Giyuu was laying down on his futon in the middle of his bland room, replaying the events that happened in the day. After meeting with Tanjiro and the others, he decided to visit Shinobu's grave. He always finds himself visiting her grave the most, so he picked some wisteria flowers and went to her grave. Even a year after the war, he still finds himself going to the graves of his comrades, especially Shinobu's. Ironically it's the guilt in his heart that hurts more than his empty arm. He's gotten used to the phantom pain and he cut his hair short so he wouldn't have to tie it with one arm. Overall he has adapted to his current body, just not him being alone. Sure he has Tanjiro, Nezuko, Sanemi, Tengen, and others; but he's not close to them, well aside from Tanjiro but he has his own relationship with Kanao and it would be rude of him to always bother him. So he finds himself in front of Shinobu's grave, almost everyday. He misses her company. Misses her presence. Misses her. Misses how he was to blind to see her hurting herself for revenge. He knew that Shinobu appeared pale since Kanae's death, but he would have never imagined it was because of the wisteria in her veins, stinging her arteries and poisoning her blood. Regardless being human, wisteria poison hurts if applied inside the body. He can only imagine how much pain she was in, and how much willpower it took to hide it. In a twisted way, Giyuu admired her resiliance.
Then Sanemi came to send her condolences to Kanae, and they talked. They discussed their friendships with the Kocho sisters, and he learns that Sanemi and Kanae actually dated 5 years too late. It was still shocking, but now when he thinks about it, they always hung out when she was alive in the Butterfly Mansion.
Giyuu twists in his futon and closes his eyes, recalling the question Sanemi asked him before. Thanks to Tanjiro, he realized the sacrifices that Tsutako and Sabito gave to him and how he should appreciate his life. He's now thankful to be alive and no longer suffers from survivors guilt. However that doesn't stop the regret. Doesn't stop the feeling that if he were a bit stronger he could have saved everyone. Doesn't stop the feeling that if he were more open he would be closer to the other Hashiras. Doesn't stop the feeling that if he knew what Shinobu was doing, he would have been able to find another way. As his heart drowns in sorrow and regret, his head plays through all the limited interactions he has with the Hashiras. The memories rapidly flowing past him like a ferocious river, flooding his head with memories and dragging him along. he can feel himself swept away in the current, swirling around as if he was in a drain. He can hear the wind cutting sharply across his face, keeping him active but asleep at the same time. Giyuu can feel himself getting caught in a hurricane of sorts, drowning in the memories of everyone. Of Tsutako. Of Sabito. Of the Hashiras. Of Ubayashiki. Of Shinobu, with her voice clear as the night sky, speaking in the muffled water. And then suddenly everything calms down, and he can hear her quietly, before her voice echos in his head. Like a butterfly landing in a tranquil lake, casing ripples. Giyuu is able to digest a single phrase.
"Ara Ara Tomioka-san. Don't you think it's about time you woke up?"
Giyuu slowly opened his eyes and looked around. Shinobu's words still rung in his head as he got off his futon and headed to his bathroom.
'Wow that was one dream alright' Giyuu thought as he headed towards the kitchen. He found a hair tie and tied his hair up before getting something to eat. After eating a heavy breakfast (he was a bit exhausted from the dream) he went to his closet to put on his blue kimono, only to find a demon slayer outfit and his haori folded.
"Huh that's weird. Where did my kimono go?" Giyuu said outloud. "And why is my demon slayer outfit here? Did Tanjiro do something?"
Giyuu took the haori, a daily reminder of the his two most loved ones in his life, before putting it down.
"No point in putting the haori. Besides, I only have one arm anyw-". Giyuu abruptly stopped for a minute before rushing back to the restroom. When he looked at the mirror he was at a shock. His arm was back, and he had long hair again. He looked more younger and his eyes looked more dead, like he hasn't been sleeping for days. He didn't know what was happening at all, or how he didn't even notice it before when he tied his own hair, especially when he stopped tying his own hair a year ago!
'What the heck is happening right now'. Before Giyuu could come up with a probable answer he heard a crow cawing.
"CAW CAW" the crow exclaimed. "DEMON NORTHEAST! TOWN IS BEING HAUNTED WITH DEMONS! HEAD NORTHEAST!"
'There's no doubt about it' Giyuu thought. He recognized that crow from anywhere. It was Kanzaburo, but how? Kanzaburo was old, and a few months after the final battle he passed away. Giyuu isn't ashamed to say he felt tremendous sadness following his death, but now he was tremendously confused. 'How was he here?' Giyuu didn't have an answer, so in a complete trance he changed into his outfit, put on his haori, took his nichirin blade and headed straight to the Butterfly Mansion. He didn't know what was happening, but perhaps Tanjiro knew or Kanao. Or anyone really. But as he was on his way there, he bumped into someone.
"Oi what the he- Tomioka! What the hell is happening here!" Sanemi said.
Giyuu regained his posture and looked at Sanemi who was also wearing his old uniform and haori. His nichirin was also positioned on his side with his right hand. Giyuu immediately spotted that his right hand with five fingers and pointed it out.
"I don't know Shinazugawa. Why do you have your fingers back?"
"I can ask you the same damn thing! Last time I saw you, you had short hair! And no frickin arm either!"
Giyuu simply didn't know what to do. Its apparent that both himself and Sanemi had gotten their previous missing limbs back, but none of them knew what was going on. "Shinazugawa, I was going to head to the Butterfly Mansion to meet up with Tanjiro... Perhaps they might be experiencing something similar..."
"Hmmm. Its possible the same predicament could be happening to the Kamado brat. I wasn't sure where I was going to go anyways, so I'll tag along"
Giyuu gives a quick nod in acknowledgement and they both soon head to the mansion. As they reach the mansion, they're once again shocked with the sight ahead of them. The mansion was bristling with life, with slayers and kakushies everywhere in the mansion. It was as if they were back to their former lives, as if demons still existed. As they were walking many of the slayers and kakushi paved a path and bowed to them. Giyuu wasn't sure what was happening. Perhaps they came back to give thanks a year late with their uniforms? But that didn't make sense or explain why there were injured slayers... They kept walking in the mansion, and Giyuu asked for Tanjiro, only to be responded with confusion as to who that was. Now he was really confused. His head started to slightly hurt as they walk to a secluded hallway with a kakushi and a patient.
"Oi you!" Sanemi shouts as he points to the kakushi. The kakushi, jumping in fright quickly rushed to Sanemi.
"Ye-yes Wind Hashira-sama! Is ther-er-ere anythin-ing I can do for you sir?!" the kakushi said in a frightened tone.
"What the hell is going on here! Why are all of you guys here and what the hell happened to my arm!"
"I-I-I-I'm sorry Wind Hashira-sama! Most of the people here have injuries from previ-ious missions sir! Is the-ere something wrong with your arm sir? Unfortuna-natly Kocho-san and her sister are on a mission, but I'm sure on-one of the healers here can help!"
Both Sanemi and Giyuu froze after hearing the kakushi. He clearly said "Kocho-san" and "sister" were on a mission. There were no demons right now, but if there were Aoi would never go on a mission. Which meant he probably meant Kanao and... Shinobu.
Sanemi furiously grabbed the kakushi collar before Giyuu could continue figuring out what was happening. "Oi do you think you're funny! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PULLING HERE!!"
"I'm sor-r-ry sir! All I know is that they we-e-e-ent for their mission earlier today! I'm sure they'll be here tomorrow here sir!" tha kakushi said, now on the verge of crying.
Sanemi looked like he was going to punch the man, but before he could do anything Giyuu put his hand on his shoulder. "Shinazugawa calm down... Let me talk to him"
"Oi Tomioka! What the hell do you think you're doing!" But before Sanemi could get an answer, Giyuu walked towards the shaking kakushi. There were a few patients in the area, but they were all staring at the commotion. It made Giyuu feel uneasy, especially since he has a growing theory he needs to confirm. One he hopes isn't true.
"Hey you... I have a question for you."
"Ye-ye-yes Water Hashira-sama! What do you ne-e-ed?!"
"What... what is the date today?"
"Huh! What the hell are you asking Tomioka!"
Giyuu ignored Sanemi and looked at the kakushi, waiting for a response. Ever since he woke up, there were a number of weird occurances. He had his arm back. His hair was long again. He looked younger and his closet only consisted of his uniform and haori. Then his crow was alive and he met Sanemi, who also looked younger and had his fingers back. Then the butterfly mansion was filled with many patients, slayers and kakushi. He didn't spot Tanjiro or Kanao anywhere in the mansion as well. Then this kakushi mentioned Shinobu... If he was right with his theory, then he wouldn't know what to do. But he had to know... "Well, if i reca-a-all correctly, its XXX, XX, 19XX"
If Sanemi and Giyuu weren't shocked before by the previous revelations, they certainly were now. '19XX? That's at least 5 years before now!' Giyuu thought. This unfortunately just proved his theory. His theory that somehow, someway, they were in the past. It was crazy to even think, but if you get past that barrier there was only evidence to support it. Still he yearned for something. Something to prove him wrong. "Are you sure that was the date" Giyuu said sternly. "Don't lie to me or there will be consequences..."
The kakushi, who some reason is wetting his pants, quickly muttered "We-e-el... I'm su-ure its Monday.. Or maybe its a Tues-s-sday? Or maybe-"
Giyuu quickly realized that he was hopeless and turned to a patient who was watching the whole spectacle. "You there. Can you confirm that's the date?"
The patient, who was just staring at the commotion, snapped out of his trance and quickly answered. "Yes sir! The date is XXX, XX, 19XX."
"I see... thank you... Can you please take this kakushi and excuse me and Shinazugawa-san?"
The patient quickly nodded and took the frightened kakushi away, leaving only Giyuu and Sanemi in the hallway. Giyuu took a deep breath and sigh, before turning to Sanemi who has been unusually quiet, eyes wide and looking at the floor.
"Shinazugawa... I think I might know what is going on here"
Sanemi looked up to see Giyuu in the eyes. His eyes filled with shock and... fear. "I know this might be shocking..." Giyuu started. "But I believe... we might be in the past".
"Oi, you're pulling my leg. Right Tomioka?"
Giyuu just looked at him, and he knew that Sanemi could understand the seriousness in his face and the situation. Giyuu was telling the truth. Sanemi just crouched down, leaning on the wall.
"God damn it" Sanemi said with short-breath. "That means today really is the day. It's the day..."
Giyuu looked at Sanemi with an eyebrow raised. "What... What day is it"
Sanemi said nothing before looking at Giyuu in the eyes again. He wasn't crying, but it added another shocking event to Giyuu (perhaps the most shocking) to see Sanemi with wet eyes on the verge of crying.
"Today is the day... the day before Kanae dies..."