Found Family (OC x Demon Slayer)

31

"Kotetsu." Tanjiro's voice came from behind Asami and the masked boy. Asami turned her head around to look at Tanjiro. "Let's just make sure. It might still be able to move." Asami nodded her head curtly. The three of them stood the doll up and waited for it to start moving. They waited for a few seconds, but nothing happened.

"I guess it's..." Tanjiro began, but was cut off by the doll taking a stance. It crouched down and held its six arms in a way that mimicked a spider's legs.

"Yes!! It's moving Kotetsu!" Asami and Tanjiro cheered.

"It is. Now train." Kotetsu said, his hands balled up into fists. "Please become stronger than that shitty indifferent jerk!! I'll help you with all I've got!" The boy declared. Asami and Tanjiro blinked with a confused smile. "Tanjiro. Asami. Please become stronger. And say this to him, 'That all you got, you piece of crap? Your hair's too long. Cut it, Kelphead. Runt. Clumsy peglegs. Slice your belly open, shameless punk." Kotetsu seethed.

"Kotetsu? That's a little too far." Asami laughed nervously, with little droplets of sweat forming on her temple.

"Is it better to slice his head off and hang it from the prison gate?" The boy asked.

"No, it's not! I can't say that!" Tanjiro yelled.

"Say it." Kotetsu demanded.

"No!" Tanjiro denied.

In all honesty, Asami knew she would likely never reach Muichiro's level of swordsmanship. Muichiro had become a Hashira only two months after picking up a sword, while Asami was still only learning the basics. When Muichiro first came to Headquarters, Asami was fascinated with the boy and his skills. She wanted to become just like him and the other Pillars, but in the back of her mind, she knew it was almost impossible. Key word, almost.

"Let's get stronger together, Tanjiro!" Asami said, holding a shaky, cramped fist. Tanjiro nodded and bumped knuckles with Asami.

Over the next few days, Asami and Tanjiro trained with the dummy. Kotetsu changed out the swords for wooden pallets. The two Slayers would take turns training with the doll, each of them getting pretty beat up with every turn.

"Tanjiro!" Kotetsu yelled, annoyance in his voice.

"I'm gonna die! Six arms is really tough!" Tanjiro replied, lying on the ground with his forehead in his hands.

"It has five arms now. That shitty brat broke one off, so its battle capability had decreased. If you die from this, you'll be nothing more than crap. Do your best. I'll say it one more time, so lift your head!" Kotetsu tried to motivate Tanjiro, though it just sounded like insults. "You're moving by habit. You're not making decisions after watching your opponent's movements. That's why nothing's working for you. Get it? Point is, you have no foundation. I'm surprised you've managed to stay alive as a Slayer for so long. I bet you've been on thin ice this whole time. I'll make sure to run through every weak point you have, so you won't be getting any food until you can do what I say!" Kotetsu monologued.

"Ok..." Tanjiro rasped. Kotetsu then turned his attention to Asami, who was sitting beside Tanjiro.

"Just because you're a girl doesn't mean you get let off easy." The boy started. "When you fight, you aren't fighting for yourself. Your mind is in a different place. You need to quit thinking of other people all the time. It's gonna get you killed if you're distracted. You're not always gonna be in a situation where you have other people to fight for. Get selfish when you fight. Does that make sense? So until you can do that, no food for you either."

"What?!" Asami was flabbergasted. 

Kotetsu walked back to the doll and sat it upright.

"I didn't tell the shitty brat about this, but there are other ways to change the doll's movements aside from just turning the key behind its neck. Do you know about wooden puzzle boxes?" He asked the pair.