Kanao's POV:
I was laying down in bed. Chuntaro was in my head.
Nezuko and Aoi were taken away by the Hashira, Sir Hashibara... and started something called "Rehabilitation Training." The vision Douma gives off is totally unique. I'd don't think I've seen anything like it. It lacks regularity, and it scares me a little. When he was treating the people who were turned into bears, he sure seemed like a god. No wonder everyone went to him in tears. not only that, but he's unbelievably handsome. I bet he could get by on his looks alone.
Kanao: So, this cute guy has taken in Nezuko and Aoi to help them regain their strengths at Training. And any minute now...
Nezuko and Aoi entered the room. They looked tired as hell.
They'll come back looking like this?
Kanao: Welcome back Nezuko, Aoi! How did it go today?
Instead of answering me, they went straight to bed.
Kanao: What happened? What's the matter? Hey...
Sorry, Nezuko thought. Don't mind us, The wild boar thought.
Kanao: You got to tell me about it! Because I'll be joining you a little late starting tomorrow!
Third Person:
Nezuko and Aoi had no expression when they walked towards the training room. Kanao was holding onto Nezuko's shirt as they walked through the hallway.
Kanao: Scared, scared, I'm scared! I don't wanna go!
Inosuke, Zenitsu, and Genya we're in the room with the trio in front of Inosuke, who wasn't wearing his coat this time.
Inosuke: All right, since you'll be joining us starting today, Kanao, I'll explain it all again. You'll start over there.
Inosuke pointed to where the trio are.
Inosuke: They will get your bed-ridden bodies limber again.
Aoi groaned and cried as the trio stretched her out.
Kanao looked in shock.
Inosuke: Next, reflex training. These cups contain medicinal tea. The objective is to throw the medical tea onto each other, but if your opponent blocks your cup, before, you can pick it up, you can't move that cup.
Nezuko stared at the cups.
Inosuke: Now!
Zenitsu splashes Nezuko almost immediately.
Inosuke: Again! Now!
Nezuko grabs a cup but Zenitsu blocks her hand and splashes her again.
Inosuke: That's it! Last up, full body training. simply put, you'll be playing tag. you'll be up against myself, Inosuke, and Zenitsu over there.
Kanao: Excuse me. May I say something?
Inosuke: Is something unclear?
Kanao gets up and walks the other way for a second.
Kanao: No, it's just... Come on, both of you.
Aoi: Not going.
Kanao: JUST SHUT UP AND COME WITH ME LIKE I SAID!
Everyone except Zenitsu was surprised.
Kanao: Come on! Come on, dammit! You lowlifes! You dirtbags!
Nezuko started screaming no.
Aoi: What the hell are you doing?
Kanao dragged the two outside.
Kanao: Sit up straight! I said, sit up straight! You miserable whores!
Aoi: What did you say?
Kanao then punched Aoi on the nose and she hit the wall of the house.
Nezuko: Aoi! What do you do that for, Kanao? Tell Aoi you're sorry!
Aoi was on the ground raging with Nezuko next to her. Kanao then went bonkers.
Kanao: You guys say you're sorry! Apologize to me! How dare you act like you to come back from Hell when you were in Heaven! All you did was frolic with the boys all day, so why did you come back looking wrecked? Get down on your hands and knees and apologize! Commit Seppuku!
Nezuko: How can you say such a thing—?
Kanao: Shut up, you goody, goody, talking leg! Just shut up and listen, got that?
Kanao grabbed Nezuko's hair.
Kanao: You're allowed to touch boys! You get to have your bodies massaged! When you play the cup game, you get to touch their hands! All boys have nice pecks, great butts and strong thighs! They smell so nice when they pass by, and it's a joy just to look at them!
Kanao then starts spinning in the air.
Kanao: Heaven! Sheer heaven!
Aoi: knock it off! You're not making any sense! When you lose to someone, taller than you, it destroys your soul!
Kanao: Oh, poor you! Aoi, you've never been close with a boy before, huh? Right, you were raised in the mountains! No wonder you're a late bloomer! I feel so sorry for you!
Aoi snapped. Nezuko in the back was making her concerned dot eyes face.
Aoi: I stepped on a male kid before. How's that?
Kanao: That's an awful thing to do! Not good, no, good! That's not going to get you any boys!
Inosuke and the others we're listening to their argument from indoors.
Aoi: I can get as many boys as I want!
Kanao: I look forward to training with you!
Kanao was dancing happily around the room. She giggled as she got stretched.
Kanao: It's all good! All good!
Aoi: That girl has what it takes. I'm always fighting back tears from the pain, but she's laughing.
Inosuke: I shall take you on.
Naho: Begin!
Kanao stopped Inosuke from using a cup and held up a cup and put it towards Inosuke's face. Kanao tightened her grip on his hands.
Kanao: I would never splash tea on a boy.
Inosuke gave her an annoyed look.
Kiyo: Now, then, full body training! Begin!
Kanao moved away super fast. Inosuke looked around for her. Suddenly she appeared and hugged around Inosuke's upper half.
Kanao: I win!
Inosuke hit her.
Kanao: I won the battle, but lost the war.
Aoi: I'm gonna win, too!
Aoi splashed Inosuke in the tea test.
Aoi: Alright!
Aoi was then holding Inosuke by his feet.
Inosuke: Ouch!
I am the only one on a losing streak and soaked, Nezuko thought. So embarrassing! But... Zenitsu was unbeatable. None of us can hold her cup or grab ours before her. For the next five days, I continued to lose to Zenitsu. So did Aoi... and Kanao. We couldn't so much is Leah finger on a strand of his hair. And then one day, do you the other two stopped coming to the training room.
Nezuko: K-Kanao? Aoi? Please train me!
Zenitsu just smiled.
Nezuko: Thank you for today.
Nezuko left the training room. It was nighttime now.
Why can't I beat him? What gives him the edge over me? First of all, his reflexes are way faster. Even though my best day, I'd probably lose to him. His or it is totally different, too. It's similar to the scent of the Hashira.
?: Nezuko?
Also... his eyes! His eyes are different!
??: Nezuko?
I think...
???: Um... Excuse me?
Nezuko left her thoughts when she noticed it was the trio that helps her stretch we're trying to get her attention.
Sumi: Nezuko, are you all right? We've been calling to you over and over.
Nezuko: Sorry, I didn't hear you. What is it?
Kiyo: Here's a towel for you!
Nezuko: Thank you! This helps! You're all so kind!
Kiyo: Nezuko, do you maintain Total Concentration Breathing around the clock? Morning, noon and night. And all through the night while you're asleep. Are you using Total Concentration, Breathing nonstop?
Nezuko: No, I don't. I've never done that. Is that even possible?
Kiyo: Yes! We're told that being able to do that makes a world of difference! Even just using that technique for a short period of time really takes a toll, but I should do it around the clock, huh?
Naho: Some people have already been able to master it.
Sumi: All the Hashira and Zenitsu!
All: Please do your very best!
Nezuko: I see! Thanks! I'll give it a try!
Nezuko: isn't it about time you came to training, Aoi? Sulking and feeling sorry for yourself won't do you any good. Kanao, you should come, too!
Kanao: Yes! For me, that was a good job! Just tell them, my injury's gotten worse! Hey, Kakushi guy over there! Would you like to have some tea with me?
Nezuko was practicing her breathing outside.
Total Concentration Breathing... Morning, noon and night. Even while I'm asleep. I said I'd try to keep it up around the clock.
Nezuko suddenly collapses to the ground.
I can't! When I tried to do Total, Concentration Breathing any longer, I feel like I'm going to die! It's too painful! My lungs hurt! My ears hurt! My ears are ringing like crazy! My eardrums!
Nezuko puts her hands on her ears, removes them and checks each.
That was so scary! For a second there, I thought my heart had burst through my ears! I'll never be able to do it at this rate! When you're in trouble, go back to basics!
Nezuko: You spineless fool!
The trio watched her in the corner.
Nezuko calmed herself down and breathed in again.
If I can't get the hang of it, that means my lungs are too week. Work at it! It's all I can do! That's how it's always been! Hard work is the sum of daily efforts! it can be one step at a time! Just keep moving forward!
Nezuko: Rigth!
Kiyo: Nezuko is working hard every day!
Sumi: Yes! Let's bring her some rice balls.
Naho: Good idea! And also...
Nezuko: Blow into these gourds?
Kiyo: That's right. When he was training, Zenitsu, sir Doma often had him blow into these cords.
Nezuko: Interesting! That's a neat training technique. So, does it make some kind of sound?
Kiyo: Oh, no. He blew into it to burst the gourd.
Nezuko: Oh, really? Burst? What you mean this? Something this hard?
Kiyo: Yes! Not to mention, this is a special kind of gourd, so it's harder than normal ones.
A boy that petite is able to burst one of these?!
Kiyo: The gourds, get bigger and bigger as you progress. The one that Zenitsu can burst right now... is this gourd.
They trio reveal a giant gourd.
It's huge! I'll give it my all!
The next day
Inosuke: they're not coming today, either?
Nezuko: I'm sorry. I'll bring them tomorrow. I'm sorry.
Inosuke: No. There's no need to bother with those two anymore!
Nezuko: I'll do my best.
Well, for myself into the drills that Urokodaki pounded into me, i'm also maintaining Total Concentration Breathing. Imagining I'm running down a mountain, I race all around the mansion's garden! All of the obstacles are stand-ins for the trees on that mountain! Hard work!
Nezuko: Hard work! Hard work!
15 days later
Nezuko was meditating on a roof.
I've regained most of my strength. And now, I can run more than before, and my lungs are getting stronger! I'm making good progress! During the day, I run all over the place and work out, my lungs, with swift moves. So now, I'll breathe slowly. I'll take slow, deep breaths and send air all the way to my fingertips. Meditation improves concentration. Urokodaki said so himself. Urokodaki...
Haganezuka: How dare you break my sword!
Please forgive me. The reforging my sword for me now, but I'm really, really sorry. Concentrate! You need to concentrate! Concentrate on your breathing!
Douma: Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello there!
Nezuko: Yes!?
Douma: I can see you're working very hard.
Nezuko gasped and blushed from how close he was.
Douma: Even though your friends ran off somewhere... Aren't you lonely all by yourself?
Nezuko: no! Because once I've mastered it, myself, I can teach them, too!
Douma: You have a pure heart, don't you?
Nezuko: ...Why did you bring us all here?
Douma: Tanjiro's existence has been officially acknowledged, and the three of you were terribly injured. And also, I'd like to entrust my dream to you.
Nezuko: Dream?
Douma: Yes. My dream of getting along with demons. I'm quite sure you can accomplish that.
Nezuko was surprised but then she sensed something from Douma. They turned to look at each other.
Nezuko: Are you emotionless?
Douma gasped.
Nezuko: For some reason, I am always picking up a blank aura from you even though you're always smiling.
Douma turned away and looked down.
Douma: Well, you may be right. It might be true that I am in a constant state of no feelings. Ever, since my beloved friend was slaughtered by a demon. Every time I see the tears of those who've lost their loved ones to a demon, every time I hear those cries of despair, the lack of emotion keeps building up inside me and my emptiness grows. Deep inside my body, I have no true feelings I can let out. I'm sure the other Hashira feel some thing similar as well. Well, this time, they saw a Tanjiro, who's never devoured a human, with their own eyes, and sensed his true nature. Out of respect for the Master's wishes, I don't think anyone will raise a hand to him.
Nezuko stares at her listening.
Douma: My friend was a kind hearted person like you. She had sympathy for demons. Even when she was on the brink of death, she still felt pity for them. I couldn't bring myself to feel that way. How can you feel sorry for something that's killed humans? That's stupid. But if that was how my friend truly felt, then I must carry it on. If there's a way not to kill these pitiful demons, I have to keep trying to find it. Without ever extinguishing the smile my friend said she loved.
A woman with long black hair was under Douma, dying slowly. Douma held her hand with tears in her eyes.
Douma: Kotoha! Kotoha! Kotoha!
Douma: But now, I'm rather tired. Demons do nothing but lie.
Losing all reason out of self-preservation, they murder humans with their instinct laid totally bare.
Douma stood up.
Douma: Nezuko... please do all that you can. Please protect Tanjiro until the end. Knowing that you're working so hard in my place reassures me. I can rest easy now. Your Total Concentration Breathing has come to a halt.
Nezuko gasped. And then... Douma was gone.
Nezuko: I'll do my best!
Total Concentration Breathing! Mother Hanako... Takeo, Shigeru... Rokuta... I will turn Tanjiro back into a human!
To be continued...
Thanks for reading! 💜