As the Hashira gathered, each of them feeling the weight of the recent news, Shinobu sigh, and spoke up first, her voice gentle but firm.
"I must admit, I've been feeling conflicted about these marks," she said, her eyes fixed on Y/n and Tanjiro.
"On one hand, they seem to be an indication of great power, a sign of the next generation of demon slayers who will surpass us all."
"But on the other hand, they also feel like a kind of exclusion, a way of singling out these two young warriors as somehow different from the rest of us." She said, which made the sun pillar frown.
Gyomei nodded in agreement, his face stern and serious. "We cannot afford to let resentment fester within our ranks," he said. "If we are to defeat Muzan and his demons, we must remain united, fighting as one. But we also cannot ignore this potential, this power that these marks represent."
Sanemi, the Wind Hashira, spoke up next, his voice low and somber. "What, you pathetic pillars not going to mention it? fine." he said.
"These marks make these two young warriors targets, targets for Muzan. Besides, we barely have enough information about these marks, anyway."
Obanai, the Serpent Hashira raises his hand slightly, bringing up a different topic.
"I would like to bring up something. something about our brand new pillar here." He said.
"Tsugikuni Y/n. We trust you in becoming a hashira, don't we? The corps has decided to give trust in you." Obanai confronts.
He paused, looking at Y/n with concern. "And yet, here you are, keeping secrets, keeping knowledge from us that could help not just you, but all of us become stronger."
He shook his head, a hint of disappointment present in his expression. "Tell me, why? Why do you refuse to give us detailed information about your family, about the Tsugikuni?"
Y/n's eyes met Obanai's, and for a moment, there was silence. Obanai knew that this was a bad topic for Y/n, that he was keeping secrets for a reason, but he also knew that they had to know everything if they were going to become the strongest they could possibly be.
At that point, Y/n refuses to let out a single word. as he just looks forward at the wall.
Shinobu, the Insect Hashira, knew better than most that this was a sensitive topic for Y/n. As she watched the others question him, her expression grew tense. She knew that Y/n was keeping secrets, that there was much they still didn't know about him and his family. But she also knew that this was a topic that weighed heavy on Y/n's heart, that it was something he struggled with all the time.
Gyomei, the Stone Hashira, was a man of few words, but his presence was nonetheless powerful. his expression was calm, yet stern, his eyes locked on the young warrior who was being questioned by his comrades.
"Y/n," he spoke up, "I too wish to know why you are being so secretive." His voice was quiet, yet firm, and as he spoke, Y/n could feel the weight of his words.
.
.
.
"You, Tsugi, are a coward." Shinazugawa told, which made the room tense, sensing an argument.
"A coward. patting himself on the back. Congratulations, you can stand proud next to Rengoku's body."
Shinobu, the Insect Hashira, was still processing Sanemi's words, when the Wind Hashira mentioned Rengoku's death. Her expression grew serious, her eyes locked on Sanemi. She knew that this was not a good topic to discuss with
Y/n.
"Shinazugawu-san, that's enough." Shinobu tried to intervene.
"Hey." Y/n looked at Sanemi. his face tense and nervous.
"I'm gonna... rip off your head. and, u-um..." He was mad, sure, but he wasn't the best at trash talking.
"Oh? Yeah, come on. Come on. You can do it, I believe in you." Sanemi, has put some sarcasm into that.
"And.. defecate..." Y/n clenched his fist.
"Hm?"
"On your... lunch.." He said, he knew it was terrible.
.
.
.
Sanemi was about to explode. "Now you're just embarassing yourself."
"Y/n." Muichiro finally spoke up
"Huh?"
"It's too much for me to admit it, but Sanemi is right. You think you're better than everyone else. But here you sat. The good man, doing nothing."
"You were a coward.. to your last whimper. You see, there was a saying -
'Of fear and love, I fear not that I will die. But that all I have come to love: the peace, and the things that are not peace, will perish'." He said, his tone calm.
Shinobu raises her hand.
"I prefer we stop lecturing him.. he's.. he is just human. I want you all to stop putting the blame on him." She defends, as Tsugi looks at her silently.
"Y/n's just like the rest of us. We all make mistakes. So-"
"No. No. No.." Y/n finally speaks.
"Shinobu just lied to you just now." He said, while Shinobu looks at him, her eyes slightly widened.
"She did." While the other are sitting calmly, he stood up.
"I don't make mistakes. I'm not just like the rest of you.." Y/n raises his tone.
"Tsugi-san, can we just leave?" Tanjiro watched.
"No. I'm stronger. I'm smarter. I'm better. I am better!" He states, finally standing up for himself.
"I'm not some weak-need that goes around apologizing all the time, and why the hell would you want me to be?!" His face tense, as the hashiras stares at him.
"Let's just end this meeting. This is pointle-" Tanjiro was cut off, as he tries to get up.
"Sit, Tanjiro." Y/n said, his tone filled with a mixture of anger and frustration.
"All my life people have tried to control me. Lovable and good people, sure. but I guess I had no other choice but to obey. First my own mother, second Rengoku, and then her." Y/n points at Shinobu.
"You couldn't just leave me alone, could you? LUCKY ME. THAT IS PERFECT."
Shinobu's eyes widened in shock as she heard Y/n's words, Her expression grew serious as she processed his words, feeling a mix of emotion ranging from hurt to concern.
Despite her attempts to care and love for Y/n, she was well aware that he saw her actions as controlling and manipulative. She recognized that her actions were not perceived in the way she had intended, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt for failing to understand the impact of her behavior.
It was a moment of intense emotion, a moment of pure honesty, as Y/n spoke from the heart.
"Y/n. Being a Hashira is a sacrifise. That's the job. That's what you signed up for. You can't have it all, boy." Gyomei whispers, yet Y/n wasn't done.
"What the hell is this anyway?" Y/n looks around him.
"Is this an intervention or something? Is that why you're here? to let me down easy? Oh, I bet you've told them everything about your family, Tanjiro. But me? Oh, no. no. no. I can't afford to take a risk. to give knowledge to the people I don't trust. You're weak. You all are." Tsugi looks at Tanjiro, yet he can't afford to talk
"You're all gonna die. yeah. I can't afford to hope that this generation can even lay a hand on Muzan."
"Hey, hold on, hold on..-" Mitsuri tries to calm the situation, but was cut off.
"You were right, Shinobu. I should've never met you. I shouldn't have ever met Rengoku in the first place. Being a demon slayer just..."
Y/n stood in front of the other Hashiras, his frustration and anger clearly visible in his face. As he spoke, the other Hashiras could see a deep pain in his eyes, a pain that went beyond the anger and frustration.
"I never wanted to be a Demon Slayer," he muttered, his voice filled with resentment. "I never wanted to have to kill demons, to have to risk my life every day."
He paused, taking a deep breath, before continuing.
"I'm well aware that that's selfish but I just wanted to live my life. I just wanted to be a normal person. But because of my blood, because of my strength, because of... him."
Y/n looked down at his hands, the anger in his eyes now replaced by a deep sense of sadness and regret. He took a deep breath, before speaking again, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Rengoku didn't know that I hated being a Demon Slayer, that I never wanted to be one in the first place. He kept pushing me, encouraging me, praising me every time I finished a mission. He didn't realize that the pressure was breaking me, that I was on the verge of snapping."
He paused, his eyes now filled with tears, as he continued to speak.
"And I did. I snapped. Multiple Times by now."
"I wanted that praise, that attention. I wanted someone to acknowledge my strength, to recognize that I was doing something important. I wanted to be like Rengoku, to be a true pillar of society, to be someone that people looked up to. But I don't think I can do this anymore."
His voice trailed off. He was not angry at them, not really. He was frustrated with himself, with the life that had been forced upon him.
As Y/n talks, his Slayer mark continued to grow, slowly moving from his chest, to his cheek. The mark, usually a symbol of his weakness, now seemed filled with anger, frustration, and rage.
The mark was a physical representation of his emotions, of his pent-up frustration and anger, of his desire to be heard, of his belief that he was right.
"I'm done." The Sun Pillar said.
"I'm done apologizing. I am done being persecuted for my strength."
"You people, should be thanking Christ. That I am who I am. because you need me.
YOU NEED ME TO SAVE YOU!"
.
.
.
"You do. And I'm the only one who possibly can. WHY?! Because I'm sitting in a room filled with pillars whom most, hasn't even seen a single uppermoon yet." He shouts, as he pantss.
. There was only silence after .
"..Damn!" He cursed. as he left through the back door.
The room was still silent. as if they didn't expect any of that to happen. The other Hashira noticed the change in Y/n's behavior and how his attitude had shifted in recent months. They could see that he was not the same person he used to be; he was once full of energy and positivity, but now he seemed angry and bitter.
"He kinda proved my point though."
Muichiro mentions.
Shinobu was the one who looked like the most hurt. on one hand, they all understood Y/n's pain, his need for distance, his need to push people away. But on the other, they all knew that Shinobu was a valuable member of their team, and that she had always cared deeply for him, had always had his best interests at heart.
They saw the hurt in her eyes, as she left the room, bearing the brunt of his anger.
-___-___-___-___-
Oh no things just kept getting worse and worse.
Yeah. Alot of reference in this chapter.
Anyway, see you next time in..