The mission was meant to be one with a simple premise: Assist the surviving demon slayers and eliminate the potential moon demon. Giyuu and Shinobu had already arrived on the mountain, finding the trees almost entirely covered in spider webs. The deeper they had made it through the forest, the more bodies they were forced to witness. After inspecting multiple bodies, the duo had learned the slayers were being strung like puppets from the spider webs. Even with broken bones and lacerations, they were forced to act as nothing but toys for the demons. This was more than enough encouragement for them to cut down any and all demons without remorse or mercy.
Shinobu slowly watched as Giyuu turned into his cold, distant self. She wasn't quite sure just as to how he was feeling, his face almost becoming as still as stone. She knew he wasn't indifferent from their comrade's death. Only one thing came to mind to bring him back to his old self before meeting Mitsuri: Anger. He was good at not showing it, as he was good at hiding all emotions like before. She understood what he was feeling, she was barely holding back her own fury. Her undying hatred for demon kind was always buried, hidden behind a fake smile and cheeful demeanor she put on for everyone else's sake. "Giyuu, are you alright? Did you know any of these slayers?" He finally turned to face her, looking as if he completely shut down any capacity for showing emotions. "Let's just go, we have our mission."
They continued deeper into the forest, what was one a calming silence, was now almost an awkward foreboding atmosphere. Shinobu had seen this side of Giyuu more than anyone, but after seeing how much he'd change in recent months, it was almost discomforting to see it again. If things had stayed the same as before, she would've teased him for his cold silent act. Now, she was growing concerned that this was almost a relapse. "Giyuu, let's split up here. I'll proceed to the west. And Giyuu?" She came to a sudden stop, looking ahead of her as he did too. "It's alright to show your emotions on missions, you don't need to suppress how you feel." Giyuu failed to stifle a small laugh, before regaining his composure. "I'm sorry, it's just almost funny to hear it from you. I know you're angry as well. You've been angry, all this time, you just hide it behind that smile."
Shinobu was frozen in place as those words left his mouth. He knew, he had known she was hiding her true emotions as well. Of course he of all people recognized it. Maybe this was why they were friends, they were able to understand each other. "Stay safe, Shinobu." Before she could reply, he was gone. "Of course you would know that, you remember me from before." She sighed as she continued her patrol of the area. "Stay safe Giyuu, I'd hate to see the reaction Mitsuri would have if you got hurt." She almost wanted to indulge the advice, to actually show her anger, to let it out, to stop pretending. She couldn't though, not when what it offered to those around her felt such care and feeling of safety. In her travels, she found a small shed that was hung above the ground by the webs that littered the forest. Atop the shed, was a yellow and orange clad slayer, who looked to be in need of aid. Preparing the smile she took as her own, she landed in front of him. "Hello there! Are you alright?"
Giyuu continued trudging through the forest, searching for demons or survivors. Before long, he appeared to find both. A large humanoid demon with a spider for a head was crushing a slayer's skull with his bare hands. The demons on this mountain did not show mercy to the slayers, so he would not show mercy to them. He sliced off the demon's arms, forcing it to reel back as it dropped the barely alive slayer. He watched as its arms grew back rather quickly. The demon either was granted strength by the moon sharing in its blood, or it had consumed countless humans before. It would die by his blade all the same. "Water breathing Fourth Form: Striking Tide." He jumped towards the demon as it rushed him blindly. Twisting his body repeatedly as he swung his blade, the demon fell apart into pieces.
He watched as the demon slowly broke down, feeling no satisfaction as it blew away with the wind. Sheathing his blade, he looked towards the survivor. Only now did Giyuu notice the slayer was dressed rather unconventionally. He wore the pants of the Corp uniform, but with no top garments. Most unusual of all, he was wearing a boar's head. Noting he was at least alive, he turned away to look for more. "Hold on a second, fight me there Mr. mismatched outfit!" Turning around, he saw the boar headed slayer was yelling at him for something. "You beat that demon of the twelve moons! Now it's time for me to beat you! If I managed to do that, by the rules of nature I'll be the superior predator!" Giyuu did not have time to deal with this. "I have a better idea, go back to training."The boar slayer almost looked disheveled, having lost all confidence in his posture. "That wasn't any member of the twelve, it's eyes were not bearing the scripture that are carved into them. Could you not tell?" Not wanting to look like a fool, he appeared to have gained a second wind in his argument. "Of course I knew! For your information, It was Tanjiro who was saying that! I was just repeating what he said earlier! That wild beast couldn't have been any of those twelve!" Giyuu was thankful he had brought rope with him, this was meant to be used if a survivor needed to be placed on an emergency stretcher and pulled, but this one needed to be restrained.
Before the injured slayer could realize, he was already tied up and hanging from one of the nearby trees. With him finally incapable of throwing himself in more harm's way, Giyuu could finally leave to continue his search. "Hey you! Get back here and fight me!" "Stay out of the battle if you don't even realize how hurt you really are." He could hear screaming as he continued his patrol past the trees. He admired the tenacity the boar had, but he believed it would only get him killed without self awareness.
After more progress into the forest, Giyuu could see a green and black clad slayer in a prison of spider webs. Jumping into action, he cut through the webs with ease. "You did a good job holding out until I got here. Leave the rest to me." Giyuu looked at the demon in front of him, noting this was the one of the moons. This was the demon responsible for all this death, he promised it would not survive to see the sun. "You're like an endless torrent of insignificant insects, constantly getting in my way! Demonic Blood Art: Cutting Threat Rotation!" The spider demon had summoned webs layered on top of each other in front of him, spinning in clockwise and counter clockwise directions. Shooting it in his direction, the rotations only sped up. "To defend myself or someone else, that's what you said Mitsuri."
"Water breathing Eleventh Form: Dead Calm." He could feel his eyes glaze over, his heart slowed with every beat, his body was relaxed. The survivor and demon watched on in confusion and awe as the webs were cut faster than they could process. All they saw was Giyuu holding his blade at the low ready, and tiny strands of web scattered away in the breeze. "My strongest threads were destroyed? That cannot be!" The demon raised its arms for another attack. "I'll just try it again." Giyuu refused to let the demon exist for any longer. He walked past it as he made a quick slash through its neck. All he could hear while cleaning his blade, was the sound of its head hitting the ground.
The demon's body seemed to still be walking, moving towards the slayer Giyuu had just saved. It reached out to him, almost looking as if it was a desperate act. Giyuu saw something that sparked his confusion, the slayer was feeling pity for the demon. Why? Why would he give pity and solace to the monster that ended countless lives? He stepped onto the remains of the demon, standing on top of the white with black webbed patterned cloak it wore. "Don't waste any sympathy for this thing, it was a demon, a monster. It only looked like a child. It was still a monster that has lived for decades, terrorizing and devouring humans. Have you not noticed the countless dead just in this forest alone?"
"If it's for the sake of protecting others or avenging the dead, to make sure no more victims are made, I'll bring my blade down on any demon without any hesitation or mercy! But for those who regret their actions as demons, those who did not have a choice to live as monsters, I will never disrespect them!" Giyuu looked down in almost contempt, wondering just why this slayer was feeling remorseful for the monster that nearly killed him. "Because at one point, they were human! No different from you or me! They aren't hideous monsters, They're hopeless creatures! Tragic and sick! They should be pitied for the horrific fate they live!" In all the rambling the boy was giving, Giyuu had finally noticed the girl he seemed to be protecting. The first thing his eyes focused on was the bamboo muzzle she wore. He gasped as he remembered the events on a snowy mountain years ago. "Wait, it's you?"
Giyuu heard something approaching, he felt a familiar chill run down his spine. He saw Shinobu, charging in with blade at the ready. He stepped over the children into a defensive position, deflecting Shinobu's thrust and sending her flying past him. "Oh my." His eyes never left her, attempting to prepare for whatever she had planned. "Why would you get in my way Tomioka?" With hearing her use his last name after so long, he knew this wasn't going to be an easy night. "Especially after saying earlier humans and demons could never be friends. Tomioka, would you please move already?"
Shinobu internally was screaming so much, she could still feel strain on her vocal cords. Giyuu not even an hour ago was feeling just as angry at demon existence as her, and now here he was defending one. "You there, boy. What you're protecting there is a demon. Please move away before you get hurt." "No, please! She's my sister! She's my little sister and that's why-" "Oh my, is that true? You poor thing and your sister. In that case, I'll use a more gentle toxin on her, to avoid her going through any unnecessary suffering." She prepared her blade once again, switching toxins as she did feel remorse for the boy and his situation. She heard Giyuu whisper something to the boy. "Can you move? Even if it's difficult, even if you're bleeding and broken, I need you to run. Take her and get away from here."
Shinobu watched as Giyuu let the boy grab his demon sister and run. Her smile fell as she watched the boy continue to make distance. "Did you really just let that demon go?" She attempted to break past him, but he quickly blocked her path. "Are you serious right now Giyuu?! Do you realize what you've done?!" Shinobu could finally feel the cracks begin to form, her anger was breaking free, and he was the reason for it. "Shinobu, I know how this looks. I can explain what's going on." "There's no explanation for this! If I don't go clean up your mess before it's too late, then think of what will happen!" She jumped into the air, landing on the tall branches overhead. She had to kill the demon before any more witnesses found the siblings. Looking back, she saw Giyuu in persuit. "You're really set on this aren't you..." Between her leaps as she was in the air, she saw Giyuu use all the strength in his legs to jump towards her.He caught her and they rapidly approached the ground below. Even after their small fight, Giyuu still used his body as her shield and took most of the impact. She could hear the harsh grunt of pain from him as they touched down. Even with her furious at him, she was worried what the fall could do to him. She scrambled to get up, but unfortunately, Giyuu quickly caught her. Finding herself now in a headlock, her anger was continuing to break free. "Alright then Giyuu Tomioka... You have my undivided attention. Just what is going on here? Who are they and why are you so adamant on defending them?!" Giyuu felt guilt from causing her to be this angry. He cherished their friendship, but now questioned if there was anything left of it. He sighed as he prepared his story, wanting to give her the full truth. "If you give me the chance, I will speak nothing but the full truth." Before he could continue explaining, they both heard a crow relaying a message. "Caw! Urgent message! Urgent message! Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado are to be taken to headquarters for questioning! Tanjiro, wearing a green checker pattern haori, with a large scar on his forehead! Nezuko Kamado, a demon girl with a bamboo muzzle!"
Giyuu sighed in relief, letting Shinobu go. He found himself falling to his knees in exhaustion. The physical strain he was use to, the mental strain however, was what took its toll on him. "You weren't hurt were you?" Shinobu could only sigh as she looked to him. "No you idiot, you took the fall for both of us. I'll check for injuries later, once we're out of here and somewhere safe." She lowered herself down and offered him a shoulder to lean on. "You can tell me the truth when you tell everyone at this questioning" They began their slow walk out of the forest. The silence was deafening, a look of concern over something was the only expression Giyuu was making. "Shinobu. Are we still friends?" Shinobu stopped in her tracks, looking down as she seemed to be thinking it over. She sighed as she kept her eyes forward and continued walking. "Giyuu, after this long, I'm afraid I'm too invested into this friendship to cut it off. If I leave you know, you may really become the loner you've acted as for so long." Giyuu in a pained voice, couldn't help but let out a full laugh. "Good, that's a relief. I was worried for a second there."
Every Hashira had converged to the mansion once again. They all questioned what was so urgent to cause a meeting the day after one had just ended, until they learned of the circumstance that caused it. A newly recruited demon slayer was traveling along side a demon. It did not take long for everyone to make haste and find themselves at the master's estate once again. The boy laid before them as he slowly regained consciousness. As he finally awoke, he was scared, concerned, and confused. Shinobu spoke first to help him feel at ease. "Ah, you're finally awake. Welcome to the demon slayer headquarters. You are here because you are to be put on trial, Tanjiro Kamado."
"Before we begin, please explain to us the crime you're being accused-" Kyojuro quickly spoke up, staring down at Tanjiro. "Is this not a clear cut situation? He has protected a demon! This is a clear violation of Corp rules!" Tengen backed up his friend, looking unimpressed by the boy in front of him. "When this does lead to an execution, I'll do it. I'll give everyone here a flamboyant display worthy of this meeting being called. Just make sure you don't get caught in the spray." Mitsuri looked on with pain in her eyes at Tanjiro. The thought of killing a child as young and bright eyed as him, it didn't sit right. She sympathized with him, noting all he was doing was trying to keep his sister safe.
"To see a child forced to go through the pain of his own family be turned into a demon. Would never have being born be seen as a better alternative to living through such pain?" Gyomei cried as he offered a small prayer, hoping the child's torment would end soon. Tanjiro looked around, in a desperate attempt to find those he cared about. "My sister. Where is she? What's happened to her?!" "Forget the child, what are we going to be doing about Tomioka?" Obanai sat in his tree, glaring down towards Tomioka. "He's just as much a traitor to the rest of us as the boy. Seeing him without any restraints or bindings makes me feel uneasy." Just as fast as he saw Tomioka's progress for change, he became the headache he always was once again. Obanai found himself internally angry with himself for believing he was worth the chance. "Don't you have anything to say Tomioka? Or are you finally back to your old self?"Mitsuri looked over to Giyuu, he pleaded with her earlier for him to stand alone again. He couldn't even raise his head to look her in the eyes the entire time they've both been there. He really did look as cold and alone as before. She felt pain in her chest at the sight. She wanted to trust him that he knew what he was doing, but this was such an extreme case, she couldn't help but feel conflicted over everything that was happening. Shinobu finally looked over to Giyuu as well, also hoping he would be truthful about what was going on. "He'll be alright for now, he came willingly and he's still recovering from an injury. I'm more interested in the story the boy has to tell. He's been traveling with a demon this entire time despite being a slayer. His story must be significant if it means Giyuu risked himself for them. It's unquestionable what he did violates the rules, but there must be reason for his actions."
Tanjiro looked down in a conflicted expression. He looked to the ground, trying his best to find the right words for his story. "She's my younger sister. While I was away from my home, my family was attacked by a demon. When I arrived, everyone except for her was dead! My sister may be a demon, but through our entire journey, she's never hurt anyone. She's protected humans by my side! She's never harmed anyone, and I promise that she never will!" Obanai rolled his eyes as he continued to judge the boy. "Spare us your ramblings. If she is family, of course you would be so keen to defend her. Because of your biased viewpoint it's hard to see what you have to say as trustworthy. Why should we believe you?"
"Please listen! I joined the slayers with the intention of finding a cure for her! She was turned more than two years ago, and she has never once tried to harm anyone! She has acted in the defense of humanity!" Mitsuri looked towards Giyuu once again. He was always one to act logical and with reason. In the six months they've known each other, they've picked up some habits from one another. He picked up her acts of care through action, and she picked up his thought process. "There's something about this that's concerning. I find it hard to belive the master wasn't aware of this happening. If he's been active in the field for his long, there must have been reports of his results on missions." Kyojuro and Tengen looked at her in shock, curious as to where this level of thinking came from. "We should wait on the master before any of us do anything, he did request to speak with the boy after all." Tanjiro had looked at her with a slight hope, thankful someone was willing to listen. His attention was drawn elsewhere when he could smell Nezuko's scent along with a new one to his side.
"Well well well, if it isn't the idiot brat who brought a demon along with him." Sanemi stared down at the kid as he held the box with the demon in his hands. "What the hell do you think you can pull? Shouting on about how a demon can fight with us to protect humans?" His eyes were glued to the kid, he could feel a smile twist itself onto his face. He could hear the kakushi cry out for him to let go of the demon's box, but he didn't care to listen at the moment. Shinobu turned towards Sanemi, dropping her smile as she felt a vein in her forehead pulsating. "Shinazugawa-san, do you plan to act out of line again?" Sanemi ignored Shinobu, putting a hand on his sword. "You really think a demon is capable of fighting along side us? Do you plan to give her a uniform too? You know what I call that? Completely impossible you damn brat!" Sanemi drew his sword intending to plunge it throw the box into the demon. Before it made contact however, Giyuu had cleared the distance between them and used his own sword to disarm Sanemi and grab the box.
Giyuu stood by Tanjiro, hiding the box behind him at all times with his blade drawn. "Tomioka?!" "You rotten traitor!" "Giyuu?!" Sanemi went to grab his sword, intent on dealing his own judgement against the traitors. "You damn bastard! I'll cut you, the kid, and the damn demon down myself!" Giyuu spared a look towards Mitsuri. He could see the pain in her face, the desire to do something, she tried to take a step towards him. "Mitsuri don't!" She stopped in her tracks before she took more than a single step. "Please, don't come near. Don't get pulled into this. This is my hole I've dug myself into, don't you fall in next." He closed his eyes as he focused his breathing. "In defense of myself and others. This is the second time I've had to use this today." Mitsuri's and Shinobu's eyes went wide as they anticipated what he was about to do. "Dead Calm."
Everyone looked on as Giyuu became utterly still. His eyes almost seemed to be lifeless. His sword was ready. He had explained to everyone before that this was meant to be a defensive technique, but to see it being used was baffling. Sanemi followed through on his promise to strike down the trio, and rushed forward. No one saw what happened, no one was able to process what happened. Giyuu had moved at blinding speeds, not only parrying and disarming Sanemi again, but hitting him with the back of his sword across the chest. Sanemi held onto his chest, finding himself winded at the strike. "This is meant to be a trial, not an execution."The master has arrived." Those words pulled everyone out of the shock at witnessing the scene in front of them. As all the hashira bowed, Giyuu placed the box and Tanjiro in front of him, closest to the master. He greeted the master, still having sword in hand. "Greetings master, it is a pleasure as always to see you. May your health be as strong as the day is long." Kagaya had smiled, being slightly surprised at how close Giyuu was. "Thank you Giyuu, it is nice to hear your voice again. Please everyone, do not fight. We are all on the side of humanity, we cannot aim our swords at one another." Giyuu placed his head against the rocks, letting go of his blade. "My utmost apologies master, my intention was to defend the children. Shinazugawa attempted to harm them before they had their trial. I do not regret my actions, but I will accept any punishment you see fit."
Sanemi was staring harshly at Tomioka, a horrific rage was building up behind his calm composure he put on for the master. "Before we start this emergency meeting master, would you kindly enlighten us on this swordsman? Who has been accompanied by a demon on his travels." Kagaya looked towards Sanemi, feeling a tinge of embarrassment. "My apologies everyone, allow me to explain. I am allowing Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado sanctuary within the Corp. And I humbly ask all of you to accept this ruling as well." The hashira all looked towards the master with conflictions, each eager to speak their minds. "Even if it is by your request master, I simply cannot accept this." Gyomei spoke as he cried in pain, hating the feeling of not being about to follow this order. "I agree with this master! The purpose of our mission is to slay demons! To allow one to live along our ranks would be the very definition of treason! I am against this request with all my heart!" Kyojuro spoke as well, speaking his mind with the clarity and bluntness he always gave.
"Our very reason of existence is the utter extermination of demon kind. I ask you to punish Kamado and Tomioka for their treason master." Sanemi had requested, not wanting people who defied the Corp itself to be free. "Would I be in need of punishing you as well Sanemi? You intended to execute not just Tanjiro and Nezuko who are meant to be on trial, but also Giyuu who was intending to defend them from harm before any judgment had been passed." Sanemi physically flinched from being called out for the actions he believed had been justified in. "My children, the letter please?" One of the master's daughters had pulled out a written letter, holding it in front of them. "This letter was written by the previous Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki. He wrote this in defense of the Kamado siblings. I shall read this aloud for you all now."
"I humbly ask of you to allow Tanjiro to be accompanied by his sister. She has mental fortitude unlike that of any demon I have witnessed before, and thus retains some of her humanity. Even when starved, it has been testified that she has never harmed or attacked another human. I have personally watched over her for two years, and she has never acted in a hostile manner. This may sound outlandish, but to normal people, demons sound otherworldly. To us, it is reality. Nezuko is just yet another part of the reality we have come to discover. In the event Nezuko devours a human or spills human blood, myself, Tanjiro Kamado, and Giyuu Tomioka, shall atone for allowing her to live and commit seppuku."
Mitsuri, Shinobu, and Tanjiro all aimed their focus on Giyuu. He had already gambled his position in the Corp on the siblings, and now he was gambling his life on them. Pain, guilt, anger, fear, every emotion ran through their hearts, but couldn't decide which one to feel. "Who cares how they decide to end their lives?! If they're so keen on dying, they can rot away for all I care master! It doesn't guarantee the safety of ourselves or others if this demon lives!" Mitsuri glared at Shinazugawa for having such a little regard for Giyuu. He may have chosen to act like this and stand against them, but that didn't mean she stopped caring for him. "Shinazugawa is right! If she does kill someone, there is no turning back the clock! They will be lost forever, and there will be nothing we can do to undo it!"
The master listened in to what everyone had to say. He was happy they were so ready to speak their minds, but it hurt him slightly to see them stand against his request so adamantly. "While you may be correct, we cannot guarantee she will never attack someone. By that same logic, you cannot guarantee she will attack someone. We have multiple people, each acting as witnesses to her actions, fighting against demons and protecting humans. All acting as witnesses to her never once desiring human flesh. Three of them even willing to bet their lives to defend her, two of which achieved the rank of Hashira. Giyuu himself actually has his own testimony. Giyuu, will you please tell us of your evidence as an eye witness?"
Giyuu searched through his memories, thinking back to the day in that snow covered forest. "When I had first encountered the siblings, she did in fact act as any freshly turned demon had. Desiring to consume her brother. I had taken her away from him, intending to safely execute her. He was adamant that if given the chance to calm down, she would never harm anyone. I will not deny I had mocked him as well for his way of thinking. He was quick to defend her in combat, and so I was required to neutralize him. After she had witnessed the violence against her only surviving family, I believe something had awakened inside her. She broke out of my grasp and jumped to his body. I believed he would die then and there. What shocked me to my very core, was that she had jumped into a defensive position. She actively stood between us, in a desperate attempt to protect him. She was wounded, covered in blood, and more than likely starving, and yet she still refused to eat him. This was why I had spared her that day years ago. She had acted in such a way, it defied every level of reasoning we had created and built upon. I had believed, they truly were different from anything we had ever seen or experienced."
Everyone listened to the story, trying to find any and all holes in the story. None could seem to find anything to counter argue however. While Giyuu was someone who was seclusive and omitted truth, none saw him as anyone to outright lie. "Thank you Giyuu, your story is truly an enlightening one. To have this much evidence for the Kamado's reason for sanctuary and still argue against it, I imagine someone here must have great counter evidence that is directly against them?" All looked towards one another, unable to find anything to testify with. Sanemi refused to let this demon go unpunished. The deaths of countless slayers in the past, endless suffering by their kind, this demon had to earn its right to live. "Master, I propose a request of evidence in front of us then! Should this demon actually resist its natural temptations before our very eyes, we will listen to your request and accept it as our orders!"Kagaya looked towards Sanemi, admitting that this was a sound request. "This is actually a reasonable request I must say. I ask all of you, If Nezuko Kamado can restrain her demonic nature, will you accept her and her brother?" The Hashira all looked to one another, guaging the thoughts going through their minds. Eventually, everyone came to an agreement that they would accept the siblings should the evidence be sound.
Giyuu had made himself the enemy of almost everyone here at the meeting. Shinobu was still at least considering him as a friend still, Tanjiro he wasn't quite sure on. But what scared him most, was he had no idea how Mitsuri felt. He didn't even have the opportunity to explain to her what was happening and how he was involved. Now just a few minutes earlier, she learned he would kill himself as atonement for something that was now out of his control. He was already this deep in the situation, he wasn't going to allow her to witness any more of it.
Standing up, he turned towards the others. They all looked at him curiously, but his eyes were solely on her. Kneeling before her, he pulled off his haori and draped it over her. Mitsuri looked up to him in confusion, remembering this had to be significant for Giyuu. She remembered the mirrored version, but here he was taking the original off his back and giving it to her. "Giyuu? What are you-" She was silenced as he gave her a kiss. There was no tongue, or heat, or any of their passion they indulged in before. It was just a single, normal kiss. Why did she feel like this had much more weight to it than all the others they've had before?
"Never forget Mitsuri Tomioka, I love you. Thank you for all you've done for me." Giyuu smiled at her, but it didn't match the rest of his face. His smile gave off a sense of warmth, but his eyes gave off a pained look of acceptance. "Mitsuri... Tomioka?" was all she could muster to say, being lost in trying to understand just what was happening. Giyuu bowed in front of Kyojuro, his forehead against the rocks once again. "Kyojuro, if this is the last day of our friendship. I beg you, take her away from here. I don't want her to have to see what's about to happen." Kyojuro looked conflicted at first, but soon understood what was being implied. His eyes went wide as he looked down at the person he saw as a friend. With a solem nod, he accepted the request.
"Set your heart ablaze Giyuu." Kyojuro obliged his friend's pleading words. Picking up Mitsuri in his arms, he ran from the master's estate. He had no idea where he was running to, he just forced his legs to move. As much as Mitsuri squirmed and struggled to break free, he held on still and kept running. "Kyojuro put me down, I need to ask him what this was about! Why did he call me Tomioka?! Why did he give me his haori?! Why did he ask you to take me away and why did you agree?!" Kyojuro hated to see someone he'd known for so long hurt like this, he compromised that this was the lesser of potentially two evils. "Giyuu intends to use himself as the example to prove the demon girl's innocence. I can only assume he did those things and ask this of me... In the desperate attempt you don't see the worst case scenario. That this was possibly a final goodbye."
Mitsuri felt as though her heart stopped. Her eyes were glued on him as his figure only got smaller the further they got away. He really did this, he really had Kyojuro take her away so she didn't have to see what could happen. This was possibly the last day they would see each other, and he gives her his last name and one of his most prized possessions. Just how much we he willing to do for her? Was this his selfless way of keeping her out of harm's way? Or was this a selfish desire for him to take on everything by himself so she isn't at risk? She couldn't form any answers, her mind was too clouded by fear, her heart too deep in pain, and her eyes too full of tears to think. "Giyuu..."