|•| 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚂𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 |•| 𝕂𝕟𝕪 𝔽𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

VIII

"Hey! Wake up! Both of you wake up!", A kakushiwhisper-yelled at the two unconscious people.

"Come on, bastards." "Hey, wake up!" "They're waking up.", Voices of familiar (to Kiyomi) people were heard.

"How long are both of you gonna sleep?! Get up already!", With that shout, Tanjiro shot his eyes open.

There were unfamiliar people around him.

"You are in the presence of the pillars!", the same kakushi scolded.

'Pillars?! What are pillars???', he thought. He looked at the side to see his white haired friend, still unconscious.

"This is the headquarters of the demon slaying corps. Both of you are on trial right now, Kamado Tanjiro-san, Takahashi Kiyomi-san.", The insect pillar, Kochou Shinobu started.

"When is that idiot going to wake up?!", The sound pillar, Uzui Tengen complained, wondering why Kiyomi hadn't waken up yet.

"We don't need a trial! Protecting demons is clearly a violation of conduct!", The flame pillar, Rengoku Kyojuro exclaimed with a beamy face.

"I agree! Let me cut that demon's head off flamboyantly.", Uzui agreed.

'Eeh?? Were gonna kill such a cute girl? It breaks my heart so much!', The love pillar, Kanroji Mitsuri, thought in despair.

"How sorrowful... What a pity that she was born into this world...", The stone pillar, Himejima Gyomei, cried as he clasped his large hands together.

'What were those clouds again..? What were they called..?', The mist pillar, Tokitou Muichiro, stared at the sky, not batting an eye to the others.

Kiyomi slowly regained her consciousness and looked around. She couldn't move because she was on the ground with ropes suddenly tied on her hands.

"She's awake.", Uzui stated.

"..Wh-where am I? Wasn't I poisoned? Am I in heaven?", Kiyomi said, feeling a little drowsy.

"K-kiyomi!", Tanjiro said.

"Did you die too, Tanjiro..? That can't be... I'm supposed to go back home?", she muttered. She arranged her mind and there she finally saw, the hashiras.

Kiyomi's eyes widened, she couldn't say anything.

"..Wasn't I poisoned? Wai- wh-what??", she stuttered.

"Well, Takahashi-san, I gave you an antidote! But your body is still injured, and you are on a trial right now.", Shinobu explained, her doll smile not faltering a bit.

Kiyomi sighed in relief. She noticed Tanjiro was looking for someone, which she exactly knew who he was looking for.

"More importantly, what are we gonna do about Tomioka? I have a headache seeing him not tied up. According to Kochou, he has also violated the corps' rules, how will we deal with him?", The serpent pillar, Obanai Iguro, pointed his finger at the water pillar, Tomioka Giyuu.

Kiyomi tried to calm her heart down from exploding of excitement.

"Well, it's fine right? He followed me without causing a ruckus. Let's think of a punishment later. More importantly, I wanna hear this boy and girl's story. Both of you, why were you protecting a demon?", Shinobu said and looked at Kiyomi and Tanjiro.

Just as Kiyomi was about to speak, she suddenly coughed out blood.

Her eyes widened, "I'm sorry for- *cough- dirtying this- *cough- garden! *Cough cough!", Kiyomi bowed her head and touched the ground filled with rocks as she kept coughing out blood.

'This is so embarrassing!!'

"Here, this is mixed with painkillers, drink this.", Shinobu smiles as she took out a little gourd and passed it to Kiyomi.

"It's okay--  Tanjiro needs it more-- *cough", Kiyomi smiled as she reburied her face on the ground, the embarrassment not fading away.

Shinobu paused for a second. 'She cares about her friend more than herself...', she thought, still smiling. She just nodded her head in understanding and looked at Tanjiro.

"So? Why were you bringing a demon?", Shinobu asked.

"She- *cough *cough!", Tanjiro coughed. He really did also had trouble speaking.

"Here, drink this to sooth the pain.", Shinobu said as she passed the gourd to Tanjiro.

Tanjiro drank the drink before speaking, "My little sister was turned into a demon, but she has never eaten a human! Up until now and from now on, she won't eat a living person!".

While they were arguing, Kiyomi was listening, squealing internally, she finally saw all her favourite characters in KNY. Just then, someone interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey you, Takahashi, why did you help this boy who was protecting a demon?", Iguro glared at her.

"U-uhmm.. because-", Kiyomi was cut off by another voice, "Whoa whoa, this got somewhat interesting.", The wind pillar, Shinazugawa Sanemi entered.

"Please don't Shinazugawa-sama! Put the box down please!!", Another kakushi pleaded but was ignored.

"So both of you are the idiotic members who brought a demon. What the hell were you planning to do?", Sanemi said, mischievously smiling.

"What did you say, kiddo? That your sister will never eat a human?", Sanemi held the hilt of his sword, "That's impossible, you morons!!", He unsheathed his sword and stabbed the wooden box he was holding.

Tanjiro got angry and ran towards Sanemi, his hands still tied up. "I will never forgive anybody, pillar or not, who hurts my little sister!!!", He shouted.

"Hahahaha!! That so? Good for you!!", Sanemi laughed.

"Stop it! Oyakata-sama is arriving soon!!", Giyuu interrupted.

Sanemi stopped in his tracks for a second before swinging his sword low. Tanjiro dodged by jumping above and headbutted him, which made him fall down and made his nose bleed.

Kiyomi, who started to get dizzy from the poison, regained her composure when she heard a loud thud. She jolted and sat up straight. "Y-yes?! What do I do??", she said with a shaky voice.

"Pft.", Kanroji held her laugh, "I'm so sorry.", She muttered while she covered her embarrassed face.

'Although Tomioka interjected on the side there, he landed a blow on Shinazugawa. And that girl, she was severely injured, but managed to move.', Iguro thought as he watched them afar from the tree he rested on..

"If you can't tell between the good demons and bad ones, you should quit being a pillar!!", Tanjiro yelled.

"Damn you... I'll rip you to shreds!!", Sanemi growled.

"Oyakata-sama has arrived.", A doll-faced girl with white hair announced.

Kiyomi immediately bowed her head back on the ground. She knew who the girl was talking about.

All of the pillars also bowed and Tanjiro was forced to bow by Sanemi.

'Why is everyone bowing? Even Kiyomi??', Tanjiro looked her with confusion written on his face.

"So you have come, my dear swordsmen.", The leader of the demon slaying corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, had arrived.
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See you at the next chapter!