Chapter 10
The sun rose over the mountain and four young kids stood in the courtyard at the foot of the mountain. Tanjiro Kamado stood among the four present survivors of The Final Selection. The Ubuyashiki sisters congratulated the survivors and rewarded them with the Kasugai crows. They then asked the survivors to choose the ore for their swords. Once they choose their ores, they each began to prepare for the long journey home. The Ubuyashiki sisters glanced over and saw Tanjiro. They had been told that he was related to the Raven Hashira, Tori Kamado. They had been told that she was on a very special mission that was ordered by, Master Ubuyashiki. They decided to go and talk to him. The sister with the black hair spoke first.
"Excuse me, but are you Tanjiro?" Said the sister with black hair.
"Yes, I am." Tanjiro replied, "Did you need something?"
"We wished to speak with you concerning your motives on becoming a demon slayer." The sister with
white hair responded, "I'm sure you know that your sister, Tori, participated in Final Selection six
years ago. She's the reason so many demon slayers survived that year. With her quick ascension to the
position of Hashira, she's saved many lives. Almost every demon slayer talks about her. She's a well
known hero among the Corps. Is it your intention to follow in her footsteps?"
"Yes, it is true that my sister is very strong. But still, even she had to work to obtain that kind of
strength. Tori never wanted me to get caught up in this war that she fights, but recent events occurred
and now I've become involved. I had no intentions of becoming a demon slayer, but looks like I don't
have a choice now. With my family having been almost murdered by a demon, my elder sister is going
to need help. I'm not my sister and I don't know how far I'll be able to go, but I'll strive to be the
strongest demon slayer I can be."
"Then we wish you good luck on your demon slaying journey and hope that you achieve you goals."
The sisters said in unison, "We wish you a safe journey back to your mentor's home and pleasant
demon hunting, Tanjiro Kamado."
Tanjiro nodded his gratitude and began to head out and start his journey back to Sakonji's place. Kanao looked at Tanjiro as he was passing by. She had listened in on his conversation with the Ubuyashiki sisters and she now had confirmation that he was Tori's brother. She had guessed it before when she saw his hair color, but now she had the official confirmation. She wanted to go up to talk to him, but she hesitated. She didn't know whether it was because her heart wasn't strong enough, or that her lack of emotions held her back. All she knew was, she missed an opportunity to get to know him. She watched him walk until he was out of sight. Kanao then started her journey back home.
Tanjiro arrived back at Sakonji's place and fifteen days later he got his sword. Soon, he and Nezuko started on their journey to slay demons. Days went by and Tanjiro slayed at least five demons. One day he was traveling to his next location and he saw a blonde-haired boy making trouble for a young girl. Tanjiro acted on the request of a sparrow, who accompanied the boy. He resolved the conflict and he got himself acquainted with Zentitsu. Zenitsu and Tanjiro began traveling to their next location. They had picked up their pace at the command of Tanjiro's crow. They reached an old mansion and there they found a couple of kids. While it was indirect, the kids told them that a demon had kidnapped their older brother. Tanjiro and Zenitsu went to go face the demon, despite Zenitsu's displeasure. The moment they went into the mansion, the kids, Shoichi and Teruko, entered the mansion. From that moment, everything went down hill. Tanjiro and Teruko got separated from Zenitsu and Shoichi. Tanjiro tried his hardest to protect Teruko, but they were met with another demon slayer and things got hectic. Tanjiro and Teruko moved to other rooms in the mansion. Soon, they found Teruko's older brother Kiyoshi. Tanjiro helped to treat Kiyoshi's leg and learned that he had a rare type of blood that made demons go crazy. When the master of the mansion arrived, Tanjiro leaped into action. Tanjiro fought the demon to the best of his ability. Meanwhile, Zenitsu was trembling in fear as a demon approached him and Shoichi. Zenitsu wanted to protect him, but he believed that he was weak and had no strength at all. He believed that there was no way that he could defeat the demon. Unannounced to either of them, there was another demon slayer in that area. She watched them from outside the room. She observed when Zenitsu fell asleep during the battle and she thought she was going to have to intervene, but she choose to keep watching. Sure enough, Zenitsu rose to his feet. She noticed that his eyes were still closed and this told her that he was still asleep. Zenitsu charged at the demon with great speed and sliced the head and tongue off of the demon. The mysterious demon slayer was very impressed with Zenitsu's technique.
When Zenitsu woke up, he went back to his original, scared self. Zenitsu then thought that Shoichi had slayed the demon and thought that Shoichi has saved his life. He began showering Shoichi with gratitude and praise that actually was supposed to be meant for Zenitsu. Shoichi was utterly confused by Zenitsu's words. It was then that Zenitsu detected the presence of someone watching them. He turned to the direction of the sound he was picking up on while hoping and praying that it wasn't a demon. It was then that a mysterious voice spoke to them.
"Well, well, well, that's a pretty impressive sword technique you have, Zenitsu." Said a girl in black.
"What do you mean by that? I didn't do anything." Zenitsu replied, "Who are you anyway?"
"I'm Tori and I watched this whole battle from start to finish." The girl responded as she took her hood
off, "You're a very talented demon slayer, Zenitsu. Never once, in my days of slaying demons, have I
seen a demon slayer of your talent before. You say that you're weak, but I saw you slay a demon with
my own eyes. You are far from weak, Zenitsu."
"If I truly slayed that demon, why don't I remember doing it?" Zenitsu asked, "How could I have
possibly slayed a demon?"
"Well for starters, you fell asleep during the battle. That's mostly the reason why you don't remember
slaying the demon." Tori explained, "I think you have a slight personality disorder, which could
possibly explain what happened. So to begin things off, you were unconscious for the rest of the entire
fight. Suddenly, something in you switched on. I believe that this was your other personality kicking in
because moments after you fell asleep, you stood up while your eyes were still closed. Secondly, your
other personality took over because you had no fear and you were determined. Once that personality
kicked in, you took up the stance for your breathing technique. Then you crossed the room in five
seconds flat while slaying the demon in the process. Afterwards, you woke up and your original
personality came back and you don't remember anything past the moment you blacked out. Finally, you
have all of this strength at your disposal and yet you are unable to access it. So, it remains in your
subconscious mind which is blocked by your fear. You can only access your true strength when you're
unconscious, which I think is really brilliant."
"You really think so?" Zenitsu continued, "You really think it's brilliant that I'm like this?"
"Yes, it gives you an added element of surprise that will throw your opponents off guard. They'll think
your weak and spineless, but as you're unconscious you'll surprise them with your real strength. It's
brilliant, tactical, and clever. This technique, however, is a little rough around the edges. If you'd like, I
can help you improve your technique." Tori offered, "I can help you get stronger, so you can take down
your enemies more efficiently. I can't help you with your personality problem, but I can help you train
so that you can be even stronger when you use your special ability next time."
"Would you really help me? No one other than Gramps saw anything in me." Zenitsu said, "No one has
any hope for me. I've been lied to on more than one occasion. If you cry or runaway once, the say
'Ahh… He's no good.' and they just walk away. So, would you really do all of that for me?"
"Every word I said, Zenitsu, is true. I will help you improve your technique, but only if you want me to
help you." Tori replied, "I would never lie. I really can't lie because me and my entire family are honest
to a fault. Especially, my brother, gosh he's a terrible liar. He can't even keep a straight face when he
lies."
"Your brother wouldn't happen to be Tanjiro, would it?" Zenitsu questioned, "Also you and I have
different breathing styles. How could you help me improve mine?"
"I actually have two breathing styles. My primary style, that I use most often, is my Raven breathing. I,
however, have a second breathing style that's pretty much kept as a secret weapon. That second style is
the Thunder breath style." Tori explained, "Much like yourself, I can only use the first form. Also, yes,
Tanjiro is my brother. I'm surprised that you figured that out."
Zenitsu was in shock to hear her say this. She had two breathing styles? Taking a good look at her and listening to the sound she gave off. She was very strong. Her strength was on much higher level than him. He then began thinking about her offer to help him improve his technique. He knew she wasn't deceiving him, so he decided to take her up on the offer. He agreed to let her help him and Tori guided Zenitsu and Shoichi through the mansion. As they walked through the mansion, they somehow found themselves floating in the air. Tori got to one of the walls, but she watched as Zenitsu and Shoichi were being pulled towards the window. The Raven Pillar chased after them trying to reach them. They fell from the second story and during the fall Zenitsu protected Shoichi. He landed on his head and fell unconscious. Tori leaped out from the house and she flipped once and landed on her feet just as nimble and graceful as a cat. Shoichi was surprised by how skilled Tori was. He turned back to Zenitsu and he was worried about him. During this time, Tanjiro had defeated Kyogai the demon master of the mansion. He was searching for Kiyoshi and Teruko the two kids he had been protecting from the demon. When he found them, he hoisted Kiyoshi onto his back and they walked through the mansion. As they were walking, Tanjiro smelled the scent of blood. Tanjiro and Teruko picked up their pace and they arrived at the exit. The moment they got a glimpse of the outside, Tanjiro saw Zenitsu getting a one-sided beat down by another demon slayer. It was the same demon slayer that he and Teruko had run into earlier.
Tanjiro looked at the scene with shock and anger started to boil to the surface. Tori saw that Tanjiro finally arrived and she grew worried. The Raven Pillar knew exactly how angry her brother could get, especially when it came to their family. It was then that everyone watched as the demon slayer with the boar head raised his sword and was getting ready to swing it down onto Zenitsu and the box he was protecting. Tanjiro was having a panic attack from the day he found Nezuko unconscious on the ground. Snapping back to reality, he watched as the demon slayer was about to kill Zenitsu. Tanjiro was about to charge forward and stop this intolerable act. Suddenly, dust was stirred up followed by the faint sound of swords clashing together. Tanjiro shielded Kiyoshi and Teruko from the dust and when it settled, Tanjiro looked up in shock at who had stopped the demon slayer from murdering another Corps member. He didn't even need to see her face to know that this was his elder sister. The demon slayer with the boar head was now in shock as another demon slayer had intervened. Withdrawing her sword, Tori revealed herself and she quickly knocked him out. Once he was down, she tied him to a tree just to keep him from hurting anyone. After she finished up, she turned towards Zenitsu and she knelt down to check on him. Tanjiro quickly walked up to them and spoke.
"Onee-chan!" Tanjiro called out.
Tori replied, "Tanjiro. Good to see you again, dear brother."
The two siblings embraced each other and they both turned to Zenitsu. Tori examined his wounds and found that most of the blood that was spilled came from the back of Zenitsu's head. She then reached into her haori and pulled out a bandage roll, herbs, an eye patch, a small mixing bowl, and a ladle. She first started with bandaging Zenitsu's head. Zenitsu was confused as to why she was doing so much to help him. The Raven Hashira then finished wrapping the bandage around his head. Tori turned to the bowl and she placed the herbs she pulled out into it. Walking over to a barrel, she filled the bowl with a little bit of the water that was in it. When she walked back, Tori picked up the ladle and she began to grind the herbs into a pulp. Once she was finished, she set down the ladle and bowl for just a moment. Tori pulled out a handkerchief and she went back over to the barrel and she wet it. Zenitsu looked at Tanjiro with a confused look and the boy with the earrings told Zenitsu not to worry as Tori was a natural when it came to first aid. Tori then approached Zenitsu and she used the little cloth to clean his face. It was then that she took the poultice and spread it onto the eye patch, once she finished cleaning Zenitsu's face. Then the Raven Pillar put the eye patch over his eye. After she finished putting the eye patch over Zenitsu's eyes, she cleaned up the bandages and herbs. Then she poured the rest of the poultice into a small jar and placed it in the bag that she carried with her. The bag was hidden under her haori, so no one could see it. Tori washed out the bowl and she placed it in her bag. It was then that Tori turned to her brother.
"Tanjiro, could you gather some firewood for me?" Tori asked, "And can you get me twice as much?"
"Sure thing, Nee-chan." Tanjiro said as he ran off into the woods.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Shoichi offered.
"Yes, can you find me some small stones?" Tori replied, "And I'll need twice as many."
"Okay. We're on it." Shoichi nodded and he left with Teruko.
"Kiyoshi, why don't you sit down here with Zenitsu?" Tori suggested, "That way you won't aggravate
your injured leg too much."
"Oh, Okay, thank you, miss." Kiyoshi responded.
Kiyoshi sat down next to Zenitsu and they watched Tori pull out two tea pots, flint stones, two mini stoves, two bundles of herbs, lots of small jars filled with nectar, and lots of tea cups. As she unwrapped the herb bundles, Tanjiro came back with the firewood and Teruko and Shoichi arrived back with the stones. She took the firewood and she started to build two small fire pits. The Raven Pillar continued to unwrap the herb bundles, once she finished setting up the fire pits. She then began tearing apart the leaves of one of the herbs and she placed them in one of the tea pots. Tori then walked back over to the barrel of water and she filled the tea pot with some of the water. After she filled the tea pot, she walked back to the others and she placed the pot on the small stove. They watched Tori pick up the stones that she always carried with her. She then struck the flint stones twice and the sparks caught onto the firewood and the fire was started. Tori let the tea heat up and she started to make her signature herbal tea. The recipe that was familiar to Tanjiro. She began putting in the herbs when the demon slayer with the boar head finally woke up. Tanjiro was about to go and deal with him, but the Raven Hashira sat him back down and assertively told him to stay put and let her handle it. Tori approached the unnamed demon slayer and he looked up at her. At first, he was mad that he had been tied up, but when Tori approached him, he immediately shut himself up. The vibrations she gave off told him that she was beyond his level of strength and that she wasn't here for jokes. She was dead serious and angry. Zenitsu trembled when he heard Tori's anger. It genuinely freaked him out and the unnamed demon slayer was also trembling. Tanjiro also picked up on his sister's anger with his keen sense of smell. Tanjiro, however, wasn't scared that she was angry. It was then that the Raven Pillar finally opened her mouth to speak.
"What's your name, young demon slayer" Tori spoke.
"I'm Inosuke Hashibira." The demon slayer said as he carefully chose his next words, "Who are you?"
"I'm Tori Kamado and it's a pleasure to meet you, Inosuke." She replied, "I must say you are a very
talented demon slayer. I've seen many demon slayers, but rarely have I seen a demon slayer that wields
two swords. It's very tactical to have two swords because you can practically deal double the damage
one sword can deal out. Your overall prowess is impressive as well."
Inosuke had a feeling that Tori was about to say something he didn't want to hear. He looked down and hoped that it wasn't going to damage him too badly. He decided to listen to what she had to say because of the fact that she had a lot of anger welling up inside and she looked like she was going to snap at any moment.
"Go ahead and say what you want me to hear." Inosuke responded, "I'll listen to it just this once."
"You have an impressive technique, Inosuke. There's no doubt about it." Tori explained, "However,
your battle strategy almost always involves recklessly charging forward and facing your opponent head
on. There's nothing wrong with doing that, but that strategy can't always be applied in certain
situations. To put it in other words, you favor strength over smarts. It's not a bad strategy, but it can't be
used in every situation you find yourself in."
"So, what you're saying is that, it isn't wrong for me to have this kind of strategy, but it isn't always the
right one to use." Inosuke confirmed, "Right?"
"Right. I honestly don't think you need to change anything, but I'd be glad to help you polish your
technique. In other words, help you improve your technique so that you can use it more efficiently."
Tori offered, "I don't think you'll change your strategy, but what you can do is team up with Tanjiro
and Zenitsu. You can let them form the strategies and all you have to do is help them to follow through
with them. I'm certain that most of the strategies they'll come up with will have you charge forward
like you always do." Tori continued.
"I kinda like the sound of that. I don't mind teaming up with them." Inosuke commented, "I do have
one question, though. We use different breathing styles. How can you help me improve my technique?"
"I've trained under people with different breathing styles for two years and a few months." Tori
answered, "I have enough experience to notice that your breaths are a bit rough around the edges. In
other words, your breaths need a little work. The same goes for sword technique. Both of these areas
don't really need a lot of work, but they do need some improvement. I can help you refine, or improve,
your technique to make you stronger than you already are. I, however, will only help you if you want
me to. If you want to get stronger on your own, that's fine by me. You don't have to accept my offer.
You can keep working on your technique on your own if you wish, but you might improve at a faster
rate if someone with more experience is helping you."
"I actually like what your suggesting and wouldn't mind learning from you." Inosuke contented, "I
would like to train with you. So, I'll take you up on your offer. Just a fair warning, I'm really hot-
headed and stubborn most of the time. I hope you don't mind that."
"Don't worry, Inosuke. I grew up with stubbornness, so I have a lot of patience at my disposal." Tori
said, "Besides, I have ways of getting stubborn kids to do what I want without them knowing it."
"Oh really?" Inosuke laughed as he liked her attitude. "Anyway, one last question. What about the
demon in the box over there?"
"Ah, yes." Tori replied, "The demon girl, Nezuko, is to remain alive by the order of the ninety-seventh
leader of the demon slayers, Master Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Anyone who disagrees with his order is to
avoid all contact with Tanjiro at all costs for his and Nezuko's safety as well as the safety of the other
demon slayers out there."
"Okay, I understand and will let her live." Inosuke nodded.
"Splendid! Although, there is one thing that I want to make clear with you." Tori responded with a
sudden change in her tone of voice.
"What's that?" Inosuke inquired as he was uneasy about her sudden demeanor change.
Tori slammed her hand onto the tree Inosuke was tied to and she looked down onto him with eyes filled with stored up anger and bitterness. Inosuke was genuinely scared of her due to her sudden release of her anger.
"Lay one finger on my sister and I'll be on you faster than a cheetah." Tori spoke with a bitter tone.
"U-understood." Inosuke nodded while trembling.
"That escalated very quickly." Zenitsu whispered to Tanjiro, "Your sister is really scary."
"Actually, it took longer than I expected." Tanjiro replied, "Also, you'll get used to it. I grew up with it,
so I pretty much I'm used to her doing this."
It was then that Tori drew her sword and cut Inosuke free and asked him if he sustained any injuries from his fight in the mansion. Inosuke explained that he had some busted ribs, but he was okay. She then dragged him over to the others. When they got there, the herbal tea started to boil. She took it off the small stove and she poured it into five cups. She then explained that it wasn't going to taste very good, but it would help them in a long run. She gave one to Kiyoshi first. Then she handed out the other four while keeping one for herself. While they were drinking the herbal tea, Tori continued to make her signature herbal tea. She had just finished tearing up the herbs and she took the extra cup and she filled it with water from the barrel and she poured it into the tea pot. She repeated it two more times before placing it on the stove. The Raven Hashira picked up the flint stones and she struck them twice and just like the first fire, the sparks caught on the firewood and spread creating a fire. Inosuke was amazed and thought she was magic. She then poured in multiple jars of the nectar she had with her. She stirred it up as the tea heated up. Tori then gave it a taste test and opened one more jar of nectar and poured it in. She used a different spoon and she tasted the tea. She then put away the remaining jars of nectar and washed the spoons then put them away. The Raven Pillar tied up the herb bundles and put them away and she did the same with the flint stones. She then finally drank the herbal tea that she made earlier. Tori slightly shuddered as it didn't taste very good, but she knew it would help. After everyone finished, Tanjiro spoke.
"Onee-chan, this isn't like the normal herbal tea you usually make." Tanjiro said, "What is it?"
"It's an herbal remedy that reduces or relieves pain for a while." Tori explained, "I make it only if I
come across injured demon slayers. It helps them get back on their feet and get to a place where they
can rest. It may not taste good, but it really helps sooth pain from bad wounds."
Just before Tanjiro was about to respond, the tea pot with the herbal tea that Tori usually made started to boil. She had them hand her their cups and she filled them with her signature herbal tea. The very batch that would sooth their taste buds. Tori passed the cups back out and everyone took a sip, except for Tanjiro. The moment his nose picked up the sweet aroma of his older sister's signature herbal tea, he drank the whole thing in seconds. Everyone else, except Tori, was surprised by how fast Tanjiro drank the tea. Tori only let out a small chuckle and she filled Tanjiro's cup again. She told Tanjiro to go easy on it since she was giving him a double dose. Tanjiro nodded and drank it more slowly this time. Zenitsu drank the tea and was amazed by how good it was. It was no wonder Tanjiro loved it so much. Inosuke did the same as Zenitsu and drank the tea. Inosuke was indeed surprised by the delicious taste. Kiyoshi was the same way and he even shared a few sips with his siblings. The Raven Hashira warned Kiyoshi beforehand to not give Teruko more than two sips because the herbs she used to make the tea were very strong. Tori then poured out the rest of the tea to douse the fires and she threw out the used herbs to help keep the food chain going. She washed everything and then she put them away. It was then that they buried the victims that were devoured by the demons. Tori had to use reverse psychology in order to get Inosuke to help. Zenitsu, Kiyoshi, Teruko, and Shoichi were all in shock at how she managed to get Inosuke to help. Tanjiro, however, wasn't surprised at all by this. When then job was done, they knelt down to pray over the dead. Tori permitted Inosuke to do what ever he wants, so they wouldn't overuse his patience. After the they finished praying, the crows told them to descend the mountain.
Tori and the others began to descend the mountain. When they came to a crossroad, Tori, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke bid Kiyoshi and his siblings farewell and they went their separate ways. As they were walking, Tanjiro and Tori began catching up on what the other had been doing since they had last seen each other. They laughed, joked, and teased each other throughout the entire conversation. Inosuke and Zenitsu didn't dare interrupt their conversation. Just seeing the clear bond between them made both Zenitsu and Inosuke smile brightly. Suddenly, the mood between the two siblings changed and they began to speak with very low and quiet voices. Only Zenitsu was able to hear what they were saying, but he covered his ears the moment the mood between Tanjiro and Tori changed. It was then that Tori spoke to Tanjiro.
"Did you talk to Lady Tamayo?" Tori inquired with a quiet voice.
"I did and I've already sent a sample of demon blood to her. I do want to ask you something, though."
Tanjiro replied.
"Go ahead." Tori responded.
"Is it true that medicine won't work for you?" Tanjiro asked, "I don't understand how it wouldn't work
for you."
"It's true, Tanjiro. Medicine won't turn me back into a human. The reason is because my blood is
different from most humans and so is the rest of my body." Tori answered, "My body is built to shift
and change, so my vitals are never in one place. Because of this fact, medicine is practically useless on
me. I have to find another way to become a human. I, however, think that I already found that solution.
Tanjiro, I have to show you something."
Tori rolled back the sleeve of her haori and then she did the same thing with the sleeve of her uniform and she revealed to only her brother the scales on her arm. Tanjiro looked up at his sister with shock. He was about to ask if the scales were a part of her demon form. Tori explained that the scales were not part of her demon form. It was then that Tanjiro finally spoke.
"If the scales are not part of your demon form, then where did they come from?" Tanjiro asked, "How
is it that you have scales on your arm?"
"Tanjiro, do you remember the story of how I got lost in a snowstorm on the mountain?" The Raven
Pillar asked her brother.
"Yeah, I remember that story. It was a very frightening story." Tanjiro nodded.
"Well, there's a part of the story that I never told you." Tori continued, "The cave that I took shelter in
was occupied by another living being. It was that being that helped me survive that storm. During my
time staying there, I learned something about myself that I never thought that I would ever have learned
if I hadn't stayed in the cave that night. After I met with Lady Tamayo, I remembered that moment and
realized the alternate solution to my problem. I'll explain more later about this, but what I need to
become a human again is fire."
Tanjiro was in shock by her statement, but he would take anything if it meant that his older sister could be human again. As they were walking, Tanjiro and Tori became less secretive. They started to talk normally and then, a Kasugai crow approached. It was coming from the direction that they were heading. The crow flew right up to Tori holding some flowers in it's mouth. She extended her arm out and welcomed the little friend. The crow gave her the flowers and she smiled upon seeing them. Tanjiro backed off moving towards Zenitsu and Inosuke. Tori then opened a letter and she read what it said and who it was from. The letter had been sent by Giyu. He was informing Tori that he was at the Wisteria Inn, but he was going to be leaving before she arrived. So, he decided to send his gift to her by air mail. He included many complements to her and it made her smile. She put the flowers and the letter in her bag for safe keeping. Suddenly, Giyu's crow began moving closer to Tori's face. She turned to the crow and it seemed to give her a kiss on the lips. Not even seconds later, Tori immediately got extremely flustered and panicked. Giyu's crow flew over to Tanjiro and perched on his shoulder. Tanjiro stared at his sister confused. He had never seen his sister get flustered before. Zenitsu asked Tanjiro if he was okay and Tanjiro explained that this was the first time he had ever seen his sister get flustered. No one in their hometown village could ever make her blush like that. Tanjiro questioned Giyu's crow about the whole situation and the crow informed them that Giyu Tomioka was at the Wisteria Inn, but he was going to be leaving before they arrived. So, he sent a flower gift to her by air mail. The crow further explained that Giyu also gave her a kiss via air mail. In that moment, both Tanjiro and Zenitsu got flustered because they realized that Tori had just received an indirect kiss from Giyu. Tanjiro had to cover Zenitsu's mouth to keep him from screaming. Soon, Tori managed to calm down and she ended up laughing afterwards.
Tanjiro and Zenitsu both calmed down and they looked at Tori who seemed to be trying to figure out what had gotten into Giyu that made him give her an indirect kiss. She still continued to laugh to herself because she thought that she might've looked completely ridiculous when she got so flustered. Tanjiro turned to his sister, who was now walking beside them, and he spoke.
"Hey, Nee-chan? Are you okay? Tanjiro asked his sister.
"Yeah, Tanjiro, I'm fine. Gosh-dang it! When did he become so romantic?!" She said, chuckling
afterwards.
"So, who is this Giyu person anyway?" Zenitsu asked, "Is he a demon slayer?"
"Yeah, he's a demon slayer. Giyu Tomioka is the current water hashira." Tori explained, "You'd know
him right away when you see him. He wears a miss-matched haori, has very dull blue eyes, and he has
black hair that's tied into a very messy ponytail. He doesn't talk much, but sometimes he does. It really
depends on the person he's talking to."
"So, he's not really the type to be romantic?" Zenitsu continued.
"No, he's not really the type to be romantic. But recently, he's shown me that side of him. I just never
thought that he'd actually go this far." Tori resumed, "It's not that I don't like it. I really do like it, but
it's just that he's never shown this side of him until now."
"Do you like Tomioka-san, Nee-chan?" Tanjiro questioned.
Tori looked at Tanjiro with shock towards the question, but then she settled down and she began to think it over. Before her four year disappearance, she had only thought of Giyu as a friend or mentor. But just before she disappeared, Giyu had never left her side as she recovered her strength. She also noticed that he seemed concerned about her just before she left for her much needed break, which led to her untimely disappearance for four years. Sanemi had told her that Giyu was the one who was the most badly effected by her kidnapping. She had recently met with Sanemi again and he told her about how Giyu fell into a very deep depression and it took every hashira and even the master to convince him to eat something. The wind pillar further explained that Giyu often found himself in pain when he didn't have any wounds on him. Even Shinobu and Kanae couldn't figure out the source of his pain. In that moment, she realized that Giyu had feelings for her, but she wondered if she herself felt the same way. She then looked back to see if there was any evidence in her past that suggested that she liked Giyu. When she sprained her ankle during her training, Giyu was the first person to see if she was okay. Tori also enjoyed talking or sparring with Giyu, which meant that she enjoyed being around him as well as his company. Giyu was also always the first to comfort Tori when she was upset about something. Not only that, the water pillar was always the first to support her. The raven pillar found that her face heated up for the first time when Giyu showed her his romantic side. The sound of his calming voice and the little sparkle of life that she had seen in his eyes were the factors that made her blush. Even now as she thought about them, she started to blush. It was clear that she did have feelings for Giyu, but she wasn't yet on his level. This was probably why she reacted in the way that she did when she received the indirect kiss. Tori then looked back at her brother.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, little brother. I really had to think about the answer." Tori answered, "I do
like Giyu, but I don't think that I'm on his level quite yet. I've never really thought about me and him
being a couple before. I must've been too caught up in training and slaying demons to ever think about
him in that way."
Both of the boys nodded and they continued their journey to the Wisteria Inn. As they neared their destination, the sun had set and now Tori needed to be on her guard. She knew that Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were severely injured and anymore battles would only worsen the severity of their wounds. In one of her recent battles, Tori received a major blow to her back and was left temporarily paralyzed for twenty-four hours. The raven pillar had used her demonic regeneration to a certain degree and reduced the amount of time it would've taken for her back to heal. As they continued to walk, Zenitsu heard the sound of demons approaching long before the others heard it. He informed Tori and she ordered the three boys to take cover in the trees. Inosuke tried to argue, but she gave him her scary look and he shut himself up. The boys took cover in the trees and they watched and waited for the demons to attack. Tori took up a stance and she got ready for the in coming attack from the demons. The demons then lunged out of the forest and they went straight towards Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. The demons figured out that they were injured and they decided to go for the easier targets. Tanjrio and the others braced themselves for the attack. Suddenly, Tori leaped up and sliced the heads of all the demons. She then started to ping-pong jump across the path by pushing of the trunks of the trees she landed on, all the while cutting the demons' heads off while she was at it. Tanjiro smiled proudly to have Tori as his older sister. Her selfless nature that made her willing to put the safety of the lower ranking demon slayers first was something he admired so much. He had seen Tori in action, so he wasn't surprised by her skill. Zenitsu and Inosuke, however, were completely blown away by Tori's skill and they wondered what rank of the demon slayer corps was she in. As the battle progressed, the raven pillar was now struggling. The demons just wouldn't stop coming and she was primarily on the defensive.
Tori began thinking to herself, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. If I could just get up in
the air, then I could find out these demons' weaknesses and get on the offensive. The duration of my
hovering ability lasts a full five minutes and that's all the time the demons need to attack Tanjiro and
the others. What can I do?! At this rate, I'll either run out of strength or be forced to rely on my demon
strength just to get through this fight. Not to mention, Tanjiro and the others will have already been
devoured while I'll be the only person to survive. Come on! Think!
Just as Tori started to panic in her head, a wave a relief came in the form of butterflies. Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Tanjiro were confused by the butterflies. Tori, on the other hand, was glad to see the butterflies because she knew that there was someone nearby that she was familiar with. The raven pillar continued to cut the heads off of some of the demons that tried to get close to the tree she was protecting. It was then that a demon caught Tori off-guard and she was knocked to the ground. Just before it could do further harm to her, there was a sound of splashing water and Tori looked up to see someone she wasn't expecting, but still really happy to see. The water pillar, Giyu Tomioka, had sliced off the head of the demon that attacked Tori. Giyu turned around and reach his hand out to her to help her up.
"Are you okay, Tori?" The water pillar asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Tori replied, "But, you have some explaining to do after we win this fight."
Tori held up the note and Giyu stared wide eyed and he turned his face, but Tori saw that he was blushing from embarrassment. Something told her that he didn't do it on his own accord. In that moment, the insect hashira finally made her appearance. She poisoned many of the demons and landed next to the two "lovebirds," as she called them. Soon, Shinobu's student came hopping through the trees and she stopped when she reached the spot where the other demon slayers were. She looked down and listened to the three older demon slayers talk.
"Ara, ara~ Looks like Tomioka-san came to save his lady, as usual." Shinobu teased.
"Cut it out, Shinobu!" Tori yelled, "We're not dating! Plus, we shouldn't be discussing this right now
when there are demons trying to attack our injured comrades!"
"R-right.. My bad. So what do you need us to do, Tori-san?" Shinobu asked, refocusing herself.
"Well for starters, I need to figure out the best strategy to help us defeat these guys!" Tori responded
while being slightly annoyed, "I need someone to defend our injured comrades and give me some
cover, so I can get airborne!"
"Okay! Shinobu and I will cover for you then." Giyu said, after regaining his composure.
"Agreed. Kanao, you're in charge of defending our injured comrades!" Shinobu continued.
"After this is all over, we'll talk!" Tori said with slight anger, "Oh yes, we will."
Shinobu got a chill down her spine when Tori said those words. She knew that she was going to be in trouble with her once Tori learned that she dared Giyu to send the raven pillar an indirect kiss. Kanao followed her master's orders and she stood in front of the tree that Tanjiro and the others were in. Giyu and Shinobu created and opening to give Tori the time to form a strategy. Tori leaped high in the air and hovered for a full five minutes, while Zenitsu and Inosuke were left shocked that she even did this. Tori began analyzing the demons below. She finally managed to find a way to finish off the demons once and for all. Once her five minutes were up, she began her descent. Once she landed safely, Giyu and Shinobu regrouped with her and she informed them of her plan. They began covering for her once more, while she repeated the stance for the first form of thunder breathing over and over again. Once she reached the tenth time repeating the stance, she unleashed her secret weapon. She then breathed, Thunder breath: First Form: Thunderclap and Flash, Tenfold. She then unleashed ten consecutive slashes and cut the heads of the remaining small-fry demons, leaving the boss demon all by himself. After she caught her breath, Giyu and Shinobu stood beside her while she switched from thunder breathing to her primary breathing style, raven breathing. She unleashed the second form of her raven breathing and the two other hashira joined her in the shadows as they moved in towards the demon. He couldn't predict where they were going to attack from so he tried to brace himself for it. Giyu then came out of the shadows using the fourth form of water breathing, Striking Tide. Shinobu initiated the second attack by using a form of her insect breathing, Butterfly Dance: Caprice. With the demon now struggling to regenerate because of Shinobu's poison, Tori was now ready to go in for the final blow. She came up from behind and she sliced clean through the demon's neck and finished it off. Once the battle was over, Tori helped Tanjiro and the others get down so that they wouldn't aggravate their injures. Tori then turned to Giyu.
"Start talking, Giyu Tomioka." Tori then said as she heavily implied that she was angry by calling Giyu
by his full name, "I want answers."
"Okay, Okay, I only wanted to send the flowers and the note. That's it." Giyu explained, "I didn't want
to send that indirect kiss. That was all Shinobu's idea. Blame her for it. I knew that you weren't ready
for it and neither was I. I'm not really in that deep, yet. Still, Shinobu forced me to send the kiss."
Tori turned to Tanjiro and Zenitsu for confirmation that Giyu wasn't lying and they both nodded their heads confirming that it was the absolute truth. She turned to Shinobu and gave her a cold glare. This glare sent chills down her spine. Tori was mad and it wasn't the same anger that scared Sanemi and Inosuke. This anger only came out when someone tried to interfere with her personal life where she decided if she wanted to fall in love or not. In Shinobu's mind she said, Shoot! I'm so dead! It was then that Tori broke the long silence.
"So, what made you think it was okay to get all up in my personal life, Shinobu?" Tori spoke.
"Look, Kanroji-san, Nee-san, and I were talking about you and Giyu-san being a really cute couple, so
we wanted to get you guys together." Shinobu responded nervously, "One of our plans was to get Giyu
to send you a gift, but I wanted to spice things up a bit by adding in an indirect kiss. So, I dared him to
do it."
"Okay, first of all, I was gone for four long years trying to survive a living nightmare!" Tori replied,
"When, in any of those four years, would I have had the time to think about love?! Secondly, before my
untimely disappearance, I was more focused on training and slaying demons to even stop and think
about love. Finally, I'm only just now realizing my romantic feelings. I'm not in that deep into it. Up
til' this point, I haven't even thought about it. If you were planning to get me and Giyu together, a little
warning would've been nice! Seriously, I'm not on that level. Look, I appreciate you wanting to help
me with this, but I don't need that kind of help. I don't want it either. Another fact that I should point
out, Giyu and I haven't seen each other in person since right now and back in my hometown. We
haven't spoken in a very long while. So, an indirect kiss was totally out of the blue and uncalled for!"
"I.. I didn't know… I thought that you two had at least spoken at some point between then and now."
Shinobu said.
"No, we haven't talked in person. I have, however, been sending letters to her just to let her know that
I'm doing well." Giyu added, "The reason I didn't want to send that indirect kiss was because it was
too soon and it would've been too sudden for Tori. It wasn't because I was afraid that she wouldn't like
it. It was because, since we haven't spent enough time with each other in awhile, the kiss would've
been totally out of the blue and it wouldn't have been true to my own feelings. I just want to start slow,
since Tori has just come back from her four year hiatus. She still needs some time before we jump right
into a relationship. So, I'm gonna side with Tori on this one. We don't need that kind of help and we
don't want it. I'll ask you only this once: Please stay out of our personal lives and give us the space to
work things out on our own."
"Yes, of course. I'll leave you two alone to build up your relationship." Shinobu agreed, "I'm so sorry. I
really thought that you two had grown closer since you came back Tori."
"It's alright, Shinobu-san." Tori said, "It was an honest mistake. Just please do me a favor and give me
a heads-up before you encourage something like that again. Because the indirect kiss really took me by
surprise."
Shinobu nodded and they all decided to go to the Wisteria Inn. Giyu also clarified that his crow gave out the wrong information and he was actually going "to" the Wisteria Inn. Tori was actually excited to now be able to spend some time with Giyu. Just before they headed off, Tori greeted Kanao as it had been six whole years since she last saw her. Kanao had hugged Tori and she didn't even know that she had cried until Tori brushed away her tears. Once they started on their way, Kanao walked beside Tanjiro and the two got know each other. The two of them talked for quite awhile and learned everything they possibly could about each other and their families. Tori and Giyu spent the whole time catching up with each other. They talked about some of their adventures in slaying demons and Giyu mentioned his times back at headquarters and Tori would just burst with laughter over the little skirmishes that Sanemi and Giyu had. Once Tori contained her laughter, she spoke.
"I can't believe he actually did that. I would've loved to see that." Tori laughed, "But, real talk, I really
don't mind Sanemi. He's fun to race with, that's for sure. My problem with him, however, is his ego. If
he could put it aside for just a few minutes, I would be so thankful. He was able to put it aside during
our races, but any other time, he just goes back to being overconfident and cocky. Last time I talked to
him, he was bragging on how easy it would be to kill an upper moon demon. I was surround by all six
of them plus the demon king and I still lost to him."
"Yeah, I think he just doesn't realize the severity of the situation. It also could be that he's trying to feel
better about himself, but he still shouldn't brag about defeating the upper moon demons." Giyu replied,
"He, at least, shouldn't do it around you. We should be grateful that there are upper moon demons on
our side as well as one lower moon. I know that you struggled a lot against 'him', but it's over now. He
can't hurt you anymore. You're safe with us."
Tori smiled and she thanked Giyu. Meanwhile, Zenitsu and Inosuke were walking with Shinobu. The three of them had been listening on the conversation between Tori and Giyu. Zenitsu noticed that Giyu was having full conversations with Tori with a lot of emotion. When he talked to anyone else, his voice lacked emotion. He even had a full conversation with Tanjiro and yet, his voice still lacked emotion. The blonde-haired boy wondered what made Tori any different to Giyu. Inosuke was too focused on trying to figure out what rank Tori was in for her to possess such a high skill level to even care or notice Giyu's behavior. Shinobu noticed that the two boys seemed to be deep in thought about something and she noticed that Tanjiro and Kanao seemed to be getting along swimmingly. She turned back to the boys and spoke.
"Is something wrong boys?" Shinobu asked.
"I was just noticing that when Tomioka-san talks to the rest of us, he only says a few words and his
voice lacks emotion. When he talks to Tanjiro, he has a full conversation with him and his voice still
lacks emotion." Zenitsu said.
"He actually expresses more emotion on his face rather than in his voice when he talks to Tanjiro."
Shinobu pointed out.
"Anyway, he talks with emotion in his voice and has a full conversation, when he talks to Tori. What
makes her different?" Zenitsu asked.
"Well, Tomioka-san really seems to like Tori a lot." Shinobu explained, "For as long as I can remember,
they were close. Tomioka-san was the first to train her and they would often spar together. Poor
Tomioka-san, he kept losing to her. There was one time that he won against her, but she had sprained
her ankle and it made it easy for him to win. He didn't like this, so he didn't count it as a win. I think it
was a mentor and student relationship that they had in the beginning. After she completed her training,
they were still extremely close. I think that they became extremely close friends by this point. They
possibly were even partners. For all I know, they're extremely close."
"So, they're really close friends and that's why he shows more with her?" Zenitsu questioned.
"Yep. That has to be the reason." Shinobu replied.
"That bird-girl sure is strong and fast! I want to know what her rank is!" Inosuke exclaimed.
"She's a hashira, Inosuke-kun" Shinobu informed, "The hashira are a group of high rank demon slayers
that receive our orders directly from the master."
"So, Tomioka-san is the water hashira and Tori must be the raven hashira. Does that mean you're the
insect hashira?" Zenitsu inquired.
"Yes, I am" Shinobu smiled, "You're very perceptive. That's very impressive."
Zenitsu blushed at the complement and it ultimately ended their conversation with Shinobu chuckling. They continued their journey to the Wisteria Inn. The party of demon slayers continued to converse with each other as they walked along the moon-lit path. Soon, the party of demon slayers arrived. The Inn keeper welcomed them inside and provided them with much hospitality. She provided them with a change of clothes and a hot meal. Zenitsu was creeped out by the old woman's crazy speed and Tori chuckled and reassured the blonde-haired boy that she wasn't a monster and that he would get used to it later on. Just as they were about to sit down and share a meal together, Tori suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Giyu immediately ran up to her to make sure she was okay. Once he realized what was going on, he helped her to her room and he watched her pull out a small jar filled with demon blood that Tori had extracted from demons she killed. She then transformed into her demon form and she drank the blood as if she were a vampire drinking from a wine glass. When she finished, she reverted back to her human form and tears immediately streamed down her face. The water hashira pulled her into an embrace in an effort to comfort her. After a few minutes, Tori asked to be alone for a bit. Giyu didn't really want to leave her, but he reluctantly agreed. He told her that he would be back to check on her after dinner and left the room.
When he arrived back in the dining room, Tanjiro looked up and asked about her. Giyu told him that she was upset and wanted to be left alone for a little bit. Tanjiro knew why she was upset and he gritted his teeth in anger. Kanao put her hand on Tanjiro's to try and comfort him. Zenitsu and Inosuke knew something was wrong, but didn't dare ask about it. Shinobu spoke up with intentions to change the subject.
"Come on, guys. Let's focus on eating for now." Shinobu said, "We can worry about Tori later."
Tanjiro calmed down and focused on his meal for now, but he still couldn't stop thinking about what his sister went through during those four years she was gone. He would never forgive Muzan for what he did to her. He kept questioning what his sister had to suffer through under his influence. It made him angry just the thought of it. Just dismissing the thoughts wasn't enough, they just kept coming back and fueling the anger he had. Everyone at the table could tell that Tanjiro was struggling to put his anger aside. Kanao had yet to move her hand off of Tanjiro's, but she tightened her grip ever-so slightly. Feeling Kanao's grip tighten, pulled Tanjiro out of his thoughts and he looked at her. Kanao just silently told Tanjiro to calm down with her eyes. Tanjiro took some deep, yet quiet breaths to get himself into a calm mind set. They all finished their meal and they left the room. Tanjiro, Giyu, and Shinobu went to go check on Tori. When they found her, she was still a sobbing mess from when Giyu was with her previously. Giyu sat down next to her and just hugged her. Shinobu sat down on the other side and she just calmly stroked Tori's head. Tanjiro just leaned against the wall just completely engulfed in his anger. Tori, finally, calmed down and she thanked her fellow hashiras by just hugging them both. She looked over to see Tanjiro, who was completely enveloped in his own anger. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. Tanjiro looked up at his and tears began stream down his face. Tori pulled him to an embrace. She began stroking him and reassuring him that, for the moment, she was fine. When Tanjiro calmed down, they went to their rooms to change and get ready to turn in for the night. Once they were settled, Zenitsu spoke up.
"Is Tori-san alright, Tanjiro?" Zenitsu asked.
"Yeah, she's fine for the moment." Tanjiro replied, "But, there's no guarantee that this won't happen
again."
"Was she always like this?" Zenitsu questioned.
"Well, that's a good question." Tanjiro responded, "When it comes to our younger siblings, she would
always tell them that she was fine. Even when she clearly wasn't fine, she would still tell them that she
was fine. She always showed her more vulnerable side to me and Nezuko, but she would never let our
younger siblings see it. She would always try to endure her pain and she still does it. I noticed that she
drank the herbal tea, that helps with pain, back at the Tsuzumi Mansion. This can only mean that she
got hurt sometime before then. She is open to share her pain with me and Nezuko, but she doesn't tell
us everything. She always try to make her situation less severe then it actually is and I don't like it."
"She told me that she was injured in a fight against a strong demon and she received a major blow to
her back and it left her temporarily paralyzed." The water hashira chimed in, "She was open to share
her pain with me more than anyone else in the hashira rank. When it came to physical pain, she would
tell Shinobu or Kanae. Anyone else would be left out of the loop. So, she has revealed her vulnerable
side to us on more than one occasion, but she prefers to keep to herself."
"Right, on the other hand, she's rarely had any mental break downs. Out of the few she's had, none of
them have ever been as bad as the one she just had." Tanjiro informed, "So, when it comes to mental
break downs, she's not always like that. But, when it comes to hiding her pain, it's pretty much normal
for her."
"I see. So, it's hard to know what goes on her head?" Zenitsu inquired.
"Yeah." Tanjiro nodded in response.
"You know, you're lucky, Monjiro." Inosuke said suddenly, "You have someone to always look out for
you. No matter what she always puts you first before herself. Even when you both suffer, she always
eases your suffering first before hers. The bond between you two clear and strong. She trusts you
deeply and cares about you just as much. It's clear that she would never abandon you when you need
her the most. She risks her life for you and protects you from further harm. Is that what it means to be
an older sibling? I wouldn't know because I don't have siblings. But, what I do know, is that Tori
knows that she can tell you anything. She also knows that she can rely on you when she needs you, but
the reason why she doesn't tell you everything that's going on with her because she's unsure about the
situation when it first occurs. She probably wants to process everything that she's going through first.
When she realizes she needs help, she'll open up about her problems."
"You're, surprisingly, right, Inosuke." Giyu spoke, "Everything you said is what it means to be an older
sibling."
"And Inosuke is right, Tanjiro." Zenitsu added, "You're extremely lucky to have someone like her as a
sibling. And at the end of the day, she knows when to call on you when she needs you the most."
Tanjiro smiled at them and was finally able to relax. He knew they were right. His sister knew when to call on him when she need to and when not to. The three lower ranking demon slayers were excited to start training with Tori and to find out in which areas they needed to improve in. They all fell asleep that night with smiles on their faces.
Author's Note:
Hi, Guys! I'm so sorry for making you wait so long for this chapter. As some of you may know, I've been struggling with internet problems. I've had no internet for over a year. If I wanted to post a chapter, I would have to go to a place with internet in order to post a chapter, or borrow my mom's phone. Now, I have my own phone with my own internet connection. I'll be able to post with having to leave my workspace. I've also been struggling with writer's block. I just was never able to muster up the strength, motivation, and creativity to keep writing. Furthermore, a lot of things have been going on in my family, so I never really had a lot of time to sit down and write. Plus, I've been jumping around fandoms and joining new fandoms. My sister has got me hooked on BTS and while working on this chapter, I listened to five hours worth of BTS songs. Music tends to help me focus more and draw out my creative mind. So, I was able to finish this chapter because of BTS. Please understand that I never meant to make any of you wait. I'll try my hardest to get more chapters out earlier in the future. To demon slayer fans who are also ARMY, I Purple you!
