Of all the people. Why you? //KNY//

Is this real?

For the first time in weeks her sleep was peaceful, that dream never came. The feelings and dreams that plagued her were gone as quickly as they arrived leaving her well rested, and free. No light was creeping through the window yet, unsure of the time or what had woken her decided to change out of the uniform she'd slept in out of pure exhaustion. Shinobu was the kind of person who seemingly never got tired, until it would hit her all at once. Before she had the chance to even fully stand up she heard it.

CAW! CAW! FLOWER HASHIRA KOCHO KANAE! INJURED! HEAD NORTH! CAW!

Her heart dropping alongside any other thoughts her head, only one remaining. How long will it take to get to her? She leapt from her window landing heavily, and started to run. Sprint. Heading north as tears threatened to fall. She tried to keep herself calm, to think logically, however no logic came leaving her with only her worst thoughts.

"What if she's dead?"

"No that's not possible!" Pushing all thoughts and fears from her head as she focused on her breathing. Taking in as much air as her lungs can manage begging her legs to move faster, and her mind to let her focus. Resenting her small stature for limiting her, she pressed on.

"If I was just a bit taller, I could be there by now!"

But this was no time to dwell on anything other then running. And run she did. The journey which would normally take upwards of 20 minutes was done in 5. The only thing pushing her now being her willpower and hope. Hope that she's not too late.

But she was.

She found nothing, her sister nowhere to be seen. No body, no blood, nothing. Her mind racing, one thought stringing on to another, trying to figure out what had happened here. Was the crow mistaken? It was rare but had been known to happen. No, that feeling was back. The feeling of dread that sits deep in her stomach. Normally she would ignore it but not now. Something was wrong here.

That's when she saw it. A familiar haori. Her familiar haori. What little strength she had left was gone in an instant, dropping to her knees as she stared at it. Kanae would never leave this behind. Her mind coming to only one conclusion.

Kanae was dead.

The tears that were threatening to fall finally did. Slowly at first, until she couldn't hold them back anymore. An unearthly scream left her, the only way she could let these feelings out. Grief at the lord of her sister. shame at being too slow, at being unable to help, unable to even see her face or hear her voice one more time. One feeling that surprised her the most though... was rage.

Unable to control her rage, she cursed everything. The gods that allowed this to happen. The demon that killed her only source of happiness. But mostly... she cursed herself. If she was stronger. Is she wasn't so small and pathetic, this wouldn't have happened. As the sun rose she swore that she would kill the bastard that did this, that she would hunt them to the end of the earth and that when she caught them. They would suffer. That was her promise.

A promise that she would do anything to keep. Even if it meant her own death. That was just the kind of person Kocho Shinobu was, when she made a promise she kept it and when someone hurt her. She would bring the weight of her rage down onto them. The weight of a thousand suns. Her resolve firm, she picked up the blood stained butterfly haori, and returned home. The reality finally setting in as she stepped through the doors, seeing Aoi making breakfast as she normally would.

"Shinobu-sama breakfast is almost ready, I'll go wake Kanae-sama."

Those words hit her like a truck.

"Aoi"

The blue butterfly girl looked at her, her expression changing to that of concern as she saw the tears start falling from Shinobu's eyes.

"Nee-san is... dead"

Seeing the butterfly haori, the young girl broke down in tears wanting to protest and to say it wasn't true, but unable to. All she could do. Was cry. Shinobu took the young girl in her arms as they cried together, unable to say anything. Kanae always was better at comforting others. It wasn't until the youngest bitterly sister entered the room that they let go of each other.

"Kanao, theirs something you need to know."

"Kanae... she's" unable to say it, aware that her younger sister likely wouldn't even care. Anger filling her as Kanao just stared at her. With those uncaring eyes.

"Kanae is dead" she left shortly after telling her. Not wanting to see her reaction. Or more specifically her lack of a reaction. Going up to her older sister bedroom, the faint smell of roses still lingering in her pillow. She collapsed against Kanae's bed.

"You should smile more Shinobu, you look so adorable when you smile." Kanae's words echoing in her head as if she was actually here to say then. Looking in the mirror, Shinobu smiled. She practiced until it was almost indistinguishable from a real smile. It was what sister wanted after all. She would start training after breakfast, if that bastard was able to beat her sister then she stood no chance against it, and that was something that Kocho Shinobu would not allow. She will avenge ger sister. Even if it killed her.