A Life Worth Living

Anger

Since Mira had beaten Sanemi at the training grounds, the other Hashira were eager to train with her. Even Giyu had come to her to spar, though she wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to or only because Ubuyashiki had asked. The Hashira Training Program for the slayers had started, so Mira used her days to check in on the trainees who were on their off days, and her nights to work with the Hashira. Sanemi's attitude around her had significantly improved since their discussion. He had a newfound respect for her, which she appreciated. He even went as far as to strike up casual conversations with her, though they were rare and fairly short.

She had initially dreaded dealing with his attitude and constant yelling, but he had turned out to be the Hashira she talked to the most. He usually kept his voice down when talking with her and didn't treat her like she was stupid, which was big for him. Mira found herself enjoying their conversations, though she still wished he would acknowledge Genya. He had yet to do so, but she took his new attitude as a step in the right direction.

Mira had gotten to know the other Hashira as well as Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke, and Zenitsu. Sanemi had mentioned that Giyu was not going to participate in the Hashira training for the slayers, though he would still train with her. He told her Giyu thought he was better than everyone else, but she didn't get that vibe from him whenever they interacted. She tried talking to Giyu and was able to get along with him ok, but she was never able to convince him to participate in the Hashira training. However, she continued talking with him in hopes that he would open up more with time.

The other Hashira were fairly easy to get along with. Gyomei was a little weird but easy to get along with. Tengen had already approved of her since the first Hashira meeting, though he kept insisting she update her slayer uniform to be more flashy. Mitsuri would have gotten along with her even if she was a rock, but Mira loved talking with her. Muichiro was quiet at first, but he quickly opened up as they continued to interact. They ended up making origami together one time, and she was able to make more complicated pieces than he was (though she failed to mention it was because she had the opportunity to practice a couple hundred years more than him). Even Obanai had gotten along with her well enough since her display of skill against Sanemi.

Shinobu was hard to read at first. She was always smiling, but Mira could tell it was fake. Their training sessions were always to the point, and she didn't engage in unnecessary conversation. Mira, who noticed that her smile wasn't real, had told her that there was no need to keep a up a facade around her. Shinobu was surprised but did seem to drop her pleasantries a bit. She was more blunt with her words, and Mira could sense more anger than there was before. Her attacks were more aggressive, and she no longer wore her signature smile. After the training was over, she put her smile back and politely thanked Mira before leaving. She was a little confused about the context, but still counted it as a win.

Mira and Sanemi were currently sitting on the roof of one of the buildings after one of their training sessions. The sun was setting over the horizon, painting the sky with a beautiful mixture of pink and red. Mira had been pondering about Shinibu's anger and what would cause her to try to mask her anger. Sanemi and Shinobu weren't close, but he seemed to tolerate her more than some of the other Hashira, so she decided to ask.

"Shinzaugawa, were Kocho and the previous Insect Hashira related?" she asked. The sudden question took Sanemi by surprise. He took a moment to reply, causing Mira to glance over to him. He looked deep in thought, and the corners of his mouth slightly curved upward in a sad smile.

"Yes. Kanae was her sister. She was a great Hashira and died fighting Upper Rank 2. Ever since then, Kocho has tried to keep up the same smile and nice demeanor as her sister. She wants to see Kanae's dream of befriending demons come true, but that isn't how she really feels. She hates demons for what they took from her, and I don't blame her." Mira noticed how he seemed particularly sentimental when talking about Kanae, which was uncharacteristic of him. He didn't act that way about any of the other deceased Hashira, even Kyojuro.