Cerulean Lotus [Kimetsu no Yaiba]

|Prologue|

"Where are they?" the current Sound Pillar of the Taisho Era, Tengen Uzui, sighed. Makio, one of his three wives, chuckled.

"Knowing the two, Hinatsuru-chan is probably trying to stop Suma-chan from crying over something." Tengen laughed, enjoying the massage Makio was giving him.

"Well they..."

"TENGEN-SAMAAAAA!!!" an ear piercing screech echoed through the halls. The Pillar shot up. Recognizing the voice as Suma's, he and Makio dashed out of the bedroom and into the main room.

"Suma! What is it?" he asked, panicking.

"Hina-chan, what happened?" Makio matched his tone. Suma faced them with tears in her eyes.

"Tengen-sama, look!"

From behind her she pulled out a child.  A girl about eight years of age with deep midnight blue hair and blazing red crimson eyes. Her clothes were tattered, her hair was a mess and she was barefoot, covered form head to toe in sweat, grime and soot.

"Tengen-sama, forgive us," Hinatsuru spoke. "But we found her on the street. She has no family and no home. We just couldn't leave her!"

"Tengen-sama, just look how cute she is!" Suma then added. "To think such a cute child could be homeless and an orphan, it makes me wanna cry!"

Soon, Makio went to their side and crouched by the child. "Tengen-sama, you know the orphanages are full and aren't very good either way. She'd be better off in our care."

The three wives looked at the Sound Pillar with pleading eyes. It took a moment for the man to look the girl up and down. He could've sworn he'd seen the set of hair and eyes somewhere before. Finally, he smiled.

"Do you have a name, little one?" She shied behind Hinatsuru before answering.

"S-Setsuko."

"Setsuko," Tengen repeated. "What a flamboyant name!" he beamed. 

"Do you know your family name?" Makio then asked.

"Mizuki. I'm Mizuki Setsuko," the child replied.

The eyes of Tengen and his three wives widened drastically. Mizuki. He knew he recognized those features! Blue hair and red eyes were looks belonging strictly only to members of the royal family of the Shinobi clan, Mizuki.

"You're part of the Mizuki clan!?" Suma exclaimed, excitedly.

"She's most likely the last member," Makio said. "The Mizuki Clan was wiped out quite some time ago."

Tengen seemed unfazed. "How old are you, Setsuko?" 

"Eight."

"Meaning you should be about quarter way through your Shinobi training," the Pillar mumbled to himself.

"Tengen-sama, please let us raise her!" Suma begged.

"We're all too busy to have children of our own so why not?" Makio added.

"And its not like we can just leave her," Hinatsuru ended.

"Please Tengen-sama!"

Tengen could rarely find it in his heart to deny one of his wives. But all three of them begging for one thing!? Taking care of a child was a big responsiblity that could possibly hinder his job as a Hashira. But Makio, Suma and Hinatsuru were three of the most caring people he knew. SO how could he possibly say no!?

"Alright!" he beamed. "Let's raise the most flamboyant child ever!!"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Immediately, Setsuko was bathed and cleaned up by Makio, dressed in a pretty pink kimono with her hair tied up by Suma and fed a warm, loving home cooked meal by Hinatsuru. 

"Setsuko-chan, how is it?" Hinatsuru asked.

"It's delicious. Thank you, Hina-sama," Setsuko politely thanked.

Hinatsuru blushed. "No need to use 'sama' on me, we're family now after all."

"Setsuko-chan~," Suma sang. "Do you like your kimono?" 

The child nodded. "It's very pretty. Thank you for lending it to me."

"Even at such a young age you're so humble and full of respect," Makio praised, ruffling her midnight blue locks.

"My mother taught me to always respect those who are kind to me," said Setsuko.

"Your mother," Tengen joined the conversation. "Was she Mizuki Haruko?"

"Yes, yes she was. Kaa-san was the best Shinobi of her time. I could only dream of being like her," Setsuko breathed dreamily.

"Do you still wanna continue your Shinobi training?" Makio then asked. Setsuko shook her head.

"No, it would remind me too much of my lost clan."

"I see."

"I know!" Suma exclaimed. "It would be a shame to put all that Shinobi training to waste so Tengen-sama! Why don't we train her to be a Demon Slayer? Just like you!"

"She could become your Tsuguko,"Hinatsuru agreed.

"Tsuguko? Demon Slayer? What's that?" Setsuko was confused.

"Only the most flamboyant job there is!"

Tengen went on to explain the job and Setsuko was getting more and more intrigued. "It sounds dangerous," she voiced.

"It is," the Pillar clarified. "You could very well lose your life on the job. I understand if you don't want to..." Tengen trailed of when he looked at the girl.

Setsuko's eyes were glimmering with excitement. As if the fact that she could die on the job was thrilling to her. Riveting. "It sounds amazing!" she exclaimed. "Its scary but that's what makes it so cool! So fun! So... so..." she looked for the word.

The Sound Pillar smirked. "So flamboyant?" 

"Yeah! That!" Setsuko beamed. 

"You're the god of festivals aren't you, Tengen-sama?" Suma smiled. "She can be the princess!"

"The princess of festivals alongside the god of festivals and his beautiful queens." Tengen mumbled. "I like the sound of that!"

"I can be a princess who fights demons?" Setsuko couldn't look more happy.

"Can be? You already are, Setsuko-chan!" Makio beamed.

"Well that settles it then!" Tengen announced. " From now on Mizuki Setsuko will be the flamboyant Tsuguko of the Sound Pillar!"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

~✨Blu<3✨~