Casin glanced around the forest.

Nothing. No sign of Leyona anywhere.

"Her crow said she here." Came Michiko's voice from his left, and Casin sighed. 

"Maybe it was wrong?"

"Maybe it wasn't."

That caused some silence between the two, Casin going back to scanning the undergrowth, and Michiko doing.....whatever Michiko was doing.

Casin spoke up again. "You don't think she's.....y'know, dead right?" Michiko snorted, shaking her head. "Aren't you supposed to be the optimistic one here? And no, I don't think so." The red-eyed girl looked away, into the woods.

"She's far too stubborn for that. In fact, she'd probably hit Kami in the face and force herself to go back to life if that meant killing the demon."

Casin chuckled, a smile on his face. "Yeah, probably. Hit me pretty good."

Michiko shook her head, glancing downwards to hide a small smile.

A twig snapped, and both of the Hashira's heads whipped around, noticing a demonic presence at the exact same moment.

A slightly short woman stood there, in a simple black shirt and pants. Her hair and eyes were entirely black, only the pupils being snow white. Her skin was covered in dark grey gear like markings, and Casin swore he saw recognition flicker in her eyes.

Her eyes.

They held the kanji of '6' in them, both of them.

He shot a quick look at Michiko, who nodded slightly.

They both knew who she was.

And by the looks of it, so did Upper Moon Six.

"Stupid fucking plants! Why did you have to exist?!" Leyona hit another branch, only for it to smack her right back in the face. She sucked in a breath of air at the pain, gripping her face and rubbing it.

"Stupid tree." She said, glaring at the tree branch, knowing it wouldn't do anything. "I'll be back for you."

The slayer probably wouldn't, but it was a nice thought to think about.

Currently, Leyona was tracking Upper Six, for reasons that even she herself didn't know about. The difficult part was that the Upper Moon had left absolutely no trail. No broken branches, no trampled grass, nothing.

Leyona could feel her temper flaring, and she felt the sudden urge to stab something. Preferably Upper Six.

Bursting into a random clearing with her sword drawn, seeing two Hashira she had seen a year and couple months ago-wow it had been a long time-fighting Upper Moon Six. It was clear that these two  where skilled, far more skilled that Leyona and Aya could ever be.

Far more powerful that Leyona was. Her and Aya's past was dirt in the wind now, she wouldn't dwell on it.

"Flame Breathing, First Form! Unknowing Fire!"

Yeah, Leyona might be strong-willed and rather angry at Upper Six, but as she watched Michiko's blade curve into the air and land a heavy blow on Six, she knew that it was probably wise to  stay where she was.

But that had happened with Maaya, and now Maaya might be dead and the corps was down two Hashira and oh Kami she couldn't let that happen again

So, Leyona made a decision.

A possibly stupid, deadly decision, that may have changed her life forever.

Leyona charged at the demon.

"Paper Breathing, first form! Papercut!" 

Toru wasn't sure where the third slayer had come from, but regardless this was bad.

Very, very bad.

The two Hashira were  impossible to keep up with, she barely held up against them even with her Blood Demon Art.

Slamming a coil of metal into the Flame Hashira's chest,  sending her flying, Toru screeched at the third slayer, and she only attacked again, barely flinching.

"Paper Breathing-" A sharp punch to the face cut the slayer off, sending her reeling backwards. 

Toru turned to Casin, who angled his sword.

"Oh, Casin. I see you've ran off with the slayers."

Casin was beyond confused. He was confused, angry, and terrified.

How on earth did this demon know his name? Did Michiko accidentally say it?

No, no, his friend had been quiet the entire time, only speaking when preforming her Breathing Style.

Casin squared his shoulders, ready to kill the demon, knowing his name or not.

"Casin, don't  you remember me?" And the she flashed a ring.

The Ice Hashira paled.

It was carved out of silver, a simple  band with her initials on it. TT

He had given it to his fiancé, Toru, three years ago.... 

The blond boy fidgeted with the box in his hands, smiling nervously at his beloved.

They had been in a relationship for a long while, and friends for even longer. Talking had always been easy between them, except for when they had first become a thing. Toru had denied his request to be married  then, instead choosing to still live in her household, but go out with him whenever they could.

Kita and Hanako rolled their  eyes the first week they had been a couple, but Casin didn't mind.

"So,  why did you take me to a restaurant that is far out of your budget, then take me on a boat ride, and then sit her, under the full mo-"

"Will you marry me?" Casin didn't mean to interrupt, but he was nervous and sweating buckets right now, and didn't know what to do.

Now he was on one knee, with a box holding a ring.

"Er, sorry, I just-"

"Yes!" Toru practically lunged at him, wrapping her arms around him and laughing breathlessly. "Yes yes I will!"

Casin was still in shock, until he saw Kita's light orange hair sticking out from a bush. Hanako was behind her, giving him a thumbs up and grinning wildly.

They must have told her beforehand.

Casin was annoyed with the two cousins, but he would deal with them later. For now,  he was the happiest man on earth.

Casin was the most miserable man on earth.

His hands shook, his eyes where wide with shock. Suddenly, he saw the resemblance, Toru still had her dark hair, the freckles across her cheeks and nose, and the way that she stood with such power yet out of sight at the same time.

He couldn't speak, Casin's mouth was dry, and he could faintly see Michiko getting up, and Leyona searching for her sword  in the surrounding shrubbery.

"Don't." He said, gripping his  sword.

"This fight is between me and Toru alone."

Shattered Legacy Secret

Casin is Muichiro's cousin.  Their mothers where sisters.

I published this during Geography class today. Anyways, hiatus is off for THSL!