Demon Slayer: Alternative View

Chapter 4: Pillar Scares and Mystery Child

Disclaimer: I do not own Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba. All rights respectfully belong to Koyoharu Gotoge.

The picture used above belongs to it's rightful owner. If you are the original artist, please notify me so that I may give proper credit or off load it if you wish. Picture discovered by @Emilija via pinterest!

Author's note: Hello everyone! When I am done with this small one-shot book, I am going to be going on a break for a little and I won't be writing at all most likely till late July so the Railgun one-shot book is likely going to have to wait. Sorry for any inconvenience and enjoy today's chapter!

Previously: "Well then," came a familiar voice. "How about an extra set of swords?"

"Whenever you two lovebirds are done," shouted Zenitsu from up ahead, "We should get a move on in finding everyone else correct?"

"I'm here because..."

Obviously scared to admit it to himself, Tomioka was starting to become petrified of this mountain and has had it almost up to here with all the terrifying screams. He paused in his steps and felt a chill run down his back. Frightened, he stopped walking, causing an angry pillar to bump into him from behind because she was distracted with their surroundings.

"Oof!" Shinobu ran right into Tomioka from behind and she peered over his shoulder to make sure the water pillar was not sinking in quick sand."Oh wait, I forgot, you're shorter than me now, my mistake," she teased with a small side laugh.

Poking Giyuu in the back with her pointer finger, she asked, "Whyd'ya stop?"

Giyuu shook off the nerve before mumbling a quiet, "Nothing." He continued, but the moment he heard a shriek, he jumped back and into Shinobu. Using her new, stronger body to shield himself from the noise, he grabbed her haori unconsciously and pulled it over to hide his vision.

Shinobu on the other hand looked down at him and tapped the top of his head lightly.

"Ara-ara," she said with amazement. She could feel Tomioka slightly shivering from under her butterfly patterned cape. "Are you... afraid?"

"No," she heard him whisper, an obvious lie.

Kocho tugged her haori up a little to see Tomioka with his eyes shut tight and his hands reaching out for it to recover his face. The insect pillar laughed and smiled softly at him.

"Come on, there is nothing to fear," she tried to reassure while she pulled slightly on his haori to try and drag him out.

Tomioka cracked his right eye open a bit and caught sight of Shinobu's smile. A genuine one to say the least. A small memory of his older sister came to mind as he remembered Tsutako used to smile like that when he was scared out of his wits for the most childish things.

Noticing he was acting like a four year old at the moment, he quickly scurried out from under the insect pillar's haori and planted his behind on the nearest rock to try and hide his embarrassment. Pouting a little, he crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks before mouthing something under his breath. Shinobu couldn't hear a single word, but she made the assumption it was something mean.

"Anyway..." Shinobu dragged on while putting up a fake smile again, "We need to go retrieve Kanao and Tanjiro before sunrise. Zenitsu, where are we?"

There was no response. Tomioka and Shinobu turned their attention to face the trail where the lightning slayer supposedly should have been.

"Don't tell me that pervert ran off without us to search for Nezuko..." trailed off Kocho while quirking an eyebrow at the spot of which he disappeared.

Suddenly, the sound of loud footsteps and heavy breathing came into focus. Tomioka hopped off the rock he was sitting on and unsheathed his sword.

Shinobu on the other hand pulled out various poison pouches filled with wisteria and smelling salts (don't ask why).

The faint figure came into view and seemed to be hauling something close to a body. Shinobu almost mistook the limp corpse as Zenitsu, but it turned out to be a slim slayer who must have caught herself in a deadly battle.

Her eyes were wide in fear and her mouth was frozen in place, as if she was trying to shout for help, but her voice never made it across. The smell of blood reeked high in the air as the slayer's body seemed to be leaving a lengthy trail of fresh blood.

Just the sight of it caused Shinobu and Tomioka to sneer in disgust. Shinobu reached for her sword's hilt as well before narrowing her eyes on the demon in front of them. To her relief, it wasn't Kanao or Tanjiro. She unsheathed her sword as well and menacingly waved it back and forth.

"Who are you two?" asked the demon to their astonishment.

"I'm the insect pillar, Shinobu Kocho of the demon slaying corpse!" announced the violet eyed teenager.

'Yeah, Kocho for now...' thought Tomioka as his imagination conjured up something he would have never considered. 'Maybe Shinobu Tomioka, that sounds better! And now that I think about it, with this appearance that sounds completely wrong...' "OWWW!"

Shinobu had sucker punched him over the head from behind.

"Pay attention!" she urged. "Or you're going to get yourself killed!"

"Sorry," he whined while rubbing the spot where she whacked him hard. "Gezze, you didn't have to be so mean about it!"

"I called your name three times and all you did was return some stupid, dazed look you jerk!" she retorted with an angered hiss.

"Well, pardon me if I get distracted like any regular human sometimes!"

"That is not regular so pay attention!" Shinobu punched him on the shoulder this time.

"Itai! Are you trying to kill me?!" he asked, fuming at her cruelty. He was surely getting pissed at her mind games and constant bullying.

"That can be arranged!" she retorted.

Tomioka was about to holler something back but a single blow caused the both of them to look in shock. Blood started to drip onto the ground, soiling the dirt with stains of red.

"How about, I kill the both of you?" questioned the demon as he was on the opposite end of where he was originally standing.

'Did I leave myself open...?'

Meanwhile, smoke was rising from the ground where enormous holes layed dormant. Iguro was in doubt and figured the four of them were never going to kill her.

'What is with this girl?' thought Nezuko. She was out of breath and leaning on one of the few trees that didn't blow up in the whole process. Her hair was tangled into a small, quick ponytail to keep all the lose strands out of her eyes.

"Demon girl!" called Iguro.

"How many times do I have to tell you?! My name isn't 'Demon Girl!'" Nezuko yelled as she exchanged spots with Iguro.

"Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin!"

A full cascade of water encased her surroundings as a vertical slash cut through one of the demon's arm.

She wasn't exactly tiring, but her movements have slowed drastically, leaving openings for Nezuko and Kanroji to strike. In spite of everything, they haven't managed to behead her.

On the other hand, Zenitsu was treading slowly, shivering with every noise that came into focus.