|| 𝒀-𝑶-𝑲-𝑨-𝑰 || 𝑲𝑵𝒀 𝒙 𝑶𝑪 ||

Chapter 24: "Hashiras?"

{Rei's POV}

I hopped on the next branch than to the next before seeing Tanjiro running figure while carrying a sleeping Nezuko. I saw him grab Nezuko's box as I could see him tear up a bit before breathing air to, I guess, deal with the pain he may be experiencing. After a lot of jumping, I was now jumping in the trees beside Tanjiro. I glanced at him before glancing down at Nezuko whose eyes were now open.

I looked back to see a familiar figure following Tanjiro on the other side of the forest, jumping a lot farther back than me. 'Kanao?' I questioned before focusing on Tanjiro. Before I knew it, Kanao had jumped down onto Tanjiro's back, surprising me. I watched as Tanjiro let go of Nezuko, resulting in her landing in front of Tanjiro and Kanao on his back. Kanao jumped off his back before landing right in front of Nezuko.

She raised her sword above her head, ready to slice of Nezuko's head of when Tanjiro grabbed the white cape she was wearing before tugging it down making her fall back and sit on his back. "Run, Nezuko! Run! Make a run for it! Don't get caught no matter what!" Tanjiro told his sister as Nezuko hummed before making a run for it.

I watched as Kanao brought her leg up before bringing it back down on Tanjiro's head. I winced as I watched her run after, I looked back at Tanjiro's unconscious body before chasing after the two girls. 'I'm sorry, Tanjiro...' I apologized as I soon caught up to them, seeing Kanao swing her sword at Nezuko while the female only shrunk in size. 'Ack! What the heck! Too cute!' I thought.

Nezuko ran away from her in her child-size while Kanao watched from behind. Soon after, she continued chasing after her while swinging her sword multiple times only to be dodged by Nezuko. I stayed close to them while jumping from tree to tree, watching them closely as they repeated the pattern again and again. Kanao swings her sword while Nezuko dodges.

"Message! Message!" A loud voice followed by a caw stated from above as the three of us stopped in our tracks. I jumped down to see a white and black crow circling in the air, 'Yuki!' I exclaimed as both of the crows kept circling each other. "I have a message from the headquarters!" The black crow, which belonged to Kanao, announced.

Yuki's voice soon followed after, "Tanjiro and Nezuko are taken into custody and brought back to the headquarters!" She announced as Kanao's crow repeated what Yuki said. "Tanjiro, dressed in a checkered haori, with a scar on his forehead!" Kanao's crow described Tanjiro while Yuki described Nezuko. "Nezuko, a demon girl with a bamboo muzzle!"

Kanao looked at them before bending down towards Nezuko, "Are you Nezuko?" She asked as both crows repeated the phrase "Bring them back!" over and over. I walked towards them before placing a hand on Kanao's shoulder which she turned her head to. Nezuko also seemed to see me as she went to hug me to which I happily returned.

"I'll be taking her back." Soon, multiple kakushis came in but froze at the sight of me near. "Greetings." I greeted them as one of them gave me Nezuko's box, seeing Tanjiro on one of the kakushis back. I nodded my head in thanks before lacing it on the ground where Nezuko immediately went in, surprising multiple people. "All right!" I picked up the box before wearing it.

I turned to the remaining kakushis, "Is everything set?" I asked them to which they nodded. I smiled, suddenly, a beautiful palette of blue, purple, and pink were painted in the sky. "Ah~! Daybreak!," I paused before descending the mountain. "We must get going, Kagaya wouldn't like to see us later than he intended to." I finished.

On the way down, I managed to run into both the Water and Insect Hashiras. I smiled at them before walking by them and down the mountain. 'Finally, it's over! It seemed like forever!' I thought, relieved, as I let out a soft sigh. After the whole journey to the mansion, I was called by none other than Kagaya himself.