Y'all are too sweet, thanks for the votes, here's some fluff and OOCness (I'm sorry but it's impossible to write for pre-character developed Muichiro). And please don't be afraid to comment, I'm lonely :"-)
• • •
The cheering crowd, the glee and curiosity on their bright faces as they behold the fruit of your labor is the fire in any performer's heart.
To see their amazement once is enough to sooth any doubt that what you had done was a mistake. And one such performer's heart burned so brightly she fell in love with her crowd, her art.
She used it to gain recognition across the world. She built upon it and refined it and one could not have hoped for a contentment so sweet.
A road laid paved before her future and before she could take her first step, her heart had cried blood.
But the story did not there, for she still preformed for her beloved audience, watching their face painted with glee and curiosity still.
Though only once will they show such glee.
A demon she was now, dancing and contorting still after her death.
Or so the story goes.
• • •
| • You • |
The girls had left, leaving Muichiro and I standing before the sliding doors that led to the meeting room. We stood in silence, neither of us knew who was going to open the door. I looked down expectantly at Muichiro but he was blank-faced as always.
Well on second thought at least he knew...
I sighed and opened the door.
"Oyakata-Sama, it is good to see you," I greeted, bowing to the man.
"It is good to see you in good health, master," Muichiro, ever the polite one to him. Rather unlike me, though of course, I wasn't actually disrespectful.
He nodded in acknowledgment and gestured for us to enter. As we took our seats, his wife, Amane-San, took out an envelope and placed it before us.
It looked rather full but its appearance gave nothing away.
"I assume we are to go on a mission?" I asked, inspecting the curious envelope presented before us. Missions, for Pillars at least, usually don't call for anything to be brought along.
And yet here was something that was begging for me to open it.
'Ouch!'
Feeling something small striking my side I immediately glanced at Muichiro to see him giving me a disapproving look, a small, most likely retrieved rock in his hand.
Oh right, no speaking before the Master.
But Oyakata-Sama merely smiled, "Yes, and you two will be paired up for this mission. Though this particular one is rather different, the demon cannot be tracked as of right now but we do know that it will strike in 4 days."
A set time? That was new.
"This demon is not demon-moon though I called for the two of you because when it does show itself one Pillar will need to evacuate the citizens while the other kills the target. As for location..." he explained and took out a map. Opening it, his finger traced over a route until it met a certain dot.
"It is a rather distant city. The two of you will need to travel through train once and the rest on foot for a period of two days. All instructions are written and placed in the envelope."
That was perhaps the longest explanation of a mission I have ever heard from him.
Finishing his sentence, Oyakata-Sama placed the map in said-envelope and handed it to Muichiro who took it with a bow.
"I wish the two of you the best of luck."
"Thank you, sir."
"We will not fail, Master."
As we made our way out I looked back, the man was smiling at me.
I returned it of course.
The door closed behind us and immediately I caught the little pebble before it hit me, twirling it in between my fingers I smiled at Muichiro before tossing it back to him. Putting the thing away the boy huffed and was already walking away, "I really can't believe you."
"I wouldn't say I had disrespected the man in any way," I dismissed, jogging to catch up with him.
"Well, I would."
I rolled my eyes, "Well, you're not Master the last time I checked. And really, has it ever occurred to you that the man would like to be treated as more of a fellow human being?"
Muichiro stayed silent, walking just a bit faster now.
I giggled behind him and the boy swiftly turned to face me but the annoyance had left his face and was quickly replaced by shock before reverting to its neutrality. "Come on, let's seen what in this thing," he sighed and opened the envelope.
I nodded and looked down past his shoulders as he took out the contents inside. The map from before, instructions, some money (my eyes gleamed once I saw them) two train tickets, and two show tickets.
"Show tickets?"
"Let's just read the instructions."
I skimmed over the varies stops we could make and read up on the demon.
"The demon will set up a performance, during the final act it will attack the audience. One must evacuate all citizens within..."
I skipped.
"-the demon has multiple bodies. It is only necessary to behead the central one.
"The other bodies are significantly weaker."
At least it was going to be obvious which one that would be.
Muichiro, done with reading the full page somehow, folded the paper and puts it away, "Come on, let's get to the town, the train leaves at dusk."
"Hey! I didn't read the whole thing!"
"Well even if you did you wouldn't be much of help."
Well, I couldn't really argue against that.
• • •
| • Muichiro • |
I had done whatever I could to lose myself in daydreams as we walked through the forest on our way to the train station. But as soon as my mind would start to wonder [L/N] would speak and I would be pulled back again, my heart beating too fast for comfort and my body too tense. Worst part was, even though I would focus on her, somehow, I could never hear what she says. Even if I try for whatever reason, I just couldn't seem to catch it.
"There's no need to make eye contact if you're not going to answer my question you know. And if you are, at least try to tell me something through it."
"Right," I did not know I was staring.
"What were you saying?"
I heard [L/N] sigh, and it was probably justified, this could have been the fifth time she repeated herself.
"I was asking for your thoughts on being paired up with me."
I pondered for a moment, I didn't really have any thoughts on us being paired up, they're more feelings really. Difficult ones at that.
After a while, I replied, "It was necessary for the mission, the other Pillars are away at the time or are needed at the Butterfly Estate so it had to be the two of us."
"Goodness gracious," [L/N] sighed again.
But I answered the question...
"I didn't mean it like that when I asked," she said.
"Then what did you mean?" I huffed glaring at her as we walked.
The girl looked irritated almost but once she caught my glance she sighed again though ended it with a chuckle this time.
"I asked it to hear your thoughts about me as a person, and if your opinion on us being paired together is positive or not. Not to know if you think it was necessary."
Oh.
"Just ask it like that next time, don't be indirect."
[L/N] rolled her eyes, "Yeah sure."
We continued on in silence, me collecting my thoughts and trying to piece them into words another human can understand and her...Well, I didn't look.
I didn't want to lose my train of thought.
"You're fine."
"Huh?"
"I said you're fine," I repeated hurriedly, "There are Pillars who are way worse and you don't really do anything annoying most of the time. And...your books are in nice conditions."
"..."
"You're suppose to ask me before taking them."
"S-sorry."
I heard her giggle and before I knew it I felt [L/N] wrapping herself around me, her hands playfully ruffling through my hair.
"Ha, I knew it was you! But it's okay, I forgive you."
"Hey!"
I swiftly pushed her away but it was too late, I felt like I was sick and had been running nonstop. My face warm and my heart rapid.
"Don't do that, it's distracting."
Even so, I don't like working with you because my head won't listen when you're around...
• • •
I could not tell if our time in the woods went by quickly or slowly. It was a blur to me most of the time, my mind constantly focused on what had happened instead of answering the questions [L/N] had asked. Though I did catch a few of them this time.
"What are your hobbies? I enjoy reading in case my Breath didn't give that away, I've tried to write some stories but I don't think they're any good."
"Since you're the Mist Pillar do you think you can control the shapes of clouds? But then again they're really high up so maybe not, it'd be cool if you could though."
"Do you like sweets? I like just about any kind really, though I've been craving some dorayakis lately. Do you like them?"
Even with my mind scattered like it was, I really could have answered at least some of the questions. That was, if I actually had a meaningful answer to them. Which I didn't.
I had no real hobbies, no meaningful ones at least.
I've never tried to use my Breath to control clouds.
I didn't even like any food in particular.
My life was a blur and I felt to be a blank slate, and for once I was conscious of the kind of person I was.
A boring one.
'So?' I had thought, 'It doesn't matter, you're still a Pillar, you're still strong. So what if you can't answer some simple questions? It doesn't matter.'
'Right?'
I can't answer to that question either.
But either way, time went by and we eventually reached the town. I had left [L/N] with the work once we saw the train station but the two of us actually made it a little earlier than needed. She teased me for my insistence on hurrying but I ignored her.
She also suggested that we split up, and after agreeing on a time we went on our separate ways to explore the town. Well, it was more like she wanted to explore, I just agreed to it to get some time to myself.
I wandered through the sea of people, my eyes flickering from place to place, searching for a place to rest and to think. But the town, with its shops and lights and attractions, seem to have a place for just about everything else.
I slumped my shoulders in defeat as my lips fell into a frown. It was no use, I might as well just return to our meeting spot so I can at least save time.
Though just as I was about to do so I heard the laughter of a young boy close by, and on its own, my eyes looked for the sound.
"Hey! Do you think she'll like these?"
The boy who asked was pointing at a pastry on display in a shop, his eyes glimmering with excitement. Next to him was another boy that looked just like him (his twin I assumed) who rolled his eyes at his brother's behavior.
"Yeah sure, just buy it if you want to."
The cheerful brother smiled, "Okay then, but you have to be there when I give it to her!"
"Why?! I'm not the one who likes her!"
"Wait please, I can't do it myself!"
The twins continued to bicker back and forth but I was too distracted to listen anymore.
For some reason, I walked into the shop. And once in, I saw a variety of sweets left and right of where I stood but I didn't care for them. Only one caught my eye and I bought the bag.
It was only when I walked out of the door and passed by the bickering twins I realized what I had done. Stopping in the middle of the street, I looked down at the bag in my arms as my eyes widened.
Opening it, I peeked inside to see what I had even gotten.
It was dorayakis, and I didn't even like sweets.
• • •
I saw her waving her hand up in the air from afar, her mouth opened calling for me to come over and even when I did she wore her smile still.
'Why is she smiling?' I thought but I got my answer when I saw that she held something behind her back.
"What do you have?" I asked her.
The girl's grin got wider somehow and she revealed what she had and held it up for me to take.
I peered down at what she gave me, it was a bag and in it were a variety of snacks. Most of them sweets but not all.
"I got these for you in case you didn't eat, which I'm sure you didn't. I would have bought other things too but then we'd have to carry them around until we get back so food it was."
I gaped at her, why did she buy these for me? Why did she care if I ate? Even if I didn't we were still days away from the battle. But then again I bought something for her as well.
'Wait.'
"Thank you," I took the bag from her.
'I bought it for her?'
"Ah, it was no problem."
'That would make more sense, I suppose.'
"Here, I got these for you," taking out the bag of dorayakis I practically shoved it into [L/N]'s hands. I didn't know what I had expected her reaction to be but she just stood there shocked, her mouth hung agape and her eyes wide.
"What?" I asked.
I remembered her saying that she liked them but her expression wasn't exactly positive.
"No, no. I mean, yes. Oh, wait you didn't ask that kind of question. I just didn't expect you to-" she cut herself off and after taking in some air her face lit up.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This is the nicest thing someone has done for me in a long time! And I didn't expect that you would-"
While she was rambling I looked up.
"Shut up!"
"Huh?!"
I grabbed her hand and dragged her with me as I ran, "The train!" I shouted in panic.
•
The sun kissed the world goodbye as the train engine roared to life. But I couldn't care less as I collapsed on the seat.
"Holy shit we made it," I cussed as I tossed the bag [L/N] gave me on our table.
I felt the small sting of a flick on my face just as I said that.
"No cussing young man," [L/N] teased beside me on our seat.
I deadpanned.
"Fuck."
"Hey!"
She flicked my forehead this time.
"Keep doing that and I'll start using the swear jar."
"What the hell is the swear jar?" I asked, not really caring if she did use it, whatever it was.
The girl pouted, "Every time you cuss, I will embarrass you."
"Oh yeah? By doing what?"
"This!" grabbing a hold of my head she pushed it in her lap.
"Let me up!" I whispered hurriedly, not wanting to attract attention to us. But she just smirked and held me down as I struggled.
"Just give up already," she teased, "You need to rest anyway, it's gonna be a long ride."
Realizing that she was right I sighed in defeat and shifted my body into a more comfortable position for resting. Though even as I did so, [L/N] did not lift her hand from my head, instead, she combed through my hair as the train finally sped up.
The sound died down along with the sun (though I feared my heart did not) and I fell asleep to a melody she hummed for me.
Pairing up with her wasn't so bad I had decided.
• • •
The demon sighed as she looked at the slumped bodies around her, though they weren't human bodies.
No, no. The only humans she ate were her audience.
"A feast will be ready, all for us. Are you guys excited?"
But they didn't respond, after all, they weren't anything but an extension of her.