"𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞" - 𝙺𝙽𝚈 𝚡 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚎!𝙾𝚌

𝚃𝚠𝚘

{words: 3953}

"Excuse me. Would it be okay if I took that basket over there, some straw, and bamboo?"

"Sure!" The farmer shrugged, "You're welcome to it, but that baskets full of holes."

"Yes!" The boy cried, "I'll pay you for it." He dug into his pocket.

"Nah, thats alright. I mean, its a basket full of holes."

The young boy seemed offended, "No! I will pay you!"

The farmer shook his head with a nervous smile, "No, it's alright, you can have the straw and bamboo for free too." He chuckled.

"But I'm still paying you!" The hardheaded (pun intended) boy continued insisting.

"I said it's okay! You're one stubborn kid!" The farmer sweatdropped.

The boy harshly slapped a few coins into the farmers hand, grabbing everything quickly.

"Agh!" The farmer groveled in pain.

"Please accept this, even if it's just small change!"

The boy hurriedly runs off, waving at the man with a grateful smile, "Thank you very much!"

"Ow!"

{*}

"Nezuko? Huh?" The boy looked around, "Nezuko? Tsukumo?"

He looked into a cave and saw a hole dug in the middle of the dark cave, "Are they gone?!"

Nezuko popped her head up from the hole, as her brother let out a sigh of relief, and confusion.

"Oh! Where is Tsukumo?"

He popped up next to her.

"They dug a hole?"

He giggled.

"My little sister and big brother have turned into a mole, and Nezuko's sad! She must really not like the sunlight. Tsukumo seems as calm as ever."

He smiled, "Wait here Nezuko, Tsukumo."

Tsukumo nodded, "Uh, Tanjiro, you can't carry both me and Nezuko on your back. If you could find a large straw hat, I could make it outside until night falls."

Tanjiro nods firmly. The persistent boy weaved the straw and bamboo around the broken down basket, he pursed his lips as he was focused on protecting his sister. He weaved a large straw hat for his okie brother as well, hoping it would suffice.

"Nezuko? Do you think you can fit in this?"

"She can shrink, I think."

"Uh... er.. Nezuko, can you shrink?" Tanjiro asks.

Nezuko hummed, and smiled underneath the mask with her eyes closed happily, "Mm! Hmmm!!"

Both brothers heard a rumble, and a falling of the basket. As they turned their heads, Tsukumo awed and flung his arms around the basket.

"Nezuko! You're so precious!"

Tanjiro smiled, "Good job Nezuko! You can shrink!"

Tsukumo dusted himself off, and took the straw hat from Tanjiro, "Thank you, Tanjiro."

"Hai! Onii-Chan, if it doesn't work, let me know and I will try to find you a better one."

{*}

In the late afternoon, the sky was painted with reds and beautiful blues, the ground was illuminated with the dirt and sand glowing like glitter.

"Mt. Sigiri?" The woman spoke, "If you want to go to Mt. Sigiri, you'll have to cross over that mountain."