(I JUST HAD TO) Zenitsu Proves Right: A Demon Slayer Fanfiction

Written in response to: Write a story where someone’s paranoia is justified.... view prompt

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Adventure Fantasy Friendship

This story contains themes or mentions of physical violence, gore, or abuse.

(FAN-FICTION, BEWARE!!!! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING, I JUST WROTE THIS OUT OF PURE BOREDOM. I was not 100% sure if Fan Fics were allowed so I decided to find out, please enjoy. No major spoilers or anything, but please read at your own caution if you are a fan. To Repeat, I didn't know if Fan Fics were allowed, I just got bored. This takes place after The Mountain Arc as they are heading back after visiting the Wisteria Mansion. If Fan Fics aren't allowed I'll remove it. I'm not planning on winning, I just wanted somewhere to put this.)

*Warning - Includes some violence and gore*

“TANJIRO!!” 

Tanjiro sighs, trying to ignore his calls. 

“TANJIRO!! COME SAVE ME!!!” 

He turns to see Inosuke holding him in the air. 

“TANJIRO!!” Zenitsu yells, “GET ME DOWN!!”

“STOP WHINING!!” Inosuke yells. 

A few minutes have passed since they made it out of the Wisteria Mansion. They have been sent on a mission up the mountains. Perfect terrain for him and Inosuke. But for Zenitsu…

“PUT ME DOWN!!” Zenitsu continues to yell. 

Inosuke throws him on the ground, harder than expected. 

“Inosuke,” Tanjiro says, “Don’t hurt him. We just got out of healing.” 

Zenitsu rubs his arm, walking towards Tanjiro. “What’s wrong with you?” He says, looking at Inosuke. 

“What’s not wrong with me?” he replies, running head first into a tree.

The noise echoes amongst the trees. Inside her box, Nezuko begins to stir. 

Tanjiro lays the box on the ground. It had been a while since she had woken up, she must have been starving. 

“Hey Nezuko,” He says, opening the box. 

Zenitsu immediately rushes towards the box. 

“Nezuko!!” He cries, sitting at Tanjiros side. 

Nezuko slowly gets out, the midnight protecting her from the sun. She grows herself to normal size, and stretches her limbs. 

“Let’s keep going!” Inosuke yells, rushing up the mountain as fast as he can. 

“Wait up Inosuke!” Tanjiro yells as he picks up the box. 

They continue downwards, heading to the nearest town. 

Zenitsu could hear it in the air. 

The familiar eerie ringing in his ears, the small sounds of water dripping. 

“No, it’s not water,” he thinks, “its-”

“I smell blood,” Tanjiro says. 

Nezuko nods, saliva spilling onto her mouthpiece. 

They all look at the town's entrance. 

The sky is pitch black, leaving them with no luck at clearly examining the large homes and buildings. They could barely make out the fencing around the town, with the smallest scents of wisteria seeming to fade away. 

“We should go back,” Zenitsu said, turning around.

“We have to protect whoever is in this town,” Tanjiro says.

“And kill the demon.” Inosuke added.

“But something doesn’t seem right. I don’t like this one bit.” Zenitsu begins to walk away from the gate. 

“Come on loser,” Inosuke says, “Stop being a coward.” 

“I AM NOT A COWARD!!” Zenitsu yells, “I JUST DON’T WANNA GET KILLED TODAY, OKAY???!!!”

Tanjiro ignores the two, and steps his foot within the town. 

The town seems to come to life, the street lamps flickering as a flame illuminates them all. The town is clearer, and they can view the abandoned streets.

“Hello there.” A voice says. 

Zenitsu screams in horror as they all turn and see a little old man behind them. He is very short, carrying a basket of coal. 

“Hello there children,” he says, “are you not one bit cold? It must have been a rough journey up those mountains. You must be starving.” 

Zenitsu continues to scream. 

“A MONSTER!!!” He yells, throwing his hands in the air. 

“WOULD YOU BE QUIET??” Tanjiro yells, hitting him across his head. 

The man led them to his home, a lovely little cottage with a sign at the door. 

To those in need, it said, please come in. 

“I still think he’s a monster,” Zenitsu whispers to Nezuko. 

They walk into the room, it seems surprisingly bigger in the inside than it appeared on the outside. 

“I don’t trust this man one bit,” Zenitsu continues to whisper to Nezuko. Nezuko nods in agreement. 

“Please sit down,” The man says after they remove their shoes. 

They sit down on a mat. The man steps into a room, and they wait for a minute or two. 

“What do you think he’s doing?” Inosuke says.

Zenitsu screams, falling to the ground. “HE’S PROBABLY PREPARING TO KILL US!!”- 

“STOP THAT!” Tanjiro yells, hitting him across the face again. “If he were truly trying to kill us, we probably would have realized something seemed off about him. But he seems fine. I haven’t picked up any scents from him.” 

“Me either.” Inosuke says.

Zenitsu whimpers. Sure they didn’t smell or notice anything, but Zenitsu could smell something. Something seemed off about the old man. And that noise. The weird noise. That eerie sound of emptiness, seeming to lead to something more darker- 

Zenitsu continued to scream, only to receive another hit from Tanjiro. The man entered(Zenitsu yelled again) with a large pot and decorative bowls. 

“Here you go,” he said, offering them all some soup. 

“Yummy!” Inosuke shouted, grabbing the ladle from the man. 

“Inosuke,” Tanjiro said, “Where are your manners? If he wishes to serve you, let him.” 

Zenitsu looks down at his bowl. Something seemed off about the soup. 

“Do you want some?” the man asks Nezuko. 

“She doesn’t eat.” Tanjiro says. 

“Well that’s a shame,” the man says. 

Tanjiro looks down at his bowl. He can pick up a strange scent from the soup. Something, kind of-

Tanjiro grabs the bowl from Inosukes hand and throws it to the ground. 

“What gives?” He yells. 

Zenitsu empties his bowl as well. 

Tanjiro looks back at the old man. 

“Well,” he says, getting up, “I thought this would go easily.” 

His bones begin to crack and his skin starts to peel back. 

“Oh no..” Zenitsu whimpers. 

The man had completely transformed, turning into his true form. 

“A demon,” Tanjiro whispers. 

The demon steps back, eye moving. 

A lower rank.

“All you had to do was eat some soup,” he says, “Now you must pay.” 

The demon opens his mouth, a fog coming out of it. 

Tanjiro coughs, but now his heart is racing. He can’t stop shaking, his fear rising. 

The same happens to Inosuke, his legs shaking. 

“What’s going on?” Zenitsu says. 

“I can’t breathe,” Inosuke says, choking. 

Nezuko chokes out, tears filling her eyes. 

They all step back, cowering. 

“What’s in that gas?” Tanjiro thinks. “Whatever it is, it’s making us scareder than we really are! Usually I could push through the fear, but right now I can’t feel my legs.”

Tanjiro slowly turns to Zenitsu. He’s cowering, but not as bad as the others. 

“Does it not work on people who were already afraid?” 

“Zenitsu!” Tanjiro cries, tears filling his eyes as the fear rises. 

“TANJIRO!!” Zenitsu cries out. 

“You have to fight!” Tanjiro says, collapsing on the ground. Inosuke and Nezuko do the same. 

“But I’m so horribly weak!” He cries, stepping to the side as the demon approaches Tanjiro. 

“If not for me,” Tanjiro chokes out, “Do it for Nezuko!” 

Zenitsu looks forward to seeing the demon grab Tanjiro and Nezuko by their necks, preparing to snap them in half. 

He closes his eyes, the sound of rain hitting his ears. 

“Thunder Breathing, “ he says, fast asleep. “First form.”

He pulls his sword, preparing to move. 

“Thunder Clap and Flash!!” 

He moves quickly, blade striking against the demon's neck as lightning strikes against it. The demon has been cut, but not hard enough. He drops Tanjiro and Nezuko. 

“Inosuke!!” Zenitsu yells, “Snap out of it and help!” 

“But it’s scary for some reason!” He cries. 

“Help before it attacks someone else!!” Zenitsu yells out. 

Inosuke seems to pause for a moment. 

“Wait a second. WHEN HAVE I EVER BEEN SCARED??” 

He jumps up, drawing his blades. “Lord Inosuke is never frightened! You hear?”

Zenitsu smiles and he prepares to slice. 

The two back up, drawing their swords. 

“LORD INOSUKE!!-” Inosuke yells. 

“Thunder Breathing,” Zenitsu yells, “First Form!” 

The two jump towards the demon. 

Tanjiro lifts himself from the ground, sword drawn. 

The demon moves, becoming bigger with gushes of blood rushing towards them. 

“Demon blood art,” the demon whispers. 

“COMING THROUGH!!!” Inosuke yells. 

“THUNDER CLAP AND FLASH!!” Zenitsu yells. 

“Murderous Splash,” the demon says, hands laid out in front of him.

The sides clash, the house exploding in the colors of red and yellow. Lightning fills the sky as the dust settles. The demon holds Zenitsu by the neck, Inosuke in a pile of blood. He weakly begins to breathe, yet there are no cuts on his body. 

“What was that?” Tanjiro says, taking in breaths of air. 

“Die,” the demon says, throwing a wave of blood towards him. Tanjiro dodges, moving quickly. 

“That must have been what hit Inosuke,” Tanjiro thinks, slowly pulling himself up from the ground. “I gotta be careful.” 

The demon throws Zenitsu to the side, choking for air. 

Tanjiro approaches the demon, sword drawn. “Water Wheel!” he cries out, striking the demon. It was a good blow, but he couldn’t successfully decapitate the demon.

“How annoying,” he says. 

Tanjiro steps backwards. “Inosuke, Zenitsu, Nezuko! If you guys are listening, I need your help!!”

Silence. 

He falls to his knees, tears rushing to his eyes. The fear hasn’t ran out yet. 

“PLEASE!!” He screams. “HELP ME!! YOU CAN DO IT!! I KNOW YOU CAN!!” 

Nezuko opens her eyes. 

Inosuke slowly gets up. 

Zenitsu draws his sword. 

“Thunder Breathing.” He says quietly, “First Form.” 

Inosuke gets up, swords drawn. “You messed with the wrong Demon Slayers,” Insouke says, getting into a position. 

“Thunder Clap and Flash!” 

Zenitsu runs forward, sword aimed. 

“Demon Blood Art,” Nezuko whispers, hand lifted. 

Tanjiro steadies himself. 

“LORD INOSUKE!!” Inosuke coughs out. 

“EXPLODING BLOOD!!” Nezuko yells. 

“COMING THROUGH!!” Inosuke says, running towards the demon. 

“Hinokami Kagura,” Tanjiro says, lifting his blade.

Together their moves come together, the demon too slow to react to them all. 

“Together now!” Zenitsu yells. 

They all scream, rushing towards the demon.

In a flash of lightning and fire the demon falls back, head falling. 

They all stop for a second, taking in breaths of air. 

The demon falls, decapitated. 

“We did it,” Inosuke chokes out. 

“For once I was right to be afraid,” Zenitsu says, “I was right!” 

“CAW CAW!” They hear. 

They all look up at the crow. 

“HEAD NORTH!!” It yells, “NORTH!!” 

“OH COME ON!!” Zenitsu yells. 

They head down the mountain, remembering from now on to listen to Zenitsus' concerns. 

January 25, 2023 18:24

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