Even if you don't, tomorrow's the execution. Don't you think you should . . .
[he doesn't get the chance to finish when a memory flashes into their minds:
The sun is setting. At the top of the mountain, next to the tree you've climbed countless times to delay training, are you and your master.
After many months of toiling away with nothing to show for it, you've mastered your first and only form in the Breath of Thunder Style. Did those nights of secret practice have anything to do with your success? Even so, you sit on your legs with hunched shoulders and your sword propped against your knee.
Maybe your foster brother is right. Maybe you're just wasting your foster grandfather's time.
"That's all right, Zenitsu. That's good enough for you. If you can master one, that's cause for celebration!" Tucking his peg leg under him, your grandfather drops to one knee and puts his hand on your head. "If you can only do a single thing, hone it to perfection. Hone it to the utmost limit!"
Dejected, you stare down at the ground. It took you so long to get to this point—to achieve the basic of the basics. How can you hone that? Besides, the fact of the matter is this: "Hey, but Gramps . . . Just a little while ago, you were hopping mad. Because Thunder Breathing has six forms, and all I can manage to do is one."
Your grandfather climbs onto his peg leg. He withdraws his hand, forms a fist, and brings it down on your head.
"Do you know how to forge a sword?" he asks as he thumps you on the head again. Then again. And again while you fight back tears with a frown.
You have no idea. Will he keep hitting you? You think you'll cry.
"The thing about swords," your grandfather begins as he thumps you in tandem with his words: "You strike and strike and strike to get rid of impurities and anything you don't need, and to increase the purity of the blade, so a durable sword can be forged."
So that's why he keeps clobbering you day in, day out? Your cheeks grow hot and your fists tremble on your knees. But you're not made of steel, are you? You're living flesh.
In the end, hot tears of shame pour down your face. Here's your grandfather, scaling back his expectations to encourage you to move forward, yet you find yourself teeming with doubt. You're a good-for-nothing who knows only how to cry and run.
That's when your grandfather gets back down on his knee to place a firm hand on your shoulder.
"Zenitsu, perfect it! It's all right to cry. It's all right to run away!" He squeezes your shoulder. "Just don't ever give up!" Your eyes widen. "Just believe. You endured all that hellish training! You'll be rewarded for that without fail!
"Hone it to the utmost limit! Become the most durable blade of all! Hone that one thing to perfection!"
zenitsu blinks as tears well in his eyes anew. that memory again.]
[there's another brief pause as he chews on those words.]
Someone once said that Gramps is an extraordinary person. Even though he'd lost his leg to demons, he didn't retire as a demon slayer and settle for a peaceful life in the countryside. He chose to train me and Bro instead.
[he nods. agni is a lot better at this than he is. his voice trembles as he continues:]
No matter how much I struggled, Gramps never abandoned me. He rescued me from a mountain of debt and he never left me. He said that he'd only abandon me the day I abandoned someone else in need.
Well, who knows? I think I'm a pretty easy to read guy...
[speaking of which!
zenitsu gets a memory. i'm sorry jae because i was nice and put everything in albums for everyone else but i'm on my work laptop and i'm too lazy to lift it up and turn on my home laptop to use photoshop. but this means you get a unique memory!!
it starts from "your role is to serve him" if you scroll down a bit, up to the obvious end of the flashback.]
[a unique memory! one that makes sense with minimal context, yet at the same time provides so little. zenitsu closes and opens his eyes as if blinking away what he's just experienced, then stares at agni.]
For a guy who claims to be easy to read, you're not very forthcoming.
Nothing. Just that you're more thoughtful than you look.
Anyway, thanks for opening the door.
[again. because he's been sniffling and crying on and off all night, thanks to his arm. now agni is free to retire to his room so that they can all (try to) sleep.]
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You don't have to. If not for me, you'd probably be resting by now.
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[he doesn't get the chance to finish when a memory flashes into their minds:
zenitsu blinks as tears well in his eyes anew. that memory again.]
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he's quiet for a few moments after that memory, before he speaks.]
... Need a hug?
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he brings his arm closer. the pause is a bit awkward, but also a little comforting.]
That's all right.
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[...]
Was that your mentor?
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[he glances at the sheathed sword propped against the desk and looks down at his arm.]
I haven't drawn it in a while, though.
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He seemed like a good guy, though.
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Someone once said that Gramps is an extraordinary person. Even though he'd lost his leg to demons, he didn't retire as a demon slayer and settle for a peaceful life in the countryside. He chose to train me and Bro instead.
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No matter how much I struggled, Gramps never abandoned me. He rescued me from a mountain of debt and he never left me. He said that he'd only abandon me the day I abandoned someone else in need.
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Yeah.
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[speaking of which!
zenitsu gets a memory. i'm sorry jae because i was nice and put everything in albums for everyone else but i'm on my work laptop and i'm too lazy to lift it up and turn on my home laptop to use photoshop. but this means you get a unique memory!!
it starts from "your role is to serve him" if you scroll down a bit, up to the obvious end of the flashback.]
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For a guy who claims to be easy to read, you're not very forthcoming.
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Anyway, thanks for opening the door.
[again. because he's been sniffling and crying on and off all night, thanks to his arm. now agni is free to retire to his room so that they can all (try to) sleep.]