Dancing in the Mist (Demon Slayer / Kimetsu no Yaiba: Tokito Muichiro x OC)

Chapter 6

"Congratulations for successfully surviving the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection," two young girls said in a monotone. Their snow white hair was neatly cut into identical straight bobs, and they wore identical floral kimono.

"First, we will provide you with corps uniforms. We will take your measurements and then engrave your rank," one started.

"There are ten ranks. Kinoe, kinoto, hinoe, hinoto, tsuchinoe, tsuchinoto, kanoe, kanoto, mizunoe, and mizunoto. Right now, you are all the bottom rank of Mizunoto," the other continued.

"I'm not remembering all that," Kasumi deadpanned, Muichiro nodding beside her.

"In a moment we will have you select your ore from which your sword will be forged from."

"But first, we will assign you a kasugai crow."

"Kasugai crows are generally used for communication, but not always."

With loud caws, a small flock of crows descended upon the surviving demon slayers. Once the chaos died down, each person had a crow on their arm... except Kasumi. She had...

"Fluffy ducks?" She deadpanned, looking at the twin little fluffballs sitting up at her foot.

They were platypuses.

"I ish your gwide, Temaru. Ish vewy naish chu meetchu," one of the platypus's said, his voice adorably muffled by his large beak.

"I ish your ower gwide, Temari. You ish vewy pwetty, mish," the other said, her voice also muffled by her beak.

"..." Kasumi was silent, blankly staring into their pitch black little eyes, light glinting off them like stars.

"You should ask for a proper crow. Those things don't look very useful," Muichiro scoffed, turning away from his new crow.

"That's right! Those mammals just showed up out of nowhere one day and started taking classes with the rest of us crows! They can't even speak properly and keep tripping over their own feet, plus they just look weird!" his crow agreed, her high-pitched, condescending voice grating on Kasumi's nerves.

Kasumi didn't react to their words however, and instead fell to her knees and picked up both platypuses, cradling them to her chest. "So cute..." she mumbled, burying her face into their fluffy fur. "If anything happens to these children, I will kill everybody in the area and then myself," she declared, coming up for fresh air.

"....What," Muichiro deadpanned, staring at Kasumi as she vigorously rubbed her face against the two small platypuses cradled in her arms.

"She's certainly... unique," Aoi slowly said, sweatdropping.

"Please choose the ore from which your sword will be made," one of the girls requested, gesturing towards a table covered with chunks of ore.

The other survivors of the Final Selection crowded near the table, grabbing the largest, best looking pieces of ore they could find, while Kasumi, Muichiro, and Aoi hung back to wait for them to finish.

"Relying on superficial appearance is a very human thing to do... but very foolish," Kasumi murmured as the chaos finally subsided and the survivors began to leave the area. She placed Temaru and Temari on her shoulders as she stood up, the two platypuses clinging to her kimono like burrs.

"What do you mean?" Aoi asked as the trio approached the table.

"A lot of things determine the quality of an ore. The density, the ratio of different metals, the luster, the weight... All of these things are suited for different people, and can make a world of difference between a subpar and phenomenal sword," Kasumi explained, weighing two ores in her hands. "This ore has a clear luster, with a solid feel and little impurities. This would suit you. Your eyes are very straightforward and clear, so all you need is a solid sword to support you with your convictions," she continued, holding out one of the two to Aoi.