Chapter 17: Rising to fall
"Ohoho. Hello there pretty lady. Are you alone?"
"Die."
"Huh?"
The male was in shock as his head was rolling on the ground. His last vision was the woman holding onto a green marble in her hands.
"Who are you?" He asked her
"That's none of your business demon."
The woman threw the marble on the ground and crushed it with her foot. The male body turns into atone and soon disintegrate into dust. The woman swings her sword around and put it back into its sheath. She stares at the full moon tonight thinking about something.
'Where are you Kanao?'
"Aoi."
Suddenly, a male voice had called out her name right behind her. She instantly pulls out her blade and swings close to the neck of ones behind her. Then, she realize, she recognise that person.
"Inosuke? What are you doing here?" She asked the boar man
"That's my question woman. What are you doing here?" He asked her back
"I'm doing my patrolling! What are you doing?"
"I'm also doing my duty." Inosuke simply question
"What are doing on the west side? Aren't your area on the east side? Did you get lost?" Aoi question him
"This is the east side. You're the one lost here." Inosuke rebutted
"What?! That can't be!"
"Right now, if you walk more that way, you will find the sea." Inosuke pointed to the east
"How did i?!" Aoi getting confused
"Are you alright? You seem, tired."
"Yeah no, i'm fine. Staying up for seven whole days straight is nothing to me."
Inosuke got closer to Aoi and put his palm on her forehead. This made Aoi very flustered and her cheeks turns red.
"I-Inosuke?"
"Your temperature is high. You're having a fever." Inosuke said in concern
"I said i'm fine Inosuke." Aoi insisted
"You need to go home and take some rest." Inosuke advised
"And abandon my duty as a hashira?" Aoi refuted
"I will keep an eye out in the west side as well for the time being. Go home Aoi."
"Why are you so worried about me!?" Aoi shouted
"Because i don't want to see you dead alright!?"
Inosuke thrust one of his sword just pass her and it hit something behind her. A puff of red smoke appears and a stone body was formed revealing to be a demon.
"See that? You're too tired to the point you didn't realize a demon shows up." Inosuke scolded her
"B-but. But still!"
"I know you're worried for Nanao. But we both know that she's not a weak person. For now, i wanted you think for yourself first. Not hers."
"......."
"Are you alright? Hello? Aoi?" Inosuke wave his hand in front of her
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT?!"
"?!?!?!" Inosuke jumped back a little
"I acknowledge the fact that she's not weak. We've been together for quite some time. But that doesn't mean that she too could get herself in trouble you know?!" Aoi shouted
"....."
"How do you expect me not to worry for her?! For my one and only family member that i have huh?! The thought about losing her......." Aoi trailed off
Aoi covers her face and crouched down. A few drops of tears managed to made its way through her arms and onto the ground. She cried in silence. But just as all hope were lost, something magical had happened.
"Don't worry Aoi. We all know how that felt."
Inosuke, a guy who is know for his brute force attitude towards people, suddenly hugged the distressed woman in order to comfort her. Instead of shock or anger like she normally would, she felt comfort, for the first time from someone she least expected from.
"Now i want you to go home and take a five day break. Take care of yourself first. Think of what Yoana would say is she sees you like this." Inosuke put his head on her shoulder
"Inosuke...........Em. Alright then, since you're too stubborn to leave me alone. I will go rest." Aoi admits defeat
"Good. I will cover your part for a few days."
"Think you could handle that?" Aoi teased
"Of course! You're looking at the mighty Inosuke sama!" Inosuke boasted
"Of course." Aoi giggled
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Its been a month since we've arrived here. We've been training since then with two individuals we know nothing about. One of them was named Tatsuo. Tatsuo san treats us pretty nicely, although he's still shrouded in mysteries as he never reveals his past.
On the other hand, his brother, Wanrou was the total opposites. He never smiles or laugh. He always kept everything to himself and he only talks whenever it is necessary. He reminds me of Giyuu san, and just like him, me and the sun hashira don't like him.
We do the same routine every single day. And true to his word, Wan san never thought us anything else other than the first five. That remains true, until today.
"Congratulation to the both of you. You have mastered the five lessons we've given you." Tatsuo san cheerfully said
"But those are only the basics. So don't get your hope high up yet." Wan san coldly said
