Hi there! You ready for a new chapter, cause I sure am!

I'm so glad people enjoyed the last chapter, I only hope I can keep this ball rolling for as long as possible.

Now, before we begin, I want to explain a little bit more about Tanjiro's Blood Demon Art, Sun Conqueror.

Basically, Tanjiro manipulates the blood cells which have absorbed energy from the sun to travel to certain points of his body and burst out of that point in the form of fire.

Let me give you some examples.

Fire Claws - Tanjiro releases solar blood cells, blood cells that have been charged with solar energy, from his fingertips and covers his nails with fire, taking the form of claws.

Flaming Kick - Tanjiro releases solar blood cells from one of his legs and covers it in fire, not only increasing kicking strength but also allowing Tanjiro to slice through tough demons with his legs.

Dragon Breath - Tanjiro fills his throat with his blood, accompanied by solar energy, and as it leaves his mouth, he turns it into fire at the last second.

Exploding Blood - This move is the reason Tanjiro can perform these other moves. Tanjiro can use his solar blood cells to turn his blood into the very same flames which burn on the sun. Whenever Tanjiro loses blood, a tiny amount of solar blood cells leaves with it, allowing him to set his lost blood ablaze.

However, every power has a limit. These moves all use varying amounts of solar blood cells. If Tanjiro reaches 0%, he will be virtually useless in a fight.

His body temperature will decrease and his stats will return to the minimum for a demon, making him about as strong as a normal human.

But worry not, my friends. Tanjiro will learn to better control his powers as the story goes on, and these limits will be little more than minor inconveniences. Once he gets to that point, Tanjiro will be a force to be reckoned with.

Also, you'll notice that Shinobu acts differently from her canon counterpart. In canon, Shinobu adopts Kanae's personality, putting on a fake smile to mask her anger to honor Kanae's dying wish that she would keep smiling.

But, in this timeline, that doesn't happen and Shinobu retains her original personality. Just wanted to let you know!

Anyway, I think I've kept you waiting long enough. Let's-a-go!

*I do not own Demon Slayer, Kimetsu no Yaiba. The Anime/Manga belongs to Ufotable and its author, Koyoharu Gotouge.

"Tanjiro" = Talking

"Tanjiro" = Thinking

Tanjiro - Middle Alignment = POV

Japan - Middle Alignment = Location

"Tanjiro" = Flashback

Crash! - Left Alignment = Sound effect

Water Breathing = Breathing technique/Blood Demon Art


Chapter 6 - The Flower Hashira's Dream Comes True!

Shinobu Kocho

Butterfly Mansion

The sun had begun to set as Shinobu and Kanae had walked through the entrance to the Butterfly Mansion to be greeted by their three youngest butterfly girls, Sumi Nakahara, Kiyo Terauchi, and Naho Takada.

"Good evening, Lady Kanae and Lady Shinobu!" The three girls yelled happily. Shinobu smiled kindly at the little girls.

"Good evening, you three." Kanae, who was also smiling, replied. "Have you been holding down the fort in our absence?"

The three girls saluted. "Yes, ma'am!" Answered Kiyo.

"Everything is in ship-shape!" Sumi added as Kanae gave all three girls a pat in the head.

"Good work! Keep it up!" Kanae praised them before the group went inside the estate.

Inside, Aoi had just finished making yakisoba buns in the kitchen. "Good evening, Lady Kanae, Lady Shinobu." Aoi greeted the two Hashira with a bow.

Aoi Kanzaki had moved into the Butterfly Mansion about three months ago after her first and last mission as a Demon Slayer.

According to Kanae, she found Aoi hiding in fear from a demon that had killed the group of Mizunoto she was with. Kanae disposed of the demon and comforted the young girl who cried in her arms.

It turned out that Aoi barely survived Final Selection at fourteen years old, and she was too terrified to fight. However, after Kanae offered to let her stay at the mansion, Aoi had shown a natural talent in medicine.

After learning this, Shinobu offered her a job as one of her helpers around the mansion as a permanent resident, to which Aoi happily accepted thinking that she owed her life to her and Kanae.

"Hello, Aoi. I hope you are well." Shinobu responded with a small smile.

Aoi nodded with her own smile. "Yes, thank you for asking." She replied back.

"Now listen, Kanae and I have an escort mission and will be gone for a week or two. I know I'm asking a lot, but can you take care of the mansion while we're away?" Shinobu asked as she put a hand on Ali's shoulder.

Aoi had a serious face. "Yes, my lady. I won't let you down." Aoi answered.

Shinobu smiled. "I know you won't." She said before looking around. "Do you know where Kanao is?"

Aoi nodded. "She's been training in the yard, practicing Total Concentration." She said as she pointed towards the door that led to the back of the Estate.

Shinobu and Kanae went outside and found their adoptive little sister sitting in seiza in front of their pond, breathing in and out.

Kanao wore her usual pink kimono as she heard the two Hashira approach her. She put on her blank smile and got up to greet them.

Kanao Tsuyuri, a former slave that Shinobu and Kanae rescued about six years ago when Shinobu was Kanae's tsuguko.

When they took Kanao to the Butterfly Mansion, the two sisters discovered something heartbreaking. Kanao's free will had been completely shattered.

It was likely a coping method she used to get through the all torture and pain she endured without becoming insane. Kanao absolutely could not do anything unless she was told to, including eating.

Shinobu was worried but her sister assured her that it would be okay and provided a temporary solution. Kanae gave Kanao a coin to flip whenever she had to make a decision on her own.

Kanae always said that Kanao would learn to make choices on her own when she found a boy that she liked. But, Shinobu knew that wouldn't happen anytime soon.

"Hello, Kanao. Practicing your breathing, are we?" Kanae asked. Kanao nodded without speaking.

"Well, Aoi made dinner, do you want to join us?" Kanae offered as Kanao took out her coin and flipped it. It landed on heads, after which, Kanao nodded yes to Kanae's question.

Kanae clapped her hands together with a bright smile as Shinobu sighed. "Great! Come, let's head inside!" Kanae said as she took Kanao's hand and led her inside the main house, followed by Shinobu.


After dinner, Shinobu and Kanae went to their shared bedroom and changed into their sleepwear. The two sisters then got into their own beds as Shinobu read a book on poisons next to a lamp on a nightstand between Shinobu and Kanae's beds.

Shinobu had been experimenting with new formulas for more powerful wisteria poison that might be able to kill a Lower Moon or maybe even an Upper Moon.

However, as she read, she found herself thinking about the mission given to her and Kanae by Master Ubuyashiki. She was feeling uneasy.

Tamayo was reliable and had shown that she meant no harm, even if Shinobu didn't completely trust her. Tamayo was also one of the most intelligent people she'd ever met, her medical skills outranking Shinobu's. Shinobu still kept her guard up around her, but she was still a useful asset.

Yushiro was…tolerable. Since Tamayo transformed him, he was less likely to go berserk. He could be pretty violent from time to time but as long as she and Kanae treated Tamayo well, he wasn't really a threat.

No, what really had her worried was this "Tanjiro Kamado." Master seemed to trust the demon despite not having even met it, and Kanae seemed to be in the same boat which wasn't surprising to Shinobu.

Kanae's dream was for humans and demons to coexist and live in harmony as friends. In Shinobu's opinion, along with most other people, this was nothing but a childish fantasy.

Shinobu was no fool, she had witnessed the cruelty of demons first hand when they killed her parents and almost killed her and her sister before the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, saved them.

The thought of a demon being able to live in sunlight terrified her, that would mean no would be safe if this "Tanjiro" went on a killing spree.

Fortunately, Shinobu had her poison, something that she doubted the demon could resist. If that demon stepped even one toe out of line, Shinobu would finish it for good.

"Shinobu." Kanae called out to her sister, who looked back. Kanae must have noticed the irritated look on Shinobu's face.

"Be honest, you don't think Tanjiro can be trusted." Kanae saw right through her sister. Shinobu sighed.

"I just don't understand why Master Ubuyashiki would keep this a secret from the rest of the Demon Slayer Corps. If there is a demon who has conquered the sun, we should capture it and hide it from Kibutsuji at headquarters prison." Shinobu said as her sister gave a sad smile.

"Tamayo told the master that she could handle it, she's a trusted ally of the corps. I know we can trust her. I think we can trust Tanjiro as well. Master said that he put himself in harm's way to protect humans, not just any demon does that. Besides, Tanjiro is just a boy. To take away his freedom at such a young age is cruel." Kanae explained.

"It's a demon, it doesn't deserve freedom or trust. You shouldn't talk about it like it's human. Tamayo may be different but it took her centuries to control her demonic side, so excuse me if I don't believe a barely teenage boy could do the same so easily. I know you want to befriend demons, sister, but we must not let our guard down." Shinobu shot back as it was Kanae's turn to sigh.

"You are so cruel sometimes, Shinobu. The boy has already been through so much, the least we could do is give him a chance. Imagine becoming a demon and being forced to leave your family behind so that you don't hurt them." Kanae said while Shinobu stared down at her book.

According to Tamayo, Tanjiro had been transformed into a demon by Muzan and almost killed his mother and little sister. The demon supposedly snapped out of it before hurting anyone, but it left its former home to protect the people it loved. It was a sad story on paper, but…

"Everyone has a sob story…you and I are no different. For all we know, the demon killed its family and lied about it." Shinobu argued as Kanae frowned.

"If that's what you want to think, I can't change that. Let's just do a good job on the mission, okay?" Kanae asked, her smile returned, if a little forced.

Shinobu gave a small smile back. "Yes, good night, sister." After that, Shinobu turned off the lights and the two Hashira went to sleep.


Tanjiro Kamado

Tamayo's House: Lab

-That Same Night-

Tanjiro's Solar Power Level: 8.1% (Tiny increase in stats)

(Note: It's been two days since the demon attack and Tanjiro was asleep from exhaustion, similar to Nezuko in canon. During that time, he was kept in sunlight for as long as possible to help him recover his strength.)

Tanjiro slowly opened his eyes and found himself in what seemed to be the bed in Tamayo's lab.

"Lady Tamayo, he's awake." Tanjiro heard Yushiro's voice as he looked to his left. He saw Yushiro sitting in a chair beside the bed and Tamayo looking back at him from the entrance.

Her eyes widened before a warm grin appeared on her face as she walked up to him. Tanjiro lifted his upper body off of the bed as Tamayo suddenly hugged him, causing a shocked Yushiro to glare at the younger demon.

"Tanjiro, thank goodness you're finally awake. When you wouldn't wake up, I became very worried about you. We kept in sunlight for as long as possible, we thought you were trying to regain your strength." Tamayo explained to the blushing Tanjiro.

"Um, Miss Tamayo. How long was I out?" Tanjiro asked as Tamayo let go.

"About two days." She answered, causing Tanjiro to go silent until…

"HUH!? TWO DAYS!?" Tanjiro yelled. No wonder Tamayo was worried, he would be too!

"Yes, two days. I believe it was due to the energy you spent after you unlocked your Blood Demon Art." Tamayo explained as Tanjiro became confused.

"Blood Demon Art? I…unlocked it?" Tanjiro asked as Tamayo nodded.

"Yushiro told how he witnessed you breath fire at a demon and turn it to ashes without a Nichirin Sword. Your Blood Demon Art is just as I suspected, you use the solar energy in your blood cells to convert your blood into fire and then you shoot it out of your body, at least that's my theory." Tamayo explained.

Tanjiro slowly remembered everything that happened, he remembered his father talking to him as his body began to feel warm. He felt stronger, faster, he felt like the sun was embracing him with its warm light.

Tanjiro's eyes widened. "You mean…I can actually use my Blood Demon Art…to destroy demons?" Tanjiro asked.

"I believe so, yes. But, I wouldn't use your power too recklessly if I were you. You did pass out after using it for just a bit. You may not have full control over it just yet. That's why I only want you to use it only as a last resort, understand?" Tamayo asked in a serious voice with concern in her eyes.

"Yes, I understand. I won't rely on my Blood Demon Art. Only for emergencies, promise." Tanjiro said as he smiled.

Tamayo returned the smile and proceeded to walk out the room. "Good, now for the other piece of news. We will have to move to a new location, there is a chance our position has been compromised." Tamayo said as Tanjiro's eyes widened in shock.

"Compromised? Does Muzan know we're here, or the Demon Slayer Corps?" Tanjiro asked quickly.

Tamayo shook her head. "The Demon Slayers know nothing, excluding their leader. As for Muzan, I'm not sure, but we cannot take that chance. I've already notified the leader of the corps, we'll be receiving escorts to protect us on our journey." She informed the boy.

"I see, who will the escorts be?" Tanjiro asked.

"They are the two sisters I told you about. The Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, and her elder sister, the Flower Hashira, Kanae Kocho." Tamayo answered.

"You said that they already know about me, right? Also that the Insect Hashira uses wisteria poison?" Tanjiro asked, a bit nervous.

"Yes, but their master has promised me that they would not harm you. You have no need to worry. Just make sure not to provoke them and you'll be fine." Tamayo assured the boy who nodded.

"Now, let me make something for you in the kitchen. You must be starving." Tamayo said as her smile returned.

Tanjiro responded with his own smile. "Yeah, thank you, Miss Tamayo!"

Tamayo walked out of the room, leaving Yushiro who spoke to Tanjiro.

"She's become fond of you. It's likely that you remind her of her son." Yushiro stated as Tanjiro looked at him, confused.

"Her son? I remind her of him?" Tanjiro asked.

"Lady Tamayo always told me about her son during the first year I worked for her. He was kind, innocent, and always wanted to make people happy." Yushiro said while Tanjiro listened.

"When she was forced to kill her son, Lady Tamayo wanted nothing more than to die. But, Muzan forced her to live and stay by his side until she was free. After that, all she wanted was to destroy Kibutsuji."

"I wonder, what if your family is going through something similar. There is a chance that one of your siblings may take revenge for you, you know?" Yushiro said, making Tanjiro feel guilty.

Tanjiro left his family thinking he was dead because that was the only way to make sure they didn't come looking for him. But, Yushiro had a point. There was always a chance that Nezuko or Takeo would become Demon Slayers to avenge him. Tanjiro really hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Yushiro once told him that the Demon Slayer Corps consists of many who seek revenge against a demon, often Muzan, and let rage guide their actions. But it's this rage that has gotten so many children killed.

But, that wasn't all, Tanjiro imagined the pain his family went through when he left them behind. Especially his mom and Nezuko. The last time he saw his mother, he had nearly taken a bite out of her shoulder, and Nezuko was there when Tomioka decapitated him. If he witnessed his sibling get their head chopped off, Tanjiro would've lost it too.

Tanjiro lowered his head in shame as Yushiro sighed. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have said that."

"Don't worry, it's fine." Tanjiro assured him with a sad smile. "I've made some mistakes, but I'll make it all better when I'm human again!"

Yushiro let out a "humph." "Yes, I'm sure you will. Get some rest, Tanjiro, you've earned it." He said, giving a quick smirk at the boy.

Tanjiro watched as Yushiro left the room and looked at the ceiling and grinned. "I remind her of her son, huh? That's funny, especially since she kind of reminds me of mom sometimes." Tanjiro thought as he suddenly felt guilty.

His smile disappeared at the thought of his mother, realizing how much he truly missed his family. "I have to become human to see my family. But, until then…" Tanjiro smiled again as he looked at the entrance to the lab.

"This family isn't so bad."


Kanae Kocho

Outside of Tamayo's House

-The Next Night-

Tanjiro's Solar Power Level: 8.8%

Kanae and Shinobu had finally made it to Okutama, the area at the western end of Tokyo, and followed their Kasugai crows to the village where Tamayo lived.

They made it to the wall that they knew the house was hidden behind. "Alright, Shinobu, remember to play nice with Yushiro." Kanae reminded Shinobu who did not seem amused.

"Please don't talk to me like I'm a child, Kanae, I only argued with him because I disagreed with Tamayo on how we would go about defeating Kibutsuji and the Twelve Kizuki." Shinobu shot back.

"He's just loyal to Tamayo, she did save his life." Kanae reasoned.

"Yeah, by turning him into a demon." Shinobu argued, causing Kanae to frown.

"WITH his consent. Just…please watch what you say in there, okay?" Kanae asked as Shinobu sighed.

"Yes, I promise. Believe it or not, I've matured beyond arguing with others like a little girl." Shinobu replied, earning a shut-eye smile from her older sister.

"That's more like it!" Kanae said as the two walked through the wall that led to Tamayo's house. At the front was Tamayo who greeted them with a smile.

"Thank you for coming, Lady Kanae and Shinobu. It is an honor to have two Hashira escort us lowly demons. I hope that my request did not inconvenience you in any way." Tamayo said with a bow.

"Of course not, Lady Tamayo. My sister and I are always happy to help a comrade, whether they be human or demon!" Kanae said, returning the bow.

"Yes, what she says is true." Shinobu also bowed. "However, we do have some concerns about your newest…resident." Shinobu said as politely as possible.

"Oh, and who exactly is 'we', sister?" Kanae wondered with a nervous sweat drop on her forehead.

Tamayo nodded. "And I completely understand why. But rest assured, Tanjiro means no harm. He's been a great help in my research among other things and is just delightful to have around, trust me." Tamayo promised the two sisters.

"Well then, lead the way!" Kanae said as the three walked inside the house.


Tamayo led the sisters up to the second floor of the house where they stopped at an open door leading to what looked like a bedroom.

Inside were two boys sitting on the floor playing shogi. Kanae recognized one as Yushiro, who actually wasn't a boy, and an unfamiliar face.

He wore similar clothes to Yushiro, but had black ruffled hair with burgundy tips, pink eyes with dark pink pupils, and a strange scar on the top left side of his forehead. This fitted the description of none other than Tanjiro Kamado.

Tanjiro was in a thinking position with his left hand holding his chin while Yushiro glared at the boy as he impatiently tapped the table they were playing on with his left index finger.

"Hmm…maybe…no, that wouldn't work…Oh! How about…no, that's stupid…Okay! I got it now!…actually, on second thought…no…" Tanjiro switched between a confident look and his thinking look while Yushiro's right eye started twitching and multiple tick marks appeared all over his head.

He gritted his teeth before finally speaking. "Will you make a move already…" Yushiro asked, calmly but menacingly.

"I know, I know. I just need a little more time to think about-." Tanjiro was interrupted when Yushiro slammed the board, startling the boy and making the pieces jump without moving from their positions.

"YOU'VE BEEN 'THINKING ABOUT' SHIT FOR TWELVE MINUTES! JUST MAKE A GOD DAMN MOVE!" Yushiro snapped.

"HEY! THERE IS NO NEED FOR THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE! IT'S JUST A GAME!" Tanjiro snapped back.

"SHUT UP AND MAKE A MOVE!" Yushiro yelled.

"FINE!" Tanjiro responded as he moved a piece, clearly without thinking first.

Yushiro immediately moved another piece and ended the game. "Checkmate."

"Huh!? Oooooh…" Tanjiro looked at the board in surprise before lowering his head in disappointment.

He then perked up and looked at Yushiro with a grin. "Good game! Want to go again?" He asked.

"NO!" Yushiro yelled as he flipped the table into Tanjiro's face.

Shogi pieces fell everywhere as Tanjiro fell on his back, the table landing next to the top of his head. Tanjiro's eyes became swirls and his nose began to bleed.

Kanae covered her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter. Shinobu looked at her sister with a blank face as Tamayo sighed.

"Good grief, every time I think they're making progress…This is why I only wanted one child…" She muttered.

Tanjiro sat up while holding his nose and looked at the mess. "Yushiro! Why did you do that!? Miss Tamayo's going to kill us when she sees this mess!" Tanjiro scrambled to get all the pieces and the board back into its case with only one hand.

Yushiro face-palmed himself as Tanjiro finished putting away the pieces. "Idiot…Lady Tamayo was standing at the door with the two Hashira this whole time." Yushiro said as Tanjiro turned his head to him, his nose somehow already plugged up with a piece of towel paper.

"Huh?" Tanjiro then looked at the door where Kanae, Shinobu, and Tamayo were standing. Kanae was still giggling.

Tanjiro's face suddenly turned as red as a tomato, his hair straightened in multiple directions and steam came out of his ears in a cartoonish fashion.

Tanjiro bowed his head to the floor. "I'm so sorry you had to see that! Please forgive me!" Tanjiro apologized.


Kanae and Shinobu spoke with Tamayo outside of the house while Tanjiro and Yushiro packed everything they needed into boxes.

"Just leave those here when you're done, Kamado. The Kakushi will pick it up and take it to Asakusa." Yushiro instructed Tanjiro who looked back with a smile on his face.

"Got it!" He said as he continued packing. Kanae stared at the demon in astonishment. Tamayo seemed to notice this.

"Not what you expected, right?" Tamayo asked with a smile. Kanae nodded with a smile of her own. "Yes, I felt the same when I started letting Tanjiro stay with me."

"Master Ubuyashiki told us all about Tanjiro's traits. How he can suppress his demonic side even during battle, how he can eat human food, how advanced his nose is, and of course his special abilities." Kanae listed off the things she learned about the demon.

Shinobu then stepped in. "Speaking of which, it truly is interesting. Not only can it walk in sunlight, but it can absorb it to grow stronger. You know, that kind of power can be dangerous…in the wrong hands." She said to Tamayo with a suspicious look in her eyes.

Tamayo returned the look in the form of a glare. "Lady Shinobu, if you are implying what I think you are implying…" Tamayo kept calm with a change in tone.

"Not at all. I'm just curious as to why you were so adamant about keeping such a special demon here instead of turning it into the Demon Slayer Corps." Shinobu said, her expression a lot more serious.

Kanae tried to step in before Tamayo spoke to her helpers. "Tanjiro, Yushiro, could you two please check the house to make sure we didn't forget anything?" She asked without looking back at them.

Tanjiro and Yushiro had been observing the conversation until that command. "You heard her, Kamado, let's go." Yushiro said as he walked into the house.

"Um…right…" Tanjiro followed Yushiro inside the house, a bit more hesitantly.

Once they were alone, Tamayo spoke again. "Do not be mistaken, I meant to originally give Tanjiro to the corps after taking some blood."

"But…" Shinobu said, signaling for Tamayo to continue.

"But, after speaking with him and getting to know his story, I decided that maybe he was different from the other demons. Out of every demon I've encountered, Tanjiro has by far been the most human." Tamayo stated with full confidence.

Kanae smiled as she thought that was sweet. Sadly, Shinobu was far from convinced.

"That's a very sweet story, Lady Tamayo, but how do you know it wasn't lying? Demons can be deceptive creatures who will lie and cheat to get what they want. How do you know it isn't a spy Muzan sent to keep tabs on you or just a random demon lying its ass off to appeal to your sympathy?" Shinobu pestered the woman with multiple questions about Tanjiro.

"With all due respect, Lady Shinobu, I am over five hundred years old. I think I can tell when someone is lying to me. Also, Tanjiro has already broken Kibutsuji's curse, automatically eliminating any chance of him being a spy." Tamayo argued, her glare intensifying.

"I see, fair enough." Shinobu replied, "But even so, how do you know it won't go berserk again. It's happened before, how do you plan on stopping it when it gets hungry for something other than ramen?"

"First off, it's 'he.'" Tamayo responded, causing Shinobu to look at her with a confused look.

"I beg your pardon?" She said as Tamayo continued.

"It's obvious that Tanjiro is male, so I would appreciate it if you speak of him using proper pronouns like you do with me and Yushiro."

"Second of all, Tanjiro has been doing a fantastic job learning to control his desires." Tamayo stated as Shinobu spoke.

"Really, that demon learned to control himself only half a month after transforming?" Shinobu asked with fake enthusiasm.

"Yes, it's not like it's impossible to do. After all, I did it myself." Tamayo replied.

"Yes…after a century, not two weeks." Shinobu argued.

"Well clearly…Tanjiro fought much harder than I did. I wish I was strong enough back then, but I can't turn back time. I am only glad that Tanjiro regained his humanity before hurting someone he loved." Tamayo said with a sad look that made Kanae feel guilty.

"Shinobu, I think that's eno-." Kanae tried to stop Shinobu who did not listen.

"So you envy him, then why defend him? Why take a risk keeping him with you knowing that Muzan is still after you? Perhaps if you let us take him off your hands, we can-." Shinobu didn't finish as Tamayo's glare turned into a death stare, sending shivers down Kanae's and presumably Shinobu's spines.

"We are on the same side, Shinobu, so I'll let that comment slide. But, if you touch one hair on that boy's head…I will show you what a true demon looks like, consequences be damned. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Tanjiro is not dangerous. I'll swear on my deceased family if I have to. And if I'm wrong, may God throw me into the deepest, darkest pit of hell." Tamayo said in a threatening tone.

Shinobu and Tamayo glared at each other before Kanae stepped between the two. "Now now. Let's not fight. Like Lady Tamayo said, We are ALL on the same side here, remember?" Kanae asked while giving a pleading look to Shinobu.

Shinobu got the message and sighed. "You are right, sister." Shinobu politely bowed to Tamayo. "I apologize, Lady Tamayo, my behavior was unnecessary and was unbecoming of me as a Hashira."

Tamayo returned the bow, even if it was not as genuine. "No, I should apologize. It's only natural for humans to be distrustful of demons. I shouldn't have threatened you like that."

Kanae clapped her hands together and smiled wide. "Great! Now that we're all friends again, let's get moving!" Kanae said as Tamayo nodded and looked towards the house, she had a sad smile on her face.

"Tanjiro, you can come out now." Kanae and Shinobu's eyes widened as it had been revealed that Tanjiro was listening the whole time. "I'm very sorry you had to hear that."

Tanjiro and Yushiro both walked out, Tanjiro looking extremely hurt and guilty. "Forgive me, Lady Tamayo, I told him not to eavesdrop but-." Yushiro explained before Tamayo stopped him.

"It's fine, Yushiro." Tamayo said as she walked off with the two demons, leaving Kanae and Shinobu alone.

"I thought you said you had matured beyond arguing, Shinobu. What do you think mom and dad would've said if they heard what you said?" Kanae scolded her little sister with a serious look.

Shinobu looked at Kanae, stunned by those words before abruptly looking away. "I said I was sorry, did I not?" She asked.

"Yes, but not very sincerely." Kanae replied.

"Kanae, we did not become Demon Slayers to make friends with the same monsters that killed our parents." Kanae's eyes widened at Shinobu's words.

"Do you hear yourself? You talk like they are the ones who killed them." Kanae said as she pointed towards the trio of demons in front.

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I have to trust them." The Insect Hashira argued.

"I didn't say that you had to, I'm just saying that it's probably not a good idea to antagonize the people we'll be traveling with for the next few days." Kanae reasoned.

Shinobu sighed as she walked away. "Fine, but if that demon makes one false move, my sword is going right between its eyes."

Kanae stared at Shinobu's back. "Sometimes, I wonder who the real monsters are. You've changed, little sister." Kanae said in her head.

Kanae walked up to Tanjiro, who had his back turned, and put a hand on his shoulder as he turned his head to her.

"Tanjiro, right? I apologize for my sister's words. Please do not take it personally, I'm afraid she isn't the most trusting person." Kanae explained as Tanjiro suddenly gave a sad smile.

"It's fine, I don't really trust myself either, to be honest." Tanjiro said, showcasing his kind heart.

As Kanae looked into his warm, pink eyes, she tried to fathom the fact that this boy in front of her was actually a demon.

"Well, I hope we can get along! I'm Kanae Kocho, by the way!" Kanae properly introduced herself as Tanjiro's smile became wider.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Kanae! I hope we can get along as well!" Tanjiro responded as he walked off to join Yushiro.

Kanae then noticed Tamayo gave her a grateful smile, which Kanae returned. After everything was packed, the group moved out.


Tanjiro

Outside of the Village

The villagers all said their goodbyes to Tamayo and Yushiro, as well as giving Tanjiro their thanks. The praise felt nice, even if he didn't feel he deserved it. Any good person would've done the same, right?

Tanjiro, Yushiro, and Tamayo left the village with Kanae and Shinobu. The demons stayed a fair distance behind the two Demon Slayers, Tamayo and Yushiro being in front of Tanjiro at all times.

Ever since that argument between Tamayo and Shinobu, the trip had been nothing short of awkward.

As first impressions go, Kanae seemed really nice. She was more willing to give Tanjiro a chance and gave off a sweet, charming smell of kindness that seemed similar to Nezuko's. Tanjiro knew as soon as they talked to each other that he could trust her.

Her little sister, Shinobu, on the other hand…She gave off a constant scent of mild anger which only intensified every time they made eye contact.

Tanjiro stared at the Insect Hashira's back as they all walked on a dirt road. He wondered if maybe they got off on the wrong foot, maybe he should try to get to know her so that-.

"Don't bother." Tanjiro jumped a bit as Yushiro spoke to him.

"Huh?" said the confused Tanjiro who looked at Yushiro who had been looking back.

"You're thinking about talking to the Insect Hashira and trying to start over, right? Don't lie, we both know you're terrible at it." Yushiro added before Tanjiro could speak.

"He saw right through me…" Tanjiro thought as he shut his mouth.

One time while living with Tamayo and Yushiro, Tanjiro tried to take the blame when Yushiro accidentally knocked over a lamp, only for his face to distort. That's when they found out that Tanjiro could not keep a straight face while lying.

"I'll say it again, don't bother. If you thought my trust was hard to gain, gaining her trust will be damn near impossible." Yushiro warned.

"Shinobu and her sister, Lady Kanae, lost their parents when they were both children and swore to destroy as many demons as possible so that no one else would suffer like they did."

Tanjiro smiled after hearing such a noble resolve, he felt the same. He wanted to help others so that no one would go through the pain he went through. Although, that didn't exactly tell Tanjiro why he couldn't get along with Shinobu.

"Sounds admirable, right? Yes, it is. But, those two go about it in different ways. Lady Kanae took a more merciful route, wanting to befriend any demon she could. She kills whatever bad demon crosses her path, but she also wants to live in a world where the good demons and humans can live in peace."

"But…Shinobu is not as forgiving. She shares the same goal as almost every other Demon Slayer, to completely eradicate all demons without fail."

"Tread very carefully, Tanjiro. In her eyes, you are nothing but a savage beast. And you better believe that she'll treat you like one and kill you like one if you give her a single reason."

"I know I sound intense, but this is for your own good. Do not approach her unless you have no choice. If you want to talk with Lady Kanae, be my guest. But watch what comes out of your mouth, or else you're as good as dead."

Tanjiro gulped after Yushiro finished. Was Shinobu really that dangerous? That's when he remembered something important.

Shinobu is a poison user, one of the only people in the world who can actually kill Tanjiro. He realized that Yushiro's warning might have just saved his life.

"I understand, I'll be careful." Tanjiro promised, smiling gratefully at Yushiro.

"Good." Yushiro said before looking forward again. Tanjiro looked at the ground as he kept walking.

Yushiro was right, he couldn't just walk up to Shinobu and force a conversation. Maybe he'd give her some time to see that he doesn't want to hurt anyone, then they might be able to be proper allies.

Tanjiro looked up to see Kanae looking back at him with a sad smile that turned into a happier shut-eye smile upon getting the boy's attention as she waved at him.

Tanjiro smiled back before returning the friendly gesture. Hopefully, Kanae could put in a good word for him to Shinobu, even if they didn't know much about each other.


Kanae

Tanazawa, Okutama

-Near Daybreak-

The gang was approaching Tanazama, a humble town surrounded by hills and forests. Asakusa was still a long distance away, as it was all the way on the other side of Tokyo in the east.

Shinobu stayed at the front of the group while Kanae fell back to chat with Tanjiro and Yushiro.

Kanae never said it, but she was very excited to meet Tanjiro once she heard about him. She thought this might've been the perfect opportunity to finally make friends with a demon.

She tried with Tamayo and Yushiro, but neither of them were interested. Tamayo didn't think it was a good idea to befriend her, even if she was flattered. Yushiro just flat out didn't care, only having eyes for Tamayo.

Tanjiro, on the other hand, seemed very kind. He was funny, polite, a good listener and easy to talk to. Kanae had to play it smart, though. She believed that she failed in the past because she came on too strong. She would bide her time, getting to know Tanjiro before asking him to be her friend.

Then there was their biggest obstacle, Shinobu. Despite being the little sister, in both meanings of the word, Shinobu had always been protective of the naive Kanae.

If she wanted to become friends with Tanjiro, Kanae had to convince Shinobu that Tanjiro was a good demon.

That couldn't be too hard, considering how innocent Tanjiro seemed.

As a matter of fact, as she was thinking about this, Tanjiro was skipping happily alongside her and Yushiro, who looked at the boy with a face that said "I don't know this person."

"Can you cease your skipping? You look like an imbecile." Yushiro said without mincing words.

Tanjiro stopped as if he just realized that he was skipping. His face turned red again while looking down.

"S-Sorry…Guess I got a little excited…" Tanjiro said before looking up with a bright smile. "This is the farthest I've ever been from home, it's just kind of fun to be exploring Tokyo."

Kanae smiled upon such child-like joy from the demon. From what she heard, Tanjiro had lived on a mountain his entire life, so it must've been refreshing to go to new areas. It was actually kind of adorable.

That's when Kanae looked up at the sky which had started to get brighter, signifying daybreak. "Looks like the sun will be up soon." She said, catching everyone's attention.

"Yes, so it seems." Tamayo replied as everyone looked at the sky. "I am truly sorry, but may we take refuge until nightfall?"

Shinobu nodded. "It doesn't seem that we have a choice, we'll settle in this town for now." Everyone agreed as they headed into Tanazama.


Local Motel

The sun had risen just as the demons and their Hashira escorts had entered their room at a motel.

They made sure the blinds covered any windows so that Yushiro and Tamayo wouldn't burn away. After everyone got settled, Shinobu and Kanae got ready to leave.

"Where are you going, Miss Kanae, Miss Shinobu?" Tanjiro asked before they left.

"We'll be going out to grab some supplies. We're also going to see if we can find something to cover Lady Tamayo and Yushiro from the sun, so we can travel during the day without worry." Kanae explained.

"Okay, is there anything I can help with?" Tanjiro asked with a smile before Shinobu put a finger near his face.

"You can 'help' by staying put, demon." Shinobu ordered the boy with a slight glare and a hand on her sword hilt. Tanjiro nervously backed away from the Insect Hashira.

"Oh, Shinobu. No need to be so rough, he just wants to help." Kanae said while patting Shinobu's head, much to her younger sister's annoyance.

"Um, that's alright. I understand if you don't want me to come with you." Tanjiro said, rubbing one arm while looking at the ground.

Kanae then put an arm around the boy's shoulder and pulled him in. "But of course we do! What better way to get to know our newest ally than a shopping trip?" Kanae exclaimed as she looked at Shinobu. "Right, sister?"

Shinobu sighed, making her displeasure known. "Fine, you can come, just don't get in our way." Shinobu said before walking out of the room .

Kanae looked back at Tanjiro with a close-eyed smile. "It's settled, then! Let's go!" She said as she took Tanjiro's hand and dragged him out.

"M-MISS KANAE! PLEASE SLOW DOOOWN ! ! !" Tanjiro pleaded while being dragged.

Yushiro

Yushiro watched the whole scene with concern. "This can't possibly end well…" he said as Tamayo sighed.

"I'm sure it'll be okay…maybe…" She responded.


Tanjiro

Streets of Tanazawa

Tanazama wasn't too different from his own home town or the town Tamayo lived in. But, Tanjiro still enjoyed walking around and meeting new people.

It was also nice to spend time with Kanae, even if Shinobu brought a little tension to the table.

"Alright, for Lady Tamayo and Yushiro, maybe we can carry them in a basket with a lid and arm straps or maybe a box. We could give them clothing to cover their skin, but it'd be too risky." Shinobu said as they walked.

"Well, actually, I'm receiving a package from the corps today that I requested." Kanae announced, earning a confused look from Shinobu.

"What package?" She asked as Tanjiro listened in.

"That's for me to know, I'll show you when it arrives." Kanae responded with a bright smile as Shinobu sighed.

"So be it, but we'll also need to grab any herbs we can to make medicine or antidotes, or maybe poisons. The stuff we have on us should suffice for the trip, but it's better safe than sorry. It also wouldn't hurt to grab some travel food for you and me." Shinobu stated before Kanae added something.

"And for Tanjiro…right?" Kanae asked as Shinobu made no response. Kanae frowned at this while Tanjiro felt guilty.

He felt like he was driving a wedge between these two siblings. Shinobu is the only family Kanae has left and vice-versa, they shouldn't be fighting because of him. Of course, that didn't mean he wanted both sisters to hate him.

As Tanjiro tried to figure out how to gain Shinobu's trust and bring the sisters together, the group stumbled upon a gathering.

The civilians were surrounding a pole that had at least two dozen missing posters stapled to it. "Another person's gone missing? That's the sixth one this week." One man said.

On the posters were pictures of men, women, teenagers, children, elderly, you name it. Shinobu approached one of the women.

"Excuse me, madam, could you tell me what's going on? I'm new to this place and don't know much." Shinobu said as the woman turned towards her.

"Well, people have been going missing lately. Every night, two or more just…disappear. Never to be seen again. I recommend staying indoors at night while you're here, unless you want to disappear too." The woman said.

"I see, that's very unfortunate. Thank you for letting us know, we will make sure to be careful." Shinobu replied before walking away.

"No doubt about it, there's a demon in this town." Shinobu whispered to Kanae and maybe Tanjiro as well.

Kanae nodded. "Looks like we'll be extending our stay for just a bit." Kanae said as the sisters walked away.

"Kamado, let's…Kamado?" Shinobu called out as Tanjiro stared at the posters, overwhelmed by how many there were.

"So many people…were they really all killed by demons?" Tanjiro thought to himself as Kanae kept trying to gain his attention.

"Damn it…If only I'd gotten here a week sooner or more, I could've saved these people…" Tanjiro started clenching his fists and gritting his teeth.

"I can't let this happen again. This has to end…" That's when Tanjiro heard crying. He looked to his left to see three children, two little girls and one older boy.

The girls hugged the boy while sobbing as the boy comforted them. "Mama, Papa! Why did you leave us!?" One of them yelled.

"Big brother! Where could they be!?" The other girl asked as tears fell down the boy's cheeks.

"I…I don't know…But, I'm sure they're alright…They have to be…" The boy assured his sisters with wavering resolve.

Tanjiro felt something snap. Slits appeared in his eyes, veins popped out on his forehead, his nails dug into his palms as blood fell from them.

"Unforgivable…this is unforgivable! Robbing children of their parents, do these demons have no heart!? Don't they ever think about who the people they eat are leaving behind!? Don't they feel a shred of sympathy towards their victims!? Do none of these thoughts EVER cross their mind!?"

Tanjiro looked at the ground, a shadow covering his face, not noticing that his burning rage was starting to scare people while Kanae shook his shoulder. Eventually, Shinobu tried to snap him out of it as well.

"I'll destroy them…I'll destroy every last one of them! With my BARE HANDS! I'll make sure no one ever suffers like this again!" Tanjiro's mouth involuntarily formed a creepy grin, showing off his razor sharp teeth.

"You hear that, Muzan Kibutsuji? I'm coming for you…I'll tear you apart and make you feel true pain! When I'm through with you, you'll wish you never turned me into this monster!…I'm gonna kill you…every one of you…"

Tanjiro suddenly realized that he was losing control again.

"Damn it, I can't keep doing this!" Tanjiro then looked around and saw all the citizens staring at him with terror in their eyes.

"Calm down, Tanjiro. You'll just bring unwanted attention to yourself like this. Calm down, regain control. Remember your family, remember your loved ones…"


"Big bro, I'm scared!" Hanako said while hugging Tanjiro tightly.

Tanjiro was ten-years old, Rokuta had not been born yet. There was a huge thunderstorm outside, and Kie was in town to take Tanjuro to the doctor, leaving the Kamado siblings to huddle together in the living room.

"Do you think mom and dad are okay…?" Nezuko asked with tears in her eyes.

"Of course they are, I'm sure of it. It's all going to be okay, I promise." Tanjiro said to his siblings with that same bright smile on his face.

BOOM ! ! !

Everyone screamed except for Tanjiro, but even he couldn't help but flinch from the loud noise.

The two youngest siblings, Hanako and Shigeru, started crying as Nezuko and Takeo were on the verge of tears themselves.

Tanjiro hugged them all tight and brought them closer. "It'll be okay, don't be scared. Your big brother will protect you…always."

The siblings seemed to feel a little better after hearing that. After things finally quieted down, they endured the remainder of the storm…together.

Even after the storm had passed, Tanjiro's younger siblings never stopped hugging him, saying he was too warm to let go.

"Big bro…?" Hanako called out.

"Yes, Hanako?" Tanjiro looked down at his sister.

"Promise that you'll never leave us…okay?" Hanako asked, surprising the eldest sibling.

Soon, his warm smile returned as he kissed the top of Hanako's head.

"I promise…like I said…your big brother will protect you…"

"Always…"


Tanjiro felt the tears fall from his eyes to the ground as he smiled to himself.

"That's it…remember who you are…" He told himself in his head as he wiped the tears away with his sleeves.

The memory was bittersweet. Tanjiro had broken the promise he made to Hanako and the rest of his siblings. But, Tanjiro still managed to pull himself together.

He turned around with a sad shut-eye smile. "Sorry everyone, I don't know what got into me. I must've lost my temper with all the horrible things going on. I'm truly sorry if I scared some of you." Tanjiro bowed politely.

He looked up to see that he sort of defused the situation. Some gave him suspicious looks, including Shinobu, while everyone else looked at him with concern, including Kanae.

Eventually, after about ten minutes of awkward silence, everyone left the area. Tanjiro stood with the Insect Hashira and Flower Hashira.

"So," Shinobu started, "do you mind telling us what the hell just happened? I think I remember telling you not to cause any trouble."

"Actually, you told him not to get in our way." Kanae added, earning a glare from her younger sister.

Tanjiro bowed his head in shame. "I'm really sorry, I just got a little mad is all." Tanjiro said before Shinobu stepped up to him.

"A little? Do you know how much killing intent you were releasing? Then you go into some sort of trance for a few minutes." She summarized.

"Tanjiro…are you sure you're okay?" Kanae asked with genuine concern in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Tanjiro replied while nervously scratching the back of his head. "I think I'm just…hungry! Yeah, that's it!"

Tanjiro was actually feeling hungry so he was able to keep a straight face while saying that.

Neither Kanae nor Shinobu looked satisfied with that answer. But, after sharing a quick glance with each other, they seemingly decide to drop it.

Kanae smiled and clapped her hands together. "Well, we can't have that, now can we?" Kanae then looked back at Shinobu.

"Shinobu, you go on ahead, I'll take Tanjiro to the nearest restaurant to eat." Kanae said as Shinobu nodded.

"Right, we'll meet back here at sundown to discuss our demon problem. And you…" Shinobu turned her gaze to Tanjiro. "You better not act up again, demon. Or I'll make you regret it."

Tanjiro gulped. "Y-Yes, ma'am…" He replied.

And with that, Tanjiro and Kanae go get some food while Shinobu shops for her supplies.


Tanjiro was enjoying his steamed rice and miso soup while Kanae had some grilled fish. Both enjoyed their meal and even asked for seconds.

After Kanae paid the owner with her earnings from her demon slaying duties, the two walked out and went to sit on some benches as they began chatting.

"So, Tanjiro," Kanae called Tanjiro's name as he looked at her. "I assume Yushiro had already told you about my past, right?"

"Oh, yeah, he did…" Tanjiro replied before suddenly feeling guilty again for prying like that. "I'm really sorry that happened to you. I know I lost my family, but they're still alive. On the other hand…"

Kanae's smile became more sad. "Yes, I can't say I still don't think about that night. But, I still keep smiling because I know my parents wouldn't want me to be sad forever." Kanae said.

"I'm glad, I'm sure your parents would be happy as long as you're happy. My parents are the exact same in that regard." Tanjiro said sincerely.

"Yes, family is truly a wonderful thing. I don't think I could've survived without my sister there. You must cherish your loved ones while they are still with you." Kanae said as Tanjiro thought about his own family.

"Yeah, you're definitely right about that." Tanjiro said a bit sadly, causing Kanae to frown.

"I heard your father passed away last year, I'm very sorry." Kanae bowed her head as Tanjiro shook his head.

"Don't worry about it." Tanjiro replied, "I was really sad when he died, but I had my mom and siblings to cheer me up. Plus, my loss doesn't come close to yours."

Kanae hummed. "You're…really modest, you know that? I don't think I've met someone as humble as you." Kanae's smile widened.

"What? No, I'm really not. I just don't like to think of myself as above anyone in any way." Tanjiro responded as Kanae tilted her head, still keeping her smile.

"That's kind of the meaning of 'humble.'" Kanae corrected, causing Tanjiro to blush again.

"O-Oh, right…" Tanjiro looked down to hide his face. Kanae started giggling.

"You are definitely the most human-like demon I've ever met. You really are a good person, Tanjiro. No matter what anyone says, you are not the same as the rest of those horrible demons." Kanae said, flattering the boy.

"That's really sweet, Miss Kanae. But, I'm really not worth all of the praise. After all, you just saw me lose control this morning." Tanjiro countered the compliments before Kanae started giggling again.

Tanjiro tilted his head in confusion, wondering what was so funny. "There's that modesty again. Lady Tamayo was right, you really don't give yourself enough credit." Kanae said as Tanjiro started blushing again.

"Not that being modest is a bad thing, but that kind of thing tends to lower your self esteem. It's just as important to see value in your own life as it is to see value in others."

Tanjiro looked at the woman in front of him. "Miss Kanae, if I may ask, why are you being so nice to me?" Tanjiro asked, earning a confused look from the Flower Hashira.

"What do you mean?" She asked back.

"Well, when I met Yushiro and Miss Shinobu, they didn't trust me at all. In fact, they both seemed to hate my guts. Even Miss Tamayo had her doubts about me at first. But you, you haven't treated me that way at all. All I smell from you is kindness, understanding, and trust." Tanjiro explained as Kanae nodded.

"Lady Tamayo also told us that you could tell what people were feeling based on their smell, that's another thing special about you." Kanae replied.

"As to why I treat you kindly despite having just met you. Well, it's mainly because you remind me of myself." Kanae said, confusing the boy.

"What do you mean by that?" Tanjiro asked as Kanae smiled at him again.

"For starters, we're both the eldest child in our families. We like to see the good in everyone. We're both pretty naive to how the real world works. But most of all…you and I are two people who have suffered, but we still continue to smile through the pain for everyone else's sake." Kanae explained.

"We both lost something at a young age. I lost my parents, you lost your life as a human. And yet, we push ourselves to act strong, to not show any weakness to those around us. If either of us were to stop smiling, our Allies wouldn't be able to smile either, do you understand?" She asked.

Tanjiro nodded as his smile returned. "Yeah, I remember my father always telling me to keep smiling, even when there's not much to smile about. Because, as long as I'm happy, everyone around me will be happy too." Tanjiro quoted.

Kanae's eyes closed while her smile remained. "Your father sounds like a wise man." She replied.

"Yeah, he really was. He and my mom, they're some of the kindest, most wonderful people you'll ever meet." Tanjiro responded.

"And it seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Kanae responded.

Tanjiro was caught off guard by the sudden compliment. "Uh…th-th-thank y-you…!" Tanjiro stuttered, earning a third giggle from Kanae before she continued talking.

"I'm sure Yushiro told you this, as well. Another reason I have is that…I want to make friends with a demon." She explained.

Tanjiro nodded as she continued. "I've always believed that there are demons who aren't that bad, but need someone to bring them back to the light."

"That is my dream, to live in a world where demons who would never hurt anyone can live in peace. I know that it seems impossible, but I won't know unless I try."

Kanae then leaned forward and grabbed Tanjiro's hands, her hands were soft and gentle, especially for a swordswoman.

"That's why I must ask. Tanjiro Kamado…will you be my friend?"

Tanjiro was taken aback by this sudden offer. "A-Are you sure!?" You're risking a lot just by knowing me, Miss Kanae! And now, you want to be friends with a demon you just met!?" Tanjiro asked, still recovering from his initial shock of Kanae holding his hands.

"I know it seems weird, being friends with someone you just met, especially given the age gap between us. But, I think that sometimes it's good to become friends before getting to know each other, that part is half the fun!" She said excitedly.

"Also, I could already tell that you were a good person the moment we spoke to each other. I've always been a good judge of character, so I can tell the good demons from the bad demons. If I think a demon is good, I ask them to be my friend." Kanae explained her process.

"If you don't want to be my friend, I understand. Neither Lady Tamayo nor Yushiro accepted my offer. They either don't want to get me in trouble with other Demon Slayers or they just didn't care. All the other demons I asked either called me crazy or laughed in my face, sometimes both." Kanae admitted with a nervous chuckle.

Tanjiro thought about the offer. A friend, huh? God knew he needed that right now. Kanae seemed like a really kind person, he already knew he could trust her as he smelled no hint of deception, only a pure heart.

"You seem like a nice person, Miss Kanae. But again, are you absolutely sure? Your sister probably won't be happy about this, and I don't want to be the one to drive you apart." Tanjiro's face became serious as tried to make sure that neither party involved would have any regrets.

Kanae nodded. "Just leave Shinobu to me, it'll take a lot more than this to break our bond. Also, if we're going to be friends, you have to drop the 'Miss' part. From now on, you can just call me Kanae!"

Tanjiro smiled brightly, genuinely happy that he had someone to officially call…

"In that case…I would love to be your friend, Kanae!"

Kanae seemed surprised that Tanjiro actually accepted his offer before her smile returned just as bright. Suddenly, Kanae started shaking Tanjiro's hands up and down in rapid motion.

"Really!? This is so wonderful! Oh, we're gonna be best friends in no time, I'm sure of it! After this mission, you should visit the Butterfly Mansion, it's the estate where me and my sister live! I can't wait to introduce you to the girls! And when you become human, maybe I can meet your fam-!" Kanae went on and on as Tanjiro felt like his arms were about to be ripped off.

"MISS…I MEAN, KANAE! PLEASE STOP! MY ARMS ARE GONNA FALL OFF!" Tanjiro pleaded as Kanae heard him and stopped.

"I'm sorry! I guess I got a little excited…" Kanae apologized

"No kidding..." Tanjiro muttered, a little dazed from being moved up and down. But, that didn't matter to him now. He now had a friend.

"CAWWW! CAWWW!" Tanjiro and Kanae looked up to see a crow circling them. "Package for Kanae Kocho! A package for Kanae Kocho has arrived! Head to the entrance of Tanazama to pick it up! CAWWW!"

Kanae let go of Tanjiro's hands and clapped her own in joy as Tanjiro stared up in astonishment. "Perfect timing! Let's go, my new friend!" Kanae said as she got up and went around the bench.

She took Tanjiro's right arm by the wrist with her left hand and dragged him away once again. "W-WAIT! THAT CROW JUST TALKED!" Tanjiro shouted.

"Yep! It's a Kasugai Crow, I'll explain it to you later!" Kanae replied as the two new friends ran off.


They were at the spot designated by the crow and saw someone in the distance. Kanae waved at them as Tanjiro got a closer look at the…person?

Whoever he or she was, they wore a sunflower-patterned haori and a large woven hat with hanging floral wind chimes. Their head appeared to be wrapped in a spotted cloth.

But, the most eye-catching detail was the Hyottoko mask covering their face. They carried a long object wrapped in a tied up cloth.

The stranger walked up to Tanjiro and Kanae as Tanjiro started to realize that he was a man. "I am Hotaru Haganezuka. Are you Kanae Kocho?" He asked.

Kanae nodded as the man named Haganezuka continued. "I have made and brought what you requested." He said as he held the wrapped up object to the Hashira.

Kanae took it and gave a grateful smile to the man. "Thank you very much! The Demon Slayer Corps is forever in your village's debt!" She said as Haganezuka merely nodded.

Kanae turned around and handed the object to Tanjiro. "Tanjiro, this is my first gift to you as your friend!" Kanae announced as Tanjiro observed the object.

Suddenly, Haganezuka got in Tanjiro's face, startling the boy. "Well, are you gonna unwrap it or not?" He asked.

"R-Right!" Tanjiro answered as he quickly untied and removed the cloth, revealing a sheathed katana.

The sheath was black, as well as the hilt which had a black wheel-like ring at the top. The hilt also seemed to be wrapped mostly in a black fabric, the exposed bottom being decorated with red diamond shapes.

"Tada! Your very first Nichirin Sword!" Kanae exclaimed as Tanjiro admired the craftsmanship.

"Well, unsheathe it, kid." Haganezuka ordered. "I want to see what color it is."

"Color?" Tanjiro said, confused as he unsheathed the sword.

"Actually, Tanjiro hasn't been trained in swordsmanship yet, so…" Kanae informed the man as Tanjiro looked at the blade.

It was a normal metallic color, but the man in front of him looked at it with a smell of increasing anger. "Um, Mr. Haganezuka…? Are you-?"

"You've got to be shitting me…You make me forge what might the best sword I've ever made…FOR A FUCKING NEWBIE ! ! !" Haganezuka started screaming like a wild beast before charging at Tanjiro.

The young demon ran for his, not so endangered, life as Haganezuka gave chase. "What are you getting mad at ME for!? It's not like I KNEW I was getting a sword!" Tanjiro tried to reason with the man to no avail.

"SHUT UP AND DIE, YOU LITTLE SHIT! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, REQUESTING MY SERVICES EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE NEVER HELD A SWORD IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!" Haganezuka yelled while chasing the boy who had just climbed up a tall tree with his claws.

Haganezuka then took out two knives from his pockets and stabbed them into the tree, using them to climb. Tanjiro looked down to see the man on his tail. "WHAT THE-!?"

Haganezuka was about to reach Tanjiro when Kanae came out of nowhere and snatched Tanjiro away, jumping off of the tree and high into the air.

Tanjiro held on to the Flower Hashira who looked back with shock. "Oh my! This hasn't gone how I expected at all." Kanae said, jumping from roof to roof in town as the man continued chasing them.

"You can say that again…" Tanjiro solemnly agreed, more mentally tired than physically. Fortunately, Haganezuka eventually gave up, knowing he couldn't catch up to Kanae, and stormed off.


Open Field near Tanazawa

-Noon-

Tanjiro's Solar Power Level: 9.3%

Kanae led Tanjiro, who had his new sword tied to his hip, to a clearing in the nearby forest north of town.

"What are we doing here, Mi…Kanae?" Tanjiro asked, almost forgetting to drop the formalities.

Kanae looked back at him with an excited smile. "Tanjiro Kamado, it's time…" She said as Tanjiro tilted his head.

"Time for what?" He asked.

Kanae then unsheathed her sword. "Time to start your training," Kanae spun her sword around in a fantastic display of skill before assuming a fighting stance. "As a Demon Slayer Swordsman!"


And I'll end things here! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter!

Once again, I want to thank you all for the love and support you have shown this story! I know I sound like a broken record, but I hope to become a better writer and make the best story possible. And I'll say that as many times as I need to!

Also, how do you think I did with Kanae's and Shinobu's characters?

We never got much on Kanae's character besides the similarities she had with Tanjiro, so I had to make due with my knowledge and "skills."

As for Shinobu, before Kanae died, she seemed like the type of person who is easily angered but still deeply cares about the people in her life. Of course, Shinobu has also been shown to be a stickler for the rules in the canon story.

I personally think I didn't do too bad with their characters, but what do you think?

Please know, I'm not trying to slander anyone. I personally don't like when fanfics do that. It doesn't bother me a ton, but it still puts me off, especially when it's a character that I don't think deserves it.

You can probably guess what's gonna happen between Shinobu and Tanjiro. Tanjiro's gonna be Tanjiro and protect humans while getting hurt in the process and slowly gains Shinobu's trust. Yada yada yada, it's been done to death but that's likely what's going to happen.

But most importantly, Tanjiro's gonna start his training as a Demon Slayer! Wahoo!

Now before you get excited, Tanjiro will not be learning Flower Breathing or Insect Breathing. Honestly, it might be for the best. Both breathing techniques require one to be quick, agile, and accurate. Tanjiro could be quick enough with his enhanced speed, but agility and accuracy are two different stories.

Kanae will teach Tanjiro Total Concentration Breathing, along with all basic sword techniques, but no specific style of breathing.

I think we all know which breathing technique Tanjiro will use. The question is, how will he discover that he can use Hinokami Kagura in battle? Well, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out!

Alright, that's all for now! Bye!

Next time: Chapter 7 - The Demon Slayer…Demon?