"It's arms..", Tanjiro muttered as he observed the doll. "Why are there six?"

   "It's arms? Well, according to my dad.. This doll is modelled after an actual swordsman.", Kotetsu said.

   "Yeah, and his real name is actually Yoriichi Tsugikuni.", Kiyomi added, her eyes sparkling in amazement.

    "It is? How did you know that? This dates back to the Sengoku era.", Kotetsu asked. Kiyomi flinched as she sheepishly smiled.

  'Not again..'

   "Well, I've red many books about him! He was the first person to actually almost kill Kibutsuji Muzan.", she explained, surprising the two.

   "Woah... You mean it's more than a hundred and three years old?! How has it not broken after all this time?!", Tanjiro said.

   "Its construction is so superb that we can't hope to achieve that level even now. If it breaks, we can't fix it anymore.", Kotetsu explained, his expression turning sad, "My dad died suddenly, and I don't have siblings, so I have to be the one to fix it. But I don't have the talent to fix blades or dolls..."

  He started trembling, trying not to cry, but failed when he was comforted by Kiyomi.

   "So that's why... I see, I see...", Tanjiro frowned, pitying the boy.

   "This person.. is amazing. He's just as young as I am... But he's talented...", Tanjiro looked at Muichiro as he was fighting against the doll.

   "Well of course!! That boy is the descendant of the 'sun breath' users!", someone boasted behind, startling them. Kiyomi huffed after accidentally inhaling too much air from surprise. They turned to look at who spoke, seeing a crow with long eyelashes.

   "He's a genius! He's completely different from you. Hohohoho!!", The crow laughed.

   "He is! He's really amazing and cool!", Kiyomi added, her eyes full of adoration.

   "Kegh, you're not that bad! I like you!", The crow nodded as she flew on Kiyomi's head.

   "Thanks. You're pretty too!", Kiyomi complimented. The crow huffed in satisfaction, full of pride.

   'I thought she would act like a b!tch, but I was wrong!', she thought.

   "Tokitou-kun's crow? The sun breath is the original breath, so he's really amazing.. But he doesn't use the sun breath..", Tanjiro said which somehow offended the crow.

   "Shut the hell up! I'll gouge your eyes out!!", The crow flew towards Tanjiro and bit his cheek harshly.

   "Aggghh!!", Tanjiro grunted, "Oh! The dream I saw!! I saw him in a dream!!", He exclaimed.

   "What? You're a total moron. Have you ever come to this village before?", The crow scoffed, flying back to Kiyomi's head, "So you know a warrior from the Sengoku era? How old are you?", She added, Tanjiro froze for a minute with a cute and determined face, before sulking.

   "Sorry about that... I must look weird...", Tanjiro sulked as Kotetsu panicked.

   "No, no!! Maybe it's a memory that was passed on? It's a common saying in my village. Appearances aren't the only things that are inherited.", he explained, trying to cheer Tanjiro up.

   "So the dream you saw must have been your ancestor's memory!", Kotetsu finished along with Kiyomi's agressive nods of agreement.

   "Ridiculous! Riiiidiculous!", The crow huffed out. Tanjiro pitifully smiled with a single tear leaving his left eye.

   "Thanks, you're so sweet. My name's Tanjiro, what's yours?", Tanjiro introduced.

   "I'm Kotetsu. You don't have to listen to this bully of a crow.", he said, glaring at the crow with long lashes, who got offended. She was about to bite Kotetsu's cheek, but was stopped by the sudden noise, Muichiro had broken the doll's face.

    Kotetsu froze as he looked at the doll. He then ran away, bursting in tears while Tanjiro followed him. Kiyomi watched in shock as the boy ran away.

  She snapped her head towards Muichiro.

   "Why did you break the armor, you idiot! You know how hard people had worked on that! But you still BROKE IT!!", Kiyomi snapped as she yelled at the pillar. Muichiro, looking unfazed as usual, took a glance at Kiyomi while continuing his fight with the doll.

   His eyes widened when he looked at her. She had a blue snowflake mark on her left eye. He froze for a moment. not noticing that a foot was coming towards him, kicking him away.

    "Tokitou-san!", Kiyomi snapped back to reality and hurriedly ran to the boy she accidentally kicked away.

    "A-are you okay?! I'm so sorry! I don't know how I did that!! I'm so sorry!!", she bowed and apologized repeatedly.

   "What was that on your eye? It looked-- ouch.", Muichiro said something but was cut off by his deeply scratched arm.

    Kiyomi flinched and looked at Muichiro's arm. Her soul left her body. It was a small yet deep cut, but Kiyomi felt like she murdered someone.

   "I- so- very- sorry- so- sorry- I- sorry-", she panicked. Her mind was a mess. Wolfie, who was with her all along, noticed this and started nudging her chin with Wolfie's nose.

    Kiyomi snapped back to reality and shook her head. "Excuse me for this, Tokitou-san. I cannot handle the guilt if I just let this be.", she muttered before taking Muichiro's wounded arm.

   She closed her eyes and calmed her breathing along with her mind. The snowflake mark on her eye appeared once again, and glowed along with her eyes. The boy looked at her in shock before looking at his arm. His eyes widened when he saw his arm, there were no wounds spotted.

   "There, much better! I'm very sorry again..", Kiyomi blinked multiple times to snap out of her daze. The glowing disappeared along with the snowflake mark on her eye.

   "How did you do that?", Muichiro asked, bewildered. He looked at his arm where it was scratched by Kiyomi. There was no more scratch seen.

   "Please don't tell anyone about that, Tokitou-san. That was like a breathing technique, but without a sword and opposite of killing someone. I healed your arm.", Kiyomi explained.

   "Yeah.. whatever.", Muichiro muttered. He then stood up and took his sword as he walked away to fight the doll once again.

   'Not even a thank you. I deserve it.. It was my fault for yelling at him. Hm, his wound actually hurts, I feel bad..', she thought, sulking.

   Later...

    "Oh! So you're ten.", Tanjiro said.

   "Yeah.", Kotetsu replied.

   "My brother-", Tanjiro stopped when someone passed him. He looked at the person and it was Muichiro.

   "Huh? You're done?!", Tanjiro exclaimed. The boy beside him remained quiet.

   "Yeah.. It was a great training.. So who are... Right.", Muichiro glanced at the two before taking out a sword.

   "I broke my sword, so I'll be taking this one.", he said.

   "Wh- wait, where's Kiyomi?!", Tanjiro looked around. He saw that Kiyomi was waving her hand while she was running towards them.

   "Where did you get that?", Kotetsu pointed at the sword Muichiro was carrying.

   "Oh, he got it from the doll. I couldn't stop him since he wasn't listening, but I managed to save the arm that was holding that sword from being torn from the doll!.. Sorry...", Kiyomi frowned.

   "I-it's okay, Kiyomi-san! Thank you for saving the doll!", Kotetsu exclaimed.

   "Whatever. Dispose of this one for me.", Muichiro said as he threw his old sword at Tanjiro, which hit his head.

   Tanjiro rubbed his head to relieve the pain as he looked at Muichiro. His face immediately changed when he saw Muichiro's crow smirking at him.

    Kiyomi snickered at Tanjiro's face, trying her best not to laugh.

   "Ahem, sorry. Let's go to Kotetsu-kun.", Kiyomi said before walking away, Tanjiro nodded and followed her.

   They found Kotetsu staring at the doll as it began to rain.

   Kiyomi stood infront of the doll and lifted it up.

   "Don't give up! I'm sure this will still work!", Kiyomi smiled, not caring of getting wet as she balanced the doll.

   The doll stopped for a moment before stancing. The three of them beamed with happiness.

   "See? I told you it'll still wor- achoo!", Kiyomi sneezed.

   "Kiyomi, you should go inside! You're catching a cold!", Tanjiro worried.

   "It's okay, Tanjiro. I'll go under a tree so I won't get wet. Besides, Winter's fur is warm!", Kiyomi smiled.

   "Winter?", Tanjiro tilted his head in confusion.

   "Oh! I made Wolfie a second name! It was too.. I don't know. I just wanted to call her something else. Plus, she liked the name.", she sweatdropped.

   "Thank you, Tanjiro-san, Kiyomi-san. Now train. Please. Become stronger than that sh!tty indifferent jerk..! I'll help you with all I've got..!!", Kotetsu exclaimed, veins popping out of his head.

    Tanjiro looked at him in shock, he couldn't believe Kotetsu just cursed. Kiyomi raised a thumbs up and smiled while hugging Winter for warmth. Winter didn't mind being hugged and just sat with Kiyomi.
_________

   To Be Continued