(hey so I may have forgotten some honorifics...but whateverrrr)

I remember it so clearly, that day in the Ubuyashiki estate

~Flashback~

As of right now, an emergency pillar meeting is being held.

"I envy you guys, dammit. Why can't I bump into Uppermoons," Shinuzagawa muttered.

Sure you do buddy...

"It's not like people bump into them all the time...but how are you guys, Kanroji-san, Tokito-kun, and Y/N-chan," Obanai asked us.

"People like Tamjiro sure do...huh what? oh yea I'm fine totally didn't get pierced by a wooden plank." I tried to laugh it off but they all just glanced at me and said nothing(not Gyomei bro can't see :D)

"Oh! Yea...I'm feeling a lot better!" Mitsuri said in her cheerful voice.

I glanced at Muichiro waiting for his answer. "I...am not at full strength yet," he mumbled.

I was going to say something more but suddenly was interrupted by Amane. 

Amane Ubuyashiki, the Master's wife was there in place of him. She had told us that the disease that was affecting him had gotten worse. 

I could feel the mood in the room suddenly drop by those words. Even I had felt like a weight was put on my back. The one guy who reunited me with my brother was going to die in the coming months possibly. 

"I'm sure you all have heard this, but we now have a demon who has conquered the sun, and she is here...Muzan Kibutsuji has most likely altered his goals to go after her," Amane had informed us.

We continued to listen to her words about the marks that Mitsuri and Muichiro had received.

Too bad I didn't get one...

"Once one person has that mark on them, it starts spreading to others, as if they're resonating..."

Never mind maybe I will get one. Watch Tanjiro already having one-

"The person who first had this mark was not any of the pillars here, but Tanjiro Kamado. He was the first one with the mark, but when we asked him he had a hard time explaining how he received the mark."

"Called it..." I whispered proceeding to get a little nudge by Muichiro.

"So please inform us, Kanroji-sama, Tokito-sama," she and her two other children bowed before us.

"O-OKAY! So, like, back then, my body was like, super light, and it was like BADAAAAM and DURRR and BUDAAHH, then my heart went BADUM BADUM, and my ears went SCREEEEE! and tinkle tankle too!!" Mitsuri yelled out and left everyone dumbfounded.

I looked over to where Obanai was and saw his face in his hand, sighing. 

She suddenly bowed and apologized. What a sight that was...

It was now Muichiro's turn to speak out on the marks, and honestly, I didn't notice them.

"I wasn't aware of any marks, but I became aware that a number of things were different." he began.

"I think my heart rate went over 200 BPM and my body became burning hot, like it went over 39 degrees."(102 Fahrenheit).

I coughed, "Excuse me WHAT?!" everyone looked at me like I was crazy. geez.

"Sorry uh, you may continue."

"So it's that simple huh?" Shinuzagawa said.

EASY? EASYYY???? How is he saying this right now?

 "I do have one thing to say regarding your mark training. Those who have manifested the mark must participate. No matter who it has appeared for, and there will be no exceptions."

Amane and two of her children took their leave and it was just the 8 of us left in the room.

"Now that Amane-dono is gone, I'll take my leave," my brother suddenly said.

"Huh where are you going nii-san?"

"Yea we oughta make our future plans now, am I right?" Shinuzagawa brought up.

"Then you six can talk about it. It's got nothing to do with me." Giyu rose from his sitting place and prepared to exit.

"Giyu! What are you doing?!" I yelled out to him, along with the other Hashiras giving their remarks.

"Tomioka-san, please just tell us why. You're leaving out a lot of details." Shinobu was being very reasonable but my brother just wouldn't listen.

"I'm not like you guys," he said without looking at any of us. 

You are NOT nonchalant and mysterious Giyu...

I could see Sanemi get up and almost attempt to attack my brother, though, a sudden clap from Gyomei was enough to silence everyone.

"I have a proposition."

~End of Flashback~

And now I'm here participating in this stupid thing called Pillar Training...yay...

Since the demons stopped appearing and everything, we had a lot more time on our hands. Quite suspicious if you ask me though.

There were different trials that the slayers had to go through, I was the 3rd one before Mitsuri but after Muichiro. 

Tengen was training basic stamina, Mitsuri handled the flexibility training...trust me no one wants to go through that, then there was mine that helped connect the swordsmen's mind, spirit, and movements. 

Muichiro sealed with quick movement training, Obanai with sword skill, Sanemi with infinite pounding training, and Gyomei with muscle reinforcement. 

As I was deep in thought, I didn't even hear the other demon slayers calling out for me 

"Y/N-san we're tired..." that single sentence got my attention.

"Oh? You're tired? Spar with each other 10 more times with 30 minute intervals or NO ONE is getting rest."

I could see the life drain out of their eyes as they hurriedly got back to training. I wasn't that good of a teacher but they have to remember I'm a child...?

"Tired my ass...there's not going to be time to be tired during that fight..."

"Uh Y/N? Tokito-kun said to go to the next pillar and I guess that was you..." I heard a very familiar voice right by the entrance. 

"TANJIRO!!!" My face immediately lit up and I got out my wooden sword to train with him.

"Oh, Muichiro told me to tell you that..."

"Tell me what?" I looked at him confused.

"Do I have to say it?" he looked embarrassed and I looked at him weirdly.

"Say it or we're going to train until it snows."

"It's summer-"

"Exactly." 

I noticed that the other slayers had stopped practicing and I shot them a glare. "Did I say you could take a break?? 10 more reps for you guys."

"Muichiro said to tell you-" He came up and whispered in my ear.

"THAT IDIOT!" I was getting flustered and I had to hit the closest thing to me. It was Tanjiro. Sorry Tanjiro, and I hit him straight on the head.

(guys all he said was he loves you okay? ha family-friendly book :D)

"Okay Tanjiro, I already know that you have a swordsman's spirit like no other. Like you don't know when to give up! Unlike these bozos over there..."

In the corner of my eye I could see the others already starting to give up since they were exhausted. I mean, yea, 15 days of this is pretty tiring, and it doesn't seem like they'll advance anytime soon.

"Honestly there isn't really much for me to teach you Tanjiro, I can tell you can fight from the heart...and you freakishly are always on the brink of death but you don't die!" I pat him on the back and he laughs awkwardly.

"You see guys! Take him as an example!!"

Everything went dead silent and it was starting to get really awkward. 

"Anyway come with me Tanjiro, we're gonna train together."

He nodded and followed me outside.

"So you know Giyu-nii's 11th form correct?" Tanjiro nodded

"That's an example of when you're mind and soul connect to create and achieve that 11th form. He thinks he's not worthy of the Hashira title but..." I sighed and shook my head.

Oh Sabito...if you would see him now you'd slap the hell out of him...

I felt a change in the surrounding wind, and I defended the attempted surprise attack that came from Tanjiro. 

"Nice try, I see you're swifter from Muichiro's training." I enlogated my wooden katana by holding it at its end, and tripped Tanjiro with it.

He fell on his butt and was gasping from air.

"Lesson number one, think as your katana as an extension of your body, as long as you have a grip on it, it is apart of you."

I kicked up his wooden sword from the ground and used it to attempt to whack him in the face, but he dodged it. As expected from him.

"Lesson number two, believe your body is like water, very fluid, you'll learn more in the next trial about flexibility though."

I managed to dodge all his attempts at striking me. Oh this is gonna be tiring, I want to sleep.

~Time Skip like 4 days? idk~ 

"Okay Tanjiro, you're training is complete! hafly because you're already trained well in this area and I don't want to teach your ass one on one anymore!" I smiled.

He tilted his head to the side and was most likely going to say something, but I saw a certain little seaweed head that popped in the doorway.

"Muichiro is that you?" I pushed Tanjiro away and saw that it was him.

"Hey Y/N," he came up to hug me and looked at all the other people who were training.

"Are...are you feeding them?"

I was so shocked to be questioned that and I replied, "of course I am! Just look at Tanjiro he's fine!" I looked over to him drinking water like he hasn't drinken anything in days. 

"Hey they get food when they're done with training and they slack off a lot so no food simple...okay maybe it's bad but like hey that's how I trained."

Muichiro laughed, yes he laughed. The glow in his eyes that wasn't there before, the laughter and his smile that used to be so rare was showing more frequently. 

It honestly warms my heart to see it happening. 

"Whatever you say Y/N," he smiled and ruffled my hair. 

I turned away from him to hide my blush, "go back to your estate, shoo shoo!!!"

I glared at the people making disgusted faces at me and Mui. It's not like we were flirting or kissing or doing anything that people could cringe to. Annoying little roaches

"Anyway like I said, Tanjiro you're free to go to the next pillar. She'll feed you good but beware of the...stretches." I feel a little squimish just thinking about doing the splits.

~Tiny Time Skip~

It was already night and everyone was sleeping. Though, I couldn't get the strange feeling that something big was going to happen. 

Shinobu mentioned something about making a poison, but why? Why would she possibly need a poison right now for?

At my usual spot on the roof where I would usually sit with Obanai, I stared off into the night sky. 

I heard some rattling right next to me and I recognized the presence.

"Hey nii-san." He sat next to me and I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"You know it too don't you." I was referring to the strange feeling of some big event that was going to occur.

"It's only a matter of time until he attacks, Y/N, that's why I came here." He said.

"Maybe you shouldn't-" he started

"No, I am participating in this Giyu, I have made an oath to this job, and I can't abandon it now."

He sighed and shook his head. "You better not try to die Giyu, I wouldn't forgive you, Tanjiro wouldn't, and even Sabito and Makomo."

He tensed up at the names of those last two people and I patted his back. 

"We just have to be prepared....for anything, including the deaths of our comrades."

Will Muichiro potentially? No he'll be fine right? right...?

"See you tomorrow Giyu. if something happens, just know that I love you okay? Even though you were barely present in my life and kind've hated me for a while and whatnot-"

"I am aware." he mumbled

"Just know that if something happens to either of us, we'll definitely be brother and sister in another life." I smiled and put out a fist bump which he returned.

"Always." He, for once, smiled.

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Guys the end is nearing...now I have to take into careful consideration the outcome of a certain character....

anyway I'm like so tired rn so it is NOT proofread, there's AP testing and like- yea no. I'm so tired 😭