Burn to ash

Where there is thunder, lightning will follow.

" CAW CAW, Report! Houzuki is to report to the master!!" Father's crow screams as at us rather than to father. I don't understand what the Oyakata-sama would want with me. I'm nothing more that a trainee not even a demon slayer yet but if Oyakata-sama wishes, I must go. Kyojuro looked looks just as puzzled as I but he smiles anyways, wiping his brow of any sweat that had accumulated during his training.
" Do you want me to go with you? I could wait for you just outside." He offers and I'm grateful. Though I remember meeting the man years ago when we tagged along with father, I do not know what kind of man Oyakata-sama may be.  Everything seemed to be alright, if i didn't know any better, I'd thought that I would live out the rest of my days like this but I knew, that nothing last.
    A thought came to mind. Something that I hadn't thought about for years. Perhaps, they have finally decided to kill me. Father used to say again and again. " Mind your manners, never let your anger get the best of you or they will mistaken you for a demon and they will kill you." They being demon slayers. Father was always cautious with me. Never letting me leave out of sight outside of our compound.
    I remember when I was younger, I had angrily locked myself into my room after father refused to let me accompany him on a mission. It was petty anger. The kind that if I were any other child, it would be labeled as a tantrum but me, who was labeled by others as demon, when I had these so called tantrums, well, I remember glancing at myself in a mirror and crying out in fear. I had thought a demon had snuck into my room to kill me. I screamed and cried and father ran into the room with his sword drawn. As soon as he saw me, he dropped his prized sword without a second thought and wrapped his arms around me, hiding me from the world. His arms were warm. I remember it so clearly. He shushed me quietly while brushing the hair out of my face and wiped the tears off of my cheeks. Kyojuro ran in after my father and even in the state that I was, he smiled brightly. Anything but startled at my appearance. That was the day, that I learned why I do not look like father or mother. That was the day that I learned that I was different from them but that was the day that I learned that no, I was not their family but I was loved by them, because they chose to love me. They chose to be my family.
    " We should get going then. We shouldn't keep Oyakata-sama waiting." He offers me his hand and he smiles so brightly like the sun. I can't help but smile back before taking his hand and letting him lead the way to headquarters of the demon slayers.

    The closer we got, I became nervous beyond belief. My hands began to sweat profusely and my feet shook with every step. Kyojuro assured me that nothing bad would happen but it was hard to believe him. He is simply to optimistic to be realistic and so once we reached a familiar garden, I stood ridged before the man whom my father once called his master.
    " Good morning Oyakata-sama! I hope you are in good health." Kyojuro yelled out loudly from beside and I heard the quite chuckle from the man before us.
    " Good morning Kyojuro. Thank you. I do hope you and your family are in good health as well. I see you have accompanied our dear Houzuki today. Perhaps are you want to sit in on our meeting?" He asks and he is clearly amused by the pair of us but the boy beside me just laughs and nods.
    " Very well." His voice is soft and quite, it sends a calm wave where ever his voice reaches. The fear I once felt almost dissipates as he speaks. Another man, a short man with a yellow haori appears beside us. He walks with a short cane and a wooden leg. There are deep wrinkles that accompany his strict scowl.
    " Kyojuro, Houzuki. This man here is Shihan, Jigoro Kusajima. He's the recently retired Thunder Hashira. Knowing your circumstance, he's agreed to take you in and train you to be a thunder breath user Houzuki." I look to the older man in complete shock, I'm sure that it shows on my face.
    " Looks like you've grown into a fine young lady Houzuki. I'm sure you don't remember an old man like me but we meant when you were a wee lad. I never forgot about the curious mystery child that you were and always wondered how you'd grow. Here you are, ready to become a demon slayer. I heard Kyojuro's been teaching you?" He's quite a ecstatic person despite his outward appearance. I nod and hold onto Kyojuro's arm tightly and he takes the hint to stand in a protective manner, which he's learned to do over the years.
    " I apologize Kusajima-sama, Houzuki is quite shy but perhaps we can talk more at our house with father present. That if you'd allow Oyakata-sama." Kyojuro faces the master and we see him nod his head and dismissing us to leave. The former thunder pillar follows us to our home and as soon as we enter, Sanjuro is rushing to prepare tea. I sit at the low table the older man as Kyojuro went to fetch father. Even from here, I could hear his thunderous, drunken rambling. Father is angry today rather than sad.
    " Houzuki, how do you feel about becoming my student? To my understanding, Kyojuro will become the next flame pillar and I was hoping you would become the next thunder pillar." He sips his tea that Sanjuro has prepared for us. Kyojuro returned with a bright smile and father in tow. Any one can clearly see how drunk father is but Jigoro-sama pays no mind, intent on hearing my opinion.
    " I'd like to keep moving forward and I can't do that here. Kyojuro will one day become a Hashira but if I stay here, I will not be able to stand with him. So I'd like to become your student. Father? Would that be ok?"

I should have known that where there is thunder, lightning will follow.

" I don't give a crap what you do. You and Kyoshiro. You're both just going to die! Demons will kill you! Demons like your mother will just kill you so what's the point. You'll probably just end up either dead, killed by a demon or killed because you are one." He took a chug of his bottle and slammed his on the table, seeming to glare at me.
Everyone sat there shocked. Father has been like this before but he has never, never said anything about me being demon. Never mentioned it with ill intention. Tears began dripping from my eyes. This version of father, make it hard to believe that his arms used to be as warm as fire, and they used to protect me from the world. It's hard to remember that he chose to love me.
    " Please Fathe" He throws his bottle towards me, barely skimming my cheek. I sat frozen, eyes wide.
    " You're not my daughter." He glares and stare wide eyed at him. I want to remind myself, he is only drunk. He is only angry. But instead I turn to Jigoro-sama. One day, in the far future, when I find myself above him, better than anything he could have dreamed me to become, I may forgive him but not, not today. Today, I am hurt, and I am close to breaking.
    " It seems I do not need the approval of Shinjuro-sama. I will be sure to become your successor Jigoro-sama." I bow as the tears pour down my face. Kyojuro and Senjuro hold back and escort father back to his room all the while sending me worried glances and in the older boy's eyes see a sense of grief.
I will go and come back to stand beside him as equal. As Houzuki, a thunder breath user, the Hashira who smiles, loves, and forgives.