Blood in Flame and Water

It All Comes Tumbling Down

Hello everyone. Sorry for the brief lack of updating. School started for me a few weeks ago and I've been finding the time in my schedule to update this story.

I hope you like this chapter, and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

See you next time!!
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Thundering steps grew louder, then faint across the roof before coming back in fit of a stampede. Frantic opal, sakura, and grey eyes followed after the sounds of rapid footfalls that shuddered the ceiling tiles with the weight behind each step. With every strike made to the ceiling, dust and debris fell from the cracks in between the tiles. After nearly fifteen minutes, the fight seemed to slow until it finally ceased to a stop. Then all of a sudden, the entire cabin shuttered on the tracks. Mitski screamed as the floor underneath them became soft, their weight sinking into the flesh with a squelch. Blood puddles around their sandals, soaking their socks. Their hands held onto the seat, dragging themselves, Akira, and Nezuko onto the plush cushion while riding the flesh.

Mitski turned to Nezuko while the voice of Tanjiro came from above, "You have to wake the others! Please Nezuko! " Dull eyes somehow growing determined, Nezuko got to her feet and hopped from the seat she was kneeling on, over to the one housing Zenitsu and Inosuke. Setting her hand on Inosuke's wrist that was wrapped in the rope, she quickly set the twine on fire with sparkling pink flames. Quickly, the entire boy set alight on fire.

Mitski gasped, but quickly shook their head and turned towards Rengoku. Jumping from the seat Akira called after Mitski in fear with a hand stretched out towards them. Mitski catapulted into the Flame Hashira's back and grabbed onto his haori. Hanging from the man's back, Mitski sobbed into the man's clothes as the cabin grumbled and groaned all around them. Flesh consumed the cart and had Mitski grasping tighter, "Please! Rengoku-san! Wake up, please! I'm scared! I want Yasha… I want you to wake up, please! I'm sorry for being mean! I'm sorry for yelling, please…please! "

A loud hoot suddenly came from Nezuko's direction. Mitski and Akira both looked over and gaped as the boar masked kid suddenly shut up from his lying position with minimal bruising and pink skin left from the warmth of the demon girl's fire. Grunting, Inosuke quickly got to his feet, punching and headbutting the ceiling tiles of the train before finally busting through.

Akira and Mitski turned to look at each other, both in shock, awe, and slight fear at how hard the kid's head must have been to bust through the thin metal sheets covering the train's roof. But their eye contact was cut short when the cart gave another rumbling groan.

The thud from Inosuke's landing spurred Mitski into trying to wake Kyojuro from his fitful unconsciousness. Obviously the man was trying to break free from his sleeping prison as veins popped from his skin and his closed eyes were scrunched to wrinkles. Teeth gritting, Rengoku gave jerky motions, but none of them indicated wakefulness. Even snagging pieces of Rengoku's hair and tugging only seemed to draw grunts from the man but didn't wake him.

Before Mitski could plead another word, their whole viewpoint turned upside down and their airway collapsed. Mitski quickly scrambled to claw purchase into the fleshy tendril that wrapped itself around their throat. Having let go of Rengoku's haori to instead scrape at the fleshy bud, the tendril pulled Mitski away from the Hashira and into the air where it continued to strangle Mitski breathless. Akira gasped and tried to reach for Mitski, successfully grabbing the child's foot and struggling to pull them back down. Mitski whined, pitfully pushing at the tendril as their breaths grew short and labored as their throat closed. Kei tried desperately to release Mitski from the tightening tendril, but his panic only made him dizzy as he watched Mitski's hands drop bonelessly. Mitski watched helplessly as their vision grew dark around their peripherals, head going fuzzy and useless.