Leyona was finding the floor very interesting.

What type of wood is this? She wondered, anything to distract from the pair of eyes currently boring into her skull. Aya didn't have the same problem as Leyona, instead she stared at Kanao head on. Had Aya never been in trouble before?

"Why where you two in there?" Kanao broke the loud silence that had settled over the room. It was quiet for a few moments, before Aya answered with the most stupidest and bravest thing Leyona had ever seen. "Who was Shinobu Kocho?" She asked. Leyona heard a sharp intake of breath from Kanao, giving her enough courage to raise her head just a tiny bit.

Kanao's eyes were cloudy, as remembering something from long ago. "I'd think she'd be a sister, but her last name is different from yours. Was she married or something?"

Yeah, Aya wasn't brave, or stupid. She was insane.

"Aya quit it." Leyona hissed, nudging her. Aya blinked at her. 

"It's an honest question!" Leyona shook her head, then waved her hand towards Kanao. "You probably triggered something, you dumbass." Aya looked at Kanao, then winced, murmuring an apology, although Leyona would be lying if she was curious who Shinobu Kocho was to her master. The two where silent, until Kanao snapped out of whatever trance she was in.

"Yes, she was my sister. No, she not married, and no, we're not blood related." The woman added that after she saw Aya's mouth open to ask a question. "I think it's better just to show you." Before the girls could get an answer to whatever that meant, Kanao was out the door and into the courtyard.

It was dark, probably because it was two in the morning and the sun had yet to rise. The garden seemed....different at night, everything wasn't washed with bright colours and no butterflies where flitting around, which Leyona was grateful for, albeit a bit nervous for how dark and quiet it was. Aya, noticing this, slipped her hand into Leyona's hand.

Leyona nearly died.

Kanao went around the estate, and Leyona briefly wondered if she was going to kill them, before they came to another building. This one was separate from the estate, not as large but still pretty big. It reminded Leyona of her old house.

Kanao opened the door, and the group of three entered, respectfully taking off their sandals. Aya wanted to ask about a million questions, but one look at Leyona quieted her in a second.

The room was lit by candles, each surrounding a painted picture of a person. Pieces of cloth that linked to their colour scheme covered the tables, and the room over all had a very sad feel to it.

"Kanao....if you don't mind me asking..." Leyona nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of her friend speaking, she had gotten so used to silence she hadn't been expecting the sound of someone's voice. "Who are these people?"

Kanao was quiet, then sighed. "These where the past Hashira, plus the leader before Oyakatma-sama." This sunk into the two. Kanao had told them about Hashira a little while ago, and then Aoi chimed in and said that they were grateful to work under one. This caused a existential crisis for Aya, because how could someone be that strong? Leyona was fine, she already knew about the Hashira from her father. 

So the fact that eight of them had died, apparently all around the same time, struck fear into the students. How powerful could demons be if they had killed Hashira? How powerful was Muzan for that matter?

"The most powerful was the Stone Hashira." Kanao said, walking over to a picture of man with short black hair and entirely white eyes, respectfully bowing her head. "The weakest was..." One look towards a picture of Shinobu told the two students everything they needed to know.

Well hell. I insulted a dead person. Thought Leyona, wincing. "If you don't mind me asking....how did they die?" Aya asked in a low voice, getting an elbow in the gut by Leyona.

"Aya what the fuck. We don't need to press her like this." She snapped, earning a squeak from her friend. "No, no. It's alright." Kanao said with a sigh. "Come here. I'll tell you a story."

"Nine hashira's stood tall and strong, the very people supporting the corp. People could only dream of being like them, some could, others not. However, their fates where written in stone.

Stone, love, and snake fell to the King.

The fire burned out when faced with the Third Moon

A small insect was crushed by the Second

Mist dissipated into the sky when the First Moon rose

Wind and water succumbed to their curse

The hashira today could not compare to them, even the most skilled of them."

Leyona stared at Kanao, hooked at every word. Aya looked unsettled, nervousness settling in when she heard the last part. "Is it true that the new hashira don't live up to the old ones?" Leyona was curious about that as well. "Yeah...is it?"

Kanao looked the two of them dead in eyes, and said words that they were dreading to hear. 

"No. Not even close."

The two went to bed that night absolutely dumbfounded and silent. If the new hashira weren't as good as the old, then what about them? Where the new slayers even good enough to take down demons? What about the new Upper Moons? There had to be new ones, Muzan wouldn't just go without them, and they were probably stranger than the last.

"Hey Leyona?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's work twice as hard, so we'll be just like the hashira."

Leyona chuckled. "As if we'll ever be as good as them, but sure, let's do that."

"Good."

Both didn't sleep soundly that night, however. All they could think of was how the hell they would ever become like the previous hashira, and if so, would they even be able to take down Upper Moons? The previous had died, for Kami's sake. The possibility of them facing one and living was outlandish, pure fantasy.

Or was it?

Shattered Legacy Secret

Maaya has gone off for Final Selection, and apparently she's doing quite well! She's killed many of the demons in that wisteria cage, which is impressive.

Hello! Hope you enjoyed. I will no longer be able to upload two to three chapters a day, and I am very sorry. Home problems and stuff, I don't wanna talk about it. However, I'll try to get one out everyday. Have a nice rest of your day!