Can't I See You One Last Time?

Chapter 17: "You died. Didn't you?"

The second trail was the same as the first. Most of the pillars were line up side by side in front of a mansion side. Obanai Iguro was sitting up in a tree like a snake. The Wind Hashira wasn't anywhere on the scene. Giyuu was standing away from everyone to show that he had violated a Demon Slayer rule. Tanjiro was tied up and on the ground in front of the Hashira. Giyuu was worried about Tanjiro's untreated injuries and wanted to stand near Tanjiro, but he thought it'd best to keep some distance.

Tanjiro gave his plead of saying that his demon sister could fight by his side, as a demon slayer, and wouldn't attack, or eat, humans. All of the Hashira said their little parts of belief, displeasure, and whatever else they wanted to say when replying to Tanjiro's plead.

It wasn't long before Sanemi Shinazugawa walked into the scene with the box containing the demon Nezuko. He said his whole speech about not being able to trust a demon. Then, stabbed the girl inside the wooden making Tanjiro angry. Everything was following the same path as before, but it was then when things started turning wacky. Things had started down a different path.

The smile on Shinazugawa's face turned to confusion when he blinked. He didn't understand anything that was going on.
"What in the hell?"
The wind pillars eyes wandered the scene with confusion. It was like he wasn't told about the meeting subject, or he didn't know what he was doing. Shinazugawa looked to the box in his hand. Then, at his sword he pierced the box with. After, his gaze moved to the angry Tanjiro and the other Hashira. Finally, his gaze landed back on the box he was currently piercing.
"What the fuck...?"
Still in the state of confusion, Shinazugawa pulled his sword out of the box. He was slightly pulled out when he heard Tanjiro's yell about how he wouldn't forgive anybody for hurting his sister, no matter who they were, and the bloodlust that was coming off the kid. Then, he heard Giyuu's yell about Oyakata-sama arriving soon which pulled him out a little more. The thing that forced Shinazugawa out of his confused state was Tanjiro's tough head hitting his head. Shinazugawa was pulled out of his head, but he was still confused.

The rest of the meeting was the same. Oyakata-sama gave his greeting to the top slayers and wondered if the sky was currently blue. Tanjiro didn't bow when the Master entered, so Shinazugawa slammed his head into the gravel to make him show respect. The Wind Hashira also gave the greeting to their Master on behalf of the all the Hashira. Oyakata-sama thanked him for the greeting and Mitsuri was a little jealous because she wanted to be the one to greet the Master. There was a small difference. That difference being that Uzui Tengen was the one who asked for the situation brief, not Shinazugawa.

Like before, Oyakata-sama asked everyone to accept the demon Nezuko and her elder brother Tanjiro. There were multiple Hashira that shared their displeasure, disgust, and displeasure. To many people's surprise,  Shinazugawa wasn't one of them. He just kneeled on the gravel without saying a word. That caught Giyuu's attention.

As the response to their displeasure, Oyakata pulled out the letter sent by Tanjiro and Giyuu's teacher, Urokodaki Sakonji. The white haired girl on his right side summarized the letter to saying that Nezuko eats a human Giyuu and Urokodaki would cut their stomachs open. In simpler terms, commit seppuku, or as most know it, the three men would commit suicide by cutting their bellies open. Rengoku took the part in saying that there was no guarantee that Nezuko wouldn't take a life. Oyakata-sama said that there was no way to guarantee that she would attack anyone seeing that the demon had gone two years without eating a human. Plus, there were two people offering their lives if Nezuko did kill a human, so Oyakata-sama couldn't overlook that. There was also the important fact that Tanjiro had come in contact with Muzan Kibutsuji.

The Hashira rushed Tanjiro for answers on Muzan, but were cut off by the finger lifted in front of Oyakata-sama showing to be silent. The Master had also explained that Muzan had sent people after Tanjiro and didn't want to let go of the tail Muzan had showed them. He also said that something unexpected must've happened for Muzan.

After that explanation, Oyakata-sama asked if everyone understood. Everyone stayed quiet, and the meeting concerning the two Kamado siblings ended there. There was no test for Nezuko. She hadn't been tested by Shinazugawa. Everyone thought he would get made and test the demon girl with blood, but he didn't. Not a single drop of blood dripped from the man's arm. There was no need for Tanjiro to be held down, and there was no need for Nezuko to come out of her box. Oyakata-sama ended the meeting right there, and there were no complaints. Not a single objection.

During the second part of the Hashira meeting, Giyuu already knew what was going to be said, so he felt that there was no use paying attention to the thing. What he was really paying attention to was Shinazugawa. Giyuu was sure that something was wrong with him. He was sure that Shinazugawa was the first person that thing choose to drag back down to Earth.

After the meeting was over, Giyuu followed the Wind Hashira until they ended up being in a secluded spot. Shinazugawa turned to look at Giyuu with a pissed off face,
"What the hell do you want?"
Giyuu didn't try soothing on what he was going to say. He was as blunt as a person could possibly be,
"You died. Didn't you, Shinazugawa?"
Surprise, confusion, disbelief, anger, a mixture of emotions took over Shinazugawa's face.
"What the fuck did you just say?"