𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹

VIOLET: Episode 5.12

Mayumi stood in the middle of the stage, falsely smiling at the cameras aimed at her as she rehearsed her lines.

Rook, Kalim, and Jamil watched her, immediately noticing her act. They could see how occupied her mind was with worries, anxiousness, and concern. It was so noticeable that the staff members thought she was too nervous to host.

Rook didn't say anything as he stared at the girl's conflicted state due to a sudden shift in the air. Something vile lingered around them and it was mixed with Vil's fragrance. That didn't sit well with him.

With one last look at the ravenette, Rook engraved her image in his mind and turned away, leaving to look for Vil in hopes that it wouldn't be too late to stop him. With the girl's nerves staying in his mind, he was determined to end this.

Kalim on the other hand, frowned, noticing the huntsman walk away in a hurry. Glancing back at Mayumi, he sighed, seeing her fake her emotions. The expressive dorm leader of Scarabia knows he may be a bit slow to follow the flow but right now, the incoming chaos was so obvious it couldn't be overlooked.

Seeing the worry his friends expressed, Kalim remembered the promise he gave to Mayumi in the Scarabia dorm; to help her as much as he could so she wouldn't be alone. So right now, he needed to fix this...somehow.

With that thought in mind, Kalim with a motive to save his friends.

And with those two gone, Daki decided that she too needed to do something because she had a disturbed inkling of what was to come.

The demon child appeared in the shadows, wearing a complex expression mixed with frustration and sadness as she watched Mayumi on stage. After being with the former Spring Hashira for a couple of months, Daki had (un)fortunately grown attached to her.

Maybe it's because she never had an older female figure to care for her, other than her older brother. Maybe it's because she got to experience firsthand the touch of what could have been a mother, a role model.

She wasn't sure, but she was certain that the whole situation left her mind wandering with dark thoughts.

Was she going to see her end soon?

' If my brother really is behind this...I want to be the one to stop it. I'll take care of this. '

Sensing her inner turmoil, the Love Hashira, Mitsuri, panicked and intervened. She wasn't going to let a child go through this alone, even though Daki really wasn't one.

'Daki-chan, I'll help you!'

'Ume, we need to form a plan fir–'

' Focus on the humans. '

'Daki-chan...'

'Shut up, Douma. Just focus on her.'

'...'

"Mayumi, the next lines please." One of the producers called out, snapping the girl out of her inner conversation.

"Ah, r-right!" Mayumi forced a smile as the camera zoomed in on her face. "We'd like to thank our sponsors for providing an amazing experience at this year's Vocal & Dance Championship! Without them, this wouldn't have been possible. Now a word from our benefactors, Olympus Corporations and The Sable Broadcasting Company!"

"Cut! Good job, Mayumi!" One of the cameramen praised, giving the girl a thumbs up.

"Try to stay focused on your lines. Don't space out, please. Other than that, well done." One of the executive producers said, offering a kind smile.