Stone Tsuguko.

9: Meeting at the first punch.

A figure with a boar mask relentlessly assaulted a blonde Demon Slayer who was protecting something with his body.

Boar boy kicked the haired blonde, ordering him to draw his sword and fight back.

A child in a blue haori whimpered in the trees next to you, sniveling as the blonde curled closer to the container.

You tried to focus, feeling an obvious shift in presence. It felt like drowning in water, only, you weren't. You were just halfway deep, accompanied by the soft scent of rosewater.

'A demon? Why is he protecting a Demon?' You thought before stepping out from the treeline, momentarily meeting the burgundy gaze of a boy by the mansion. 'This isn't like any one I've encountered.'

Tanjiro gazed in horror as he gently placed Kiyoshi on the ground, meeting the single-eyed stare of a fellow Demon Slayer for a fleeting moment before clenching his fists.

As the boar figure fixed his blade, Tanjiro finally gathered his gall and opened his mouth in an attempt to order him to stop, only to be cut off by an even harsher tone.

"Get off of him!"

It was the Slayer from the woods, moving quicker than his eyes could follow and grabbing the boar-headed boy, throwing them away from Zenitsu's injured body.

"Are you blind? He's injured and clearly unable to fight. If he's not drawing his sword, it means he won't fight you! Leave him alone!" The other slayer spat, yelling at the boar with vitriol.

Tanjiro quickly ran by their side, watching as they tried to help Zenitsu's bleeding.

"Not even mentioning your blade! You must be part of the Corps! So you must understand why he isn't fighting back!" They stood, continuing to yell at the boar. "Are you daft or just ignorant?! I should handle you myself!"

The masked figure stood and growled, obviously annoyed at their intrusion into the fight.

"That's how you feel?!" He spat, leaving his blades on the ground. "In that case, let's just fight barehanded!"

Tanjiro could smell the animosity and disgust that emitted from the new figure.

Zenitsu shivered as her sound of anger rose. The echoing shrill of a snapping shamisen and the snarl of a feral mutt.

"Fine." She spat, before turning to Tanjiro and Zenitsu. "Hold my stuff."

"Huh?"

They slid the green haori off their shoulders and placed it over the box, as well as the satchel and holster they wore.

"When I'm done, I'll fix you up, okay Blondie?" The slayer said, earning a slightly flustered nod from the boy. "Good."

She turned back and faced the Boar, lowering herself slightly before dashing toward him, sending two swift kicks to his sternum.

The Boar coughed, but retaliated, loosely throwing his hands and feet at her, yet just as swiftly.

To Tanjiro, their moves seemed to blend like a dance, even when Boar crawled on her shoulders and wrapped around, she moved fluidly.