The Scorch Queen || Rengoku K. || (Book One)

Beginnings: part 1

"Kana...Kana I love you. Kana I believe in you. You have the potential to do great things. Never forget how much your family loves you!" Kana's mother was holding her tightly as she screamed. The growling from outside of the house was getting louder. Kana's mother took her face in her hands and said "Run Kana! Stop for nobody! Not me, not your father, just run until you hit the next village." Kana's heart sank as she ran out the back door of her childhood home. She darted into the forest dodging trees and rocks, and occasionally slipping on the mud or fallen leaves. It was dark and cold, in the distance that same growl could be heard but all Kana could hear were her mother's words in her head 'Run Kana.'  it replayed over and over like a broken record as she wondered why exactly she was running. Her lungs began to hurt and burn with each breath, but she kept running because her mother said to run...
Kana continued to run until she hit a path. She examined both sides of the path and found a woman. In her 5 year old innocence she waddled up to the woman, she had dark hair and crimson eyes much like Kana herself. She stood at about 5'2 and had a particularly small build. The woman wore a white Haori with light blue clouds lining the bottom. Kana approached her and the woman turned her head and smiled gently. Kana waved for her to come down to her level and the woman did, Kana then whispered in her ear and said "My mother told me to run, but I'm very tired. Is it okay if I stop?" The woman looked at her face to face and said "Yes, it is safe now, you are safe now. What is your name child?" Kana thought on this as she could only remember her first name but after a few more seconds of silence she said "My name is Kana." the woman stood tall and smiled at her as she extended her hand and spoke, "Well then Kana, my name is Korra Asiguri, I'm a Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. Would you like to join me on my journey back there?" Kana nodded and took the woman's hand. She was practically thrown onto her back as she ran under the moonlight. With only the future ahead Kana decided to rest on her Journey and dream under the stars of her village one last time.
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Korra, with Kana in tow arrived at a fancy looking estate with a beautiful garden. Kana awoke and nudged Korra. She was met with a calm smile as the two were approached by a young woman with white hair and lavender eyes. She looked to Korra and said "Go on in, he's awaiting your report." But her eyes stopped on Kana as a look of confusion crossed her face. Korra waved her hand dismissively and said "She won't be a problem, I'm sure the master will want to meet her." The woman smiled and Korra continued on her path. Kana nudged her again and said "Who was that?" Korra laughed and said, "That was Amane Ubuyashiki, the wife of the master." Kana's face fell in confusion as the two arrived at a door and Korra entered the room. Korra sat and motioned for Kana to get off her back. As soon as Kana had gotten off Korra sank into a low bow and said "I hope you're in good health, Master." The man chuckled and said "Thank you, Korra.." he looked to Kana and continued "I see we have a guest." Korra sat up and said, "That we do master, this is Kana, she is the sole survivor of the massacre in the village of Iridia. I was too late to save the village master." The man's head hung in disappointment and grief for those lost as he spoke "It's not your fault Korra you did all that you could, but I must ask, what do you intend to do with Kana?" Korra contemplated this question and then spoke "I'll just keep her..." the man looked at her with confusion but his face melted into one of compassion and understanding. Korra couldn't have children due to an old injury. So here we were a mother without a child and a child without a mother.
"I want to stay with you."
Silence fell as the two adults registered what the girl had said. Korra's confusion melted into a smile and she turned to the master. The master spoke, "An act of fate cannot be ignored, take the child and train her." He then turned to Kana and said "Dearest Kana Asiguri, I am invested in your future. Do your best and work hard." Kana nodded at the strange man and with those words Korra and Kana exited the estate and began to walk down another path, hand in hand.
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Kana and Korra arrived at an estate nestled in the lakeside. Kana stared in awe at not the estate but the lake behind it. It was a beautiful lake with clear blue water that stretched for miles. Kana had never seen a lake before so for her this was quite shocking.
They approached the gate hand in hand as a man came to meet them. The man smiled at Korra as he took her into a strong embrace. He was stern looking with calm yet firm demeanor. He had dark eyes and dark hair with spots of grey. He looked to be in his earlier 40's much like Korra herself and wore the same outfit as Korra but with a plain red Haori. Kana smiled at him and he raised an eyebrow at Korra. She waved off his stern look of distaste and was quickly pulled away from Kana who began to chase the wind. The man spoke to Korra in a hushed tone saying "Another student Korra, you barely have enough time to train the others.." Korra then met him with "Not a student, a daughter, Ozai as my oldest friend you should know how much this means to me." The mans face dropped in shock as he said "You plan to adopt her, how will you find the time to take care of a child! You have duties as a Hashira!" Korra smiled at him with a obviously known look as he began to back away from her "No no no Korra, I will not help. No way." Korra's face fell as she said "But you wanted to train a student in breath of flames... she's perfect... and if we both train her she will be able to use both breath of wind and breath of flames... come on Ozai, pleaseeeee?" The man gave her a scowl and walked towards the child, his stern posture remaining. "My name is Ozai Gengi, I will be your trainer, you can address me as Master." Kana nodded and said "Yes master, I understand!" Ozai laughed a bit at her enthusiasm and turned back to Korra. She had a wild grin on her face as she watched the future she'd wanted for so long unfold before her, in the shape of a 5 year old girl with black hair and crimson eyes...
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Kana was given a tour of the Asiguri Estate and the training grounds. Kana was amazed at the size of the estate as any sheltered five year old girl would be. She followed around the woman giving her a tour whom she learned was name Isla. She learned from Isla about the Kakushi and the ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps as well. Kana was then reunited with Korra, and taken to meet Korra's other students. Kana followed Korra as she approached Ozai and two children with matching white hair. The two perked up as they saw Korra approaching. The boy spoke "Master Korra! Are you going to train us today!" And the girl remarked "I missed you so much, Master!" Korra laughed and said "No Sanemi, we will not be training, and I missed you as well Novioka. Children I have somebody to introduce you to, this is Kana. She will be training under myself and master Ozai." Kana moved out from behind Korra's legs, and waved at the other children. Sanemi scowled at her with an irked mark on his forehead. The girl however charged for Kana and hugged her tightly. She then proceeded to yell "MASTER KORRA, YOU BROUGHT ME A BEST FRIEND!" Korra shook her head as her palm slapped her forehead. She then said "Novioka, please be gentle, she is brand new after all." The girl let Kana go and Kana gave her a confused look. She then turned to Korra and said "What is a best friend?" Korra stared at her in shock and slowly began to realize just how sheltered this child truly was.
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"Again."
Kana had begun her training with Master Ozai and needless to say he was tough on her. Kana would fall but never once would she lose sight of the grace she had been given.
"Did you hear me? I said go again."
Kana was snapped out of her thoughts as she rose from the ground. She lifted her sword and attempted the 9th form again. She had been training for two months now and had Master 8 of the 9 Flame Breathing forms. She was a sight to behold. She went through the motions of the 9th form, purgatory once again as she let the form move through her. She finished and had completed the form perfectly. Ozai nodded and said "You will begin training with your mother soon, she finally had some time to begin your wind breathing training." Kana's eyes lit up at the thought of training with her mother, she very rarely got to spend time with her let alone train with her. Kana was very excited.

Kana sat on the steps leading up to the main house as she waited for her mother's arrival. Soon enough her mother made her way up the path and Kana sprung to greet her. She tackled her mother into a hug and smiled at her. Korra laughed and said "I'm glad to see I was missed." Kana nodded violently as she followed her mother into the house. At the door Sanemi and Novioka waited for her and greeted her was she entered. Korra nodded her head in thanks and made her way through the house. Kana diverged from Korra and made her way to the training grounds. She took and seat on the ground and was soon joined by Ozai. Kana smiled at him and said "How are you today master?" Ozai nodded his head and said "I'm doing well, I spoke to your mother, she is sending Sanemi to another trainer as well as Novioka. She told me you should say your goodbyes." Kana sprung up in protest but was met with a finger in her face. Ozai continued "She believes it won't be long before you are sent to Final Selection. She doesn't have the same opinion of the others. Sanemi will continue wind breathing training with another master and Novioka will be sent to study water breathing under Sakonji Urokodaki. Now we will commence today's training." Kana lowered her head as she realized nothing could be done and began her training for the day.
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Kana awoke early the next day, ready to begin her Wind Breathing training. Kana waited on the training grounds as Korra approached her. She then said "Kana, I will be showing you all the Wind Breathing forms today. You will learn them within the month and then we will move on to Total Concentration: Constant." Kana stared at her in shock of what she had just said but the shock soon melted into eagerness as she took her stance. Kana worked hard for the next 2 months and master Flame and Wind breathing. She trained with every breath movement and blink. Kana not only a month after mastering her breathing styles, mastered Total Concentration: Constant being only 5 years of age.
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Kana awoke and got ready to begin her training for the day. She went through the movements of her Flame Breathing, searching for a way to make them stronger. She ultimately felt defeated and returned to the Main house. She watched as Ozai played with the fire in the fireplace and sat next to him. He then blew on the fire and it raged stronger and brighter. Kana's gears began to turn. She rushed back out of the house as she went through the movement's of her flame breathing techniques. Only this time she loosened her body and moved with wind breathing stances. She watched as her Flame Breathing attacks got stronger. Like a fire gets stronger when a breeze moves through it, her Flame Breathing got stronger with her wind breathing to play off. Kana spent 3 months creating this new style of breathing and ultimately created 15 forms. She called it Scorch Breathing and honed it to perfection.