Still waters ◇Giyuu X Reader◇

Chapter nine: Test

"Well. To each their own, I guess." The words slip from Y/ns mouth as she stares blankly into the cupboard.
Scanning through the masks, she notices that each one has a unique pattern. Some having, what looked like wiskers, other sporting a sly smile with geometrical shapes on their cheeks.
"They look.. kinda funky?" Y/n giggles.
Looking through the collection, a single mask caught her attention.

It had a frown on its face, as if trying to appear menacing and its deep blue eyes held her gaze.
For a moment, her mind drifted to Giyuu. His vast blue eyes were very much like the masks. Absentmindedly, she reached out to touch it.
Just as her fingers were about to graze the wooden mask, Y/n heard a door slide open. Startled Y/n, closed the cupboard as quickly and quietly as she could, just as Urokudaki opened her door.

"Just.. stretching my leg!" Y/n says enthusiastically, hoping Urokudaki couldn't pick up on how violently her heart was beating. "Wow, great excuse Y/n he's totally gonna buy that." Y/n cringes internally at herself.
"That's good. It'll help the cut heal faster." Urokudaki says, nodding in approval.
"No way. He bought it?!" Y/n had to fight the urge to laugh out of pure disbelief.
"I've brought dinner with me, so please come and eat." Urokudaki says, his frowning mask staring at Y/n.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to that darn mask." Y/n sighs defeated, a chill running down her spine. Following Urokudaki, Y/n glances at the cupboard one last time before closing the door.

Taking her seat next to the newly lit fire, Y/n watches Urokudaki as he places a large pot on a stand over the fire to heat it up. Curious, Y/n peeks into the pot. It was a stew of some kind.
"It looks delicious." Y/ns mouth couldn't help but water. The smell was divine, almost like Aois cooking. "Please eat." Urokudaki says, handing her a small bowlfull. "Thank you for the meal." Y/n smiles, eager for a taste.
Scooping a spoonful into her mouth, Y/n delights in the rich flavours of the food.

Flopping down on her futon, Y/n heaves a heavy sigh. With her belly full and the moon high in the sky, her eyes couldn't stay open. "The food really was good." Y/n mumbles, recalling the rich and creamy stew. Rolling over, she worms herself in under her futon, snuggling up against her pillow. "In a few days, I'll be taking Urokudakis test, huh." Y/n hugs her pillow close. Glancing at the mask-cupboard, Y/n thought of Giyuu. It was eery how similar the masks eyes were to his. Both hiding a deep-rooted sadness, behind vivid sapphire eyes.
"Whoa, hold on, Y/n. Focus on the test." Y/n snapped herself out of her thoughts, her ears growing hot.
Closing her eyes, Y/n drifts off to sleep, dreaming of a young boy wearing a fox mask with eyes like the deep blue sea.

"Wait. So the test is to get down the mountain?" Y/n asks a little confused. When Urokudaki woke her up that morning, she expected to slave away, blade in hand, but looking around her, all she saw were trees and stones. "Yes. You must decend the mountain before sunrise. Otherwise, you fail." Urokudaki nods before starting his own decent down the mountain.
"Sunrise? It's barely morning." Y/n says, looking at the darkening sky.
"Now way." She mutters, realising it took them an entire day to accend the mountain.

"If it took a day to get up, it'll take a day to get down." Y/n rhapsodizes, tying her H/c hair into a long pony tail.
Recalling the path she and Urokudaki walked up the mountain, Y/n started her decent.
As she steps over a stone, something clicks beneath her foot, and she instinctively jerks backwards, falling on her rear. She just dodged a tiny blowdart. With wide eyes, Y/n stares at the dart, now lodged in a tree.
"Ah. I see." Y/n swallowed hard, a sweat droplet running down her temple. "This place is littered with traps."

Slowly crawling forward, Y/n inspects the stone. There was a trip wire fastened to it. "So... the test is to get back by morning by navigating through a night clad mountain forest, all while trying not to die from hidden booby traps." Y/n says with fake enthusiasm.
"This guy is completely nuts. Cookoo bananas." She laughed, a hint of hysteria in her voice.

After she finished laughing, Y/n looked back at the dart. It was smaller than a normal playing dart, with a needle half the size of a toothpick. But the speed it moved at made it just as dangerous as a knife. "Well, I can't back out now. It's not like I can just walk away." Y/n sighs defeated, trying to bolster her courage with humour. Examining the area, Y/n takes a careful step, slowly starting her decent down the mountain again.

Wiping a droplet of sweat from her brow, Y/n glares at the pitfall next to her. "WHY ARE THERE SO MANY??" Y/n yells into the forest, scattering a flock of birds into the night. Although she was very careful, Y/n still triggered a large amount of traps, earning her a fair amount of cuts and bruises.
"This is ridiculous! How does he expect me to make it down by sunrise when it's almost midnight and I'm not even halfway!" Y/n shouted as she struck a nearby tree out of frustration, triggering yet another trap.
Hearing branches break overhead, Y/n glances up just in time to see a huge log plummeting down toward her.
"And it just never ends!" She screamed, jumping out from under the log.

Landing on a slippery mud patch, Y/n loses her footing and slams into the ground. "I'm glad I'm not still wearing that kimono. Shinobu would kill me if I destroyed it even further." She glanced down at the, now mud stained, clothes Urokudaki gave her. "Let's hope he doesn't get too upset." Y/n sighs, getting to her feet.
The faint sound of running water caught her attention. "A river?" Y/n thinks, following the sound, careful not to trigger any hidden traps.

Rounding a large tree, Y/n finds a shallow stream. Its crisp, clear water shimmering in the moonlight.
"It's so pretty." Y/n breathed, amazed at how clearly the water reflected the pieces of the sky that filtered through the trees. Kneeling by the river, Y/n cups the water in her hands, the cold water stinging her skin. Closing her eyes, Y/n splashes the water on her face to wash away the mud. "I guess winter isn't over just yet." Y/n shivers, wiping the excess water off of her face.

After sitting by the river for a little longer, Y/n rose to her feet. "I've got to keep moving." Just as Y/n takes a step away from the river bank, something suddenly wraps around her ankle, lifting her up into the sky. "REALLY!" Y/n exclaims, dangling upside down from a tree branch. "How do I get down from this freaking mountain!?" Y/ns shout echoes into the night.