Chapter Text
When the right number arrived, all the Hashira gathered at Ubuyashiki Manor to hold a meeting, which they held several times a year considering what events were occurring.
As usual, the first to arrive were Gyomei, Iguro, Sanemi, and Rengoku and Uzui. The rest of the group came in about two or three minutes later, all except Tomioka Giyu.
He wasn't there after ten minutes or forty minutes.
- Tz, where is that damn bastard?! How dare he even be so arrogant that he didn't even come to the meeting! - Shinazugawa was furious. He didn't particularly like the hashira of water, and neither did his friend Obonayu Iguro.
- Ha... Forget it, Shinazugawa, there's nothing to be angry about with that arrogant idiot. It doesn't help anyway," Iguro said, and at the same moment his snake hissed slightly, bowing its head.
The white-haired man only snorted at that, out of the corner of his eye noticing Shinobu looking back at him. She still had the same unfailing smile on her face, but this time she seemed much gloomier.
Noticing that he was also paying attention to her, the corners of her lips lifted slightly and she turned her gaze back to Mitsuri Kanroji, with whom she immediately struck up a conversation.
Now the topic of discussion between the tables was Tomioka and his absence, but that topic immediately faded after five minutes. Tomioka was too secretive, the others knew almost nothing about him, so there was nothing to discuss either.
Their discussions were interrupted by Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who took his time, with the help of his subordinate, to leave the room and sit in his usual seat.
- Hello, my children - he was affectionate, and a slight smile flickered on his face. All the pillars immediately reciprocated their greetings and bowed, and then sat down in the same way.
Each of them explained how their task passed, told about the situation with demons in the settlements, and sometimes added some new information they had heard, found out or elicited.
And then there was a momentary silence, which was broken by Shinobu.
- Oyakata-sama- she bowed her head slightly, and then continued speaking when she realized that he was listening carefully- do you know where Tomioka-sama has disappeared to? He hasn't been to the butterfly mansion in over three weeks, and he missed the obligatory medical inspection of the pillars. He was also supposed to be back from his mission a long time ago, but I haven't seen him yet. I even went to his estate, but he never showed up.
She paused for a moment to catch her breath, then added more quietly.
- What's the matter with him? - and silence again, only this time it was not comfortable and pressing. All those present sat in bewilderment.
The man, on the other hand, remained unchanged and only bowed his head slightly.
- Patience, my children. Soon I hope we'll know, but in the meantime you can talk - and he stopped talking.
- Or maybe he decided to work on some brilliant technique and simply forgot about the time - suggested Uzui, turning his attention to the others.
- Bullshit. He's not that stupid, and I'm almost a hundred percent sure that he just thought we were definitively unworthy of his presence-" Shinazugawa said sarcastically and punched his palm- the arrogant bastard.
- Boys, stop it! He's not as bad as you think. - Mitsuri squealed slightly and looked the most worried of all - Maybe something happened to him, and you're talking about him like that!
Sanemi rolled his eyes and exhaled, looking even more annoyed by all this.
- Don't defend him and accept the fact that he's a bastard. Are you really okay with the way he treats us? - Iguro stared at his comrade disapprovingly because of the tone in which he was addressing Kanroji, but decided to remain silent and nodded, being at his side.
Mitsuri and Tokito were clearly about to reply or say something, but they were interrupted by Shinobu.
- Shinazugawa-san, I think you should stop-" Her face and emotions were the same, but she was more hostile-"He may be quiet, but he's not that bad. After all, you don't know him well enough to have such an affirmative opinion of him.
Now everyone turned their attention to her and Shinazugawa, and it was clear to the stupid one that they were starting to argue and even decided to prevent it, or rather Kyojuro, but he was ignored.
They probably would have continued to argue pointlessly if it were not for the footstomping and reaction of the master. He was agitated, and it was clear that he, too, was concerned about Tomioka's disappearance.
His wife leaned over to him and notified him of the boy's arrival.
- Tanjiro Kamado... glad you came. How did it go? - Everyone immediately turned their attention to the tanjiro with the invariable box behind his back.
Except he wasn't smiling or emotional. More like depressed and scared.
- Yes. The blood that was found beside the gorge was really Tomioka-san's, it matched his scent and something must have happened to him since the ground was slightly pressed and again smells of him, and a little further away we found his haori cloth soaked in blood. Also... There was a familiar smell... I smelled it in my house, the scent of Muzan Kibutsuji, we can assume that they met by chance, or that Muzan deliberately shot Tomioka - Tanjiro looked even worse than before, he was clearly gloomy and holding back his emotions that wanted to burst forth with the last of his strength.
- Now I and some of the fighters will rest and go in search of him. We can only hope that he's still alive"-when he finished his speech, a dead silence surrounded everything.
It was unbearable.
- What the hell?! - Sanemi sprang from his seat, he was truly discouraged and frightened by what he had heard.
And he wasn't the only one who was shaken to the bone.
There was an uproar and the Hashirs were actively trying to figure out how to proceed, even Mitsuri, who was trembling and seemed about to cry bitter tears, was taking part.
And everything stopped as soon as the master uttered a word.
- Thank you, Tanjiro, for taking part in this. That information was a great help to us," the man said.
- Mm-hmm. I couldn't agree more, he's like a father to me - and then the boy walked away hunched over.
Ubuyashiki continued.
- Your missions will be given to you by the crows later, but for now you're free to go. Don't forget to patrol as well," he got up and left.
- Master! Why can't we go help the Kamado child?! Master! - Shinazugawa fought the urge to rush after the head with the last of his strength.
- You should calm down, this is an order and we dare not disobey it. Yeah and it's not reasonable - Iguro was right, but that still didn't dampen the fervor inside Sanemi.
There was nothing left to do but go after them all.
- Wait - that was Shinobu. And once she was behind him-your feigned indifference in front of others is abominable. I know you're dating and your attitude toward him while he's gone is disgusting. That's probably why there's a good chance he'll die like Kanae. That's your karma.
That's it. After saying that, she left.