Among The Underway Shooting Stars [KNY x BNHA]

Chapter 04

"Hmm, yum!"

Nezuko happily waved her legs back and forth as she drank a sweet drink. Toshinori rubbed his aching shoulders tiredly. He's going old alright.

"I should inform the principal..."

His thoughts went to the Hero Public Safety Commission but then shook his head. He still doesn't know this girl's origin and has let Tsukauchi do the work. He felt bad for pouring another responsibility to him but he currently has not many people to rely on.

He turns his head to the smiling girl who he doesn't know the name of. The said girl turned to him gave a toothful grin and waved her drink to him as if beckoning him to have some with her. He sighed and smiled as he ruffled her hair gently.

She giggled, going back to her drink while humming.

"Who would leave such a sweet young child alone?"

He mumbles sadly, going back to his phone to contact Nezu about his discovery.

———

"Tanjirooooo~ There are weird and strange sounds I'm picking up every since we arrived here that I'm not familiar with~ this is so scary!!"

Zenitsu whined as he clung to Tanjiro's arm. Tanjiro softly chuckled as he spoke words of reassurance. He helplessly towards Inosuke's direction where he finds he stomping on strange devices that are lying around, cackling.

"Inosuke! Stay by us so we won't get separated!!"

"Hah??! How dare you order me around??!!"

"Inosuke... Lower your tone a bit..."

Inosuke huffed from his boat mask's nostrils and kicked the rubbles that were full of clouds of dust. He glared at it intently before kicking it off even harder making the rubbles that are fully metal fly off.

Tanjiro sighed in relief as he stroked Zenitsu's hair. They need to find residents to at least get a gist of the idea of where they are.

"Zenitsu. I'm sorry, but can you help me up?"

Zenitsu stopped crying and stared at Tanjiro blankly. Tanjiro nervously scratched his cheek and glanced away feeling cold sweet on the back of his neck. He felt himself pulled and looked up in surprise to see Zenitsu trying to pull him up.

Seeing Tanjiro's expression, he raised an eyebrow in question.

"Why are you so surprised? Of course, I will help you. But you also need to help me by holding half your weight on your own. I'm weak after all and you are the one who is supposed to protect me!"

Tanjiro's eyes softened as he picked himself up with Zenitsu's help. He brought his arm around Zenitsu's shoulder as they started to balance each other out and started walking.

Inosuke stood behind them watching their interaction all play out. He narrowed his eyes and snorted as he bolted under Tanjiro's other arm yelling that he wanted to do it as well. Zenitsu scolded and glared at him while Tanjiro softly chuckled at their helpful doings.

A sudden rustle and soft footsteps followed by something being dragged rang in Zenitsu's sensitive ears. While helping Tanjiro up on his right side, he couldn't help but glance back at where exactly the source came from.

"What's wrong?"

"Uhhh... Tanjiro, can you smell out who or what is being dragged towards us?"

"Towards us?"

He halted making Inosuke stop from nearly tripping and falling on his face and Zenitsu who already slowed his steps stopped as well.

Tanjiro gently sniffed as he glanced behind him. He quickly senses a smell but he isn't sure if it is a human or a demon. The smell itself smelled nothing he smelled before. But if he would have to pick which the smell is the closest to...

"Humans..."

Zenitsu widened his eyes and sighed in relief once he got Tanjiro's confirmation. Inosuke tilted his head and snorted, staring at the source from afar that was truly coming towards them. But there was something he couldn't help but feel...

He felt his skin perk as he looked in front of him. There he could see what looked like an impact, drabbles of stones were all over lying on the floor. He was impressed at who made this huge crater but then something attracted him even more.

It was a big building even bigger than Shinobu's Butterfly Mansion.

He looked at Tanjiro who was busy spectating with Zenitsu somewhere and then at the building that was eager to be explored. He jumped up and down, shuffled his feet, and leaned toward the direction of the building.

Feeling Insoke moving back and forth distracts Tanjiro and turns his attention to the exciting boar. He raised an eyebrow and looked at where he lay his sight. It was a dark and eerie building along with a crater that had been stuck by something inhumane right in front of it.

He tightened his hold around Inosuke's neck making him grumble and glare at him. He knows how reckless he is and he can't have him run off in an unfamiliar area with no way to know how to contact headquarters with their crows. Even Zenitsu's sparrow wasn't with them.

And with Zenitsu already having a hard time and nearly getting a heart attack, he needs to steal himself and be the one responsible. He used to this. After all, he's the eldest son.

He suddenly senses the smell of apparently he would guess humans even closer than before. So while even if Inosuke is on his left side when his injured leg is, he needs to hold him back and face whatever will come to them.

"Tanjiro... Tanjiro..."

'I know, Zenitsu. I know.'

Tanjiro bit his lips, having his thoughts to himself as he cautiously scanned what was coming. Two silhouettes slowly appeared to be two women. Humans, thankfully it was as he guessed.

As they got closer, he faintly sensed their emotions.

One held curiosity and surprise.

The other held suspiciousness and malice.

As Tanjiro held onto Inosuke and Zenitsu held onto Tanjiro so he wouldn't fall, he noticed that the two weren't similar. Both women seemed to be similar in age one with distant features like all his fellow countrymen he met through his mission but the other had foreign traits including her sharp golden pupils.

Noticing that, his posture sharpened making him wince in pain as he stood to forcefully on his leg. Seeing Tanjiro in that state, Inosuke halted in his struggle and gripped Tanjiro and Zenitsu doing the same but making him even more stable in his stance.

As the women finally arrive in front of them. The one with foreign and animal features hissed as she seized the boys up and down.

"What are three teenagers doing alone on the ground that the police clearly stated that no one was to come at? Especially with an injured one?"

AKS