"Give up Tanjiro, you'll never beat her. None of us will." The only sound heard was a sword drawn.
"You see this sword. The man who gave it to me thinks that those who wield black blades are destined to die early. You want to know what I think. I think that the color of my blade means nothing. Give up he says." The last was said to himself in a whisper.
The silence rang throughout the room until it was broken by laughter. But this laughter was devoid of all life and warmth. It was so cold and depraved that everyone in the room shivered in in fear and unease. Even Shinobu who was secretly watching felt dread grip her to her very core.
"Give up Tanjiro, you can't beat her-" he mocks "give up you'll never cure your sister. On and on people tell me to give up that its hopeless. DON'T YOU THINK I ALREADY KNOW THAT ITS HOPELESS? DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT ALL IM TRYING TO DO IS NOTHING BUT A PIPEDREAM AND A GLORIFIED DEATH WISH. I KNOW. God, I know. But I don't have a choice. I hear her, Nezuko, in my sleep I hear her begging me to end her suffering. To put her out of her misery. I hear her plead to me begging for reason, to understand why I keep her as a demon. Why I make her suffer the hunger. I hear her begging me to kill her. Sometimes I wish I never stopped Tomioka-san from killing her. From sparing her the suffering of life as a demon. It's those nights I wish I died instead of my family."
"Tanjiro-"
"Don't, just don't. I've made my decisions. I'm prepared to accept the consequences. Ill train with or without you. Giving up will never be an option, not for me." With that he disappeared down the hall.
Shinobu appeared in front of Zenitsu, Inosuke and the girls. "All right everyone training is over for now. Aoi take Kanao and the girls and start prepping dinner. I'll be down to help in a bit. Inosuke, Zenitsu go rest up in your rooms I'll come get you when the food is ready."
Once everyone left Shinobu set off to find Tanjiro and make sure he was ok. It took her some time, but she found him in the forests beyond the compound's walls. He was just sitting there as if meditating.
"May I help you or do you wish to just stare at me?"
With a small amount of surprise that he knew she was there despite facing the other direction.
"I just wanted to make sure you were ok."
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure? It's just that-"
"I'm fine. Like I said earlier. I've made my choices; I'll accept the consequences that come with them."
The silence seemed to stretch for an eternity between them. Tanjiro has still yet to look at her. Shinobu struggled for several minutes to find something to say, anything that would break this silence. Anything that would bring back the sun filled smile to Tanjiro's face. She was shaken from her thoughts by Tanjiro speaking.
"I made a promise. Upon my family's graves, I made a promise. That I would find who was responsible and I would make them pay for what they did with their life. Muzan Kibutsuji. Thats the man I'm after. The progenitor of all demons. He killed my entire family and turned my sister into a demon. I have no doubts I'm not the first, and probably not the last. But he took everything from me. All I have left in this world is my sword and my word. Hell, if it wasn't for Urokodaki-sensei Nezuko would just be another mindless demon. So, I'll stick by my word no matter what."
"Isn't that a bit lonely." Shinobu asked.
"You should know better than most how lonely the path of vengeance is. I smell it on you. The anger, but not just anger. Pure hatred towards anything demon related. Don't bother denying it, my nose is never wrong. Others like Tomioka-san and Urokodaki-sensei smell of the anger especially when reminded of those they lost. But you, you reek of pure hatred and contempt. I know because I smell the same scent on myself every day. I don't know who you lost but I can presume you were very close with them otherwise you wouldn't feel so strongly. You and I have more in common than you might be comfortable with."
After several moments of silence Shinobu spoke.
"My sister. They took my sister from me. The demon who did it is still out there. He wanted me to find her broken body. And I won't rest until I have his head at my feet. My sister was too kind for this world. She pitied demons, thought we could befriend them."
"With all due respect but your sister is wrong. Irregardless of anything else even if we could befriend them, cure them even. They have taken lives and spilled the blood of innocents. Men, women and children slaughtered. Atonement for such sins can only be found in the afterlife. The humans they once were no longer truly exist. That's why when it comes down to it, I'll be the one to release my sister from her suffering. It's my own selfishness and weakness that keeps her here in the first place."
"That's an awfully dark way to think." Shinobu said. Faster than she could react Tanjiro had her pinned against a tree, his sword between them.
"This sword and my word. That's all I have left in this world. It's this sword that will take the head of Muzan or fall alongside me. I'll die before I break my promise. I owe it to my family." Tanjiro let her fall from his grasp as he turned and headed back toward the estate.
"Death before dishonor." she mumbled. He stopped and turned.
"What?"
"Death before dishonor. That's basically what you're saying. Frankly I agree. I'll make you a deal. Starting tomorrow I'll take over your training if you make me a promise."
"What kind of promise." Tanjiro asked
"You help me cut off the head of the demon that took my sister and I'll help you take the head of Muzan. But I need you to promise me that you won't give up on life. My sister made me promise to keep living in her memory. I'm sure your family would want the same. So help me and I'll help you. We can suffer this lonely road of vengeance together. What do you say?"
Shinobu almost flinched at the intensity of Tanjiro's gaze at her offer. after a moment he spoke.
"You know what they say about misery and company."
With a deal struck between two hate filled slayers they headed back to the estate for dinner each thinking that maybe things won't be so bad now they're not alone.
