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Tanjiro lays unconscious in the snow, surrounding him in the darkness was his recently killed family. His mother leans over. "Tanjiro, I am sorry that we are leaving you for now. Please get up, Nezuko needs you."
Tanjiro's eyes open as his hands grip something. He sees Nezuko is still alive, unconscious but alive, she is covered a little. Her mouth has a bamboo shoot over it, with some cloth in between it and tied behind her head to keep it there. Some small tears fall from his eyes, as he sit up to hold her. "Hey, he's awake." his eyes shoot open, grasping Nezuko closer. He sees the man who was trying to kill Nezuko before, as well as a new person, a girl with similar clothing but a different haori. 'That must have been the second person I smelled before. She's small, but that glare she is giving me…' Tanjiro thought to himself, as the girl kept glaring at him. He wondered what the two wanted, were they still going to kill Nezuko?
Giyu looked at Tanya, who nodded at him. "Go to Mount Sagiri, there you will find a man named Urokodaki living at the foot of the mountain. Tell him, Giyu Tomioka sent you." Tanjiro was not sure why he was being told this, but it seemed neither of them intended to kill Nezuko. "In addition, I'll be heading there with you, I need to make sure your sister does not kill anyone." Tanya said with furrowed brows. Tanjiro smiled, but instantly dropped as he saw Tanya's glare intensify, he hugged Nezuko closer, mainly for himself. "Don't think this is a favor, boy. When I say that, I mean I will behead her if she does attack an innocent human. Understand?" Tanjiro nodded fast.
Giyu looked up at the clouds, "that's to that, the sun has not been able to hit her. You must protect her from the sunlight as it can kill demons." he had told Tanjiro. After that Giyu nodded once more at Tanya and left. Leaving the three on the mountain. While the three would head to the Kamado sibling's former home, as Tanjiro wanted to bury his deceased family. Tanya would think back to the talk she had with Giyu.
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Giyu had used a stick of bamboo as a sorta gag for Nezuko, placing her next to her fellow unconscious sibling. "Tomioka, You know that won't do much, if she wanted to she could bite or rip out no problem," Tanya said, leaning against a tree with her arms crossed. Giyu nodded "I know. But I am sure she will not. And if she does, I can tell her brother can talk her down." the blonde girl gave a huge sigh "but will he be able to do it in time? What if he talks her down but she's already killed someone by then?" Giyu did not respond, he just trusted the demon girl would not.
Tanya rubbed her forehead "Tomioka, mister Urokodaki might not even take them in." the water hashira shook his head "he will, he is the best man to train the boy. I will send a letter shortly after we leave them to head over to Mount Sagiri. I am certain he will meet them before they even get to the base of it." Tanya looked down at the unconscious siblings, she wondered if Nezuko truly would hurt no one. It was not her responsibility, it should not be. "You don't have to tell anyone you were involved, if it ever comes out that Nezuko was spared I will personally take the fall," Giyu said in order to cover all bases, sensing Tanya's hesitance.
Tanya snickered "oh you bet you will. But just in case it can still be linked to me I will help guide them to the mountain, at least till we run into Urokodaki. Since you are so sure he will come down to meet them." Giyu gave her a surprised expression. She wiped her ponytail back as the wind was blowing it in her face a little "don't think anything about it, this is just in case she does attack anyone I can't be blamed for it. If I'm there, at least it can say in the reports that I chased after your mistake." Giyu nodded, not even disagreeing as that seemed fine by him, he was the one who started this after all.
The real reason Tanya wanted to go with them though was more than just covering her bases, though that was still certainly part of it. 'If I can get a demon to be loyal to me, then I can learn more about them, possibly even more ways to kill Muzan.' it was a calculated move, if Nezuko truly never attacked a human, then she can be observed in a safer way. Though that is all problems to deal with later, she needed to see more concrete evidence that Nezuko would not attack any human, at least for the sake of eating. And if Nezuko did attack a human, she would kill her without hesitation.
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Tanjiro was praying at the graves of his family, Nezuko standing silently by his side. Tanya stood far behind just watching, while she herself does not pray and will not take part, she won't disrupt the boy. He did lose a lot today. After he was done Tanjiro would grab his sister's hand and let over at Tanya, "we are ready." she nodded.
Later, as the day rolled around and the sun was up Nezuko went to hide in a small cave, that she barely fit into. "Well, I suppose we can make camp for now, but it will be weird since we will have to sleep," Tanya said as she scratched her hair, a little annoyed that they would have to wait every day till the sun went down. "Oh, well, I can go find something that will help Nezuko move around during the daytime!" Tanjiro beamed in excitement, thinking his idea was genius. Tanya sighed "I doubt you can." the boy would then shout out "I know I can! I smell a farm not too far away from here!" before Tanya could ask how Tanjiro was already gone. "Tomioka was not kidding it seems."
Tanya sat down by the cave, she hoped he would find something just so they would not have to spend hours waiting for it to be okay for the demon girl to move around with them. "Huh? What that?" she heard a noise from inside the small cave, she looked inside and saw Nezuko digging a hole, and hiding inside it. "The sun can't even reach where she was…" she muttered to herself, she knew the sun kills demons so, of course, they would be somewhat scared of it. But she has only been a demon for a day, and yet she is already so naturally afraid of it 'interesting.'
Tanjiro made it to the farm he smelt earlier, he saw an old couple working the field. "Excuse me, can I take that basket over there?" he pointed over to a basket with holes in it. "And some bamboo and straw?" the old man nodded, and put his hand to his head "yeah sure, the things got holes in it anyways. You can take some straw and bamboo for free as well." Tanjiro shook his head "No please let me pay for it." the man furrowed his brow "I said you can take it, it's fine kid." Tanjiro then ran up with coins in his hand "No I insist I pay you for it!" the old man griped "hey, stop being so stubborn kid!" suddenly Tanjiro took his hand and slammed some coins in it "takes this as a small token of my appreciation!" the stubborn boy shouted, before then leaving quickly with the basket, straw, and bamboo. The man just screamed in pain as he dropped the coins, as Tanjiro had slammed the coins quite hard in his palms.
When he came back he saw Tanya still waiting around. "I see you got a basket…with quite a few holes." Tanjiro nodded "that's what the bamboo and straw are for." he poked his head inside "hey Nezuko, you okay in there?" soon Nezuko poked her head out of the hole she dug, a worried expression adorned her face. 'Oh wow she must really want to get away from the sun.' he held his hand out "just hold on Nezuko." he then turned his attention over to the demon slayer with him "u-um if you don't mind can you help me with something Miss Kocho?" he had learned her name during the hours they had walking over here. Tanya nodded.
Tanya would chop the bamboo with Tanjiro's hatchet while he weaved both them and the straw around the outside of the basket. After it was done and Tanya handed back the hatchet he would go into the small cave as much as he could with the basket. "Hey Nezuko, I wanna try moving even during the daytime. Do you think you can fit in here?" Nezuko was hesitant at first, but she crawled out of the hole and attempted to get in, but not even half her body made it inside. Tanya rubbed her forehead "should have expected that."
Tanjiro smiled though, 'she's gotten so big, it seems like just yesterday she was half that height.' that thought suddenly gave him an idea. "Hey Nezuko, you know how yesterday you grew in size? Do you think you can shrink in size as well?" when she heard that, Tanya thought it was well, ludicrous. But then Nezuko did just that. She jumped into the basket and slowly shrunk, she fits in perfectly now. Tanya blinked 'well I'll be.' Tanjiro patted his sister's head "that's a good girl Nezuko." the demon girl seemed pleased by this, while Tanya thought 'i-is he treating her like a dog?' after covering the top of the basket with a sheet they were off.
they traveled more then, covering a lot of ground in one day. As they traveled Tanjiro kept quiet, which was good for Tanya since she was not really in the mood to talk anyway. She was still trying to figure out what to do about this whole situation, she was still ready to kill the demon that was currently in a basket, but so far she was given no reason. 'Hmm…' she had planned to head over to the Rengoku house after her mission, a thought came across her mind. 'I can't tell Kyujuro, can I?' while the basically the only secret she kept from her enterally smiling boyfriend was all the shenanigans with Being X and Z, she had promised Giyu she would not tell anyone. Which was mostly for her benefit since if it did get out, Giyu could take the fall more easily. 'Hmm, but Kyujuro could probably help protect Nezuko more, if he knows the situation he could defend both Tomioka and me. He is a Hashira as well after all.'
"Hmm, hey Tan- I mean miss Kocho. You smell conflicted, but also you smell the same way my father did whenever my mother was in the room. Is everything alright?" Tanjiro, choosing that be the thing he says after hours of only walking fills their ears. "H-huh?! What does that mean? How the hell can you smell my feelings?!" Tanya blurted out, small dust of pink appearing on her cheeks. Tanjiro nodded "yeah, I know it is strange, that's how most people react." Tanya grumbled a little under her breath "and yes everything is fine, don't worry about it." Tanjiro's eyes softened "Oh I see, you must have been thinking about your significant other, I apologize for keeping you from them." Tanya clenched her fist and glared at Tanjiro, who instantly flinched and looked away "I-I assume, of course, maybe I am wrong!" Tanya sighed, he was right though. 'I hope his sense of smell is useful for other things.'
Later they ended up asking for the help of a lady who lived nearby. She told them to keep down the dirt path, the mountain is at the end of it. As they moved along, it became night time so Nezuko started walking alongside them. Tanya stays a couple of steps behind them just in case. Nezuko kept hold of her brother's hand and so far had no violent tendencies. "There's a temple," Tanjiro said as he looked at Nezuko "seems that might be our luck." Nezuko nodded, mumbling under the bamboo. Suddenly Tanjiro froze, he smelt the air. "Hey, is something wrong?" suddenly the boy along with Nezuko ran ahead up the hill the temple was on. "Hey wait!" Tanya was about to follow them when she felt a hand on her shoulder, looking back to see who it was…
Tanjiro ran up the hill 'that scent.' he gripped Nezuko's hand tighter. He ran up to the temple, as the two stopped Tanjiro's eyes widened at the scene. Inside, was a murdered family, and a demon knawing at the remains of their corpses. The demon noticed them "da hell are you doing here? This is my territory!" it snarled at them, "hold on a minute." its eyes landed on Nezuko before it turned its head towards Tanjiro. It suddenly lunged at him, to which he quickly take out his hatchet. As the demon tackled him outside Tanjiro swung his weapon, cutting a small bit of the demon's neck. The two of them faced each other, the temple demon chuckled "a hatchet eh? Not bad kid." he moved his hands "unfortunately for you, as a demon my wounds heal quite quickly." Tanjiro watched as the wound he had dealt quickly stopped bleeding and closed up, his gaze shook a little.
"Nezuko?" Tanjiro said with a shaken voice, he smelled his sister's hunger. Nezuko was looking at the bodies, her mouth-watering which dripped off the bamboo. "Arhrhr!" the temple demon lunged at Tanjiro, kicking and punching at his hatchet. 'H-he has good fighting moves.' the demon managed to pin him down, Tanjiro just barely keeping him at bay with his hands. "I won't let you harm me again, I'll make it quick though by breaking your neck." Tanjiro winced 'he's too strong!' suddenly though, Nezuko had run away from the temple and came from the demon's side to kick its head off with a hard kick.
Tanjiro watched as the head went flying off, and pushed the body off him. 'She killed him?!' he looked over at his sister worried, she did it to protect him, but it still worried him. Suddenly the demon girl started approaching him with her nails sharp and out. "N-Nezuko?" she ran past him and defended him against the demon's body which was about to attack him. "It can still move even after being beheaded?!" he heard some grumbling coming from behind him "I had some suspicion when I first saw you two. But what the hell is a demon doing helping a human?!" Tanjiro gripped the hatchet as he stood back up. 'T-the head is talking?!'
Nezuko grunted as the demon cut into her arm and pushed her back. "No!" Tanjiro yelled, he picked up his hatchet and was about to cut it into the body. The head of the demon suddenly grew arms and lunged at him, if not for his incredible nose the demon would have gotten to him. The demon bit the sharp side of the tool. "The head grew arms?" Tanjiro spoke in disbelief. The demon's body was still attacking Nezuko, but with the head and the arms still holding on to him and the hatchet he could not do anything. "Focus on the head boy!" he turned and saw Tanya, finally there to help. Tanya took out her blade as she followed the body and Nezuko.
"Thank you!" Tanjiro said to her. He stared back at the demon's head, still gnawing at the hatchet "Let. Go!" he shouted, as he decided to use his head, literally. He banged his forehead hard against the demons. The eyes of the demon widened, as it was loosened from the hatchet 't-this guy's head as tougher than a rock!' suddenly Tanjiro took hold of the head with his hand, and brought it up to his forehead again, banging against it hard. "Gah!" the demon head spouted as it flew back from the force of the hit. Tanjiro gripped his hatchet and then pinned the head against the trunk of a tree, the sharp edge embedded in, while the handle kept the head in place.
"I'm stuck?! The handle is keeping me in place, damn it the whole point was for me to take it from him!" the head shouted as Tanjiro ran off. "Nezuko!" he ran where the three had gone, arriving just in time to see Tanya cut the body in half. Her sword was covered in the heat of the fire, the sight caught in his eyes 'Woah, that, what was that?' he did not see it for long as both halves of the body fell down a cliff behind Tanya and Nezuko, the neck plated right on hard stone. It went limp "ack!" the head of the demon shouted as it went limp, but did not disappear.
"Thank you miss Kocho," Tanjiro shouted as he then held Nezuko close, his sister hugging her back. Tanya sheathed her blade "don't worry about it." they returned to see the head limp on the tree trunk. Tanjiro stared at it, he took out a small knife. "I suppose I should finish it." as he walked closer Tanya was about to tell him that it would do no good, but then the man that had stopped her originally from helping the two walked up from behind them and placed his hand on Tanjiro. "A dull knife like that won't kill the demon." the boy stared back at the man wearing a Tengen mask.
"Then how do a kill it?" the man scoffed "do you need to ask? Are you incapable of thinking for yourself?" Tanjiro stared at the knife, and then looked around till his eyes landed on a large stone. 'If stabbing it won't do, maybe I can crush its head?' he thought to himself as he lifted it up. Tanya meanwhile was wondering what Urokodaki's aim is here. She knows why he held her back at first, to observe them. And when she saw Nezuko attack the demon instead of eating the family and gave her the proof she needed. It was not definitive proof that Nezuko would never attack or eat a human, but it was proof that so long as her brother was around that would be a none issue. Tanjiro was holding the rock, shaking a little. 'Crushing it will take many blows, it might suffer.' he thought to himself, hesitating to much.
As he watched Urokodaki thought back to the letter he received that caused him to come down here and meet the boy.
'Greeting master Urokodaki. I have sent a young boy your way, he wishes to become a demon slayer. He had the courage to face both me and Tanya Kocho unarmed, and his family was slaughtered by a demon. His younger sister was turned into a demon, but I believe she will not attack any human. I feel there is something different about these two. Like you the boy has an incredible sense of smell. I know that this is a lot to ask of you, but please humor me, I believe one day this will all make sense. I hope you train him and help him in his quest.
Sincerely'
-Giyu Tomioka
But as he watched now Urokodaki could see just how hesitant Tanjiro was. 'This boy won't be a good demon slayer Giyu. his strong compassion makes him far too hesitant. Even before a vile demon, the scent of kindness still lurks around him.' he thought to himself, while Tanya was thinking similar things. 'This boy and Kanao are hesitant, but even Kanao would have killed the demon without hesitation. She just struggles to make decisions without orders. But Tanjiro, this boy is to hesitant out of kindness.' she was about to cut the demon's neck herself just to end it, but she saw Nezuko running inside "oh right…" she decided to leave Tanjiro and went to help the demon girl.
"Ugh…" the demon's head shot awake, 'I can't feel my body, does that mean it's dead? Crap, that's just great.' he saw Tanjiro staring at him, holding a stone. "Grrr, get over here!" it struggled as it clawed at Tanjiro was too far away to reach. The sun came up, as it shined on the demon's head it screamed out "Ahhhhh!" in agony as it dissipated under the sun. "I-I took too long" Tanjiro spoke as he dropped the stone. He looked over, he saw Tanya standing by the basket, a cover over it now. "She's fine," Tanya muttered, patting the top of the basket. He smiled "thank you."
He looked over and saw Urokodaki praying by some graves of the people who were killed in the temple. The old man would say after he was done praying "are you the boy Giyu sent my way?" Tanjiro nodded "yes, I am Tanjiro Kamado, and my sister's name is Nezuko. And the other girl Tanya-" before he could finish Urokodaki would say in a serious tone. "Tanjiro, if your sister ever killed a human, what would you do?" Tanjiro went silent, finding himself unable to answer. Urokodaki walked up to him and gave him a large slap, one that made even Tanya flinch just from seeing it. "You hesitate for too long! That's why you took too long and the demon was killed by the sun. when I ask you a question you answer it without hesitation!"
Urokodaki would adjust his head up "If your sister were to kill someone you are to first kill her, and then disembowel yourself. But her killing a human must never happen." the melodramatics in his tone increased "you must never let your sister harm another human. Do you understand?" Tanjiro's stare became stern "Yes I understand!" the old man nodded "good, then I will see if you are worthy of becoming a demon slayer. Get your sister and follow me."
After Tanjiro but the basket that had Nezuko in it over his shoulders, he looked at the girl who had traveled with them here. "Are you coming as well miss Kocho?" Tanya shook her head "the master will show you the way from here. I'm off for now." Tanjiro smiled "well thanks for your help, and for defending Nezuko. If you don't mind me asking, what was that thing I saw your sword so when it cut through the demon?" Tanya grinned "master Urokodaki will explain to you when he trains you, it won't be the exact same as mine. But it will be similar in why it is needed to slay demons." Tanjiro nodded, and after saying goodbyes one last time followed after Urokodaki who almost left without him. Tanya smirked as she left herself, 'poor boy, I forgot to warn him about that old man's training style.'
Later, Tanjiro was just barely keeping up with Urokodaki. 'Despite his age, he moves really fast.' Tanjiro is sweating and sprinting as fast as he can while carrying the basket with Nezuko on his back. But even if he was not carrying his sister he doubted he would keep up with Urokodaki. 'I haven't even heard one-foot step coming from him the entire time we have been moving.' Tanjiro wondered if he was even capable of training with the old man, but he had to, for Nezuko. With newfound determination, he would keep up his pace. In the not to the far distance he could see mount Sagiri.
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Tanya walked up onto an old dock some lamps were keeping it lightened up that night, sitting at the edge of it was Kyujuro. "Oh, HELLO TANYA!" he shouted with a large smile when he saw her. Tanya smirked, old habits die hard but at least he stopped using her full name. "Sorry, I hope I did not keep you long." Kyujuro shook his head "it was no problem, I was the one that asked you to meet me at this lake." he had sent his crow to her, to meet him at this spot. It was midway between where her mission originally was and his home. Of course, it took Tanya a little longer to get there since she was closer to mount Sagiri when she got the message.
Tanya sighed and shook her head, she walked up and sat beside him. "So any particular reason to meet here?" he shook his head "no, it was just halfway. I should have asked you to meet me here at the end of the month though, the reflection would have been better with a full moon." he was referring to how the moon and stars were shining in a reflection of the surface of the water, though the moon was only a half-crescent now. Kyujuro then grinned cheekily "it would have been beautiful tonight." Tanya's cheeks went a little pink, she lightly punched his arms "stop it." she grumbled a little, not expecting the sudden tease.
"Still though, I suppose meeting here means I won't have to deal with your father's shouting…or my sisters being nosy. Dealing with that after the mission I just had, no thank you." Tanya looked at Kyujuro who would ask "oh? Did anything interesting happen? I've never been on a joint mission with Tomioka before, how was it?" he asked excitingly. Tanya gave a nervous chuckle "it was, interesting. I don't know how Shinobu deals with a man who barely speaks to others." she could not tell Kyujuro the full story, at least not yet. Kyujuro blicked "I see, well, I am glad you both are OKAY!" he brought her in for a sudden hug where he also kissed her forehead, she was surprised of course, but just grumbled as she hugged him back, ignoring her red face.
After that, Tanya would lean her head on Kyujuro's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her. Crickets filled their ears, she liked these quiet moments, one of the few she did not have to worry about Being X's plans. Tanya was certain that even if something did happen, she and Kyujuro would be fine. They were an unstoppable combat duo, and she knew Being X knew that as well. The only other time she could feel safe was in the butterfly mansion due to the wisteria that keeps demons out. But it was not the same.
Tanya blinked, she felt tired. "You okay Tanya?" she nodded "yeah I am fine Kyujuro, just tired. You might have to carry me back." Kyujuro smiled widely "I am more than okay with that, in which way?" Tanya blushed again, knowing he meant either caring for her in his arms, or on his back and shoulders. "Whichever." he was happy to hear that, which meant he intended to carry her in his arms. She was too tired to care otherwise, she'd give him a harsh sparring session in the morning to make up for it.
Kyujuro brought her closer, intending to stay just a little longer before carrying her to his home. "Good night Tanya, If any demons come by I'll make sure they won't wake you." Tanya chuckled, she leaned up and kissed his cheek "yeah, I know you will." she trusted him more than most others.