It had been a week since (Y/n) started training the students. And to put it plain, if you didn't talk to her you would think... well that she had a bit of satan in her soul. Or that she was satan herself, but her training payed off.
Sabito managed to jump in the branch and balance, not just jump and hope for the best. Plus he could jump from branch to branch, making it easier to get around.
Giyu managed to figure out how to swim, and go against the current, without looking like a dying fish.
Makomo could set up the traps in 1 hour and even lift Hageshi up.
(Y/n) was truly proud of them, but didn't know how to express it, so she got an idea.
"If you guys hadn't noticed, Hageshi has been gone all day." (Y/n) chimed. They were sitting eating a dinner she'd prepared for them. "He'll be back soon, and I'll have something to give you three. And I hear you three will be going to final selection?" The three students looked up from their food, and looked at (Y/n). She wasn't wearing her mask, but her hair covered her eye again. And of course, what's (Y/n) without her omnipresent blank smile?
"Yes, we're going to slice the boulders tomorrow." Sabito said puffing our his chest proudly.
Makomo laughed at this, "Yes, and when we come back from Final Selection, we will be full fledged Demon Slayers. And eventually we will be at your level!" Makomo cheered. (Y/n) felt a weird feeling in her stomach, but brushed it off.
"Hey (Y/n)?" Giyu said lowly. She could tell he was nervous about something.
"Yes?" She quipped.
"Why... why did you go so hard on us during training?" Giyu mumbled. (Y/n) heard him loud and clear, but looked down. Her hair making it look like there was a curtain around her head.
"My reasons are selfish." She said harshly. They were taken aback by her tone, she'd never spoken to them like that. She looked up and her eye showed unadulterated anger, and frustration. Though they saw threw it and saw her eyes were showing pure pain and agony. She took a deep breath and closer eyes for a second, when she reopened them her eyes were like a dolls eyes. Blank, dead nothing shown in them, and her blank smile resumed. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Hageshi then came barreling in with his pouches full of stuff. "When you go to Final Selection, I shall give you my gifts." (Y/n) got up abruptly and they saw her eye dilate. She mumbled something incoherent, they couldn't hear what she said.
"I need to go, I'll leave Hageshi here with you guys." (Y/n) abruptly left the hut, before they could ask questions. They were kind of weirded out by it, but just thought it has to do with her job as a hashira, and shrugged it off...
If only they followed her that night...
(Timeskip to morning)
They woke up at the crack of dawn, surprised to see (Y/n) beat up on the floor. Her head had a huge gash, and her ankle was bent in a way it definitely shouldn't.
"(Y/N)!" Makomo called rushing to her side. When she felt her pulse, she gasped.
"Hey guys-
"Hey everyone!" (Y/n) said snapping awake, Makomo looked mortified at this. (Y/n) got up like nothing happened, and walked over to the fire pit, walking like her ankle wasn't broken. "Is something wrong Makomo?"
"B-but y-you just-
"Don't worry about it, I'm fine." (Y/n) said with her blank smile. "Though I'm afraid today is the last day I shall be spending with you all. I must leave and return as a hashira, I've been gone for far too long. Plus I got a new mission, it is a cabin in the woods, rumored to be being targeted. Maybe it's cause they're twins in the cabin..." (Y/n) trailed off. "But I shall be here when you slice the boulders." They were very sad that (Y/n) would be gone, plus since she was a hashira/co-leader, she wouldn't talk to mear regular slayers. She has other things to deal with. "Well best get in with it." They all nodded stood up, and grabbed their katanas.
"Wait (Y/n), what about your injuries?" Sabito inquired.
"What injuries?" (Y/n) wondered. They looked at her and the gash in her head was gone, along with her ankle. She looked like nothing had happened to her the night before.
"B-but yup w-were j-just-
"Let's go." (Y/n) said cutting him short.
(Timeskip)
They reached the boulders and they were getting ready to slice them. Seeing how effortlessly she'd done it the night before, only motivated them to get stronger.
"Total Concentration, Water Breathing, First Form, Water Surface Slash!" They all said at the same time. And sure enough they sliced through the boulder like it was butter.
For once (Y/n) had a glimmer of happiness in her eyes and congratulated them.
"Good job, now you must go to final selection, and become the best demon slayers you can become." (Y/n) said reverting back to the blank smile. Though they enjoyed the genuine smile while it was there. "And it's time for me to give you your gifts." (Y/n) whistled and Hageshi came running, she bent down and grabbed three things from his bag. She gave each of them one, and when they opened it, it was fox warding masks like hers. Each one of the masks are unique to each of them.
"Thank you (Y/n)-sama, we've enjoyed our time with you." Sabito said with a kind smile.
"Yes thank you for helping us improve, and get that much stronger." Makomo added in.
"Yes and putting up with our antics for a week." Giyu chuckled. What (Y/n) did next totally surprised them, she walked over to them, pulling them into a tight hug. (Y/n) didn't know why she'd done it, but she remembered something in her past, that compelled her to do it. The three students of course hugged back, happy that she'd done this. Plus the burning feeling on their faces, only made them nuzzle her cold neck.
"Remember me, and one day I guarantee we shall meet again." (Y/n) said with her blank smile, "But I'm afraid my mission can't wait any longer. I bid you all a good luck in final selection." (Y/n) bowed her head in acknowledgment to them. They all kneeled to her, feeling a weird feeling, not a bad feeling, but comfort in her presence. When they looked up (Y/n) was no longer there, but wisteria flowers where she used to stand.
"Hold out a bit longer, I'll be there soon."
