Karasuma gazed silently from across the garden watching Kagami, Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu training hard to master Total Concentration Breathing, Constant. They were pushing themselves harder than before and it was curious to see the quick change in the last two's demeanor. When they had refused to continue training, he didn't hold any ill will toward them. He had been training ever since he was a child, he didn't expect them to beat him in a short amount of time. Though, he could see how much it infuriated them they couldn't defeat him nor his sister, Kanao, the first time around. The thought of finally beating the two siblings was what seemed to be driving them.
He slowly walked up to Kanao silently watching them from beside the well. The two stood quietly for a few moments when he finally softly spoke, "You're in their class. Why don't you train with them?"
It was a silly question to ask. While he didn't mean to underestimate the four's potential at rising and growing, Kanao was rank Tsuchinoto while they were newly made Demon Slayers who were more than likely at rank Mizunoto still. She was superior to them, stronger and faster, and wouldn't want to interfere with them. For Kanao to train with those who were a lower rank than her wouldn't stint her progress but he knew how she would get.
Kanao just turned and smiled at him. He gazed at her emotionless smile and the blank look in her eyes. She didn't say anything, she didn't want to say anything, or, perhaps, she didn't know what to say. He stayed quiet when she whipped out a small coin from her pocket and flipped it in the air. When she caught it and placed it against the top of her hand, it revealed 'heads'. Then, her eyes turned away from the group and back towards the well. Heads... must've symbolized she wouldn't train with them.
Karasuma was saddened by how she was acting. How she had been for the past years they've been living and residing at the Butterfly Mansion. He knew something was broken in her. That something had snapped in her years ago during their childhood.
It was just the two of them against the world before Kanae and Shinobu Kocho entered their lives. Before they were given the names Karasuma and Kanao.
They lived in poverty. In a place so poor and so rundown there was nothing but dirt and filth to eat. The skin on their bodies stuck to their bones like glue, their hair, overgrown and untamed, was matted and stained with mud, debris, and smelled of rotten blood, and tiny red bumps lined whatever was left of their body. Flies and fleas clung and swarmed them, persistent and eager for the blood they couldn't donate. The other children that suffered along with them were not as lucky as them. Some of them had died from malnuritionment or from the horrific abuse inflicted on them.
Whenever Kanao was taken from his arms, Karasuma screamed and fought against her captors. He wasn't strong, tall, or powerful back then. He was tiny, small, weak, and nearly dead. Even with his life barely clinging by a single thread, he never hesitated to fight for his baby sister. She was the only thing he had left in that cruel world.
Then, when she was thrown outside covered in blood, bruises, scrapes, and cuts she didn't have before, Karasuma wanted to run away. He wanted nothing more than to grab his sister, carry her in his arms, and run a million miles to nowhere. He couldn't stand seeing Kanao abused, starve, or in pain. There was nothing else he could do except take her with him. But to where? At least, where they suffered, they were given a small tiny space to sleep and, when behaved, given the tiniest scraps of food. Where would Karasuma take Kanao? He didn't know the streets, the city, people, or anything about surviving on their own. Kanao would be completely dependent on him and he would be completely dependent on no one. He would only get them killed.
Then, one day, Kanao stopped crying. She stopped hurting. No longer did words of pain, hunger, or any sort of emotions, like sadness, loneliness, hopelessness, spill out of her lips. Not against the abuse, starvation, or anything. It was as if she had become disconnected from the world and reality. It worried Karasuma more and more everyday.
As they were roughly tugged along with ropes tied around their bodies tightly, Karasuma held Kanao's hand in tight grip. His eyes burned angrily at the back of the man's head that had bought them from their parents. The same ones who abused them and sold them off for money. The man didn't bother to clean them, feed them, or talk to them. They were just trophies and he was going to use them however he wanted. Nobody batted an eye as they walked past. Children, so poor and so filthy, were usually paid no attention to.
But then, the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on stopped the man. She was tall, slender, and had noticeable red lips in contrast to her pale complexion. Her long, straight, black hair flowed all the way down past her waist with two shorter clumps over her shoulders, sporting pink and green butterfly hairpins, and arched, ear-length bangs framed either side of her face. Her eyes were a pale violet and were so bright it made a small gasp fall from his mouth. White sparkles reflected light off of them and he swore he saw them twinkle down at him. A girl who looked similar to her, but quite younger, stood by her side with a frown on her face.
The girl introduced herself as Kanae Kocho, and she was the person who rescued both he and Kanao from slavery. Throwing money in the air for the man to be preoccupied with, the girl's sister grabbed the ropes that was tethered to their bodies and raced off with them. Kanae giggled and laughed delicately as they continued running and running far away from the man, and from the horrid past that traumatized them. He was mesmerized by the gentle smile and beautiful way her face scrunched up with joy. He knew, he... hoped, they would both be happy with them.
Karasuma blushed heavily when Shinobu, Kanae's younger sister, began to bathe him in the bathhouse. Keeping a towel around his waist protectively, his eyes stared straight ahead as he felt her firm but gentle hands scrub and massage soap in his hair and scalp. She spent a long time cleaning the dirt from his hair, helping him wash the filth from his body, and rid the fleas that made him their personal home. He shivered but relaxed against the hot steaming water that was poured many times over his head.
At dinner, he didn't need to be told twice to eat. He feasted, feasted, and feasted to his heart's content. With a drumstick in one hand and a bowl of rice in the other, he ate and ate until he felt sick. Even then, he continued to eat until he couldn't stomach any more. Except, while he did, Kanao wouldn't touch her food. She stared at it, at Karasuma, then up at Shinobu who looked exasperated down at her.
"K-Kanao," He softly spoke out the name given to her by the sisters. "Y-You... e-e-eat..." He shakily spoke out. It was weird feeling the vibration in his throat when he spoke and hearing the sound of his own fragile voice.
At his words, Kanao gazed down at her food... and slowly began to eat.
It was obvious she was going to be dependent on everything she does; eating, talking, deciding, or anything in general. Shinobu believed she was a lost cause. While Karasuma took the initiative to talk and do things on his own, albeit very shy and slowly, Kanao... didn't. She couldn't think for herself anymore.
He watched with bated breath as Kanae walked up to Kanao with a small coin in her hand. She smiled gently down at her and spoke sweetly, "When you're on your own, you can decide by flipping this coin." She delicately folded the coin in Kanao's hands and added, pouring faith and warmth in her voice when she did, "When the time comes, a person's heart will bloom, so don't worry. When you fall in love with some boy someday, you'll change, too, Kanao."
Ever since that day, Kanao has been hanging on and using that coin whenever she needed to decide something. It had never left her side and she began to wear Kanae's hairpin as a memento of their lost sister. They weren't related by blood but Karasuma and Kanao loved her with all their heart. To have her ripped away from them so suddenly and so brutally... sent him in a spiral of anger that he couldn't dig himself out of.
The moment he lifted a sword and trained under Kanae's and Shinobu's careful eyes, he promised himself he would be just as strong as them. He looked up to them. They had the courage and bravery to save him, and he wanted to repay them by being just like them. Kanae being taken from him, from all of them, from a vile demon that showed her no sympathy when she pitied him... He would avenge her and told himself he'd do it no matter the cost. He promised himself he'd become a strong Demon Slayer and kill the demon that took her. Until then, he needed to watch over and take care of his little sister.
All he could do, at the moment, was lay out a hand, gently pat her on the head, and send her on her way. Not that he needed tell her or anything. When he withdrew, she walked away on her own. Though, he thought he saw her eyes linger on Tanjiro Kamado for a mere moment longer than she normally did with any other person.
When he looked at those four, at Kagami, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, he couldn't help but see he, Kanao, Shinobu, and Kanae in them. He can only hope they find happiness instead of death like them.
Kagami was brushing through the black hair that was starting to get longer and longer.
Ever since her encounter with the Tsuzumi Demon, her hair had been cut short against her will and brushed against her shoulders. Now, it was getting back to its luscious voluminous waves, brushing close to her mid-back. She pulled it into a high ponytail, small bangs that curled around her face tickled her face, and was about to leave the room when her black crow barged into the ward through the window. Then, her eyes widened hearing the news!
"Tanjiro! Inosuke!" She exclaimed racing through the halls and into the training room. "They'll be bringing our reforged Nichirin Swords soon!" She quickly explained with a bright smile to the pair.
"For real?" Inosuke gasped in the middle of his splits.
Tanjiro smiled and exclaimed, "Already? I can't wait!" Then, he sniffed the air and smiled wider. "I can smell Mr. Haganezuka already! Let's go!"
They immediately ran outside of the Butterfly Mansion and out of the gate. They watched as three figures began to approach the property and waved their arms in excitement seeing their sword-makers. Kagami smiled seeing the familiar red and white rose-patterned haori, pink hyottoko mask, and red hair brushed in a bun above their head that was Watanabe. Beside her was Tanjiro's sword-maker Haganezuka who still donned the sunflower-patterned haori and wind-chimes hanging from his large woven hat. The third figure must've been Inosuke's sword-maker who wore regular pants and shirt and sea-blue haori with a light pink hyottoko mask as well.
They all carried wooden boxes on their back and walked slowly towards the Butterfly Mansion. They kept calling and waving, greeting them, when Haganezuka shoved his wooden box and woven hat in the third sword-maker's arms suddenly.
"Haganezuka! Long time no see! How have... you... been?" Tanjiro had excitedly called out but his voice faded quickly.
All three of them watched curiously as Haganezuka ran as fast he could towards Tanjiro with a large knife! When he swung, Tanjiro yelped and quickly backed away! Kagami and Inosuke took multiple steps back, eyes wide, and watched as Haganezuka turned to face Tanjiro. Even with the hyottoko mask covering his face, she could feel the anger, the fury, and the poison, dripping off of him when he hissed, "How dare you snap my precious sword in two?! You've got a lot of nerve, boy!"
Tanjiro, sweating bullets, looked nervously at Haganezuka, explaining frantically, "I'm sorry! B-But to be honest, I was about to die! My opponent was really strong-Ow!"
"Excuses, excuses, excuses, excuses!" Haganezuka screamed harshly poking at his face with no remorse. "The only person you have to blame is yourself! Got it?! It's all your fault! You're pitifully weak! That's why it broke! Otherwise, my sword would never snap like that!" He screamed pressing hard and faster into his face! Then, brandishing his knife once again, he screamed loudly with tears pouring down the cheeks of his mask, "I'm going to kill you!"
Then, Kagami and Inosuke watched, without moving to intervene, as Haganezuka chased Tanjiro up and down the road. He swung multiple times, very violently and looking with the actual intention of killing Tanjiro, for so long. She probably should've intervened... but Watanabe didn't look all that upset like Haganezuka, neither did the third sword-maker.
Inside the Butterfly Mansion, after everything settled down, they were finally given their Nichirin Swords.
Kagami watched with a grin as her blade turned a bright red, Inosuke's dual-wielding blades both turning indigo-grey and shining in the light, as Tanjiro's turned black once more. A color that none of them, and no one, knew too well about with the exception of a rumor of its cursed.
She loved the new design of her new sword. Instead of a regular black handle, it was in the shape of a curved tail glittering with red and gold, adorned with finger and hand indentations that perfectly matched hers, and the guard was the body of a dragon slithering across. Then, the head was embedded in the blade that extended from the base all the way to the tip, spitting fire and flame with a loud majestic roar. The sheath was a regular black spotted with flakes of red and gold once again.
"Watanabe, you've outdone yourself!" Kagami gasped and bowed deeply.
She bowed her head back and spoke, "Only the best for my best customer. Unlike Haganezuka here, I take your broken sword as an opportunity to hone my craftsmanship, to make a better and more vibrant sword that matches your breathing style as well as your personality." It seemed like she was showing off but Kagami didn't mind.
Inosuke's sword-maker laughed and spoke, "Well, Haganezuka is a very passionate man. His love for swords is as twice as strong as anyone else's. There's no one like him even in the sword-forgers' homeland."
Tanjiro nervously glanced over at the burning eyes of Haganezuka, who laid nearby, and nervously groaned, "I believe it."
"Oh, by the way, my name is Kanamori. I forged Lord Inosuke's swords," Inosuke's sword-maker greeted them kindly. His voice was soft, kind, and gentle, unlike Haganezuka who was loud, or Watanabe who was blunt and harsh in her words. "I would be thrilled if they prove useful in battle. The dull sheen of that indigo-gray hue is wonderful. It's a fine color for a sword."
They all turned and watched Inosuke admiring and inspecting his new Nichirin Swords.
Kanamori looked pretty happy with himself when he spoke, "This is actually my first time forging swords for a dual-wielder. It was quite a wonderful experience."
They continued watching Inosuke curiously when he suddenly left the room and walked towards the pond in the garden. He grabbed and looked through various rocks, tossing away the ones he didn't seem to like, before settling on one. He hefted it in his hand and tested its weight. At first, confusion ran through Kagami but her eyes widened in horror remembering how his previous swords looked. Chipped and jagged, just the way he liked them. But his new swords...
"Oh, no," Kagami groaned seeing him raise the rock high in the air.
CLINK! CLINK! CLINK!
Horrified and terrified screams left Kagami, Tanjiro, Haganezuka, and Kanamori's mouths at what he was doing! Inosuke roughly brought the rock down on the edge of one of his swords, creating the jagged indents from his previous swords on his new ones!
"Better," He grunted out not paying any attention to them.
Kagami and Tanjiro quickly held back Kanamori as he tried to race forward. His calm and kind demeanor quickly shifted to one of pure anger and fury, screaming at the top of his lungs, "I'm going to skin you alive, you miserable brat! You bastard! Are you trying to provoke me?! Are you flaunting it?!"
Only sparing Kanamori a glance, Inosuke brought the rock down on his other sword!
"BASTARD! YOU DIRTY SWINE! THAT'S IT! YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!" Kanamori screamed louder and harsher, Kagami and Tanjiro screaming apologies at a hundred miles per hour for Inosuke!
Watanabe sighed and readjusted the pin holding her bun together. "It seems I'm the only sword-maker here who can actually keep their cool," She huffed out.
"Hey, Origami," Inosuke suddenly spoke up approaching Kagami. He completely ignored his angry sword-maker, holding one jagged-edged sword in one hand and holding a rock in the other. "I want to see your sword."
Kagami nervously held her sword close to her chest but suddenly felt the aura of wrathful demon.
But it wasn't a demon. It was Watanabe!
Darkness creased her body and mask, the most unholy feeling emitted from her body, and a large growl spilled from her lips. "You keep your dirty, disgusting hands and that rock away from my beautiful creation, you hear?! They're perfect just the way they are!" Watanabe hissed violently focusing her attention on Inosuke. "Only those I forge swords for can wield them! No one else! Who do you think you are trying to destroy someone else's blades?! I outta cut you up!" She screamed out loud.
Then, it was Watanabe's turn to be held back by Kagami and Tanjiro, all the while Inosuke didn't seem bothered at all.
It was sunset by the time the three sword-makers left, albeit more furious, frustrated, angry, and annoyed than they had arrived. Kanamori and Watanabe, even though their faces were hidden beneath masks, glared deadly daggers at Inosuke as they left, screaming at the top of their lungs about his behavior. Haganezuka, on the other hand, kept his angry focus on Tanjiro. There wasn't enough bowing or apologizing Kagami and Tanjiro could do to make them satisfied. Even when the sword-makers were down the road, they kept profusely apologizing.
Ugh, what were Kagami and Tanjiro going to do with Inosuke?
No matter, it felt good to have a sword in her hands again. She felt like a proper swordsman once more and felt more motivated than ever to finish training. She will finish, master Total Concentration, Constant, and learn the truth of her parents, her heritage, and Dragon Breathing once and for all.