---

---

<sup>The boy demon and the student of the Storm Pillar were now surrounded by a six assailants in their immediate vicinity. The slayer took a stance, his right leg drawing forward with both hands fixed carefully on the handle of his blade. Spring rain began to pour down, the world was mourning this moment, ripples in the koi ponds causing the large fish to splash out from the water. This was indeed a beautiful scene for an execution. But for whom, exactly? The assailants drew closer, they were guised from head to toe in black and more importantly they were silent. Not all of them held katana, some with kama, one with a spear, and one even held a bow with a drawn arrow aimed directly at the swordsman. "Strange." The student thought, his brown hair stuck right above his brow as rain dripped through, eyes glancing between the many enemies. "They're looking at me." He muttered quietly to the demon at his side, which was bound and unable to do even if they were looking at him. "Perhaps they wish to dispose of you first, and then capture me" The boy demon grunted and began to shake his own head, inky black strains of hair falling past his vision.

The eight men stood at the ready, there was hesitation, a respect for the student's skill as if he were someone that should not be take lightly. "Whatever the case, they won't be taking you while I still breathe." The brown-haired student flared his nostrils as he took in deep-deep breaths of oxygen, filling his lungs to their maximum capacity and tensing the rest of his body as he prepared to utilize the training that a pillar had beaten into him over so many years. Veins protruded in his head, and then in his legs, the boy's small black boots dug into the mud below. The eight men reacted to this, those with the katanas and kamas charging in first. Though the moment they moved the boy would smile in response, his crooked teeth showing those who watched that he had felt relief. "First Form: Tenkiame." The student muttered quietly, with a humbling speed and precision his bronze-silver blade was drawn in an instant and he swiftly stepped through the charging men weaving through their poor for and technique to slash at non-vital spots upon their body, to wound them enough to fall to the soaked ground below. The spear-wielder and bowman watched with awe, though they were there for an obvious reason and there was no time to admire a Demon Slayer's swordsmanship. The archer quickly began to fire arrows, skillfully so, aimed for the student's head, torso, these projectiles had the intent to kill. The spearman also showed a degree of skill, atleast in comparison to the katana and kama-wielders from before. Were these simple mercenaries?

The student was struck by an arrow in the left shoulder as he blocked a strike from the spearman. Breath of the Storms was suited for multiple opponents, but definitely not for various ranges of multiple opponents. The student turned to the demon boy and sternly spoke to him as he remained still and silent. "Get to the Estate, wait for me at the entrance!" And obediently the demon stood up and swiftly ran to the entrance of the building, the large wooden doors eerily covered with dust and cobwebs. While the student defending against the remaining two opponents, the demon pressed himself closer to the door. It was silent within such a large, imposing building, was it abandoned or perhaps the denizen within didn't get many visitors often. Another arrow would catch the Demon Slayer's back just puncturing quite deep and allowing a small stream of blood to begin to flow out following the flow of water. He was only a student after all, and while he showed promise he had only just mastered the first form of Breath of Storms. His breathing became heavy, but his eyes narrowed down upon the archer who had continued to make a greater distance from the spearman. Another deep breath was taken, which the spearman reacted to and began to charge towards the student once again in an attempt to interrupt his technique, but the feign had drawn the final melee opponent close enough to have an opening. The student spun towards on his feels to face the spearman in an instant and utilized the same technique that had eliminated the other assailants, a brief swift advance with a drawn blade that equal so swiftly cut through the spearman's chest. Though upon his elimination of the final melee combatant, an arrow would have been fired aimed for the back of the student's head.

Instinctively the demon boy would sprint from the door of the building, leaping towards the arrow and catching it within his mouth. Sharp fangs bit down on the wood snapping it in two and staring aggressively at the archer with glossed amber eyes and predatory slit pupils. "If he won't kill you all, I will." The demon boy spat, backing up defensively towards the wounded Demon Slayer. "Well said! That is exactly what I was waiting to hear!" An incredibly short figure sitting upon the ledge of the River Pillar's estate yelled, his voice cracking as his tone raised. He'd then jump from his position landing square in front of the two, his odachi was hung horizontally at waist height and loosely flopped around with the boy's the movement. The sword was large than him, and it seemed to have weight to the thing too. The archer grunted in defiance, reaching into a black pouch at his side pulling a few small grey spheres and throwing the to the ground. As contact was made with the wet mud, the spheres ruptured and exhumed thick clouds of black smoke. The odachi bearing swordsman rolled his eyes and finally turned on on his heels to face the wounded student and the demon. "Now then- about defecting from the Demon Slayer Corps! How about it, are you interested?" The River Pillar asked the two, a confident toothy smile on the youth's expression.</sup>

---

---

<sup>The grizzled elder pillar stood in a large wooden council room with the other pillars, Kiyoura Saburou, Kikumi Mori, Itoshi Maria, and Fushigi Yuu. The traces of the demon and boy's scent would be noticeable to those with keen senses, and to those with a sharp mind they would notice other signs of evidence. Wet foot prints, traces of hair, threads from the demon's bindings. But what was more important were the reactions of these people who were the very pillars that supported the Demon Slaying Corps, the foundation that kept the very operation afloat. There was tension within the building, the sound of hard rain upon the soft wooden roof lightly audible just enough to break the silence almost melodically. Minatozaki Arashii the master of Breath of Storms and likely to most intimidating looking pillar among those attending glared out among his peers, his short gray hair marred only by the scar marks along his head, he wore an old-fashioned and plain looking black and brown haori, eyes a dull grey to almost give life to his bleak embodiment of his sword style. He was a harsh man, the Storm Pillar Estate ran the policing force of the Demon Slaying Corps known as the Executioner Squadron. They were hand-chosen swordsman that embodied the codes and law, by Arashii's view of course. These men and women were hardly free-willed beings anymore, wishing to simply be used as weapons without will in service to the Storm Pillar.

"I apologize for the short notice of this meeting, but it is of the utmost importance that this gathering is brief. Earlier this evening a student of mine came to this estate with a demon, his strength wasn't even that of a Lower Moon, but still I could smell that the damned thing had at least eaten ten-to-fifteen humans. Of my own mistake I didn't destroy it the moment it entered the premises, my student swore of innocence and wished to seek guidance from one of you on how to handle it without execution. Curious of what lessons he may learn, I dismissed my student to see what your impressions on the matter would be.

And now, the River Pillar whom was in charge of dispersing the Kasugai Crows and overall communication to Ubuyashiki has defected from the Demon Slayer Corps. The only reason I have caught wind of this first is because my student sent me a message from his own crow bearing Tamakawa's signature. The handwriting was unmistakably the little brats, and I should've known he was the traitor- but his ties to the Ubuyashiki made me doubt my own instincts. I have already dispatched my Executioner Squadron whom will undoubtedly track them down, but the River brat is quite strong so I simply asked them to notify me when their location is discovered. Now I assembled your council to discuss what our next steps shall be?"

His words were strained as he bellowed out to the figures who scattered themselves around the room. Each one having their own ideals they lived by, different perspectives and goals, the only thing that united them being their occupation and their status among the corps. Some of them got along, but not all, though few liked Arashii for his borderline immoral training methods. There were even rumors of him hiring his own men and women to the forces of Japan. Likely just rumors but still, the Storm Pillar was an ill-sight to most of those within the Corps in one way or another. At every exit was one of the Storm Pillar's students, sitting with their legs crossed and their head down as if to shut the meeting off from their minds and mentally disassociate from the location entirely. But what's more interesting is the lack of a training facility at the actual estate of the Storm Pillar, simply a large three story building in which only himself and his students could access any floor above the first. Curious entirely to those who were investigative, but that was not the matter in which they meant.</sup>

---

Even though rain poured down on him, the Crane Pillar shuffled around his inner garden. With shears in hand, he pruned the overgrown vines that had taken over his fountain. Pillars rarely had the free time for such trite things. That didn't mean that they couldn't find time, however. Saburou had put forth as much effort as he could into his work. For weeks of skipping out on lunches to work more, he had finally made enough time so that he could dedicate his afternoon to his garden. Of course, life rarely worked out in such simple ways.

"Hey! Hey!" A familiar voice rang out. Oh no. Saburou's mood slightly soured as he looked behind him. A soaked crow hopped across the ground with an incredibly angry crane running after it. After a pained groan from Saburou, he began to yell at the crane. "Taro! Get away from that crow!" The crane suddenly stopped and stared at the garden tending pillar. With a large huff of its chest and flap of its wings, it flew up to Saburou's head in order to scratch at him with its talons. Quickly, Saburou cradled his head in his arms, eating the bird's flurry of swipes with his forearm. With another, disappointed huff, the crane landed back on the ground and hopped back inside of the building.

With that bastard of a crane gone and the crow with message on foot, Saburou let out one last sigh. He knew that he wouldn't be able to get just one day off.

Travelling to the Storm Pillar's estate wasn't an enjoyable experience. Traveling in the middle of a rainstorm was never enjoyable. Still, his duties called for it. Traveling from city areas was, thankfully, considerably easier than those who lived on the outskirts of civilization. Trains ran from station to station, turning what would have been a hours long trek into a single train ride and a brisk walk with an umbrella.

With Sayuri, his disciple, the muddy roads finally came to an end as they approached the large estate. Large and traditional, it was nothing like the city in which they resided in. It probably would have been easier if he had just traveled by himself. Still, what was Sayuri to do if she was alone? Look at the corps' financial records? Haul around spools of fabric in the storage? Tend to his garden? With him finishing up the local investigations, there really wasn't any duty that he could get her to complete. At least, not until tomorrow. Instead, he decided that he would take her along for the ride. It was always good for demon slayers to get a grip on the inner workings of the organization. Maybe even make a few connections along the way.

As always, the estate of the storm pillar was unlike his own. The atmosphere was always too tense for him. The large foreboding building, the ornamental students he kept at each exit, and the general rigidity of it all. Such a place was apt for the head of the executioner squad; not exactly meant for the man who had the responsibility of looking over finance reports, keeping inventory, and allocating resources.

Now at the entrance, Saburou turned to his disciple and spoke to her.

"Sorry, but you have to wait outside in the rain. As much as I would like to show you how some of the pillars operate, I am absolutely certain that the Storm Pillar would be upset at me if I took you inside. Still, it is a good opportunity to meet some demon slayers. You can use my haori to stay warm, if you would like. Sickness is much too common in this weather." Without even waiting for a response, he took off his crane-embroidered haori, handed it to her, then left the umbrella leaning against the wall. While such a gesture was noble, it would be incredibly awkward if she actually didn't want to use his haori. He would have just dumped his worn clothes on his disciple.

Entering the building was even more tense than usual. Something bad happened without a doubt. Once everyone had arrived, the eldest of the pillars spoke of treason and betrayal along with the details behind them. It was always a rough subject. Finally, he asked for their course of action.

"We should be careful in our actions," Saburou interjected. He may have been a pushover, but he was by no means shy. "At such a turbulent time for Japan and our organization, we have to be careful in how we handle this situation. If, by worst case scenario, this is not a mere ideological dispute, then the entire organization might be fractured by our actions. If the numbers of those who align themselves with them are great, then brash action could only lead to another war. In any case, I would seek to open a dialogue in order to understand what has caused this."

---

Evening | Itoshi Estate | with: Jun _@SilverPaw

---

Ah, rain. While usually weather such as this would keep most in doors, the grounds of the Love Pillar's estate were bustling with activity as usual. People dressed in all kinds of garb; yukata, cassocks, haori - uniforms both Eastern and Western - moved about from building to building within the walls of the estate. The health of the members of the Demon Slayer Corps were taken very seriously, and a lot went into keeping them in top shape... though the need for that was slowly coming to an end. The need for demon slayers was coming to and end. It was a good thing.

A tall blonde woman in a habit stood under the eve of the reception house, looking idly out over the estate. She was the estate's owner, and the Love Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps: Maria Itoshi. Something nagged at Maria today, something she couldn't pinpoint. This morning she'd awoken to a bird flying into her window. This afternoon, her teacup had cracked just as she'd brought it to her lips. "Superstition" was not something she would say she believed in, but the country of Japan had a spiritual power to it, and the Lord did work in mysterious ways... perhaps these were an omen of some sort. This strange feeling led Maria to patrol the area, keeping an eye out for anything amiss. Nothing was.

So now she found herself watching over a pair of young recruits as they sparred in the open area between the reception house and the on-site church. The estate did not have a proper training grounds - most students made use of the surrounding landscape to practice - but on days like this when the hearty bustle of people slowed from very busy to only slightly busy, they would use the open space for exercise.

Maria spotted something in the air out of the corner of her eye and glanced up. A Kasugai crow. Maria clicked her tongue, extending an arm for the bird to perch on. As expected, a message was attached to leg.

"Oh, Itoshi-sama! Are you headed on a mission?" One of the young men called, the two having stopped their spar at the appearance of the crow.

"I guess we'll see," Maria responded, opening the scroll to read it. Nothing except the smallest twitch of her eyelid told anyone about the contents of the message. Without looking at either of the students she addressed them, "Go now and fetch Sakai. Quickly." The two men were gone before she looked up.

When they returned with the young woman in question, Maria had donned her uniform over her habit, the bold white kanji on her back comforting. She glanced at the red-headed slayer, taking in her condition before speaking.

"Sakai-chan," the Pillar began, her tone offering no room for arguing, "I'm taking Gerard-kun and going out for a bit. Watch over the estate. Don't let anyone in until I get back unless they're on the verge of death."

She looked over to the two younger slayers behind Sakai. They exchanged worried looks with each other, and it occurred to Maria that perhaps she'd startled them with her sharp tone. Giving the whole group gathered - Sakai included - a small smile she continued, "Not to worry, we'll only be a few hours ♥"

---

Night | Storm Pillar Estate | with: Gerard _@ERode

---

Normally Maria wouldn't have minded a long walk to the elder pillar's estate, but the urgency of his message combined with the unrelenting rain did not make for good walking conditions. Even more so that said walk would have taken days. After locating Gerard and briefly, though vaguely, explaining the situation, she'd called for a carriage. The pair of Christians spent a few hours pulled by horses through the muddy roads before they arrived at the large building. The sister held a hand above her eyes to block the rain as they made their way through the estate's gate and up to the door.

"Gerard," she said, looking up at the large man's face, "Minatozaki-san <<won't want any interruptions. Please wait here.>>" She'd spoken in English to so that there would be no confusion as to what she was asking of him. The thought of the young European bursting in during their meeting and making the veins on the Storm Pillar's head pop out was mildly entertaining, but this wasn't the time for games.

"Practice your Japanese with the others," Maria said over her shoulder as she entered, though it was a suggestion rather than an order. Not that the church representative was under any obligation to follow her orders, but he was a good boy who usually did as asked.

Inside, Maria sat herself down amongst her fellow Pillars and listened intently as the Storm Pillar explained in detail what had happened. It was disconcerting. She hadn't been close to the River Pillar, but such action from him was still surprising. They'd all suspected that there may have been a traitor among them, but she'd hoped it wasn't actually true. She'd kill the demon responsible for this without a doubt.

"I agree with Kiyoura-kun," Maria said, keeping her voice low and calm, "If the River Pillar has truly betrayed us, our response must be swift - but subtle. We must also consider that Tamagawa-kun was coerced somehow. The remaining demons may be taking any number of vile, wicked actions to keep themselves alive a little longer... however foolish that notion is." Merely considering that a demon could have used it's Blood Art for something so devious made the Love Pillar's skin crawl, and though her face and body were the picture of composure, her aura seethed with violent intentions readable to all present.

---

The weather was awful, but everything was still the same. Yes, even while the rain poured, the entire population of the Sea Pillar's estate was still working hard. If anything, the downpour would make them stronger. The lady herself was indifferent to it, though no one could really tell what she was ever thinking, not with the red and white kitsune mask that she was never without. Today, too, she watched over the operations of estate with keen eyes. She had just completed a quick check on those who were injured, as per usual. Now, she walked out of the building, satisfied with what she had seen.

"Eeh, I can't believe Mori-san is still making us train. I'm gonna get sick!"

"That's why we're in the medical area, you idiot."

As the demon slayers passed Kikumi, she spared them a look. "Is there anything wrong?" Even with her face covered, her disappointment was obvious.

"N-not at all, Mori-san," came the stuttered response. The two cast their gaze downwards as they shuffled past her. With one last glance at them, she exited the building, surveying the rest of the estate. Even from there she could see her trainees slacking. It was outstanding to her how so many people could find so many reasons to neglect their training - had they no drive to improve? Was that not the very reason they were there in the first place? Before she could tell any of them off, she was interrupted by an assault on her shoulder by a rather loud bird. She pulled it off of her with a huff, grabbing onto the message on its foot before haphazardly tossing it back into the sky. She never did like those crows.

As for the contents of the message, the other demon slayers could only imagine what it was that caused the Sea Pillar to abandon her previous task so quickly. She rushed around the estate, causing much confusion, whispering hurried instructions to her staff, organising things as fast as she moved around. Her penultimate destination, her own home, was a simple ordeal of getting changed. In a matter of minutes, she emerged in her demon slayer uniform and her signature haori, a gradient of white to pink decorated with waves along the bottom. Then, the moment she dreaded. Finally, it was time to visit her subordinate, Tatsuo Isao. Or, as she liked to call him, a headache that never quite went away.

"I will be away for a few hours." she said bluntly. "Please behave. Please make sure other people behave. Please train. This is all I ask of you. I hope that there will not be any issues in my absence." Her voice was soft, but as always, there was a certain sternness in it. With that said, she turned swiftly and left before he could respond. The Storm Pillar's estate was a fair distance away and she planned to set off straight away. Not to mention that she was in no mood for discussion.

She had made the travel arrangements earlier. A carriage to the nearest place with a station then a train or two. She would have preferred to do a portion of the journey on foot, but time would not allow for that. Despite her mainly indoor trip, she was still drenched by the time she reached the Storm Pillar's estate. Kikumi nodded curtly at the other Pillar's subordinates that had been left outside, emphasising their being stuck in the rain. As the Sea Pillar, she had begrudgingly accepted being soaked as a part of life, but that did not mean she enjoyed it. She was also intensely grateful she had not brought along her own disciple, for she could not imagine him enjoying the rain any more than she was.

After entering, Kikumi reached to turn her mask to the side, though she decided against it. Depending on what was to soon come out, it might be better to keep it on. Regrettably, her face was notorious for spilling out everything she felt clear as day. She slid into her place, glancing around the room, trying to gauge what the other Pillars were thinking. Then the Storm Pillar began to speak.

Upon hearing the bad news, Kikumi clenched her teeth hard. A defected Pillar - much less, the River Pillar. She would not admit it, but she had a soft spot for the boy. And now, to be told this? It was a shock. Perhaps there had been some premonition, that she had foolishly ignored. Even then, to turn traitor in favour of the very creatures they had sworn to kill was absurd. When Kikumi spoke, she tried to maintain her usual tone, which she did with moderate success. It was still a little stiff - though only to the trained ear.

"Subtle, yes, but we must also make sure that this is and remains an isolated incident, she said, putting aside her feelings for the moment, as difficult as it was. "No matter whether he was forced to do this or if he did it willingly, we must take precautions to prevent it in the future as well. If a Pillar can defect, then we must not think it above the other slayers to do the same - even if we must make an example, just this once."

---

The Spirit Pillar Estate scarcely diminished in the presence of rain. The torrent fell upon the mountain, and its garden of trees, and the compound forcefully laid at its base, and for all the world’s trouble and confusion in the midst of a storm, the Estate thrived within it. The men and women of the Corps whose job it was to investigate Demons, they relished in the cover of the heavens, which cloaked and guided their passage to safety. And for those that remained within the bastion of the Spirit Pillar’s Estate, they gave their thanks not to be lost in its downpour, and with their blessing of equal fortune ploughed onwards into their assignments.

Of the dozen Demon Slayers residing within the Estate, only one stood out in the rain: Kankuro, First Wolf of the Spirit Pillar’s scouts. Among the two divisions of Demon Slayers, Wolf and Hummingbird, he could easily be considered him as the strongest in sheer combat prowess. In the center of the courtyard he stood, clutching the Nichirin Magari Yari his master had requested be specially made - a constant, torrent of water pummelling him from above, drenching further his already sodden black buttoned attire of the Corps.

Overlooking him, in the safety of the Estate’s engawa, were two further members of the Corps. Some-ways off to the side, forced to watch and wait for the opportunity to spar with the Wolf, was Hanako Akira, more than obviously unhappy with the conditions and the wait. And nearby, watching the display intently, was the Spirit Pillar herself, Fushigi Yuu, sat cross legged on the wooden floor of the porch - her signature blue, close cut haori fluttering in the wind in rhythm with the black ribbon tied across the sheath of her nearby katana.

”Sixth Form: Ripcurrent,” Kankuro muttered, as his stance shifted with the fall of the rain. In such a storm, his movements had become that much harder to read - his footwork was deft, and abnormally fast, dancing through the pounding rain, barely disturbing the passage of the droplets which cloaked him in a blur of movement. For less than a second, he was in one location, and almost immediately he was gone, culminating after a half dozen repetitions in a killing strike. For the past weeks he and Yuu had been perfecting the technique. The faint traces of a smile on her lips implied that that day was fast approaching.

”That’s good, really fucking good,” Yuu called out, standing from the engawa with a gentle round of applause for her Wolf. Her gaze fell to Akira, prepared to begin the match, at the moment of the sound of squawking. With rapid speed her peripheral vision whipped to the origin of the sound - a drenched, miserable crow, struggling through the wind and rain to the courtyard. The guards surely failed to recognise its flight among the torrent. Spite marring her face, Yuu stepped to the edge of the porch, leaning a bare, tattooed left arm out into the cold for the crow to land upon.

”Son of a…” the disdain on her face was painfully obvious as she read the message, similar to most of her negative emotions, which she wore like badges of honour, ”Kankuro, let Kanami know the old man’s summoned me. And, put the guards on alert, I guess. Akira-chan, you’re coming with me, no questions.”

---

Storm Pillar Estate

---

The journey from Estate to Estate was an extensive one, but most so for those residing in the Spirit Pillar’s Estate. Its seclusion from most of civilisation, a protective measure in place since three generations of Spirit Pillars prior, forced an arduous journey, painful enough by carriage, to the nearest city. Multiple hours of travel by dirt and mud roads, followed by multiple more by train, it was one Yuu had endured a dozen or more times, but one she could never bring herself to be used to.

The Estate over which the old man presided had, for as long as she had attended, rubbed her the wrong way. Three stories worth of architecture, and for all of it she had scarcely seen even the full layout of the first floor. Sending the Hummingbirds in would be a fool’s errand, Yuu understood that. His part of the Corps had been named the Executioner Squadron for a reason, and both sending her men on suicide missions and making enemies were far from in her schedule. Still, the unknowns that lurked within the upper floors of his Estate tugged from within her an unreasonable disdain - the Storm Pillar himself was one of the few she disliked to a lesser degree, but his insistence on secrecy where secrecy was unnecessary brewed a deep seated hatred.

”Right, you’re out here, Akira-chan. Adults only,” Yuu called back to her student, watching the other tag-alongs near the entrance from the corner of her eye. She turned back, arms crossed, to look at the girl. Where Yuu had at one time worn simply her haori, and casual wear for the day that barely covered her arms or torso, she had transitioned to the standard Demon Slayer Corps, black buttoned, full body uniform, drenched to the last thread. Over the top, though, remained her trademark haori as the Spirit Pillar. For a moment she stood, gauging Akira’s attitude, before turning to head in, ”Play nice, don’t make a fucking fool of yourself.”

Entering into the chamber, filled with her fellow Pillars, Yuu was almost consistently the last to arrive. Her judging eyes fell onto each, not searching or considering anything in particular, but merely looking at them, severely, in turn. Yuu disliked them all, on some level. The reasons for each differed, but her years as a Pillar had given birth to a number of poor opinions regarding them - and no doubt, vice versa. They were, however, her colleagues. She could not forget, nor undermine that. She did not have to like them to work with them.

”I’ll have my Hummingbirds change course and help your lot, then. Not really happy about dropping everything to find this asshole, but if we want subtle, I don’t exactly have a sodding choice,” Yuu announced to the other Pillars, once the Storm Pillar finished his tirade. On a certain level, she didn’t care that the River Pillar had defected. He held the title of Pillar, what Demons remained that could take control of him that wouldn’t outright kill him at the first opportunity? So his defection had to have been legitimate, ”But what kind of example do you really expect to set? Demons are going extinct, so all that’s left for us to do is follow suit - capturing and having him Seppuku is just gonna affirm to anyone who wants to defect that we’re the ones in the wrong. If you’re going to kill him anyway, might as well make him a symbol for why the Corps is still fucking necessary.”

---

Sayuri’s day had gone from fantastic to obnoxious and annoying in a matter of a couple hours. Her morning had consisted of her training with Saburou and her own personal training both of which had gone very well despite the fact that Saburou’s had been particularly harsh that day. With him taking the afternoon off for a chance at relaxation she thought she’d take the time to do the same and work take a nap before doing some Full Focus Breathing training later in the day. Unfortunately the call to the Storm Pillars estate cut all those plans short. The nap had been really nice too as she’d found a place where the asshole birds would leave her alone. She was grateful for him telling her to come along however instead of some meaningless task. The trip was as boring as expected and the trek just as wet.

When they reached his estate she was a little annoyed at being dragged all the way to the hyper strict and rigid place and not even being able to observe what was going on. She shrugged it off however considering there would be more pillars coming and they may be bringing their students as well. She smiles as Saburou apologizes to her and hands her his haori. She takes the coat and slips it on gratefully, “Hmm… Now time to find some place to wait for someone else to show up.”

Sayuri moves some distance away from the door and watches the path observing others as they enter the Storm Pillars Estate and waiting for others to approach her first not wanting to bother anyone who didn’t want to be bothered.

"Mmm," was Gerard's only response to Maria's directions.

The summons have been swift, and the matter had to be urgent, but there was no real difference in him being there, compared to just waiting back at the estate for the Sister to summarize the meeting's minutes. Well, no. Something something he was the representative of the Catholic Church and the Vatican, so he sorta had to be there for stuff, huh. Gerard let out a sigh, his gaze lingering towards the dark clouds and the million drops. His first couple of weeks had been quite disheartening, really. No one spoke the King's English, or French, or German, or even Latin, and while some demon slayers were alright, it looked like most of them wanted him to just stay out of the way. The rooms always felt too small to accomodate him, and even he, dim-witted as he was, was beginning to wonder if people wanted to spar with him only because he was the one readily-available individual who had the countenance of their vampires: big, strong, white.

Wasn't really fun, and they didn't do too well for meat and wine here either, the clearer, sharper sake being aromatic and wonderful the first couple of times...until the novelty wore off and he began to thirst for sweeter brews. What man of Gerard's size could sustain himself with rice and fish alone? None, that was what. They were built in the image of God, after all, not the image of cattle. He slapped his stomach, wondering if the accompanying sound was any different from when he first landed upon the shores of this island-nation. Couldn't tell. Maybe he should just stop thinking about it so much.

So he did.

The rain fell hard, splattering against the tiled roof of the Storm Pillar's Estate. There were traces of ruination here, hidden behind a veil of falling water. Standing by the exit behind Maria's back, Gerard marvelled at each individual stream that fell down. Everything was damp, everything was humid, but the coldness was refreshing and the drops were gentle whenever the wind opted to push them towards him. The conversation that they held in the meeting room wasn't so quiet as to be impossible to eavesdrop into, but the content was hard to make out. They were speaking formally, and they were using big words too, at a comfortable, swift pace that made every one of those words melt together into a slurry of vowels. Something about Japan, Pillars, seppuku, and demons. Pillars in Japan committing seppuku once all the demons were slain? Couldn't really agree with that himself. He snuck a glance back towards the assembled Pillars, but none of them looked queasy at the prospect of ritualistic suicide.

Then again, they probably weren't aware that they'd spend an eternity damned to the lake of fire for doing so. Gerard stopped thinking about that too. Pointless speculation and all. Instead, opting to kill some time with conversation, he turned to the demon slayer to the right, a sorta goofy smile on his meaty face.

"Good night," Gerard said, with a shallow bow of his head. "I am Gerard. Good weather, ne?"

---

The intense aura Kuuto exuded was not lessened at all by keeping his eyes closed at this meeting, though suppose he would eventually open his eyes, the piercing gaze would lay all bare, or at least it would feel that way. He sat by the old man, the Storm Pillar Minatozaki Arashi had taken him on as Tsuguko. Or rather, he had delayed to answer until he learned more, though upon learning of the kind of encounters involved with the Pillars, he accepted readily. The relationship between the two was distant, as distant as the length of the sky to the earth. Yet there was a certain level of respect he had for the man, as he did for him. So it seems, the two have similar ways of dealing with things.

The proceedings went apace, involving the Spirit Pillar, Crane Pillar, Love Pillar, and Sea Pillar, he has yet to meet any of them, and the types of characters on display here were... Interesting. The River Pillar was a traitor it seems as Arashi had elucidated. Disgraceful. Added to that a student from this estate had run off with them, protecting a demon. An action he found startlingly common starting out as a demon slayer. The deal was the same as always. Yet, this meeting was called, as it was more than just someone protecting a demon. A Pillar had betrayed them, and that made things complex. The verdict was simple, but the action to take, was not.

He was called to observe, and no more. He was explicitly told not to give his judgement unless he was asked. Observe and learn. That was a majority of what his time here was. Less patient demon slayers would have become sick of it already, but staying here in meditation and training had helped hone his senses further. As he was told already, his skills as a swordsman already surpassed a majority of the corps. There was little he needed to learn in that regard.

For now, he observed the proceedings.

---

---

The forest behind the estate always exuded such a pleasant, fresh scent during rainfalls, though it was true the pathways got muddy. The slippery ground was an inconvenience for some, but Jun thought training in different conditions was essential, which is why she had long sessions throughout the day, varying the location and circumstances as much as was possible while still staying near the estate. She had other, more-or-less self-imposed duties during the day, including helping the injured (which was a good practice in first aid, really), training with those close to the recovery, encouraging her fellow demons slayers (even those that’ve retired from service), showing the guests around, and training with her fellow disciples. Well, training was more of a guilty pleasure for her, especially whenever The Love Pillar oversaw her directly.

Jun was in the middle of chasing after random raindrops with her sword, chaining her Third Form to move from tree to tree (and occasionally descending back to the ground) as she did so. It was perhaps a whimsical but nonetheless a taxing method that built up her stamina. Whenever she chose to unleash any of her other forms, she had to be careful to aim in a way that did not harm the trees (imagined allies) while slashing and skewering the empty spaces or the rain (imagined enemies). Sparring with a relatively unknown person would be better, but since being assigned to Itoshi-sama, she’d got to know the Pillar’s other pupils fairly well. Not to say they did not still train daily and better each other, but Jun sometimes got an itch for variety, for danger. Missions were sometimes a blessing in a way, though she wasn’t fool enough to ever underestimate a true enemy. However, she couldn’t deny the satisfaction in cutting down a demon, especially if they were a challenging opponent.

What stopped her training was an odd, vague sensation. It was similar to when her intuition alerted her to a danger, but not quite that. A frown marring her neutral expression, Sakai sheathed her blood-red, serrated-edged katana, and jumped down to the rain softened, foliage covered forest floor below. She jogged to the estate’s entrance, and was intercepted outside by two young recruits. “Ah, Sakai-san, we were looking for you!”

Jun narrowed her eyes at the pair. “What is it?” she barked out. Couldn’t the man have got to his point without her prompt and without trying to imply she was hard-to-reach so accusingly? Well, she thought with a calming inhale, they are new. No need to berate them. She wasn’t anything resembling nice by nature, but she could put in the effort to be polite, at least.

“Itoshi-sama is looking for you! It seemed urgent,” the male hedged. Jun nodded in thanks, gesturing for the pair to lead her to the Pillar. They did, and the trio reached their destination at a run.

“Master,” Jun greeted her mentor, then listened intently to her directives. “Understood,” she answered curtly, but with a respectful bow. The Love Pillar apparently noticed she’d made the two males behind herself were uneasy – their nerves were practically radiating, and Jun had seen them shifting from foot to foot peripherally in any case – so she offered them all a reassuring smile and softened the blow of the news of potential danger by promising to return shortly. Jun simply nodded once. “Fare well, Itoshi-sama,” she added, watching until the experienced demon slayer departed.

Then, she turned sharply, facing the two recruits. “You two, with me,” she ordered. “Compose yourselves. The possibility of danger stays on a need-to-know basis,” she added as she began moving at a swift walk further into the estate. Jun spoke to the recruits with the full weight of her bequeathed authority, and expected them to follow. They did. Jun traversed the grounds, until she finally found her target – Ebisu Nori.

“Ebisu-kun,” she addressed him, softly but with an underlying urgency. Jun didn’t need to turn her head to realize there were plenty of other people relatively close by.

“Sakai,” the demon slayer replied. Jun’s relationship with Ebisu was lukewarm at best, but he listened attentively to the situation nonetheless.

“So, you best take whoever you trust most, station them around the estate entrance, on the wall walks, and on a roof or two. Perhaps increase the ground patrols until Itoshi-sama returns. I suppose we should inform the members of the Corps that the Pillar is away on urgent business, but if we have any civilians with residence, we’ll have to be careful not to send them in a panic," she summarized.

Ebisu seemed to consider that, then agreed. “Sound suggestions. If it proves necessary, I can organize more shifts later on. And, hmm, let’s say ringing the church bell will be the signal for danger. I’ll inform the others and check up on the guests, can you go ahead of me, and inform the guards already stationed up the walls? I’ll send some more to you as well.”

“Mm-hm, that's all fine,” Jun answered shortly. Ebisu was the better one at diplomacy, so Jun was more than happy to let him deal with what she was sure would be inevitable bouts of stress, rising tensions, and frayed nerves. “Report to me in an hour, two at most,” she instructed, and Ebisu offered a cheeky “Gotcha,” before leaving. As the head of security departed, Jun left as well, taking the two fresh recruits with her to the nearest wall-attached stone staircase. There were a few guards there, some demon slayers, and others well-trained professional guards. Sakai informed them of the situation, then finally stationed herself above the gateway.

Akira had followed her Pillar's instructions obediently, but clearly not happily. No questions? It was always no questions. Whatever it was, it was bad news, unless Fushigi reacted with "son of bitch" to good news, which Akira doubted. Still, Akira had a great deal of respect for Fushigi. Even though she could be a major bitch sometimes, like right now, making her stand out in the rain to fight some Wolf boy or whatever. Still, she wasn't a stiff or a pushover like all the other Pillars.

Then, after all that, it turned out she didn't even get to spar. Now they were doing something else. Perfect.

She tsked and crossed her arms when she was commanded to stay outside. "Fine, Fushigi-san. When have I ever made a fool of myself?" She asked faceciously, knowing that she had, infact, embarrassed herself many many times in one way or the other. Well, whatever bad news they were talking about, Akira was sure she would find out about it eventually. Fushigi had already vanished inside the confines of the building.

Leaning up against the wall, Akira's outfit was not at all appropriate for the weather, which most likely contributed to her abrasive mood (as if she needed any help in that). It was all black, her black hair was tied into a ponytail. Two large bangs hung down either side of her face. She was wearing a sleeveless crop-top and elbow-length fingerless gloves. Baggy, loose pants propped up a stiff belt that circled her bare abdomen. There were two long slits down the thighs of her pants, and they vanished into tall black boots. Grey, black, darker black.

"God, it's miserable out here. I wish they'd hurry up already." She commented aloud to the other students outside rubbing her face and then recrossing her arms.

Boredom, minding numbing boredom was all Tatsuo could feel at this point as he slowly walked through the Estate's training facility, casually passing by groups of Demon Slayer trainees going about their business and gradually bettering their skills. Their hard work and determination would be an inspiring and warming sight to see if it hadn’t gotten old to him around the 50th time he’s seen it. Gets surprisingly dull, especially if he knew most of these kids were gonna end up dead before their second mission. It was a grim thought, but Tatsuo’s sadly accepted that as a fact. He would aid in their training when he has the time to help give them a better chance, but it was mostly up to them. A low sigh escaped Tatsuo as he lazily rested his hand atop his sheath sword and ran a hand through his messy hair, still slightly soaked from the pouring rain outside. Already his day of laziness had been ruined by mother nature, his plans to slink away, drink on the beach and pass out ruined before it even started. Not to mention his hard earned sake had been lost from a close call on the slippery, rocky cliffs.

With a mixture of annoyance and boredom Tatsuo decided if he couldn’t pass out on the beach for the day he’d at least get in a few naps before his so called ‘Master’ found him and nagged his ear off. Tatsuo will acknowledge her strength and the position she’s gained, but other than that she is a royal pain in his ass. Today he was hoping to avoid her and sneak away to have a day to himself, but it seems that mother nature is working with the Sea Pillar and forcing him to cancel his day. A drawn out yawn escaped Tatsuo while he rubbed the back of his neck and entered an empty room used for training, his own personal space where he comes to train or avoid Kikumi when she’s on the prowl. With a small sigh he closed the door and slowly strolled around the room, taking his sheathed sword from his hip and looking around the room with a bored frown. A few racks of wooden swords, dummies, weights and scrolls were along the edge of the room for use. It wasn’t the most luxurious of places, but it was good for a quick nap or two.

Tatsuo glanced out the window to see the nasty storm raging on, continuing to ruin his day. He gave a huff before finding a good enough spot to lay down. As he began to lower himself to the floor he heard the door open and gave a small sigh before rising back to his full height. “Great," he muttered before turning around to see his master, Kikumi, standing in the doorway. Before Tatsuo could defend himself Kikumi spoke first, telling him she’ll be gone for a few hours and instructing him to keep things in order and train. A small frown came to his face as he noticed she was in a bit of a hurry and went to question her, but before he could she simply turned and left without another word. “Wha-wait! What’s going...on?” he let out a heavy groan and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Well, there goes my day of well earned rest and relaxation,” he complained before strapping his sheathed sword to his hip and reluctantly leaving the training room.

He could honestly ditch her request and sleep in peace like he usually does, but something felt a bit odd about this sudden outing of Kikumi’s. If something was brewing it may be a better idea to be prepared. So he might as well take up her usual duties of keeping an eye on the recruits and keeping order. Besides, at least he wouldn’t have to get an earful of Kikumi’s nagging when she gets back. Who knows, maybe he can find something to spice things up and make this day actually interesting.

---

Multiple sets of footsteps echoed through the woods, each step blending in with the surrounding rain. Strolling along the rear of the group, the river pillar confidently looked ahead; in the middle, the demon boy walked next to the student who held onto his shoulder as if it were about to fall off; and in the front was Kiyori, her cautious eyes scanning the perimeter for any threats.

For a while, not a word was spoken, and the only noise protruding through the rain were the strained breaths of the injured student. Wiping off some raindrops from her forehead, Kiyori peered into the distance, though her focus was split between the road ahead, and her back.

“Your breathing is heavy. Does it hurt?” Kiyori softly asked.

“I’m fine, just keep your eyes on the road.” He spoke before releasing a painful cough.

“I don’t buy it, all this rain is keeping your wounds from closing-”

“I said I’m fine.” The student harshly interrupted the demon. Looking at the hand that was supporting his shoulder, he observed the blood on it slowly being washed away by the rain.

“Suit yourself,” Kiyori stated. “Once you collapse, your friend can carry you.” As she continued to walk down the road, she rested her left hand on her blade. It hadn’t completely sunk in yet, but they were truly on the run. Even when she had to stay hidden in the estate, it never felt like a prison; if anything, it was a safe haven from the prejudice and hate that so many harbored against her. But now it caught up with her.

Releasing a deep sigh, her lungs filled the air with warm vapor that dissipated quickly into the rain as she followed it up until her eyes rested on the luminescent moon. As the sound of thunder loomed in the distance, she could only ponder on how pretty the night sky could be.

Tragically, Gerard's attempt at some friendly chatter was simply ignored, the big man left hanging as the rain cleared. Disappointing, but well, this sort of attitude was something he had grown accustomed to over the weeks in the Far East. The raised voices sounded, everyone having split opinions that he wasn't certain how to decipher, especially not when they spoke in such an animated manner. God willing though, no one would be killing themselves tonight, or any other night, and if the Storm Pillar could heed the wisdom of Maria, that'd be even better.

A hefty stomp sounded from up above, and Gerard immediately turned, sensing an end to the meeting. As the students of the Storm Pillar graciously opened up the doors, he strode right on in, smiling at them for being so polite. Ducking his head under yet another too-low doorframe, he nodded a couple of times to the Pillars he recognized, Kikumi of the Sea and Saburou of the Crane, before heading over to Maria. "<<Quick meeting, wasn't it? Just an update on something, Sister Maria?>>"
@Yankee

---

Night | Storm Pillar Estate | with: Gerard _@ERode

---

Maria listened politely as the other two pillars said their piece, though she felt a head ache begin to surface when the Spirit Pillar opened her mouth. This wasn't unusual, it had some to the point that Maria almost expected to leave such meetings with a dull pain in her temple from listening to the young woman's foul mouth - and worse, if she and the Storm Pillar got into a shouting match. Speaking of, as the elder man was wrapping up the meeting, the Sister swiftly stood to leave before it completely erupted into an argument between them. She nodded to Arashii as he tasked each of them with certain duties.

"With pleasure," she replied softly. Oh yes, she and her group would continue to flush out and exterminate demonkind with zeal. What the Storm Pillar said was true, if there were another demon that could spawn more of their ilk... if they couldn't root it out... No, such thoughts were useless. Humans would eventually prevail, there was no other option.

As the slayers under the Storm Pillar stood, Maria took this chance to look over them - and the room's other occupants as well - once more. Though she chose to believe in the good in people, anyone of them could be a traitor, willing or otherwise. The River Pillar's public defection could serve as a diversion for spies to move about during the chaos, especially considering the situation with the kasugai crows would take a few days to get under control. Though she studied them, she didn't come to any conclusion. Really, they looked the same as ever - little more than human dolls. It was a shame. Her eyes made their way over to the Storm Pillar's young tsuguko. The boy was shaping up to be just the same as Arashii. Also a shame. Though there was time yet, and the current situation would prove more than anything what kind of leader he may become.

"I will take my leave, then. Send word if you have need of me ♥" the sister told the room at large, making a short and shallow bow and going to the door. She as she did so, her large companion walked in. Her eyes flickered from his face to his feet, where his outdoor shoes were still clearly on. Really not making any friends, huh Gerard?

"Something like that, yes," she told him in Japanese, taking care to speak a little more slowly than she normally would. She moved past him and stood under the overhang, smiling at the gathered slayers outside. She glanced back at Gerard and spoke. "We have a long trek back, I will explain everything in detail on the way." After a beat she said, in English, "<<Since you came inside, make sure to greet the master of the house~♥ It's only polite.>>"

She left Gerard to do just that, walking to the other end of the eve and holding her arm out into the rain. After a few moments, her personal crow alighted onto it. She took the scroll reel attached to it's leg jotting down a message intended to reach her estate far faster than she herself would. As she wrote, she thought again of the other pillars. Her feelings about Arashii and Yuu were clear to all, and though she wasn't particularly fond of either one, she would never think them as traitors to their cause - but then again, she hadn't considered Tamagawa capable of it either. If anything, she figured that Kikumi was the most likely of any of them to betray the Corps, what with the mask she always wore and her tendency to avoid the sister.

She sighed and rolled the message up, letting the crow fly off.

---

Night | Itoshi Estate | Message for: Jun _@SilverPaw

---

The beef up in security had some staff and residents of the estate worried, but for the most part this remained unchanged. Little whispers between low ranking slayers were mostly about Jun's bossiness while the estate's master was away, as per usual. They knew she did a good job of things on top of being a talented slayer, but most of them had heard stories or had personal experience with the Breath of Flames user that was less than pleasant. Some were simply rubbed the wrong way by her arrogance, but it was a well earned arrogance.

One such person who didn't quite care for Jun was the former tsuguko of the estate, who approached the gate and looked up at Jun. The rain didn't seem to bother her as she called up to the other girl, her voice barely carrying above the rain.

"What's going on, Sakai?" Aiko's lack of honorific was not from familiarity, a fact they both knew. "The foreigners are getting worried." Aiko's eyes were then drawn away from Jun's face to some spot behind it, as she spied a crow making it's way straight for the redhead. The young woman sighed and crossed her arms, correctly assuming the Love Pillar had sent word to Jun. The crow squawked loudly, flapping it's wings around Jun's face before perching and sticking it's leg out. The bird looked miserable and like it wanted to get this message thing over with as quickly as possible.


The Love Pillar did not take into account the red headed woman's knowledge of the good book or lack thereof, but there were plenty of places in the estate she could decipher the message's meaning if needed.

The Love Pillar was one of the first one's out of the meeting, and Akira tried to listen in on their conversation. Unfortunately Sister Mariah was content with discussing it far away from prying ears, and they even switched to English from the sound of it. Great. Gerard seemed happy enough to enjoy his 'good weather' anyway.

Once Fushigi had exited the building, her student was quick to harass her. She wanted to know why they had all been dragged out here, afterall. "So, what was that all about?" Akira asked impatiently. "Is something wrong? It sounded like something was wrong." She continued, placing one hand on her hip. Like she was some kind of master detective. News was kind of scarce these days, and Akira was clearly raring for some action. It helped that she had heard the hint of a raised voice. Maybe something exciting was finally going to happen- more than just waiting to spar with some other random guy in the humid rain.

---

---

Jun felt like she was getting drenched more thoroughly now that she was standing out in the open than she had been when training under the partial cover of trees. On the plus side, the mud’s getting washed out of my uniform practically on its own, she thought with a snarky twist of her lips. She’d still have to wash the uniform later, but thankfully, she’d chosen not to wear the flame-patterned haori Intarou-san had gifted her years ago. No, that worn but well-loved piece of clothing was something she reserved for official missions. She was attached enough to the haori that she’d rather not risk it in practice, never mind if it made her look vain. The opinions of those below her or those jealous of her rarely mattered, after all, and were hardly more than a pesky little annoyance at best.

Speaking of, there was Fukutomi. The former tsuguko, and a person Jun could admit – if only to herself – had quite the admirable strength of character. Yet, they did not get along. At all. The girl was just so soft, so needlessly kind, caring far too much for her line of work. Jun had seen her with patients on occasion, and that soothing attitude gave her the creeps, made Fukutomi seem almost condescending. Jun was aware enough to realize that was a skewed perception, but was there really any comfort at being spoken to as if a child? How encouraging could it be, really, to get pandered by some stranger when one was recovering from a loss and injury at a demon’s hands? Personally, Jun preferred a strict no-nonsense attitude in her healers. A hatefully spiteful part of her thought that now, in the state Fukutomi was, mothering others was all she had left going for her.

But really, that was not even close to the main issue. Fukutomi was perfectly fine insulting her straight to her face. Jun could tolerate Ebisu not using an honorific – not because they were particularly close, but because the lad had begun doing so after Fukutomi, as a sort of a poor but well-intentioned joke. Ebisu’s goal with it had been to needle both Fukutomi and herself, the former in a sort of “Hey, hey, weirdly aggressive of you,” manner and the latter because he thought Jun needed to “Loosen up already!”. In fact, Ebisu had said exactly that at one point, and since then, referring to her as simply Sakai was a habit for him. (Also, she kept on calling him Ebisu-kun despite him having insisted multiple times that she could forgo the honorifics with him as well; he was just a casual sort of guy, but Jun pointedly kept the kun for petty revenge.) Jun had learned that ignoring Ebisu’s quirks worked best with him, but for Fukutomi…

For Fukutomi, Jun plastered on an especially smug smirk, and looked down at her in supreme satisfaction. “Tough,” she drawled, truthfully not particularly concerned if the guests were getting antsy. “The Master’s out,” she stated, just as a wretchedly wet messenger crow flapped its way to her. Jun extended her left arm out for the poor creature to perch on it, and took the message from its claws. Jun glanced at the missive swiftly, sighed, took a short moment to memorize the contents, then stored it inside her uniform. “Well, looks like Itoshi-sama is returning in a few hours. You can get all the details then,” her tone was still needlessly sarcastic, but Jun hadn't asked Fukutomi to come bother her, had she?

That said, Jun strolled away from the gate, going along the wall walk and notifying the guards still stationed there to keep a lookout while she was gone, petting the crow all the while. She rather liked the messenger birds, as long as they didn’t get too cheeky, and cooed to it near-silently. “Let’s get you inside to dry a bit, huh? Or were you ordered to return already?” The crow cawed at her scratchily, but reluctantly inched closer by traversing her arm from elbow to shoulder. Jun gave the animal another pat on the head, then dropped her left arm to her side, the crow getting a ride on her shoulder. When Jun made it down from the wall, she approached the mildly sulking Fukutomi. “Based on the hints in the letter, you should probably get ready for more unrest,” she offered in a murmur, now mostly serious rather than antagonistic. That really was all she could offer to the ex-tsuguko, though, so she departed for the library.

Finding a Bible was simple enough. Deciphering the message on the other hand…Jun sighed once again, though she’d finally managed to find all the necessary passages after what was a frustratingly long search. She’d never even touched the foreign holy book before that, so it was understandable. Jun was also traditional enough that having to familiarize herself with what she considered some odd, new, foreign religion was rather distasteful. It was a clever method of encryption, she had to admit. With such a dire message, however, Jun could neither admire the cleverness of her master nor lament the fact that she’d had to rifle through the Bible like a maniac.


Taken together, it meant that the River pillar himself betrayed them. The why was unknown. Probably something to do with demons…had he faced one so strong that he’d been charmed to their side and kept alive for unknown purposes? Or was it something else entirely? Jun supposed she’d have to wait for her Master to enlighten her on that note. That last line though…Did Itoshi-sama really think that Jun could turn traitor too? The idea rankled her to the core, but there wasn’t much she could do with the feeling.

Tsking, Jun crumpled the message, threw it into the fireplace, and watched it burn. She stared into the fire, letting her clothes and body get warmed by its heat. The crow had also settled close to the warmth, but Jun was too preoccupied by her thought to pay the bird attention any longer. Had the meeting been called to decide what to do with the Rivar Pillar? Would they have to chase down and kill someone who used to be a fellow demon slayer? Would they have to wage war not only against the demons but fellow humans as well? Jun shook her head of the thoughts, and headed back outside to guard the gate until Itoshi-sama returned. Her Master would tell her what they had to do, as always, so Jun didn’t have to try and think so hard on her own.

In the end, though, Jun knew that she wouldn’t be bothered as much as she perhaps should be, even if she had to go after a former ally with killing intent. She certainly remembered being firmly taught that her swordsmanship and breathing techniques were meant to be used only against demons, never humans, but what if human breath-user went against them? Was she supposed to just roll over and die? Hell no. If the Pillar, the still human Pillar, was now an enemy, she couldn’t afford to hesitate if she ever faced him in combat.

---

"Kill him? No, I never," Kikumi muttered after Fushigi spoke, but only really to herself. That was all she said for the remainder of the meeting.

The Storm Pillar was no different to usual. Kikumi didn't dislike him, per se, she agreed with a lot of his sentiments, but his personality and actions did not always sit well with her. Even though he was the same position as the other Pillars, he was still throwing orders at them. Nevertheless, Kikumi would do as he asked. It was not a bad order. Besides, no one had said anything about her conducting a little personal business on the side.

Kikumi kept a close eye on the Storm Pillar's students throughout, especially his Tsuguko. It made her uneasy that he was allowed to keep his subordinates inside yet the other Pillars had left theirs outside. It almost made her wish that she had brought Tatsuo with her. Almost. It didn't seem like they were doing anything, but their presence was unsettling.

Then the meeting was over. Kikumi gave Arashii and the other Pillars one last nod before she made her exit, eyeing the Tsuguko and casting a pitiful look to those who had been forced to wait outside. It was still raining, and she had no doubt that she would be thoroughly soaked once again.

From there, she began her journey to her estate. There was no need to send a message beforehand. She had nothing to say that couldn't wait an hour longer. She wanted to be there to deliver the news, so that she could sort everything out at the same time. How exactly she would do that was up for question. Kikumi boarded the train in silence, but the inner workings of her mind were deafening.

---

At the Sea Pillar's estate, it was quiet. Quieter than it had been earlier, at any rate. The light chatter and the sound of metal against metal accompanied the waves crashing on the beach, and even so late, the estate was very much alive. Many greeted Kikumi when she entered the estate once more. Kikumi did not spare any of them so much as a 'good evening'. Less from disrespect, and more from being oddly distracted.

As she had previously, she went around the estate to give new orders to all of her staff. Perhaps it would not be a bad idea to transfer some of the higher management to someone else, but Kikumi couldn't trust anyone else to do it correctly. There was a comfort to be found in her current routine, as well as the fact that this way she would have full knowledge of exactly everything everyone was supposed to do.

At the end of her familiar circuit of the estate was Tatsuo. A strategic decision, because in this way she was not wasting time she could use on other parts of the estate berating him. She burst into the training room. Her student truly though that he could hide from her in there, but she always knew where he was.

(She had enlisted someone else to keep an eye on him. She was a busy woman, after all.)

"Listen to me! There is no more time for lying around. Now, you-" Kikumi started, voice raised. But she cut herself off. She was talking to air and a rack of weapons. Kikumi blinked, and looked around once more. "You... are not here."

Feeling a little embarrassed, she left. Yet, she was confused. He must've discovered a new hiding spot. Now she had to find that, on top of everything else that had been thrown on her in the last hour. Kikumi cursed to herself, making her way down to where her students were training. At times like these, a good spar would help her to stay together.

No words could express the surprise she felt when she passed Tatsuo on her way there, doing exactly as she had asked. It was beginning to feel like she only gave him instructions out of necessity, rather than expecting him to actually follow them. Kikumi smiled slightly.

"I see you're following instructions," she said, sounding pleased, as if she hadn't been about to shout at him a few minutes ago. "It had better continue this way. We will be needing it."

All of the positivity in her voice vanished, returning to her usual serious tone. Kikumi leaned in, adjusting her mask, before speaking in a low voice only Tatsuo could hear. "Listen to me, because I will not repeat myself. The River Pillar is a traitor. We have been instructed to take on more students. This means more work from all of us. Do you understand?" Despite asking for approval and the severity of what she had just said, Kikumi continued without a pause. "That is not all. Keep an eye on those who seem like they would defect. Report anyone suspicious to me. We must make sure that the Demon Slaying Corps remains as one. Do not disappoint me."

---

Each of the pillars had their own philosophy. The general consensus was that the River Pillar needed to answer for his crimes. Out of all of them, Saburou's own answer was the softest. Still, he was outnumbered by the rest of them. They weren't wrong; swiftly dealing with traitors had a chilling effect on betrayal. Even if he had good reason to, the River Pillar still took action against the Demon Slayer Corps. He would need to face retribution for what he had done. What worried Saburou was why. People weren't stupid. For a pillar to defect, they would need an extremely strong reason. Historically, a handful of demon slayers became demons in order to gain more power. Was that really it? It couldn't be... Muzan was dead. Demons were in their last throes. The prospect of this being larger than a simple traitor scared him.

They had all been delegated to their duties by the Storm Pillar. They really didn't have any say in it, really? Saburou was to ensure the supplies were safe. Well, he wouldn't disagree to such a duty.

"Sir." His simple response came with a nod of affirmation. He wanted to make it quick. The Storm Estate was a disheartening place to be. "Well, it was nice seeing you all again. It is unfortunate that we are unable to meet under better circumstances." After that, the Love Pillar and Sea Pillar left. Saburou was the third out, taking a breath of fresh air once he left that tense building.

"We shall depart," he told Sayuri. He grabbed his umbrella and opened it underneath the canopy. He had a bit of a foul look on his face. He didn't even ask for his haori back. He just began the trip to his estate, his mind trying to unravel what was going on.

---

The train back was on time. Thankfully, the two of them made it back home before the last train. Upon reaching his Estate, he called for handful of remaining workers. He asked them to, before they left, gather the financial reports under the River Estate. Every single copy that was made. The master supply routes were kept safely in his office, away from the eyes of anyone who could leak them. Still, the other pillars each knew a few that pertained to them. It was pertinent that none of them were to be halted. He turned back to Sayuri.

"A pillar had betrayed the organization. The details of why are still unbeknownst to us, but it is a very serious event. Most likely, you will be audited by the Storm Pillar at some point." The look on his face was more sad than usual. "For now, get some rest. Training will continue tomorrow."

It was going to be a long night.

---

The river pillar spoke again, but his words were harsh and insensitive. uncomfortably glancing at her master as he joked about what she considered taboo, she felt like responding at all would be a mistake. For as long as she's known him, he had these quips of immaturity, but considering the gravity of the situation, there was the expectation that he would act the part at least somewhat; it would go a long way to convince and inspire the new recruits.

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the student responded less then kindly, sending all sorts of shade towards her master; not even the now named Kuchizaki could calm his agitation. Kiyori always felt this aura around Tamagawa, like he wasn’t susceptible to outside opinions and his unbiased thoughts could flow freely; it made him feel invincible. Not Kiyori though, every time the student opened his mouth to insult her master, more and more blood shot to her head until the veins started showing.

She knew how it looked from an outside perspective, and she understood why the boy lashed out like he did. If you had just betrayed your friends and family for a cause that might get you killed, of course you would want that cause to support you, tell you that it wasn’t a mistake. It was exactly for that reason that Kiyori swallowed her feelings and kept walking, or so she would if he hadn't…

“How about you?” Kiyori’s words echoed from the front of the group. As Kiyori turned her head sideways to pierce her vibrant cat-slit eyes into the students' she could feel her blood boiling hot. “Forgive me if I am wrong, but I would almost believe you aren’t fully committed to this new life you’ve chosen; with the way you talk about your master you sound like you respect his opinion. So I wonder, what would he think if he heard that his precious student had betrayed him.” Although she returned her eyes on the road and hidden from her peers, the spite behind her words were obvious to any man with ears.

“Don’t judge master Tamagawa by just his flaws, I know the Ubuyashiki do not.”