DISCLAIMER, PLEASE READ: This chapter contains depictions of domestic violence and implied sexual assault, if you are uncomfortable with either of these subjects then please stop reading when you see a line of *********************************

The Kagura Hashira. It sounds surreal, but that is who I am. I knelt down as Yoichi and now I rise as one of the nine. But my shoulders are so heavy, with this title comes a burden so incredibly heavy that I can feel my feet sinking into the floor.

What it means to be a Hashira, that is something that I only now understand. As of now, there are three hundred and ninety-one swordsmen within the Demon Slayer Corps, and I am stronger than all but eight of them.

The responsibility that accompanies this title is massive, I am one of the people that upholds the entire organisation. A beacon of strength that people look up to and depend upon, someone that is responsible for the protection of thousands of people.

The capital, Tokyo, rests within my jurisdiction. I don't even know how many people live there, but it must be in the millions. Protecting this area is my responsibility, all of those lives are within my grasp.

I cannot let them slip between my fingers, not like the man that died in Lower Moon One's domain. If even one of these people falls to a demon, then it will be my fault. I can feel the weight of these lives in every single step. How can I oversee such a domain alone?

It isn't feasible, but I am a Hashira now. If something is expected of me, then it will be done. Even if it is impossible, it is just another wall that I will smash straight through. Because I am a Hashira, there is no room for failure at all.

All of these thoughts race through my head, disturbing what should have been a proud moment. I shake my head to clear it, I cannot let it get the best of me. Everyone believes in me, so I will live up to those expectations.

The rest of the meeting is short, I am told to return to the Rengoku Estate and recuperate the majority of my strength. It is obvious that I haven't overcome my fatigue yet, which is not good enough. I need to be able to fight continuously for as long as my hands and feet can move.

I will have to train harder and faster, to perfect my Hinokami Kagura. It is different from the Hinokami Kagura that I was taught, the movements have changed to fit my body. The arc of the swing is tighter and the steps are lighter, it has evolved over time.

Not only that, but the burning red flames that I visualise have become a brilliant gold. I have no idea why this is, but there is nothing that I can do about it. Even when I used Shimmering Sun, I was wreathed in golden flames as I created a maze of after images.

The first thing that I need to know is the limit of that technique, and there is no better way to do that than to test it against somebody strong. That is why I am currently standing opposite Hideki-san, with both of us holding sparring swords.

"I'm surprised, boy. For you to challenge me so soon, I wouldn't have expected it."
There is a tinge of excitement to his voice and I can feel it too, the air around us is refusing to settle as it stands witness to a duel between two Hashira.

"Hmph! I can't believe you would do this without telling me!"
A voice echoes from above. We are standing in a clearing in the forest, several metres apart as we face each other. It is obvious who the person above us is.

I do not shift my gaze even for a moment and neither does Hideki-san. We are both serious, this is a duel with two reasons behind it. I am the newest Hashira, which would normally mean that I am the weakest. Hideki-san is the most senior of the remaining Hashira, but he is ageing.

I wish to test my new form against somebody strong, to find it's limit and it's weakness. He wishes to test me and my capabilities, but he also has his pride as a Hashira. This fight will be one hundred percent serious, even if I am only running at about sixty percent.

That makes it an even better simulation, that I am not at full strength. The likelihood of me entering every fight at full strength is very low, so this is a brilliant chance to test it. I do not know how Hideki-san fights with his Leaf Breathing, but I know that it is derived from Water Breathing and that he created it himself.

"Fine, I'll be the witness."
Riko crosses her arms and pouts, but I can hear the excitement in her voice too. A secret duel between two Hashira in the woods, something that only three people in the world are privy to.

There is no need for a call to start, we both know immediately when the other person will move. Hideki-san's knees bend further and his shoulders loosen, this tells me everything that I need to know.

My right foot sweeps forward and I push off of my left, the two of us shoot towards one another at an incredible speed. Even moving this fast, I can see every motion clearly. I can hear the sound of the air rushing past me as I dash towards Hideki-san.

His breathing has already changed, he is in the process of executing a form from his Breathing Style. From the way he moves, I can barely predict the movement. He is fast, incredibly fast. But I am faster, by a hair.

"Leaf Breathing, Third Form: Koyo."
His footsteps disappear, I can't hear them. Why can't I hear them? His footwork has changed, the steps are so soft that they can't be heard. But there is incredible power in every stride, he is moving off of his toes.

He sways as he moves, I cannot tell which way he will strike! He shifts his weight brilliantly, moving as if he was a leaf blowing in the wind. This is dangerous, I cannot predict which way the slash will come from just by his movement.

So I will have to fall back on logic. This style of swordsmanship is designed to strike at a very obvious weak point. As long as I know where the strike will land, it doesn't matter how it gets there.

But there is something telling me otherwise, my instinct is telling me that I should evade this blow rather than take it head on. I will do neither of those things, instead of evading or defending I will reply with a strike of my own.

I am a Hashira, so I have my pride as well. I'll give Hideki-san the fight that he wants. As a Hashira, I will fight with everything I have.

He is here, swaying on the tips of his toes. Any swing will be dodged with ease, his body is incredibly fast. Swinging will only benefit his tactic and he will slip inside my guard and batter me with blow after blow.

"Hinokami Kagura: Sunflower Thrust!"

I can already see in his eyes that it was the last thing that he was expecting. Although I have the disadvantage of not knowing how he fights, that disadvantage works both ways. I know this thrust will not touch him, but it has accomplished it's goal.

For a single moment, he plants his feet to move his body to the left. It is what I was aiming for, that moment in which his feet are planted. I pivot as well, following the momentum of the thrust and gathering that force to make my swing even stronger.

I can hear the dull edge sweeping through the air, the resistance from the air pushes against it but it makes the swing feel even more satisfying. Even if Hideki-san guards against this, he will be blown away entirely. This is a blow using all of my momentum and strength in one, swung with every inch of my body.

Which is why I am surprised when my swing meets nothing but air. He is gone, disappearing with the wind. Time slows down and my brain whirls into overdrive, where is he? I couldn't hear him move, so where did he go?

From behind? No, that would be stupidly obvious. Below? No, he would be directly in front of me if that was the case. He could be zipping through the trees, but I would notice. That means there is only one place he can be!

"Leaf Breathing, Fourth Form: Karitoru."

Above! To avoid the swing, he leapt upwards and out of my view. I was so focused on my own attack that I lost sight of him, leading to this. But it feels strange, as if he wanted it to go this way.

I don't have time to think. With just one hand on his sparring sword, he unleashes several blows at lightning speed. Each one falls down from a different angle, something that should be near impossible when falling. Every movement is perfect and precise, he does not waste an inch.

I cannot just wait here for the blows to land. This is the perfect time to use it, to test it against somebody strong.

"Hinokami Kagura: Shimmering Sun!"

My lower body twists one way, whilst my upper body moves the other. I have to keep both movements united, but they work against each other. It requires the most immense concentration, I cannot be distracted by anything.

The blows rain down upon me but none of them land, I can see every one which means I can weave in and around it. The only problem is that I have no way of countering, I have to wait for the barrage to end before I can move. It is a form that is unbreakable, but that means I cannot break it either.

Hideki-san's feet touch the ground and I stop moving. He grins at me before chucking the sparring sword away. It signals the end of our duel, which is good because I cannot overexert myself. That could not have lasted longer than a single minute, but it felt like everything moved in slow motion.

"You've definitely earned your place. Your speed and strength are greater than my own, even when I was younger."
He speaks honestly, walking over to me as he does so. He places a hand on my shoulder and continues to speak.

"That form you used then, it was fantastic. I couldn't see you, so I had to hit and hope. Been a while since I've had to do that."
He pats my shoulder before turning away and stretching, he picks up the discarded sword and nods before darting off through the trees.

It is almost sundown, so it makes sense for him to depart. He was assigned a mission by the master, so he will be on his way now. That duel was impromptu, something that I requested.

I now have a grasp on my own strength and the strength of Shimmering Sun. I also know the weakness of Shimmering Sun, the fact that I cannot transition into an attack cleanly. There is a lot of room for improvement, I can push it to the utmost strength that it can reach.

There was something about the way that Hideki-san moved, how he shifted his weight from side to side that has caught my eye. He advanced on his toes, but he moved so fast and powerfully that it did not seem like it. If I can do that, then I will be able to strengthen Shimmering Sun even further.

"Yoichi, that was incredible!"

She has finally left the branch that she was perching on, floating gracefully down to the clearing. She bounces around me like a puppy, clasping her hands together as her eyes shine.

"Even I couldn't keep up with the old man when I first sparred with him! But you were able to go all the way and defend against his fourth form!"
Riko is very excited. I don't blame her in all honesty, she has just witnessed an exchange between two Hashira. That would be enough to get any swordsman pumped up.

"Thank you, Riko."
I smile at her and she stops dead in her tracks, she tilts her head and beams back at me. I should probably get a move on now and make for the Rengoku Estate. It would be good to get home as soon as possible.

"Eh, where are you going?"
She puts a hand on her chin as she looks at me. Now I'm confused. It's obvious where I'm going.

"I'm going home."
My face must give away my confusion because she looks up at me and shakes her head. Her brown hair sways as she does so and her green eyes light up, sparkling with the last embers of the falling sun.

"You can't go home! We're going on a mission!"

She crosses her arms and stamps her foot, which forces me to hold back the laughter that bubbles in my stomach. I'm still confused at what she means, I've been told to return. I definitely haven't been given a mission.

"I haven't been given a mission. Oyakata-sama has told me to rest."

I don't know why she thinks that I have been assigned to a mission alongside her, but I will do my best to communicate with her even when she is like this.

"You're coming along with me on my mission!"
She puffs her chest out as she speaks, still crossing her arms. It's like she is throwing a childish tantrum, something I used to do when I was far younger. All in all, it is rather endearing.

I can't stop myself reaching out a hand to pat her on the head, it is only when I do it that I realise how disrespectful that action is. But I'm already patting her head, do I just stop now? Is it better to keep going? I'll keep going.

She slowly looks up at me and I am prepared to receive the glare of a lifetime. But instead she just lifts my hand off of her head and looks away blushing. At least I didn't get slapped.

"You owe me now! Come along on my mission and I'll forget about it!"
She pouts as she speaks, turning back around to look at me. I wonder why she is so adamant for me to join her, even when it hasn't been ordered.

"Why do you want me to join you, Riko?"
My voice comes out a little bit harsher than intended and I'm not quite sure that I phrased the question correctly. But it is too late now, the gun has already been fired.

"W-well… because… you know…"
She mumbles to herself under her breath, touching both of her index fingers together in a show of nervousness. Why is she nervous?

"..."

I open my mouth to speak but no words come out, so I shut my mouth immediately. She seems to get her nerves in order and she clears her throat before speaking.

"I asked Oyakata-sama and he said it was a good idea! Hashira should always be paired up, because it makes the most sense that way!"
I'm blown backwards by her barrage of words, if the master sanctioned it then I will go along with it. He knows best so I cannot disagree with his decisions.

It doesn't stop me from wondering though. Hashira should always be paired up, because it makes the most sense that way! I wonder just why that is. Hashira are a valuable commodity, so why would it make sense to pair them up when they could be active in two separate locations?

That is when it comes to me, I already know why. Because of the Upper Moons. A single Hashira does not stand a chance, not against a monster like Upper Moon Two. But two Hashira, that helps balance the odds even a little bit. It changes that zero percent chance into a one percent chance, which is more than enough.

If I had been as strong as I am now, would I have been able to help Shinjuro-san defeat Upper Moon Two? That question will never be answered, but the potential is there. A single Hashira would be demolished, but two could turn the tides.

"And because… I get lonely…"
My concentration is broken immediately, did I just hear that? Judging from the blushing, I must have heard it correctly.

Sorry Kyojuro, Ruka-san. It seems you'll have to wait a little bit longer before I return home. I'll begin training Kyojuro in the basics of swordsmanship, he was supposed to start learning from Shinjuro-san and take up the mantle.

"Okay, Riko. Where are we headed?"

I have no reason not to accompany her, it has been sanctioned by the master and I am fit enough to go. It is also the first time I will work alongside a fellow Hashira, even though I saw Shinjuro-san in action a few times.

"NORTH! NORTH! NORTH! YOICHI-SAMA AND RIKO TO GO NORTH!"

Riko's crow is the one that answers the question, it seems this mission will take us north and to a part of Japan that I have not seen. I wonder if we will pass by close to home.

Riko moves before I do, already running through the woods. She moves incredibly fast, even faster than I can. Her speed exceeds even me, I have to push myself just to keep a steady pace alongside her.

It will take a week to reach our destination. Which means it will take the same length of time back and then adding the time it takes to travel back to the Rengoku Estate. I won't be home for around a month.

We spend the days and nights travelling in the same way that I always have, except there is more laughter this time. Riko really is an incredible person, I didn't think anyone in the Demon Slayer Corps was this bubbly.

"And that was when Hideki-ossan fell over in front of everyone!"Her laughter echoes throughout the room that we are staying in. We are staying with an old widower tonight, somebody that has let us stay out of the kindness of his heart.

DISCLAIMER: ***************************************************************************************************************

"You really do admire the old man."
It is easy for me to see. She holds an incredible amount of respect towards Hideki-san. I respect him, but her eyes light up every time she talks about him.

"O-of course I do…"
She mumbles whilst playing with her hair, pointing it out has made her incredibly embarrassed. It is kind of fun to tease her for this, so I think I'll keep going.

"Unrequited love can be hard to deal with."
I cover my smile by wiping my face. Her reaction is priceless, I have never seen a human being that shade of red before. I wonder if I hit the nail on the head.

She stays silent for a moment before composing herself and the air in the room changes. The air settles as Riko takes in a deep breath and begins to speak, telling the story of how she became a Demon Slayer.

"I grew up as the third daughter, so I was always brushed aside as a commodity. People would tell me that I behaved like a boy, rather than a girl. Because of this, my family only ostracized me further."
She holds her arms and turns away to face the wall, as if it is something to be embarrassed about. I know what it is to be ostracized, but not by my family.

My family were the kindest people in the world, right up until the end. Tanjuro never stopped believing in me and Father refused to turn me into the authorities. They never stopped being kind for a second.

To have no place at home or outside of it, to be truly alone. That is something that I do not know. So I will shut my mouth and listen to her story.

"It only got worse and worse, I hated being told what to be so I rebelled further. My father responded by forcing me to marry a man that I had never met. He just wanted to get rid of me, so he arranged a marriage between me and one of the men from the village."

She slumps down further as she speaks and it is painfully obvious to see that the memories are flooding back to her, she is reliving the moments that she hated the most.

But I won't interrupt her, because she has built up the strength to talk about it with me. Not as a Hashira, but as a friend.

"And just like that, I was forced out of my home and into the home of a man I had never met before."
I can hear her teeth grinding together as she speaks. I never thought Riko could get angry, but I can feel it now. This must be one of the things that allows her to be so strong.

"I was his slave, I did everything I was told. I hated every moment of it, but if I made a noise, he would break one of my bones. The first time it was my finger, the second time it was my wrist and the third time it was my jaw."
She clenches her fists now and I can feel the rage radiating off of her, it is to the point that my own guard is up even if I know she would never attack me. My instincts are firing off and ensuring that I protect myself.

"The worst of it was at night…"
She stops there and her body seizes up. Even for someone as stupid as me, I can understand it all.

"One night he stumbled through the door, and attacked me. I thought it was the usual, but he was far stronger than before. His fingernails had sharpened into claws and he was trying to tear my throat out. I overpowered him easily but he would not stop struggling. Before long, I ran out of strength."
Riko shivers as she remembers what must have been the worst night of her life. There is no possible way that I can help her, because I am completely lost. I don't think there is anything I can do or say here. What would Masuyo-san do?

"Before he could tear my throat out, Hideki-ossan arrived and decapitated him. But do you know what I felt when I saw my husband's body crumble into ash?"
I cannot even tell what emotion she is releasing now, this situation is not something that I can deal with. The atmosphere had been so light, yet one joke from me ruined it.

"I felt joy. I did not even question it, I did not try to understand it. I cried tears of joy. I couldn't stop, even though I knew it was wrong."

Riko is shaking now, even though she is sitting down with her body firmly supported, she is shaking. There is nothing I can do in this situation, nothing that can make a difference. All I can do is respond to her with a story of my own.

"You know, I didn't really grow up in a temple. I wasn't raised by a priest or forced to dance a kagura."
I responded before she could continue, and my words seem to have shocked her into silence.

"I grew up on a mountain with two parents and an older brother. Every day was the same, out into the snow to chop wood endlessly. But it was okay because I had my family. I could swing that axe as many times as needed but I never felt the weight of it."
My voice doesn't tremble, it stays steady and low as I speak. Riko has turned around and I can see where tears have fallen from her eyes. All I can do is keep speaking, because I have no idea what else to do. Somebody like Masuyo-san would know what to do, but I am utterly useless.

"From the age of ten onwards, that axe had no weight to it. Not until I was fourteen years old. I've always had good hearing, I can hear the clouds forming in the sky and I can tell when it will rain. Which is why when I heard the sound of flesh tearing in the early hours of the morning, I leapt out of bed and picked up that axe."

"For the first time in my life, I could feel it. The weight of that haft, the handle and the head. Even as I saw a man that I knew devouring his daughter, all I could feel was the axe in my hands. Even when that same axe cut through his neck, the weight stayed with me."

"When I was forced to leave home and I wandered, I did not put that axe down for an instant. That weight was a constant reminder of it all. Even when I had raised that axe to my throat, the weight would not disappear."

"It was only when somebody else caught hold of the haft and carried half of the weight that I understood. I have no right to comment on what you have been through, I don't even know what to say. But you know, we're a team now. Even if all of that happened and you don't know how to feel about it, we're still a team."

I don't know if that was the correct thing to say at all and I'm sure she has a lot of questions, but it was the only thing that came to mind. It was the only thing that Kamado Yoichi could do in that moment, so I did it.

She does not respond, instead looking away again quietly. The silence settles, uncomfortable as it is. Which is when it is broken by a small whisper, one that I barely pick up.

"Thank you."
I could never hope to understand her feelings or her experiences, but I did the only thing that came to mind. All I can do is respond with words that I am unsure of, because she has seen the worst side of people from an early age.

I do not know what it is like to live in constant fear of someone, so afraid of them that I spend every living second on edge. One mistake could mean they go too far and kill me, or they hurt somebody else close to me. I cannot perceive that situation, but she has lived through it. That is strength far greater than anything a human being could ever be born with.

She has overcome her past and risen to become one of the strongest people alive. My heart burns with admiration for the woman opposite me, she is one of the greatest people that I have ever met.

I almost voice that admiration, but a voice in my head that sounds remarkably like Masuyo-san puts an end to that line of thought immediately. I hold my tongue, instead choosing to keep the silence.

We sit like this for a while, before Riko puts out the light. I climb into my futon and she climbs into her futon. Silence remains between us, with neither of us able to sleep at all. I just don't know what to do. This is the first time that my age has limited me in a long time.

And like that, the night passes with nothing but silence between us. Not even the sunrise can change the atmosphere, nor the thinning air as we continue further northwards.

All I can hope is that we succeed in our mission and that it lightens the mood somewhat, but even that may be a big ask. I cannot dig at the root of the problem, because it is far too sensitive to be touched.

But I have faith, an unshakeable faith that things will be resolved. I don't know why, but I can feel it in my bones. Even as we move forward, I can tell that things will only get better from here. Because they can't get any worse, right?

This is another first too, a topic that I feel should be touched upon a lot more than it is. Here is a horrifying fact, when the England football team play, domestic violence rises by a drastic amount. Even when they win! It can happen to anyone, even if you cannot see it in a smile or a gesture. Also please keep in mind that Yoichi is barely sixteen years old and has never dealt with anything like this before, but he will grow because of it. I just couldn't resist writing a fight scene, even if it was brief. But as always, please let me know what you think of this chapter! -TheGrailsVoice

batmanuchiha: Also Yoichi should also have inherited memories because the way I understood it was they were like a extra part of the brain that only actives when certain conditions are met

Rest assured, I have not forgotten about the memories! But remember the condition that was required for Tanjirou, he was on the brink of death and fighting against Muzan of all people!

Sythe-elda: Great chapter! Have no fear, your writing of dialogue is just as good as your fighting scenes :) Really glad to see how you care for the story and how you write the scenes as well as the characters you have

I really like how you incorporated the demon's last thoughts as well as flashback. You would think more authors of DS would do that, but you are the first I encountered that did it if I recall which is amazing to see! Also, I loved the interaction between Yoichi and Masuyo. It's funny to see the Oiran blush like she's just a normal girl with a crush lol and Yoichi being sort of oblivious was also funny xD

Even the dialogue between the other hashira and the master with Yoichi felt really well done! Makes me even more excited to see Yoichi deal with others. The chapter has me itching to see his actions once we get to the show's storyline lol I mean, even the setup is great and refreshing to read. Awesome line to finish the chapter btw :o

Set your heart ablaze my friend and keep up the great work!

Uwahhhh, as always your kind words blow me away! I really do care about the story and the characters I create, I become incredibly attached to my characters. But that doesn't mean they are safe! I will never run against the narrative to keep a character alive, if they must go then they must go. I was dead set on incorporating LM1's last thoughts and a tad bit of his story, because he was Yoichi's first clear obstacle. So it is only fair that he remains memorable! Masuyo-san really is a maiden at heart, she is just like any other girl her age! Yoichi is the first person that she has truly been able to be herself around, especially somebody that she can tend to and nurse! She normally represses those protective instincts, but they come out when she is around Yoichi! Trying to base the relationships between the Hashira and Yoichi is incredibly hard, but I will try my best. I will set my heart ablaze and keep moving forward until the dust has settled and we have reached the end!

connor j. fowler: With earnest gratitude thank you for replying to my previous review I don't often post such things and it was a pleasant surprise to see you responding to my thoughts.

I'm quite looking forward to where the story will develop from here and I offer my sincere appreciation for your commitment to completing this story

Wow, thank you so much for the kind words! They mean a lot to me! I do my best to reply to every review as I value the thoughts of each and every one of you! Thank you so much for sticking with the story, I will do my best to live up to your expectations!

LaryTheTableGuy: i have a question, how many years in the world is it till the first episode of demon slayer I'm just a little confused.

Doing the maths for this really confused me too, but as of now we are almost fourteen years away from the first episode! Yoichi is barely sixteen and he will be thirty when we get to that point! I hope that clears it all up for you!

Anonymous: sensing some budding romance here :) ...he'll be 30 by the time the manga storyline begins it leaves much to be imagined whether he'll get married by then.

I'm definitely rooting for Masuyo-san! Do your best! You can get through his dense skull eventually! But in all seriousness, maybe Yoichi will one day see sense. When that day comes, be sure to look out of your window to spot the pigs with wings!

P.S. As I finish writing this, the clock has ticked over into the 14th of July. Tomorrow, the 15th, is actually my birthday! I have safely made it to another year, maybe by this time next year we are finished with this story and onto the next one!