1 | ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴅᴀʏ

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As dawn broke, gentle sunlight caressed Meiko's face, highlighting her ethereal beauty

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As dawn broke, gentle sunlight caressed Meiko's face, highlighting her ethereal beauty. Emerging from her peaceful sleep, she met the tender gaze of her elder sister, Mitsuri, whose smile filled the room with warmth. With a graceful stretch, Meiko rose from her futon and affectionately adjusted Mitsuri's kimono.

"Nee-san! How'd you sleep? I slept amazing!" She said eagerly, jumping up and down.

"That's good to hear, Meiko, now settle down!" Mitsuri chirped happily, lightly patting Meiko's head.

Meiko hopped off Mitsuri's futon, her steps filled with boundless cheer as she skipped to the kitchen. There, she eagerly awaited their mother's arrival, anticipating the delicious meal. With a loving touch, their mother served steaming bowls of miso soup alongside a generous platter of sakura mochi. Meiko's smile widened as she savored the soup in mere moments before indulging in the sweet mochi treats.

In the corner of her eye, she saw a beautiful woman with white hair and deep purple eyes. She bowed down and talked business with Mitsuri. Meiko got out of her seat and looked up at her elder sister.

"Who's that woman?" Meiko asked, looking curiously and turning her head to process the appearance of the strange woman.

"It's business right now, Meiko, please." Mitsuri pleaded, and looked down at the 12 year old. She continued talking with the woman, as she spoke about the rules and requirements to become a demon slayer.

Meiko nodded, and walked back to the kitchen.

— time skips .

Mitsuri packed her bags, secretly sneaking out her own house as she wrote down a note that spoke,

"Hello family, I apologize for disappearing this dawn. I promise, I'll come back to visit as I will be gone. Thank you for supporting me through my hardships and lowest moments, I appreciate every single one of you."

Mitsuri put down the letter, and crawled away, but then saw Meiko standing infront of her.

"Where are you going?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Meiko..." Mitsuri whispered, "I'm going somewhere far.. I don't think you can come with me."

"Yes I can! I'm capable of myself!" Meiko whispered back, and pouted.

"Okay .. follow me then." Mitsuri said, carrying Meiko on her back as she traveled to the Demon Slayer corps.

As she approached the estate of Master Ubuyashiki, she saw the strange same woman again, as she bowed down and greeted them. "Hello, It's wonderful to see you again, Kanroji. We would like you to be apart of our corporation. Who decided to accompany you today?"

"I'm Meiko!"

"My little sister.." Mitsuri said, putting down Meiko.

"Hi! What's your name?" Meiko said, getting closer to the very pretty figure.

"Amane, wife of the head of the corps. You are both gifted to be here." Amane smiled, bowing to them, "Both of your strength combined will truly be a powerhouse for defeating demons." she stated.

"Now, we have selected a trainer for you both, please meet Rengoku Kyojuro." She stepped aside as a tall bright man appeared behind her with a cheerful laugh.

"You both will become my tsuguko!" Rengoku said, smiling at the two of them.

"Welcome to the corps, Mitsuri and Meiko." He said, gesturing towards the rest of the Hashira. A flamboyant figure adorned with gems and dual long swords, a stoic blue-eyed warrior with spiky hair, a white-haired enigmatic individual exuding a wild aura, a serpent-like man with mesmerizing eyes, a petite yet elegant purple butterfly girl, and a towering giant adorned with red beads. Each one exuded immense strength and presence, leaving Meiko feeling intimidated as she discreetly sought refuge behind Mitsuri.

After the grand introduction of all the Hashira, Rengoku led the two women back to his estate for their training regimen.

"Alright, ladies!" he declared, his voice infused with boundless energy. "Hmm... How about we start with a little warm-up? Run 500 laps around the estate!" His smile remained infectious, but the shock that painted their faces betrayed the daunting nature of the task set before them.

"Y-Yes, Rengoku!" Meiko and Mitsuri chorused, embarking on the arduous journey of running 500 laps around his estate. Their determination fueled their strides, but when they finally returned, exhaustion engulfed them, leaving them panting and drenched in sweat.

Meiko collapsed onto the floor, spent from the intense workout, while Rengoku checked the time. "2 hours? Alright, not bad!" he exclaimed, his smile beaming with pride. "You'll learn how to run 500 laps in 10 minutes soon!" he declared optimistically, eliciting a weary chuckle from Mitsuri as she rubbed her tired eyes.

"Give me 100!"

"Run through this obstacle with swords and fire!"

"Deflect these knifes,"

"Sparr with eachother."

"Fix your stance!"

"Carry these 100-pound boulders!"

Countless requests poured in from Rengoku throughout the day, leaving Meiko and Mitsuri utterly drained. As the moon ascended in the sky, Rengoku beamed proudly at his two exhausted students.

"Great job, you two!" he praised, his voice filled with admiration. "Now, rest up and sleep! Tomorrow will be another long day of training." With a reassuring smile, he bid them goodnight, knowing they would need all the rest they could get for the challenges that lay ahead.

Meiko and Mitsuri made their way to their newly assigned room, setting up their futons with weary movements. As Meiko yawned and nestled into her blanket, she whispered a soft "goodnight" to her older sister, Mitsuri. Exhaustion weighed heavily on them both as they drifted into deep slumbers, their minds filled with apprehension for the challenges that awaited them on the morrow.

"A BOND TO NEVER BE BROKEN." || 𝑺. 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒚𝒂  🦢Where stories live. Discover now