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The first time Sakonji met Tomioka Giyuu, the boy was in some kind of terrible trance, repeatedly crushing demons under his feet with bloodied boulder.
Sakonji was no stranger to carnage, he also quite often encounters victims who are enraged by demons attacking their loved ones. Some demons were weak enough to be harmed by an angry normal human, and were usually burned by the morning sun or cut down by a assigned slayer.
But the anger coming from Tomioka Giyuu was too thick till it made Sakonji sick.
His instincts screamed to run, run, and run because the anger coming from Giyuu smelled so horrible untill his nose hurt. But Sakonji also smelled frustration and tears, and God, he could never leave a child in need of help.
Sakonji swears he saw red when Giyuu looked into his eyes, but it disappeared as fast as lightning. Sakonji calmly explains how to kill a demon and wasn't surprised when Giyuu asked for his sword.
The kid had potential, even if his slashes are rough and jagged on the edges. He still had an odd composure for his age, for what he had just experienced.
He had even properly requested that Sakonji train him, and who was Sakonji to refuse deep blue eyes filled with determination?
At least Sabito was able to soften the anger in Giyuu's blue eyes. Sakonji was allowed to see a more childish side of the boy. How he loves cats so much and likes to sleep under the sunlight. How he often rolled his eyes at Sabito's jokes but would not think twice about joining in on pranks and traps.
Sakonji also saw how Tomioka Giyuu had excellent talent. He was a monster in hand-to-hand combat, and a master in combat when the sword is in his hand. The Breath of Water flowed in his motions as smooth as water, calm and deadly. His composure in battle, even in the most pressing circumstances, was a great strength that makes that teenager terrifying than other.
Sakonji was not surprised when Giyuu killed the demon that killed his children before, becoming the only remaining Urokodaki's apprentices from the Final Selection. If Giyuu's anger when his sister was killed by a demon reeked of raging waves and blood, Giyuu's anger over Sabito's death smelled like rain in the middle of a massacre.
Sakonji would not allow his remaining student to sink into grief and revenge.
Fortunately, Giyuu still has control over himself. He directed his anger to become stronger in order to protect, created a beautiful eleventh form that made Sakonji cry a river, and became a Hashira just two years after his graduation in the Final Selection. He was a student that Sakonji was proud to had trained him.
He also occasionally gave Sakonji headaches and questioned his sanity.
"Giyuu, what?"
Giyuu shrugged his shoulders, lazily pushing the burgundy haired boy he brought along with box with the brand new devil scent.
"I bring a student for you, Sensei."
"You also bring a demon."
"Introduce yourself, Kid." Giyuu completely ignored Urokodaki's words.
"Huh? Oh! Hello Urokodaki-san! My name is Kamado Tanjiro and my sister Nezuko is in the box." Kamado Tanjiro bowed exaggeratedly, then raised his head and looked uncertain. "My sister just turned into a demon and she, um, hasn't eaten anyone yet, and will never. Are you going to kill her?"
Sakonji will take care of Tanjiro and his sister later. He turned to Giyuu, made sure that he was showing all the misery despite the tengu mask covering his face.
"Giyuu, is this one of your logical ruse?"
Giyuu really looked offended, as expressive as he could with his straight face. "Sensei, I would never did that to you."
"You did," Sakonji answered dryly. "You did that so many times 'till I have a hard time believing you."
"Right." Giyuu's face was as flat as a wall. "I did that sometimes."
"Giyuu," Sakonji was getting frustrated. "This isn't something you can make a joke of."
"This isn't a joke." Giyuu's attitude changed. His usual lazy posture turned serious. His blue eyes seemed to deepen and his scent smelled like determination and honesty. "Kamado Nezuko won't eat humans. If he ever did, Tanjirou and I would kill her and then kill ourselves. Do you want to join us, Sensei?"
Sakonji wasn't surprised that Tanjirou froze, an expression of disbelief because Giyuu talked about seppuku like he was talking about weather. And he asked Sakonji to join him like it was a family outing.
"Do you trust my judgment, Sensei?" Giyuu added, perhaps sympathizing with Sakonji's brain fuse starting to explode.
The thing was, Giyuu was almost never wrong with his judgement. Not when his blue eyes looked so sure and determined.
Sakonji felt like his hair was falling just thinking about what predicament they would face in the future. But for his apprentice? Sakonji will do anything.
"Fine." Sakonji gritted his teeth. "But you are the one who has to explain to Oyakata-sama."
"You know I'm terrible with the brush!"
Sakonji ignored him.
One day later, Ubuyashiki Kagaya received a letter from his favorite Water Pillar. Tomioka Giyuu never said much in his letters, claiming that he was bad with brush and ink. Because of that, it was a bit surprising that the letter this time was quite long, but its content completely astonished Kagaya.
Dear Oyakata-sama,
I hope you are healthy and safe.
I adopted a boy named Kamado Tanjirou, and his sister Nezuko who had just turned into a demon.
Nezuko won't eat humans, I'll risk my head for her. Tanjirou and Sensei also join the bet.
You said once that you hoped for a change in the Corps. Unfortunately, it may not come from me as you predicted. It came through Kamado Tanjirou and his sister, Nezuko.
Please trust my judgement, Oyakata-sama. Trust me like you always do.
I hope you will consider this letter before asking the Corps to hunt down my head. I prefer a quieter death.
If this letter doesn't convince you enough, then come to Sensei's house at the foot of Mount Sagiri or send a crow to me, I'll bring the children to the Manor and show the miracle you've been crave.
It's not a logical ruse, I promise.
Regards,
Tomioka Giyuu.
Your Favorite Water Hashira.