✾ ❃ ✾
Naminé Yamada wishes to kill demons.
Followed by the nightmares of her past, Naminé dedicated her life to strengthening herself mentally and physically ever since the death of her mother, hellbent on avenging her somehow. Though it seems that...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Greetings, everyone."
In the middle of a clearing surrounded by wisteria trees, Naminé stood beside Tanjiro as young twins with swirling, dark eyes began sounding off instructions regarding the Final Selection. While they spoke, she couldn't help but observe some of the other participants here. There were over twenty? Maybe thirty young people wishing to become a demon slayer just like herself.
She couldn't help but be curious as to what each of their skill sets was. The only one ever to witness her breathing technique was Master Himawari, so she wasn't certain what others might think of it upon seeing it performed for the first time. As much as she was ashamed of it, she couldn't help but be a little self-conscious when imagining it.
"Mount Fujikasane holds demons that demon slayers have taken alive and trapped here."
"Demons hate wisteria flowers," the other twin said as they bounced off lines between one another. "Which bloom here even out of season. They cover the mountain from its foot to halfway up the slope."
"However, from that point on, the wisteria does not bloom. So the demons run free. You must survive there for seven days."
Seven days. All she would need to do was survive until dawn rose on the seventh morning. It would be best to start off towards the eastern section of the mountain since the sun would rise earliest there.
Glancing to the side, it seemed that Tanjiro was deeply processing everything the twins spoke, Naminé quietly hoping that he was crafting some sort of plan for survival. It would be such a loss if she were to return and find that he had not made it.
"If you do, then you will have passed the Final Selection."
"Now go."
Every participant passed the safety barrier of the wisteria, their delicate shine drawer further and further back as swordsmen scattered, everyone taking their own course of action.
Readying herself, Naminé was just about to cut across the path towards the east when she stopped herself, heels digging into the earth.
Maybe it was because the idea of the boy with kind eyes disappearing from the world when she could have easily aided him twisted her stomach into tight knots. Or perhaps it was simply because those eyes brought up memories of her mother's own caring ones that she thought she would never see again.
No matter what, something inside her wouldn't chance to let him die.
"Tanjiro!" she called out, just spying the burgundy-haired boy a ways back on the path. He seemed genuinely surprised when she came running up to meet him.
"I was actually wondering," she started, finding it more difficult to speak her thoughts aloud. "Though it's unusual for demons to group together to take down prey, it certainly isn't for slayers. Many work together on missions to assure their success. So I suppose, if you find it agreeable, I am asking you to join me."
