Chapter Text
We were sent on a mission by the master that required many slayers after reports of a swarm of demons being found near a quaint village that had a rather large tourist culture. It was simple, find the demons and slay them. The only reason so many of us were dispatched was the sheer number of reported demons. When we arrived in the village, everything seemed normal, except for the fact that the villagers actively avoided a house near the middle of the town. We started there and what we found was enough to make me rage. We walked into the house and split up to cover as much of the grounds as possible. When we found nothing we all decided to look elsewhere, we almost didn’t notice the cellar door until Tanjiro noticed the strange smell that was coming from it. We ventured down the cellar, and the smell became noticeable the more we explored. It was sickly sweet, like wandering through a field of newly bloomed flowers in the spring. It was dizzying and the more we breathed in the more it became difficult to think. Poor Tanjiro was bearing the brunt of it as he tried to tamp down on his obvious headache by clamping his nostrils shut. The further we went the darker it became as well, with only Kanao being able to see more than 5 feet in front of her. Still, we persisted, especially when Zenitsu, Uzui, and Inosuke sensed something further in. When we finally reached the location of everything we had sensed so far, we were met with the visage of a young woman.
I looked on in horror as I saw her figure stand tall, her hair reaching her knees and one of her butterfly clips broken, still holding some of her hair to the side of her head. Her once clear magenta eyes were now clouded and dark surrounded by the blood-red sclera. Her mouth was covered by a muzzle and her hands and feet were bound by chains. She looked a lot like she did the day I thought she died, except her eyes seemed cat-like. I was frozen in my place as I stared at my older sister, my Kanae. Her body was covered in flower-like marks and her nails were sharp and claw-like. This was supposed to be a simple mission, even with the need for so many pillars to be present. I slowly turn my head to look at my fellow pillars. My eyes catch on Sanemi, his usually gruff and aggravated exterior falling as he stares at my sister. His hands begin to tremble as he takes smaller steps forward. I turn back around and watch as my sister tries to run, pulling on her chains, reaching for us with tears rolling down her face.
Suddenly the chains broke from the wall and she almost touched my cheek until Nezuko burst from her box and kicked her hand away. Taking a protective stance, Nezuko stood between me and my sister. Kanae didn’t take a stance instead her eyes softened and she reached her hand up, placing it on Nezuko’s head. Kanae tilts her head to the side as she pats Nezuko with the same gentle touch she has always had. Soon enough Nezuko relaxed into her touch, I dropped my nichiren sword and clasped my hands over my mouth as I dropped to the floor, letting the tears roll down my cheeks with vigor. I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder as I struggled to breathe through my sobs. I looked to my side to see Giyuu, looking at me with concern as I cried. I turn back to look at my sister to only realize how close she is to me. She pulls me into a hug as I cry into her shoulder like I did when I was a little girl.
“I thought you were dead.” I sobbed as she held me, her hands holding my head and back. Kanao joined the hug as well, finally letting emotion slip onto her face, as a tear trailed down her cheek. Soon my sobs quieted and we stood up as sisters, a sense of familiarity and calm washing over us. The rest of the pillars looked at us with smiles, sans Sanemi who was still standing shellshocked, as they welcomed their old friend. Kanae’s eyes caught on Sanemi and she began to walk up to the man who was now even taller than she was. She stops to stand in front of him and reaches her hand to grasp his, moving it to pat her head as her eyes close. Sanemi stares and suddenly grapes her petite frame in a bone-crushing hug before just as suddenly releasing her and turning away. Giyuu coughs and motions for the group to keep moving. Right! We have a mission to do! I grab Kanae’s hand as Tanjirou grabs Nezuko’s and we, the pillars and tsugukos of the Demon Slayer Corps, collectively begin to move back to the town.
We exited the cellar just as the sun finished setting, and Kanae hesitated at the cellar doors. She seemed to steel her nerves and stepped out into the world for what must have been the first time in years. As we moved through the town, Kanae seemed to be shrinking away from the townsfolk, hiding within the large group of her old friends. It wasn’t until we heard a distant scream that she perked up, her eyes sharpening and her pace picking up. We all ran as the screaming quieted, the demons were beginning their hunt.
We were running for about 10 minutes before the demon we came to defeat jumped at Sanemi. Before Sanemi could pull out his sword, Kanae blocked the demon’s attack by placing her body in front of his. Kanae and Nezuko both took a similar stance as they flexed their clawed hands and the veins around their eyes bulged. Their eyes dilated as they began to kick at the demons that began to emerge from the treeline.
Kanae kicked a demon, ripping his legs from his body, and her arm was slashed open by the other demon’s claws. Vines entangled his arms, torso, and head, keeping him still as he continued to fight against the hold on him until a sweet scent filled the area. The demon began to still as his eyes glossed over, his skin becoming bruised. Flowers spilled out of his mouth as he tried to breathe, blood dripping onto the forest floor. The night has just begun and yet the first demon has already been killed. Everyone prepared for a long battle, glad to have this new power on our side.
Hours passed us by as we began to walk back after our mission. It was right to send so many of us on this mission. It felt as if the demons kept coming, even after we beheaded the main demon. As we were walking I couldn’t help but notice how slow Kanae was walking. Her body swayed every few steps out of exhaustion and her head dipped down as well. Her obvious tiredness is not lost on anyone, despite her trying to hide it. Even Nezuko is less stubborn than this. I sigh, “Kanae, you need to rest. Let someone carry you, please.” She didn’t make any effort to stop or turn around at my request, she just kept her head up and continued to walk. I continued to berate her for her stubbornness, to the point where everyone in the group could hear my comments. At this point Sanemi, even though he was also tired, had enough and scooped her up. He continued to walk as Kanae hit his shoulder lightly, her muffled words of protest getting slurred by the tiredness she felt.
By the time we reached the Butterfly Mansion, Kanae had fallen asleep and the sun had begun to rise, so to avoid any demon getting hurt we shut some curtains and appointed rooms for the injured. Sanemi placed Kanae in her room gently and was about to make his way out when Kanae grabbed his hand. He turned to look at her as she pointed to her muzzle. He looked at me and I nodded, giving him the okay to remove the grimy rope that must have been cutting into her face. He gently unties the knot at the back of her head and steps back a bit to let Kanae breathe. She let out loud breaths as she closed her mouth into a sweet smile that I hadn’t seen in years. Her eyes shut as she tried to speak, “I...I have-have missed you t-two.” Her voice is a little rough from not using it for, assumedly, years. Her smile only grew in size before she laid down and fell asleep. Sanemi and I walked out and we went our separate ways. The both of us smiled as we thought the same thing, She’s back.