𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚘 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝 | 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗 𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 5: 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖞 𝖒𝖞 𝖑𝖎𝖋𝖊 𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖉

It's day five of living in extreme poverty with two little girls who need a home Mizuki thought to herself as she swept the very dusty floors again.

Mizuki, Fumiko, and little Emi were living in an abandoned shack that had three rooms. This place had originally been a shrine for spirits and it was considered a holy place...until a demon attacked the people who were keeping it in shape, the area was abandoned, and things kinda fell apart from there.

Mizuki could see traces of the attack and was nervous for the girls. Fumiko still had school and would hike a mile every day at dawn to get there. She would have to go alone because someone needed to take care of Emi who asked a lot of questions about both demons and humans.

"Why are we here? Wheres Onee-chan?" Emi would always ask, she had a hard time coping with her new life at only four.

"Why is this my life now Miki-chan?" That was Mizuki's adorable nickname.

"I ask myself that question everyday, but you know you just gotta keep pushing even if it is scary. you can do it!" Mizuki replied, smiling.

Always, she had to smile to keep others souls up forgetting about her own.

"Well it's not as scary I guess because I have a friend..." Emi suggested quietly.

That reminded Mizuki of her grief for Hanna and her gratefulness for Usagi-san.

"Who? We live here alone with your sister."

"You Miki-chan!" Emi yelled and she hugged Mizuki who hugged back happily.

For weeks they would spend the day sleeping and waiting for Fumiko and the nights playing with whatever they could. Ah yes so this! This is my life...we have no money but I like it. It's the best thing I've had so far. One night Mizuki had to pick up some alcohol for medicine and the girls were not allowed to come in the store so she decided to leave them at home.

"There are demon slayers near this area so when I leave if there is trouble you scream as loud as you can." Mizuki explained as she poured some vegetable stew into their very small bowls.

She no longer eats stew so she just had some rice.

"Why aren't you eating the soup Miki-chan?" Emi asked sipping away.

"Oh just stomach aches and I want you girls to eat more." she waved away the comment.

These girls will hopefully never know about the terrible things at that one estate. After 'dinner' Mizuki got up and hoisted a small basket over her shoulder and got out the copper coins she had left... the rest of the money was for dire times of need only.

"Don't leave" Harmony whispered into Mizuki's ear but she ignored it.

I need to go into town so we don't die of a sickness! Mizuki thought and was off.

"I would like those on the the shelf over there please and thank you."

The middle aged looking man grabbed the four bottles and placed them in the small basket on the table beside him.

"Ok that will be 20 copper coins and you'll all good to go!" The man said and Mizuki handed him the money and she was already headed back home.

But then she heard a shriek.

She ran as fast as she could trying not to break the bottles but also wanting to make sure everything was fine. When she came she saw a dead demon, an unconscious Emi, a crying Fumiko, and a boy wearing earrings that had a pure black sword out. A demon slayer... Mizuki thought.