I'll Protect You, I Promise

Chapter 5: Hashira and Other Meetings

When Oyakata-sama walked in, everyone in the courtyard started to bow; in respect to their master. As his wife led him by his arm. She lingered for a moment before Oyakata-sama dismissed her.

Oyakata-sama opened his mouth to speak, "My children, I see that you are all here," slightly frowning, he spoke again, "you may lift your heads now." Their master waited for a moment for the rest of the Hashira to raise their heads once more.

"Now that I have all of your attention, let us start the meeting," Oyakata-sama proclaimed.

"As all of you may know now, with this new rank of Hashira, there will be more responsibilities for you. As Hashira, you are now the lower rank's seniors. You all will have to assist with training, and provide support in high risk missions." The Ubyuashiki head paused, before starting to speak again.

"That brings me to my second point. Just recently, we have implemented a new system for messaging between the corps called Kasugai Crows."

"I think I can tell, this STUPID CROW has been jabbering and biting at my ear nonstop!"
Kaminari-san interjected while screaming; which caused Yoriichi to cover Tanjiro's ears. Especially seeing that The Rumble Hashira had continued to let out a string of curses as the mentioned crow was now pecking and pulling at his ear in retaliation.

Ubyuashiki-sama raised his hand to quiet the Hashira and crow before speaking again, "I'm sorry about your crow's misbehavior, and I'll be having a word with him later. Otherwise, as of now, they have only been used for all of the Hashira, but in due time they will be implemented within the lower ranks."

The rest of the meeting was rather uneventful and involved some information of some new demon nests. All of which have been assigned to some different Hashira and other higher ranking demon slayers within that area. After that, the meeting was dismissed.

"Ah, Tsugikuni-san!" Yoriichi turned around in response to The Flame Hashira calling him.

"Rengoku-san, what is it that you wish to talk about?" Yoriichi said, as he started to secure a sleeping Tanjiro to his back.

"Oh, it's just that Kaminari-san and Mizuhara-san wanted to ask you some questions."

"What about the other two Hashira?"

"They had some duties to attend to, as well as new missions"

"Ah, I see," It was a shame, it would've probably been easier on me to talk to all of them at once, Yoriichi thought, That is if it's about Tanjiro.

"So, what is it that you wish to know?" Yoriichi asked

"It's about your baby," Kaminari started, "does he have a mother? When did you have him?" Mizuhara spoke, with a rather demanding tone.

Yoriichi took a deep breath to calm himself. I need to clear this confusion, he determined, "Tanjiro is not related to me in any way," "I found him being attacked by a demon, his parents are likely deceased."

Mizuhara looked at him in disbelief, before walking behind him and looking at Tanjiro.

"Impossible, you're lying," he stated.

"I'm not, that is the truth."

"No way that's the truth"

Rengoku looked at Mizuhara, "I don't understand what you mean by that, Tsugikuni-san must've been telling the truth!" Rengoku exclaimed.

The Rumble Hashira, taking Mizuhara-san's lead, walked around Yoriichi to take a look at Tanjiro.

In disbelief, Kaminari looked Yoriichi in the eyes before erupting into a fit, "THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S NOT YOUR CHILD!"

"And why is t-"

"BECAUSE HE LOOKS JUST LIKE YOU!" With that last remark, it seemed that the other three Hashira devolved into argument once more.

I should've known that they wouldn't believe me, Yoriichi thought before walking out of the courtyard.

"Hey, where's Tsugikuni-san?"

~~~

Michikatsu felt terrified as he stared down the creature that killed the rest of his encampment.

It was dusk when he heard something from deep inside the woods. They had set up camp in a clearing within a dense forest. And it seemed that past the first few trees, that it would fade to pitch black.

When he voiced his concern, the other samurai laughed at him for his cowardice, that he was simply just scared.

"I can't believe that your father deemed you fit enough to join us!" They said,

That was possibly the last thing they said that night, in a fit of laughter. That was because that thing had arrived. A demon, only believed by small children, tales of caution so you wouldn't stay up late at night.

One of the men had scraped his finger on a sharp rock, exposing fresh blood to the forest air.

"Do you still believe in those folktales Michikatsu? What a childish thing to do!"

Michikatsu felt himself gag when the man's arm flew off. Looking in the opposite direction he found the poor man's arm, and accompanying it was a demon. It started to growl, like a feral dog. Its drool dripped to the ground, eyes glazed over. Some other men drew out their katanas facing towards the demon, but not Michikatsu, because he was a coward.

A terrible coward that would rather run from his problems than face them. A coward who was too much of one to even admit it.

He could hardly remember the rest, until he saw his brother, one he had not seen for ten years.

~~~

"Michikatsu?"

His brother's face snapped towards him, first he saw terror, then relief, but the last emotion Yoriichi couldn't quite tell.

"Yoriichi?

"Please forgive me brother, for being late to save your companions," Yoriichi said quietly

"It's fine, they were assholes anyways."

Yoriichi slightly furrowed his brows. Michikatsu would've never said that to someone, right? Something has to be wrong.

"Are you sure you're fi-"

"Yes, I'm fine, everything's fine," Michikatsu almost let out a sigh, "lets just go..."

"If you insist, aniue."