Suzaku Ōtori

**PS:** I do not have/cannot find an image suiting her as the role of a Phoenix Hashira in the Sengoku era is entirely made up by me. However, I still wanted to keep the tradition of having a Hashira representing an animal (like the Serpent Hashira of the Taishō Era).

## **Appearance:**

Imagine for me if you will: Suzaku was a young woman, with long braided black hair behind her back that faded into vermillion at the halfway point, and on the right side of her head was a hairpin with bird feathers. She had round, orange eyes with long eyelashes, a small beauty mark beneath each of them. She also had bangs of the same length covering her forehead.

Suzaku wore the standard Demon Slayer uniform of the Sengoku Era. She wore a crimson-colored thigh-length cloak with a Phoenix pattern over her uniform. The two tips of the cloak on her chest were fastened by a gold-colored amulet, with two wings, a tail, and a red gemstone as its core. Her naginata was orange and vermillion in color.

## **Personality:**

Suzaku was a very emotional, passionate, and jovial individual who constantly complimented people in her head. Although she was rather shy and easily flustered, Suzaku was always kind to others, most notably towards the Thunder Hashira, whom she appeared to share a strong bond with. However, despite her gentle and seemingly innocent demeanor, Suzaku would show no mercy in the face of demons, instead expressing such sentiments with a fierce tone. She showcased a great amount of dedication to the Demon Slayers' cause.

## **Background:**

Suzaku was born into the wealthy Ōtori clan. Even as a child, she was stunningly beautiful, Japan's own Helen of Troy. Lord Ōtori bragged about her beauty. Many lords from far and wide wished for her to be married to their sons when she became of age. During her childhood, Suzaku became interested in studying a strange weapon, known as the Naginata. Originally used for cutting grass, this curious polearm has made its way to the battlefields of feudal Japan.

It was important to have allies in turbulent periods like the Sengoku Era. Lord Ōtori did have a good and reliable ally: their neighbor, the **Kaminari clan**. The two clans have been good friends with each other for generations, united by a common enemy: the devious and ambitious **Iguro clan** preyed on both of their lands. Yet they never succeeded due to the two's combined effort to thwart them. But this time, the Iguro clan had an ace up their sleeves.

This year, the Iguro clan attacked the Kaminari clan again. The Ōtori clan sent their reinforcements but still met defeat after defeat due to the tactical genius and valor of a new adversary: Michikatsu Tsugikuni, 16 years old at the time. The Iguro clan got the Tsugikuni clan on their side with the promise to split the spoils of war equally. For safety purposes, Lord Kaminari sent his second son, a boy named **Shin Kaminari** **(神鳴 進)** to temporarily reside at the Ōtori estate, which was further away from the frontlines.

By this time, Suzaku was already 15 and would soon be of age. She was rather lonely as no one shared her age. So, as a kind of favor for letting him reside there, lord Ōtori asked Shin, who was also conveniently 15 at the time, to accompany her. When Suzaku finally saw someone her age, she immediately spilled her guts out to him and told him about her problems, her worries, took him out on trips, etc. Unfortunately, Shin could not help but always act awkward and unnatural around her. But that mattered little to Suzaku, who just wished for someone to talk to and be with. As time passed, the pair developed a close relationship.

Unfortunately, that time would quickly come to a close. A year after Shin arrived, a letter addressed to him also arrived. Shin said nothing about its content, but judging from him turning pale after reading it, it was not good news. In the middle of the night, Shin prepared to leave. Suzaku arrived just in time to ask him why he was leaving. Shin did not say much, except that something terrible has happened to his clan and he must return home at once. He gave Suzaku a gold-colored amulet and asked her to hold onto it for him. He left after that. Suzaku did not hear from him again, nor did her father from the Kaminari clan.

As Suzaku became of age, her father found her a worthy fiancee. The day of marriage was nearing, but that was cut short. While out on a trip, the pair was attacked by a demon. Suzaku's fiancee sacrificed his life for her to run, but she could not do anything. Just then, a demon slayer arrived and swiftly dealt with the demon. After some encouraging words to Suzaku, he quickly left the scene. Suzaku asked around if anyone knew this demon slayer. An old man told her that he knew someone who looked exactly like him but was much older. His name was "Rengoku." Suzaku decided to look for this "Rengoku."

After days of traveling and going in circles, Suzaku finally arrived at a grand mansion that had the name "Rengoku" carved into its gate. After she knocked, someone looking exactly like "Rengoku" but much younger opened up. Suzaku almost mistook him for the "Rengoku" she was looking for, upon which the younger "Rengoku" said that that was his older brother, Enjūro Rengoku. He was called **"Kenjuro Rengoku" (煉獄 健寿郎)**, Enjūro's younger brother. Kenjuro told Suzaku that his brother was away on a mission but should be returning this evening. Suzaku decided to wait for him. When she asked why Kenjuro was no demon slayer, Kenjuro told her that he was a failure in that area. To still do his part, he made it his sacred duty to keep the Rengoku mansion in perfect condition when his brother is away (aka he is Rengoku's housekeeper and janitor).

Enjūro finally returned in the evening and was met with a familiar face. Suzaku greatly admired Enjūro and told him that she wanted to save people too: even though she was great with a naginata, that was still out of the question for a girl about to get married. But now, that window was open again. Enjūro liked her attitude and decided to train her himself.

Not too long after they started, both of them were summoned to the Demon Slayer HQ, where Yoriichi Tsugikuni was demonstrating his breathing techniques at the request of Hideyoshi Ubayashiki (the Oyakata-sama). Yoriichi then began teaching his breathing style to other demon slayers. Yoriichi taught both Enjūro and Suzaku a modified style that focused on extremely powerful singular strikes that 'burn' their opponents, with most attacks being initiated from a high stance. Suzaku modified the Flame Breathing style further into a style that fitted her naginata: her style was quite stamina-draining. But in return, every powerful strike after strike create a devastating combo, looking like a deadly dance. Suzaku named it after the flaming bird on her

clothing. Thus, Phoenix Breathing was born.

When Suzaku was appointed Phoenix Hashira, she was surprised to find Shin Kaminari also amongst the Hashira. To be explained in Thunder Hashira headcanon.

## **Trivia:**

* Suzaku's surname contains the kanji for "Chinese Phoenix" (鳳 *ōtori*). Her first name contains "vermillion" (朱 *su*) and "sparrow" (雀 *zaku*).
* Suzaku used the amulet Shin gave her to fasten her cloak.
* Suzaku's trainer was Enjūro, and Phoenix Breathing was derived from Flame Breathing.
* Suzaku got along quite well with Yuri Hanae, the flower Hashira, being the first two female Hashira in history.
* Suzaku owned a sparrow.
* As the naginata had no sheath, she covered it with cloth and carried it on her back.

## Suzaku viewed the other Hashira as follows:

* *"She is super kind! She always makes time for me when I visit her despite being busy. Her medicinal skills are amazing!"* - about the Flower Hashira.
* *"He is very reserved and mysterious, that makes him cute!"* - about the Shadow Hashira.
* *"He is a wonderful person! We had a good amount of history together. I do feel bad about his awkward and unnatural behavior around girls."* - about the Thunder Hashira.
* *"He is gigantic, strong, but gentle!"* - about the Stone Hashira.
* *"He is a good friend of Yuri. He just looks adorable!"* - about the |Water Hashira.
* *"He is like an older brother to me! What fun we had training with each other!"* - about the Flame Hashira.
* *"His youthful forgetfulness makes him adorable!"* - about the Mist Hashira.
* *"He is angry all the time, but his stoic side is very charming!"* - about the Wind Hashira.
* *"Both of them are so handsome and cute!"* - about Michikatsu and Yoriichi.
* "He is a wannabe Enjuro,but he always fails at being one"- about K