The Girl From the Taisho Era//OC INSERT//

ACT 1 CH 11

   

"I've got the strangest feeling; this isn't our first time around." — Past Lives, sapientdream

♡︎

   IN MY HONEST OPINION, TRIALS ARE SOOOOO BORING. I mean...this is the first one I've been to.

   But still.

   Meetings with Oyakata-sama are so much better. But I guess it was pretty cool to see Tanjiro stand up and defend his rights and sister. 

   The trial had just ended and I was heading back to the Butterfly Mansion when I saw movement in the corner of my eye. I turned towards it and I could swear that it was the same butterfly from yesterday. 

   It fluttered around my head and started flying towards the woods. Entranced but still on guard, I followed with my hand on the hilt of my katana. A part of me felt like I couldn't pull away, like it was drawing me in.

   It led me to a clearing with a huge lake. I walked to the edge of the lake and looked in. The water was the clearest and stillest water I had ever seen. I looked around for the butterfly, but it was gone. I then got a strange sense of déja vu.

   I had been here before. That wasn't right. I hadn't. What?

   I shook my head. I suddenly realized that..I did not know where I was. My eyebrow twitched. Fuck. Not a problem, I remember, since I could just use my ears to help myself. 

   Oh.

   I may be stupid.

   Whatever..I sigh and shake my head again. I listen for the sounds of people talking. Nothing. That's weird, I think to myself. What's also strange about this is the fact that it's dead silent, save for my movements and breathing. The birds are quiet. The bugs and animals are still. 

   I turn in a slow circle, the sparkles of the lake catching my eye. The water is quiet and peaceful like its surroundings. I look at the ground and find a pebble. Smooth and round. Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm distantly reminded of Giro's art style. I'm not sure why.

   I toss the pebble up and catch it again before chucking it into the lake. The splash breaks the silence. I turn around and look for more things to throw into the water. It was actually pretty fun. 

   I felt something hard hit my back. I whipped around with my hand on the hilt of my katana. I looked around and saw the same pebble I had just thrown on the ground in front of me. What the hell? I picked it up again and tossed it farther into the lake.

   While I watch it drop and splash, determined not to let it do its magic shit or whatever and hit me again, I blink. It's nighttime now. Darkness holds its hand over the area, except for the lake. It shone and glittered in the moon's silver rays as bright as the daytime.

   I blinked again with the hopes that it would become day again. It did not. What. The. Fuck.

   The trees seemed to have grown taller. And closer maybe? Or maybe they were shorter than usual? Everything except for the lake was blending together with the shadows. I got closer to the lake. It drew me in somehow.

   "You're not supposed to be here," a voice stated from behind me. I drew my katana and slashed behind me, but nothing was there. Am I hallucinating now? "No, you aren't." The voice spoke again from behind me.

   "You can hear my thoughts?" I question, turning back to face the glowing lake. At least, it looked like it was. "You could say that," it responded with a hint of amusement. I look around me one more time before sighing.

   "I'm not going to appear to you." The voice said with the same tone. "Not yet." I raise a brow. "And what's that supposed to mean?" "You'll find out when it's time." It replied vaguely. 

   "Aren't you just so mysterious?" I mutter with a sigh. "Sit. Let's talk. I haven't had company in a long time." It declared with a light, pleading tone. I hesitated, but sat.

   "Let's talk."

3rd person POV 

   Unbeknownst to Arashi, she had actually passed out on the way to the Butterfly Mansion. Giyu had found her, limp and unresponsive, on the ground with a bleeding head. He had taken her the rest of the way to the Butterfly Mansion and handed her off to Shinobu.

   Arashi wouldn't react to any medicine or sounds. Shinobu decided to let her rest. Inosuke, Zenitsu, and Tanjiro asked to see her (Tanjiro and Zenitsu, Inosuke just tagged along to annoy them) and now stood on the sides of the bed.

   Zenitsu and Tanjiro were seated and were watching her for any signs of waking. Inosuke on the other hand..

   "Inosuke, stop trying to force her eye open." Tanjiro sighed tiredly as Inosuke cackled at peeling Arashi's eye open. It closed, and he huffed and set on to do it again. "Inosuke, Tanjiro said—" Zenitsu started, his eyes widening when he saw Inosuke do it again.

   "...hey, Tanjiro? Wasn't Khumito-san's eye purple?" Zenitsu mumbled to Tanjiro. "I might be wrong.." Tanjiro stood and moved Inosuke out of the way, gently peeling Arashi's eye open himself.

   "..no, you're right." Tanjiro whispered as he stepped back. Arashi's eye was blue. Something was wrong. "We have to get Kocho-sama!" He shouted, rushing out of the room with Zenitsu on his heels. Inosuke hesitated and looked above Arashi and out the open window. 

   A blue butterfly flitted past and landed on Arashi's nose. Inosuke suddenly then got chills, feeling like someone was watching him. "Wait for your king, underlings!" He shouted after the other two, stealing one last glance at Arashi before dashing out.

꧁𖤐꧂

   Kumo looked at Rui with badly hidden skepticism. "Are you sure?" He asked again, not about to get killed for the other's dumb choice. "Yes." Rui nodded.

   "I don't think-" "Shh..someone's coming." Rui shushed, holding a hand over Kumo's mouth and dragging him back. Kumo rolled his eyes but stilled. They listened and waited until the person left.

   "Ready?" Rui asked, not really giving Kumo a chance to answer before dragging him by his hand. They ran through the forest swiftly, avoiding the fading light between the trees. "I can't believe I'm letting you do this," Kumo muttered. "Why do you believe in it? That story is for kids."

   Rui shot him a glare. "Shut up. We're like, the same age. Loosen up." They stumbled upon a small village, and though Rui and Kumo were hungry, they continued. They needed to cover as much ground as possible before night slipped away.

   Over the course of the night, Lower Moons Five and Six ran until dawn cracked. They hid in a dense forest and rested. "You're sure this place exists?" Kumo asked with mild tiredness. "Yes. We'll find it. I'm sure." Rui declared, absentmindedly handing Kumo some fruit they stole.

   Kumo smiled at that and shook his head with a laugh. "If you say so."

𖣘

Words: 1198

Why is Arashi's eye a different color? Hmm

Love you guys sm <3 have a good rest of your time