DAMSEL IN DISTRESS • 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐲 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

eight

CHAPTER EIGHT, a thousand and four!

"Thank you for coming," Ubuyashiki smiles, looking down at his children as if they just learnt how to walk. His gaze, however, wasn't superior in any way- it felt more proud and comforting to those under it. "I am glad to see all of you doing-" He coughs out a harsh splatter of blood that stains his white kimono, a sudden disruption to the serenity of the moment. Once righted, he continues.

"I am glad to see all of you doing well. As you all know, we have acquired the necessary piece in the war, and we now may have the upper hand." He glanced between each one of his Hashira - one wearing a small, ingeniune smile, looking neutral to the announcement, and the Snake Hashira wearing an annoyed expression on his face. He smiles. "Obanai, you may speak." he says softly , wiping the last remnants of blood from his chin.

"This can't possibly be right." He grits, his snake hissing as if I'm agreement. The other Hashira look towards him as if surprised by the sound of his voice, even if it were expected. "A girl like her? Seriously? From what we've seen, she's scarcely passed the Final Selection." He pauses, perhaps to take a breath, perhaps to control himself.

A girl beside him gushes despite his demeaning words, holding a hand to her glowing cheeks. Her ombre'd braids, tinged with a lime green that contrasted with the rosy pink, sway with the movement of her arms. Wahhh!!! Obanai is so cute when he's angry!!!!

"I agree," The Water Hashira says quietly, still staring at the ground. Those two words alone are more of a surprise than anything previously said. The ravenette stayed silent during meetings, as if trying to fade into the wood below him. It was a shock he even spoke.

He doesn't say anything more, but paired with Obanai's disagreement, it weighs in the air. The scarred man grunts, narrowing his eyes. "Hey, shut it, sombre-face." he barks, rolling his eyes. "Whatever Master Kagaya says goes. Your word don't change that at all."

"I never said it didn't. Do you always have to misinterpret my words, Sanemi?" He sounds slightly miserable, the indifference from his voice a thin mask. As if the misunderstanding was unwanted in the first place.
"I agree with Sanemi-kun," The woman with the constant smile giggled, the sound so fake it removed all friendliness from it. She opens her eyes, the colour a deep empty lilac, with no shine. "You shouldn't be so rude as to disobey the Master."

She leans over to poke the man, even as his face remains stoic. "This is why you have no friends, Giyuu!" she laughs, stretching the syllables, prodding his shoulder in an attempt to irritate him. The result is unclear.

The tallest in the line claps his hands, his prayer beads banging with the impact. "The Master is speaking," he says, and even though his voice is quiet, it rings around the garden loudly. Everyone falls silent, but the butterfly clipped female continues to prod the silent male.

"Thank you, Gyomei." Ubuyashiki says smoothly, and brushes his kimono clean. "As I was saying. We have gained Y/N L/N, and while there is no telling when it will happen, it is guaranteed to be soon enough."

His head moves to face the rest of the people present - and even though his pupils are unfocused, sick determination courses through them. "We have her, and thus, we may have won."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

You try to block out Zenitsu's screaming, try to ignore the burning in your muscles. "Three thousand. Three thousand and one."

"I'm gonna die!! I'm gonna die!! I'm seriously gonna die! Y/N!! Gramps! Tanjirooo!!!! Save me!!!" He wails, struggling to uplift his boulder, his knees locking with the effort.

You grit your teeth, a vein spotting on your forehead. "Three thousand and four. Three thousand and five. Three-"

"Is this seriously how I go out!?! Lifting a couple rocks?!? Anyone!! Inosuke..." he sniffs, clutching at the ropes. You try to continue despite his constant babbling, but it's distracting.
Motivate yourself! You scream internally, and your mind wracks with possibilities, anything to inspire you not to give up, despite the strain on your muscles.

"Y/N! You're just behind Tanjiro, now! You can do it!" Kanao calls encouragingly from the sidelines. You open your eyes and look at her. You manage to beam, warmth filling your heart. Kanao. You had only met her for a few months, but she felt like your friend already.

Kanao. If you remembered your past from anything other than debris and flames, heartbreak and ashes, you think, maybe, just maybe, someone like her had been there for you.

"Three thousand and eight! Nine! Ten! Eleven!"

"Woah, what's with her?" Inosuke marvelled from beside you, only having reached a thousand. "She seems totally different.."

A reason to live. To slay as many demons as you could. It all seemed so unreal, that you had found a parent and friends after a childhood of suffering. Almost planned.

But you were grateful nonetheless, and you welcomed this outcome with open arms. You vowed to become as strong as you could, for everyone who was cheering you on just like Kanao was. "Four thousand!!"

"AHHHHHHHH!!! MY WIFE'S A MONSTER!!"

The three girls stared worried at you, wondering if you were human. "Even Tanjiro only did 4 thousand and ten push ups. These are some heavy boulders!" Sumi perked up, shaking her head. Even Kanao's peaceful face betrayed a hint of astonishment.

Inosuke's amazement only grew as he watched you. Something so seemingly delicate able to carry something so heavy..You definitely had to be more powerful than the ruler of the mountains he had defeated..

"Hey, Y/N!! Fight me!!" He yells, pointing his free hand at you.

"Hm-" as your focus drops, so does your hold, and you struggle to hold the ropes connecting to the massive rocks. "Hng-!"

"Fight me! You can do some crazy things! So if I fight you, I can do crazy things too!!"

Tanjiro laughs, wiping sweat off his bare chest. Inosuke had always had a simple mind, but that was what made him likeable.

He just hoped he didn't get too close.

|| TAISHO ERA SECRET!

|| Zenitsu had done the least amount of push ups out of the four. Zenitsu had done 20 and then started crying, Inosuke had done 1000, and Tanjiro had done 4010, and you had done 4050.