The Hidden Blade

Part 2

"TANJIRO! INOSUKE!"

The call carried over the rooftops and to the ears of the hunters.

The party paused until the figure vanished into the shadows.

With a short glance at one another the two boys rushed back the way they came.

Despite not having advanced hearing like his blond friend, Tanjiro could tell something was different than all those other times when Zenitsu called to him for help. However, he couldn't place what it was that made it feel more urgent.

"Ponjiro!" Inosuke snapped him out of his thoughts. "Hurry up! Zenzitsu actually called for me this time!"

That's right! He never calls for Inosuke! He must be desperate.

"I'm gonna help him first!" the duel blade wielder challenged as he pulled in front.

Up ahead, Tanjiro could barely see a group of silhouettes seemingly waiting for someone.

One more figure showed up with dramatic gestures then they all disappeared in a smoke screen.

"HEY!" Inosuke bellowed angrily. "Come back! We haven't fought yet!"

The water breath user's heart dropped farther when his feet hit the dirt floor of the alley.

It was too quiet.

He should be hearing screaming, crying or yelling right?

The sound of his friend's voice should be filling up the empty space, but it was eerily silent.

"Kamjiro..." Inosuke spoke softly and unmuffled by his mask.

When Tanjiro turned to look at his normally wild friend, his face paled.

Clutched in Inosuke's hands was A sword with a white hilt and a yellow haori.

***

Inosuke's jade eyes no longer held any hint of mirth or excitement.

It's all fun and games until one of your minions goes missing.

A growl rumbled in his throat. A good boss protects his minions.

"I wasn't being a good boss then," he thought bitterly. "I shouldn't have left Zenitsu by himself. I will be better! I will be the best boss ever!"

He wasn't quite sure who he was promising that to. Maybe it was to Zenitsu? His other minions? Maybe himself.

"Mon-Tangoro, use your smell to see where he went."

To his dismay, the water breather remained unresponsive.

"Tan-gor... jiro? Jirotan!" Inosuke struggled. "Agh! Tan-Tanjiro!"

"H-huh?"

"Oi, Komodo! Is this really how you deal with finding missing people?" Inosuke muttered in complete seriousness. "Keep your brains. One of us has to and I'd rather it be you. Use your dumb smelly thing, now! I'm done thinking!"

Tanjiro blinked at him then seemed to come to his senses.

"Ah! Right!"

Inosuke's thin brows furrowed in mild confusion as he watched the other boy practically crawl along the ground.

"The sent is faint," Tanjiro reported dusting off his clothes, "but it trails into the woods. Let's go!"

"Finally! We're moving!" the boy grinned as he pulled the mask over his head. He handed over the yellow haori and the sword. The redhead hooked the blade to his belt and gave the coat to little Nezuko to keep in her box.

"Oi, Zenitsu... We're coming."

***

It was dark and cold. The floor felt hard beneath him.

He tried to move his arms to push himself up, but he couldn't.

"Oh... My hands are still tied..." Zenitsu remembered.

So instead he rolled onto his back and sat up.

He stayed in that position for a while for fear of what may lurk in the shadows. He could only hear his breath and the pounding of his heart.

"Why aren't my eyes adjusting? Is it really that dark in here?"

Finally, he found the courage to feel around the room.

"Huh... It's kinda small."

The room was about once or twice the size of a closet or pantry, but only thus.

As he walked across the middle of the room, he stumbled over something. It clinked when he kicked it.

"It's made of metal. It's long and somewhat flexible too. A chain? A CHAIN?! Who are these people?!"

His heart beat faster in his chest as he backed away from the restraint on the floor.

"What is this? Where am I? Where's everyone else? Are they here? Are they okay?"

Images of his friends in chains or badly injured flashed in his vision.

He gasped for breath and he grew dizzy from the lack of air. His hyperventilation and metal gag nearly suffocating him. He dropped to his knees.

"I can't breathe! I can't breathe! I can't-"

Zenitsu's consciousness faded.

Behind him, the door to the cell slid open. The shadows of two unassuming captors fell over him as they walked in.

Tell tale wisps of electricity danced over his kneeling form. His eyes flashed white.

"EVERYONE ON ALERT! NUMBER SEVEN HAS ESCAPED HIS CELL!"