The Scorch Queen || Rengoku K. || (Book One)

The New Tsguko

It had been a week since the Mugen Train derailed and the Hashira faced Upper Moon 3. Kana was recovering slowly but surely and Shinobu had put her on a month of rest. However, Kana was itching for something to do other than sit around in her own boredom.

Misumi still hadn't woken up but that was to be expected. Her sleeping figure plagued Kana's thoughts but she tried her best to distract herself from the thought. Hope still remained for her in the form of a message. She could only dream Tamayo had a solution.

Kana had decided to take a walk around the gardens of the butterfly estate when she was approached by a familiar voice, but a not so familiar face.

"You! You right there! I've been looking for you!" The voice said, the voice sounded like Inosuke but looked like Akira. Kana's features fell in shock but she shoved it down and replied.

"Is that you Inosuke?" She asked.

"Of course it's me! Who else would it be!" Inosuke yelled.

"I see, how can I help you?" Kana questioned.

"I want you to fight me!" He said eagerly.

"What do you mean?"

"Fight. Me." Inosuke reiterated.

"I will not. Fighting with me is reserved for those in training and my fellow Hashira. I try to keep things fair." Kana said with a derogatory smile.

Inosuke snarled and stomped towards her. "Fine. Train me then." He said through gritted teeth.

Kana paused, she'd expected him to walk away in a fit or try to fight her. Instead this boy who looked and acted so similar to her former student was now asking her to train him. Her stance softened and she gave a small laugh. How Ironic was her current situation.

"Fine Inosuke. I'll train you." Kana said quickly.

Inosuke stormed off in a tantrum but, he would jump through rings if it meant he got to fight that crazy bitch.

In all ways Inosuke was a marvel of the world. Zero intelligence, yet skilled in combat and created his own breathing style. Dense and unable to take orders, yet constantly seeking validation through fighting. He would be a challenge to train. Kana knew this, but to even her own surprise she'd agreed to take him on as a successor. She couldn't help but feel as though her training somebody was writing them a ticket to death. She almost didn't agree to it. But the corps needed people at the level of skill she could provide, even if it meant she'd cursed them with her successor death stamp.

~~~~~~~~

Today Kana and Kyojuro would be going to the Rengoku estate to retrieve Shinjuro's notes. Both were less than envious.

Kana was excited to see Senjuro again, they'd told him via letter of their marriage and requested that he not tell Shinjuro. This was because Shinjuro hated Kana with a passion. No scratch that, this was because Shinjuro feared Kana with a passion. You see before Ozai Gengi had taken the place of Shinjuro, Kana was his assigned partner. He believed she was a soulless demon child who needed to be stopped. The reality was that due to previous fights Kana had masked her fighting spirit and all traces of her soul. It made her appear lifeless and un-compassionate during battle.

Shinjuro believed she would kill them all and laugh as she stepped on their remains. The alcohol didn't help this theory. Nor did that fact that Kana had almost killed him after Kyojuro became a Hashira.

Flashback****

(The night the Hashira went to celebrate Kyojuro becoming a Hashira.)

"So what did your father say?" Mitsuri asked.