'So this is it huh?' Tanya thought to herself as both she and Urokodaki stood in front of the home of the fire Hashira. After a little while a Kakushi answered the door "ah, Mister Rengoku has been expecting you. Please come in." Tanya and Urokodaki entered as they were offered. When they made their way inside they heard the sounds of swords clashing. As they walked in further they saw what looked like a very young boy trying to slash at a man with the demon slayer uniform and a Haori that was white and yellow, with a flame-like design at the edge of it.
The boy stopped "I…I can't do it father." he said as he coughed. The man grinned "don't be like that Senjuro. If Kyojuro can do it so can you." another voice, a feminine one said, "let them be dear." the man immediately relented and just put his blade away. Tanya blinked 'so that's the flame Hashira?" she said as she looked at the tall man with large eyebrows and red eyes. The man walked over to his wife. It was then he noticed Tanya and Urokodaki watching them. "Ahh the water pillar hashira has come down from the mountain to join us."
Urokodaki went forward and the two shook hands "former water hashira, I am retired and just cultivate the water breathing slayers." Shinjuro just shrugged. The former water Hashira looked at the wife, Ruka. "Miss Rengoku, I hope you are doing better these days." the woman smiled the best she could in her simi-sickly state "I am not doing worse." Tanya could respect the woman for at least trying to not appear as sick as she really was. The women looked over Urokodaki's shoulder "and this must be the little Tanya Kocho, Kanae spoke very highly of you in the letters she sent us." Tanya rubbed the back of her head and muttered 'don't call me little.'
Senjuro nervously approached "hello there, I am Senjuro Rengoku." Tanya just gave him a nod, something which made the bow look to the ground 'she did not even say anything back.' the flame pillar gave a toothy grin "well Senjuro, this is Tanya, she will be joining you in learning the flame breathing techniques." Tanya looked up at the Shinjuro "you better train me well, I don't like wasting my time." a few moments of silence passed, and the flame pillar laughed loudly "hahahhahaha, oh man, that stare alone makes me think the flame of fire burn brightly in you little girl." Tanya grumbled and crossed her arms. Urokodaki walked over to her and knelt down "I am going to go now. Send a letter to your master when you are done here. Or if flame breathing is not for you either."
After saying goodbyes the water cultivator was gone. The next few days Tanya would begin her flame breathing training.
"Now!"
Tanya rushed at the flame hashira who had his blade out. She ran at him took a deep breath in and out, when she breathed out part of her breath became ignited "flame breathing, first form; unknowing flame!" she rushed forward with impressive speed, she however was quickly countered and kicked back by the man. "You got the speed down but not the power. However, I did feel the hotness of the flame. I think if you practice just a little more you can already get the first form down"
Tanya held her stomach since she was kicked there. "Yeah…thank you I guess." Senjuro came up and gave her a bowl of water "hey don't feel so bad, you learning fast. Almost as fast as my Brother did." she gulped down the water and said "thanks but I hear about him every single day from your father at this point. I don't need more 'Rengoku's eldest son is the best'" the boy sadly nodded and then told his father "Mom says you have to stop hitting Tanya during training. This isn't like Kyojuro and I." the older man brushed it off and said, "well, I can hold back a little I guess."
Tanya grumbled, she had already been here for a few days and she had learned the first form fast, she just needed to strike harder with it. 'I can't deny though, striking with the first form felt better than with any form of the water or flower.' she thought to herself. Hopefully, now she finally landed on a style she could master quickly.
A couple months went by of training, each day Tanya honed her skills more and more, she even learned the second and third forms in quick secession, and the fourth form she was having a little bit of trouble with but Tanya was still learning after all. She once again came face to face with Shinjuro Rengoku. This time both of them were holding Nichirin swords, whereas before the flame pillar used a regular sword during their training. Both Ruka and Senjuro were watching, with the women of course still on the bed that her husband had brought to the training ground.
"Ready Tanya?" the man asked Tanya nodded "yes Mister Rengoku." with a smile he said "then hold nothing back. I will only defend. Show me your breathing mastery so far." she ran at the man quickly, however as he went to defend expecting flame first form, she just ran forward, a trick she learned when sparing with Urokodaki. He looked down at saw she was already near him "clever little-" he had no time to finish his line as she instantly breathed out and slashed upwards. "Second form; Rising scorching sun!" she moved her whole body upward, he just barely managed to block her blow.
But it quickly became apparent that the first attack was not her goal, right above him Tanya quickly yelled out "third form; blazing universe!" she quickly slashed downward. The man smirked, and yelled "flame breathing, second form; rising scorching sun!" Tanya had not expected him to react so quickly. She was quickly hit away and just barely managed to keep her standing on the ground. She could feel the hotness of her hands from just the single strike alone. 'Is Kanae really the same as this guy?' she smirked widely, Ruka noticed the killer look in the girl's eyes, she narrowed her own. Tanya rushed forward "first form; unknowing flame!"
Shinjuro held his blade out "that won't work!" he countered the unknowing flame with his own. But he did not expect Tanya to have moved so along with her training, as she managed to use the first form for more than one strike. He was impressed, but he could do the same. The two clashed but in the end, it was Tanya's blade that was knocked from its holders hand. "Haha, nice going little Kocho. You did well, you could probably even give Kyojuro a run for his money."
Tanya grumbled and dusted herself off "I said to stop calling me little!" the man ignored her and picked up her blade "we can pick this up tomorrow." he looked over at his youngest son "oh, and you'll be joining us as well." the boy sulked but nodded. As Tanya was about to walk off and take her frustration out on an innocent tree or something Ruka said "Tanya, if you do not mind may we talk?" the blonde girl blinked, while she had interacted with Miss Rengoku when she joined the family for dinner she did not talk to her much. Mostly due to the woman's illness.
She nodded. After both Rengoku males left Ruka started to speak. "I apologize if this seems abrupt but I must ask you a question if you do not mind." Tanya raised an eyebrow, wondering what the woman could possibly want from her. "Sure." the woman coughed a little before she spoke her words "Tanya, why is it that you fight? Why do you want to take on and kill demons? In her letters, Kanae mentioned an orphanage you lived at was attacked and wiped out by a demon. But…when I see you fight I get this feeling it isn't out of vengeance or full hatred of the demons. So why?"
Tanya blicked 'h-how could she tell all of that from me sparing with her husband?!" she thought to herself as she freaked out inside. She normally would not have to explain herself, did she even have to do that now? Would this woman tell her husband to kick Tanya out if she answered poorly? She had to think of something to avoid that scenario so she looked at the floor "I have my reasons. That is all." Tanya clenched her fists 'damn it that was terrible!' she thought as it was not like she could say it was to show up and beat a 'godly being'. Way to complicated to explain.
Ruka looked at Tanya and rubbed her hands on her arms "I see. I suppose you do not have to tell me. I just can't help but feel you fight just because you like it. And thinking like that could get you killed. I rather not see you die for no reason." Tanya looked back up to meet Ruka's gaze. "What?" she responded as she had no idea how to respond otherwise. Ruka looked and smiled at her "I know you hate hearing his name so much, but I had to tell Kyojuro the same thing. He is too much like his father and would not be any different if I did not." she patted Tanya on the head, which for once Tanya did not mind. "Promise me you that you'll protect others with your skills, at least then I won't have to think that if you somehow die, which from what I've seen I doubt will happen any time soon. But just in case, at least then I won't have to think you died fighting for no reason." Tanya did not say anything, she just nodded.
~~~~~1907~~~~
A year had passed since Tanya's training had started, and for now she was doing really well. She had mastered the first five forms, and was steadily learning the others. the training was done for the day Tanya was relaxing outside. 'Ahh, what a nice day. Haven't even been pestered by those two Beings for a while.' she felt like nothing could ruin her nice quite- "HELLO MISS TANYA KOCHO!" "AHHHH!" Tanya was jolted awake and flopped on the ground.
She looked up at the eternally smiling face of one Kyojuro Rengoku. "You…." she grumbled. She had met the eldest Rengoku son last year who had come from his demon slayer duties to visit his family. He was of course ecstatic to hear there was a new student now. Tanya was off-put on how he looked like his father but with longer hair, the giant eyebrows really messed with her brain. But what messed with it more was that this boy. Was. always. Smiling! Even when regaling tales to his mother about how he slew a demon but failed to save a man who had gotten in the way of a child being attacked. He sounded sad, but smiled still!
Needless to say, Tanya was not the hugest fan of him. His yelling hurt her slightly enhanced hearing "I told you to stop yelling in my face!" she swung at him, and he took the punch but did not flinch. She also hated that despite not being that much older than her he was clearly far tougher than her. Though she was happy at least him joining the corps early was proof she could as well. Rengoku laughed "sorry I forgot! Anyways, I am glad to see your training is coming along well." he said in an excited voice. She grumbled, she felt as though the two beings, at least Being X, made her proficient inflame breathing just so she could be annoyed by this permanent smiling one!
"Yeah proceeding well, How's your mother by the way?" Tanya blinked 'crap I shouldn't have asked!' she already knew that the Rengoku matriarch's condition was worsening anyways! Rengoku relaxed his shoulders, "she is doing fine. Is father keeping from drinking?" he asked as while the man tried to hide it he did drink a lot to deal with the stress of his wife's worsening condition. She sighed "no. but at least he only does once a week now." a few moments of silence passed, Tanya thought now she could leave but then the loud boy, loudly shouted, "THAT IS GREAT! ONCE A WEEK IS AN IMPROVEMENT! I AM SURE IT WAS BECAUSE MOTHER TOLD HIM TO!" Tanya covered her eyes "HEY! I am right here you do not need to shout!"
The difference in their height was very apparent to any who saw it. But that did not stop the death glare Tanya was giving him. "Sorry once again!" Tanya grumbled and stomped off, she needed something to clear her head, and destroying a few training dummies would do fine.
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A month passed, and once again the eldest Rengoku child returned. "HELLO MISS TAN-GAH!" this time, when he was not expecting it Tanya punched him in the gut. "I. SAID. NO. MORE!" he rubbed his stomach, the punch honestly hurt her hand more than him, but she thought it was worth it. Rengoku just laughed "EXCELLENT!" he said louder than before "seems your strength is improving." Tanya grumbled.
"Brother I think she will actually kill you if keep yelling near her." the meek voice of Senjuro said as he came out from inside the house. Kyojuro just laughed it off "Oh I am sure she will try." with that Tanya grabbed hold of the Training Nichirin sword she had been using and held it up "that is is it! You. me. Spar! If I win you have to stop yelling every time you are near me. Heck, even if the only way I could hear you were through yelling!"
Senjuro chuckled nervously "easy now, there is no reason for that. Right bro-"
"I ACCEPT!" the younger Rengoku son sighed and moved out of the way. "But if I win….I WILL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT!" he shouted as he was not sure what to ask for in return for victory. Tanya was just agitated, she nodded as she just wanted to beat this guy. If she could use the other breathing styles she could throw him off, even if she could not strike as hard with them.
The two backed off more, Kyojuro took out his Nichirin blade, he had a custom sword handle in the shape of a flame with yellow and orange to make up the color. He took his fighting pose by having his sword above his right shoulder and his left hand out in front of him. Tanya just held her blade upwards 'flashy bastard.'
Just before the two could rush at each other suddenly a Kasugai crow flew down, two in fact. One being Kyojuro's and the other being his father's. " Emergency! Thirteen demons were spotted nearby. Emergency!"
The two of them looked at each other. "Where is our father Senjuro?" the boy held his head "he went out to get medicine for mom. I-I don't know how far away he is!" Rengoku looked at the crows "find my father. I will go ahead." Shinjuro's crow flew off. As Rengoku went to leave Tanya held his arm "I am going as well. Even your father would have trouble with that many demons at once." he wanted to protest but he knew time was of the essence. So he nodded at the two of them ran off, if the demons were close by that meant they were in this village, right now. And right now, they had to stop the large collection of demons from doing too much harm.