Summary:

Muichiro and Mitsuri bond while Yuichiro and Obanai are on a mission... that's all I'mma say.

Muichiro .

It's the spring before our twelfth birthday. Nii-san is off on an important mission. We still go on missions together whenever we can. Oyakata-sama is very generous about that.

But this is one of those missions where I can't go because Nii-san got an emergency summons. Since he's a Hashira now, I guess that makes him in higher demand.

I laugh a little. Just last fall he was yelling at me for even wanting to be a swordsman. Now Nii-san is one of the best swordsmen in the entire organization, which makes him one of the best in the world!

I am not worried though. I'm sitting on the riverbank near our new house, watching clouds as they pass. Tetsuido-san came to visit today, and he's sitting here with me, smoking his pipe.

"I'm sorry I can't stay longer Muichiro" he says after a while. "I have to get back to the hidden village before sundown."

"That's okay, Tetsuido-san" I say. "I'm happy that you stayed here and talked with me for so long. I'll come and visit you in the hidden village with Yui-Nii next time."

"Your uneasy without your brother around"

I freeze… Tetsuido-san is absolutely right. We were separated for longer than this during the month that we trained for the final selection, but this is different.

I hate to admit it. I train so hard because I still know that Nii-san was right about everything even though he doesn't say it anymore.

I want to become better, but I don't know if I'm cutting it. I still think even now that maybe, I should have made the other choice that day…

"Don't worry about it my boy," Tetsuido-san says as he puts a hand on my shoulder. "Actually, your brother is the one I worry about more than you"

"Really?" I say.

"You both push yourselves too hard. Sometimes it breaks my heart to see it. The way you two train and fight like you have such heavy chips on your shoulder. But your brother worries me the most."

"But Nii-san is the strongest," I say, unsure why Tetsuido-san is saying this.

"Strength isn't it," he says. "I worry about you two in other ways. But you, Muichiro. I can see how insecure you are, and how unsure of yourself you are, but I have a feeling that when you eventually do find it, you'll become much stronger."

"Find what!?" I ask hopeful that he can tell me what it is.

"Who knows? That's up to you to figure out. But I know you'll be alright."

He pats me on the head and turns to leave.

"And give my regards to your brother when he returns."

Tetsuido-san is worried about Nii-san. I think I know why, but I try not to think about it so hard that sometimes I forget completely. Yui-Nii hasn't been the same since that attack. He'll always have that horrible scar on his arm, I can't even imagine the constant pain that he's in.

But what makes me feel guilty deep down… I know that I always worry Yui-nii. That's why I have to keep training, and why I have to get stronger.

But for now, I am not training. I am alone with my thoughts as I walk through the nearby bamboo forest with Ginko. It's so nice and peaceful here, and the shade is nice and cool.

We come to a nice pond, and I squat down by it and look at the water. My reflection looks back at me… It could just as easily be Nii-san, but his eyes… his eyes look so different from mine now. I understand why Tetsuido-san worries about him so much.

I'm really worried too. Nii-san's pain constantly shows in his eyes, even when he's happy.

"Say, Ginko" I start to ask, "when's the longest time you were separated from Ryokucha?"

"Ryokucha and I are devoted to you Bocchan, and your elder brother respectively. We do not concern ourselves with such emotions of longing."

"Is that so? But aren't you and Ryokucha brother and sister?"

Ginko bows to me and says; "We are Kasugai crows assigned to our respective swordsmen. You Bocchan, are the only one I care for."

I'm a little confused by what to make of that... "Thanks… I guess."

Then, having to have the last word, Ginko says to me; "You are a good child Muichiro, I, Ginko am very proud of you." and perches on my shoulder.

I giggle a little because I realize that Ginko thinks of me as her child.

Just then I hear a voice behind me.

"Oiiii! Yuichiro-kun!"

I did not expect to hear that. I turn around and see a woman with the most unusual hair… pink hair! And she's wearing what I… think is a demon slayer's uniform.?

"Oi, Yuichiro-kun, what a lucky coincidence it is that I've found you here-"

She talks really fast, I don't yet have a chance to correct her yet- "I'm very sorry about the other day," she rapid-fires "I didn't mean to invade your personal space like that, I'm so embarrassed. But It's so nice to have you as one of our fellow Hashira, especially since I'm no longer the baby of the bunch. It's good to see your eyes are looking better, were they red earlier because you didn't sleep well the night before? I always drink camomille tea before bed, it helps me go right to sleep. But your eyes are so much prettier now! And they are such a unique color!

Oh, and I I never got a chance to ask you, how did you become a demon slayer so young? And what about your little brother? You never told me about him."

"Haha" I chuckle. "I am his little brother. Yui-Nii is my older twin. I am Muichiro. I'm sorry for the confusion."

She lights up when I tell her this. "Ohhhh! An identical twinnnnn! How cool!" I'm Kanroji Mitsuri. I became a Hashira only a few months before your big brother. It's so nice to meet you! Muichiro-kun!"

"It's nice to meet you too, Kanroji-san."

I like her immediately. Her personality brightens my day. She's like an adorable pink chicken.

"Yui-Nii is on a mission," I tell her. "Say, would you like to come to our house for the night? The house that Oyakata-sama gave us is close by."

The truth is, I'm not just lonely, but it's just as Tetsuido-san said. I'm a little bit insecure. Nii-san won't be back at least until tomorrow.

Dad used to praise me for the fact that I can sleep through anything, and how I was never afraid of storms or thunder even as a toddler. But the truth is, I've never been alone at night before, except for on the train-ride to Kochi where I met Tetsuido-san, but I stayed awake the whole time.

The house is big, and though I would be too embarrassed to tell Nii-san, I'd rather not be alone on a night when he's out risking his life. After a little bit of convincing, Kanroji-san finally agrees.

That night, we stay up making Sakura Mochi, and we laugh as we talk and tell stories.

She's just eighteen, the second youngest Hashira after Nii-san.

"I'll be the third youngest after you become one," she says, making me blush.

Kanroji-san starts to laugh. "I'm sorry! Kyahaha! I just find it funny, and I hope you won't mind my saying Muichiro-kun, your very different from your brother."

For a second, I worry that Nii-san was harsh with her before, and that's why she apologized to me when she mistook me for him.

"But I like you both," she says, and that makes me happy.

Outside the window, Ginko and Kanroji-san's crow are bickering. Ginko seems to do that with every crow, but I feel much better now. It's such a relief to have her here with me while Nii-san is away.

"Tell me!" she cries. "Is it true that you and your big brother stayed with Oyakata-sama?... Oh, was it a bad time? I'm sorry for asking" she says when she notices my involuntary change in expression.

"It's alright," I say. "It was just… a very scary time for us. I love Oyakata-sama, and his family very much…"

"That's good. We Hashira all love him too."

"...but… when we were there, we had just been attacked by a demon. I don't remember a lot from that night, but it was the worst night of my life… for the months that I stayed with Oyakata-sama, Nii-san was on the brink of death."

"You poor things," she says. "It must have been hard for you."

"It was, but Nii-san pulled through, and he's very strong."

"Of course he is!" she says fondly. "He became a Hashira after all didn't he?"

I smile and nod. After that awful time when he went into convulsions and ripped out his IV. He already looked so shriveled up and pale from losing so much blood... When his arm was split down the middle all the way to his elbow... Had it been me I would have died for sure. But Yui-Nii made it! Now he's a Hashira. A Hashira! No matter how many times I say or think it; it doesn't stop giving me joy.

"...But you must be pretty strong too, Muichiro-kun."

I think back to my conversation with Kocho-san, while we waited for Nii-san and Kocho ane-san to return from the meeting. I guess I am pretty strong to have become a demon slayer so young.

"Yeah, I'll definitely be a Hashira too one day."

Kanroji-san gushes and says, "Then I'll be your number one cheerleader. Do your best, Muichiro-kun!"

"But…" I add, "When I joined the demon slayers, I really just wanted to help people. I thought it would be really cool to be a swordsman since my family had only been poor woodcutters before, but even if I don't become a Hashira, I won't be disappointed.

Fighting demons did turn out to be a lot harder than I expected, and there are times when it's really bad and scary but… I'm really happy that I can do it together with Nii-san."

I'm beaming as I say this because it's true.

Kanroji-san looks thoughtful for a moment before giving me a smile and saying; "You are very different from your brother."

"I hope that Nii-san wasn't harsh to you," I say, not imagining how someone could be harsh or mean to such a nice girl.

"Not at all," she says. "Your brother was great. He does have a foul mouth though… I wonder where he learned to talk like that?"

"Oh no!" I cry getting worried.

"It's fine! It's fine!" she says. "The other Hashira started it. Grrrr! Uzui just acts like a child sometimes! But Muichiro-kun!" she cries as she jumps forward and grabs both my hands, "It's okay for you to still be a kid you know. Yuichiro-kun acts like a grown-up! Tell me, does he at least have fun like a regular kid sometimes? I promise I won't say anything to anyone else."

"Sure he does, I mean umm…"

"I'm so sorry" she says letting go of my hands and jumping back. "That was a bit rude of me."

"I don't mind."

"Really? Hmm. I guess you and your brother are different in that way as well."

She explains to me the 'embarrassing mistake' she made after the meeting, and is wondering how she can make it up to Yui-Nii later, because she'd like to be friends with him.

I assure her that it was no big deal and that Nii-san probably doesn't even remember the whole thing. Then I try to answer her questions the best way I can, but the sad truth is, I really can't give her much.

Before our parents died, Nii-san and I played together all the time. He loved to climb trees and swim in the streams. I play a lot less now that I'm a demon slayer, but I don't see Nii-san doing it at all.

Nii-san used to love hearing stories from Mom and Dad with me, like the monogataris and the stories of *Son Goku but now he has no time for stories except for when he's telling them to me.

He barely even wants to eat sweets anymore unless I ask him first if he wants to get or make some…

I feel a twinge of guilt as I realize how much childhood he's lost after our parents died… how much he sacrificed to take care of me, when I was so stupid I thought that he hated me.

"Muichiro-kun" Kanroji-san says when she notices this. "I'm sure Yuichiro-kun is very happy to have such a cute little brother, and I'm sure he knows how lucky he is."

I'm positive that I flush crimson when she says this. "I'm not cute!" I say avoiding her gaze, "I'm a member of the demon slayer corps!"

"Your right! Sorry! Sorry!" she says laughing. "And I have a feeling that one day you will be a Hashira Muichiro-kun. No demon will wanna mess with you!"

Thats better!

My face keeps getting redder and redder, but I'm smiling. I never had a big sister before, but I start to wish that I had one just like Kanroji-san.

Yuichiro

I toss another pill into my mouth as Iguro turns around and gives me a disapproving look.

"You should be careful with those" he admonishes me, "Even if Kocho did proscribe them to you, you're a Hashira, and my partner for this mission."

"I have chronic pain" I protest.

My tone comes out harsher than I intended. I respect Iguro but I get really annoyed when people bother me about that. I feel like my brachialis muscle is exploding.

I half expect him to reprimand me, or his pet snake to hiss at me, but to my surprise, there is a flash of understanding in his eyes.

"Just stay sharp." He says and continues onward.

"I will, Iguro-san."

"Good boy"

We come to a dirt road that's surrounded by forest. There is a village nearby. A demon slayer comes running toward us in a panic.

"Are you two from the Hashira!? Thank the heavens! I thought I was gonna die!"

He throws himself at our feet and begins to sob.

"If you really are a demon slayer," Iguro begins coldly, "Then act like one. Compose yourself and tell me your name and rank."

"M- Mononobe Yukio, rank Tsuchinoto" he says.

"Mononobe?" I ask. "You come from a Samurai clan"

"Your ancestors must be weeping with shame" Iguro chides, "and you say you are a Tsuchinoto? The corps is getting soft."

"You didn't see him!" He cries.

"When I was ranked just Mizunoto" Iguro sneers, "I would have slit my own belly before I fled from a demon in such a cowardly manner"

"I'm not a coward!" He cries, "They already killed all of my friends."

"All of them?" I ask as Mononobe turns his head to me.

"Then die avenging them." Iguro interrupts. "We don't have time for this. Where is the demon?"

Just then, like Ninja, a bunch of demons appear on the tree branches surrounding us, and there are about a dozen of them standing in the road in front of us.

They all appear to be female and are all wearing Cheongsam's and wielding what look like bladed fans.

"I thought demons didn't ban together," I say as I draw my Katana.

"They normally don't," Iguro says as he draws his own twisted blade. "Don't think for a second though that the enemy will play by his own rules. Muzan makes exceptions. You guard the coward over here, I'll take the ones in front."

Breath of the Serpent, Fifth Form: Slithering Serpent

The demons don't even have time to raise their fans and put up a fight. Iguro dashes at them with blinding speed and beheads more than half of them in a single stroke. I don't exactly have time to watch, because at least a dozen more of those demons leap at us from the trees.

"Keep your head down," I say to Mononobe and then counterattack.

Moon breathing, Sixth form: Rainy Night, Blinding Moonlight!

I slash away the attack, but I've only beheaded about three of them, half of the ones still standing are regenerating, and about six of them run at us with their fans.

"This guy, Napoleon" I remember Kobe telling me, "He was a general from France who used a strategy called, 'defeat in detail' for when he was fighting while outnumbered. Wanna know how he did it, Yuichiro-chanyo?"

I close my eyes and concentrate. This form took me a long time to master, but by adding my own spin to it, I think can now perform a dragged-out version:

Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy

I jump towards my oncoming opponents one at a time, and slash their necks, pulling my sword back each time. One-down! Two-down! Three-down! Four!

I skid a little as I land, but I'm whittling them down.

Iguro has already finished on his end, and I see him leap down on the remaining six or seven demons.

Second Form: Venom Fangs of the Narrow Head

Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains

These demons are certainly stronger than your average demon. They wield their bladed fans with at least some skill, but Iguro and I are strong. They are no match for us.

We easily cut down the last of them.

Iguro now turns to Mononobe with contempt. "You seriously lost your entire squad and ran away from them ?"

"Not them damnit! Him !"

We turn to the direction where the terrified demon slayer is pointing and see it. A demon in the form of a man who is dressed like a Chinese prince.

His hair is a brilliant color of silver that glows in the moonlight, and his eyes shine like rainbows in the night.

"Oh dear oh dear" He says with exaggerated sadness. "My poor poor demon acolytes, you've cut them all down. I remembered each and every one of them and why I just had to let them become my guards.

Rin-chan who is disintegrating over there was so tired from being beaten by her family all the time, she would have given me anything in exchange for being made strong.

And poor Ayaka-chan, she had traveled so far just to meet me. She said that she wanted to stay by my side forever, Oh poor Ayaka-chan"

This guy goes off listing their names and sob-stories, as Iguro says to me, "Oi, kid, I hope you realize what a rare opportunity this is. Those pills better not have made you dull."

I have no idea what this feeling is that's taken hold of me. Fear? Excitement? Bloodlust?...

No! I'm desperate to kill this guy right here right now!

Unlike the last one I faced, I can read the Kanji in this demon's eyes.

"Waxing moon…Rank 2"...

Notes: *Son Goku in this case refers to the mythological monkey king. This is not a dragon ball reference.