The Hashira waited awkwardly as they anticipated the requested guests. To call on junior slayers in time of need was not common, but for this situation, only they seemed to have the answers. All still wondered what the connections between Giyuu Tomioka and Kanae Kocho were, but they hoped some light would be shed on their answers. The last day's worth of time continued to leave them in the dark and on edge, looking for some wayward light and answers to their ever growing questions.

Mitsuri and Shinobu had moved into a corner of the living room, finding solace in it as the quiet gave some comfort. Mitsuri looked towards her friend, still remembering the words Tomioka-san spoke. He said Shinobu was pretending to be her sister after she died. She couldn't help but feel uneasy from his information, hearing the entirety of your friend's personality was a lie based off someone gone. "Um... Shinobu?" Shinobu looked towards her friend, no longer smiling. "Yes Mitsuri?" "What... What did Tomioka-san mean when you pretended to be your sister?"

Shinobu tensed up from this, but understood it was only a matter of time before someone asked. Not everyone remembered who she was, only remembering the facade she put up. "Kanae, she... She was amazing. The most pure soul you could meet. She never held grudges, never showed her anger, was kind to others no matter who they were, she was amazing. Even someone like Shinazugawa wasn't able to stay mad around her. After she died, a part of me just couldn't let that be lost. The world deserved her, it NEEDED someone like her."

"Before she was gone, I wasn't afraid to be who I was. I yelled, I screamed, I always spoke what I thought when I thought it. I even yelled at my sister sometimes because I thought she was too nice, can you believe that? Yelling at someone because you thought they were too nice and carefree?" Shinobu hugged her legs as she lowered her head against her knees. "A part of me can't remember who that person- Who I was before... I can only remember trying to keep the memory of my sister alive, and now in doing so-" Shinobu started to tear up once again. "All it did was hurt him. What the hell is the point of a doctor that hurts people?"

Mitsuri pulled her friend close, resting her head against her shoulder. "Ssshhh, no talking like that Shinobu. Remember, Tomioka-san only had issue with you trying to be her. Maybe he preferred the old you? Who you really are? But even if this isn't the real you, you're still my best friend." Mitsuri hugged her friend tightly, and Shinobu reciprocated. Shinobu really had thought of it, but would it be enough? She doesn't have many memories of Tomioka from when she was her old self, but it had to be worth some kind of merit.

Tengen's head peaked up, having his eyes glued to the front door. "Multiple people inbound, four heartbeats? Kocho, didn't you request only three?" Everyone looked towards the front door, curious to see who the fourth visitor would be. The front door opened to see Aoi, Kanao, Murata, and the fourth guest, Tanjiro. "Young Tanjiro? I thought I requested of you to stay and recover at my estate." Shinobu stood up and moved towards the new group. Tanjiro nodded, but walked up holding Kanzaburou. "Yes, you did Lady Kocho, but this crow said Tomioka-san was involved. I'm indebted to him, any way I can help him, I'll jump at the opportunity to do what I can!"

Shinobu smiled again, thankful someone else was wanting to help. Aoi walked to the front, looking around to the Hashira. "Was there something you needed of us Lady Shinobu?" She looked around, before her eyes instinctively rested on the shelf. "Aoi, I know you and Kanao are close to Tomioka. As well as you, slayer Murata, even to some degree." Murata scratched the back of his head, feeling nervous of having to be in a room again with all the Hashira at once. "Close is a strong term, we're just old comrades. You know how it is, two different statuses, different worlds, weird power dynamic." He let out a nervous laugh, seemingly not convincing the Insect Hashira.

"Lady Kocho-" Tanjiro sniffed around the area, before focusing on her again. "Why can't I pick up Tomioka-san's scent any stronger? It's faint, far weaker than what it should be if this is his estate." Shinobu bit her lip, looking down. "Tomioka... Is away. He couldn't be here, couldn't be around us." The small group's eyes darted one by one of the Hashira, seeing they all couldn't meet their gazes. Aoi and Kanao looked towards the boxes, before turning back to their sister. "It has to do with THEM, doesn't it Lady Shinobu?" Shinobu couldn't verbally answer, only nodding her head.

Aoi and Kanao grabbed the boxes containing the memorial for Sabito and Kanae, before opening them slowly. Murata walked up in awe, getting flashbacks to the week of selection. "He kept even the mask pieces too, not just the haori." Tanjiro looked to the mask in shock, remembering the year and a half worth of training Sabito's spirit put him through. Everyone focused on Murata however, showing he knew who this person was. "What do you mean "too" Murata-kun? Did Tomioka-san keep anything else from him?" Mitsuri eagerly asked. Murata nodded, pointing towards the mirrored haori. "See the green and yellow geometric? Sabito wore it, the fox mask too. I knew Tomioka saved his haori, but I didn't think he kept his mask all this time too. No idea who the maroon belongs to though."

Tengen groaned loudly as he stood up, banging his head against the wall. "Gods above, please strike me down." Everyone looked at him curiously, before pointing back and forth to the mirrored haori, and the first box. "Kanroji was right earlier. The green and yellow belonged to this Sabito kid, and the maroon had to be Tsutako's. He cut them in half and stitched the parts together, so he always has them with him. This haori is a backup I'm assuming in case anything were to happen to the first." Walking towards Himejima, he placed his hands on his taller than life comrade. "Please pray for me Himejima, I have committed the sin of stupidity."

Obanai and Tengen felt like dying inside, while Shinobu couldn't help but feel petrified. She and Tomioka had committed the same act: Wearing the haori of those who were lost. He carried his sister and best friend with him, while she carried her sister. Only she took it one step further. Sanemi finally stood up and walked towards Murata, wanting more to know about this Sabito person. "What did Tomioka mean by the inscription? He said that this person was meant to become the Water Hashira, but he died before he was even an official slayer. If Tomioka wasn't by him, how would he have known?"

Murata sat down on the couch, solem memories washing over him. "First I'll explain Tomioka. On the first day, he was ambushed by multiple demons. He was going to die if not for Sabito saving him. His face was bleeding and everything, he still has a scar over his eyebrow from it. Sabito asked me and others to drag him out and get him to safety, I swear if not for him falling unconscious, Tomioka would've fought us all off and probably won to stick by him. Seven days later, Tomioka was allowed to pass because it was the first time apparently that many people survived final selection. He was unconscious that entire duration, but they still let him through. I was the first to greet him when he woke up."

Everyone except for Aoi seemed to be shocked at this information. Giyuu Tomioka barely had even participated in final selection, and was still allowed to pass. Sanemi groaned loudly, using his hand to cover his face as he reeled back. "That bastard started on an even lower level that a normal slayer, reached the rank of Hashira, and STILL didn't believe he was good enough? Why does that piss me off?! Doesn't that just mean he deserves it more?!" Grabbing onto Murata's uniform, he pulled him close as he gritted his teeth. "If he still holds that damn inferiority complex after that, just who the hell was this Sabito then?!"

Aoi and Kanao were the first ones to jump to Murata's defense, trying to use themselves as shields. Kanao going as far as to put a hand on her sword, staring Sanemi down with a cold emotionless face. Everyone was shocked to see slayers stand against a Hashira, even more so people who were hosted from a place known for healing. Shinobu quickly between everyone, trying to keep everyone calm. "No fighting or anger! We're already torn at the seams, we don't need any more of this." Everyone had backed away, with Murata and Tanjiro getting uncomfortable. Shinobu looked towards her sisters, conflicted about their actions. "Kanao, what was that about? I don't want you to use your coin, I want a clear answer."

"Murata is an ally of Giyuu-san, Giyuu-san is important to us, therefore we must act to protect Murata." Shinobu looked back and forth between the girls, finding nothing but confidence in the answer. She had to learn what this was about and where it came from, but the conversation involving Sabito had to be finished first. Walking up to Murata, she fixed his uniform before bowing to him. "My apologies about Shinazugawa-san, things have just been... Tense. Please, continue." Murata nodded, now wanting to have some distance from the Wind Hashira.

"I only knew Sabito from that week but he was in a league of his own. By week's end, everyone tallied up how many kills they saw just from him, and it was over fifty! I'm not kidding, a few of us stuck by his side to move as a group to keep people safe, but with him around we were basically useless. It was almost like being on an extended mission with a Hashira." Shinobu felt her eyes go wide as the room went dead. Slowly grabbing onto his shoulders, she looked at him intently. "Murata, just how old were you all when this happened?" "We were all thirteen, so this was eight years ago. Because of how strong he was, he really was the only one of us that died."

The Hashira remained silent at the tale, not sure how to fully grasp it. Eyes slowly moved towards Muichiro, who was off in his own world watching clouds through the window. Even if he was the youngest to achieve Hashira, then this meant Sabito still would have achieved it faster. One achieving it in two months after becoming a slayer, the other would have achieved it just as he was becoming one. Gyomei weeped silently, knowing that such a spirit with potential was snuffed out early. "If I may young Murata, how was it that Sabito had died? If a person of this caliber was killed, just what was it to cause this?"

Before Murata could answer, Tanjiro quickly voiced himself. "I have that answer." Everyone shifted their focus to Tanjiro, wondering just how someone much younger than Giyuu or Murata knew. Tanjiro's face grew solem, remembering his own time in the forest. "There was a demon that was captured and imprisoned by our shared master, Urokodaki-sensei. The demon hated him for trapping him in that forest for decades, and vowed revenge no matter what. He targeted sensei's students, by way of who wore that kind of mask." He pointed to Sabito's fragments, remembering how angry he was to learn he caused such suffering. "He spoke of a boy with amazing skill wearing this mask, and said his sword broke against his mutated and hardened body. He... Also spoke of how he crushed his head and savored the sound of it. He tried to kill me as well, I'm just glad I ended that demon's reign of terror and revenge."

The information was stomach churning. A demon who targeted students of the man who imprisoned him all as an act of petty revenge. Some of the group focused on mourning the loss of the countless children who may have died to the monster, others focused on the happiness they felt knowing it was dead. "Eccentric work kid, nice work." "Agreed! Good job on safe guarding any future students there may be!" Kyojuro and Tengen praised the work of Tanjiro, acknowledging he actually was capable of his job. Obanai noticed something curiously, looking towards the mask fragments. "If Tomioka was unconscious up until the end of selection, who recieved the mask pieces?"

"Tomioka did, when he woke up he went right back in the forest. We tried to stop him, but he pointed his sword at us saying he wasn't going to leave him in there. He came out by the end of the eighth day covered in dried blood holding the fragments in his clothes. He wore the same face as the Mist Hasira when we saw him again." Murata looked at the fragments one last time, before looking to Aoi to put out away. "Only times we ever talk about the past is when we're sharing a drink after running into each other, or catching up after not seeing each other. Don't want to risk bringing up bad memories."

Everyone listened in to the tale of Sabito, the boy who had Hashira potential from apparently before his demon slayer career even started. It explained why Tomioka felt inferior, who wouldn't when going in at the same time as this caliber of swordsman. Aoi put the box away back to the shelf, feeling uneasy Giyuu-san had his story told before everyone. She looked towards Tokito-sama and felt that same old feeling of not being enough hit her after so long. She did the only thing that really gave her a sense of comfort and hugged the figure that wore the mirrored haori.

Everyone but Kanao and Shinobu looked at her in confusion, Aoi didn't care and just continued to hug the figure until the feelings finally went away. She looked to see that eyes were on her, feeling her face heat up, she desired to defend herself. "Giyuu-san and I are almost exactly alike. I may have been able to participate in final selection, but I was too scared to fight. I only cut down a few demons and spent most of my time hiding..." She clenched her hand tight as she looked towards Tokito-sama. "I may not have lost anyone close to me, but how can I say I'm a worthy demon slayer when I went through it at the exact same time as HIM? It's why I joined the Butterfly estate, it helps me feel like I'm still useful... Even if it's just a little bit."

No one would lie and say that both was and wasn't expected. They didn't expect anyone to have some kind of familial bond of this extent towards Tomioka, but if one was required to go through final selection with someone capable of making Hashira in months, an inferiority complex makes sense to develop. Mitsuri rushed over, quickly picking her up. "Aoi-chan you're super super useful! I can't tell you how thankful I am for how many times you've patched me up! you're a big help to all of us, I promise!" Aoi tried to break free, but found it was utterly useless to attempt. With the minimal reach she had, she patted Kanroji-sama on her back. "Thank you... Love Hashira..."

Shinobu poked Mitsuri a few times, hoping that she would let her go. Eventually Aoi was free from the Hashira's unintentional death grip. Gyomei walked forward, kneeling down to better communicate with the young girl. "You must remember to try and never compare yourself to the progress you see others make young Kanzaki. We all go through life at our own paces. Young Tokito may make more progress in a shorter amount of time, but you must not focus on it, it is not your life. Any progress today or tomorrow you make is further than you were before yesterday, that is what matters."

Aoi smiled, rubbing her eyes from the potential tears. "Thank you Himejima-sama, but I don't think like that anymore. Giyuu-san has helped me with it over the years. It only came back because of the talk of him and Sabito." Shinobu approach Aoi, slowly placing a hand on her. "Aoi-" Shinobu pulled Kanao closely by holding her hand. "Kanao, we, I, need to know where Tomioka comes into between you two and our sister. When did you two get so close to him? When did he to her? He hardly ever came to the estate so it couldn't have been then. He couldn't have even been able to heal himself without help as well, we saw how badly he was... Brutalized over the years only seems to be the correct term."

Aoi and Kanao both flinched, sharing a look at each other. Kanao flipped her coin, with it landing on tails. She thankfully was able to remain silent as Aoi groaned. "Well... Lady Shinobu. Giyuu-san never came back to the estate aside from the few times he originally did, because... you would tell him you didn't want him there. You complained he never talked while he was there, and that any time he was near Kanae... You thought he was trying to flirt with her like others before him. Any time he needed treatment, Kanae and us would visit him here. He believed you didn't want him around, but since he still needed first aid, rather than go to where there was the treatment, the treatment came to him..."

Shinobu felt as if every sin she's committed crash into her all at once. The memories came back to the forefront of her mind, Aoi was right. She remembered every time she saw him come in for assistance, she lashed out at him for one reason or another. She had been that way with everyone, but she didn't know that it caused him to actually desire to not come to their estate. "Aoi, Kanao, I need you to both be as clear with me as possible. Did Tomioka never come back because he thought I hated him? Does he still think I don't want him there?"

"He never thought you hated him Lady Shinobu." "Giyuu-san has stated to us he never came back so you would be happier without his presence." Shinobu fell back into the couch, letting out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. She was thankful that she wasn't hated, but now she had to deal with the guilt of knowing she made him believe she didn't want him around. She could only hope he would allow her the chance to talk when he was back. "Last time we spoke with him, he said to only have real issue with Serpent and Wind Hashira, but we don't know to what extent. Giyuu-san said he didn't wish for us to worry about it."

Sanemi and Obanai couldn't help but tense up, while Tengen let out a sigh of relief. They knew they all were on unstable grounds with Giyuu, but to hear it from an outside source was all but damning. They knew he had to be left alone, but they still desired to be able to set things right. Sanemi looked towards the girls, rubbing the side of his head still feeling mentally drained. "Can we get to where you two explain to us just what went on between Kanae and Tomioka? You two told us you would come here with her to give him medical aid, but it still doesn't explain a lot."

Kanao grabbed Kanae's hairpin before sitting down with it. It had some time since she had seen the second of the set, intrusting it to Giyuu-san meant it would be his alone. She still was happy she had her own, so she couldn't mind it so much. Aoi sat next to her sister, happy to see her at peace given the situation. "After Giyuu-san stopped coming to the Butterfly estate, one day we recieved a crow. Kanzaburou had come to us saying he needed help after a bad mission, and Kanae saw this as her chance to spend time with him. She grabbed Kanao and I, and brought us here saying she couldn't do it alone."

"To say he was injured would be an understatement. What had apparently happened was some civilians were being held hostage by a demon's Blood Art and other demons. Giyuu-san requested the villagers be spared and he would take their place, the moment he said who he was, they agreed. Demons are simple creatures, so killing a high value threat early over low value meals seemed an easy deal to them. He was under hypnosis and had to fight off multiple demons. None of the civilians were hurt, but he was a mess." Aoi squirmed in her seat, remembering how bloody he was when they arrived.

Kanao flipped her coin, catching it as it landed on heads. She put a hand on Aoi and nodded, recieving a smile back from her sister. "During the visits to Giyuu-san to check on his health, we put him at ease. He showed no ill feelings towards my silence, and bonded with Aoi over shared beginnings. Kanae nee-san was happy to see he could be social, but was saddened when it wasn't the same with her." The room shared a collective look before agreeing what it would potentially be about. "Eventually, nee-san made him explain what it was that was causing the wedge between them. The look of surprise on his face when she slapped him however was quite interesting to see."

Those who knew Kanae were utterly shocked to hear this kind of news. Kanae was the kindest soul that they knew, to hear her slap someone at all, was a strike of lightning their brains. "I get Tomioka doing that unf-, that thing of keeping her at arm's distance because of what we learned, but Kocho slapping him for it? Kanae Kocho? The person who acted as basically the mother to any slayer she met?" Tengen was going to have to learn to not associate that phrase with Tomioka anymore. He may not have said anything directly about hating the phrase, but he did say that he was jealous of the kind of life Tengen lived. Maybe once he came back, he could try to help him live a little.

Sanemi was visibly baffled at this concept. He remembered the day of his first Hashira meeting, how he directly tried to call out the master under the belief he wasn't worthy of leadership. Kanae hadn't even attacked him then, instead telling him how the master cared for all slayers as his children. The most he recieved as punishment was a stern glare from Uzui and forced to attend mediation with Himejima. To hear she was angry and used physical force against Tomioka, it was something else. He was wondering just how deep this relationship of theirs went.

"Would be be sinful to say I believe it?" All eyes suddenly looked towards Gyomei as he stood there as normal as could be. "She is Shinobu's older sister, and I helped to raise both after I saved them from suffering the same fate as their parents. Need I remind everyone here Kanae was a Hashira? She may not have had the ferocious intent as Shinobu, but she was still capable in her own right." Shinobu looked towards Gyomei, conflicted as to how to feel. She decided that would be a conversation for later.

Aoi nodded, continuing on from where Kanao left off. "He was quite surprised, she was angry with him as to how little he thought of himself. She told him to remain quiet as she started to reassure him about how important he actually was if it meant Tsutako and Sabito were willing to lose their lives for someone like him. She told him he meant something, that he was stronger than his mind let himself believe, he was silent the entire time. When she was done... All he found himself able to do was cry and hold onto her. Eventually, we all gave him a hug. He never even went to his old master for assurance, so this must've been a big deal to him."

Kanao grabbed her coin and flipped it, watching it land on tails. Nodding to herself, she remained silent as she let Aoi continue. "From then on, the three of us grew closer to him and vice versa. Kanae had us all promise to keep it a secret. She must've had some idea how... others would react." Sanemi and Shinobu turned away, feeling as if sour tastes had developed in their mouth's. "Their friendship continued on, and Giyuu-san opened up to us. Kanae saw it as he just wasn't a people person, and never wanted to force him to open up more than what he wanted. He was happy she understood, she was happy he was making progress, we were happy things were working out."

Everyone tried to put together the mental image of a happy Giyuu Tomioka, one where he was smiling like a normal person and wasn't all gloom. It was potentially the last time he felt normal aside from most recently when Nezuko and Tanjiro Kamado came into the picture. When Kanae died, everyone felt as if a ray of light was lost. For Tomioka, it may have been the only light that decided to shine on him. Shinobu looked towards her sisters, having only two questions left. "Just how far did their relationship go? Were they only friends...Or-" Aoi and Kanao shook their heads before Aoi crossed her arms. "If any of you want that answer, get it from him." "Giyuu-san trusts us even after nee-san's passing, we will not break that trust."

Shinobu sighed as she had to give the girl's credit. The business between Tomioka and her sister was theirs. It wouldn't be right for them to ask others about it, so that left only one question. "What does the inscription mean? Was that mission really meant to be Tomioka's? Why did it say he was too injured to be able to take it on?" Aoi wore a smile before it was quickly taken over by various mixed emotions. Breathing in and out slowly, she recalled one of the last day's everyone was together.

"While we were out together, Kanae met a couple who were expecting a baby, it would arrive any day. She told them she was a doctor, and volunteered us all to help them get back home with what they needed. It was late by the time the couple finally reached home, but that's when everything kicked off. She went into labor, I think Kanae and I were the only ones to know what to do. Giyuu-san could only follow orders, and Kanao we only asked to sit in peace in the main room. Hours later, the baby was born. But there were some... Complications."

"The mother and baby weren't responding properly to the aid, anything they had wasn't helping. Giyuu-san chose to run back to the village for better supplies, even though it was already a thunderstorm." Muichiro suddenly looked towards the butterfly girls, tilting his head after hearing the blue girl talk. "Before Kanae could argue he was already out the door. An hour later he made it back, but he had multiple fractures, there was some blood, but because of him the mother and the baby lived."

"What happened to him?" None could've predicted Muichiro would take an interest to the story that was being told, but he placed himself in front of Aoi with a cautious expression. "What happened to the quiet man in the rain?" Aoi was confused for a moment, but continued. "He was reckless in exchange for speed to the village and back. He slipped off tree branches and cliffsides from the slick surfaces. He also said he was almost caught in a rockslide, I'm honestly surprised he didn't die from how careless he was." Muichiro felt something itch in his mind, but the fog was thick, he just knew it made him upset. Walking back to the window, he focused on the clouds again. "I don't like the rain, I can't remember why, I just don't like it."

"It would appear young Tokito has had a spark of memory return to him from tales of Tomioka's actions." Gyomei said with a soft smile. Everyone watched as Tokito continued to look outside into the sky, wondering just what that interaction was about. Kanao saw this moment as another time to flip her coin, watching it land on heads. "Sister." She quickly showed it to Aoi, who gave a thumbs up. "Giyuu-san had sacrificed his safety and health to save the mother and her child. Nee-san was upset at his disregarding of himself, but she couldn't remain angry since it had saved the lives of two patients. Kakushi were required to move him back to his estate, from there, nee-san watched over him when she could. While he was in recovery... That is when the mission that took nee-sans life had been called. He tried to tell her that he was fit for duty, but she took his place in it, saying he was still too injured to even move. If she had not done this, Giyuu-san certainly would've died."

There it was, the most recent person Tomioka had lost. The person who could be really described as the only friend in years he had. They all remember the funeral, he was the only Hashira that didn't attend. Many harsh words were spoken about him, the only one's not willing to see him in a negative light were the master and Gyomei. This just explained why he wasn't there, he was too injured and possibly guilt stricken to be there. Sanemi's head hung low, remembering when he saw Tomioka at the front of the burial sight. "It's no wonder he went there at thr entrance and didn't go directly to her, he thinks he caused her death and still feels guilty."

The guilt of the Hashira felt palpable, almost changing the weight of the room itself. His desire to be alone, his outlashing everyone from the day before, it was making more sense as the seconds went by. Aoi frowned, remembering of the times before. "Kanao and I aren't even as close to him anymore... We never blamed him for what happened, but he still feels guilty. He thought you would blame him too if you found out Lady Shinobu, he knew what Kanae meant to you." Shinobu silently weeped, but still somehow found a reason to smile. "How could I be mad at him? He cared about her just as much as we did, and hates himself for what happened by coincidence more than I could ever hate him. He didn't mean to get hurt, he did it to save a family after all. Taking on a mission for a friend sounds exactly like something she would do."

With all needing to be said, the Hashira and butterfly sisters paid respects to Kanae one last time, and everyone had left the Water estate. They all knew the answers to what happened to make Tomioka who he was, but now the question became what to do next. Gyomei was the first to break the silence as they left. "Now that we know the context of almost everything, what shall we do now? Tomioka is gone and there is no guarantee when he will be back." Tanjiro still being in the good graces of Tomioka, naturally felt the need to stand by him. "He must've left to be able to be alone and sort himself out. With no one nearby to bother him, this may give him space to be able to fix himself?"

Shinobu nodded, now no longer smiling. "It makes sense. The only reason I wouldn't believe he'd quit is to protect you and your sister. Even if you are sanctioned, he doesn't trust many of us to either keep you safe or not act on our own." Shinobu stopped walking, and everyone looked towards her to see what she had to say. "We need to inform the master he's gone, this is our fault. Aoi, Kanao, Tanjiro, Murata, you all may return to the Butterfly estate. This is what we need to do." The junior slayers nodded before Aoi asked made a final question before he groups parted. "Would you like me to prepare you for anything when you return Lady Shinobu?" "Salmon daikon, and perhaps a drink..."