The Cry of Cicadas - Shinobu's Resolve! (II)

The buzz of insects intensified as Kai saw Shinobu's stinger-shaped sword glow with dense purple color, and shake like the flutter of the cicadas' wings.

The fire dragon roared, it's rush unstoppable.

Outstretching its claws and opening its mouth, it arrived, hoping to turn Kai to ash.

Her sword met it first, like a wooden stick against a waterfall.

Boom!

Cough-Cough!!

Shinobu got lifted off her feet, and her petite figure got slammed into Kai's chest, both vomiting out blood on the spot. Yet, Kai managed to keep his feet on the ground somehow.

Gaining her chance, Shinobu attacked with dozens of stinging strikes at the underside of the fire dragon's jaw.

Her speed was so great that Kai only saw around 10 out of who knew how many strikes.

The power behind the dragon's rush was great, but under Shinobu's meticulous control, it all got redirected upwards.

Roar!

The dragon flew towards the starlit sky, roaring, coiling, and burning everything.

With a dazzling boom, it exploded several hundred feet up in the air, portraying a great picturesque festival-like event.

On the broken, scorched ground, littered with shattered rocks and blood, both Kai and Shinobu panted, one deader than the other.

In front of them, Rengoku walked, approaching them with large, prideful strides.

The point of his scimitar-shaped sword was dragging over the earth, leaving behind a trail of fire.

"Explain!" he roared.

Shinobu giggled, her voice weak and gentle. "The night is so bright, Rengoku-san," she said. Her sword was still buzzing, propped up in defense, and her back was almost pressing into Kai's chest as if both of them were glued to each other.

Kai could feel her heartbeat. It was slow, but not weak.

And her hair smelled of life; of victory.

"Shinobu Kocho!" the Flame Hashira shouted, pointing his sword at Kai. "He's a demon! How dare you defend him?! You… of all…"

The Insect Hashira shook her head. "I am not defending a demon, Rengoku-san," she told him, breathing brokenly. "I am defending hope. My heart was conflicted as well in the last few days. Not anymore.

"We, of all, must not judge by appearance. With his powers, he could've killed me off already. But I'm still alive. He has his reasons, and… I believe him."

"Believe…" the Flame Hashira repeated the word, bringing down his sword. "What if your belief wouldn't be enough?! What if he were to kill humans?! And what if he is just a pawn?! What about Nezuko?! Will you take responsibility for everything?!!"

His words were fire, burning the crux of the situation.

No matter what Shinobu believed, Kai could very well be a pawn of the King of Demons, Muzan Kibutsuji.

The two Hashiras went silent, one on the verge of exploding, and the other about to fall, losing consciousness.

"I will." Her voice echoed like a summer's call. "I will kill him if all that you said were to come true. I will bring back Nezuko, too. I will do my duty as Hashira, Rengoku-san. I am Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho."

"Very well." The eccentric Flame Hashira let out just two words before turning around and walking away.

After nearing the river, Rengoku slashed upwards.

Roarrrrrr!

An even more majestic dragon came roaring out, boiling the river under it.

The Flame Hashira jumped, landing over the dragon's head, as the fiery creature swooped low before taking it to the air.

In only a few dozen seconds, the dragon had crossed miles, becoming the flicker of a distant candle against the full moon rising above the horizon

What the?! Kai gazed at the scene with an open mouth, recalling the strange personality of the Flame Hashira.

The bout of weakness burst out of nowhere.

Kai's knees buckled, and he fell back, his remaining limbs refusing to answer his call.

A hand on his back prevented his head from banging against the ground.

Shinobu lifted him, putting his numb left hand across her shoulders.

"You didn't have to do that," he said, looking ashamed. "I was ready to…"

"… die?" she asked, completing his words, her face pale and blood running down her chin. "It's so easy to die. But it takes courage to live. Also, if you had died, who else would have sung to me?"

Kai looked at her, their eyes matching under the open sky, and a field of fire burning behind them. Even with her paleness, her cheeks gained a rosy color.

And then they both burst out with a meek feat of laughter.

"You can let out Nezuko," Kai said, smiling, and once again gambling, "but don't let her go over 100 meters away from me. There's a blood connection between us now. If she were to go out of 100 meters' limit, all my life's work would go down the drain."

Shinobu observed the gentle smile on his face, which meant to say take her away if you would like. He won't stop her.

Somehow, the Insect Hashira nodded.

The moment their feet touched the pile of straw on the floor, both fell together.

Kai could feel her hot breath on his face; they were so close.

The darkest sleep was trying to kiss his eyes, but Kai persisted, turning his head to take one last look at his prize.

She was looking at him with her faded purple eyes, silver rays of the moon falling on her face along with the red shadow of fire through the open door.

Kai opened his mouth, and words melted on his tongue like snow.

…

I loved a maid as white as winter,

with moonlight in her hair.

…

Shinobu closed her tired eyes and then opened them again.

And then she lifted her sword, bringing its hilt between their faces. With one flick, a hidden mechanism opened a tiny compartment on the hilt.

Kai was already floating half in the realm of dreams and nightmares and half in the waking.

So the moment he saw a red capsule falling out of the compartment, his pupils widened under his drooping eyelids.

She… never took the HP Capsule?! She… How did she…

Kai failed to think properly for a moment. It went against everything he had thought before.

"You…" Kai had just opened his mouth when Shinobu forced the red capsule into it and then took out a needle, stabbing it in his neck.

All strength must have left her too, for her hand fell on Kai's cheek lifelessly.

They looked at each other, one in shocking, admiring amazement and the other with a gentle smile.

Sleep snatched away their last remaining sense, their hearts skipping a beat in resonance.

**************

AN: The red capsule is the same one that Kai gave it to her, if you haven't figured it out.

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