"You should get ready" Urokodaki said once Haganezuka had left and we nodded before I borrowed Urokodaki's room to get dressed while Tanjiro used the room he was sharing with Nezuko.
"Have you changed?" Urokodaki asked as I walked out now in the demon slayer's uniform that was black with the kanji for 'destroy' on the back of the jacket.
"Yes," Tanjiro said as he turned to face Urokodaki. Tanjiro had his demon slayer uniform on and over that he had his green and black checkered hiori on. Seeing movement out of the corner of my eye I turned to see Nezuko peeking out of a futon making me smile at the cute picture she made.
"Here" I said as I held something out to Tanjiro and he took in before staring at him. In his palm was a piece of metal that had been melted down and reshaped to be in the shape of a wisteria blossom with a piece of leather through it showing it was a necklace.
"I made one for each of us, even you Urokodaki-sensei so that no matter how much distance is between us, we will still hold each other close to our hearts" I smiled as I handed over another one to Tanjiro for Nezuko and then handed Urokodaki's to him while sliding mine over my neck.
"That's great Hikaru" Tanjiro beamed as he slid his on as well.
"I um, actually have something to ask you Urokodaki-sensei" I said, scratching the back of my head, messing up the ponytail my hair was in.
"Ask," Urokodaki said, showing that I had nothing to fear by asking something of him.
"Well I was just wondering if you would allow me to continue using the haori you gave us for the Final selection and also if I could continue to wear the warding mask please?" I asked biting my lip in nerves.
"May I ask why you wish to continue to wear the mask?" Urokodaki asked and I couldn't help but trace the scars on my face.
"I'm not ashamed of the marks that I got trying to protect who I see as family but people, when they see the scars they look at me with pity and sadness and sometimes horror. I don't want them to look at me like that, I would rather them look at me weirdly for wearing a mask then look at me like that for having scars" I explained to him.
"In that case I would be honored if you would wear the mask and haori that I have given to you" Urokodaki said and my face lit up in happiness.
"Thank you so much Urokodaki-sensei" I said before rushing to put the blue with white cloud hiori on as well as placing the mask on the side of my face so that when we were ready to leave I could pull it over my face.
"Tanjiro, Hikaru. Now that you're starting out with the Demon Slayer corps, I'd like to explain a few things to you" Urokodaki said a few minutes later with two wooden boxes next to him.
"Right," Tanjiro said.
"That Demon Slayer Corps outfit that you're both wearing right now, it's made of a special kind of fiber. The fabric is quite breathable, yet it repels moisture and won't burn easily. A low-level demon's talons or fangs couldn't even manage to tear that uniform" Urokodaki explained.
"It's that strong?" Tanjiro questioned.
"I thought it felt different then normal fabric" I said.
"Also, those Nichirin swords of yours, the colour varies from owner to owner and each hue has unique properties but since not many people end up with black blades, little is known about them. So little in fact that, since so little is known about them, black blades are said to be wielded by swordsmen who'll never go far" Urokokdai continued.
"They obviously never met Tanjiro, once he puts his mind to something nothing will stop him no matter what" I smiled, squeezing his shoulder.
"Hikaru is right, I may not know how I will go in the Demon Slayer corps but I'm going to turn Nezuko back into a human no matter what" Tanjiro said.
"Yes you're right I believe the two of you are going to make that happen, now with Hikaru's red sword it is a different matter. Red swords are even more unique then black swords and it is rumored that the very colour of a crimson red sword will drive fear into any demon that glances upon it" Urokodaki said and I blinked a little looking at the sword sitting beside me.
"That is only rumors, I am not going to rely on rumors. If demons aren't frightened when they see my sword then I will drive that fear into them with it" I said and he nodded before reaching to the side and grabbing one of the boxes.
"One more then, take this" He said, placing one box in front of Tanjiro and the other in front of me.
"Tanjiro's is a box for him to carry his sister in during the day. Built out of extremely light wood called 'Cloud Mist Pine' I coated it with rock lacquer to reinforce its exterior and to make it even more durable" Urokodaki said.
"Thank you very much" Tanjiro thanked him.
"Hikaru's is made of the same wood and coated in the same lacquer but instead of having it to carry around a human I have created it so that he can carry around equipment so that he can continue make his elixirs and have a place to store them" Urokodaki said and my eyes widened as I took the box and opened it. Inside was mortar and pestles, different plants off the mountains, bandages, glass tubes, mixing beakers and even the elixirs that I had already made were packed in it along with a few more medicine books. Everything had it's place and was strapped in so that they would be jolted around and broken by strips of leather. Seeing Tanjiro was heading to get Nezuko into the box I went in front of him and gently pulled the futon cover up a little bit.
"I won't be going with you for this mission, Nezuko, so make sure to take care of yourself and your brother for me, okay?" I smiled before kissing her forehead. She seemed a little confused at this and tried to grab my hand but I just patted her head and moved away so that Tanjiro could put the box down. Putting my own box on my back I put my short sword along my waist, just under the box and it was hidden with my hiori as well which was good while my Nichirin blade was on my hip.
"Well we'll be going now" Tanjiro said as we stood outside packed for the mission ahead of us.
"Hold on. Do you mind?" Urokodaki asked before he done our top clasps and gave us each a once over before patting our shoulders and nodding to us. We each nodded back before heading down the path together.
"Don't worry Urokodaki-sensei we will be back to visit and when we do make sure that you make us your delicious stew" I beamed as I waved at him before sliding my mask onto my face and me and Tanjiro walked away from the place we had called home for the past two years.
"Well this is where we have to split up I guess" I said since he had to go one way and I had to go the other way.
"Take care of yourself, Hikaru" said Tanjiro.
"You take care of yourself and Nezuko as well, okay?" I said before moving my mask and once more kissing his cheek before going to move my mask back into place and leave.
"Not this time" Tanjiro said before stopping me from moving my mask back into place and kissed my right cheek right where one of my scars were.
"Stay safe" He said and I nodded before we left each other, each of us following our crows to our different missions.
