Calm down... it'll be fine... the Insect Pillar reassured herself. Sitting down in front of the shrine in the household on her knees. A forced smile on her face.
Calm me down, Nee-San. Only immature people don't control their emotions.
A lot had been going on through her mind for the past couple a days, with the training and everything. It really was going to happen, the fight for mankind and to defeat the Demon King and be rid of him.
She was trying so very hard to not lose herself, but the forced smile made it even worse. She grit her teeth together and sunk her head down.
"Master, you've returned!"
"Hello Shinobu-San."
There were two people at the door who greeted her. She turned to find you along with Kanao smiling her direction.
"I was gonna go and train with the Wind Hashira now."
Shinobu replied with a hum.
"Master?" Kanao asked. "After my training session with the rock pillar, may I train with you?"
Shinobu turned to stare at the both of you. Her expression was clearly not how she was feeling deep down. She was frustrated and worried.
"I can't participate in the training session."
"Oh?" You both replied at the same time in confusion. "W-Why not?"
"Both of you. Come." She waved her hand over to have them come inside. The two of you glanced at each other in question, but nonetheless, walking in and sitting yourselves down to face the violet-eyed Hashira.
Kanao seemed to be upset and held her head down. A tiny blush appearing on her cheeks. "I just— wanted to trading with my master."
Your heart nearly exploded from her adorable face right now. A tiny grin forming along your face.
Shinobu felt her own heart grow fuzzy. Such a heartfelt compliment, causing Shinobu to smile. She felt worth it.
"Kanao... you really have come around." She stated with the tone of a proud older sister. "Being honest with your feelings is a good sign."
Kanao lifted her head and smiled, then turning to meet your (e/c) eyes that seemed to sparkle all the time. "Y/n helped me. If not for her, I wouldn't be able to realize my true feelings."
You tried to restrain yourself from grinning too much as a flush of red grew on your rosy cheeks. Pressing your lips into a fine line as your heart fluttered at her compliment.
"Oh, Y/n, I wanted to give you something." Shinobu remembered. Hearing this, you grew curious and gave her a perplexed stare.
"It may not be much, but it means a lot to me, along with Kanao." She turned her body around as if trying to grab something. She then pulled out a similar clip that looked a lot like Shinobu's. It was a butterfly clip, the outer rim in the color of a bright magenta and inside was a vibrant color of chartreuse. Your eyes widened at this.
"This was my eldest sister's. Her name was Kanae Kocho. Kanao has one of hers on." She mentioned. "I want you to have her other one."
"O-Oh! W-Well I— uhmmm..." you were at loss for words. Shinobu giving you something that was her sister's. Didn't this mean a lot to her? "I shouldn't... it means a lot to you—"
"Y/n," she stopped you. "You've done a lot for Kanao. She sees you as one of her closest friends, you're like a sister to her. And you've been through so much already. I'm sure my older sister would love for you to have it."
You were so speechless right now. The amount of gratitude you felt, did Kanao really think of you this way? You couldn't lie, you felt the same way about her. She had gone through a lot in her past years, and she deserved to have a good life, and you wanted to be that ray of sunshine in her life to lift up her spirits.
And by God was Kanao so grateful for you.
"Thank you... I— I don't know what else to say." You couldn't help but smile at the both of them. Shinobu did the same as she handed you the clip. You took it as delicately as possible and studied every part of this pin. It was a true work of art.
You then lifted it up and went to clip it into your hair, adjusting it to where you wanted the clip to sit on your head. You handled it was as much care as you could.
Feeling satisfied, you let go of it and stared at the both of them.
Shinobu grinned warmly. "Beautiful."
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"So, is Shinazugawa's dojo just around here, right?"
"You are correct!" Fuyu hooted as she flew above you along with Tanjiro walking down to the next Hashira to train you both.
Tanjiro had finally recovered! And you were so proud of the progress he made along with way with you. As soon as he was able to start training, he immediately wanted to train along with you. To which you couldn't be happier having him around.
Tanjiro's crow flew above next to Fuyu and cawed loudly.
"You're so loud!" Fuyu snapped.
"Any you're annoying!"
They began to argue with one another as both you and Tanjiro were trying hard not to laugh while leaning into each other and snorting to yourselves.
A flash of blonde hair popped up out of no where and grabbed onto your shoulders. His face practically touching your nose.
"WAHHHHH ZENITSU?!" Both you and Tanjiro gasped and your messengers flailing around in a panic.
"Y-Y-YOU GOTTA GET ME OUT OF HERE GUYS! I BEG OF YOU TANJIRO! Y/N! PLEASEEEEE!" Zenitsu clawed at your figures as he continued to yell and shout in fear. "I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE! I MANAGED TO GET THIS FAR ALREADY! CLIMBING THE FENCE AND HIDING LIKE A LIZARD! I CAN PRACTICALLY SEE MY BODY ALREADY BECOMING A CORPSE ABOUT TO BE MANGLED WAHHHHHH!"
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" You yelled back in question as he gripped both of your faces.
That's when a tall figure grasped onto Zenitsu's blonde locks of golden hair and looked over the three of you. You were surprised he hasn't soiled himself yet.
"Choose..." his voice raspy and husky all in one; sounding demonic. "Go back to training, or I slaughter you like a damn pig."
"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" He shrieked loudly and gripped onto the both of you like he was gonna die. Well, he probably was... "GIVE ME A DAMN BREAK! GYAAAAAAAAA—!"
He was cut off with a firm hand chop to the side of his neck. Knocking the blonde out unconscious. The Wind Hashira sneered down at the boy of yellow. Then turned on his heel and began to walk in the other direction with the same angry look as always.
"Carry him." He ordered.
Tanjiro nodded and helped up the blonde and you also helped lift him upwards. Tanjiro put him on his back and began to carry him; apologizing the the blonde softly.
The crow and snow owl looked at each other for a split moment before trailing behind the two of you.
"Thank you for your guidance. Me and Y/n will be in your care today for training."
"Don't get cocky bub." Sanemi glared over his shoulder. "I haven't accepted any of you both for shit."
You were about to protest for him speaking to Tanjiro in such an irrational manner. That was until Tanjiro beat you to it.
"That's fine, I don't accept you either! You stabbed Nezuko and hurt Yui's head, after all!" He stuck up his head and kept a smile on his face. He began to walk in the other direction along with you behind him.
The Wind Hashira watched as you turned your head and gave him a threatening, deadly glare.
A clear look that read: And I'll never accept you.
A tick mark appeared on his face as the two of you progressed down the path towards training.
These kids have some balls...
...
Just from looking at your blonde friend, you could tell immediately just how Shinazugawa's training was. And it was absolutely dreadful.
To put into a simple explanation, it was basically a huge beat down in where Shinazugawa would constantly slash at you nonstop. You'd be out by either vomiting or fainting.
When you trained with Iguro that one time, he even gave you breaks.
Shinazugawa was the fiercest towards you and Tanjiro. If you even let your guard down for half a second, you'd already be plummeting down and heaving.
┌───͙⊱••✩••̩̩͙⊰•───┐
Oh my God............ Oh my GOD!!!!
Day One.... Felt like absolute torture.
Tanjiro walked along with you and his shirt removed. Towel in his hand and every part of his body hurt.
You already gained a partial black eye, a bump on your head, and you both vomited at least once during that session.
"I'm so tired..." you whined as you lazily walked down the hall, your eyelids feeling like heavy metal bars closing down. "And that was only DAY ONE—!"
"Wait up, Aniki!"
You shut your mouth when you heard a familiar voice around the corner.
Genya!
You and Tanjiro were curious and peaked around the corner to see it was in fact Genya, talking to the Wind Hashira.
"I wanna talk to you about something."
"Wow, you are utterly annoying. You're aware I have no brother." Sanemi sneered. "Cut the crap out or I'll shred you to pieces. Don't talk to me like we are buddies."
You and Tanjiro continued to listen. You could see the look on Genya's face, it saddened you.
"You've got no talent from what I've seen. Leave the Demon Slayer Corps. Those who don't use breathing styles should have no place among us."
Sanemi turned on his heel and began to walk the other way. Genya standing there and reaching out towards his brother.
"W-Wait! Aniki! I wanted to apologize!"
Go Genya go! You got this! The both of you mentally cheered for the boy.
"Yeah, I really don't give a rats ass. Screw off." Sanemi gave him a flick of his hand like he was high class.
You both stood there completely astounded. How could he say that?!
"But... I ate demons... so I could fight."
The Wind Hashira stopped in his tracks. He heard those words and practically exploded on the inside and out. You could practically fell his aura snap from angry to full on wrath mode.
"What did you say? You... demons? You ate them?!"
It was then in the flash of a second did the raging Pillar disappear.
Wha— he's gone!
"GENYA!" Tanjiro kept into action. It all happened so fast, all you could do was stand there and gasp as Tanjiro had acted with heist and threw himself over him. The doors on the side broke and both the red and dark haired ones piled down outside.
You gasped and heard Zenitsu yelling loudly.
"Please stop this!" The red head shouted as Sanemi came out, looking like a wild beast awoken from its hibernation deep in its cave. "Are you trying to kill Genya?!"
"I'm not killing him, it's be too easy, and it's against the code of conduct." The wind pillar grew a sinister smile. "I can leave him incapable of regenerating. When he does, he can quit the demon slayer corps. then I'll forgive him."
Wait a damn minute... WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!
"OH COME ON! You can't just do that! You can't just force him to quit like that!!" Tanjiro flailed his arms around in frustration and anger towards him. "You talk as if you have no brother! Don't speak as if he had a choice! It doesn't matter if he can't use breathing forms! He risks his life to protect everyone against the demons! IF YOU SAY YOU'RE NOT HIS BROTHER, THEN I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO BE IN HIS WAY! IF HE HADN'T BEEN HERE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE DEFEATED THAT UPPER MOON! I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO HARM HIM!"
The smirk on Sanemi's face grew wider in fury. He chuckled in a threatening manner, but Tanjiro never faltered. "Okay then... I'll just have to incapacitate you first!"
He's coming... he's—
His thoughts were interrupted but a forceful uppercut delivered by Sanemi. It all happened so fast, like an unexpected gust of wind hurdling down; however, Tanjiro was able to tense up his muscles, stopping the blow.
Sanemi stood taken aback by this. This kid... he stopped the blow!
Out of no where, Tanjiro saw a a flash of a familiar kimono and a bone crushing roadhouse kick to the side of the Hashira's face.
"WAHHHHHHH! Y/N— YOU LANDED A BLOW?!" Zenitsu screamed. You landed and skidded on the dirt, catching yourself in a decent landing.
Tanjiro fell and noticed you standing on the other side, your body tense and waiting for another blow.
"I thought a Hashira doesn't act like a child." You stated with a look of dissatisfaction. "I'm disappointed."
"Y-Y/N LOOK OUT—!" Tanjiro warned, but you were ready. Sanemi wasted no time in going after you, his frustration with you skyrocketing. He got onto the ground and went to kick a 180 degree angle at you.
You backed away quickly, he was swift. No wonder he's a Hashira.
You made an 'X' with your arms as his foot came crashing down from above. Your teeth grinding against each other as the force was so powerful and strong.
"Damn, you sure have some balls, bitch." He growled. "You have a death wish? Fine, I'll slaughter you like the pig you are."
You would've kicked him where the sun doesn't shine, but the force was so strong it was beginning to push you further down to the ground.
There was yelling from the side from Genya and Zenitsu.
"Give up little bitch." He sneered.
"Screw you!"
This is the last straw. Tanjiro leapt forward and lunged at the wind Hashira, pulling him away and down at the ground.
"CHARGE!" "LET'S GET HIM!"
After this entire thing, everything turned into complete chaos.
┌───͙⊱••✩••̩̩͙⊰•───┐
You and Tanjiro were now banned from training with the Wind Hashira. Not that you were entirely complaining, but you did want to get stronger; however, your temper with him and his ideologies were really getting in your nerves.
You, Tanjiro, as well as Zenitsu made your way down to the next training session.
You both took one look and all of your eyes widened with horror.
A bunch of them, including Inosuke, we're under a huge waterfall and trying to withstand the force of the water falling by gravity.
"OH MY GOD!! HOW THE FUCK DOES THIS WORK?! ARE THEY TRYING TO KILL US?!" Zenitsu screamed.
"I'm actually... kinda agreeing with you, Zenitsu." You stared in bewilderment and terror. Did you really have to do that? Can't you die from rapid water like this?!
"If you erase your mind... even fires will become cold."
You all snapped your heads to see the Rock Pillar, Gyomei Himejima, standing there with two logs tied together on his back, and two boulders on each side dangling down about a meter and a half in diameter.
You practically screamed and you all gripped onto each other when you saw a blazing mass of fire dancing under and around his figure.
"Welcome... to my training ground."