Fluttering Lotus Petals

Chapter 18: A Lotus Flower, Fulfilled

[Name] and Kanao stood together before the great sakura tree located at the Butterfly Estate. Its flowers were in full bloom on its branches. Each whisper of the wind coaxed what seemed like myriads of loose petals into its embrace.

The tree's name was Victory, given to it by its planter—the first user of the Breath of Flower. [Name] and Kanao were there visiting the tree to report on its namesake.

Evidence of their losses littered the aftermath. The mass addition of graves in the Ubuyashiki estate was one, but the less obvious ones were hidden underneath the surface. Kanao, in her battle against Douma, had been forced to utilize the final form of the Breath of Flower. Albeit only for a short time, her eyesight still sustained damage.

Every one of the Pillars, save for Shinobu, would have to undergo physical therapy for some of their crippled limbs. The second Kocho sister immersed herself in healing those who were injured in the battle in the meantime. [Name] did not envy her, for every single bed in the Butterfly Estate was occupied.

"It's thanks to you that they're still alive in the first place," Shinobu had said, "That poison of yours helped immensely; Let me take care of them for now." She had promptly shoved him out of the Butterfly Estate after their conversation. Kanao, following her sister's lead, pulled him away to the gardens.

They stand there now in front of the tree, falling into a comfortable silence.

"How are your wounds?" [Name] asked, gaze never leaving the tree.

"They're feeling a lot better now, actually," Kanao answered. "The whole of the Corps were able to avoid fatal injuries thanks to the poison. We all owe you great gratitude."

"I'm just glad I could help," [Name] murmured sheepishly while toying with the hem of his shirt. "I'm no swordsman, after all. Medicine is my specialty and I hoped to contribute at least something to the effort."

"You contributed much more than that, you know." Kanao shot him a fleeting look as she turned her head to look at him. "Without your notes and your training, we would have never been able to use your poison and take out the Upper Ranks so quickly. You saved many, many lives. Who knows how many people could have died without you?"

[Name] nodded to himself as a small smile stretched across his lips. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm glad that I was able to limit the blood spilled from the battle. I do wish that Lady Tamayo and Master Kagaya were here to celebrate with us, but their sacrifice will never be forgotten."

Kanao turned her head back to the tree. "What will you do now that it's all over?"

"Travel some, most likely," [Name] answered. "I want to visit my old village and give a proper burial for Hakuji. I've saved his old Soryuu uniform and I wish for it to be buried at his grave."

"And after that?"

[Name] had no answer for her. "I don't really know," he ended up muttering. "Perhaps I will take up residence with Tanjiro. Though I don't know whether the old Kamado house is fit to house 5 adults in the future."

"You could stay here," Kanao blurted out.

"Hm?"

"You could stay here," she repeated, " and work as a doctor. Just like you've always wanted, right? And we'll be near our friends in the Corps. Tanjiro, Inosuke, Zenitsu, Genya, Nezuko, and all the others will need to have checkups as well. And with Kanae, Shinobu, Aoi, as well as you and I working, more breaks would be available."

Her smile sharped into a teasing smirk. "I'm sure you could find a suitable use for your free time." She giggled when she saw [Name] attempt to sputter out a response. "Regardless, we'd be happy to accept you as a worker here."