Chapter Text
Cold.
Everything feels cold. The entire room feels cold; the air she struggles to breathe in is cold, and the blood oozing from her punctured body feels cold.
But nothing is colder than the jeering taunts of the bastard behind her.
“You’re definitely fast, Shinobu-chan! You’re probably the fastest Hashira I’ve ever met! But trying to stab me head on a second time wasn’t your smartest move!” Douma’s voice is cheery and enthusiastic, yet Shinobu can sense the derision behind it. "Oh, and I hope you don't mind that I cooled things down! It was getting hot in here if you catch my drift!"
Shinobu grits her teeth. That damn bastard and his Blood Demon Art.
The air continually gets colder and colder. Shinobu breathes heavily, focusing her efforts on steadying her Constant Total Concentration Breathing to keep herself upright and alive despite the copious amounts of blood steadily oozing from her heavily pierced body.
Slightly delirious, Shinobu faintly muses that it’s a wonder that her blood hasn’t turned purple due to the Wisteria poison in her body.
I’m going to die… but that’s fine. Since the bastard is literally a woman eater, I’ll be taking him with me.
Shinobu manages a ghost of a smile as her eyelids droop.
Dying like that will be worth it. I’ve always planned on going out like this, anyway.
“Ara, ara,” a familiar voice lilts, “what a white little lie.”
Shinobu’s eyes suddenly fly open.
“… Nee-san…”
Shinobu’s heart aches as Kanae Kochou stands before her, bathed in a subtle, otherworldly aura. Her older sister looks exactly how she last saw her before she left for the fateful mission that led her to cross paths with the bastard Douma.
As usual, Kanae’s expression is serene. Yet, she looks sad all the same.
“You and I both know that what you just thought isn’t true, Shinobu,” though Kanae’s form is translucent, the knowing gleam in her eyes is too clear to ignore. "You just think that you need to die because I did.”
“… No, nee-san…” Shinobu protests in a whisper, blood dripping from her mouth. “I’ve prepared for this day… ever since this bastard took you away from me… I decided that I would do anything to kill him, even if it costs me my life.”
Kanae’s mouth curves into a solemn smile.
“You are the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kochou, and as a former Hashira myself, I commend your resolve to do anything within your power to exterminate evil demons, even if it means risking your life. Even so… there’s a difference between risking your life to win and dying to win.”
“Even though you’re willing to die, I know that you also want to experience what life after the Demon Slayer Corps is like, Shinobu,” Kanae states, her eyes ever-knowing and piercing. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have placed that needle in your pocket.”
As if to emphasize her sister’s point, the small object in the hidden pocket of her uniform suddenly feels heavy. For a moment, Shinobu quietly berates herself: Why did she bring it with her? Why did she make it in the first place when her original plan was foolproof?
“Because you and I both know that there is nothing wrong with wanting to live,” Kanae’s soothing voice cuts through her momentary rumination.
“Poison isn’t your only weapon now, Shinobu. So, use everything that you have to fight this demon. If you die even after you’ve exhausted all your means, then I will come back for you and lead you to the afterlife where Mother and Father are… but…”
Kanae’s solemn smile then softens as a look of fondness and hope enters her eyes.
“… if you can survive, then please live.”
Douma idly fans himself as he watches his latest foe wobble on her feet. His brows then rise in mild amusem*nt when she falls onto her hands and knees seconds later, with her fresh blood pooling around her and soaking her butterfly haori red.
“What’s this? Dying on me already?” Douma’s cold lips curl into an exaggerated pout, his voice dripping with faux disappointment. “Don’t die on me now! We were having so much fun! And here I thought that you were feisty!”
The Upper Rank Two hears no response from the Insect Hashira save for her harsh breaths.
“Come on! Don’t you have one last trick before we end our little play date?!” Douma jeers.
He still receives no response. All he hears are her harsh breaths that become noticeably harsher with every second.
“Am I taking your breath away, Shinobu-chan?! I do apologize! I just have that effect on people! Especially the ladies!” Douma laughs. “Let me make it up to you with a nice, warm hug!”
Douma’s eyes close as he lets out one last hearty laugh before he moves toward Shinobu, his arms already outstretched.
However, when he reaches his target, his arms wrap around nothing but cold, thin air.
“Huh?” Douma opens his eyes, blinking them twice in confusion and surprise.
“HRAGH!”
Before he can even turn around, a torrent of stabs instantly thrust through his back. Douma gasps, momentarily frozen as the needle-like Nichirin blade pierces through the front of his torso dozens of times in less than a few seconds.
Furrowing his brows, Douma focuses on the blood circulating in his body, trying as quickly as he can to create antibodies to counter the bursts of Wisteria poison being injected into his body.
Yet, for every antibody he produces, a dozen bursts of poison follow.
My antibody production can’t keep up with the pace of her attacks! She’s even fasterandstronger than earlier!Douma realizes with a faint sense of dread.How is this even possible?!
Shinobu feels anabsurdamount of strength coursing through her veins as she deals strike after strike on the bastard in front of her. She pierces through the heartless monster easily and quickly as if he were made of nothing but soft butter.
Huh. He seemed so powerful just a few moments ago!She muses, noting how the Upper Moon is rooted to the spot, the relentless jabs of Wisteria poison rendering him unable to stop her flurry of attacks.Ara, ara! How the tables have turned!
Shinobu grins widely, almost maniacally, at howsuddenly easyit seems to kill this centuries-old Upper Moon, the very same Upper Moon that killed her considerably stronger and more experienced beloved older sister.
Nee-san, are you watching?Shinobu calls out in her mind, her attacking arm moving at dizzying speeds.This is for you and everyone else this bastard killed!
Her heart beats so rapidly that she feels that it could burst through her chest at any minute.
Yet, it only makes her feelmore alive.
This sudden burst of power is amazing. It makes me feel like I canfinallydoit…
After what seems like over a thousand stabs, Shinobu finally retreats. Yet, Douma still remains unable to move – while the amount of Wisteria poison in his body isn’t enough to kill him yet, it’s more than enough to freeze him on the spot.
Where did she go?!Douma’s eyes frantically roam around the room, silently cursing the fact that he can’t move his head around yet.
As his eyes continue searching for his foe, he catches sight of a medical syringe at the bottom of his feet.
What’s ---
Before he can finish that thought, he sees a flash of something red ahead of him. The moment he lifts his head, he is immediately met with the sight of a bright andburningNichrin blade.
Yet, what Douma fixates on is the manic look on the Insect Hashira’s face. Her grin is manic, her eyes are blown wide with a feverish gleam, and a bright, purple butterfly mark that Doumais surewas never there before seems to singe the flesh on her right cheek.
“BURN IN HELL, YOU DAMNED BASTARD!”
With a ferocious cry, Shinobu swings her Stinger Nichirin blade with both hands, gripping the hilt with ferocious strength. Douma is instantly blinded by a red streaking flash as the thin blade slices cleanly through his neck.
SLASH!
Douma’s vision clears when his head crashes onto one of the wooden bridges. When his head comes to a stop, his jaw drops when he sees his headless body start to disintegrate as it falls to its knees.
“W-what?!” Douma shrieks, bewildered. His lips then tremble in panic when he feels his head starts to wither away as well.
“How is this possible?!” Douma cries out, watching as the bottom half of his head fades into nothing.
Not knowing what else to do, Douma’s eyes move around frantically, as if he can miraculously find something to save himself if he looks hard enough.
However, the only thing he saw apart from his withering body was the Insect Hashira, who was kneeling several paces away from his body. The female Demon Slayer is clearly fatigued and still clearly in bad shape. Even so, she looks at him with a dark look of glee, the satisfaction in her eyes burning as bright as her Nichirin blade.
The adrenaline and power rush started to fade almost instantly after Shinobu dealt the finishing blow. The pain of her injuries comes back to her in full force, forcing her down to her knees again. Her hands start to shake, and she loses the strength to hold on to her sword. Even so, she still feels absurdly giddy at the sight of the bastard Douma’s disintegrating decapitated head.
“Ara, ara, what do you know?” Shinobu comments lightly, blood dripping out of her mouth again. “It took me years, but I finally beheaded a demon! And not just any demon, but the bastard that killed my sister too!”
Smiling brightly, Shinobu takes a shaky breath before she falls to her side, rolling onto her back. Now content with the knowledge that she had finally exacted her revenge, she allows herself to relax.
Her vision becomes hazy again, with her eyelids drooping once more. After a few drowsy blinks, she sees Kanae kneeling beside her bloodied form. The fallen Flower Hashira looks upon her with a look full of joy, pride, relief, and love.
The sight is more than enough to make Shinobu cry.
“Nee-san… did you see that?” Shinobu calls out, tears forming in her eyes. “I did it…”
“Yes, you did, Shinobu,” Kanae smiles widely, raising a translucent hand to her injured sister’s face. “You did very well. I am so proud of you.”
Shinobu’s tears start falling, and she takes a moment to cry before speaking again. “Are you… here to take me to see Mother and Father now?”
Kanae, although still smiling proudly, shakes her head gently.
“Not yet, Shinobu. It’s not yet time for you. After all, you still have some living to do.”
Kanae lightly caresses Shinobu’s cheek before granting her a soft kiss on the forehead.
“You fought well for the Demon Slayer Corps, Shinobu. Now, it’s time you start living for yourself.”
With those words, Kanae’s otherworldly form starts to fade away in a bright light. Shinobu tries to call out to her but finds that she is now too weak to even speak. The blood oozing from her still-open wounds starts to form a large puddle beneath her, and she focuses what was left of her strength on her Total Concentration Breathing.
Shinobu struggles to stay awake as the heavy blood loss causes her to become faint. Yet, before she loses consciousness, she hears another familiar voice calling out to her.
“Master!”
Kanao…
The light is too bright.
It’s so bright that she wonders if she did pass on to the afterlife after all.
Yet, when her hazy vision makes out the wooden ceiling of one of the Butterfly Estate's rooms, she realizes that she's still in the world of the living. When she takes a moment to gather her bearings, she realizes that the bright light that briefly blinded her was the morning sunlight streaming in from the window beside her bed. She also realizes that clean white linens had been tucked around her and that an IV had been inserted through her right hand.
I really am alive… What happened?
Thud.
The sound of ceramic lightly thudding against wood catches Shinobu’s attention, and she slowly turns to look at its source.
Tomioka-san?
Giyuu Tomioka looks at her with widened blue eyes, his mouth slightly agape and his left hand hanging in the air in a semi-closed position.
Shinobu briefly shifts her eyes to the floor, where she sees a spilled cup of tea. It is also then that she notices that his right hand is missing.
He’s missing a hand. Did we… did we win the fight?
Shinobu ponders for a brief moment before lifting her gaze back to his. Giyuu Tomioka is still completely silent.
For seconds, the pair merely stare at each other.
“Ara, ara…” Shinobu eventually says, her voice raspy. She manages a weak smile, “…you spilled tea over my floor, Tomioka-san. How clumsy of you.”
Giyuu stays silent for a moment longer before he speaks.
“Kochou…”
He mentions her name quietly, a smile forming on his face.
“… you’re finally awake.”
A few minutes later, Shinobu and Giyuu are no longer the room's occupants. After he got over his initial shock, Giyuu quickly left the room to call for the young Butterfly girls. He went so fast that Shinobu didn't even get to ask him the questions burning in her mind.
The room’s doorway is now crowded by the said girls. Kanao stands at the head of the group with Aoi, Sumi, Naho, and Kiyo behind her. All five girls stare in awe, disbelief, and wonder at Shinobu, who had been assisted by Giyuu into a sitting position.
“Master…”
Kanao speaks softly, yet her voice resonates within the space. Her purple eyes begin to fill well with tears, and Shinobu feels concerned when she sees that her younger sister’s right eye has clearly gone blind.
Even so, Shinobu cannot help but smile at the rare sight of Kanao expressing such strong emotion.
“Hello, girls,” Shinobu greets cheerily, her voice better after drinking some water offered by Giyuu. “How have you all been?”
At that, the rest of the girls also become teary, and there's a cacophony of relieved sobbing when they all charge forward to wrap Shinobu in a tight collective embrace.
“Shinobu-sama! We missed you so much!”
“Welcome back!”
“We were so scared that you would never wake up!”
“We’re so happy that you’re okay now!”
Shinobu giggles fondly as she slowly raises her arms to reciprocate. The mere movement takes great effort, her limbs weak and lethargic from disuse. Even so, she manages to place her arms around the girls closest to her.
“Master… nee-san…” with Kanao’s chin perched on her shoulder, Shinobu can clearly hear her young Tsuguko even amidst the continuous sobbing of the other girls. “I thought I was too late when I finally found you and the demon that killed Kanae-nee-san.”
Kanao takes a shaky breath, wrapping her arms tighter around Shinobu.
“But thank goodness that I wasn’t! I wanted so badly to come home with you… and I’m so glad that I was able to!”
The raw emotion in Kanao’s voice is unmistakable, and Shinobu feels a unique type of joy. She then wonders in amazed confusion about what had happened in the time that she had been unconscious. Did they win? Is Muzan Kibutsuji dead? How many survived?
Yet, as her girls cry their hearts out, Shinobu concludes that she will get her answers eventually. So, for now, she finds the strength to tighten her own arms around her family, deciding that she will savor the moment.
Her eyes eventually find Giyuu, who had tactfully moved to one side of the room to allow the girls to have their reunion.
Giyuu meets her gaze directly and smiles.
Two smiles in a row, how curious! Shinobu vaguely muses, also smiling back at him.
Eight months.
She had been in a comatose state for eight months.
That was the first thing Shinobu learned ever since she awoke.
Muzan Kibutsuji is dead.
That was the next thing Shinobu learned. Finally. After so many centuries of deaths and sacrifices.
Her girls told her everything else she needed to know over the next few hours. Chief among them was about how Tanjiro Kamado had been transformed into a demon by Kibutsuji before he died. But thankfully, due to the same drug that turned Nezuko Kamado human again, Tanjiro had been saved from the cruelest (and the most poetically ironic, in Shinobu’s opinion) fate that could ever be bestowed on him.
Shinobu also learned that that was how Kanao lost her right eye. She used Flower Breathing's Vermillion Eye technique to administer the drug to Tanjiro. Shinobu sensed that Kanao had been desperate to turn Tanjiro human again since the only alternative was killing him. While she understood the pragmatism behind the decision to kill Tanjiro in that state, it would have been a great shame considering how pivotal his role in the Corps was. Not to mention that he was a genuinely kind soul.
Speaking of Tanjiro, Shinobu was told that he and Nezuko had finally returned to their hometown. Zenitsu and Inosuke had accompanied them, and all four of them frequently send letters to the Butterfly Estate. Shinobu is glad to know that they are doing well and are trying to find their way in a world that is now free of demons.
She then learned that of the seven Hashiras that went to battle, only she, Giyuu, and Sanemi had survived. She took that news with a heavy heart and spared a solemn moment of silence for her fallen comrades, most especially Gyomei – the man who saved her and Kanae, and Mitsuri – her closest and bubbliest friend.
She also learned that Yushiro, as one of his last favors to the now-disbanded Demon Slayer Corps, had removed the Wisteria poison from her body while she was still comatose. This revelation led to a tense yet honest discussion about her battle plans with her girls, none of whom (save for Kanao) had known. While they were upset and shocked, the girls understood her reasons. Shinobu, while thanking them for understanding, still apologized for making them upset.
Shinobu’s conversation with her girls lasted well into the night. The evening sky is calm and clear beyond her window, with the moon greeting them from above.
Aoi, Naho, Sumi, and Kiyo eventually excused themselves, saying they had to prepare for the next day. After collective affirmations that they are all simply happy that she is now well and alive, the four girls embraced Shinobu again before leaving.
Kanao is the only one left, and Shinobu reaches for her hands. Kanao instantly clasps her older sister’s hands. For a long while, the two sisters just enjoy each other’s company in comfortable silence, simply content with just being close to each other.
“Well, I believe that that was the longest conversation we had,” Shinobu eventually comments, gently gripping her sister's hands. "Though to be fair, we had so much to discuss, especially since I'd been asleep for most of what happened."
Kanao smiles. “Yes, Master.”
Shinobu makes an amused sound. “The Demon Slayer Corps has been disbanded, Kanao. I’m not your Master anymore. I’m just your nee-san now.”
Kanao’s smile widens. “Okay, nee-san.”
Shinobu laughs more openly. “Come here.”
Shinobu beckons Kanao for an embrace, which the latter gladly complies with.
“I love you, Shinobu-nee-san,” Kanao says, her voice quiet and earnest. “I’m so happy that you survived.”
Although still weak from her comatose state, Shinobu manages to hold Kanao tighter.
“I love you too, Kanao. I’m glad that I survived too. I’m glad that we both did.”
When the pair breaks away, Shinobu sees that a tear has leaked from Kanao’s good eye.
“We’ll speak more when the sun rises,” Shinobu says, wiping the stray tear away from her sister’s face. “Get some sleep.”
Kanao nods once with another happy smile before departing. Once left alone, Shinobu leans back against the headboard of her bed.
She allows herself a moment to process all that she had learned. A world without demons. Although that was always the goal, Shinobu didn't think she would live to see it.
A broad smile graces her face. The threat of demons is gone forever. No one else is going to have to suffer the same pain and loss she and countless Corpsmen Slayers had the misfortune of experiencing.
She indulges herself in the feeling of joy that comes with the victory. After so many deaths and sacrifices, the Corps finally finished its mission.
Tears start welling in her eyes when memories of fallen comrades flash in her mind. Her sister, the previous Oyakata-sama and a great number of his family, Himejima, Mitsuri, Tokito, Iguro, Rengoku, and so many other good, brave, and selfless people gave their lives for the cause.
May all of you rest in peace. Your deaths weren’t in vain. I only wish that you could have experienced the world you all helped to bring about.
Shinobu starts weeping, feeling joy, relief, and sorrow all at once.
When her tears finally dry after a long time, another question comes to mind: Now that they’ve accomplished their mission, what’s next?
The thought cuts through the rest of Shinobu’s musings, adding another strange emotion to the mix of feelings she’s experiencing.
“I know that you also want to experience what life after the Demon Slayer Corps is like, Shinobu.”
Kanae’s voice rings in her ears, and Shinobu lets out an amused huff.
As usual, you were right, nee-san. Yet, I have to admit that despite that, I really didn’t think that far ahead.
But now that she’s faced with the reality of life after being a Demon Slayer, Shinobu now has to answer that question. What is next? What should she do now that there are no more demons to exterminate? She knows that she still has her girls to look after and care for. Yet, her entire identity had revolved around the Demon Slayer Corps. She had been training to be a Demon Slayer ever since she was a young child. Ever since she'd learned to wield a sword, she had never thought of anything beyond exterminating as many demons as possible.
“You fought well for the Demon Slayer Corps, Shinobu. Now, it’s time you start living for yourself.”
Kanae’s words again.
But how do I even do that, nee-san? I don’t even know where to start.
Shinobu had dedicated most of her life to eradicating demons. But now that the Corps’ mission is over, what is her purpose now?
The question runs circles in her mind for the rest of the evening until she falls asleep again.
Knock. Knock.
The sound of knocking rouses Shinobu.
The bright morning light briefly dazzles her eyes – the second time since she awoke from her coma.
Blinking the daze away, she groggily calls out. “Yes?”
“Kochou,” a familiar, deep voice answers back. “Can I come in?”
Tomioka-san again?
Feeling more alert, Shinobu carefully pushes herself into a sitting position in bed. She briefly recalls the girls telling her that the now-former Water Hashira had been visiting her bedside every day ever since he awoke from his own coma.
Shinobu files away that information for now, thinking she'll tease him about it later for old times’ sake.
“Come in, Tomioka-san.”
The door swings open, revealing Giyuu Tomioka in the doorway dressed in his signature haori and regular civilian clothing. Shinobu takes a moment to regard him – his expression is as neutral as she has ever seen it, and it makes her wonder whether or not the smiles she saw yesterday were imaginary figments of her recently awoken brain.
Giyuu then turns to his left and kneels. When he rises and faces forward again, Shinobu sees that he knelt to pick up a tray filled with food, tea, and a small stack of letters. Giyuu effortlessly balances the contents in his left hand as he enters the room.
“Should I set this in front of you?” Giyuu asks when he reaches the bed. “Or should I put it on the bedside table?”
A faint pang in Shinobu’s stomach answers for her.
“In front of me, please. I’d like to eat.”
Giyuu nods and carefully places it on her lap for her. Once the tray is set, she sees a few letters next to the bowl of chicken soup.
"Your apprentices wrote to everyone about you waking up," Giyuu states, seeing the questioning look in her eyes. "Tanjiro, Nezuko, and their friends, as well as Uzui, Shinazugawa, and Kiriya-sama, already sent responses."
"I see. Well, I will read these later and reply to them as soon as possible," Shinobu smiles, placing the letters on the bedside table.
Once the letters are safely out of danger of getting dirty, Shinobu stirs her soup. A faint wisp of steam rises as she does so.
As she takes a few sips, she notices Giyuu taking a seat on the same chair he occupied yesterday.
“Can I help you with something, Tomioka-san?” Shinobu asks, a teasing lilt in her voice.
“I’m actually here to help you if you need it,” Giyuu responds plainly. “Your apprentices asked me to tend to you today since they have some tasks to take care of.”
Shinobu laughs lightly before taking another sip of her soup.
“And here I thought that you wanted to spend time with me,” she says, exaggerated disappointment in her voice.
Amidst her teasing, Shinobu lets out a quiet sigh of relief. The familiarity of her interactions with Giyuu gives her an odd sense of normalcy.
Her amusem*nt increases when she sees Giyuu’s mouth noticeably twitch in response to her remark.
“I… actually do,” Giyuu eventually admits. “I wanted to speak with you.”
Shinobu, who had just lifted a spoonful of soup, freezes midway as her brows rise in shock.
The last statement is thoroughly unfamiliar and breaks through the sense of normalcy that had just been established.
Even so, Shinobu doesn't find it unpleasant.
“Ara, ara, the famously quiet Giyuu Tomioka wants to engage me in conversation," Shinobu teases, deciding to see where this goes. She sets her spoon down, the feeling of hunger in her stomach forgotten for now. "How can I let this opportunity pass?"
Deciding that it would be best to speak without any hindrance, Shinobu moves to place the tray on the bedside table next to the letters. When the effort proves to be still too much in her still-weakened state, Giyuu lifts it for her.
"Thank you, dear Tomioka-san," Shinobu says once the tray is out of the way. She leans back against her headboard, slightly anticipating where this conversation will lead. "So, what did you want to speak with me about?"
“About… many things,” Giyuu responds. “But first of all, how are you feeling?”
Shinobu can’t help but smile, amused by the sight of him initiating a conversation.
“Tired,” she answers honestly. “In a way, it’s rather ironic since I’ve been practically asleep for eight months. Yet, considering that my body has been deprived of regular physical activity and regular food, it is to be expected.”
“I understand what you mean,” Giyuu says. “I also felt tired when I woke up from my own coma.”
“Ah, yes,” Shinobu comments. “The girls said you, Tanjiro-kun, and Shinazugawa-san woke up seven months before me. Your physical rehabilitation went well, I take it?”
“It did. We can all move normally now,” Giyuu confirms. “Your apprentices oversaw our rehabilitation. You trained them well.”
Her smile morphs from amused to fond at his remark. “Of course. I was very thorough in training them, and I’m glad to see that you’re in good form… for the most part.”
Shinobu’s smile falters when her eyes drift to his missing right hand.
Giyuu notices and lifts the remnants of his right arm. The sleeve of his haori slides down, revealing a stump at the end of his elbow.
"I lost most of my right arm during the final fight against Kibutsuji," Giyuu says, looking at his shortened limb. "But Urokodaki-sensei trained me to use both arms, so it wasn't difficult for me to get accustomed to using my left hand for daily tasks."
Shinobu looks at the limb in question. From the looks of it, it had been cauterized and treated properly.
“I heard that you and Shinazugawa-san activated your Demon Slayer marks during the battle,” Shinobu comments, deciding to broach that topic. “Well done, even if the activation occurred long after the Hashira training concluded.”
“Even though they were activated belatedly, they were still great sources of power,” Giyuu says, lowering his shortened arm. Once his haori sleeve slides back down, he meets Shinobu’s gaze once more.
“You should know yourself, Kochou. Since you also activated your mark during your fight with the Upper Rank Two.”
Shinobu smiles, feeling a bit bashful. She had expected that this topic would come up at some point.
“Kanao must have told you about that. Yes, I did activate it, and the strength and power it gave me were almost unbelievable. Yet… the way I activated it was rather shameful,” she admits, her smile turning wry.
"You and the rest activated your marks through sheer effort. But I manifested my mark by infecting myself with a deadly virus. When Tokito-san and Mitsuri-san told us that the conditions needed to activate it were a heart rate exceeding 200 beats per minute and a body temperature over 39 degrees Celsius, I instantly knew that those conditions could be recreated by injecting oneself with a potent, fast-acting virus. But I didn't suggest the idea because it was too dangerous for the entirety of the Corps to deliberately make themselves sick. I calculated that its chances of success were low – a great number of our ranks would've died from the virus even before the fight against Kibutsuji and the Kizuki. And they would've died without even activating the mark.”
“And yet you still did it to yourself,” Giyuu says, still meeting her gaze evenly. “It was a gamble, to be sure. But it was a successful gamble.”
"It was," Shinobu acknowledges. "Yet, in a way, it still feels like I cheated. I didn't even join the Hashira training even though I was a Hashira myself," she states, self-derision underlying her tone.
"You were preoccupied with creating the humanization drug. Your non-participation was justified," Giyuu counters easily, his tone firm. "And you didn't cheat – we were at war with demons, Kochou. There are no such things as underhanded tricks when it comes to fighting demons.”
"And besides…" Giyuu trails off, his expression shifting. "Your gamble with the virus was… preferable to your alternate plan with the Wisteria poison.”
Tension suddenly cuts through the air around them at the mention of her original plan.
Of course, this was also bound to come up eventually.
Shinobu's wry smile hardens and harshens, yet she still doesn't look away from Giyuu.
"Of course, Kanao must have told you about that as well. Since it's all out in the open, I might as well be honest about it: it was actually my plan to get eaten by the Upper Rank Two," she says quietly. "It's no secret that I am all but defenseless in my normal state without my speed, agility, and Wisteria poison. While my poison is more than effective against ordinary demons, I knew it likely wouldn't be enough against the Upper Moons. I knew that I'd need a failsafe against them, most especially the one that killed my sister. So, I turned myself into the ultimate poison capsule."
"Kanao was the only one I told before the fighting began," Shinobu explains, feeling a stab of hurt when she recalls how Kanao looked so shocked and pained upon first learning of it. "She was distraught, to be sure. But she accepted it at the end. But I didn't tell her that I also had a different idea in mind."
“The virus,” Giyuu interjects, confident in his conclusion.
Shinobu nods.
"Correct. I didn't tell her because I did not want to give her false hope. As I said, the virus was a gamble from the very start. Yet, even knowing that I still prepared it and loaded it in a syringe that I kept on my person."
At that point, Shinobu shifts her eyes to the sheets beneath her hands, her brows furrowing in contemplation.
"To be honest… I more or less prepared the virus on a whim. My Wisteria poisoning plan was one hundred percent foolproof – any of the Upper Ranks and even Kibutsuji himself wouldn't have been able to withstand over 30 kilograms of Wisteria poison without any severe side effects. So, there were times when I asked myself why I even bothered with the virus when I already had a guaranteed failsafe. There was a chance that I could've died from the virus in the middle of combat. So, in that case, it would've been unnecessary since I’d still end up getting eaten and subsequently poisoning the demon that ate me – which had been my original plan in the first place.”
“I know that you also want to experience what life after the Demon Slayer Corps is like, Shinobu.”
Kanae’s knowing voice rings in her mind again. Yet, Shinobu chooses not to speak about it out loud.
She sneaks a glance at her companion. The corners of Giyuu’s mouth twitch again and for longer, as if he’s struggling to get the right words out.
“The… answer to that may not be clear to you,” he eventually speaks. “But…”
Giyuu pauses, the look in his eyes changing into something lighter.
“… I’m glad that you injected yourself with that virus.”
At that, Shinobu fully turns to look at him again, a softer smile on her lips.
"Well… oddly enough, that has to be the kindest thing you ever said to me so far, Tomioka-san. And since we're on the topic, I'll admit that even though I had doubts about the virus, I'm also glad I took it. After all, it allowed me to finally behead a demon!” she states, deciding to try to lighten the atmosphere.
“Yes, Kanao also told me that,” Giyuu remarks. “Considering that the Demon Slayer Corps has been disbanded, I suppose it was a fitting way for you to end your career as a Slayer.”
Shinobu's eyes widen at his comment. For a moment, she merely stares at him before blinking once.
After another moment, she suddenly laughs.
His statement is so accurate that it seemed so absurd. The fact that she hadn't thought of it that way only makes her laugh even more loudly.
As she laughs, she feels the emotional weight from last night become just a bit lighter.
“Ara, ara! Who knew that Giyuu Tomioka could be so witty?!" Shinobu giggles. "Or wait! Could it be that you're an impostor?! Who are you, and what have you done with the real Tomioka-san?!”
In response, Giyuu just smiles while making an amused sound.
Oh, another smile! Perhaps the other two smiles from yesterday were also real. Shinobu muses amid her laughter. What else happened while I was unconscious?
When her amusem*nt subsides, Shinobu takes a deep breath and leans back against her headboard.
“I must say, the… darker aspects aside, I'm rather enjoying this little chat of ours," Shinobu comments, lips still twitching. "We really should be friends, Tomioka-san."
Despite the changes she’s seen from him, she’s still expecting him to brush her off as he did in the past.
So, Shinobu is caught off-guard when the smile on Giyuu’s face widens subtly, but obviously enough for her to notice. “I’d like that, Kochou.”
Shinobu’s eyes widen in genuine surprise. She takes a few moments to process all the new details she’s observed about her typically distant and reserved former comrade-in-arms.
What exactly happened to this man?
Her mind goes through her observations of him, mulling them over and over.
Shinobu’s train of thought breaks when Giyuu raises a questioning brow at her.
“Is something wrong, Kochou?” he asks, a faint smile still on his lips.
Shinobu blinks at his query, realizing that some time must have passed without her saying anything. She clears her throat before speaking.
“Tomioka-san… I am surprised by the changes in your behavior,” Shinobu states honestly, no longer able to keep quiet about the matter. “They are pleasant changes, but… I have to ask, what brought all of this on?”
Giyuu’s smile fades at her new line of questioning. When he reverts to the neutral and blank expression she has come to know so well, Shinobu briefly wonders if it would have been better for her to have kept quiet after all.
The room is filled with an awkward silence, with Giyuu shifting his eyes to the floor below them. Observing his demeanor, Shinobu senses that he's deep in thought. For a moment, the only things that can be heard are the chirping of birds outside the open window and the faint rustling of leaves.
"When I woke up after the battle with Kibutsuji, I felt… strange," Giyuu says, eventually breaking the quiet. "For a moment, I thought the battle and the Corps' victory were all just a dream. But when I realized that it all happened, I felt a real sense of relief that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Because it meant that it was finally all over.”
Giyuu speaks with a hushed and solemn tone. Even so, the morning sunlight highlights a look of joy in his dark blue eyes. However, that same joy becomes dampened when he resumes speaking.
"Yet, with that joy also came grief. We lost the other Hashiras and countless good men before, during, and after the fight. While we have the right to rejoice in ridding the world of Muzan Kibutsuji and demons, we cannot deny that our victory came with a heavy price."
“No, we definitely cannot," Shinobu concurs gravely. "This victory would not have been possible without the efforts of everyone involved. So, it's a shame that so many of them will never see the new world."
“That it is,” Giyuu nods.
They both lapse into silence again.
"I also realized that now that the Demon Slayer Corps is no more, my life's mission has come to an end," Giyuu says, keeping his eyes on the floor as he resumes the conversation. "Once that realization set in, I started feeling… lost. I spent most of my life fighting to kill demons. But now that no demons are left, what do I do now?"
Shinobu’s eyes widen ever so slightly, feeling somewhat astonished that her ruminations from last night are being replayed right in front of her.
"One day, I was at home when Tanjiro and Nezuko visited me. They were able to coax out my thoughts from me," Giyuu says, smiling a bit. "Tanjiro said that no one could answer that question for me and that I had to find the answer myself. But Nezuko did add that finding the answer would be easier with friends, to which Tanjiro agreed. And…"
Giyuu trails off, lifting his eyes to meet Shinobu’s.
“… I think they’re right.”
“Oh,” Shinobu mutters quietly, speechless at Giyuu’s earnestness. She opens her mouth but closes it a second later. What can she say in response to that?
“Kochou, I know that I brushed off you and several others in the past,” Giyuu says. “And… now that I’ve had time to reflect on it, I realized that you were right: people did dislike me because of my attitude back then.”
Despite the solemness of the conversation, Shinobu cannot stop herself from laughing once more.
"So, he finally realizes and accepts it!" Shinobu chortles, unable to ignore the hilarity of his confession. Has this man always been capable of comedic timing? "I apologize, dear Tomioka-san. But this is too amusing for me!"
Giyuu looks a bit miffed that she’s laughing at his expense, with his right eye twitching slightly. Even so, he eventually cracks a small smile of his own.
“As I was saying…” Giyuu continues when Shinobu has finally calmed down. “I know that I pushed people away even when they had good intentions. The main reason was that I didn’t want any unnecessary attachments that could distract me from the mission. Another reason was that… I didn’t think I deserved attachments at all.”
A dark look briefly flashes over Giyuu's face before disappearing as soon as it appeared. Shinobu wonders what he meant by that last part but decides that she will ask him about it at another time.
“But now that we live in a more peaceful world… I think that it’s now safe and permissible for me to try to make connections. And keeping in mind what Tanjiro and Nezuko said, I’d also like help in finding my new purpose in life.”
“I’d always been distant in the past, but that didn’t stop you from trying to get me to be more open. And to be honest… I always appreciated that. So… if you’re serious about wanting to become friends with me,” Giyuu says, a tinge of hope coloring his eyes. “I really would like to be your friend, Kochou.”
The man before her is a far cry from the cold and distant Water Hashira she once knew. But then again, so many things about their lives have changed. Yet, even so, Shinobu knows that this man is still Giyuu Tomioka. And Giyuu Tomioka has rendered Shinobu speechless for the second time that day.
However, unlike earlier, she now knows what to say to him.
“I would also like that, Tomioka-san. I’d be happy to be your friend!” Shinobu replies, smiling widely. “And I’d be happy to help you find your new purpose…”
Shinobu then trails off, a solemn look entering her purple eyes and her smile shrinking slightly.
“… for as long as you help me look for mine as well.”
Shinobu hadn’t intended to add that last part to her statement. Yet, her companion’s, no, her friend’s earnestness had drawn it out of her.
Giyuu nods, instantly understanding her sentiments.
“Of course, I’ll help you with that, Kochou,” he says, voice sober and sincere. “After all, …”
Giyuu pauses as the corners of his mouth curve upwards to match her smile.
“… that’s what friends are for.”
Shinobu’s smile widens again.
I think this is going to be the start of a good friendship.
