**I fell asleep. That's right... I was sleeping. Or is that wrong?**
I struggled to open my eyes and my train of thought was all over the place. I managed to force my eyes open and found myself staring up at a ceiling. I was reminded of the first time I met Urokodaki and woke up staring at a ceiling.
**This isn't Urokodaki's place. Where am I?**
I didn't want to get up. I was tucked into a bed comfortably and the room smelled sweet almost like honey. I didn't get up, but I moved my head and looked around. The room I was lying in was big and bright. There was a table at the foot of the bed I was laying in. It had a bunch of empty plates and bowls on it. There was a note on the table, but I couldn't see what it said from where I was. Regardless of how comfortable I was, I decided to finally get up. My body creaked as I moved towards the table. I got frustrated at the condition my body was in. I'd just recovered and now I'm down again. I was feeling depressed. I thought I was strong, and I thought I was ready, but I haven't done anything yet. I hadn't been a Demon Slayer for long, but I haven't done anything.
**How weak can I be? I got thrown around by those demons like a ragdoll. I thought I was strong, but now I know I'm not. To call myself stronger than anybody else is just foolish...**
I shook off those thoughts for the time being as I got to the table and picked up the note. It read, 'Hey, I left you some food for when you woke up, but I got hungry and ate it, sorry! I could've made you more but-' and the note just ended there. I wasn't that hungry, but I did want to know where I was. I didn't think there was any hostility in this house I was at considering that I was tucked into bed and all of my belongings remained.
**Let's see what's going on out there.**
I moved towards the door and opened it. Outside, I saw somebody sitting at a table. I recognized them instantly. It was the pink and green haired girl who saved me before. Out the window, I saw that the sun was setting and it was getting dark out. On the table were a bunch of bowls and plates. She was looking down at something on the table. I closed the door behind me and walked towards her. I realized she was reading a note.
Y/N: Uhm, Hashira?
She tensed up a little bit when I spoke. It seems she was really into the note she was reading. She folded it up and turned around to face me.
???: Hi! I'm so glad you're up and okay. Are you still hurt? You move well, how old are you? Do you use breathing techniques? What kind? You took a real beating yesterday, but you're still able to move? You must be really strong, what's your workout routine? Or is it all-natural just like-
She was all over the place. I couldn't even answer her questions, so I changed the topic.
Y/N: Uh... Thank you for saving me. I was really in trouble before you came. Thank you.
She averted her eyes and looked down. It looked like she was fighting back the urge to smile, but she couldn't and a small smile appeared.
Y/N: Are you Hashira? Ringo told me somebody named Hashira was coming.
???: Ringo?
Y/N: My Kasugai Crow. I named him Ringo because he always has an apple when he comes to me.
She covered her mouth and her cheeks puffed. Her eyebrows arched and it looked like she was trying hard not to laugh. She looked so funny and her energy was hard not to match as I smiled.
**Ringo is kind of a funny bird, isn't he?**
???: Sorry, I'm not laughing at the name. It's just weird behavior for a Kasugai Crow.
Y/N: It's fine. It is pretty funny actually.
???: Ringo. That's such a cute name! Is that his real name or a nickname? Did you know that our Kasugai Crows actually already have names?
Y/N: They do? Ringo hasn't mentioned his real name before.
???: He must not have a problem with the name Ringo.
She hesitated for a moment and held her hands together.
???: But no, my NAME isn't Hashira.
**So this wasn't Hashira? Then who was this?**
Y/N: Oh? Then what might your name be?
???: Mitsuri Kanroji.
Y/N: Mitsuri Kanroji. It's nice to meet you, my name is Y/N.
Mitsuri: Y/N, that's a lovely name.
**Who is this girl? She fights her feelings and it makes her seem a little bit shy at first, but she'll find any opportunity she can to compliment me. Was she in to herself or not? I'm getting mixed readings.**
Mitsuri: You're surprisingly easy to talk to, Y/N.
Y/N: Surprisingly?
She got flustered and started to speak frantically.
Mitsuri: Oh, no! I didn't mean that in a bad way. It's just that... With that big sword that you were carrying with you and the empty look that you had in your eyes when I first met you... It just felt like you might've been a little more closed off. I'm sorry for pre-judging you.
She stopped looking at me and nervously played with her fingers as she waited for me to respond.
Y/N: That's fair. I'm glad you're so easy to talk with too. I feel right at home here.
She looked back at me with bright eyes and a wide grin on her face.
Mitsuri: I'm glad!
Y/N: Speaking of 'home'... Is this yours?
Mitsuri: It's sort of like a vacation home. Hashira have homes in or nearby to this general area that we can stay at when they're summoned.
**She just said the name Hashira. So she wasn't Hashira, but she knew who they were?**
Y/N: You just mentioned Hashira, right? If you don't mind my asking, who is that?
She seemed a little confused about what I was asking at first, but then she got it.
Mitsuri: Oh no Hashira isn't a person! It's more of a title... or a rank.
Y/N: A rank?
Mitsuri: Yes. Do you remember when you completed the Final Selection and were told all of the ranks in the Demon Slayer Corps? Well, Hashira is also a rank.
Y/N: So the same way that I'm labeled as a Mizunoto, somebody else is labeled as a Hashira?
Mitsuri: Right!
Y/N: When I was fighting against that demon, Ringo told me that a Hashira was coming. All of this time I thought Hashira was somebody's name, not a rank. So what rank exactly is a Hashira?
Mitsuri: The Hashira are the highest-ranking and most powerful members of the Demon Slayer organization.
Her eyes were sparkling as she explained while she waved her arms and made sound effects. She was so animated.
Mitsuri: There aren't many of them, but they're all so skilled!
She realized how loud and animated she was being and calmed down. She looked embarrassed that she lost control like that.
Y/N: Wow they sound amazing, Mitsuri. I'm sure they're all great people.
Mitsuri: Oh, they are!
**She speaks as if she knows them personally. I wasn't too sure, but this girl was stronger than anybody I've ever met, and she had dropped so many subtle clues that she was one. I was sure she had to be the Hashira that Ringo was talking about**
Y/N: Do you know them?
Mitsuri: Very well, yes. I can't wait to see them all again soon!
Y/N: Mitsuri, correct me if I'm wrong, but... Might you be a Hashira yourself?
Mitsuri: How rude of me! Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Hashira!
My eyes grew wider and I stared at her. It felt like I was in the presence of a celebrity or some type of idol.
Y/N: You're the strongest Demon Slayer I've ever seen! That's so awesome, Mitsuri.
She blushed and smiled. She truly was a shy girl and didn't know how to respond to the praise. All this talk of strength and power reminded me of how much I lacked. I was honestly a bit jealous of Mitsuri's strength without thinking of how hard she must've worked to get there.
Y/N: You're so strong... unlike me.
The whole mood in the room changed, but it was too late to take back what I just said. I didn't mean to say that, but it just impulsively came out as I was thinking back to my most recent fight at the train station.
Mitsuri: Huh?
Y/N: Forget I said that.
Mitsuri: You think you're weak? I'd have to politely disagree. You passed the Final Selection, and you fought that demon all by yourself.
Y/N: I didn't even get a good hit on it.
Mitsuri: But you-
I felt myself getting angry as I thought back on the situation. I was absolutely helpless in that situation. Completely outmatched. No amount of praise Mitsuri could say right now would convince me that I wasn't a disappointment in that fight.
Y/N: If you didn't show up, I was going to die. I'm so arrogant to say I'll kill all demons. I couldn't even kill that one.
She didn't know what to say as she searched for a response. A part of me was glad she didn't say anything because I didn't feel like I deserved the pity.
Y/N: I'm weak... That was my mission, and I couldn't complete it.
Mitsuri: No-
Y/N: Haganezuka wasted his time on making my sword. I'm a lost cause... useless.
She almost looked like she wanted to cry. I didn't want her to cry, and I didn't want to cry for myself. My performance thus far wasn't deserving of tears. I realized how uncomfortable the situation must've been for Mitsuri, so I bit my tongue and stopped venting.
Y/N: I'm sorry about that. I don't mean to be disrespectful in your home. I'll go grab my things and be out of your space now.
Mitsuri: No, it's alright! I'm listening.
Y/N: Sorry... I- I'm just gonna go lay back down. Thank you for your hospitality.
I bowed to her and went back to the room. I was physically worn out still, but also mentally tired. I didn't feel like doing anything but sleeping.
**Why did I spill my emotions like that? I didn't need to burden Mitsuri with my sob story. I should apologize to her.**
I laid in bed trying to fall asleep. I'd been awake for 4 or so hours just lying there thinking about where I was, who the Hashira were, and why I was so weak. I couldn't sleep with all those thoughts in my head. I was grateful for being constantly bailed out of situations by fate, but I was tired of not being able to control it. I got angrier the more I thought about it because I was so much weaker than I thought I was. The Demon Slayer Corps is no joke, and I was starting to realize that. No amount of training could've prepared me for these challenges. This was something you learned through experience. I heard my room door slowly opening as somebody peaked inside. Nobody else was in this house except for me and Mitsuri, so it had to be her.
Mitsuri: Y/N?
She spoke softly from outside of the room as to not wake me up if I was asleep. I didn't respond. I was too upset and lost in thought to talk right now, so I pretended to be asleep expecting Mitsuri to close the door and leave. She fully opened the door and walked over to the bed. I could feel her standing next to it looking at me.
Mitsuri: You're so upset with yourself. I know that you're hurting.
I heard her sniffle as she made sure I was tucked in nicely.
Mitsuri: To hear you call yourself weak, useless, and a waste of time... It hurts my soul, Y/N.
She was venting her emotions to me the same way I did to her earlier. But as far as she was concerned, I was still asleep.
Mitsuri: But I know you're the one who is really hurting.
The sniffling became more frequent and her voice was giving out on her.
Mitsuri: Y/N, please don't say those things. You will start to believe it if you say it too many times. You're so special and you're so strong, so don't beat yourself up. Being a Demon Slayer isn't easy, but failure will make you stronger.
I felt her put her hand on my cheek and start to caress my face. Her hand was soft and warm, but she was shaking. I could tell for sure that she was crying now. Crying for my sake since I refused to.
Mitsuri: My heart breaks when you say those things about yourself, but I know that yours is the one needing fixing. Y/N, you poor thing.
She slowly took her hand off my face and turned around to leave. She left the room and closed the door behind her.
**Mitsuri...**
I didn't know what to say or think about what just happened. I was overcome with an ambivalent feeling of sadness and happiness.
**She doesn't even know me, and yet she still feels so strongly about me.**
My brain wanted to process what just happened, but my body told me to cry before I could. I wasn't used to being the one people felt for. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the origami heart Nezuko had made for me way back when. I hadn't looked at it in a while, but I never forgot I had it. It served to calm me down and give me good memories to make me cheer up. My master, Urokodaki, and Nezuko were the closest thing to family I had in my life right now. I always thought about them when I got upset.
**Nezuko, I could really use your goofy innocence right now to cheer me up. I'm grateful for Mitsuri's heart, though. I thought I ruined our short-lived relationship when I snapped, but she's willing to sit with me in the darkness until we find the light. Urokodaki, Nezuko, I know you'd like her. I'll tell you all about my travels next time I see you both.**
I put Nezuko's heart back in my pocket as I laid there and let my tears dry themselves while
I fell asleep