Stone Tsuguko.

7: Needles and nail polish.

Kanae led you to the Butterfly Mansion while she talked your ear off, ranting to you about the girls she was caring for with her younger sister.

Shinobu, her younger sister whom she described as a bold, stubborn soul, who acted instead of thinking.

Kanao, her adopted little sister, struggled to make her own decisions and chose via the flip of a coin.

And Aoi, a name you were familiar with.

"I remember her. Is she okay?" You asked, tilting your head.

"She is! Just a day ago she passed her Final Selection!" Kanae nodded, clasping her hands together. "But, she doesn't want to be a Demon Slayer, she wants to help around the Butterfly Mansion instead."

The woman sighed slightly as she deflated, a regretful expression on her face.

"I'm worried that her insecurities get the better of her. She's such a strong girl, so it's sad to see her so deflated about it."

"I'm sure she has different strengths and weaknesses.." You muttered. "It's hard to get used to this..I certainly have no right to speak. But the gore and blood I've seen makes it hard to sleep at night."

"I understand." Kanae's smile faltered as she gently patted your back. "It's no easy life. We have to be strong, no matter where we stand. As doctors, assistants, or on the front lines."

"Especially as women. We're expected to do much more than our counterparts." She continued. "We have the weirdos of the Corps and the ignorant, but we have to prove them wrong, don't we?"

You blinked slightly, and nodded, taken aback by her sudden statement.

'It made sense. There were far fewer women than men in the Corps. Anyone can see it.'

"From what I've learned about you," She looked in front of her, gazing at the mansion in your view. "You have the potential to show your strength and grow stronger than the strongest. I can't wait to fight alongside you one day."

"I-I can't wait to fight with you one day! It'd be an honor!"

Kanae smiled and slid open the door, helping you inside and sliding her sandals off.

"Shinobu is on a mission, so Aoi will fix you up!"

The woman guided you to the room where hospital beds were lined and sat you down, leaving you alone.

Bored, you kicked your feet, a small smile on your face as you sat, chewing your tongue until a familiar face stuck her head through and smiled at you.

"[Name!]"

"Hi, Aoi."

The noirette quickly ran over to you, checking over your injuries with widened blue eyes, placing her hands on each side of your cheeks and dragging you close.

Your eye widened in slight surprise, suddenly aware of the faint breathing that left your nose.

She tapped her foot in focus as she adjusted your face a few times before placing her hands on her hips and saying.

"Kanae told me about your injury, so I'll start by cleaning it one more time, please, follow me."

You nodded, quickly standing and following the bossy girl.

She led you to a basin and ordered you to hold your head over it. You obeyed and hovered as she grabbed an antiseptic and sprayed it over the cuts, biting back her sympathy as your knuckles turned white at the sudden sting on your flesh.

The cuts once more began to bleed, bubbling as germs began to slide down your chin and blood stained the basin red.

You bit your tongue, relishing the sting as it cleaned your flesh, grinding your teeth as Aoi slowly began running water over the now-cleaned injury.