Demon Slayer: Equilibrium (An OC Story)

Final Selection Part 1. Inner Strength

The boy shouted at himself, his voice echoing through the mountain they lived on, "Dammit! Come on, Yuraki! You've been working on this for six months!" The birds were startled by his scream and flew off in a hurry. He threw the sword in his hand to the dirt. He glared up at the boulder that stood before him. "Stupid rock!" He yelled in irritation before he made his way down the mountain and to his home. He forced open the sliding door and stepped inside, "Giyu! Big brother? Where in the world are you?!" He called. Giyu was Yuraki's adoptive brother and teacher. He also was the highest rank in the Demon Slayer Corps, Hashira. Yuraki's ears perked up as he heard his brother's quiet voice call back, "I'm in here Yu." Yuraki followed the voice into a room and plopped down next to him. "Ready to give up yet?" Giyu asked, his voice sounding almost condescending but his expression not showing any emotion. "What?! No! Of course not! I came for some Hashira wisdom. Now come on, give me the goods." Yuraki answered. "No. You got all the tools you need to cut that boulder." Yuraki huffed and stood up. "Ugh! You're no help at all!" He grumbled as he stomped out, "Love you too, Yura." Giyu chuckled softly, finding his brother's agitation amusing. As Yuraki stomped down the hall he bumped into someone, causing him to stumble over his feet and fall to the ground. "Oh goodness! I'm so sorry, Tomioka-sama." Yuraki looked up to see the Kakushi, the person who often helped around the estate, Sumire kneeling next to him. "It's alright Sumire. I'm surprised you're still here. Normally you're in your lab at Butterfly Mansion." Though most Kakushi worked in relief escapades after battles were over, Sumire worked in medicine and research, they only worked at the Water Estate part-time. Yuraki stood up and helped Sumire up too, "Kocho-sama locked me out of my lab because I have been in there for a long while. She told me to take a walk and stretch my legs." Sumire said, sounding a little annoyed, that they couldn't be in their lab. At Kocho's mention Yuraki got slightly agitated but he quickly masked it. " Ah I see. You do need a break. Also I thought I told you to just call me Yuraki. You're seventeen, only two years older than I am. There's no need to be so formal." Sumire just nodded, "I will try. It might take me a while." Yuraki smiled before waving to them, "I need to get back to training, I'll see you later." Sumire waved back as Yuraki went out of the house and up the mountain to his dreaded boulder.

Yuraki was back in front of the boulder, his eyes zeroed in on it. 'Water Breathing isn't working at all. But what about one more try?' He thought as he steadied himself. He took multiple deep breaths as he clutched the sword in his hands. He went in to slash the rock but when the sword hit the surface it simply bounced off. The force of it all caused Yuraki's body to feel as if it was vibrating. He did not even have to open his eyes to see that he did not make a single dent in it. He fell to the ground dramatically, his fluffy black hair becoming submerged in the tall grass. 'Haido, nothing's working! What am I going to do?!' He asked internally, covering his face with his hands. Yuraki didn't know what he was asking Haido for he had been long dead, but he needed comfort and his late brother was the only thing he could think of to go to for support. He thought of what Haido would have said, and it was like he could hear Haido's voice, "Steel yourself, little brother. You have another option. Try it out, stop doubting yourself and your abilities." Yuraki gritted his teeth as he rolled onto his right side, "Should I try Balance Breathing? But it's only a work in progress and I'm supposed to be the next Water Hashira..." He sat up and looked at his reflection in his sword. His dark skin was being hit by the sunbeams since he was in the middle of a clearing. He noticed the scars on his face, the ones he got from his rough upbringing from a time long passed. He gripped the sword with newfound confidence, "I'm Yuraki Tomioka! What am I doing mopping in the grass?!" He said, hyping himself up. Yuraki hopped to his feet, gaining his second wind. He shut his eyes softly, relaxing his stance, "Balance Breathing, First Form: Yin's Descent." He said verbally to give himself a bit of a push. He swiped his sword to the rock and it felt smooth as if he was cutting through butter. As he felt this he squinted with one eye to see a gaping tear in the boulder. Yuraki sprang up in shock and excitement, "HOLY SHIT!! NO WAY?! I DID IT!" He shouted. He jumped up and down and ran around the clearing with his arms raised, cheering and grinning wildly. He sprinted down the mountain to his home, bringing a parade of noise with him. His brother heard all the commotion and peeked his head out the doorway, "Why are you shouting?" "You owe me a fox-warding mask!" Yuraki stammered, "I cut the rock! Clean through!" Giyu knew well that Yuraki would not be reacting like this if he did not cut the rock, so he just placed a hand on his head, "Good job, Yu. Let me go get your mask." Giyu walked back inside and grabbed a mask in the shape of a fox. It was a white base with blue eyes that looked like they could bore into your soul. It had lines that stretched from the bottom of the eyes down the cheeks, almost as if they were a river of tears. It was usually a tradition only used by Giyu's mentor but Yuraki begged for him to make him one. He instantly grabbed the mask and tied it around the back of his head, staring intently through the eye holes. "You are now allowed to go to Final Selection. You better come back alive and as a Demon Slayer." Giyu said, his voice almost sounding like he was ordering him. "I promise!" Yuraki chirped, his excitement radiating through the mask. "Go pack a bag. You are to get to Mt. Fujikasane at once." "Right!" He grinned as he rushed back inside to go get ready.

Taisho Era Secret:

Sumire stays in their lab so much that sometimes they lock themselves in it and go days working without sleeping. Haruka, Aoi, Kanao, and Shinobu have to make them come out and get sleep sometimes, however if they do not watch them sleep they will lie and say they did. They will only listen to Giyu and Yuraki when told to sleep.