A Double Edged Sword (Discontinued)

Chapter XII

"Tanjiro, whose this?" I ask as I catch up with him on the path.

I see he's with a yellow-haired boy that has an orange haori with white triangles on it.

"Why didn't you tell me you're traveling with a girl?" the boy shouts.

"Tsukiko, this is Zenitsu," Tanjiro tells me.

"Nice to meet you Zenitsu."

"Tanjiro."

"Yes?"

"I killed Upper Moon Five," I say as we continue on our way. As I'm walking, I don't feel them following so I turn around. "What are you guys waiting for? Don't we have to go kill a demon? Come on!"

"Doesn't that mean you're Hashira level?" Tanjiro asks catching up to me.

"Yup."

As we go through the forest, we come upon a building. There's a strong scent of blood but instead of metallic, it's different. Not a scent I've smelled before.

"I smell blood, but it's different. I've never smelled blood like this before," Tanjiro says.

"You can smell blood? I can't smell anything but there's sound coming from all over," Zenitsu says.

"There are children over there," I point out to Tanjiro.

"What's going on with them? Why are they this close to a demon?" he asks.

I walk over to them and crouch down. Tanjiro follows me, also crouching down. "What are you two doing here?"

"It's dangerous to be here right now," Tanjiro adds after me.

They seem to have been through quite a shock, Tanjiro thinks.

"Tada! A sparrow in my palm!" Tanjiro says as a sparrow flies into his hand. "Cute, right?"

I place my palm on the soil and think of the wisteria tree I fell asleep under, growing wisteria branches into a small flower crown and then some wisteria on its own. Plucking the crown from the branches and the wisteria. "Here," I say handing the flower crown to the girl and the two singular wisteria blooms to the boy. "Do you like it?"

The kids nod and Tanjiro asks, "What happened? Is that house yours?"

"No. It's not. It's the home of the monster. While we were traveling at night, our older brother was captured. The monster came and took our brother, ignoring us," the boy explained.

"The monster entered that house over there?" I ask.

"Yes," the boy says and starts to cry.

"So the two of you followed it here? That's impressive," Tanjiro says.

"You guys are strong," I add.

"We were following our brother's blood trail. He's hurt."

"Don't worry," Tanjiro and I both say at the same time. "We'll defeat the monster and rescue your brother."

"Do you really mean it?" the girl asks.

"Yes. Don't worry," Tanjiro says.

"If you keep that wisteria on you, it'll help protect you from the monster," I say.

"Tanjiro, Tsukiko. What is that sound? It's really uncomfortable. It keeps on ringing. Is that a drum?" Zenitsu asks.

A door opens on one of the balconies and a person is thrown out of it.

"Tanjiro, cover their eyes!" I shout as I rush forward catching the guy in my arms. "Are you alright?"

"I-I finally got outside. Am I going to die?" the guy asks and then he goes limp.