A Thousand Years of Lament

The Eccentric Trio

        The moon bathed the entire land in its silver light, giving it a tranquil atmosphere. The trees rustled as the breeze gently blew through their leaves, and crickets chirped their melody. 

        At first glance, it seemed that nothing would disrupt the serene silence the night brought forth...

        "FIGHT ME ALREADY, JUNTARO!" 

        The silence was immediately shattered by someone's aggressive yell. 

        Walking along the path in the woods was a peculiar trio of boys: one had red-black hair with burgundy eyes, a checkered haori over a black uniform, and carried a large wooden box upon his back. Another wore a bright yellow haori over the same black uniform, with matching golden hair and eyes, not to mention a rather frightened expression on his face. The last one wore what appeared to be a mask of a boar's head over his own, wearing nothing else but the pants of the uniforms his companions were wearing, and a pair of swords at his waist. 

        "I WILL DEFINITELY PROVE I AM THE STRONGEST BY BEATING YOU, SO HURRY UP AND FIGHT ME ALREADY SO I CAN DEFEAT YOU!" The boar-head boy, Inosuke Hashibira roared, pointing at the boy with the checkered haori. 

        "I already told you no, Inosuke!" The checkered haori boy, Tanjiro Kamado snapped, a tick mark dancing across his forehead as he glared at Inosuke with a comically furious expression. "And for the last time, my name is Tanjiro!" 

        "That's what I said! Monjiro!"  Inosuke exclaimed pridefully, as if he got it right, which he obviously didn't.

        "I'm telling you, that's not it!" Tanjiro irked. "Why is it so hard for you to remember that?!"

        "HAAH?! No way in hell it's hard!" Inosuke huffed, steam blowing out of his mask's nostrils. "Don't underestimate me, the great Inosuke-sama, Kentaro!"

        "AAAAAAAH!!" The blonde boy, Zenitsu Agatsuma suddenly shrieked and grabbed his head, startling both of his companions as they stared at him as if he had suddenly lost his sanity. "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! MY LEGS FEEL LIKE THEY COULD FALL OFF ANY SECOND NOW! I WANNA REST ALREADY! HEY, TANJIRO, LET'S REST ALREADY, BEFORE I DIE! I'M TOTALLY GONNA DIE IF WE DON'T FIND A PLACE TO REST SOON! AND IT'S WAY TOO SCARY TO REST OUT HERE IN THE WILD!"

        "SHUT UP, SONITSU!" Inosuke barked at the screaming blonde, who was suddenly wiggling on the ground like a dying fish for some reason. "DON'T BE SO WEAK AS TO GET TIRED FROM A LITTLE WALKING! SOMETHING LIKE THIS ISN'T EVEN CLOSE TO TIRING ME OUT!" 

        Tanjiro sighed in exasperation at his noisy companions. "I agree with Zenitsu, Inosuke. We have been walking for a while now," he said. "Let's find a place where we can rest without being attacked by demons." 

        He instantly regretted saying the last part, as Zenitsu's screaming immediately intensified at the mention of demons. "NOOOOO!! WE MIGHT GET ATTACKED IN OUR SLEEP?!" The terrified boy screamed, practically frothing at the mouth. "OH GODS! WHY MUST YOU DO THIS TO MEEE?!" 

        "SHUT UP, YOU SPINELESS CRYBABY!" Inosuke yelled, tick marks all over his mask. 

        Tanjiro sweatdropped at the raging masked boy and the flailing male on the ground, not knowing how to calm him down now that he was like this. "What am I...supposed to do?" He muttered to himself with a deadpan expression. 

        His red eyes suddenly blinked in confusion and his nose twitched as he caught a quick whiff of something in the air. 

        What is this smell? He thought, turning his head towards the direction of the scent. His gaze was directed towards the side of the road, and into the dark woods. It smells like...a house? But why is there one here in the middle of nowhere?