Animal

Animal *One-Shot*

"I'll get Inosuke back! I won't give up on him! I promise I won't stop until I have Inosuke back!"

That's what Tanjiro told Oyakata-sama, but Tanjiro has no idea how he's going to get Inosuke back to normal. A month ago, before all of this happened, Zenitsu and Inosuke were arguing, again, and Tanjiro was trying to break them up when his crow, Matsuemon Tennouji, came. He cries, "Assignment for Inosuke Hashibira! A demon is killing villagers in their homes at night! Head for the mountain village in the west! Head west! Head west!"

"Alright!" Inosuke cheers, puffing air from his snout as he puffs out his chest, showing off his very muscular chest.

Just the sight of it does weird things to Tanjiro. He couldn't help wondering how they'll feel under his fingertips. Tanjiro shakes his head, blushing slightly. Tanjiro asks Inosuke, "Do you want us to go together? It'll be faster that way."

"Eh? Why do you want to do that?" Inosuke asks suspiciously.

"Because you're all brawn and no brains!" Zenitsu remarks loudly, a large tick mark on his forehead as he fumes.

"What did you say pipsqueak?" Inosuke roars, pointing one of his indigo-gray colored blades at Zenitsu. "Just you watch, wimpy! I'll go by myself and bring you back the demon's head!"

That was the last time they saw him until they received news about what happened to him. According to the Master, Inosuke's assignment was to kill a snake demon, who's poison affected a person's state of mind. The snake demon would bite its victims and toy with them as they lose their sanity before eating them. Inosuke managed to kill the demon but not before being bitten multiple times himself. Shinobu was able to treat him before there was any permanent damage.

But, Shinobu said, when Inosuke woke up, he went into a berserker state. She said that Inosuke destroyed everything in his sight, and he was unbelievably strong and completely unpredictable. They weren't able to capture him as Inosuke escaped into the mountains, his domain. Shinobu said they tried to find him, but Inosuke was always two steps ahead of them. They didn't hear anything about Inosuke for a few weeks until there were rumors of a boy wearing a boar head destroying farmers' crops.

Tanjiro was excited that they found where Inosuke was, but then he heard that they were planning to put Inosuke down. Master said that Inosuke was too dangerous in his present state. He said he could go on to kill humans. Then that's when Tanjiro said he would go find him and bring him back, which brings Tanjiro to now.

Tanjiro stood at the bottom of the mountain where Inosuke resides. The sun shone brightly on the mountain, making the dark green pine trees seem to illuminate a brilliant green. The wind blows softly around Tanjiro, ruffling his hanafuda earrings and his checkered dark turquoise and black patterned haori, showing his Demon Slayer uniform underneath. Tanjiro takes a deep breath as he says to Nezuko, who's residing in a wooden box on his back, "Let's go save Inosuke, Nezuko."

Tanjiro walked up the mountain, sniffing the air for Inosuke's scent. The mountain's woods were peaceful and full of life. The birds were chirping sweetly as they flitted from tree branch to tree branch high in the trees. Tanjiro could smell and hear the woodland creatures' as they traveled around the area. Inosuke must be having fun being here. He looked around the mountain in awe as Tanjiro wondered how Inosuke was able to live here alone. Tanjiro remembered Inosuke said he was raised up on a mountain. He must still have his intelligence and his memories from when he used to live in the mountains.

A loud snap breaks the peaceful silence and Tanjiro takes a few sniffs, making his eyes widen. Inosuke! Suddenly the bushes near Tanjiro started to rustle. Then Inosuke burst from the bushes, lunging at Tanjiro, causing them both to fall to the ground. Tanjiro grunts as he holds Inosuke back, his hands on Inosuke's shoulders, "Inosuke!"