Third Person's POV.
"Good evening, Kokushibō-san. Would you like a cup of tea?" Kikyō asked him kindly with a smile.
"Lass, what is your intention by getting close with Muzan-sama?" He asked with no room for chit chat.
"Hmm? I don't know what are you talking about," she give her closed eye smile.
"Don't act as if you don't know, tell me, now."
She stare at the six eyed demon with a smile. Suddenly the demon wobbled from his position. He fixed his stance, but the white haired woman suddenly appeared in front of him.
"You become a demon in your own will, I see," she said to him. The demon immediately strike her with his claws, but she dodge right away. "Have you achieved what you wanted, Tsugikuni Michikatsu-san?" She asked on the branch of a tree, looking towards the upper moon one beneath her.
"What are you talking about? Answer my question!"
"We can talk while having a cup of tea. I might say what you wanted to hear, and I will hear what you wanted to say," she smiled at him.
"Nonsense!" He strike her with his full eyes of a sword.
Moon Breath: First Form; Dark MoonーEvening Palace.
He strikes with slashes swiftly in a single motion, numerous chaotic crescent shaped blades originate from the slash.
Kikyō simply dodge from his attack. She landed gracefully on the ground, gazing at the demon in front of her.
"Humans make choices, but the end, their choices make them," she said, "and I see what your choice had made you become."
"You're spouting nonsense."
"I won't draw my sword at you because Muzan won't like it," she shake her head, "the tea invitation still valid until the day I die, you can always come to me," she said before disappearing, leaving the upper moon one alone under the moonlight.
❃❃❃
Hanabi opening her eyes slowly. She can feel how thick her bandages are and how painful her infusion needles are. She can't move without pain, so she just lay there, on the bed, alone. 'So we won, huh? I can't remember anything after delivering that last attack,' she thought, 'what even is that dream? When will this dream of her memories come to an end?'
"Ah, thank God you are awake. I thought you will be awake for another week, you are really impressive you know?" Kikyō said from her bed side.
'Speak of the devil...' she thought while glancing at her ancestor in annoyance. "Why are you here?" She asked.
"Hm? Because I am worried about you," she smiled warmly at her.
"Ugh, how long have I been asleep?"
"Around three days."
"That's long," she said, starting to closed her eyes again. There's a silent that envelope the room. She want to go back sleep again, but suddenly something struck to her mind. She opened her eyes again to find Kikyō still in her place.
"Kikyō-san, do you mean it when you said a Shirokawa can't ever be a demon?"
"I mean it. It will be either they purified the demon's blood, or they died."
"Then, how come my mother..."
"Your mother was not a true Shirokawa, you father was."
"Eh?" She is surprised by the replies. She never saw her father, nor she ever thought about him.
"Your father was a demon slayer too. He met your mother and taught her about nature breathing," she explained. "Your mother is a brilliant swordswoman. She can master the nature breathing well."
"Then, how about the scrolls?"
"They are your father's too. Your mother take all of your father's belongings when he died protecting her and his children. You were 12 months old if I remember correctly," she hold her chin and look up as uf thinking of something.
"Then, how about the other Shirokawa that I... massacred."
"They are never from a true lineage of Shirokawa," she said which shocked the Nature Pillar. "They are from your mother's family. They cheated your father and betraying him, they killed the remaining other Shirokawa in the household, and claimed themselves as a Shirokawa. They killed your father, and your mother had to run away, carrying you and your brother into hiding," she explained, sighing at how it must be shocking the story is to Hanabi.
Hanabi doesn't showing much of reaction, although her mind feels like it has turned upside down. "So the one who killed my true family is actually human?"
Hanabi look at her in pity. "I am afraid so. Humans can be scarier than demons, you know?" She said with a sad smile. "Like those rufiants that killed the little girl when she was about to hug her father in relief, such a shame," she shake her head sadly.
"Then, how about the one who turned my mother into demon? Was it really the upper moon one? Kokushibō? Tsugikuni?"
Kikyō raise one of her eyebrow at her. "How do you know that name? Oh, did you just dream about him in my memories?" Hanabi replies with a nod. Kikyō sighed. "Yes, he's the one who did that to your mother."
"But, why... Shouldn't the Eclipse do that?"
"Because you and your brother are the last lineage of the Shirokawa. Muzan is eager to killed you, but your mother interfered. Seems like Kokushibō wanted your mother to killed you and your brother herself, so he shoved his blood at her that time. No one including me ever expect that you will killed your mother that became a demon yourself. You are special, Hanabi," Kikyō smiled at her.
"But I... I don't feel like I am special. I am not gifted with a strong body like Himejima-san or Mitsuri-chan. I am not as talented as Tokito-san or Shinobu. I am just... this," she looked down to her body that is wrapped with bandages with pity. 'Heck, I even pitied myself.'
"Well, you are lowering yourself too much, you know?" Kikyō scold her. "Your hair turned white! I had not seen a Shirokawa turned their hair white since the Second Nature Pillar, and that is, what? Two hundred years ago? I can't even remembered it well. You also manifested a demon-crested mark, and is amazing too! You should be proud of yourself!"
"Demon-crested mark?"
"It is a mark that showed to the swordsmen of the first breath in the Sengoku Era, one of them is the one who were one step away from ending Muzan," she explained. "I did't even manifested one, so you are special Hanabi, be proud of yourself," Kikyō assured her with her warm smile.
"Hmm, is that so?" She sighed, closing her eyes in relief. "That is too much of information in one day."
Kikyō chuckled at her remarks. "I have been watching the Shirokawa lineage for years. I can feel that this mess with Muzan will be ended in your generation. After all, that boy with hanafuda earrings finally showed up."
"Huh? You mean Tanjirou?"
"Yes, he also manifested the mark, you know?"
Hanabi is surprised by her statement. "What!? Really?!"
Kikyō smile and nod. "I am sure that both of you can do something that I can't do last time," she smiled sadly.
Hanabi inspect her ancestors features. "Hey," she called, "how strong is he? Muzan, I mean."
Kikyō widened her eyes in surprise, but smile immediately at her. "Let's see," she looked up to the ceiling as if she is remembering something, "he is really strong. He can catch you even though you are really faraway from him. He can speak as he pleased and act as he pleased, he is demanding for perfection and flawlessness. No one can said otherwise at him. If I must describe his power, it is can't be described other than nightmare and powerful."
Hanabi stare at her ancestor. "What is your plan actually, by not killing him or taking your place as a Pillar?"
"Because what I am doing is violating the Corps rule, and that is not how a Pillar should be."
"And your plan?"
There's a short silent between them until Kikyō finally spoke up. "To get to his good side and killed him," she covered her eyes with her bangs. "Of course, that's my plan until I fall for him."
Hanabi rolling her eyes, sick of the mere fact of how her ancestor love life caused her a mess. "How do you take his heart then?"
Kikyō tilting her head right and left before holding her mouth from laughing.
"What's so funny?" Hanabi asked confusedly.
"No, it's just..." Kikyō exhale and smile at her, "believe it or not, Muzan was at teenager state back there. He was going on in his puberty that made her feelings unsteady."
Hanabi was about to laugh when she felt her stomach is aching. She winced in pain. "I must say, that's a good one there."
Kikyō chuckled with her. "Now go to sleep, you will have endure a lot of scolding tomorrow."
"Hey, what about my question?" She asked in annoyance.
Kikyō smiled at her and put her hand in front of her. "Sleep." And Hanabi is sank into her slumber.
Kikyō watched the girl sleep peacefully. "Sometimes, there is something that mustn't be explained. Sometimes, it is best to leave it be." She smiled at Hanabi's sleeping features. "Rest well Hanabi."
❃❃❃
Hanabi woke up the next morning. She look around and found no one in her room. "Glad to know that she is not here," she sighed.
"Ara~ who are you referring to?" Shinobu suddenly appeared at the door, smiling darkly at her.
"S-Shinobu! You scared me! I wasn't talking about you, so please don't misunderstand," she explained quickly at the Insect Pillar. Shinobu approaching her with a dark smile on her face. She lifted her hand and slap her stomach, causing her to wincing in pain.
"That's what you have for not caring about yourself! Do you know how worried I was!? Huh!? Damn it, Hanabi, you were at the brink of death! You lost a lot of blood, and that wound on your back was infected! If you are not injured right now, I will have to given you a lesson!" Shinobu snapped at her, causing the Nature Pillar to trembles in fear.
"I-I am sorry..."
"You are bedridden for the whole week starting from now!" Shinobu state.
"What? I will be okay for another three days! I must-"
"What did you say?" Shinobu cutted her sentence by smiling to her darkly. Hanabi can't do anything and just keep her mouth shut and nodded at her. "I will be bedridden for a week starting from now."
"Good! Now, I will change your bandage. Can you sit?"
"Uhh, I don't kno-"
"Of course you can! Come on, sit down!" Shinobu forced her to sit up properly, causing her to wincing in pain.
"S-Shinobu..."
"Hmm? What is it? Are you feeling any pain? Hahaha you must be feeling it right?" She keep her dark smile while cutting the bandages and pulling them off from her body. Hanabi can't say anything and can only hold her pain in silent. Shinobu quickly spreading the herbs all over her back wounds and delicately bandaging them again. "There!" She finished it up by slapping her back.
"Oww," she groaned, cowering her body.
"Rest yourself now, or else I will be putting yourself to sleep!" She said while holding an injection in her hand.
"I-I understand," she replied as she trembling in fear. When Shinobu about to head out, Hanabi called for her again. "U-um, Shinobu, how is Sanemi-san and Giyuu?"
Shinobu turned her head at her, still with her dark smile. "Them? Hahaha, they are fine right now. One of them was making a fuss yesterday and another one didn't talk much and just left. They both out from their bed yesterday," she explained, "and I am impressed how you are still worrying about them instead of going to sleep right now."
"I get it, I get it! I will go to sleep right now! Oyasumi!" She said while covering herself undee the blanket immediately. She heard Shinobu's footsteps are slowly going away. She sighed in relief. 'She is overprotective sometimes. I still don't understand why I have to be bedridden for a whole week while Sanemi and Giyuu can run around freely right now,' she sighed again. 'Well, I have to make a report.'
She sit up slowly and turning her head towards the open window. "Tengu!" She called her Kasugaigarasu, and Tengu quickly came flying to her.
"Tengu is happy to see Hanabi again! Tengu was worried about you!" Tengu said which made the Nature Pillar smiled. She patted Tengu's head lovingly.
"Thank you, Tengu. I am happy to see you too," she replied. "How's Giyuu, Tengu?"
"Tengu saw him heading to his mission before! The old crow is with him!"
"Do you mean his crow?"
"Yes!"
She chuckles lightly. "Tengu, I need you to send a message to Oyakata-sama, can you search for a paper and a pen for me?"
"Right away! Caw!" Tengu fly away and came back after a minute with a paper and a pen in his claws.
"Thank you, Tengu." She take the paper and the pen, and starting to write down about the Eclipse demons, her changing hair, her conversation with Muzan, and her mark. She fold it and tied it on Tengu's foot. "Deliver this to Oyakata-sama, okay? I'm counting on you, Tengu."
"Tengu will deliver it to Oyakata-sama! Hanabi doesn't need to worry! Hanabi rest up! Caw!" He fly away from her rooms through the window. Hanabu smiled while watching her crow flying away.
She stare at the outside window. "I bet the weather is beautiful right now. I have to beg Shinobu to released me quickly next time." She laid herself on the bed carefully and closing her eyes to sleep.
❃❃❃
A/n: Fluff is coming (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
I can't see this book ranks atm, is it because of the mature warning? 🤔
There's a lot of profanity in this book haha 😅
trivia: The Kakushis are waiting for the three of them outside the maze. When Kuroi was killed, the headquarters is crumbling down and destroyed itself into nothingness. The Kakushis are surrounding them and helping them to the butterfly estate.