That morning I came to the training ground with my own wooden blade. As usual, Nana was already there, swinging at the air. I stopped at a distance and watched. Her striking method had changed, noticeably so, and for the better. The spar yesterday had done something. With more of that, there would be real progress.
"Good morning, Nana." I walked in and stopped at the edge of the ring.
"What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean, I'm here to train. Same as you."
"Find another spot." She swung the blade hard, our exchange already breaking her rhythm. "I've claimed this one."
"Says who? We can share."
She cut me a sharp sideways glare that I felt somewhere deep. "I don't share."
I raised both hands and stepped back. "Fair enough."
But I had no intention of leaving her to train alone.
I positioned myself beside her, facing the same direction, and matched her movement for movement. Two hands, a downward slash, a diagonal cut to the left, then a single handed slash following through on the same side.
"That's a strong combination. With the right balance of strength, speed and timing, it could be a strong sequence."
"Leave me alone."
"Why not try it on me and see."
She looked at me with a tired expression. I didn't move. I spread my arms open and stood there waiting.
"Come on then." She dropped into her stance and I took mine, both hands on the hilt, knees bent low.
"Alright, come—" She burst forward and I did the same, rushing straight at her. We were close enough that our heads were nearly going to meet when I sidestepped left and pulled back. Nana's momentum carried her off balance and she almost hit the ground. The shock was plain on her face.
"What did you expect? For your enemy to stand still and wait for the killing blow?"
She hissed and came at me again, swinging for my neck like I was a demon that needed putting down. I decided to give her the small satisfaction of seeing her strike met rather than just slipping away from everything she threw.
I caught her blade before it got anywhere near my neck.
"You only aim for the neck. There are other places to hit."
Like water poured at stone, she kept coming for the neck and I kept parrying, wood cracking against wood, the sound carrying across the compound. I stopped blocking and countered hard. The force pushed her back. I closed the distance and drove a side slash at her midsection. She moved to block it, but I pulled the strike, turned the opposite way and caught her on the arm. She folded, grabbing the spot.
"Like I said, there are other places to hit. Demon or human, as long as they aren't made of stone, they'll feel it."
Nana clicked her tongue, picked up her blade. "Again."
"Gladly—"
A raven passed overhead, cawing. Nana recognised it immediately and something shifted in her face, a smile, small and unguarded. It was the first time I had seen her smile and it suited her well. She tilted her head back as the bird circled above.
"Hanako Nanamiya, Hanako Nanamiya. New mission, new mission." The crow's voice cut through the training ground like a blade. "Villagers going missing. You are to go North to Usugumo. Your mission, investigate and slay the demon."
The brightness in her face dimmed slightly, a flicker of something subdued passing through her eyes. But a quiet trace of it remained, and that was enough.
She wrapped her blade and turned toward the quarters.
"Wait, let me come with you." She looked back at me with a flat, weighted stare. "Not like that," I said quickly. "I just want to tag along and watch you fight. I won't get in your way."
"You have your trials soon."
"Five days from now. The village they're sending you to, it's close by isn't it?"
"Yes."
That explained why the brightness in her eyes dimmed when the crow said the name.
"A day's journey at most. And knowing what you're capable of, you'll finish the demon quickly and we'll be back well before it matters. Right?"
She said nothing. Just exhaled slowly. "Go get ready and meet me at the gate. Five minutes, or I leave without you."
"Sure."
Five minutes was more than enough, but I had one thing to do before we left. As soon as Nana headed for the quarters I turned toward Mui's mansion, hoping she was in.
When I arrived she was lying on the veranda, flat on her back, two girls working ointment into her skin. They noticed me, bowed low and quietly drew back. Mui opened her eyes slowly, gripped the front of her cloth so it wouldn't slip and sat upright.
"Tatsuya!" Her voice came out soft, surprised. "Come inside—"
"I'm in a hurry, don't trouble yourself."
"Oh."
"I just came to tell you something." She nodded, listening. "I'm going on mission with Nana. We're leaving now."
"Another mission, so soon?" The warmth in her tone cooled.
"She was excited about it."
"She's always—"
"Nana is your sister. Looking after her is your responsibility as the older one. But you also need to understand that she is a demon slayer. You know better than most what she is capable of and what she carries inside her. Your job is to protect her, not to be the wall standing between her and what she is meant to do."
Mui's shoulders dropped. She looked at the ground and was quiet for a moment before she answered, voice low.
"I understand."
"One more thing. Nana doesn't hate you. You're all she has." I turned to leave.
"Thank you." The words left her like a breath she had been holding.
"Don't thank me. I didn't do anything." I left the mansion and headed for the gate.
***
Five minutes. Her exact words. But five minutes came and went, and then another five on top of that, and still no sign of her. Back in my world women were known to take their time getting ready, but I hadn't expected it to carry over here as well. And under these circumstances of all things. This wasn't a gathering or a celebration. We were heading out to put down a demon. Whatever she was doing in there, I hoped it was worth it.
Like an answered prayer I spotted her coming from a distance. When she reached me the scent of oranges arrived just before she did. I noticed the haori layered over her kimono straight away, cherry blossom patterns across the fabric. It looked familiar in a way I couldn't quite place, like something seen once and half forgotten.
"You ready?"
"Mmhmm." She moved past me and took the lead. I fell in behind her..
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