It had been a few hours since the Obanai-Mitsuri incident. Akai was leaning against a wall behind Giyu, explaining what went down as the Water Pillar sipped tea.
"So my face is attached to Obanai, trying to fix his scars" Akai said.
"Mhm." Giyu didn't look up.
"And then Mitsuri walks in." Akai added.
"Hm?"
"And then she assumes we were kissing!" Akai exclaimed.
Giyu's interest was peaked at that moment.
"So then she leaves, Obanai's starts screaming, I'm screaming, he pulls his sword out, and then everything goes to shit." Akai finished.
"Hm." Giyu nodded.
"I think he's still looking for me." Akai said and peeked out of a window.
"WHERE IS THAT SON OF A BITCH!?!?!"
"There he is." Akai chuckled. "The one good thing is his face is fixed, so that's nice." Akai shrugged. "I hope Mitsuri isn't one to gossip."
*elsewhere*
"Shinobu! You won't believe what I just saw!"
*back to where we started*
"Last I checked, I was gonna ask Mr. Rengoku if he could teach me something." Akai got up and went to the door.
"You probably shouldn't mess with the Flame Pillar." Giyu suggested.
"You can't stop me." Akai said like an annoying child.
"But-"
"You can't stooooop meeeeeee!" Akai mocked as he walked out of the house and down the path.
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"..." Akai stood in front of the home of the Flame Pillar. He heard a small commotion inside. "This seems kinda rude... Rengoku's like a lion. You don't walk into the Lion's den. What was I thinking? I should go." Akai turned around to be met with the Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar. Even though Akai was only a few inches shorter, a Hashira's intense gaze made Akai tremble. He relapsed and shrunk down to a child with a little poof.
"..." The Flame Pillar stared at Akai with that intense reddish orange-eyed gaze as Akai's knees nearly collapsed under the pressure. "Akai, my boy!" I heard of your recent victory! What's on your mind for you to be contacting me?" The Flame Pillar said loudly and passionately. He even sounded like a lion.
"N-nothing, really... It's fine." Akai twiddled with his fingers and averted his gaze.
"I'll be happy to help you with anything!" Rengoku said with a smile.
"Oh, well, I just wanted to ask. Is there anything you can teach me to be a better slayer?" Akai asked sheepishly.
Rengoku dropped his smile and closed his eyes for a moment to think.
"There is one." Rengoku raised a single finger.
"Really?" Akai grew to his normal size.
"Let's go on a walk." The Flame Hashira said and turned around. Akai followed with a fiery determination.
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"Describe your mission to me." Rengoku ordered. They were walking down a path that would eventually circle back around the house.
"Well... The mission starts with me, mister Tomioka, Ms. Kocho, Mr. Iguro, and Ms. Kanroji patrolling the streets. I'm posing as a child. Ms. Kanroji and Mr. Iguro go off on their own and we find Mr. Shinazugawa. He-"
"Skip to your battle with the demons." Rengoku interrupts.
"Oh! Okay. So I get pulled underneath into a tunnel by myself. There's a small tunnel system under the town made by demons. I'm ambushed and I end up fighting a mole and a gopher demon. I flee down one of the tunnels and find an opening to break to the surface to warn the others. A giant caecilian demon drags me back in and Mr. Iguro goes to help me. He attacks the demon but makes a miscalculation. It manages to get its teeth around his arm." Akai trails off and his tone gets sadder.
"I leap forward and try to help him, but the damn thing won't let go. It bites down harder and his arm..." Akai grips his own face with rage. "The rest is a blackout memory. Fire, rage, hole in the roof, dead demon, I help Mr. Iguro, I fall unconscious, the other pillars fight the remaining demons." Akai fights tears before taking a deep breath and calming himself.
"Yes, I heard towards the end of the fight you all narrowly survived a sinkhole that destroyed a small part of the town. There were no civilian or slayer casualties." Rengoku mentioned.
"So... that was what happened." Akai said.
Rengoku thought for a moment and took in a breath.
"These are my words of advice to you, Akai." Rengoku began. Akai's eyes widened and he stilled himself.
"Devote your blood and power not just to the protection of the victims, but to the protection of your fellow protectors. Fight and battle your opponent with all your strength so you may protect the ones around you. Do not hesitate to spill your blood to save your companions. And as a demon, you have some blood to spare."
"So... I become a meat shield...?" Akai asked, confused.
"...Yes and no. You should still value your own life and your own body. But you always value the lives and the blood of others over yours." Rengoku explained.
"Woah..." Akai said with stars in his eyes. "I think I get it!" Akai said, smiling.
"I'm sure you do, my boy!" The Flame Pillar patted Akai's back.
"I think I'll stick to that philosophy." Akai decided.
"I'm happy to hear that!" Rengoku nodded. Akai noticed a small mosquito hovering around his ear.
"I think I'll test it..." Akai took in a deep breath and superheated his hands.
"Akai?" Rengoku asked before Akai burst forward in a blur of speed. Rengoku could see Akai crush the mosquito between his hands before immediately zooming to his other ear to get a second mosquito. Akai continued his mosquito onslaught as Rengoku kept walking. He nodded approvingly at his speed, accuracy, and awareness. Once They reached the end of the path Akai finally went back to normal speed. He was breathing heavily and his red-hot hands were covered in burnt mosquitoes.
"Ow." Akai lifted his arm and saw a small red dot on his forearm as the last mosquito buzzed away. Akai lifted his gaze to the Flame Pillar.
"Like that?" Akai asked.
"Like that." Rengoku patted his head and they had a little laugh. "Now go get some rest, my boy!" Rengoku said and walked back to his house as Akai went the other way back to the butterfly estate. The sun set as the two headed to their homes.
"Thank you Mr. Lion puppet..." Akai muttered to himself as he left.
"What?"
"Nothing!" Akai broke into a sprint and ran home.