~
Nezuko Falters under the imposing Presence the Kind Stranger Has Just Assumed. She'd Initially Figured he was Just a Kind Swordsman Here To Look out for The Near Townsfolk And Their Safety but the Next Thing she knew...He Suddenly Struck down Her Brother before Her Very Eyes, Much to her immediate shock.
Now With Every Bit of Her Natured Survival Instinct Yelling At her To get away From the Drawn, Blue tinted Blade Before Her Petite Form, Courtesy of The Swordsman, Nezuko Gulps hard, Swallowing Down The Fear Within her And manages to hold The Stare of The Imposing Man, However she's slightly caught off guard to see He's Not paying attention to her at all, Instead, Having his Gaze Fixed Solely On Xenon. Nezuko Follows his Stare And Stares Down at Her Brother, Who She Didn't Realise she's Cradling Tight In her Arms With a Grip So tight She Fears It might Crush him.
Nezuko's Surprised to See Xenon's Very Deep Gashes And Severed Limbs Mend Together and Regenerate Themselves Back together. Xenon's Noticed The Same Thing and Is now staring at His Right arm, albeit his teeth Gritted in visible pain and Blood Pouring Down his Bottom Lip as a result of his injuries. Injuries that are now Mending and Knitting Back together. The Man before Them Then Shifts His Feet And Takes an Offensive Position, Nezuko looks Up with A Panicked Look, Saying.
Nezuko: P-please Sir, You Don't Have to do this! Our..We've already lost so much. I couldn't bear to lose Any more...is...Is he sick? Is what he has contagious? Is That why you believe he is a danger to the People!?
She Says The Last Statement With A Growing spike in her Emotion, Unknowingly. The Tension in the Man Before Them's Shoulders Eases As He Says, Seemingly Having not Taken notice of Nezuko's Rapid Questioning.
Hostile Stranger: This Demon's Healed It's Body and Does Not Respond to it's Natured Instincts? That's...This is Not Possible..Binge-Eating and Bloodlust Are All you Spawns of Evil Seem to give Half A Damn about. So why...
He Stares into the Horizon For a Brief Moment, eyes furrowed, Then, With his Eyes Sparking up, he Turns His Head to Nezuko And Asks.
Hostile Stranger: Little Girl, What did You Mean by You've already lost So much? Has something happened here Afterall?
To the Man's Sudden Impatience and Agitation, Nezuko Stays Quiet For a Very Long Time. Xenon, Now Sitting On equal Ground beside her, Raises His Head From the Snow Surfaced Floor and Looks Up to Giyuu with A Slightly Less Sorrowful Look Than His Sister, Saying in a strained Tone.
Xenon: Yes..Yes, Sir. There was An Attack..In Our Home Yesterday...And, We Really did Lose A Lot..Alot We can never Get back..
A tear Trickles Down his Face as He Concludes. Giyuu then Asks with Slightly Parted lips and Widened eyes, Addressing nezuko and Gesturing to Xenon.
Hostile Stranger: I'm not going to sheathe My blade at the sight of your crocodile tears, Fiend.
He then turns to Nezuko, Brows Furrowed in Annoyance.
Swordsman: Was It Him?
-
Nezuko: H-Huh?
The Hostile Stranger Takes A Step Closer And Now Holds His Blade Right Under the Chin Of Xenon, Saying With Gritted Teeth.
Giyuu: Was This Demon Involved In The Attack!?
Xenon, Slowly raises His Arm to Gently rest it on the Blade of The stranger While Arching closer saying with a Sense of Urgency to his voice.
Xenon: No, you don't Understand-
But before he Can get much else Of A Word Out, Giyuu Turns And Sends Xenon Flying into A Rock Wall With A Quick Whip Of The Back Of His Hand. Xenon Hits The Wall Hard, And Lands On his Front. Nezuko Gasps and Dashes Forward But Giyuu Stops Her, Grabbing her Left Arm and Holding her Still, Nezuko Attempting to Pull and Squirm against him but To No Avail, The Man's Physical Strength is Simply something She's Never Experienced Before. And It's Never Like, Nezuko Wasn't Used to The Laboured Livelihood Of Being a Heavy Lifter In A Family, Making their Incomings Of Yen Through Oak, Birch And Spruce Wood Produce. This was something different.
Giyuu Grits His Teeth in frustration As Nezuko turns on her Heel and Slams Her Fist Right Into Him. Flailing About as She Beats Into The Man's Chest to not much avail of escaping, Saying.
Nezuko: why! Why!? Why are you doing This? Aren't You The Brave, Noble Person I Thought you Were!? Was...Was it All Just An Act..
At this point her Body has falters and Her shoulders Sag, He Stands With an Arm Outstretched Before Her, Acting as A Shield Against the Enemy he Has His Eye Trained On. The Stranger Says To Nezuko in a More gentle Tone Now as She Holds Onto Him now to support her Footing.
The Stranger: Listen..I hate to do any of this..I am not just a Swordsman that Finds it Necessary to Harm innocent People...Most Importantly I Hate to Say this to you, But..That Demon..Your Brother..He's Gone. I've Seen this Before multiple times, in moments of desperation, demons will try to Behave Civilly, Appeal to us Demon Slayers But only Chalk up A valiant Effort to Strike or Get away, in truth. None of what he's doing is Of His Own will. No humanity is Beneath that Pitiful Exterior!
Nezuko grips the Sleek Fabric of the Man's Haori Tighter while saying With Gritted Teeth.
Nezuko: You're Wrong. You have to be...Xen was fine, Perfectly fine ever Since the Attack. And There's Still so Much you don't Know! So please!
She Raises her head to Him Now as She Says In a Louder tone.
Nezuko: Just Give Him A Chance!
Giyuu's Eyes Spark Up at Her Outburst and He Looks Back to The Art Demon A Distance away. Its Timid And Reserved Appearance from before is Now Washed Away by a More Rabid and Ferocious Look. A Distinctive Pattern of Markings Lining his Body as The Demon Raises It's Head and Yells out, Eyes Glowing A bright Pink.
Xenon: NE-ZU-KOOOOOOOOO!!
With Great Speed, Xenon Leaps From His Position And Rockets Forward, The Art Demon's Eyes Blank Now As He Breaches The Gap and Swings His Arm Out, An Arm Which Is Immediately Sliced in Two In A simple Whip Of The Man's Arm, Xenon's Then Sent Tumbling to the Side With A Heel Kick To His Face right After Giyuu's attack. His momentum that Was Directed past Giyuu and Closer to Nezuko, Now Halted after Giyuu sends the Demon Tumbling To the Floor.
_ _ _ _ _
Nezuko's Stumbles Back As The Swordsman Takes Position and Quickly Dispels Of Her Brother's Burst of Aggression. Before she Can Process The Next Course of Events, Xen's Soaring through the Air With His Cheek caved Into. He then Steadies his footing and Rushes at Xenon, her Brother Attempting To Claw At Him With Multiple Swings Of His Hands, Though Not Landing Even A Single Strike, Instead Seeming to Only Double The Gashes From strikes that Come back at him faster than nezuko's Eyes Can See.
As She Rushes In, Now Within a 78 Meter Distance, And all the while The Swordsman seemingly Barely Even Moves His Blade in the exchanges. The blade is only Firm To his temple as though he's guarding himself against the Relentless Attacks from Her Brother but Xenon's the only one sustaining injuries. Xenon receives more Damage to his Arms and Legs than he hopes to Give, albeit Successfully Cushioning The Significance of the Damage to His Upper body with a Cross armed block.
Noticing This, With her Keen Eyes, Nezuko Also picks up on one other thing. As the two 'fight' as one would more than likely say, The Swordsman's Face Is Contorted in what Looks like..Slight Shock? 'But why would He be Surprised that Xenon's fighting him back?', Nezuko Wonders, Over Her Constance of pants and Stumbles over Short Pebbles as she sprints forth.
The Battle Intensifies as xenon, Despite His vast set of injuries, only heightens his Aggression, Yelling Inaudible Chants that are likely Not in English with How frantic His Mouth moves And The Familiar Pink Crystals Materialising on his Body, burning Bright slightly, As does Xenon's Forehead Mark.
Now with every decisive Slash He sustains, Xenon doesn't make to Defend his upper body as instinctively as He often has, instead He moves with the Strike, though it's Hard to see and He has to follow the Point of impact rather than the swordsman's movements, considering he can't even see them. Only the Swordsman's Face. The face of A Man That's likely just going to have his way with him and his Sister....He can't let that happen..He can't let himself Die and Leave nezuko to Fend for herself with monsters like these In the world. Alone for that Matter...
He's Eventually Successful in rolling with a strike that Seems to have been a combination but began with his Temple, In which, He Quickly Ducked his His Head with the Blow, Throwing his Arms Up to shield his Head, Causing them both To get slashed off Rather Quickly, though, Xenon Lunges Forward, Sliding Into the Swordsman's Range of Attack with Murder in his Eyes And, With veins Pulsating in his Left Leg, Xenon Braces Himself and Finally let's A Roundhouse Kick Rip With A Yell.
Xenon: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHH!!!
The Kick Is Swift and, As Nezuko Reaches the Two she Believes Xenon Landed his First Strike But Seeing Xenon's leg just whip the Air And Hit nothing, her Brows shoot up in confusion, And Then Her Eyes Widen. The Swordsman appears just a moment later Behind her Brother. Sporting a Bloody, Dripping Sword And, In Turn, the Center Of Xenon's Chest is Cut Open in A Cross Slash.
Xenon: AAAGH-
The Swordsman Then Sheathes his Blade And Turns to The Two. Xenon staggering As he Moves over to Shield Nezuko whilst shielding his chest But, She gets to him first and Holds him up, Despite being smaller than he is. Xenon's Forehead Mark Still Burning up, Nezuko Muses, Fearing he Might Have a fever if it's Been Indicative this Long, though with more pressing matters of Her Concern, She Turns Her attention to the Swordsman, saying with a stern expression.
Swordsman: Here's a Tip of Note when it comes to General Conflict, You Two. Never Divide Your Point of Concentration. It doesn't matter how you're aligned, How much you care for eachother or How Strong your Bond is by any means. Demon's will not Show you empathy. They will not Show you remorse or feel pity on you because you Have Family you just want to protect.
He then Clenches his Fist and Says with visible anger.
Swordsman: They are Bloodthirsty Killers Driven By their Natured Resolutions In Which are to Kill, Torment And Grow Stronger in doing so, So they Can do it Once more! To more innocent Victims! Now Tell Me, Little Girl...
The Swordsman Points his Sheathe at Her Brother and Says with Venom in his Eyes But A Slight Gentleness added to his Tone.
Swordsman: Your Brother has Not Burned In the sun. He hasn't even reacted to It's Presence Ever Since I'd Taken notice of A Demon in the area of your home. And frankly none of That makes any Sense. I'm clearly looking at A Demon beside you and It barely reacts. He Hasn't Dug Your Motionless Corpse into the Dirt to Feed At all...But I wish to understand..
The Swordsman Brings A Hand to His Face and Says With a Conflicted expression.
Swordsman: Despite how ridiculous This is, I want to understand what the hell has Happened In these mountains. The Civilians in Karakura Town are Safe, No Indications of Demon's Have even been left there. Just when I stumbled Upon the Shack Farther down The Hills to what I assume is Your neighbour, Is When I'd Gotten Feed of His Neighbor's Child Going up the Mountain, to his home late at night, When demons Are Especially out and about.
In what almost feels like the first time he's Fixed A Genuine Expression of Concern Upon Not just her, but the two of them, The Swordsman than sets his Gaze Upon xenon and Asks with Sympathy Clear in his Tone.
Swordsman: Was that you?
Xenon replies, with A Hint of Fear and Dread In his Tone.
Xenon: 'Was'....Why 'Was'..?
Nezuko Holds onto her older brother tighter As she says with worry stricken across her features.
Nezuko: Is...Is something wrong with Him, Sir? Please....Tell Us..
The Swordsman fixes the two with a Stern eye, studying their Body language. Clearly gathering that they are Scared and Confused. And not much else other than The Conviction in the demon boy's eyes, to Keep His Sister. Finally he sighs and says, Steadily.
Swordsman: I'm terribly sorry to say, Little Girl..little...Boy. But You are not Human Any longer.
Nezuko Gasps In shock and Looks Up at her Brother, Who Looks As shaken As she Feels Having heard what he Just Said. Though, She Sees Something Apart of her Brother She Hasn't Seen before.
Nezuko: Xen..
Xenon Slowly Looks At Her With His Brow Creased in Suspense At What is likely bad news. His Sister moving her Arm up to Feel his Mouth, and Peels his slightly agape Upper Lip, upward and Says Slowly.
Nezuko: You have Fangs now..
Xenon's Eyes Widen as He realises she's Right. Ever Since He'd Made his Way into Town to Sell to the Very eager, Very Familiar Locals Their Charcoal, They'd Been Asking Questions about his Teeth whenever he Gave them his Usual Winning Smiles And Grins, But were Kind Nonetheless.
Without him processing it, Nezuko Holds up his Hand As well, Running Her Hand Up his Finger to..An Incredibly Sharp Fingernail with Contours and Edges That could Rival Dad's Katana..no..No it's A Claw! like He'd Seen On mountain lions before but these are..Unusual. Why does he..?
Nezuko's Usual Head tilt of Concern snaps Xenon Out Of His Thought process and He Squeezes Nezuko's Hand in reassurance. Offering a Grin as well whilst saying.
Xen: I'm alright, Nez. Don't worry.
Unbeknown To The Two Of them, The Swordsman's Ventured Off To The Front Door Of Their Home and Is just standing there. Or so it seems. He has his Arms Crossed And Looks away from the Home's Interior to The both of Them, Saying.
Swordsman: I owe you two an explanation. You've Clearly been through Hell in the Last 12 Hours. And...
Coming to stand before the two, The Swordsman Bows His Head To the Two Of them, Saying With A Grim Sadness to His Eyes.
Swordsman: I'm Sorry I didn't Arrive Here sooner.
His expression then quickly shifts to It's Usual Sternness and Stoicism.
Swordman: But I'm Going to need you two to Explain What happened Last night. Everything. The Demon that Was here was strong, Incredibly So. Given The Imprints In the Collateral Damage it had left in the Furniture within your home...there's no doubt it was a higher-up..
Xenon Sparks Up slightly at the swordsman's words and Pleas, his voice Shaky.
Xenon: N-No, Please Sir, I'll Do it..it's..it's too painful for my sister..
The Swordsman looks like he's about to Dismiss the Idea The Demon Child has just proposed but seeing the Torn expression on the Little girl's face. He Relents. Sighing heavily and Crossing his Arms. Xenon Holds Nezuko A little Tighter Before He Finally Begins. Telling the Swordsman Every little thing that had transpired from that terrible evening. The Worst night of their lives...
6 months later
Nezuko Takes A Very Deep Breath. Easing her Nerves And Getting used to The Familiar Sound of The Streams of Water flowing and Trees Dripping With Evidence of The Rain's Monthly Visitation. The coolness in the Air. The Slight Chill on her skin. The Light-Heavy Breeze Indicating His Signal.
And Then She's Off.
Nezuko Practically Darts Off Down The Foggy Mountain. A Terrain She's Been Situated in to Especially Test her Sharp Eyes, Which She was More than Welcome to except...until She Wasn't. The Hours She's Spent Running Into Trees, Sometimes face first and Tripping over Lengthened Stumps That Were Sometimes Spikes If He Wasn't satisfied with the Progress she was Making with her Reaction Speed, Breath Control And Stamina. He has always been a Task master at heart and Not only Wanted Nezuko to Do Well Like he Said. He Wanted her to be the Very Best she could be. And Presumably, She Hasn't been Exactly That. So pushing her was perhaps Fair. 'and Maybe a little Acceptable, Given less pain...', Nezuko Complaints.
Then she Frantically Shakes Her Head When Almost Running Into A Neck Trap of Vines.
Nezuko: Argh! No time for that now. Focus! Focus and you can be at least somewhat Consistent In your Improvement, Nezuko.
Several minutes later and Nezuko's Worked Up a Mild Sweat, Though her concentrations at Its Peak as She Weaves Past The Base-lines of Pointed Traps And Over From what turns from solid Ground to A Pit Of Spikes She Grits her Teeth and Runs, Well, jumps Along Trees To Only Just reach the other side, break into a Roll And Keep moving forward Nezuko's Panting Now But That Doesn't Matter to her Now. She's Almost There. Like She's Been Multiple Times before now. She's Never gotten this close and she isn't going to Allow her stamina to fail her Again.
As she Weaves Past A Few More trees, The light of Dawn is Apparent Just ahead By the Open Spaces Between The Tall Trees That Ignite her hope of success. Nezuko Pushes Onward, her Lungs Burning And Urging her to Stop and Take a Breath but she Keeps at it. Her long hair Swooping Behind her as Does the Rush of The Wind.
Now with the Familiar sequence of Dodging the occasional Vine Lower and Upper body traps as Well As Quicksand Now, That Nezuko's Made easy work in leaping over. Suddenly Though, She's Brought to a Halt as Something comes rushing at her. Not a Spike, Considering it would look like the Spike that's been Shot down at Her from above, but this Doesn't Look like wood. Nezuko's Eyes Widen As it blasts into her before she can React, She's Knocked Onto her Back And Coughs up from the Pressure of the Blow, and it's even more painful as She hacks up a spurt of saliva with her Lungs crumbling under the impact, Which Essentially knocked all the Supply of oxygen from Her in one instant.
Once regaining herself, Nezuko Only Just Manages To Note the Arrival of The Next Blast And Quickly Dips Into the Ground, The Collision of the Blast and A Nearby tree is strong. Leaving a rough, Wet Dent into it.
Nezuko looks aghast At the strength of, what's likely His Personalised adjustment to This Training Course But she isn't going to let up.
Gathering herself. Nezuko Darts forward once more, Now Paying attention For any more Attacks but None come. Instead, She's Ocean-deep in the Clichรฉ'd Grasp of An extended Spinning Spike Trap Just up ahead. Which She's Avoiding with careful But Quick Twists of Her Body, To compensate for her Slower movements, due to her Tired State. But she Makes it Past Every one, Every One of her Motions executed with Practised Maneuvering Expertise. Once She Makes It Passed, She Breaks into A Sprint and Leaps onto A Wooden Plank, Beginning The Aerial Portion of The Training Course. One She Hasn't come this Far to See Despite her Best efforts and His Muses Of Every Portion the Course will Unveil.
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It All comes to Nezuko rather Smoothly and She Uses the Deduction in Risk and Intensity to Catch her Breath, Granted The fact that It's Essentially Just an obstacle course Rising Gradually. Likely for The Final Leap Nezuko will have to Take before Reaching the Course's Conclusion.
Nezuko: I Finally have A Chance...After six Months, I'll finally Have a Chance to Do This! No.....I Will do This!
Nezuko Leaps onto Another Hanging Plank, But It Creaks A Few Times before Plummeting under Her. Nezuko's Eyes Widening and Hanging Onto the Vine the Plank was Hanging on. She takes a Few Shock-enthused Breaths before she looks down and Sees A Pit Of Spikes that, if not knowing her trainer, Would More than likely Kill her. She looks Over at The Other Planks And Says with a look of contemplation.
Nezuko: The planks I'd leapt onto were roughly the same weight as The one that broke. And I'm not all that heavy by any means. Especially with the Stance Urokodaki-san Taught me, Making me much lighter on my feet than usual to accommodate my total concentration breathing.....Wait..
Recalling a recent memory, Nezuko's Eyes Spark in Revelation as She looks to every plank individually. The memory showcases Nezuko Before an older man, Down on one knee and clutching her lower abdomen with a pain-stricken expression. The elder man, wearing A Standard Albeit Loose, dark Kimono and with Blue Garments Over them And What looks like a Tengen Mask on his Face. He Paces Around Nezuko, Whilst holding a Wooden Blade Behind his back.
Urokodaki: Your Movements are wasted, Nezuko. Incredibly so. You Have a Tendency to Tackle A Crisis as though it's an opponent with just as Many Limitations as your Own. And your Methods in Neutralising Such odds are, in all honesty, Far more Harmful to yourself than any fellow beginner you may meet during your time with me. You waste So much energy looking to barrel through your breaking points and only end up depleting all your stamina. Forgetting To Maintain Control of your Breathing while you Move and Let Your Movements Flow As Steadily As a Stream of Water.
He Halts his Pace to Stand just in front of Nezuko And Observe her Quietly. Nezuko Avoids his Gaze Briefly Before Standing on her two feet, Looking slightly ashamed of herself before Urokodaki places a hand on her shoulder and Places his Other on her Head to gently Pat her Silky Smooth Jet Black hair, stroking it gently as He Says.
Urokodaki: Improvement is not a hassled Chore, My Dear. It is a Dignified process. One in which I believe that you.
He points At her forehead for further emphasis.
Urokodaki: Can Make Your Mark in Doing Great Things, Nezuko. You can be everything you muse To be incapable of, whenever you feel worthless. Weak. Outmatched.
He Then Settles his Hands on Both her shoulders and Says with pride in his Tone.
Urokodaki: You can do incredible things Nezuko. Things I Wouldn't even Fathom Possible for someone with a Heart as pure as yours. That is how much belief I have in you and With that Pure Heart of yours, you will overcome any evil.
Noting that his Student Has been holding in Tears He, Silently embraces her And Brings his Hand up to Stroke her Jet black hair. Nezuko Mutters a Muffled Thanks' To him in gratitude of her Teacher's Words.
Fading back to Present Time, Nezuko Slowly shakes Her Head, Dispelling the Loss in her train of thought and Hoists Herself Onto the Rising Course Of Planks Before and Above Her. Remembering Urokodaki's Words and Keeping Her Breath Control Constant, but Steady.
To her Surprise, Nezuko's Remembrance Of Her Teacher's Daily Lectures Have Finally Begun, In contrast To How believing in his teachings has only seemed to forbid any noticeable progress to her. She's Allowed a little Kick in her Step as She Fluidly Glides Past Blast Shots from before, Descending down The Serene Blue Forest Now. Ignoring the Fluorescent Colours, Albeit Begrudgingly, But Casting the Environment Thoughtfully Looks as She Then Makes her Way through Boa's Cavern. The Cave Being an Enormous, Gruff But Elegant Half-Passage-Way-Half Habitat. Properties Of Mineral Artefacts Scattered all Across the Caves Depth. The Same depth the Large Serpent, Boa, Resides. And Slumbers all the same. Nezuko Runs Along The Walls, Performing Flips after jumps over The Pit Leading to The caves Further interior, to easily Grip Onto Sturdy Rock Appendages and Finally Swing her body onto the other side. Rolling with the Landing and Finally exiting to the Outside.
Nezuko halts as She Notes That this is the final stage. The Mountain Slide. She Takes a Steady breath and Then Practically Darts Forward, Head First into the slide.
Which was an incredibly Foolish decision now that she Thinks About It Because, The Mountain Is Riddled with Vapour Traps. A Trap Urokodaki San Created Purely For Instantaneous Movement Practice. Nezuko Now, With widened Eyes And Gritted teeth, Yells in Agony as A Burst of Steam Shoots Up Under Her And Sends Her Spiralling. Her momentum, Moving forward increased, given the intended Pattern her Movements were following.
Nezuko: AGH!!!
Nezuko Clutches Her Arm and Quickly Opens her eyes only to be met with solid Granite. The Force of the Landing sending Nezuko Tumbling With a Nasty Cut Over her Right Eye. With the Kickstart of Adrenaline From that Painful, But Necessary Fall, Nezuko Reaches Out For A hanging Patch of Smooth Stone and Stops her momentum. Looking down to survey her surroundings and noting that She Only has about half more of the mountain to cover, but it won't be easy. Vapour Traps are at almost Every Nook and Cranny so it's likely that her teacher is testing endurance Here. Nezuko brings a hand up to her face and Winces as She Touches the Fresh wound, Spurting Blood Down the Side of Her Face and along the Contour of her Nose.
With a Steadying breath, Nezuko Brings A Hand Up to Make sure her earrings are Still Well intact Before Closing her eyes, Saying quietly to herself.
Nezuko: I...I can do this...
placing both feet onto the Mountain And Hoisting herself off in a Swift Arcing Backflip.
Nezuko Lands Briskly But Immediately Sets to Dashing down the Mountain, Being sure to Abide to Controlling her breath this time, despite feeling Her Lungs Protest in agony for A Rest. But she Relents, Wincing As The Heat of An inevitable Vaporwave Section comes Around, And Nezuko, Reacting Quickly, Moving to Use her Haori to Cushion The Blows of Steam and Leave her a Little less Unscathed. However it Doesn't Last Long as Her Haori Begins to grow damp, And all the Same, incredibly Hot, Just as The Vapour Wave's intensity and heat only seem to increase. Almost as though looking to harm her with bitter intent of their own.
She Wants to Pass Out. To collapse and Just call this one other tiresome but productive day. Another failure she can learn from and do better in but...she can never be good enough to Protect Xenon if she's Barely even scratching the surface of what the world's cruelty has to offer. Even With her Legs as strained and overworked as they are Nezuko Is Not Giving Up! With A Defiant Yell, Something she's Not Known For. Nezuko Ducks her Head Down and Throws her Haori outward, Grip Tight.
Nezuko: I WILL BE STRONG! STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT MY BROTHER! STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT EVERYONE!
Her Steps Quicken As Nezuko Falls Into Rhythm with The Thinly Imprinted Pattern on The Mountain's Surface. Something She Hadn't Noticed Before As she was attempting to survive Urokodaki San's Brutal Courses. Vapour Wave's Shoot up At Her, Knocking Nezuko Every Which Way At First, Regardless of Her endless Stride but eventually, even with, close to 1st degree Burns and Bruises, Likely from the Pressure of The Water Vapour, Nezuko Reaches The Minobu Gates. Not even realised she'd Ran Past The Scarecrow, Indicating her Pathways. Now with her every muscle in absolute Agony, Nezuko Collapses to her knees with An Overjoyed smile, Looking Upon the Gates with Relief and Joy, Marinated in anticipation over Months and Months of Repeated Failure every 2 Weeks. But now she can Smile. Now she Can do all she Believed she couldn't Do. Wet and Battered, but Successful. More successful than she's felt in a long time.
The Familiar Presence Of Her Brother Fills Her Attention and she Slowly Turns Her Head to See Him just a Short distance at her Side, Seeming to have landed near her from a High tree top, Like he usually does these days.
Xenon has a worried look struck on his Features, but as He Takes in Nezuko's Happy Face, He Loses all sense of worry. Worry For his sister's well being in this Training Urokodaki San has been putting her through. And training Nezuko Has been so determined, so driven to Do her Best and Complete Entirely. Despite Urokodaki's True Aim's To just push Nezuko Enough That she'd Be familiar With Crucial Urgency. With Conflicting Mindsets. With Struggle...But she Did even more than that...she got through all of that and then some. She Didn't Just Survive, She Completed a Test Urokodaki San hadn't even intended for her To Pass.
At this point, Xenon's Face has filled with tears, and His Sisters has responded in kind as The Two siblings Embraced Each Other on the Ground.
6 Months Later
In butterfly valley
Kanao Tsuyuri Is Fed Up. Upset. Of and with what? She still Wishes to figure out herself.
Currently, She Is in an intensive exchange with A Peer Of Hers, Seven Kenshi.
Seven Grins And Hooks a leg with Her own Before Throwing her Off Course As their Bodies Collide In Poorly Timed Lunges. With her Blade at His neck, And Seven Shielding against it With a sword Equipped to his forearm. Kanao Goes off Course And, With Resigned Confidence that he's Finally gotten her, He Halts as He Looks to See what should be kanao's Smaller Frame On the Ground, However, He's Only Snapped Backward as A Blue Flower petal Smacks into Him. Causing him to nearly topple over at the force but quickly regain his Footing. He Looks forward with wide, Ocean Blue Eyes.
Seven: How The Hell?
-
Kanao: You really shouldn't believe that meer jiu jitsu's Going to Prove You Prominent in this Practice Session, Kenshi.
Sev is Surprised to see Kanao Balancing her body upon the butt of her Blade, Also what seems like an array of Flowers Sprawled Around Her. She Continues with a stern glare cast upon him as she descends.
Kanao: Even So, you Don't possess the Strength of a Stone breather even despite Knowing The Some of Their Techniques.
She brandishes her Blade with a Much smaller one From a small Sheathe Attached to her belt. A calm, Kaleidoscopic Aura Omitting from her as she performs the simple motions. Saying as sev looks on, somewhat starstruck.
Kanao: That Or you Simply underestimate my Flower Attunement. Unwise of You..
In A Flash of Bloom and Petal Burst, She's Lunged All the way to Sev's Front. Saying As her Smaller Blade Has been launched Right to his throat. Kanao saying amidst her showcase of speed.
Kanao: But not out of character.
-
Sev: Tch-
Sev Only Just brings his arm up to redirect the Lethal Blow, Going slightly off Balance as Kanao Whips Her Arm Out and Shoves Him away. Seven reacts instinctively as She lunges back at him and Unleashes a Swift Onslaught of, not full force, But not mild attacks either. Every Upper-slash, Sev, having To Dip under and Trade Abdomen aimed Slashes With her.
Kanao Eventually Gains the advantage as Seven Is Reactive but Flawed with his Quick-Time Defence. Kanao Charges Her Blade With A Petal burst and Slashes Right Through Seven's Guard As he Makes to directly Block her Strikes and, this time counter with one of his own. Though, Kanao can See his Intentions Like She Can The Spiral Of Inferior Life Forms Within The Valley Around Them. 3 Seperate Slashes Knock, Break and Send Sev Tumbling Backward, The Male Swordsman Attempting to stay on his Feet But Kanao's Follow up attack, in which was a Twisting anther, Send him Right onto his back. Coughing up Hard.
Kanao Descends from her position in the Air she'd performed her Attack before Landing onto the ground and Bowing to seven, Before Then Sheathing her Blade. Then saying to her Recovering peer on his back, Who Laughs Lightly As he opens one eye To Look at Kanao.
Sev: Damn. You Kinoto don't Screw Around..
Kanao Stops her stride before him To then Reply.
Kanao: as of right now. I am the Sole Kinoto of the Junior Ranked Division.
Sev looks at her with a Sly grin.
Sev: Heh. Real special now are ya.
Kanao fixes him with a deadpan stare before moving onward to the butterfly estate. Looking to Find her Way onto the Smooth-stone pathway but Sev calls after her. Still on the Ground, to her knowledge.
Sev: Hey! Could you atleast help me up? I Don't think I have it in me to move after Getting beat like that.
Kanao turns her Head back to him and Scoffs.
Kanao: I've seen you get hit by worse, and Laugh it off Kenshi. What makes you so incapable to just get off your back?
They look at each other for a while longer in Anticipation for the other to willfully break, But as sev fixes Kanao with A Puppy dog Look, Which is, Admittedly, by her, Absolutely ridiculous Of someone his age. She Relents. Sighing and moving over to him, Kanao outstretches her hand to him and he Takes It Happily with A smile.
To his surprise, Kanao hoists Sev right onto his Feet. The Taller swordsman looking down at her in slight amazement. A moment passes before She Groans in annoyance. Looking up at him with a furrowed brow.
Kanao: Can you let go now, Kenshi? You've been clasping my hand in yours for quite some time now.
Sev blinks and then releases his Unknowingly tight Grip on kanao's hand. Saying as she turns away.
Sev: Yeah..yeah sorry about that. Just surprised at how Strong you are.
-
Kanao: I Wouldn't rule out my ability to get you on your feet to be my physical power. I just have good teachers. That's all.
Sev nods and lowers his head. The conversation Apparently over now.
As the Two Walk along the Smooth Stone pathway, Sev Takes Note Of Kanao's Attire As The Sounds and Roam of Nature bustles around the two Among the Plant Life and Grass. He Scrutinises that she's A Lot More Muscly Than she was when they First Worked together. Kanao always Being the Kind of individual to not mind blending in with her peers in regard to her Attire and such but today, She looks different, In a feminine Pair but Unusual Choice of Dressing of a Long, Dark pair of Trousers In contrast To the Skirt She Usually Sports With her Demon Slayer Uniform.
Sev's Gaze Wanders Along the contours of Her back and Only travels lower as he only realises further how much more aware he's been of Kanao and Her...Assets. To say he was Attracted to her would be An understatement. - Within his Trance, Sev Puts a Hand to His Chin And asks, Somewhat absent mindedly.
Sev: I Probably Didn't Mention this when we Met up earlier today But you never usually wear Pants. It..Looks good on you. Really good.
Kanao sighs And Lightly Places a Hand on the Hilt of her Sword.
Kanao: I Have Years of Spacial Awareness Training, Kenshi. You're Not exactly being discreet with where exactly your Gaze is trained At the moment.
Seven Processes what she's just said for a moment before His eyes widen And he Looks away in frantic motion.
Sev: Ah..my Bad. My bad.
Kanao turns her Head to look at him with a brow creased in confusion.
Kanao: You didn't appear like you regretted Ogling me A moment ago, so your apology is not paramount here, Kenshi. I'm not offended, nor do I particularly care what part of me catches your interest. I'm not interested in you so It doesn't necessarily matter.
Sev, who was looking to reply to the sternness in her Statement, Goes still as She lets her last words out. Kanao moves along The path without waiting for sev this time. The Male Swordsman looking partly broken before Shaking his Head and Moving along after her. Saying As he throws his Hood and Coat over himself.
Seven: Right..
A Discreet Cavern, In the Okuiya Plains
Leisure was pissed.
Whereabouts of his kitten were Erased of every traced he left her. But how!? It had only been 6 Damn years since He Blew In the Goddamn Crater! Leisure paced around Within the Barracks of His Cavern Before stopping At the Balcony of His Iron Enforced Settlements Balcony. Looking out to See The Array of Demon life Spiralling Below him. In the Underground..but he's too occupied with his own thoughts to pay the brats any mind.
Leisure: Little Shit Only Grew a little Meat on her bones. How the Hell Did she Bypass Her Binds? The Cage? My Mines!???
Leisure's 4 Arms, Through which his 4 Hands, Began Crackling With Heat and Sparks. He Cast His Gaze Down To The Population Of Demon's Below him and said, in a cold tone after Fixing his Slicked Back, Cropped hair.
Leisure: I Wanna Kill something...
With a Steadying Breath, Leisure Shut The Stone & Glass Doors To His Balcony, Saying as he Slowly made his Way to his Railing, Bare feet Echoing Behind him.
Leisure: The Underground. Home to Millions of Demonic Entities Like Me. Supernatural Beings. Monsters.
He grins Saying his Concluding word. Then continuing, Cracking all his 20 knuckles.
Leisure: Demon Slayers. The Only Probable Combatants you could Speculate To be a threat to Our Kind. Oh, you idiots and getting your heads Slashed off. How many Was It The Last 100 Years? 40? 50, Rookies? Bah! Doesn't fuckin matter. At This Point, The New fish are lost causes.
He Spreads his Arms Wide as He Takes in the atmosphere. Garnering the attention of Multiple demons As he Shouts down to Them. The Air Below Red and Misty.
Leisure: OI! OOOIIII!! LISTEN HERE YOU IDIOTS! NO HUMAN HAS EVER MADE A FALL DOWN TO THE UNDERGROUND AND OUTLASTED ANY OF YOU! TALK ABOUT A NUMBERS ADVANTAGE RIGHT!?
A Couple of Murmurs Spread around as A crowd Forms And leisure Grins as A Few Suspicious Glances Are Cast His Way. A Blue Demon Coming upfront and Asking in an incredibly Deep, Booming Voice.
Blue Demon: State your business with Us, Outlaw.
Leisure Laughs.
Leisure: You're Gonna Have to Let Me Finish First, Bloated Brain!
The Blue Demon Grimaces As Leisure's Eyes Glow a Piercing Blaze Colour.
Leisure Points Down at the Crowd Among the Blue Demon. A Mixture of Reactions to his Gesture given Swiftly Before Leisure says.
Leisure: YOU ARE ALL TRASH! LIKE, SERIOUSLY, WHO IN THE HELL TRIES TO CLASSIFY THEMSELVES AS POWERFUL WHEN YOUR GREATEST FEAT IS SWARMING A SORRY HUMAN? I MEAN, THOSE GUYS SUCK! SO MY SOLE INTENTION HERE IS FIGURING OUT WHATEVER THE HELL I GOTTA DO WITH YOU POSERS!
-
Leisure Bows at the Eruption Of anger that rises from the Demon's. The Blue Demon Being the Only one who doesn't Burst out in Rage. Leisure Rolls his Eyes As The Crowd only gets louder and more frantic.
Leisure: Oh Please. You're All basic Demon's Right? Or Am I Wrong?
A Couple of Demon's yell Out, In Sync with a Few Hostile Demon's, Baring Tooth and Claw at Leisure Now.
Demon's: WHAT'S IT TO YOU!?
Leisure Snorts. Then bursts out Laughing. Hysterically For that Matter. Only Fueling the Demon's Anger at this point. His laughter eventually subsides And He jumps onto The Railing. Saying with a Slightly more stern expression.
Leisure: I Was willing to Do Koke's Damn Job for Him and Scout out Blood Placements But it seems I'm just as unlucky as everyone else. Oh what A Mess...
A Few Quieter demons Look on, Their Eyes Widening as The crowd grows More aware Of Leisure's Body beginning To Crackle with Sparks and His Expression contort in Rage.
In a Swift motion, Leisure Roars Out as Tears Spill out of His Eyes. The Demon Yelling out At the Approaching Crowd, Who Very quickly, Swallow The cause of their annoyance, And Quickly Rip into Him. Or At Least they Believe that's what has happened as Leisure Ducks his head under the numerous Volume of Strikes he sustains. Though The Surrounding Demon's Are surprised as Their attacks have had done almost nothing to Leisure, The Blue Demon having Wondered a distance, expecting leisure to have been finished by his subordinates, But His Eyes Spark Up as Leisure's Primal roar Sounds Behind him. Flames now Charged in all his 4 Arms. Leisure Yelling Out as He Fires Off to The Surrounding Area.
Leisure: **WHY ARE YOU ALL SO GODDAMN WEAK, WORTHLESS STAINS OF PIISSSSS!!?!?!!!**
...
The Last Thing The Blue Demon had Seen once Turning around was Countless Bodies of His Followers Being burnt to The Bone and Ripe Spurts of Gore and Bone Surging toward Him, The Cause of all this Making Its Way to *him* soon enough And Sending Him Flying.
...
A Mushroom Cloud Is Slowly Working it's way to dissipation As Leisure Makes his Way up the Grand crater he's just Caved into the Ground. Or the Underground. The Correction making him Smirk a little at the quip, Before he then opens his Eyes and Rushes upward. Surveying the Underground's Terrain and humming in Approval at his handiwork. Merely the Ash of what were countless Weak demons Laid on the Ground and Only Minimal Remnants of Flame as well as collateral Damage.
Leisure Here's a thundering Footstep Sound a distance away From him and, on instinct, He shoots an Arm Out and Blows it to Bits. Not sparing a Glance, Leisure Moves Along But A Boulder, Larger than any he's ever been Hit with before comes Soaring at him and Leisure, Turns slightly And Upper Smacks it. Blowing it Apart and Revealing his assailant. The Blue Demon? He's Alive? Oh and He's piiiissed too!
A Smile Slowly grows On Leisure's Face As He's Knocked Every Which Way By A Coordinated Pattern of Rock Strikes To his Front and Back, Leisure Leaping away from a Descending bolt and Firing a Concentrated Blast into a Large Rock coming his Way. Then Blasting his Way Forward to the Blue Demon. Who Roars Defiantly and Stomps the Ground Then Jumping forward to then Send the top Half of A Ground Bolt at Leisure, Who Elbows it And Throws a Punch At The Blue Demon. The Attack Hitting Its Guard, But nevertheless, Still being powerful enough to knock away the Blue Demon. Who Grits His Teeth In Mid Air And Clenches his Fists And Shoots Both Arms forward. What looks like A Buddhist Titan then Spiralling out of the Ground and Slamming into Leisure, The Demon Easily Blocking the Attack and Grinning fiercely as it sends him back down to the Ground.
The Blue Demon Lands On the Ground And Stumbles Slightly. Using A Supporting Rock structure for Support as He Looks on, Saying with Healing Injuries from Leisure. Who Whips away a Cloud of Smoke and Yells In delight.
Leisure: NOT BAD FOR AN A-1! NOT BAD AT ALL! Damnit, You're Actually Pretty Darn Impressive! Heheheh!
Leisure Takes a Low Stance as His Palms crackle With More Heat and Spark. The Blue Demon Standing Standing Straighter and Gritting its Teeth as Rocks Arise Behind it Levitating At his Will and Anger as Leisure Grins at him Menacingly. He Rushes First, Swiftly Avoiding A Volley Of Rock Attacks That Come At Him midway before Leisure then Closes the distance Rapidly And Lets A rip a Powerful explosion, The Last Thing The Blue Demon Processing Being the Bomb Demon's Hand Aimed At Him And Then The Loud Boom.
**2 Weeks Later, In The Butterfly Estate**
Shinobu Kocho Makes her Way From the Medical Bay of The Of the Butterfly Mansion's Upper Floors, In the corridor she Spots Her Oh so Beloved Friend Giyuu and Makes Way To him Quickly Stepping Beside Him, Matching His Slightly Quickened Stride.
Shibobu: Going Somewhere, Tomioka?
-
Giyuu: What do you want, Kocho?
Giyuu Says abruptly, Stopping Just A ways From the hallways next turn to Rengoku's Firegardens. Where he's intended to go before *she* showed herself.
Shinobu Puts her hands up harmlessly with a Gentle Laugh.
Shinobu: Oh, nothing. I just figured I would check in on You. Make sure You had At Least Some Dosage of Social inducement for the day. Afterall it can't be easy not having any friends. I just care. Unlike most.
Giyuu's Brow Creases and He Continues Onward. Concluding that this was a waste of time, as per usual with the midget. Though he's not going to tell her as much. For now at least. He does enjoy getting a kick out of Kocho Getting annoyed At quips about her height.
Shinobu's Smug Expression Falters as Giyuu Gets further away. A genuineness to her features Plain now as She Calls to him again and he stops, surprisingly enough. Looking back over his shoulder at her.
Shinobu: I just wanted to let you know Today's the Day Slayer Applicants Meet At Wisteria Falls. Your Little Girl's Going to Do the Selection exam as well. Along with her...Brother. The Demon. They're Assembly is Now Due 12 Hours Post their Exam Before Ubuyashiki-Sama's Residence..
Giyuu Takes A Breath and says in A Rather neutral tone.
Giyuu: She's Not "Mine" Kocho. Her family was Killed The Night Before I made it to Karakura.
Shinobu Nods understandingly.
Shinobu: Yes, We Received the Crow's Report And Conveyance Via *Your*
Testimony.
Giyuu Groans Slightly at Her Emphasis. To Which she continues, Giyuu Turning to her Now to See She's wearing an expression of Consideration, much to his slight surprise.
Sinobu: You don't Have to Pretend like you don't care, you know. I know you see yourself In that little girl. A Victim of The World's Cruelty and Someone you don't wish to be swallowed by the same fear that consumed you once, Giyuu. It's okay. You don't have to be so Cynical about where your Morals Lie sometimes. Even I won't make fun of you for showing some humility.
Giyuu's Lost in Thought for a Moment. For one, Kocho san's words are Hitting his Core harder than he expected Them to and All In All. He hates to admit that she's Right about where he stands with this situation of the Brother and sister. Finally he raises his head, uncrossing his Arms and nodding at Shinobu.
Giyuu: I will Take responsibility for The Siblings' Trial.
He Looks over at her and Shinobu's eyes spark up as Giyuu Says, so quietly that she almost misses it, Before he walks away.
"Thanks.."
Left Surprised, But not Unpleasantly surprised, Shinobu Smiles slightly. Then Moves Along to Gather Feed from Tsuyuri.
(KnY - Episode 2: Red On Red (ยฝ) - Complete.)