Breath of the Void

Breath of the Void: Chapter17

This chapter is quite a bit shorter than usual at only 1.2K instead of my usual nearing 2k chapters. I've finally moved into my new house, but college starts in exactly a month, so that means everything I just unpacked will be put back into a box and taken to college, so everything's been a bit more hectic.

On another note, I got Iskandar on the GSSR and I also now have NP3 Li Shuwen, which is fantastic! Li Shuwen is one of my favorites.

Edit: I dont know why it didn't publish, but here it is now

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The Pillars didn't see the dark-haired boy at all that night, but they did end up seeing the Kamado siblings briefly before dinner. As it turned out, the two of them ended up eating with the two of them along with Kanroji when dinner was served.

Tanjirou had been a bit startled to see not just one, but three Pillars in the area. According to the boy, he had met with Kanroji on his way to the springs. Kanroji and the siblings had both run into the dark-haired boy as well.

"So he was a Shinaguzawa," Musashi mused as she tied Nezuko's hair up like her own at the girl's insistence (though it was in soft "mm" and "Hmm"s while she lightly tugged at her hair and tapped on the ornament in it). Tanjirou nodded, electing not to verbalize his confirmation over Kyojuro's routine exclamations of "Tasty!" and Kanroji's giggles of her former mentor's antics.

"Shinazugawa told us he didn't have one, so maybe the two just don't get along?" she mused before shrugging, patting Nezuko, who cooed softly and shrunk down to sit in Musashi's lap. "That's kinda sad."

Tanjirou tilted his head. "Why do you say that?" he asked, blinking as he took a bite of his meal.

She shrugged a bit, humming. "Well, Kanroji and Kyojuro both get along well with their siblings, and so do you with Nezuko. The Ubuyashiki children get along pretty well, I suppose. I would assume that any family left is very important to someone," she said before thinking, "Well, I didn't really get to know my brother since we were, er, raised apart. But you know, if Shinazugawa and mini Shinazugawa are both Demon Slayers, I would've suspected that they would have had a more..." she made a hand motion and Tanjirou seemed to understand. The boy hummed, thinking a bit.

"Maybe," he agreed. "But yeah... that's kinda sad, now that you mention it like that."

She nodded before she fell silent before she blinked. "Oh! Right," she hummed, reaching into the yukata that the villagers had granted her.

She pulled the kiku-gata shaped tsuba that had served as her original eyepatch from the folds, holding it out to the boy with a slight grin. "Here. I herd your sword needed full repairs. The tsuba from your last one was busted up too. It would take Haganezuka a lot longer to do everything so I brought this to give to him for you."

The boy's eyes widened and he gently took it into his hands. "Was this...?"

"The first eyepatch you saw me wearing when we first met at the Pillar meeting and on the train?" she finished with a nod. "Yeah. When Tengen lost his eye he insisted on dragging Kyojuro and I out to shop for eyepatches. I ended up caving and getting one that was similar in shape but out of cloth." she indicated to the black fabric that covered her eye, then to the one Kyojuro wore— His having had a simple, embroidered flame pattern on the black patch, as per Uzui's insistence.

"Wasn't sure what to do with it afterward, then Tengen mentioned that your sword had been shattered and busted up in the fight against the Demon Moon. Figured you could use it more than I could. Besides..." she grinned a bit, shrugging. "Brought me to certain victory twice against legendary swordmasters."

Tanjirou's eyes shone as he bowed a bit, lips pulled back in a bright smile.

"Thank you!" he said happily. "Wow... I didn't ever think that anyone would give me something of this much importance..."

Musashi laughed a bit, reaching over and patting his head, lightly ruffling his hair too. "Aw, you're adorable!"

Tanjirou blushed as Kyojuro leaned over, resting his chin on Musashi's shoulder. "Musa, me too."

She laughed again, using her other hand to pat the fiery man as well. He seemed satisfied with that, leaning into her touch as Kanroji struck up a conversation with Tanjirou, Nezuko moving to play with the pink-haired woman.

Kyojuro pressed his face against Musashi's neck as she listened to the two talk, humming softly as he kissed the bare skin. She shivered, huffing, and he gazed back up at her with a cheeky grin. She rolled her eye as she settled back contently, still lightly patting and stroking his hair. Kyojuro's arms wound around her waist as he pulled her between his legs, the two contently watching the boy and the Love Pillar converse.

"Void Piller Bennosuke?" a voice said and the two looked up to see a Kakushi walking over to them.

"What's up?" Musashi asked as Kyojuro sat up with a soft huff. The Kakushi had wonderfully suggested to call her one of her other names, as they weren't overly comfortable with using the Pillars' first names.

"The smiths are just about done with what you requested, they'd like to see you for some final adjustments," he said before glancing to Kyojuro.

"And Flame Pillar Rengoku, your next orders have arrived, the sooner we depart the better."

The two pillars exchanged a glance before Kyojuro sighed, standing before he smiled. "Well, I best hurry on out then!" he laughed, making Kanroji and Tanjirou look over to him.

"Leaving already?" Kanroji asked, lips quirked downwards in disappointment as Musashi stood as well. Tanjirou also looked disappointed and Nezuko sat up, blinking owlishly at the two pillars.

"Yeah, duty never rests, after all!" Kyojuro hummed, smiling.

"I'm probably heading out as soon as I'm done meeting with Tecchin," she added, humming. "Besides, no better way to test out a new weapon than to fight with it!"

That seemed to make Kanroji perk up, nodding with a grin. "Right!"

"Be safe, Rengoku-Aniki! Um, Musashi-anesan!"

Musashi startled a bit at the title before she grinned, waving as she left.

"You too, kiddo," she said before she turned to follow the Kakushi out of the room with Kyojuro.

She glanced back at the room after a moment as they walked, thinking.

Tanjirou was growing into a fine kid. He'd be able to put that guard to better use than she would.

Aniki and Anesan are both terms of endearment for older siblings. Anesan is usually used for like. Tough Older Sisters, if I recall correctly.

Sawtooth44, RedBurningDragon: Oh, I see, I see. It's been a really long time since I've watched FSN and UBW, so I suppose I forgot that detail.

Brilliant Battler: Shuten will certainly have fun in the final battle. We'll see some glimpses of her with the rest of the Pillars— namely more Musashi and Kyojuro, and Gyomei.

M2R: Thank you!HaungBaiLan: Here it is