Chapter Text

CHAPTER 16

The boys–Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke–had one month left in recovery.

Ava managed to reach the largest gourd size, but had yet to pop it. Her use of total concentration constant had increased, to a point where she’d achieved her desired outcome. Despite her results, Kocho was still surprised; especially so considering that Ava was a slayer who had not undergone any prior training at the hands of a cultivator.

Ava’s breathing was finally constantly in a state of total concentration–with the added help of Sumi, Naho, and Kiyo mimicking the same treatment they’d given Tanjiro when he slept; beating Ava awake if she fell out of rhythm. It was a treatment she’d started before leaving for her spinning top demon mission and finally got back on track. It was highly annoying–even if Ava had asked them to resume it–and at one point Ava even considered punting one of the small girls across the room, but decided not to. It wasn’t their fault she was grumpy…well, it kind of was but Ava had asked for it.

The trio of small butterfly girls had followed Ava throughout the day, helping catch her when she messed up. Taking shifts in helping watch her while splitting their attention with the boys. The trio of butterfly girls were determined Ava would succeed the same way they hoped Tanjiro would.

Ava’s leg had healed at a surprisingly fast rate that she hadn’t expected–something Cinder said was also thanks to total concentration constant, and also because it wasn’t a broken bone and just flesh. It stitched back faster. It’d leave a scar, but Ava could deal with that. It wasn’t like it was a large one nor that noticeable under her pants. She was still baffled by the healing rate, but would take it. More aspects of the universe that worked in her favor. It also explained why Cinder’s own ribs had healed so unusually fast.

When Ava had gone to visit Jirou at the stardust estate in her room, she relayed the good news of her healed leg and grasp on total concentration constant–now all she needed was her left arm to heal. 

Jirou remarked on how she would probably end up with more scars–a slayer's work was not without danger and she wasn’t exactly very impressive or skilled. Ava went quiet, only to speak up once more to congratulate him on being her first scar from a demon then.

Ava’s words caused Jirou to roll onto his opposite side, presenting his back to her as he scowled while reclining on her floor. Leave it to him to get stuck with a slayer with seemingly no sense of self preservation. Didn’t Ava value her life? Cinder certainly did enough to bargain with a demon for additional security. 

At Jirou’s sudden cold shoulder, Ava’s visit was shorter than normal–unsure what triggered the ink demon's sudden mood shift. Surely not guilt? The thought almost made Ava want to chuckle on her walk back to the butterfly estate–he seemed too aloof to care about stabbing her.

Ava’s primary worry now that she’d gotten down total concentration constant stemmed from the fact she only had one month left to defeat one of the three boys. 

When Kocho had arrived to check on Ava’s healing progress, the insect hashira cheerfully revealed that news while remarking on the date and how Ava would hopefully heal a little faster. Kocho had done so intentionally–framing her statement in a way that also worked as a reminder.

One month to defeat one of the boys.

Ava had actually almost forgotten that challenge from lord Ubuyashiki thanks to her focus being on her own training. Defeat Tanjiro, Zenitsu, or Inosuke–or else no more joint missions with Cinder. At least not until stated otherwise.

Honestly, considering how her last solo mission went, as long as they were easy low-ranking missions and demons, Ava thought she would be… maybe ok. She’d have her new ink demon with her as well–that had to account for something. Jirou was legally bound to keep her alive. Assuming he cared about legalities–Ava still hoped he did–or at least was honorable. 

It wasn’t unusual for a tsuguko to work independently of their hashira mentor either. Joint missions were a common occurrence, though–like shadowing on a job. 

From what Cinder told Ava, Mitsuri was Rengoku’s tsuguko at one time. And while Mitsuri hadn’t learned flame breathing from him, she developed an offshoot of flame breathing–love breathing. The name still sounded pretty silly to Ava, but she supposed it made sense. Love was warm, like a flame. Part of her wished the demons she and Mitsuri found on patrol were a little more difficult–just so she could have seen love breathing in person rather than just on the pages of a manga.

Cinder also went on to explain that since Mitsuri hadn’t technically developed flame breathing, she couldn’t inherit the flame hashira seat from Rengoku like he had wanted since his younger brother couldn’t inherit the seat–not that Rengoku minded. Regardless, every generation had a flame hashira and Rengoku wanted to secure the next flame hashira’s position, in case the worst came to pass. He would not force his brother to fill a role he could not.

Cinder could still recall how Mitsuri had initially been upset–feeling as if she’d let down Rengoku. But he was insistent that it was fine. He was proud of her regardless, given the fact she managed to find herself and her own way to fight. Mitsuri of course went on to earn her own hashira position–the love pillar.

Ava got curious and asked Cinder how a tsuguko might even inherit a hashira’s position. The redhead smiled, almost solemnly. The hashira could either retire and pass their seat on, or in worse cases, fall in battle. In such instances, a special condition is given to the tsuguko to fill the vacant hashira slot regardless of breathing style. A means to maintain their ranks, in case of emergencies. If the offer is declined, the tsuguko would fall back into the generic rank and file.

Ava supposed it made sense, almost like an emergency draft.

After that chat, Ava felt her mind wander as she went about her day not quite able to focus. Laps around the yard, one-armed tag with Aoi and even Kanao. The medical teacup training. Chatting with the boy trio.

“Have you ever encountered a slayer without a breathing style?” Ava asked Jirou during one visit to the stardust estate. The ink demon sat cross legged with his arms crossed and tucked into his haori’s pale green sleeves. At her question, he lifted one brow while maintaining his otherwise indifferent expression.

“You?” Jirou said lazily–though in truth, he hadn’t–even the most basic slayers had at least one form. Granted, he also tried to avoid slayers entirely. At his answer, Ava frowned. 

“Thanks, that’s reassuring.” Ava said dryly, only managing to draw a smirk from the ink demon as he unlaced his arms and leaned into his right hand as he propped his elbow onto his knee. Ava flipped to the next page of the sketchbook he’d been filling while she was away, idly thinking of how she would need to get him another soon.

“Your sword has a color, right? Purple?” Jirou started, recalling the sight of it in the woods when they met. “Then you have something going for you, even if you’re still kind of pathetic.”

Ava threw the demon a scowl–but he had a point. The fact her sword changed color at least implied she had potential–even if she hadn’t figured out what kind of potential yet.

Per Ava’s request, Cinder began showing her the motions for stardust breathing forms–considering their shared sword color of purple, Cinder hoped that it would be a smooth transition to learn or at least bounce off of in a way not unlike Mitsuri and Rengoku.

While grateful for the demonstrations, Ava felt disheartened by the fact she couldn’t use her left arm. She needed her sword–and as time ticked onward, Ava only grew more restless.

As the days begrudgingly repeated themselves while the month advanced, Ava wondered if she would heal in time to train with her sword at all. Having just finished in the dojo with Aoi, Ava made her way back towards the right side yard to see Cinder. 

Another figure down the hall caught Ava’s attention as they walked towards her heading the opposite way. Their fluffy black mohawk and intense purple gaze were instantly familiar when compared to their manga counterpart, including their slayer uniform and sleeveless purple yukata. Genya Shinazugawa –the wind pillar Sanemi Shinazugawa’s younger brother. Ava definitely remembered him from the swordsmith village section of the manga.

A few bandages were on the left side of his jaw and a scowl was on his face not that different from the one the wind pillar often had. Ava could certainly see the family resemblance in person.

As Ava walked on, she idly wondered if the young Shinazugawa had gotten injured on a mission or during training–not that it was really any of her concern. The kid was a tanky–if Ava’s reading of the swordsmith village arc was any hint due to his ability to eat demons.

As Ava and Genya grew closer in the hall and the distance lessened, Genya blinked and glanced at the shorter woman, eyebrow crinkling in focus as he narrowed his eyes. Ava blinked–not having expected to actually be noticed much less put under such a scrutinizing stare. It reminded her of when he passed Tanjiro in the hall in the manga–except he actually looked at her. Ava decided to scowl back and narrow her own eyes. Ava wouldn’t keep letting kids get the better of her–be it butterfly girls or Tanjiro or even Zenitsu or Genya himself.

Ava’s shift seemed to surprise Genya as his face dropped to a blank expression as he passed her. Ava took that as a small victory. She could make faces at children too. Not all of them could get away with mean mugging her–call her petty, but she’d started having enough of that one sided treatment. She didn’t show up in this world and get to see Cinder again just to get bullied by children . Inosuke was bad enough.

As Ava reached the training yard, she could hear the sounds of clashing metal rapidly connecting in a cacophony of noise.

When Ava stepped out onto the engawa, she saw the source of the noise–Cinder stood with her sword raised, deflecting multiple kunai that Uzui threw at her from different angles as he quick-stepped around her. 

Cinder moved in a way that deflected each one in split second intervals, sometimes two at a time. They fell harmlessly to the ground around her, where over 20 were already laying before more fell to join them. Ava felt her mouth fall open slightly at the sight.

Uzui appeared before Cinder as she lifted her sword, already moving to deflect the blow he was aiming towards her face with iron knuckles on his right hand. An unexpected weapon of choice Ava hadn’t thought he would use. The blow caused both of them to bounce back from the impact–gaining distance–but Uzui didn’t hesitate to sprint forward for another blow.

Cinder stepped to the left to dodge–the wind from his swift left handed uppercut sending her bangs flailing around her face. Cinder lifted her sword–balancing it at a horizontal angle at her left. “First form, stardust wave!”

Cinder swung, the horizontal arch erupting with stardust whilst aiming for Uzui’s left side, trailing shimmering dust as it went, casting out a thin blanket in the process.

Uzui lifted his right fist–knocking into the blade with his iron knuckles and halting the blow in an instant with a reverberating sound of metal against metal and brief burst of sparks. Uzui didn't stop there–already swinging with his left hand–aiming to knock her blade downward, connecting with her sword in moments. 

Despite all of the blunt force redirection–Cinder never let go of her sword–only grit her teeth and tightened her hold.

Uzui moved again, continuing his assault while her sword was knocked downward. The ninja lifted his right leg up to kick Cinder on her left. Cinder instantly fell into a perfect split–leaving Uzui’s leg to sail harmlessly over her head.

From Cinder’s position on the ground, she tried to slash at the sound hashira’s left leg as she withdrew her own legs below herself–but Uzui kicked himself up into the air in a spin before she could land a blow–leaving her harmlessly slicing air. 

Arming himself with more kunai between each finger, Uzui immediately threw them towards her while he remained airborne.

Cinder quickly kicked herself backwards. The barrage of kunai all impaled themselves into the ground where she’d been with a collection of dull thuds into the dirt.

Uzui landed feet first into a wisteria tree near the estate wall then immediately kicked himself towards Cinder again. The sound hashira landed on Cinder’s left–already moving to land another blow with his right fist as he drew it back then thrust it forward. 

Cinder lifted her sword to parry it aside to her left, the initial impact sending the redhead backwards a few inches across the dirt from his sheer strength alone before she spun and attempted an upward vertical strike. 

Uzui leaned to the right out of harm's way with ease, but the hanging gemstones on the left side of his headband weren’t as lucky–the cord catching along the edge of Cinder’s blade, resulting in the bottom three getting cleaved off.

“Hey–I liked those. Now I’ve lost flashy points. Way to throw off my style.” Uzui complained with a pout, bouncing backwards as his left hand rose to fondle the assaulted hanging string of gemstones–specifically the bottom where the three were missing. Maybe Cinder really could manage to get faster–to a degree. His momentary distraction with his attire didn’t last long–already moving to stand firm and face Cinder once again.

The sound hashira hardly worked up a sweat from what Ava could tell. The sight was a stark contrast to Cinder who stood with a visible sheen, but intense focus in her pale green eyes as she held her sword before herself at the ready.

Watching Uzui and Cinder, Ava could see how intently the redhead was focused on tracking Uzui’s movements. Cinder’s eye movements alone were so rapid, Ava thought it was a wonder she didn’t get dizzy. Yet, compared to when Ava first watched them, Cinder was getting faster with her reactions and overall performance.

Uzui had often got a few shots past Cinder’s guard earlier that week when Ava saw them training. It was amazing how much progress was done in as little as five days. And that was just the combat sparring–their actual agility runs and laps were equally as wild to watch in Ava’s eyes.

Uzui could vanish in a blink, while Cinder would inhale–and then she was just gone –halfway across the estate and back while kicking up a stardust cloud. At the end of Cinder’s burst in speed, she would exhale. When Ava asked her about it, Cinder had been happy to explain the technique. 

“You focus on your legs in the first inhale–each muscle and tendon–then you run. It helps having good form so that you don't break your rhythm before you want to. Exhale when you want to stop. When executing the technique, tripping is dangerous, so please look where you’re running.” Cinder explained.

“How can I look where I’m going if I’m moving in a blink?” Ava questioned as she frowned, to which Cinder explained that it was manageable with total concentration–the world was slower and more perceivable. 

Lung magic hoodoo as far as Ava was concerned. She wasn’t sure she would ever fundamentally understand it–regardless of how much she tried to on a verbal level. She supposed first hand experience would be the only way for her. Unlike Cinder, Ava hadn’t been handling such logic for a few years and putting it into practice–Ava was just barely starting out for the most part.

When the duo made their way back to their infirmary room, Cinder and Ava were surprised to find Mitsuri waiting at the door. When the love hashira saw them, her face lit up with a huge smile. 

“Cinder! Ava! Hello!” Mitsuri chimed, turning to fully face the two as they neared.

As Ava and Cinder approached Mitsuri, the duo realized another figure was standing on the pinkette’s left, leaning on the wall. Obanai Iguro–the one with the snake Ava saw last time when Shinazugawa, Rengoku, and Uzui had all also visited. 

Iguro didn’t seem very interested in chatting, his gaze fixated off to his left on the floor. His white snake–Kaburamaru–hovered on his right shoulder, shifting to peer at them as they paused before Mitsuri, its small snake tongue darting out. 

“Hey, Mitsuri, Iguro.” Cinder greeted, waving as her eyes drifted over the two. Iguro hummed in response–a lazy greeting but a greeting nonetheless.

“Hi Mitsuri.” Ava greeted, stopping beside Cinder, actively choosing not to greet Iguro–Ava wasn’t much of a fan of him after their last encounter.

“How can I help you?” Cinder asked. 

The redhead hadn’t the slightest idea why either of them would show up–Cinder had nothing for them at present, be it information or otherwise. And Cinder was almost positive they were probably needed elsewhere–be it patrolling or a mission. 

“I wanted to visit!” Mitsuri said simply–moving to pull forward a bag she had hidden under her arm. “I brought sakura mochi!” The love hashira exclaimed, visibly excited and proud at her announcement. 

Cinder moved to slide open the door to her and Ava’s room on Mitsuri’s right, stepping in and leaving it open for everyone else as they shuffled in. Iguro closed it after himself, being the last to enter.

“How long do you plan on remaining idle, Cinder? It’s unbecoming of you.” Iguro bit out as soon as he was in the room, casting the redhead a judgemental sideways glare as she sat down on her bed.

“I’ve yet to receive any orders, but I am fully healed.” Cinder said, frowning. “I’m actually surprised I’ve not received anything yet, if I’m being honest.” Cinder admitted–sure, she had a tsuguko to train, but it wasn’t like she still couldn’t go out for a few days–the idleness was starting to make her restless. Cinder was never a fan of remaining on medical leave for too long. In truth she might have even continued working with her broken ribs, had she not had Ava around to pull her focus from her duties.

“That is weird.” Mitsuri agreed, sitting down beside Ava on her bed, moving to withdraw the sakura mochi from the bag in her lap. She offered one to Ava, who curiously took one to at least try. “It’s not as if there isn’t any work to be done. There’s still demons out there, doing…demon things.” Mitsuri said, immediately taking a large bite from the mochi she held, chewing away in sudden bliss.

Iguro stood beside Mitsuri at the end of Ava’s bed. When the love hashira offered him a sakura mochi, Iguro only shook his head–politely declining. Eating in front of Cinder was one thing, he’d done so a scarce few times before, but he had no interest in eating with Ava present.

Across from them, Cinder reached out to take an offered mochi, nodding in thanks. “I’m sure something will come up soon. I’m a hashira , I should be working.” Cinder said, frowning. The topic of increased demon activity at their last hashira meeting was still prominently on her mind. It wasn’t like there was nothing to do–she was positive there was.

“Maybe it’s because Ava isn’t discharged yet?” Mitsuri wondered allowed, earning a scoff from Iguro.

“She seems to always be broken. Is she even worthy of being your tsuguko, Cinder? Seems more like a headache–more trouble than she’s worth.” Iguro questioned as he crossed his arms. They’d been at the butterfly estate for weeks at this point. And if Ava was holding Cinder back–that was a waste.

“She is my tsuguko, regardless of what you think.” Cinder shot back–having Shinazugawa ridicule Ava was one thing but Iguro had an almost even more aggressive verbal demeanor.

“Obanai, that was mean!” Mitsuri said, pouting at the serpent hashira who…bashfully turned away as if ashamed she actually scolded him. He didn’t bother to apologize despite Mitsuri’s statement, though. 

Ava watched the exchange–eyebrows slowly drawing together as she narrowed her eyes with a mouth full of sakura mochi that was surprisingly tasty, even if it was pretty sweet. Something about the two struck her with that same sense of…suspicion like she’d had when watching Shinazugawa interact with Cinder. Were Iguro and Mitsuri romantically invested? Ava could recall a scene from the manga, in which he gave her socks, she thought it cute but hadn’t expected it to lead to more.

“Speaking of hashira matters, though. How are things with you two? Been busy?” Cinder asked, genuinely curious. It’d been a while since they’d seen Mitsuri.

“Super busy!” Mitsuri chirped, then entered a long winded tale of all the places she was sent to patrol. Demons on the road were still an issue for travelers, with the spike in demon activity in more remote areas still prevalent. Her words started to trickle off track however when she began talking about the scenery and what the local fashions were like. 

“Some of the outfits imported from the west look so cute.” Mitsuri said, wiggling in place at the mere memory. “I wanted to try on so many but I couldn't! If I started, I wouldn’t be able to stop.” She lamented, sighing. “...Maybe next time. That way I can take both of you with me too! You’ll get some of your old western fashion back!”

Ava and Cinder both could only imagine what 1912 american fashion looked like in this universe, and it wasn’t anything they’d willingly wear. It was sweet of Mitsuri, though, to want them to have a piece of home. Cinder assured her it was fine–they enjoyed the uniforms.

“The north is suffering an equally annoying situation, although nothing we haven’t seen before.” Iguro spoke, crossing his arms once again as he did while Kaburamaru swayed on his right shoulder. “A rise in traveler disappearances on the road between towns. It’s nothing I can’t handle. They’ll all be gone in a matter of time.”

Iguro spoke so surely of himself that Ava believed him. He seemed like an ass–but he seemed like an ass that was capable . To a degree. 

Cinder ate another mochi, considering what conversation to trail to next. “Have there been any other upper moon sightings?”

“Nope.” Mitsuri shook her head with a frown.

“They’re too cowardly to come out.” Iguro said while scowling behind his face wrapping. 

Cinder considered their statements for a moment. It was… weird. The more she thought about the overall demon activity, the more puzzled she felt.

Before Ava arrived, the world had a few demon attacks, but not so often that patrols became the norm for even hashira themselves. Patrols were generally for lower ranked slayers. If the frequency was increasing so much that a constant hashira presence was needed in specific areas, that was…concerning. Something about it rubbed Cinder the wrong way but she couldn’t figure out exactly why . It was good no one sighted any upper moons, that was accurate to canon, but increased activity in of itself was still unusual. She didn’t recall any such thing in canon, but there was a chance it had been overshadowed by the upper ranks and Tanjiro’s struggle.

“I’m done here, I’ll wait for you outside.” Iguro said bluntly to Mitsuri, making his way to the door and stepping out of the room. Ava wondered if he didn’t like being around people. Not that it mattered much to her. That, or something else was up. Ava had seen the conflicted look pass over Cinder’s face moments prior.

“Sorry about Obanai…he’s a lot nicer once you get to know him!” Mitsuri chimed in, moving to set the rest of the sakura mochi on Ava’s lap. “Here! A present from me! Enjoy the rest of them, I’m heading out again.”

“Will you be out long?” Cinder questioned, to which Mitsuri hummed. 

“Maybe not long. The master said he has something he wants me to investigate soon.” Mitsuri said, but paused. “Like, not soon -soon, but two months from now?” The love hashira shrugged. “I hope we can meet again in the future.” 

Mitsuri waved as she left, departing with Iguro at the door. Left in the silence, Ava and Cinder shared the remaining sakura mochi. 

“I’m not sure I like Iguro.” Ava confessed, though she was sure it was obvious. She’d only met him…twice? And in both instances, he hadn’t exactly been friendly .

“Fair.” Cinder nodded. “He’s close to our age–a year younger than me actually, but he’s so closed off it’s difficult to get a read on him. He does have a soft side though.” Cinder spoke as she leaned forward as if she were sharing a secret. “He picked out Mitsuri’s green socks himself. Remember?”

Ava blinked. She did–it had crossed her mind during their visit in fact.

“To be honest he doesn’t seem like someone who would be a gift-giver.” Ava said, raising one brow as Cinder nodded as if in agreement despite her words.

“Iguro does it for Mitsuri only.” Cinder said, smiling. “Mitsuri showed up with some pretty heavy self confidence issues, but with Rengoku, Kocho and Iguro, a lot of those self doubts were blown away. She’s a pretty strong girl, physically. You’d never expect it due to her size, but her muscle density is comparable to even Uzui or Gyomei.” Cinder said with a grin. Ava nodded along, she remembered that from the manga as well–and how when she’d gone on patrol with Mitsuri, the pinkette literally punched a bigger demon down.

“Ah–” Ava paused. “She wants a demon slayer husband, right? Because all the normal guys are scared of her strength and hair color?” Ava asked–suddenly feeling her suspicions on Iguro and Mitsuri as a pair click harder into place. Given Ava wasn’t a fan of Demon Slayer prior to her arrival to their universe, it wasn’t as if she had any knowledge of what ships existed or were more popular. And she hadn’t read the manga with the intention to pick out romance–she’d sped-read what she could for her own benefit.

“Yup.” Cinder said, shifting to dust her hands off of possible crumbs over the waste bin at their bedside. “Mitsuri was also a little self conscious about her uniform, and Iguro gave her the socks to help. He replaces them for her whenever they rip.”

Ava smiled at that–it was cute. And unexpected of the serpent hashira given her interactions with him so far.