Kotoha swallows back her tears, her heart not slowing down as the mini ice clones of Douma try calming her down. One was wandering the perimeter of the room, stopping once in a while at the window.
She didn't get why the ice clone was till something flew by the window making her flinch.
Another and she would see something like a butterfly. A butterfly kimono?
Kotoha slowly crawls to the window, her caravan of mini-protectors coming to her side. One being relaxed enough to hop up and take a seat on the window sill. She dares to peek out and she doesn't see anything. Only after images of clashes.
She can make out Douma and the one he is fighting with is a female slayer.
"This is fun!" Douma was grinning, fans open as he tried and failed to block a strike that goes for his eye. A spread of purple immediately blooms and Douma is stepping back, his eye not healing as he chokes up blood.
Kotoha can't help her flinch as the slayer goes into a ready dance.
The slayer was going to kill him. She was going to poison him with each stab.
The slayer goes for another stab only for Douma to grin up and slash his fan down on her.
"Lost your breath, Hashira?" Frost was leaving his mouth when he stated that and the horrifying realization is that she was going to see death today.
—
Inosuke was sprinting and slashing, enjoying the violence and having a gleeful time of it. He would spot Kanao and couldn't help but go after her.
—
Kotoha's heart leaps from her chest as Douma is stabbed to the ceiling.
No.
She can see him hugging the slayer to him as fake tears run down his cheeks and a smile begins to form.
No, she can't let this happen.
—
He was going to do as the slayer had requested, absorb her, and go on his way to take down more slayers in his area.
"DOUMA!!"
His heart jumped, looking down at seeing his Kotoha sprinting on the wooden platforms and tears coming down her face. His little clones trailed to protect her if needed.
There she is again, caring for others before herself.
"Douma don't do this!" His arms only tightened on the slayer as Hashira tried turning her head to see what the hell had drawn the attention of the demon.
—
"RUN! HE'S AN UPPERMOON!" Shinobu can only use what's left in her lungs to try and warn the one who would consume her.
Why wasn't he doing so?
Why was he torturing her by being enthralled by their spectator?
"Kotoha? What are you-?" The demon is dropping her, her body landing with a thud on the wooden path they had been fighting on. She tried her best to roll on her side to see what was going on.
A woman in a green kimono had decided to go to the edge of the platform and risk the void that was the ever-changing infinity fortress.
"Douma, let her go!" The uppermoon known as Douma was folding his fans closed and had his hands out slowly making his approach to the frightened woman.
"Kotoha, you know I can't do that. Muzan-sama has ordered me to do this. You know how he treats us." Shinobu had time to breath because the bastard had stopped his blood demon art. She was trying to get up now, her muscles screaming for her not to.
—
"Kotoha, get back from there, you know it's not safe." His clones weren't doing their job, only standing close, and would most likely make her trip if they got any closer.
Douma heals from the poison in his system and can only bring all his attention to her. Her tears were still thick as she looked at him.
"Douma, please, can we just leave?"
Douma would leave if it was with her. He would, he truly would.
"Kotoha, come here." Douma was only a few paces away. His hand holding out to bring her close should she accept it.
The chaos of the castle was muted in his ears, focusing on her as she sniffed back tears.
She was afraid, terror in her heart, and that won't do. He can't let her get scared. That's how she left last time. He can't let it be because of him once again.
—
She was slow, her hand even reaching for him as he took her hand into his, intending to pull her back to the safety, away from the edge.
Then the sword of the slayer goes through his heart and she stumbles back from the sudden attack.
Then she falls.
—
His heart stopped and he ignored the increasing pain of poison in his system. He does a donkey kick to the slayer's chest and sends her flying into his lotus palace.
He doesn't see the impact and simply leaps over the edge, diving after Kotoha.
—
Freefall is strange.
Everything is so fast and yet slowed as adrenaline tries to get you to react and yet fear keeps you frozen as your limbs refuse to move.
Kotoha doesn't want anyone to die today.
Not because of her.
Please not because of her.
"KOTOHA!!"
She blinks back her tears as while even dodging and sprinting off other platforms, she watches as Douma keeps up with her. Sometimes a demon or slayer jumps in front of him, only for him to slash them away.
She gulps back and can't help her choking. She wants to go home.
—
Nakime felt something off in her castle.
She didn't know what it was and didn't want to focus on it.
She would manipulate it to where her lord was and let him deal with it.
—
Douma knows she is in reach, so close to catching her.
"KOTOHA!"
Her limbs finally seem to answer her as she struggles to angle herself to slow down.
Finally, diving more like an arrow, his arm comes around her. Securing her to his torso and breaking his arm in the process of catching the next platform.
Her cries are heavy, her chest heaving as he heals and pulls them up.
Not caring for the battle as he begins to rock her.
Not taking note of the tears running hot down his face.
YOU ARE READING
Through Time She Returns
General FictionAll Kotoha did was fall through a pond and now she was here. In the Taisho era filled with slayers and demons. One such demon becomes interested in her when he discovers she lives again. Especially after he had killed her. -- Inuyasha inspired. - Ra...
