(Muichiro)
I like clouds... and birds... They look so fluffy and free. I wonder what it feels like to be like them.
I found myself staring at the sky, lost in thought as I asked myself questions. Wait... what type of cloud was that?
Ah, what's taking her so long? Does she even know about punctuality?
I walked through the path deep in the familiar forest when suddenly, something—more like someone—bumped into me.
The person just ran away, leaving a trail of fresh jasmine as she passed by without saying sorry. How rude. I clicked my tongue and continued my way to the Moon Estate.
Before I could arrive, I saw a vague silhouette of the Moon Hashira running towards me. "Muichiro, sorry for making you wait," she said, holding onto my shoulder to catch her breath.
"You're late," I grumbled. To think that I was assigned to a pair mission was already annoying. I am confident in my skills to do this mission alone.
But I'd be lying if I didn't acknowledge the skills of the Moon Hashira. Her swordsmanship was something I truly respected.
On our way back after the mission, Miss Yumira began to talk about the student she had been training for four years. This might be the first and the last time I'd be with the Moon Hashira, so it wouldn't hurt to listen to her.
Or so I thought. By the end of the week, I was stuck with her again.
But where did the calm and composed Miss Yumira go? Why did she look so restless, confused, and distracted throughout our mission together? It was as if a different element was controlling her.
It was silent on our train back home, the only sound was the clattering of rails echoing in the background. As I looked out the window, the Moon Hashira sitting across from me interrupted my drifting thoughts.
"Sorry for my awful performance earlier, Muichiro," her voice came out barely a whisper. "I just couldn't shake off my worry about Shiori."
Her student participated in the First Selections, and today was the last day. I could feel her tension reeking off her frame; the dread and hope of coming back home and seeing her student must be suffocating.
"My recurring dreams lately have been quite disturbing," she continued, her voice on the verge of breaking. "It was either I die or she dies. I just... afraid to lose her or see her in pain."
I stayed frozen in my seat, unable to move a muscle as Miss Yumira lowered her head, tears falling on her trembling hands. Her long, silver hair veiled her tear-stained face.
That was the first time I saw the bright and bubbly Moon Pillar cry and look so vulnerable. I didn't know what to do, so I reached out my hand, patting her head gently. "Then don't die, Miss Yumira. You'll get through this."
By the time we arrived at the town near our estates, Miss Yumira invited me over to her place for a celebration of her student's success in passing the selections and her birthday.
I turned down the invitation, feeling the need to rest for the day. "Alright, I understand. You did great on our mission today. Rest well, Muichiro!" she replied, taking me aback with a sudden embrace, and then she left with Mister Rengoku, whom we met on the bustling streets.
As the pair made their way out of town and towards the Moon Estate, I went the other way. It seemed like the other pillars were going to join the celebration.
Her hug, though... it felt so... warm...
I continued on my path, the streets grew quieter as I approached the trail leading to my estate. The warmth of her embrace stayed in me, a stark contrast to the cold emptiness of my surroundings. It was an unfamiliar feeling, one that was both comforting and unsettling.
As I walked through the dark and familiar forest, the scent of jasmine from earlier still lingered in my mind. It was strange how a brief encounter could leave such a lasting impression. I found myself lost in thought, wondering about the person who had bumped into me.
The evening sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, the clouds drifting lazily as birds soared freely, their silhouettes dark against the fading orange light. Reaching my estate, I felt a wave of suppressed exhaustion wash over me.
The day's mission, the unexpected invitation, and the warmth of Miss Yumira's hug had all taken their toll. I stepped inside, the cold silence of my home enveloping me once again.
Putting down my katana, I settled into my usual spot by the window, looking out at the now-darkened sky as my crow perched on the nearby tree outside. Stars began to flicker, their distant light a reminder of the countless others who had walked this path before me.
A sigh left my lips, and the weight of my thoughts swirled heavily in my mind. The idea of being with others felt foreign; perhaps it was something I used to love before losing my memories.
As I closed my eyes, the image of someone smiling and the warmth of an embrace amongst golden ginko leaves lingered in my mind, a small spark of light in the darkness.
With that thought, I drifted to sleep, feeling a sense of peace I hadn't known in a long time.
- - - - -
After a month, I was sent on another pair mission with the Moon Pillar.
The sun has already dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the rugged terrain of Mt. Kageshima. The dense forest loomed like silhouettes over us as Miss Yumira and I walked along the narrow mountain path.
A calm silence engulfed the surroundings; leaves and twigs crunching beneath our feet sounded weirdly satisfying. I stared ahead on high alert, wondering about the mission that required two Hashiras to complete.
"Hey, Muichiro," Miss Yumira's voice broke the silence between us, calm yet firm. "If the day comes that you and Shiori are on the same mission, promise me you'll protect her. Trust me, she is a strong swordswoman, but she can be reckless."
I narrowed my eyes to such a stupid request. Why would she entrust her student, whom I haven't met yet, to someone like me?
I nodded as I walked ahead. It's not like I was interested in meeting Miss Yumira's student.
The village of Kageshima, nestled deep in the heart of the mountain with the same name, was known for its serene beauty and way of life. But recent reports of missing villagers and dead bodies every night had turned the village into a place of panic and fear.
As we approached the outskirts of the town, a chilling wind swept through the trees, carrying with it a sense of foreboding to come in this mission.
Suddenly, a slender, peg wooden doll-looking demon lunged from the shadows. The letters "Upper Moon 7" were engraved in each of its four eyes, and a wide grin glowed ominously in the dim moonlight.
A sharp scraping of metal cut through the atmosphere as Miss Yumira unsheathed her blade, the edge gleaming with bloodlust against the demon.
"Moon Breathing, 2nd Form: Pearl Flowers Moongazing"
Unleashing chaotic slashes, Miss Yumira launched herself forward, her years of training showing through her sword-fighting prowess. I fixed my blade as soon as I got her back.
"Mist Breathing, 4th Form: Shifting Flow Slash"
Through the barrage of swift attacks, the demon's speed and toughness of its body made it nearly impossible for us to inflict damage. Our strikes were met with a swift dodge or rigid deflection that sent shivers through our blades.
Just as we began to gain some ground, another demon, who looked exactly the same, struck from my blind spot before I could react. My body crashed into a tree, the impact knocking the wind out of my chest.
Damn it! I reached for my sword, which fell painfully far from my grasp.
"Muichiro!" I heard Miss Yumira's cry, a mix of concern and anger, although everything else was ringing in my ear. "Advance to the village! I'll handle this!" With a sharp lang of her sword, Miss Yumira drew the attention of both demons to herself.
Despite my vision blurring with every movement, I pushed myself up with the strength of every fiber of my body. It's my duty, after all, to protect and fight, just as Miss Yumira says.
Escaping the chaos, I arrived at the ghost town, desperate to see any sign of life. But I found nothing but red. The town was grim and lifeless, the strong stench of blood in the air assaulting my senses.
None; the village had been turned into a pile of corpses.
A heavy pressure pressed on my shoulders as I sprinted back to join Miss Yumira in the fray. The demons moved in random motion, jerking with every movement as if controlled by invisible strings that didn't go unnoticed as I observed the chaos on the sidelines.
"Puppets... Miss Yumira, they're just puppets!" I grabbed onto my blade, scanning the surroundings for whoever was controlling these demons. In that brief moment of vulnerability, one demon lashed out its claws, gazing through my uniform as I launched my sword.
"Mist Breathing 1st Form: Low Clouds, Distant Haze"
I felt my body tremble with a force born of desperation as I unleashed a frontal thrust through the air, inflicting a blow to decapitate the demon. Pain shot like thorns lashing on my back; I gritted my teeth. I refuse to fall.
My legs began to weaken, exhaustion creeping through me as blood stained the ground. I couldn't falter yet. I'm a Hashira. I couldn't be a burden to Miss Yumira or the Demon Slayer Corps.
I forced my eyes open and looked up at the Moon Hashira, her bright blue eyes filled with fear as she stood against the towering demon, the moonlight casting a haunting glow on the bloodied battlefield.
I wanted to run to the space between them; I wanted to help, but my breaths came heavy and ragged, and my body refused to move from the pool of red spreading beneath me. My blade lay just out of reach, glinting faintly in the pale light.
The pain in my back was unbearable; the wound bled through my tattered uniform. Miss Yumira's voice echoed in my ears, a distant but comforting sound amidst the ringing chaos.
My vision began to blur, darkness creeping in at the edges as I fought to stay conscious. I couldn't give up now.
"Miss Yumira!" A voice rang out, stronger and closer. A surge of strength flickered as I tried to push myself up, with every muscle screaming in protest.
Miss Yumira, I can't let her down.
I focused on her presence, every second felt like forever as I struggled against the pain and exhaustion of my body. I have to hold on. I have to believe in her. I couldn't give up. Not now.
With one final, desperate effort, I reached out towards my blade, my fingers brushing the golden hilt.
"Master, do you remember me?" A voice emanated from the doll demon, its mouth moving grotesquely. The Moon Hashira faltered back, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Arashi? You're alive?" Her voice broke laced with regret and shock.
"I'm not the same Arashi anymore, Master. You see, I'm stronger than you." The demon flaunted its claws, unleashing a fierce gust of razor-sharp wind.
Miss Yumira stood her round, swinging her katana in a flurry of relentless slashes. Their speeds matched each other, leaving no room for interruption.
"Isn't this such a lovely reunion, Master?" The demon taunted, breaking into hysterical laughter as it dodged Miss Yumira's attacks effortlessly.
"Mist Breathing, Sixth Form: Lunar Dispersing Mist"
Taking a sharp breath, I launched myself into the air. My blade sliced through the midnight fog engulfing us, aiming to inflict a fatal blow on the demon's neck.
I couldn't just stay on the sidelines.
The Doll demon growled, sending a powerful gust of air in a sudden, swift motion in my direction, hurling me to the ground once more. My body rolled uncontrollably, finally slumping motionless as my strength drained away completely.
If not for the deep gash on my back, I would still be able to unleash a counterattack immediately. I winced in agonizing pain, my body refusing to move as I tried to force myself up. I could taste the bitter iron of blood dripping from the side of my lips, each breath becoming heavier and laborious.
"If you have something to say, I'm here, Arashi," Miss Yumira's voice echoed through the tense silence, filled with a mix of sorrow and desperation.
"Why do you think creating a world for demons and turning villages into hunting grounds is a good thing? How did you end up like this?" Her words carried a desperate plea as she sheathed her sword, unwilling to continue the fight.
In her eyes brewed the storm of betrayal and disbelief. "Miss Yumira..." I barely managed to utter, my voice strained as I watched her back.
Don't get closer. Don't let your guard down. Don't die, Miss Yumira!
The demon simply laughed, sharp and evil. A short snap broke through the dense forest, and a powerful gust of wind sliced through the air behind us. The towering doll demon grinned, its voice laced with deadly malevolence.
"Because... I'm a Demon."
~ ~ ~
-Next Chapter Preview-
The moon stood as a silent witness as another star joined the heavens.
---
I found a reason to hold on to the promise I made.
『𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭』
The Hashiras can request backup or choose specific demon slayers to accompany them on their missions. As a senior Hashira, Yumira requested Muichiro to accompany her on the mission to teach him the importance of camaraderie and teamwork.
『Author's Note』
Here's a little flashback on the fight between Yumira and Muichiro vs Upper Moon 7 before Shiori arrives in chapter 5, "Silence."
What do you think about the Upper Moon 7? What do you think of her connection with Yumira in the past?
I'd love to read your comments and thoughts (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
Thank you for reading and see you next Chapter 💖
- Rezella
╰☆☆ - 🌙 - ☆☆╮
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