[ the demon slayer wears an expression of tipsy excitement so commonly worn by an oni like her at the prospect of violence and bloodshed. but that's the way it always is with their kind, isn't it? warped and unbalanced, slayers are maniacs who guard the border of earth and hell, who witness, perhaps daily, the horrors that pour in from the latter.

shuten wears the face of a human when the demon slayer attacks, despite the swift way she twists her body to dodge that sword, shock pulling her expression into a frown. ]

Ugh, touchy! I always underestimate how quickly you want to whip that out...

[ she hops weightlessly onto the balcony railing, knees bent and peering down at the woman like a wooden carving of a dragon under the gables. ]

It'd be such a hassle to fight you now, though. I guess I'll just have to ...

[ her sharp eyes dart to the roof ]

... start from scratch.

[ and her feet follow. she jumps, wind caught under kimono like it were giving her help, and she takes off in a series of leaps. ]