Chapter Text
PROLOGUE: THEN
The room is coated in a soft, hazy glow, washing over the two girls in shades of purple and gold. It smells faintly like perfume and freshly cut roses.
Kanae reaches out to tickle her younger sister’s stomach as Shinobu rolls to a stop beside her. Giggling, the younger girl pushes her away. “Stop it, stop it! I give in!”
Kanae gives her a sister a soft smile before turning away again. Strictly speaking, Shinobu isn’t supposed to be in here while Kanae is studying, but knowing her sister, she’d throw a tantrum if she wasn’t allowed in.
“Shin, I need to focus,” Kanae tells her warmly. “Final Selection is very soon.”
“Then lemme study with you!” Shinobu pops up beside her, blowing a strand of dark hair out of her face as she clambers into her big sister’s lap. “List all forms of Insect affinity— ew, insects!”
Kanae laughs and gently picks Shinobu off of her and places her back on the mat floor. “Insect means butterfly, dearest.”
“Oh! I like butterflies.” Shinobu rolls around and then sits up again. “But, big sis, why can’t I join you?”
Kanae closes her eyes for a moment. “Because it’s dangerous, my love, and we only need one Gatekeeper in this family.”
“But if it’s dangerous, then you should have me to protect you!” Shinobu argues. Kanae laughs.
“What’s so funny?” Shinobu pouts and reaches up to play with Kanae’s butterfly hairclips, a matching pink to her purple.
“Because that’s not how this works, silly!” She boops Shinobu’s nose. “I’m the older sister, so I protect you. Not the other way around!”
Shinobu clenches her small fists, eyes blazing. “But you’re too nice! I don’t want you to get hurt. I should be there fighting with you!”
“You can’t.” Kanae places a hand on Shinobu’s delicate head. “You are far too precious. I would rather you spend your years studying, attending university, becoming successful in a field of the arts, rather than perishing at an early age.”
But Shinobu’s eyes are glinting with that familiar stubbornness Kanae knows all too well.
“You can’t change my mind,” Shinobu says.
Kanae knows she can’t. “Very well.” She stands and extends her hand. “Come with me.”
They sneak out of the study and peak down the hall. Coast clear, the sisters creep hand in hand out the front door and onto the lawn. The stars are beginning to appear, the moon slowly waking from its slumber.
“Stars,” Shinobu says softly, eyes wide and reflecting the dazzling supernovas within.
“Mhm,” Kanae says. “You see, even if something happens to me, I’ll become one of those pretty specks in the sky, watching over you.” She goes to pat Shinobu’s head, but her little sister catches her wrist in a surprisingly strong grip.
“Nothing will happen to you,” Shinobu promises. “I won’t allow it. I’ll be right there, to protect you. I promise.”
Kanae is startled out of a response for a moment. “Then I guess our family will have to prepare itself to house two Hashira, then.” She breaks into a smile, and turns to face the house across the street.
“Sanemi! Genya! Come inside, boys, it’s getting dark!”
Sanemi kicks Genya towards the door. “Didn’t you hear her, brat? She said get inside. It’s dark.”
Genya wavers as he blinks up at his older brother. “But, aniki—”
“I ain’t repeating myself. Get the hell away from me.” He shoves the young boy towards the glass doors of the patio and makes his way into the front yard through the side gate.
Across the street, Kocho Kanae is staring up at the stars with her little sister Shinobu. While Shinobu is a few years older than his little brother Genya, Kanae is the same age as Sanemi. They'd met a few times when their parents pushed them to socialize with the neighborhood kids. When Kanae spots him, she waves her sister inside and meets his eyes. Despite the distance, he can clearly see her friendly smile as she waves a hand in greeting. He doesn’t reciprocate.
“Final selection is in a few days,” Kanae says in lieu of a hello. She doesn’t raise her voice much, but in the quiet evening, he can hear her well.
“I’ll be seeing you there,” Sanemi says evenly.
“How is your little brother? Genya, right?”
Sanemi grinds his teeth. “He’s a dumbass. Totally useless.”
“He won’t be becoming a Keeper of the Order?”
“Not a chance. He’s got nothing to bring to the table.” Sanemi folds his arms and stares at the ground.
“That’s a shame.” Kanae smiles sympathetically. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop Shinobu from joining in a few years. My flower affinity is already inferior to her insect affinity.” She taps her chin. “If I remember, you have a wind affinity, and your brother…?”
“He doesn’t have one,” Sanemi spits out.
“Ah.” Kanae blinks. “How unfortunate.”
Sanemi growls. “Yeah, no shit. Doesn’t matter, though. There’s no way I’ll let him try and join the Order.”
Kanae smiles again, and this time, it looks pitying. “Ah, but that’s the problem with being such a good older sibling, Sanemi. Our little ones can’t help but yearn to follow in our footsteps.”
He knows that. Better than she realizes.
Sanemi turns to go back inside, knowing he needs to keep an eye on his mother, but Kanae calls him back. “I’m going to be a Hashira.”
It’s not a question. She’s throwing out the statement like a gauntlet, knowing the process is well like a competition for the passionate Gatekeepers.
“Me too,” Sanemi says, swinging back around to face her.
Kanae’s smile is unsettling now. Her eyes express the glint of a challenge usually held by her younger sister, Shinobu. He can finally see the family resemblance.
“Then I’ll be seeing you on the other side.”