get it back. Her thirteenth form never failed. Ever. So it couldn't now. Not now.
⁘•⁎Cherry Blossom Rain!!⁎•⁘
The petals followed the target. But it seemed not even her last resort attack wasn't enough. Just as they were about to slice his neck off with certainty, Akaza jumped which resulted in them cutting off the top part of his torso instead.
Tsubasa froze. No.... NO!! It couldn't have missed. It couldn't have!
"You idiot!!" she screamed in pure hatred. "You cowardly imbicle!! Get back here!! Get back here and fight me!! Are you really afraid of a little sunshine!? You're such a coward! Kyo is the real winner here! Not you! Kyo will be fine! He's not dying!! Not by your hand!! NOOO!!"
She fell to her knees, just as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Kyojuro," she breathed in disbelief. "Was his sacrifice for nothing?" Wait... Sacrifice!?
She turned to where her partner was and ran to him, more tears falling. "Kyo... Kyo you're gonna be okay! The Kakushi are on their way, you'll get treated in no time! Come on, just stay with me," she sobbed.
Rengoku smiled, "Tsu-chan, you can't be so close to me. You'll get affected as well, remember?"
"Idiot! Don't worry about me!" she wailed.
"Tsu-chan," he said her nickname again.
"Yeah, Kyo?"
"You'll always be my favorite partner, you know that, right?"
"Of course I do! And we're gonna stay partners! We'll stay a tag team because you're not gonna die!!"
The man could only smile as the child broke down in tears before him. "Young Hashibira," he then started.
"Yeah, what?" Inosuke answered, biting back tears.
"Take care of Tsu-chan for me. You're her partner now, okay?"
"No!" Tsubasa still protested. "Stop talking like you're gonna die! You're not gonna die!"
"Tsu-chan, even though I won't be around anymore," he spoke. "Never forget what a gift you have. Take pride in it, and use it to help others. Set your heart Ablaze."
Use my gift to help others? Tsubasa suddenly had an idea.Use my gift to...
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"I figured it out!!" Tsubasa came cheering as Giyuu had just finished training. "I figured it out, Nii-nii!"
"Figured what out?" the ravenette gave her a confused look. "Why that squirrel you saw felt so mad?"
Without responding, Tsubasa took out a small knife- the same knife from her dream- and grabbed Giyuu's hand. "Tsu-chan, what are you..." He trailed off as she cut his finger slightly, causing it to bleed. "Tsubasa!" he glared at her. "What do you think you're doing!?"
He wasn't even angry at the fact that he was hurt. He cared more about the fact that Tsubasa would be in pain too. The girl smiled at him. "I figured it out, Nii-nii," she said. "How to get tings to reflect on me."
Seconds later, there was a small breeze and Giyuu's injury healed on the spot, only for one to appear on Tsubasa's hand in the same spot. The Water Pillar looked at her a moment. She really did learn how to heal others on command. Which meant she could give her life away just as easily as taking one of a demon.
"Use it wisely," was all he said. "You can't expect to become a Hashira when you're near death during every mission."
*-*-*-*-*-*
"I can't let you die," Tsubasa panted, taking the man's hands in hers. "Kyo, I won't let you die!" Just then, a pure white mist appeared and shrouded the duo.
"Tsu-chan, what are you..."
"Emotion Breathing, Twelfth Form:"
Rengoku's eyes widened as he realized just what his partner was about to do. "Tsu-chan, you can't!" he tried to stop her. "You're already injured yourself!" But the girl wasn't listening. "If you try, Tsu-chan you could die!"
The mist enclosed the two in a sphere. It was too late now. Rengoku could already feel the pain subsiding while a little blood dripped from the side if the girl's head.
⁘•⁎Reflection.⁎•⁘
It felt at though the mist started to vibrate in the air. Rengoku shed a single tear. She hand't. She couldn't have! It was Tsubasa's turn to simply smile. Suddenly, both of their eyes went cold and Tsubasa's world went dark.
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~✨Blu<3✨