Disclaimer: I do not own DemonSlayer :KimetsunoYaiba or any of its characters/story.

II: Years

"Okay, Kanao. You're going to practice reading and writing today." Kanae smiled at the now 7-year-old Kanao.. "I'll get you some supplies, you just wait here." She walked out of the room that has become Kanao's.

Her room was large, this place alone probably bigger than her old home. There was a bed with simple white linen sheets and blankets, most likely for later personalization. The walls were a pale blue, with one wall having little painted butterflies dancing across it. She sat at a desk, brushing her fingers over the smooth, light wood absentmindedly.

Since she didn't have any belongings, Shinobu and Kanae gave her clothes and other little items. But she really only cared about the coin that Kanae gave her that day one year ago.

Kanao met a few people within the first few months of being at the place called the Butterfly Estate. Shinobu introduced her to the other girl that was living there. Her name was Aoi. She didn't really seem to trust Kanao, and wasn't particularly kind to her. But Kanae told her that Aoi needed a bit of time to warm up to people, and not to worry.

"Hey, I'm back." Kanae walked in, paper and pens in her hands. She set them on the desk in front of Kanao. "Okay. Today, we're going to see how much progress you made over the past year. From experience, it helps to know how much of a difference you've made." Kanao nodded.

Kanae smiled with a hint of sadness, at how she still hasn't talked on her own for either her or Shinobu. Sure, sometimes she'd flip her coin and speak to someone, but it just wasn't the same. She wished that Kanao would learn to talk without being ordered, but after the abuse, hiding her feelings was like a defense mechanism.

She watched as Kanao made perfect little letters in the looping cursive she was taught. She also wrote things like her name. Kanao Tsuyuri. It was difficult for them to come up with a last name for her. Aoi, despite not trusting Kanao at first, pestered Shinobu and Kanae to give Kanao her last name.

But they had finally decided on Tsuyuri. Kanae wasn't entirely sure whose idea it was, but it seemed to click into place, and as long as Kanao liked it it was okay with her.

She heard a faint sound, and realized Kanao was flipping her coin. She watched as it landed in her hand, and came up tails. Then she heard that soft, gentle voice. "I am finished, master."

Kanae folded her hands together in front of her. "Good job, Kanao. Now, onto reading." She pulled a book out of her bag. "I chose this for you, from the library. You didn't seem to have much preference, so I hope you like it." She smiled warmly.

Kanao held the book for a moment, staring at the cover, then opened it to the first page.

Kanae walked out of the room silently. At the end of the hall, Shinobu was waiting. "Anything yet?"

She shook her head. "She can't yet. But keep hope, sister. I'm sure that Kanao will meet someone who will bring her out of her shell."

...

Meanwhile, Kanao had finished the first chapter of the new book Kanae had given her. It was a simple but sad tale of young children living in a world of demons. Wearing that small smile that she usually used as a mask, she placed the book on her desk. Standing up, she walked to the large window that provided most of the light in the room.

Placing her fingertips gently onto the cold glass, she saw little snowflakes drifting through the air. So winter has finally come. It's really been that long?

Over a year since she came here. She could remember refusing to even eat, since she didn't want to steal these people's food. But they wanted her to eat, and they wanted her to talk. Have her own opinions. I'm sorry Kanae, Shinobu, Aoi. But it's so hard to find feelings when they're buried so deep in the memories of a place I never want to see again. I just… can't do it.

She lowered her head, and took her now cold hand off the glass.

She sat back down at her desk, and picked up the pen. Then, she began to write once again.

TTTTT

8-year old Kanao was being pulled gently along by Shinobu, leading her to a store. They were getting supplies today, and Kanae thought it would be good for Kanao to see the 'outside world' more often.

So there they were. Shinobu was holding Kanao's hand, and they walked down the busy street. They got to a crosswalk, and had to wait to start moving again. Kanao looked around, lips parted slightly, at the city around her. At first, she wasn't really looking at anything in particular, but then she saw something that caught her amethyst eyes.

There was a family, waiting on the other side of the road. There was a mother, father, and six children. While most of the family was talking and laughing with each other, two of the kids were staring at their surroundings like she was. One had long, black hair done up with little pink ribbons, and a pink dress. She was holding the hand of a boy that looked about Kanao's age. He had a hoodie with a green and black checkered pattern, and deep red eyes that met her own from across the street.

"Come on, Kanao. We can walk now." Shinobu gave a gentle tug on Kanao's arm, and they started to walk again. But she was still looking at that boy, who was still looking at her as his family also started crossing the road, in the opposite direction. As they passed each other, he gave her a warm look.

"Your eyes are sad. Please smile."

Her mouth opened, then closed. She watched as the boy and his family passed by, then the corners of her lips upturned, just slightly. But it wasn't fake.

The boy, who was still watching her, grinned triumphantly. She almost wanted to laugh, but then she remembered what happened the last time she did.

"What's so funny, brat?" Her father implanted a brutal kick to her side. She fell to the ground. The only thing that had made her laugh just moments ago was a reassuring, and cocky, grin her brother gave her. But her father had heard her, and he threw her brother into a stone wall. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. She crawled over to him, cradling his head that now had blood running down it. Looking up, she whimpered as her father approached, with a smug look on his face. She closed her eyes tight, and hugged her brother.

"NIICHAN!"

She gasped, and looked around. Still in the city, following Shinobu. Looking around for the boy, she finally saw him walking even further away. She wanted to go back, back to him, but she knew she had to go with her sister.

Even as they were so far away from each other, she could have sworn he mouthed the words, "It's okay. Let's meet again."

She repeated that in her head for the rest of the day.

TTTTT

"Kanao, we have something to tell you. It's about our true jobs."

13-year-old Kanao stood with Kanae and Shinobu in the living room, late at night. "We are vigilantes that fight against a gang known as the Demons. The Demon Slayer corps."

Shinobu crossed her arms. "Kanae wants you to fight with us."

Kanao cocked her head slightly, reaching into her pocket for her coin. But Kanae stopped her. "No need. Please, just ask whatever questions you may have."

She nodded. "What does this gang do?"

Shinobu answered. "Simple. Kill people. It depends on the member, but they all have a twisted reason of why they do so. Some people don't even think they're human."

Hiding her surprised reaction, she asked another question. "What skills are necessary to be in the corps, and where do I learn them?"

Kanae looked to her sister, then replied, "We're sending you to an academy that secretly teaches the ways of the corps. It's where Shinobu and I learned."

The questions and answers went on for a while, then eventually Kanao was told to go to sleep and that she'd leave for the school in about a week.

As she drifted into sleep, she heard Kanae's voice in her head.

"The Demon Slayers protect the people, and ensure that nobody will ever die on their watch. We want you to fight with us."

An image of the boy from 5 years ago, who she never forgot, flashed into her mind.

"Protect the innocent, Kanao."

"Save them, as we saved you."

TTTTT

Gah, I am so sorry….

So I discovered that I'm busy. Very. School decided that it wants to murder me, and I'm having a bit of a bad time. This was supposed to be out Sunday.

It was also my birthday on the 26th. Yay.

So I read this LoZ Fanfic called "Counting Stars", and it gave me the idea for this. I'm obviously not going to copy, but I got a lot of inspiration from it.

Also, this is probably not the product of my absolute BEST work, that goes to my other Fanfic, When Destiny Calls. I did some advertising for this fic over on that one, so I should do the same here.

Go read it. It's a Seven Deadly Sins fanfic about the 108th incarnation of Elizabeth. I think it has 8 or 9 chapters so far.

That's all, thank you for being patient. (Sorry again).