Dispassionate

22

22) Should He Be A Hashira?

'There's no way.... A Mizunoto with not even a month of experience, killed lower moon five?'

"Tomioka! Are you listening to me?" A woman asked, peering into his eyes. He nodded, an obvious lie to both parties. Well, all three. Seiko sat on the ground with Tanjiro held tightly in his grasp. He was, more or less, confused.

Tanjiro was passed out in his arms, sleeping very uncomfortably. The tossing and turning was limited due to being constricted.

"Well then, would you like to answer my question?" She asked, leaving him silent. "Shall I repeat myself?" She asked, leaning closer. He, hesitantly, nodded. She chuckled at this response.

"So you weren't paying attention. You know, this is why people don't like you." That struck a nerve within him. He turned his head away from her, looking at the tree line, the ground, the boys behind him. Anything but the woman who relentlessly teased him.

"I am... liked by people Kocho...." He muttered, making her smile a bit more. "Then why don't you have any friends? Hmm?" She asked, making him sulk a bit. But not enough where it would be noticed.

"But enough of that," she finally said. "Did you kill the demon?" She repeated her question, in an almost mocking tone.

"Well... sort of...." He answered, still not looking at her. "That doesn't answer my question, Tomioka. Did you or did you not? Did you let it get away?" She asked. He shook his head. "Those two— I mean the passed out kid beheaded lower moon five."

"Oh my!"

With Zenitsu because I'm a lazy ass

Who was that girl from my dream? She was really pretty.... She was talking about her brother. Some little boy was in her arms.

'My older brother was always so quiet. I'm glad he's being a bit more vocal with you and your friends!' She seemed to be talking to me, but I don't even know who she's talking about.

'You guys are at least making him somewhat happy again.' Who is she talking about? 'Make sure you treat him well, or I won't forgive you!' Her voice is sweet, as if she's joking a bit. I can't really see her face.

(You know those things where the characters don't have eyes in like a memory or sum? Yeah it's like that)

Her long hair pooled onto the floor, just covering her hoari and kimono. "Wait! Who are you? Who are you talking about?!"

I didn't get an answer, I woke up too soon. And honestly I'm starting to wish I didn't. I'm basically in a cocoon of bandages now. I can't even move. My body hurts... and the Kakushi that are helping out haven't even noticed I'm awake yet! I can't speak either.

And they aren't paying attention to Chuntaro either.  I'm gonna be stuck here for hours aren't I? I hear Inosuke's yelling in the distance.... Don't tell me he got injured to...

Goddamn it.

☆彡

Seiko looked at the two, Zenitsu whining and Inosuke, surprisingly, calm and quiet. Tanjiro somehow managed to stay asleep while they walked back. It was really early in the morning though, so it was definite he was simply exhausted.

"Seiko! It was horrible! I almost got turned into a spider, and now this girl is trying to make me drink this awful medicine! You've gotta help me!" He yelled, clinging to the boys sleeve.

"You've gotta drink it for your limbs to go back to normal!" She yelled, forcing his jaw open and making him drink it.

"I'll bandage the both of you up soon, just ass soon as I teach this nutjob a lesson!" She yelled, definitely referring to Zenitsu. She continuously slapped the back of his head until he was crying for her to stop.

"Ow, ow, ow!" He shielded his head with his arms, crouching away from her. She huffed and finally turned her attention back to Tanjiro and Seiko.

"Come with me and I'll get you bandaged up." She said, grabbing Seiko's arm to pull the two into another room.

"I see. A Mizunoto beheaded lower rank five. That's quite a rare occurrence now a days, isn't it?" The man asked, face calm and collected. His voice was steady and straight as could be.

Kocho had nodded her head. "Yes master, quite the display of strength." She commented, that smile still on her face. "However?"

"However, I do not believe in this occasion he should be granted the title of a Hashira." She had finished, her hands placed neatly in her lap. "And I do have an explanation for this."

"This demon may not have actually been trying to fight him, therefore the possibility his attack may have been weak is quite high, Master Oyakata." She pointed out, smile slightly faltering. The man gave her a soft one in return, pale eyes glancing up at the sky, although he could not see it.

"Yes, while there's a chance you could be right, getting close enough to decapitate a member of the twelve can already prove to be quite a challenge. Even previous Hashira have struggled with such a task." He reasoned, smiling at the nine in front of him.

"Are you saying a child with nowhere near as much experience as skilled and talented Hashira could be stronger than us, Master?" A man with fiery hair and a confident demeanor asked. He got a few glared from his comrades.

Pillars of the demons alter corps. The highest level a demon slayer could possibly become. An honor. Only the strongest demon slayers could make it to that point. Highly respected and dedicated to protecting others.

The Hashiras.

"Are you insulting the Master, Rengoku?" A scared man asked, leaning on his palm. You could hear the envy in his voice, almost spiteful and rotten.

"Of course not, Shinazugawa! I would never dream of such a thing!" He laughed a bit afterwards, not taking offense to the man's words. He only huffed as a response, turning his head away from him.

"I doubt a Mizunoto actually managed to behead a demon without another comrade helping. Two slayers at least have to have tried to behead it at the same time at that rank." A man who was perched in a tree commented, his yellow and blue eyes squinted ever so slightly.

"It's unflamboyant to doubt serious talent like that, Obanai! I bet this young slayer is quite flashy!" A tall man, who could only be described as glamorous, yelled out. A girl white pink and green hair nodded.

"Uzui is right, Iguro." She smiled up at him. "Let's maybe not doubt people." He turned his head away, possibly to his the pink tint that crept onto his face. "Okay, Kanroji." Shinazugawa stifled his laughter.

"What do you think, Tokito?" Kocho asked, staring at a boy with quite long hair. He stared up at the sky, eyes focused on the blue above him. "Hmm? What?" He brought his attention to her, staring into those purple eyes, gaze distant.

"Ahh— never mind."