Tsunami of Dead Tears: Part 1

Chapter 2

"Please grant me permission to go on this hunt, Okayata-sama."

Shinobu bowed as low as she could on the floor. Okayata sat there, smiling as always.

"Bring Tomioka in here."

Shinobu looked up, confused, but called him inside anyway. Giyuu entered, just as confused as Shinobu was.

Okayata cleared his throat. "I can permit your request. However, there is a condition."

Shinobu lowered her head. "Anything."

"When you set off on this hunt," Okayata said "I want you to bring Tomioka with you."

Shinobu and Giyuu looked at each other. Giyuu turned to Okayata-sama. "Uh, I don't understand... this is none of my business..."

"It is, now." Okayata stood up and looked out his window. "Douma is a particularly cunning one to deal with, but he, like all demons, have a pattern. So if you plan on going through with this, I request both of you do it together."

There was a long silence. The only audible element was the rustling grass and the occasional bug chitter.

Finally, Shinobu complied. "Thank you, Okayata-sama."

She stepped out of the hut and made her way to the butterfly estate.

"She's grateful for you." Okayata said to Giyuu. "You know that, right?"

Giyuu chuckled in disbelief. "Well, if she is, she definitely isn't showing it."

Giyuu turned around and met Okayata's eyes. "So why did you do that?"

"You." Okayata replied. "You're the closest Hashira to her. That's exactly why I've been pairing you two so much."

Giyuu raised his eyebrows. "Closest? I'm sorry, Okayata-sama, but you're probably confusing me for Mitsuri Kanroji."

Okayata snickered. "No, no, that's not what I meant. Kanroji may be closest to her body, but you, Tomioka, are closest to her heart. You two share the same type of pain.

Giyuu looked down. "Ah. Loss of a sibling."

Okayata wasn't finished. "Except you taught yourself how to conquer that pain. You aren't the same boy you were back then. But Kochou, as strong as she may act, is still stuck in that perpetual state of rage she felt when she lost Kanae."

Giyuu looked back at Okayata. "And you want me to pull her out of that state."

"Exactly." Okayata responded.

Giyuu looked out into the distance. Butterflies were surrounding the entire area. Probably an aftereffect Shinobu taught herself.

"I haven't moved on." Giyuu said. "The pain I felt when I lost them hasn't gone away, and I doubt it ever will. Kanae's death was inevitable. It was an Upper Moon, after all. But Tsutako... and Sabito...

Their deaths were all my fault."

Okayata smiled at Giyuu. "Do you seek revenge?"

Giyuu turned to him. "Not anymore. Revenge only leaves you empty. Leaving you with nowhere left to go."

"Then you have moved on." Okayata stood up and walked past Giyuu. A butterfly landed on his finger as he stared in fascination.
"Giyuu, nobody ever stops grieving. Nobody wants to let go of what they had. But what people can do is accept their loss and keep it in the past. People that seek revenge let the past interfere with the present."

Okayata looked at Giyuu with a concerned look.

"You might be hesitant to do this. You might not even care. But I care. I care about all my children, and I worry deeply about Kochou. So I trust you to protect her. I know you're more than capable."