Chapter 7: Agatsuma Zenitsu

Notes: Part 1 of the Tsuzumi Mansion Arc.

Two days later, Tennouji, found him again.

"South – Southeast!" he shouted, "South – Southeast! South – Southeast! Your next location is South – Southeast! Caw!"

"I got it! I got it! Could you quiet down a bit? Please?" Tanjirou was rubbing his right ear.

"PLEASE!" a loud, whiny voice startled Slayer and crow, "PLEASE! I BEG YOU! MARRY ME! I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'LL DIE! SO I WANT YOU TO MARRY ME! PLEASE?"

"Wha–?"

"Caaww…"

Suddenly a sparrow came towards them and landed on Tanjirou's open palms.

"Chirp! Chirp!" the sparrow sounded distressed, "Chirp! Chir-chirp!"

"Ah, I see." Tanjirou nodded, tuning out Zenitsu's cries, because Tanjirou had recognised his friend and fellow Slayer, "Don't worry, Ukogi. I'll do something about it." he promised.

The small bird felt relief.

Tanjirou marched over to Zenitsu and took a deep breath.

"Zenitsu!" he said in a gruff voice, grabbing him by the back of his uniform's collar, "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"HYYYYAAAAAHHHHH!" Zenitsu screamed, "Gramps?!" he turned around only to see Tanjirou, "Ta-Tanjirou?!"

Tanjirou frowned.

"What do you think you're doing causing trouble in the middle of the road? Can't you see that you are harassing her? And you are causing trouble for your sparrow, too!" he scolded him. He turned to young woman and bowed, "I am terribly sorry for the trouble my friend has caused you." he said, "It's fine now. So, please, hurry on back home."

"Thank you very much." she bowed back.

"HEEEY!" Zenitsu spoke up, "She still needs to marry me!"

"Shame on you!" the young woman slapped him, then proceeded to hit Zenitsu, causing Tanjirou to restrain her.

"Please, calm down." he said.

"When did I ever say that I like you?!" she exploded, "I only asked you if you were okay, because you were crouched down at the side of the road, looking sick!"

"You didn't come talk to me because you thought you might like me?!" Zenitsu shouted shocked.

"I already have a fiancé, so definitely not! If you're well enough to harass me, you're fine! Goodbye! Let's never meet again!"

And with those words, she left, not looking back.

"WAI–!"

"Zenitsu." Tanjirou cut his cries off.

"Why did you interfere?!" Zenitsu turned to him.

Tanjirou gave him a pitying, disappointed look.

"Why are you looking at me like that?! Why are you staring at me like I'm pitiful?! Stop it! I hold you responsible for this! It's your fault that I'm not getting married!"

Tanjirou's look deepened.

"Say something!" the blonde Slayer shouted, "I'm gonna die on the next mission! I'm incredibly weak, so gimme a break! You need to protect me until I get married!"

"She is engaged! You can't go harassing women! Aren't you ashamed of yourself at all?" Tanjirou shouted back, finally, "Pull yourself together! You are Kuwajima-san's apprentice! Act like it!"

"But I am scared! And you're too harsh! I thought I'd die during Final Selection, but I didn't and so now the rest of my life until I die is an endless hell! I'm terrified!" Zenitsu screamed, bending backwards, before he started sobbing, "Waaah! What can I do? I don't want this! Save me!"

Tanjirou kneeled beside him, patting his back.

"There, there. Let it all out." he said softly, "You feeling better?"

Zenitsu nodded his head.

"I have to go to a mission, South–Southeast. You can come along with me, if you want." Tanjirou smiled.

"I can?" Zenitsu sniffed.

"Mmm. If it's better for you, we can do our missions together from now."

"You're such a good guy, Tanjirou!" Zenitsu wept, "And…and you'll protect me, right?"

"Mmm. I'll look after you."

"…You promise?"

"I promise." Tanjirou stood up, giving Zenitsu his hand, to help him up.

That seemed to be enough for Zenitsu, who let Tanjirou pull him to his feet, to gather his composure and follow him.

"Are you hungry?" Tanjirou asked, giving him a rice ball.

"Thank you."

"I understand what you're feeling, hunting demons is a scary job, but you should stop causing trouble for your sparrow."

"Eh? Causing trouble for the sparrow? What do you mean?"

"Zenitsu is always like this and never wants to go to work. He chases after women, whenever he sees one and snores loudly. One trouble after the other, is what it's saying." Tanjirou said, raising his left palm, where Ukogi landed.

"Chirp chirp!"

"Saying?! You can understand bird language?!" Zenitsu was shocked.

"Uh-huh." Tanjirou nodded his head.

"No way! You are making this up, aren't you?"

"Caaww! Quickly, quickly! Start running, Tanjirou, Zenitsu! The two of you move to your next location! Hurry up!" Tennouji started calling, having landed on Tanjirou's head.

Zenitsu fell over himself from the shock.

"A talking crow!"

"Yes. It's a Kasugai crow, after all."

"I didn't know they could talk!"

"Well, now you do." Tanjirou smiled kindly, giving him a hand up.

The two of them continued on their way until Tennouji pointed them towards a seemingly abandoned house.

"I smell blood. And something else, I think I've smelt before…"

"Eh? Smell? What smell?"

"Where did I encounter that scent before?"

"What about sound? Can you hear that? It's scary. We are going to work together, right?"

"Sound?" Tanjirou blinked at his friend.

Suddenly the bushes rustled and two children appeared, looking scared.

Zenitsu screamed in fear, hiding behind Tanjirou.

"Children…" he sighed in relief.

"I wonder what happened to them?" he wondered softly, before walking up to them, reaching out, "What are you two doing out here?" he asked softly.

They drew back from him, too scared to do much of anything.

'They seem to be terrified.' he thought worried.

He kneeled down before them.

"Tadah––!" he revealed his right palm, "I made a sparrow appear on my palm!" he beamed, Ukogi chirping and hopping around to calm the children, "See? He's cute, right?"

The two children fell to the ground, tears running down their eyes.

"Did something happen?" Tanjirou asked softly, coming closer to them, "Is that your home?"

"N-no…No…" the boy shook his head, "It's the h-house…of the m-monster!" he said, "It took our older brother! We were traveling during the night…and it grabbed him, without paying us any attention!"

"So they're inside that house?"

"Y-Yes…yes…"

"So you two followed them here? That's impressive. You are so strong." Tanjirou said, kindly.

"We were f-following our brother's b-blood." the boy sniffed, "H-He was h-hurt."

'…Hurt…' he thought worried.

"Don't worry." he smiled determined at the children, "We'll beat the monster and save your brother."

"R-Really?" the little girl asked, "Do you really mean it…?"

"Tanjirou." Zenitsu called worried, "Hey, what is that sound? It feels really uncomfortable…and it keeps on ringing. Like someone is constantly striking a tsuzumi."

"Sound?" Tanjirou wondered again, "I don't hear any…"

Suddenly a window opened up, and the sound of a drum echoed, as a bloodied man flew out of it to the their surprise.

"Don't look." Tanjirou quickly covered the children's eyes, as the man crashed to the ground. He then ran to the man, "Are you alright?" he turned the man around, "Are you okay? Hold on…" he got a look on his wounds, 'His wounds are too deep…'

"I…finally…got…away…Aahh…Got…out…Finally…got…outside…But…am I…going…to die…? Am I dying?"

Tanjirou hugged the man.

'If I knew more about treating injuries, beyond field first aid, then maybe…If Shinobu-san was here…'

A growl came from the inside of the house, calling their attention.

Then he looked at the man in his arms.

'He…he's dead…He was in great pain…He must have suffered a lot…'

"He…he isn't our brother." the boy stammered, "Our brother wore an orange kimono."

'So…several people have been captured.' he thought. Then he laid him back down gently, 'I'm so sorry. When I get back, I'll give you a proper funeral.'

He got up.

"Zenitsu! Let's go!"

The blonde Slayer shook his head in fear.

"Ah…I see. I understand." he turned to go inside on his own.

"Hyaaaaah! Why are you looking at me with such disdain and fury? I'll come along! I'll come along, okay?"

"I don't want to force you."

"I'LL GOOOOO AS WELL––!"

"You two should hide out here. It'll probably be safer, since the monsters will be busy with us. It would be even better if you went home. Can you tell me your brother's name? I'll call out to him, so he'll know I am a friend."

"Kiyoshi." they said in unison.

With a nod, Tanjirou led Zenitsu inside.

"Tanjirou…Hey, Tanjirou…Are you listening? You'll protect me, right? If anything happens, you will definitely protect me, right?"

"…Zenitsu…I must apologize to you, but…I didn't tell you that my ribs and leg are still fractured from my last fight, so…" he looked at his friend apologetically.

"WHAAAAAT?! WHY DO YOU HAVE BONE FRACTURES? HOW DID YOU GET BONE FRACTURES? IF YOU'RE HURT, THEN WHO'S GONNA PROTECT ME?! I'M GONN DIEEEE! WAAHH! WHAT DO WE DO?! WHAT DO I DO?! WE'RE GONNA DIE! I'M GONNA DIE! BEING TOLD YOU HAVE BONE FRACTURES HAS KILLED ME! I'M ALREADY DEAD! 99 PERCENT ALREADY DEAD!" Zenitsu was screaming.

"Zenitsu, be quiet. You'll be fine."

"STOP COMFORTING ME! YOU CAN'T FOOL ME!"

"Zenitsu, listen to me. I know that you…"

"NO YOU CAN'T!"

"Why did you two come inside?" Tanjirou saw the two kids run after them.

"Uh…we got scared out there on our own." the boy said.

Tanjirou sighed.

"I understand, but it's more dangerous in here."

Suddenly they heard the sound of drums being struck.

Zenitsu accidentally pushed the girl towards Tanjirou when he covered his face in fear. Tanjirou held on to her, keeping her close, as the rooms around them switched three times.

Notes: Clifhanger! Tanjirou knew the sparrow's name, Ukogi, because it introduced itself before asking for help.