There is beauty in the night
Of all the people who could have been sent on that mission alongside him, it had to be [Name], Sanemi thought.
Not that the Wind Pillar disliked the woman. Compared to the other Pillars, [Name] was the most tolerable colleague he had beyond Obanai. But there was a certain habit of hers that always tested what little patience Sanemi had for joint missions. Night had already fallen, bringing colder air and a sharpened focus to any unusual sounds as they walked through the forest in search of a demon.
Disappearances had been reported by villagers living nearby. The situation had proved more complicated when none of the Demon Slayers sent before the Pillars had returned. [Name] walked beside Sanemi, easily keeping pace with him. She was the only one between them trying to prevent the mission from falling into complete silence.
“Tell me, Shinazugawa. Isn’t the night beautiful tonight?”
There it was. She had started. He could never understand this thing [Name] had with the night. How could she find beauty in the time of day when those filthy creatures, like the one they were hunting now, prowled to kill and devour innocent people? She might have been one of the most tolerable of the Pillars, but that didn’t stop him from thinking she might be lacking a few mental faculties.
Sanemi ignored her question as he usually did. [Name] always seemed intent on bringing up something about the night whenever they were sent on missions together.
“The moon looks so beautiful tonight, don’t you think?”
“Look at how many stars are up there.”
“It’s like the moon is too shy to show itself tonight.”
Despite all their missions together, Sanemi could never share [Name]’s perspective. To him, the night was nothing but a time marked by blood and death brought by demons. What beauty could there be in that? Sometimes he caught himself staring at the stars and the moon as they shone imposingly in the sky. And still, he couldn’t see even a trace of the beauty his colleague claimed to find in that scene. But [Name] never gave up, no matter how cold his attitude was. She was about to try once more to strike up a conversation, but a sound coming from the trees cut her short.
She reacted instantly, drawing her blade in one swift motion. The cold blue steel gleamed even icier in that moment. Sanemi wasn’t about to just stand by. He reached for his sword’s hilt as something leapt out from the darkest part of the path ahead. A demon with gray skin and razor-sharp claws lunged at them in less than a second—straight at Sanemi, who had yet to draw his weapon.
[Name] stepped in front of the Wind Pillar, striking the demon across the chest to buy him time.
“Are you all right?” she asked without taking her eyes off the creature.
“I don’t need protecting, you hear me?” Sanemi drew his blade just in time to counter the demon’s renewed assault. The wound [Name] had inflicted was already healing. Thin though it was, the demon’s body brimmed with strength. Its sickly gray skin caught the faint moonlight filtering through the leaves, making it look even more grotesque.
Sanemi was ready to end it, ready to slice through its neck the moment it leapt for him. The corners of his mouth curled upward into a nearly frightening grin as he braced himself. But the attack wasn’t aimed at him. The demon pounced on [Name] instead, slamming her to the ground and pinning her by the arms. She struggled fiercely, managing to stab its chest, but the wound was shallow and far from fatal.
Sanemi lunged, but his blade struck nothing but air as the demon sprang back into the shadows, [Name]’s sword still embedded in its body. Sanemi gave chase, but the demon was quick, its retreat accompanied by the rapid, erratic sound of footsteps echoing all around them, circling. This time, Sanemi stood in front of [Name], while she armed herself with a broken tree branch, far from ideal, but better than bare hands. The demon’s footsteps grew unbearably loud, maddening in their rhythm. Then, as suddenly as it began, the noise stopped. Silence. Sanemi tightened his grip on his sword, waiting for the next move.
From the right, the demon lunged again, bursting through the trees straight at him. Sanemi reacted, but not fast enough; the blow knocked him to the ground, rolling gracelessly across the dirt. He cursed under his breath, scrambling to his feet and searching for his sword only to look up at a horrifying sight.[Name] was still fighting with what little she had, and it was going badly. The demon’s claws raked across her chest, staining her uniform with blood. Her legs gave way as her vision darkened, the world fading into a blurred haze.
When the demon turned its attention back to Sanemi, the only thing he felt in his chest was rage. He would kill that demon. He dashed forward, his body moving instinctively into the stance of the Wind Breathing Sixth Form—Roku no kata: Black Wind Mountain Mist. His blade tore through the air, severing the demon’s head in one decisive strike.
Two days later, Sanemi was back home. The disastrous mission had ended, but [Name] had been taken to the Butterfly Mansion. He had heard nothing since. Until the crow arrived. The message carried the news of [Name]’s death.
Sanemi’s eyes lifted to the night sky. The moon was hidden—a night she would have called shy. He still remembered her explanation for why she admired the night so much.
According to her, the night carried its own beauty, a mysterious charm that no bloodthirsty creature could ever tarnish. But even now, Sanemi Shinazugawa still thought it was nonsense. To him, the night remained a time marked only by blood and death. And now, it was more wretched than ever.
Fanfic was also posted here on my profile, but in portuguese!