"Oh, you're awake." Kie exclaimed, pouring a cup of medicine for Mizue. "You woke up quickly. It's only been two days since you've been asleep." Kie explained, handing her the cup. "Thanks." Mizue said, sitting up to drink the medicine.
"Do want any food, Kie-san?" Naho asked, standing outside the room. "Could you get a bento box for Mizue?" Kie requested. "Sure!" Naho replied, waving over to Mizue. "Oh yeah, Genya told me about a mark that appeared around your eye." Kie mentioned, hoping to hear more.
"He said it looked like a crescent shape around the upper part of your eye." Kie continued, not realizing her sister's shock. "M-Mizue?! Are you okay?" Kie questioned, apparently Mizue had fully blanked out, thinking about a book she found in the library.
"Demon Crests..." Mizue remembered the title of the book, but she was too busy reading Akeno's journal that she forgot to read it. "Mizue." Kie clapped her hands in front of Mizue's eyes until she responded.
"Oh, sorry!" Mizue apologized, chuckling. "Here's your bento!" Naho smiled, holding a box of rice, tonkatsu, maki sushi rolls and some vegetables. Mizue thanked Naho, patted her head and gave her a maki sushi roll for herself.
Five days had gone by as she stayed at the Rengoku estate, helping Kyojuro's father, Shinjuro. "Go away." Shinjuro muttered. "Kyojuro-san and I are going out. Would you like anything from the city?" Mizue offered, becoming quite concerned for Shinjuro.
"Could you get some alcohol?" Shinjuro requested, looking back towards Mizue. "I already told you, I won't get something like that." Mizue scolded, giving a blank look. "Then I won't get anything." Shinjuro scoffed, looking back at his book.
"Did he want anything?" The flame pillar asked, crossing his arms. Mizue sighed and shook her head. "I have to go for an emergency pillar meeting, is it alright with you to just go by yourself?" Rengoku suggested, walking alongside Mizue.
"Sure! Want anything?" Mizue asked, crossing her arms like his. "Nothing I can think of!" Rengoku replied, patting her head. "Alright, see you later!" Mizue said her farewells and off she went to the city.
Humming a quiet tune on the path, catching the attention of a snapped branch sound. "Hm?" Mizue looked back to the bushes in the direction of the sound. Under the trees was a young female demon who happened to be listening to Mizue's hums.
She wore a beautiful flower patterned kimono and her hair was styled in a yakai-maki bun with a white bow wrapping it. Her front hair was brushed to her left side with what looked like a small swipe. But she did have stains of blood covering her kimono and a splatter on her cheeks.
The young demon's pupils got smaller in realization that Mizue had saw her and hid back into the bushes. "Should I kill her or..." Mizue wondered, walking up to the bush she hid in. Mizue sighed and continued her song, ignoring her small stalker.
She spent most of the day in the city getting chocolates from all over the city for the three butterfly girls, Muichiro and Rengoku. The sun started to set while walking back. "Would you like to walk with me?" Mizue offered, looking back at the demon girl who was drooling of not eating food all day.
She shook her head and continued to listen to Mizue. Up along the path, it got foggy and harder to see. "It wasn't foggy earlier..." Mizue muttered, squinting her eyes to try and see the path. In a flash, a gust of wind past by Mizue and stopped in one spot. The demon girl who had been following her had been decapitated before Mizue could turn around. "Huh?" When she did turn around, a white blade across the young girl's decapitated body.
"Rengoku was getting worried so I came." Muichiro explained like nothing just happened. "O-oh..." Mizue muttered, watching the girl's body fade away. "I just spent most of the day in the city getting this." Mizue nervously chuckled, handing him a chocolate piece. "Thanks." Muichiro said, walking alongside her.
"Amane-sama said something about hashira training and talking to you about it." Muichiro mentioned, nibbling on his chocolate. "But I'm not even a demon slayer." Mizue added, watching Muichiro eat.
"I know, but apparently you'll participate." Muichiro bluntly muttered, sighing. Not to long after did they get to the headquarters as Muichiro led her back to the Rengoku estate. "See you tomorrow!" Mizue smiled, closing the door.
From behind, a person hugged her tightly and lifted her up slightly. "Rengoku? Is that you?" Mizue asked, giggling. "Nope. It's your younger sister." Kie teased, putting her back down. "I was worried so I came over here." Kie explained, seemly cooking rice.
"Kie-san! My elder brother went out to go find-" Senjuro paused, looking directly at Mizue. "He went out?!" Kie responded, her eyes widening. "Y-yeah..." Senjuro muttered, blushing of embarrassment. "I doubt he'll go too far." Mizue assured the both of them, as knocking echoed through the room. "Oh? Is Rengoku-sama back?" Kie went to go opened the door.
"Hi, Kie-" Asahito stopped to see Mizue's angry glare. "Hello Asahito-kun and Kie-chan!" Rengoku greeted from right behind Asahito. "Oh! Mizue, you're back!" Rengoku exclaimed, looking at the angry purple haired girl. "Asahito." Mizue muttered, walking up to the two lovers. "Yes?" Asahito replied, sweating all over.
"..."
"..."
"By the way, Amane-sama would like to speak with you tomorrow!" Kyojuro commented, trying to break the awkward silence as Senjuro nodded in agreement not even knowing. Mizue sighed and nodded her head, walking away from the group.
The next morning, Senjuro had woken Mizue up very early to meet with Amane. "This early?!" Mizue asked, stretching her arms. "Mhm." Senjuro nodded. "Alright..." Mizue fell back into her futon and stared up at the ceiling.
She immediately walked to Amane's house with Senjuro after getting dressed. "Well, good luck." Senjuro waved, walking away from the building. "Amane-sama? Are you awake?" Mizue whispered, opening the sliding door.
"Come in." Amane replied. This time her children were not with her as usual. Mizue thought it was perhaps they were sleeping but did find it odd for her to be sitting alone. "I would like to talk to you about a mark that was reported to appear across your eye vertically. Like a scar." Amane explained, bowing slightly.
"Senjuro? Why are you awake this early?" Asahito asked, making pickled vegetable salad. "Why are you two making breakfast?!" Senjuro questioned, watching Kie mix the salad. "We like to wake up early and make a meal." Kie explained, holding the bowl of vegetables in her hands.
"Anyways, why are you up this early?" Asahito repeated, chopping up cucumbers. "Amane-sama wanted to meet with Mizue." Senjuro sighed. "Want to help chop up cucumbers?" Asahito offered, eating a cucumber slice. "Asahito, you aren't supposed to eat it yet." Kie scolded. "Sure!" Senjuro accepted, grabbing a knife.
"How would hashira training work with me then? Since I'm not a demon slayer, I'm not sure if I could participate." Mizue asked, placing her hands on her lap. "But people still kill demons when they aren't demon slayers." Amane added.
"You've got a point...Alright, I'll try my best with hashira training." Mizue smiled, bowing down to Amane. "Thank you. We appreciate it." Amane bowed back, as they both lifted their heads back up again. "So it starts today, huh...I wonder how that'll go." Mizue thought, exiting the building. She watched as the sun rose up while walking back to the Rengoku estate.
A special training had started called 'Hashira or Pillar Training'. Where all the ranks lower than the hashira were to pass their training with each pillar. Since Mitsuri, Muichiro, Mizue and Tanjiro were known to have marks, this started hashira training. Mizue was not a demon slayer, however, she decided to agree with Amane's idea and train alongside the demon slayers.
Mizue started a day late due to her overall abilities that match of a hashira's."Aha! Wife number four! Never expected you to be here!" Tengen chuckled ruffly patting her head. "Didn't you retire and lose an eye or something?" Mizue asked, tilting her head as Tengen's smile faded and turned into a scowl.
"Start running." Tengen muttered. There began her journey of hashira training. "Mizue-san! Would you like some food?" Makio offered, wrapping an onigiri with dried seaweed. "Yes, please!" Mizue replied, snatching the onigiri from Makio's hand. In around six days, she was allowed to go to Muichiro's estate.
"Your stamina is already good and so is your body coordination!" Muichiro complemented, allowing her to go to the next hashira even if it had only been two days. "KYAA! I MISSED YOU! How are you after the battle?" Mitsuri asked, hugging her tightly. "I've been doing okay!" Mizue smiled, being dragged by the wrist.
"I'm glad!" Mitsuri added. Mizue was very good with strength, agility and stamina but, she's always hated flexibility. She was good at it, better than the average human but it always so tough for her.
Eventually she did increase her flexibility.
In eleven days. Even Kie and Asahito had reached up to her on her ninth day.
"Alright! Good work! Go over to Iguro-san's residence! I hope to see you soon!" Mitsuri instructed, waving her goodbyes. Mizue chuckled and smiled saying, "Maybe another time!"
"Did you enjoy training with Kanroji?" Iguro asked, looking over to his snake. "It was tough, but yep!" Mizue exclaimed. "After I beat you up, you won't be able to train with her again." Iguro threatened, walking inside the building. "H-Huh?!" Mizue's eyes widened in shock.
"I still need more people to tie up on the floors, but this will do." Iguro sighed. "Why are there tied up people?" Mizue asked. "...Because I need them for training." Iguro explained, handing her a wooden sword while he took another for himself.
Her accuracy was one of her best skills so it didn't take too long for her to start stabbing Iguro with her wooden sword. In two days, she was allowed to go to the Shinazugawa estate . "Bye." Iguro shut the door loudly.
"Mizue! I'm surprised you found the dojo easily!" Rengoku smiled, hitting a demon slayer on the head. "Rengoku? What are you doing here?" Mizue questioned. "I'm here to beat the demon slayers up with Shinazugawa-san!" Rengoku explained, giving his carefree smile as always.
"O-okay..." Mizue nervously chuckled. For days it was only endless beatings, especially from Shinazugawa, but even Rengoku wouldn't let her rest unless she fainted of too many bruises.
"I think you've done well! Shinazugawa-san?" Rengoku spoke with proudness in his voice. "Just get out of here." Shinazugawa scoffed, getting his sword out to beat up some more children. "Alright! Thank you very much, you two!" Mizue bowed slightly and ran off to Gyomei's training trial.
The night sky had fallen down on the atmosphere and the lanterns were lit as Mizue tried to find Gyomei's training area. "Where was it again..." Mizue wondered while rustling bushes attracted her attention. "What is that...huh? Wait!" Mizue yelled, trying to resist someone's strong grip.
"What if Mizue got lost?" Rengoku wondered, talking to himself. "She'll be fine. Let's get back to training these dumbasses." Shinazugawa purely stared into everyone's souls with being dreadful in his eyes.
The next morning, Rengoku had gotten a letter. He felt purely guilty and sad. "Aniki-san? Are you alright?" Senjuro asked, seeing that Kyojuro's hands started to shake. Senjuro grabbed the letter from his brother's hands and read it. He as well was in pure shock and sadness.
"Mizue Shinguji has become a demon."