Scene 1 – Rehabilitation Training Begins (Dark Version)
The Butterfly Estate looks peaceful in the late afternoon—
too peaceful.
Sunlight filters through the windows, warm and golden…
but the halls feel quiet in an unnatural way, like the calm before a storm.
Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke lie on futons.
Their bandages smell of blood and medicine.
Outside in the courtyard, Sans and Papyrus examine the training posts.
Papyrus stretches dramatically.
"AT LAST! WE SHALL TRAIN TO BECOME EVEN GREATER HEROES!"
Sans tilts his head.
"Yeah… something like that. Just hope this place doesn't bite back."
A soft voice floats from the porch.
Shinobu Kocho stands there, smiling as always
—but her eyes have an edge that doesn't match the gentle smile.
"I'm glad you're ready," she says.
"Rehabilitation training is meant to build stamina, discipline… and pain tolerance."
Papyrus salutes.
"PAIN IS NO MATCH FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"
Sans mutters, "sounds like famous last words."
Shinobu hands Sans a pair of weighted sandals.
Heavy enough that the ground cracks slightly when he holds them.
"They'll help you… shed your laziness."
Sans stares at the sandals.
"Lady… these weigh more than my brother's ego."
Her smile doesn't change.
"They're supposed to."
Papyrus receives bamboo poles from Kanao.
"YOU SHALL BE MY RIVAL IN TRAINING!"
Kanao stares silently.
Then strikes.
Papyrus blocks it.
Barely.
Bones crack in the distance—
not his, thankfully.
"OH NO SHE IS VERY FAST!"
Sans chuckles.
"Welcome to hell, bro."
---
Sans's Turn
Sans tries to jog.
The weighted sandals drag him down like anchors pulling him into the earth.
Shinobu watches carefully.
"Do not use shortcuts. Your body needs to suffer properly for growth."
"Wow," Sans grumbles.
"You say that with the same tone as someone offering tea."
"Pain builds character," she replies sweetly.
He jogs.
Bones rattling.
Shadows flicker around the courtyard like something watching them.
Papyrus yells proudly,
"YOU ARE DOING GREAT, BROTHER!"
Sans trips.
Faceplants.
The sandals leave dents in the dirt.
Shinobu giggles behind her hand.
"I admire your perseverance. Most people beg to stop by now."
Sans's grin flickers.
"Yeah… most people aren't me."
---
Friendly Energy… in a Haunted House
Papyrus happily swings his poles.
Kanao never smiles.
She strikes with quiet fury.
Zenitsu watches and trembles.
"In this mansion… even the quiet girls are terrifying…"
Inosuke screams from his futon,
"I WANT TO LEARN HOW TO FLOAT, SKELETON!"
Sans screams back,
"NO!"
Tanjiro, smiling, doesn't notice the faint movement in the shadows near the medicine shelves—
like something still lingers from Rui's killing threads.
---
Break Time
Shinobu claps her hands.
"Break time. Next round will be… painful."
Papyrus strikes a heroic pose.
"PAIN IS PART OF TRAINING!"
Sans lies dead-flat on the ground.
"I need… more than five minutes."
Shinobu laughs gently.
"Oh, take your time. There's no rush.
You'll be here… a long time."
Sans's eye glows faintly for a second.
He doesn't know why,
but something about her tone sends a chill through his bones.
---
Scene 2 – Recovery at the Butterfly Mansion (Dark Version)
Morning arrives like a slow heartbeat.
The Butterfly Estate looks calm… but feels wrong.
Tanjiro practices Total Concentration: Constant.
Shinobu watches him closely.
Almost studying him.
Zenitsu whimpers.
"WHY IS THIS HOUSE SO SCARY EVEN WHEN IT'S NICE!?"
Inosuke roars at the walls
as if trying to scare away invisible creatures.
Papyrus builds a bone obstacle course.
Inosuke leaps in instantly.
Zenitsu sobs,
"Why does he enjoy suffering…?"
Sans trains again.
Shinobu stands very close—too close—watching his movements like a scientist studying a rare creature.
"Don't use magic," she says softly.
"I want to see what you are without shortcuts."
Sans sighs.
"Lady, I'm starting to think you're enjoying this."
She smiles.
"Just a little."
---
Papyrus's Trap Goes Wrong
Papyrus snaps his fingers.
A large bone pit appears.
Inosuke jumps in with joy.
Then Kanao walks by.
Not watching.
Not expecting.
WHAM.
She falls into the pit.
The entire courtyard goes silent.
When she stands back up…
her eyes are calm,
but her aura feels like murderous intent held behind a silk curtain.
Papyrus panics.
"KANAO PLEASE SHOW MERCY IT WAS NOT FOR YOU!"
She walks toward him.
Slow.
Silent.
Unblinking.
Papyrus screams,
"I AM SO SORRY I AM SO SORRY RUNNING AWAY NOW!"
He runs.
Kanao follows with terrifying speed.
Zenitsu faints.
Inosuke cheers.
"YEAH! DEATH CHASE!"
Sans watches as Papyrus sprints by.
"Well… at least my day is less dangerous than his."
Shadows twitch along the mansion walls.
No one notices.
---
Scene 3 – Training Complete (Dark Version)
Day after day, sweat and pain blur together.
Tanjiro finally stabilizes his breathing form.
"Total Concentration… Constant."
Shinobu nods.
"Good. You're ready to survive…
for now."
The implication hangs in the air like a blade.
Zenitsu cries.
Inosuke flexes.
Papyrus celebrates loudly.
The Butterfly Estate watches them with silent eyes.
Behind the cheerful chaos,
Sans senses it clearly:
something unseen lives in this mansion.
Something old.
Something that likes watching suffering.
---
Saying Goodbye
The group gathers at the gates.
Shinobu bows politely.
"Please return healthy.
And alive."
Papyrus salutes everyone.
Inosuke screams at a tree.
Zenitsu wails.
Nezuko quietly touches Tanjiro's sleeve.
Sans hands Kanao a lollipop.
"Thanks for not killing my brother."
She nods once.
But her eyes…
hold something darker than before.
The team leaves.
The Butterfly Mansion fades behind them—
beautiful, peaceful,
and filled with quiet ghosts.
Training is over.
Be continued