An encounter with the cat/dog/fox maid…

(-)

When Kochou Shinobu first received reports of strange goings on at her estate, she did not think much of it. Sure, the idea of anything potentially dangerous happening at her home which served as the unofficial hospital for the corps -as well as the home of her 'siblings'-, but the reports were about things so inconsequential that further investigations weren't a priority. In fact, all the reports said was that there was a steady decrease in the total workload required for the kakushi stationed there.

Maintaining a standard of cleanliness was a must for any medical facility -official or not- so the kakushi almost always had something to keep them busy. However, over the course of the past few weeks the kakushi have frequently found that the duty they were assigned had already been attended to. Clothes that were hanging on drying racks had already been taken down and folded into organized piles, the floors were near constantly sparkling clean, and meal prep for the kitchen staff had been prepared ahead of time. A couple instances of this and Shinobu would just chalk it up to human error, staff accidentally doing someone else's job or a particularly exhausted individual 'sleepwalks' through their duty and simply forgot about it. But this was too frequent for it be coincidences. The only conclusion that the Insect Pillar could sensibly reach was that someone was working overtime for some unknown reason and chose to hide that fact. A strange theory, but that was all she could come up with given the nature of the reports.

… Then those reports started to come in.

Night staff claiming that they had witnessed a ghost roaming the halls when everyone else was asleep. Not a demon, but an actual 'ghost' -floating humanoid shape that was white in color- which would often… bark when someone calls out to it.

Seeing a potential problem starting to form, Shinobu felt it necessary to make a trip home and see just what this 'ghost' is with her own eyes. Not even a day had passed before a crow delivered another message containing further information on the mysterious entity that has seen fit to 'haunt' her estate. It was this letter that made Shinobu's smile almost falter. Apparently, some of the patients in the medical wing started asking about a nurse -one she was certain they did not employ- that had tended to them. The witnesses claimed that the nurse appeared as follows; fluffy dark-pink hair, fox ears, fox tail, fox paws, and wearing nothing but an apron.

Oh, how Shinobu wished she had read that description incorrectly. She wanted nothing more than for it to have been a delusion brought on by head trauma that the patients had suffered in combat, but the odds of multiple people mistakenly seeing the same thing were so astronomically improbable that there had to be a modicum of truth to the reports. The only thing Shinobu could do was hasten her return to her estate and prepare for the worst.

That is how things led to the current situation. The moment the Pillar arrived at the entry gates she was spotted by Aoi who immediately rushed to intercept her, stating that they finally managed to track down the culprit of the strange goings on at the estate. The younger girl had ordered Kanao to keep an eye on said culprit -which was a good idea, as only Kanao would have a chance of tracking them in the event they fled- but told her not to do anything that might result in a confrontation.

Following Aoi, the girl seemed relieved to find that Kanao had not changed locations, confirming that the intruder had yet to leave the area. It turns out that they were in the kitchen, making quite the ruckus as they zipped about performing various duties. Even before approaching the food-prep area Shinobu picked up on the scent of something cooking. It made sense, seeing as dinner time was nearing, but the meal being prepared smelled considerably better than what she was used to experiencing. Several kakushi along with the kitchen staff had gathered around and watched as the interloper moved with both speed and grace as they put the finishing touches on whatever it was that they were preparing. Shinobu had to give credit where credit was due, the strange woman's fluid movements were precise, all actions served a purpose and absent were any unnecessary motions.

"Why is she dressed like that?"

"Isn't she cold?"

"Maybe it's too hot for her in the kitchen. She does have a lot of fur."

That being said, Shinobu was not without her grievances. Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho -the 'caterpillars' as they have come to be known as-, bless their innocent hearts, did not fail to notice the persons attire. The only article of clothing that was of any note was the frilly white apron that covered her front, but little else.

Again, Shinobu felt her smile threaten to drop, the effort being put in to prevent it was causing an eye-twitch to form. It did provide the Pillar some relief however, to see that at least Kanao was able to remain nonplussed by the scene playing out before her. Once Aoi silently looked at her -her expression practically crying out for help- Shinobu decided what needed to be done. As a Pillar, the Kochou woman needed to serve as a literal 'pillar of strength' for others to look towards for guidance. Stepping forward, she entered the kitchen proper and coughed into her hand to make her presence known.

"One moment please! Woof!" the woman spoke as she set a number of trays on the serving counter before loading them with food.

Ah, there was the barking she read in the reports.

Placing food on the final tray, the woman spun and pulled a bell out from… somewhere -where she was keeping it under that apron, Shinobu had no idea of knowing-, and gave it a ring. "Attention! Staff dinner is ready! Woof!"

The prepared meal was a fair bit better than what normally gets served, but considering it was mass-produced to feed the estates entire roster of staff, it was quite impressive that she pulled off what she did; pan-fried burger steaks, roasted vegetables, and a side of rice, as well as a small cup of sauce.

Resting a hand on the woman's shoulder, Shinobu 'gently' guided her out of the kitchen and into an adjacent hall. The Pillar could feel the eyes of the girls on her as they peeked around the corner to watch things play out. Good, she would be able to make an example out of this.

"Hello there~!" she greeted the woman with a cheerful voice and a smile that was so perfect that it had to be fake. "My name is Kochou Shinobu, the owner of this estate. Would you mind telling me why you are trespassing on my property?"

The woman, either oblivious to the anger bubbling just beneath the surface of Shinobu's kind façade or simply ignoring it outright, responded in no less a chipper tone than before.

"Ah, Greetings Kochou-san! My name is Tamamo-cat! Woof! I was sent here as a favor to a friend who wanted me to help ease the workload for everyone! With me around to provide assistance, it is surely to make everybody a lot happier! Woof!"

Mentally, Shinobu began breaking down everything the self-proclaimed 'cat' had told her. The name Tamamo was infamous to the point that any mention of it would result in one's thoughts going straight to that demon. And despite calling herself a cat while also barking like a dog, the fox appendages were on clear display, which added another point of connection to the notorious demon. The how and why of the fox's current existence were not the highest priority on the list of questions Shinobu wanted answered -as for the moment the demon had yet to do anything malicious, unless you counted trespassing and commandeering of the kitchen inherent acts of evil-, but instead was curious as to who exactly had sent her here. Once she discovered who was behind this, she would deal with the demon however she deemed fit -be it decapitation or dragging the thing into the sunlight- and then proceed to go on the warpath.

"And who exactly is this 'friend' that sent you here?"

Tamamo-cat jumped up in excitement -which caused the bottom of her apron to rise, exposing the cat's… 'kitty', but Shinobu didn't even let that register in her mind. That is, until she realized that the girls had probably seen the whole indecent accident occur, furthering her frustrations at their minds being corrupted by such perversity- and answered with a cheer. "Ah! A really nice lady that I met at the Throne! You actually look a bit like her. Woof! She said her name was Kanae."

A sword was immediately at her throat, the prior slightly tense atmosphere being replaced with something considerably more murderous. Shinobu's usual smile had vanished and was replaced with something that accurately reflected her mood. At the very least fortune had seen fit to block her face from the view of their onlookers. She did not want the girls to see her as she currently was.

"Do not use that name so casually." Shinobu spoke coldly, all emotion from her voice had been drained out and replaced with a frigid rage. "My sister died years ago, felled at the hands of your kind. It is not possible for her to have sent you here."

Tamamo-cat didn't seem as intimidated as one would expect when having a blade pressing against their neck, although the position did limit her range of movements. "That's why I said I met her at the Throne! Lots of strong spirits can be found there, so it was no surprise that she eventually found her way there. Woof!" the fox demon explained, though Shinobu had no frame of reference for what she was being told. "She also gave me a letter to her little sister, Shinobu. I guess that means it's for you!"

Reaching around the sword, Tamamo-cat slipped her hand under her apron and grabbed something that was hidden in her cleavage. Pulling out the object, it was revealed to be a small envelope, which she then presented to Shinobu. The Insect Pillar snatched the paper near instantly, before using her teeth to tear open the seal, her eyes never once drifting from Tamamo-cat. At first Shinobu was skimming over the contents with haste, ignoring words that were not long enough to stand out, but as she continued to examine the message her progress steadily began to slow… There was something familiar about what had been written. The punctuations, the slight curve to some of the kanji, how the characters leaned slightly to the side the further towards the edge of the page they were. She knew this handwriting well, probably more familiar with it than anyone else considering she constantly had to scold the writer for using superfluous descriptions in her reports. What sealed her suspicions was the signature at the bottom, a pair of sakura petals having been pressed against the paper in the shape of a heart.

Shinobu didn't know when, but at some point, her arm had slackened and lowered her sword from Tamamo-cat's neck. She had no idea as to how it was possible, but in her hand was a letter from her deceased elder sister, Kanae. Shinobu's grip tightened and her hand trembled as she re-read the words that had been written by her beloved sister, words that acknowledged her own death years ago, apologies for having to part with her so suddenly, and praise for how Shinobu had done well despite her absence. Tears began to fall as the Pillar came to terms with what she was reading; a message from beyond the grave. Somehow Kanae had been watching over her this whole time, wishing she could help ease her sister's burdens. And it just so happened to be that sending Tamamo-cat to take care of the estate was all she was capable of.

Wiping the moisture from her eyes, Shinobu read the final line once more.

'It's okay to show your true feelings. I love your smile, but I love you being yourself even more.'

"That's just like her to say something like that." Shinobu remarked with a fond smile. Putting the paper away for safekeeping was a priority, but first she wanted to apologize to Tamamo-cat for being so rude. However somewhere along the way the demon had slipped past her guard and left. Momentary panic set in but was quickly dispersed when she heard the demon's voice coming from the other hall.

"And that is why I wear this apron! Woof!"

"Wow!" came an excited remark from Sumi.

"It really makes people happy?!" Kiyo added in wonder.

"Maybe we should try that for Tanjiro the next time he comes over!" Naho's voice.

Wait what?

"Remember girls, Naked Apron is a high-class technique! Woof! But if you follow my instructions, you will have it mastered in no time! Woof!"

Mental alarm bells began ringing something fierce. Danger rapidly approaching. Must evade!

Letting her smile drop to a frown for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Shinobu spun on her heel and practically flew down the hall in order to preserve the innocence of the young girls.

"DON'T GO TEACHING THEM CRAP LIKE THAT!"

Tamamo-cat was chased off with Shinobu hot on her heels, leaving behind a relieved Aoi, a confused Sumi, Naho, and Kiyo, and a curious Kanao.

Lifting her hand, Kanao stared at the coin resting on her palm while pondering what was said.

(-)

Tanjiro had a feeling that his current cot had been reserved specifically for him, given how often he winds up at the Butterfly Estate for medical treatment. Not that he was trying to get himself injured, but he just had a penchant for fighting tough opponents. Fortunately, he got off rather lightly this time, only sustaining a few cracked ribs, oxygen deprivation, minor head trauma -thank god for his indestructible forehead-, and a fractured leg.

"Well, this turned out nicely, all things considered!" he remarked with his usual optimistic attitude. "I wonder if Kanao is around. Maybe she can help with my recovery training again."

There was a knock at the door, followed by a coincidentally familiar voice.

"Tanjiro-san, I brought you your lunch." came the voice of Kanao, followed soon after by the sound of the doorknob being turned.

Shifting the bedside table into a more convenient position, the Kamado boy then looked over to properly greet Kanao. However, the teen had to do a double-take -scratch that- a triple-take when he noticed what Kanao was wearing. Though it would be more accurate to say he noticed what she wasn't wearing. Shoes? No. Skirt? No. Uniform? No. Undershirt? No. Bra? No. And as he was just barely able to see the edge of her hips, he could confirm she was going without panties as well.

"K-Kanao?! What are you wearing- err, not wearing- I mean… What is this?!"

Said girl entered the room carrying a tray with Tanjiro's lunch on it, but the only article of clothing that adorned her was a frilly apron. She was slightly blushing in what Tanjiro guessed was embarrassment -though given her stoicism it was hard to determine- as she approached Tanjiro's cot.

"Apparently it is called Naked Apron." she answered in what barely qualified as an explanation. "I must also thank for your help several months back."

Being a proper gentleman, Tanjiro refrained from ogling Kanao's nearly nude form. He would have averted his gaze entirely, but he was taught that looking away from someone during a conversation is rude.

"What do you mean?" he responded, trying to figure out the least 'dangerous' location to keep his eyes.

"You told me to follow the voice of my heart. So I didn't need to use my coin for this."

"What?!"

The sound of rapid stomping could be heard coming down the hall from beyond the doorway. Moments later a very agitated-looking Shinobu swung into the doorframe. Her eyes widened in horror upon seeing the state of Kanao's outfit. The initial shock quickly wore off and Shinobu's face took on a more sinister look.

"Kanao~."

Shifting to properly address the Pillar, Kanao inadvertently positioned herself with her bare butt facing Tanjiro.

"Yes, Kochou-sama?"

"Go get dressed right. This. Instant. While you do that, I need to find and skin a cat~."

"As you wish Kochou-sama." Kanao replied with a bow.

However due to her positioning in relation to Tanjiro, the boy wound up having 'extreme blood loss' added to his medical chart.