Demon Slayer: A Different Path

Chapter 8: Doll Training

Zenitsu and the little boy who is named Kotetsu walked through the forest, attempting to find the Hashira who took the key from Kotetsu.

'It's been a full hour. Where could he have gone?!' Zenitsu wondered.

Suddenly, footsteps could be heard getting closer and closer to them. Zenitsu perked up and ran towards the source to find the pillar they had been looking for. The arrogant boy was holding a chopped off doll arm that held a sword.

Kotetsu could only stare in horror at the chopped off arm. He pointed at it as words failed to escape his mouth.

"Y-You... you broke it! How dare you!" Kotetsu exclaimed

The pillar looked at the two before speaking up. "Who are you again?"

Zenitsu and Kotetsu froze in confusion. Zenitsu sweatdropped before slightly tilting his head to the side. 'Is this guy for real...?'

Zenitsu clenched his fists. "W-We are the two you encountered earlier, remember?"

The pillar brought a finger to his chin as he thought deeply before responding. "No. I do not. Anyways, you are wasting my time. You can make up for it by disposing of this."

He threw the chopped off doll arm at Zenitsu, bonking his head, and threw the key of the doll back at Kotetsu.

"Ow! Hey!" Zenitsu said as he rubbed his head.

Kotetsu shaked in anger at the boy's cockiness. "You jerk!"

Suddenly, a crow appeared out of nowhere and pinched Kotetsu's finger, making the boy shout in surprise and pain.

"How dare you badmouth Tokito like that! Do you even know who he is?! HE IS THE MIST HASHIRA, MUICHIRO TOKITO, AND HE IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH!" The crow shouted.

The crow was suddenly slapped away by Zenitsu, freeing Kotetsu from her pinching, but unfortunately for Zenitsu, he was next... the crow charged at Zenitsu, ready to pick his eyeballs to pieces, but was stopped by Zenitsu's bird, Chuntaro. He kicked the crow back with a front kick to the beak. The crow was slammed towards the tree, claiming Chuntaro as the victor.

"Aww, Chuntaroooo... you protected meeee... so adorable..." Zenitsu cooed as tears of fear formed in his eyes.

Chuntaro tweeted victoriously before he flew up, leaving Zenitsu and Kotetsu with Muichiro and his crow. The crow in question flew towards Muichiro, cursing under her breath before landing on his shoulder.

Muichiro was walking away like he owned the world, leaving the two to go look for the doll.

Zenitsu groaned internally. 'Time for another game of hide and seek, I guess...'

They began their search for the mechanical doll, they looked everywhere around the forest, behind trees, in bushes, even under pebbles when they were desperate, even though they knew that was physically impossible, but after thirty minutes, they found the doll, it was immobilized, and as expected, a missing arm out of the six.

Kotetsu groaned once he saw the immobile doll. Zenitsu saw this and gently patted his back.

"Hey, don't feel sad. We're still not sure if it is entirely broken. Come on, let's use the key." Zenitsu said before taking a step back for Kotetsu to use the key.

However, Kotetsu did not waver. His shoulders slumped down, and his head was down as usual.

"Hey, hey. Don't be like that, kid. Come on, I hate seeing myself in people, so please cheer up." Zenitsu said.

"Are you saying I am pathetic...?" Kotetsu asked.

Zenitsu was baffled. "W-What...?! No! I'm not! Wait... hey!" Zenitsu exclaimed, slightly offended. "Y-You really think I'm pathetic?"