Yae was honestly more comfortable than she'd originally believe. She hadn't expected the bed to be as high quality for some reason, she was staying in an estate that was multiple times larger than the lodge she lived in. That had to have brought at least some level of quality of life, one she'd have to adjust to. She would be staying with Tomioka for the foreseeable future. She wouldn't need to forage, or hunt, anything of her old life. It felt... Off. There was the lake and rivers, maybe she'd be permitted to fish. As she was sitting in the bed basking in the warmth of morning sun from the open window, she saw a crow fly into the room. "Madame...Yae?" She stared at it slightly before stretching her hand out to see if it would land. She shouldn't be surprised by the intelligence of crows as she's seen it before, but it still was quite the sight.
"Who might you be little one? You know my name so I know you're not a wild bird." The crow actually flew to her hand before settling down. She gave it some attention by running her thumb against it's head and down the back. "Kanzaburou... I am Giyuu's crow... He's my friend." Did all slayers get crows or only the "Hashira" he and Kocho had told her about? She shrugged as she was happy to have a friendly face. "Did Tomioka send you for me?" Kanzaburou nodded as he enjoyed the attention. "Returning home... Went for... Food? Yes, yes, food and supplies.. Wishes to make food for you... Prepare you for today." Was there something wrong with Kanzaburou? It wouldn't be smart to ask the bird himself, she'd ask Tomioka later. She got out of bed and waited for his eventual return. This was a new environment she was in, it wouldn't be wise to try and map it out without her guide.
It fortunately didn't take longer than an hour Giyuu to return to his eatate. He had hoped Yae was already awake so then the food could be prepared and not have to go cold. Guiding the cart back to his estate, he believed he had everything that would be needed. Yae had only joined him and Kocho with the clothes she wore and the equipment she carried. She also refused to learn the way of the sword, so the training plans will need to be adjusted. He doubted she would be compatible with a breathing style, but that didn't mean the rest of her couldn't be honed and trained.
He opened the door and was satisfied to see Yae was awake. He was slightly surprised to see she was already making friends with Kanzaburou. "Good you're already awake. Continue to rest while you can, I will bring everything in." Yae watched as Kanzaburou flew out of her hands and to on top of Tomioka's head. He didn't seem to have a care in the world. "Hey is something wrong with Kanzaburou? He seems like he's struggles with focusing or talking or something." Yae watched as Giyuu walked out the front door to shortly return holding a brand new mat for her. "Kanzaburou is an old crow, and with his age comes falter in his memory. I will never replace him though. He has been by my side for six years since I my start as a slayer. I would not replace him even if the Master offered me a new crow."
Yae was focused on a small detail Tomioka said. His crow had been in service of him for six years, so that meant Tomioka had been a slayer for just as long. "Hey uh, Tomioka? How old are you if you've been a slayer for six years already?" "Nineteen. Twenty come February eight." She became dumbfounded as she just learned he grew up to be a child soldier and had been part of it long enough to reach adulthood. "What of you? What's your age?" She sighed as walked out to follow him. "Sixteen. Seventeen come March twenty-first." Giyuu stopped to look back towards her as if noting something. "The turn of spring?" She nodded as he turned back to the wagon. "Fitting." She was about to question why when she had finally noticed just how much he had bought.
Fruits, vegetables, different varieties of meats both smoked and unprepared. Just how much did he spend from all this?! "Tomioka! Are you sure all this stuff was needed?! This must've cost you a fortune!" Her eyes bounced around all of the items he bought as he moved back and forth. "Is it? I have never had a long-term guest stay with me so I bought what I believed was needed. The cost mattered little, it is to help with your development. I spent little on myself before this anyways, so it truly is no issue. I just hope the other cart will arrive soon. I feel guilty for requesting Kakushi over this but I did not wish to make multiple trips." She rubbed her head as she began to even contemplate where to start her questioning.
"Why did you spend this much on me?" She stopped him by holding onto his shoulders to get him talk to her. "Because it's as you said, you have nothing left. You joined us with nothing but what you wore or carried. That is how every slayer has joined, leaving everything behind to fight or losing everything and having only one option left. I promised to you I will help you survive, I will not let you start with nothing like all of us have." She slowly let him go, honestly surprised that he was this serious to her development. She hung her head as she rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry if I came off as ungrateful for this. It's just because of the lifestyle, everything felt it had to be earned. We hunted, we gathered, being self reliant was a requirement. It just feels... I'm just not use to being given gifts completely out of nowhere. My rifle and knives were due to learning to a Matagi, Taro was so my father would hope I wouldn't be lonely or to distract me."
Giyuu had put the food down back to the wagon as he focused on her. "It's as you said, your life is now my responsibility. You may not be my Tsuguko, my second, but that does not mean I will leave you to fend for yourself. I will train you and build you up into a slayer that is meant to reach greater heights than I. It will be harsh, it will be difficult, but as I said I will not put a wall in front of you if I did not have faith in you that you'd break through it. It may be true I would not usually take on juniors, but now that you are here I will not let you fall." The man's face was as stoic as stone, but Yae still knew he said every word with confidence and sincerity. She couldn't help but hug him. He really did have faith in her. "I promise I won't let you down either Tomioka." She wasnt expecting a hug back and she didn't mind, this was for him as a thank you from her.
"My oh my, it seems you two are already getting along. Things are already going better than expected." Giyuu let Yae continue to hug him as he was surprised to see Kocho visit. "Kocho, to what do we owe for this?" Shinobu walked up as she giggled slightly at seeing him be unable to process the affection he was receiving. "I realized I had never done a physical examination for Yae. Knowing she'd be here, I hoped to get it done before her training began." Giyuu nodded as he looked down for Yae to let him go. Yae quickly followed Shinobu into what appeared to be her new room. Her rifle was resting in the corner and her mat laid in the middle of the room. It was odd to see it lay sideways though, until she thought it gave her ease of access to both the window and the door.
"Strip down to as much as you're comfortable. I just need to listen to your heart, check pulse, examine for any injuries especially after last night with the incident." Yae closed the door as she stripped down with little issues to her undergarments. Shinobu looked over Yae's body, lifting her arms from her sides and moving her feet wider. "Nothing too bad from what I can see. Minor scratches and old scars I'm assuming from hunts?" Yae nodded as she was hoping for more answers. "Hey Kocho? Just what are Hashira? You and Tomioka introduced yourselves as the Water and Insect, but I still have no idea what any of this means." Shinobu pulled out a stethoscope as she listened to her heartbeat and lungs.
"Hashira is the highest achievable rank of the Demon Slayer Corps. As for Water and Insect, those are the breathing styles we use for fighting." She looked up to see Yae confused as and would take breaks to explain proper. "Think of breathing techniques as patterns on how to breathe, and my Insect style as like a fighting style. Because humans obviously aren't as physically strong as demons, we use these patterns as a way to pull more oxygen into our bodies to produce more strength. The breathing even accelerates your blood flow. With more flow, comes growing your body, with that comes better breathing, and the cycle repeats. There are the original styles, and there are branching styles. While there may be similarities in some, all are used effectively different." Shinobu finished with listening to Yae's heart and lungs and now began to check her pulse.
"So there's rankings, different fighting styles, and different breathing patterns for physical development... I think I'm getting an idea." Shinobu quickly moved on to general flexibility. "There is one caveat that will apply to you however." Yae perked up as she stood upright. "We use our different styles to obtain a physical strength to cut down the demons, however you refused the way of the sword back in the village. You intend to hunt them as you would animals with your rifle?" Yae walked over and picked up her rifle, unable to stop herself from smiling at it. "It's an old Arisaka rifle, served well enough during the Great War. Simple, reliable, functional. It's helped me take down prey from boars to bears, I'm not going to abandon it." Shinobu looked down to the sights of the gun as a thought was born in her head. "So you would say you're reliant on your eyesight and general senses?" Yae nodded as Shinobu smiled genuinely to herself. "I may have an idea to aid in your development."
The two girls heard knocking at the door and turned to it. "Yae, Kocho. The food is put away and breakfast will begin soon. I have some of the clothes that were dropped off and I wish to put them away before cooking." Yae dressed herself before opening the door. "Thank you again Tomioka, I'll wait for you in the dining area." Yae walked out only for Kanzaburou to hop onto her head as she passed Giyuu. Shinobu watched as Giyuu came into the room with his arms full of clothes. "Who are you and just what have you done with my regularly quiet and anti-social friend Giyuu Tomioka?" Shinobu fell against Giyuu to throw her weight onto him as she climbed onto his back, poking his face. "Can't be a demon, demons are more angry and you've yet to discover that emotion. Not a gift from Kami either, I'm against you right now and still can't feel any warmth."
Giyuu rolled his eyes as he folded the clothes and put them down. He'd have to order furniture as well for it all to be kept safely. "Shinobu, you act as if I am a stone on a forgotten path, or would that be too much because stones become warm when being in the sun?" He stood up finally as she continued to cling to his back. "If I tell you the truth, will you climb down?" She nodded as she poked his cheek one last time before standing in front of him. "I wish to give her a better start than either of us had the chance to recieve. She truly has nothing left, we both had seen what happened after her father's death. If no one is there to help her, we both have an idea what may happen." Shinobu finally dropped her smile as she looked back to the door, as if looking to Yae's direction. "You can still see life in those eyes of hers, she's already ahead. She's a fighter."
"I would not have taken her if I had the choice, but she was the first time I had actually seen someone try to take their life from the grief... It makes me question who else has done it without someone watching over them." Shinobu quickly turned back to him and held onto his shoulders. "Giyuu don't think like that. What may happen... After we leave, is outside of our control. We have responsibilities that always call for our attention. There may have been others we couldn't save, but you still were able to save her. You were able to save her life twice, and now even while she may still be in pain and grieving without us seeing it, I know she is thankful for you." Giyuu let out a breath he wasn't sure how long he was holding. "I will not fail her, I cannot allow her to fall as we have."
Shinobu finally smiled again, poking Giyuu on the nose. "You really have changed, one day I will figure out just what it is that happened." Giyuu shook his head as he made for the door. "You act as if I was never human to begin with." "Oh, Giyuu I have an idea that may help with Yae." Giyuu stopped as he turned around with a curious expression. "Once she has enough training, I will send Kanao over to help teach the fundamentals of Flower Breathing. Yae already needs keen sight to shoot effectively, being taught the basics of a technique that relies on one's eyes and perception of things could help her further." Giyuu focused his thoughts as it did make sense. Flower Breathing required keen vision for its swift movements and manipulations. "Thank you Shinobu, for offering to aid with her teachings, you have just earned yourself breakfast." Giyuu said as he was finally able to leave the room. Shinobu couldn't help but gasp at what he said. "You mean you were never going to offer your guest food even when they do a medical checkup on your student?! For shame Tomioka!"
The trio had been able to eat breakfast with relative peace. Yae thought back to their meal at the restaurant and what she said. Just because this was now her life, doesn't mean she couldn't still have small moments of joy. She was now living in an estate far larger than the lodge they shared, she was given brand new clothes, and had learned they were actually paid for demon slaying. With learning Tomioka and Kocho were the highest ranks possible, the fortune he spent for everything made more sense. This was her life now, she really should try to enjoy it while she could. While it was still peaceful. She couldn't and wouldn't sit still forever though, action would soon need to be made.
Hours later after the food was given time to digest, Giyuu brought Yae to the backyard of the estate. The two sat in the sunlight across from each other as Giyuu focused his attention. "Yae, I will now teach you the fundamentals of Total Concentration Breathing. Did you have any questions of it?" Yae was tempted to shake her head, but knew there had to be more. "Kocho told me some of it during the physical. Water and Insect are breathing patterns you two use for fighting. It pulls more oxygen into your lungs to increase in bloodflow, and that's where the energy comes from." Giyuu was surprised to see she was already understanding the explanation, and nodded. "Correct, to explain Water Breathing, what I use, it is to be as adaptable and as flexible as water, smooth flowing motions and movements to simulate water in motion."
Yae nodded as she took in what was his fighting style. "Kocho did say something else, that I possibly wouldn't need a style like you two use." Giyuu was once again curious as to where she would go with this. "She said the styles were used because of needing the physical strength to cut down the demons, but I intend to use my rifle. If we're the ones hunting after them, then they're just prey like what I've gone after before. So if I can kill them with my rifle, am I even going to need to learn one if I can kill them before they can get close to me?" Giyuu thought of it momentarily, he actually hadn't thought of that. Yae had failed to kill her father, but that was when she was using conventional munitions. "Yae, I am about to ask you something uncomfortable. You will more than likely be upset with me, but in order to plan your theory, evidence must be collected."
Yae suddenly felt an unease in her stomach as he looked at him. She had no idea what the question was, but she nodded to give him the approval ask. "How effective was your munition against your father when you found him? We could hear the gunshot, and we trust a seasoned Matagi wouldn't miss." Yae felt her body turn cold as she gripped onto his collar. Before she could yell at him for asking that kind of question or strike him he spoke up again. "Yae, I will not allow you to go into battle using a technique that isn't effective in keeping you alive or keeping others safe. If the rifle was ineffective, you will need to learn the blade." She could understand the question now, but dammit it hurt to think about again. She hated that she only had one morning to act as a distraction from what happened.
"The bullet did what it was designed to do. It blew out the side of his skull and left a large cavity. I had to watch as the majority of the left side of his head grow back like nothing happened, but half of his head was missing. If I use different ammo or different guns, I don't doubt I can do enough damage to the head to kill them." Giyuu grabbed the hand she used for his collar and held it softly. "You have my apologies and condolences Yae, I don't mean to make you upset. But it's as I said, I do this because I want you to live." Yae looked at their hands connected as she sighed. "I'm sorry, the pain is just still fresh..." Giyuu tapped her hand with his thumb which caused her to look up to him.
"Remember as I said, you are allowed to grieve. The events of what happened with your father were only last night. I do not blame you for what lashing out you may do, your pain is justified." Yae held onto Giyuu's hand still, looking down at it as her grip on it stayed. "I know you don't really want me here, but still, thank you for not letting me alone..." Yae started to breathe almost in a haggard manner, before it shifted to short shallow breaths as she remembered everything again. This was really all she had anymore, everything was still settling in for her about this new life she had. What she hadn't expected though was for Tomioka to actually hug her.
Giyuu was not use to moments of emotional support anymore, either to be given them or to recieve them. But he knew he should at least do something here, he promised himself and her she would start better. "Remember it is as I said, all who have been in the slayers knows your pain. I know what it is you're going through. It may be true that I did not intend for you to join us, but I will not let you suffer as we have." Yae leaned into the hug as Giyuu continued to hold his arms around her. For several minutes they remained like that as Yae allowed more of her pain out of her system. She patted Tomioka's arm and he let her go, backing up to allow her space. "Feel better?" She gave a nod as she smiled at him. "Ready to begin your first lesson?" She focused on him as she nodded once more.
"As Kocho told you, the goal of Total Concentration Breathing is to take in as much air you can to fuel your body, and help improve your overall physique. Strength, speed, endurance, perception, all these things will increase multiple times over as you master this fundamental. As your lungs will become stronger and hold more air, it may also help with your use of firearms." Yae focused on the words, trying to figure out just how this will really help her. Giyuu stood up as he sat behind Yae, placing a hand on her back. "Imagine an empty vase, one which pulls in water to fill it to the brim. The vase is your lungs, the water is your air intake." Yae found the analogy although weird, oddly made sense. Closing her eyes, she focused on her breathing as she took in a deep breath through her nose. "Wrong."
Yae quickly turned around to stare him down, actually choking as she forced the air out of her lungs. "How can you tell I'm already wrong?! I only had enough time to breathe in!" Giyuu looked at her plainly as he allowed her tantrum. "Remember how I have spent six years as an official slayer? I also spent two years in traing to be one. If I did not learn quickly my sensei would open palm slam his hand into my sternum. I do not plan to do that to you, but I will still call you out for it failings." Yae instinctively covered her chest in safety. She trusted Tomioka wouldn't be as harsh, but still felt better to be safe. "Here, pay attention to my breathing. It's actually foolish for me to expect you to know how it's done if you don't know how it feels."
Yae saw as Giyuu shifted, turning around as they were back to back now. "Place your fingers to my neck and feel my pulse, put your ear to my back to hear my breathing. Total Concentration directly affects both, so you should know immediately the differences." Yae was curious about the difference Total Concentration really caused if it was meant to be that apparent. She did as instructed, and found Tomioka was more than just telling the truth. His pulse danced slowly but strong against her fingers and his breathing was insane. It was patterned, methodical, but still felt natural. "All Hashira are capable to maintain Total Concentration at a constant and instinctual level. It becomes our new breathing pattern completely, so we may always be able to keep peak physical form." She was honestly astonished. "Pretend you are using your rifle, and try to follow my breathing. If you will be able to use it for slaying, you must be able to use Total Concentration with it."
Yae pretended to be on the hunt as she was before, but now tried to imitate the pattern she felt from Tomioka. Taking her hand from his neck, she focused purely on his breathing. She envisioned it, moving through the forest, the snowy landscape, the grassy planes. Even when she couldn't see a demon she focused her breathing as if it was in her sights. In through the nose, out through the mouth. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Even with her mind focusing on her breathing, Yae couldn't help but listen to his heart. Truly being able to focus on his heartbeat now, it was... Comforting. It truly was slow, but the strength it had was uncanny. It was peaceful.
Yae suddenly fell forward as her eyes shot open. "Huh what where?!" She scanned her sides before looking up to see Giyuu standing. "You fell asleep." She couldn't help but blush as desperately pulled her headwrap down to hide her face. "How long did I fall asleep for?" "An hour or two, I did not wake you because you unconsciously were maintaining it." Yae uncovered her face as her eyes shined and smiled wide. "I did it?!" "Unconsciously. I assume you were comfortable?" She slowly nodded as Tomioka seemed to be lost in thought. "It is possible because you felt comfortable, our breathing had synched. You had your chest against my back, so because we could not breathe without difficulty if they were not synchronized, it's possible your body adapted and followed my pattern."
Yae kept her smile as she stood up herself, before falling to her knees almost gasping for air. "Wha-" Giyuu knelt down and rubbed her back softly. "You were doing it without being aware, but now that I brought it up you began to breathe manually. You had shifted from one pattern your body is not use to to one that it is." Yae took in slow breathes as was on her hands and knees. After a minute of recovering, Yae was finally able to recover and maintain control. Giyuu helped her to her feet. "Come now, let us get lunch. Afterwards your training may continue. Perhaps this time you will be able to have the same luck as when you're asleep."
Her training had continued on until after sundown, leaving her to be nothing but exhausted. She had done something during her training to help her ease with the fundamentals. She held her rifle in the firing position for the entire time after lunch. It was confusing though, like her body was off. She had to remind herself to unlearn everything she was taught about breathing while shooting her father taught her. With having to relearn everything, came progress though. Tomioka had told her, while she did instinctively return to her former teachings, she was beginning to have better understanding in Total Concentration. She felt proud of herself.
The positive feelings seemed to end once she fell asleep. She had been too tired mentally and physically to even dream the night before. But now, her reinvigorated mind could roam free with nightmares. Images of her lodge with the other Matagi and Taro flooded into her dreams. Normal interactions of the past played on until one man tried to leave, only for the demonic version of her father to stand in the doorway. He tore out the man's throat with his teeth dug deep into the flesh. The lantern falling out of the man's hands and the lodge became aflame, filled with cracking air and terrified screams. One by one, she watched as they all died. Her instructors, her colleagues and friends, the family she grew up with. As the head of Taro rolled to her feet once again, all she could see was the open jaws of her father as he pounced onto her.
Yae shot up from her mat, hyperventilating as she grabbed her rifle for any sense of security or protection. All she could hear was the ambient sounds of nature, all she could smell was the cold breeze blowing from her open window. "Fuck..." She couldn't go back to sleep, she wouldn't. She wouldn't go back to see that scene again. Refusing to be anywhere near the mat, Yae took refuge in the corner with her rifle. "Back's in the corner, can't get snuck up on... Eyes on window... Eyes on door... Won't go back..." Her eyelids were heavy through the time awake and her head would fall, only to jolt upright once again moments later. She clung to her rifle as it was all she had to feel safe.
Giyuu walked to Yae's room with the intent of waking her up to prepare for breakfast. However when he opened the door, all he could see was a rifle pointed at him from the corner. "Yae?" She hadn't moved or even responded to him, but still had her rifle aimed. She was ready to defend herself on an instinctual level. He slowly moved closer to her, step after step until he was right before her. Even now the rifle did not move. Her eyes had bags under them that were deep in color, her eyes themselves were bloodshot and dull. It was as if she was in her own world. "Yae? Yae are you alright?" She finally responded blinking multiple times and shook her head. "Huh what who?" Yae finally gained control of herself as she looked up to him. "Tomioka?" "Would you care to explain as to why you're awake and look as tired as you do? I came to wake you for breakfast and you sit in the corner clinging to your rifle."
Yae lowered her head as she stood up, sitting in the windowsill as she saw the morning sun. "I had nightmares... The scene just kept replaying over and over every time I closed my eyes. I had to watch them die again and again... I couldn't just go back to sleep! I couldn't see them through that again..." She turned away from the sun to look directly at Giyuu. "Did you have these too? Nightmares. About them. Please... Does this get any better? I know I'm not going to escape the pain anytime soon, I just need to know if this pit, this... Darkness. Gets any easier to deal with." Giyuu stuck his hand out to her as she looked at him with weary eyes. "Come, let's get you some rest Yae. I'll be here this time."
She was still afraid to go back to sleep, afraid of what she would see. But she at least had him here. "Don't leave, please?" "You have my word Yae, I will help you through this." She took his hand as he slowly guided her back to her mat. He even went as far as to try and comfort her by rubbing her back. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be like this. I want to be here, I want to train." Giyuu looked down at her as it was clear she was still in pain. "Yes, I had them too. When Tsutako had died, I couldn't grieve for her until days after it happened. I was just like you are now, she died and within days I had begun my slayer training. I had to wait until I was truly alone to let out my sorrow. When I learned of Sabito's death, the tears did not stop for hours. I am sure I let out all the tears I had left over losing him too. I haven't been able to find myself crying since. I do not blame you Yae, I know you want to be here." She looked up to him with eyes that showed genuine weakness. "Was there anyone there for you like you are now for me?"
"...No, no one that I allowed to be. Which is precisely why I will be here for you." Giyuu looked down to her as he rubbed her head, taking her headwrap off as Yae's long hair was let loose. He stared down at her as he noticed something. "Your eyes, they're normally a dull amber, but in sunlight they actually shine like gold." Yae was honestly caught off guard at the sentence, it was so out of nowhere it actually caused her to laugh. "You really do say just what comes into your head don't you? Is that your way of changing the topic? You have these moments of knowing what to say to not knowing at all." Her laughs turned to yawns as she closed her eyes. "Well your eyes shine under the moon, like stolen drops of the ocean, or even little sapphires." Giyuu continued to rub her back as Yae slowly drifted off to sleep. As Giyuu was able to confirm she was asleep, he let out a whistle. Kanzaburou soon landed on his shoulder. "Tell Shinobu she is needed here for consultation. Request her journey be swift and silent when she enters. Guide her to this window."
Shinobu quickly made for the Water estate following after Kanzaburou. The old crow said it was for consultation, but there shouldn't be any hiccups yet in Yae's training right? She was only a day into it, it's not like she should've been hurt yet. She trusted Giyuu wouldn't force her to such extremes already. "Kanzaburou, are there any details you didn't tell me?" She questioned the old crow as he flew overhead. "Difficulties sleeping... Heard crying... Giyuu by her side..." Shinobu was as confused as she was concerned at the details the old crow speak of. Quickening her pace, she could finally see the Water estate in view. "Approach quietly... Through window." Shinobu finally slowed to a walk as she approached, softly jumping through the window. Her focus bounced between Yae asleep and Giyuu maintaining physical contact by rubbing her back.
"I take it I'm here after something happened?" Giyuu nodded as his hand absent-mindedly continued to move. "She had a nightmare. When I came to wake her, she was in the corner and using her rifle for security. She had to have been awake for hours, this was the only way I was able to convince her to sleep. I imagined you'd have some kind of doctor's analysis as to what she's going through, perhaps seen similar experiences in other junior slayers." Shinobu was honestly touched that Giyuu valued the health of Yae and her input as a medical professional. "She's still in shock of everything that's happened Giyuu, her mind will take time to adjust. She's traumatized and may be traumatized for a while, but I doubt she will allow herself to let her thoughts stop her. Just be here for her when she needs it Giyuu, don't be overwhelming for her and don't let her take things on by herself." Giyuu looked down at Yae as she had been able to sleep for at least an hour now.
"She's in trusted hands." Shinobu stood up as she was prepared to leave. "I take it since you've been here, you haven't eaten breakfast?" Giyuu shook his head as he looked up to her. "I'll prepare something simple." As she broke for the door to leave the room, Giyuu asked something. "I will eventually need to return for missions and that will force her to be alone, what should be done then?" Shinobu opened the door as she looked back to him. "You're more capable and competent than you think Giyuu, I trust you'll know that to do." Shinobu walked out of the room as Giyuu returned his focus back to Yae with a sigh. With one challenge of taking someone on in his home, only more came sprouting from it. He was aware of her potential though, she was already a huntress with a strong determination. True strength came from understanding and acknowledging one could not always be strong. Times and moments of weakness were inevitable and needed to be allowed, otherwise one risks breaking down. This was only one of those times where she was could be weak in a safe environment, she would bounce back and become more, he had faith.