As Things Should Be

-15- Reluctance

Years passed in surprising swiftness. Inosuke grew from the young menace to a young man. He wore the pelt of a deceased boar he'd befriended. He claimed it to be the 'spirit of the mountains' and Doma had heard stranger. The boy had learned dual wielding from Doma and perfected it with Gyutaro. He was apparently a menace to humans with his skill in hand-to-hand combat, from the deemed "Uncle Akaza" and had taken out a good few unfortunate demon slayers who'd gotten too curious (and, Doma wasn't placing blame but it was usually Gyutaro or Daki's fault).

Tamayo sent as much blood as she could, but it wasn't always enough and while Doma could easily do without, Daki and Gyutaro didn't hold such thoughts. A skimpy meal would lead to the forest animals being decimated and if any decent demon slayer was around, the sight of a demon tearing an animal apart wasn't the most reassuring of scenarios. Miraculously, the two siblings hadn't killed anyone of note yet, the same could be said for Inosuke honestly.

He'd been twelve when he first saw a demon slayer try and take on a very self-controlled Gyutaro and Doma was impressed to say he had to drag the menace of a child off the poor human while Gyutaro did nothing but cackle in the background.

So yes, Inosuke had grown from a little wild child to a full-grown beast. He sparred with Akaza on the regular and had somehow managed to learn to manipulate his own organs around his body to cushion them from some of the demon's harsher blows (When Doma said he almost committed murder when he saw Akaza punch the boy so hard his lungs should've burst, he meant it. The striped ball of anger issues only lived because Inosuke jumped back to his feet and laughed it off). The boy was also known to give Gyutaro and Daki a good spar once in a while, though Daki apparently cheated too often and Gyutaro was a poor loser (and so never lost). It only pushed Inosuke to be better, faster, stronger... Taking on the occasional demon that they stumbled on and learning to sense danger before it sensed him.

He was a true menace, and Inosuke was proud of it.

 He had grown up on the run, fleeing a monster that sent even his father trembling. That lifestyle and his natural heightened senses made him a very aware individual. He knew the dangers of demons and demon slayers alike but he possessed a strange calling - a calling to hunt the monster who for so long hunted them.

"A demon slayer?" Gyutaro sneered as he messed about with his scythes, his eyes hungrily following a small bird a few feet away. "Why would you want to do that?"

"To kill demons," Inosuke huffed back, holding two swords that he had stolen from attacking demon slayers. Doma had let him keep them and he'd been delighted. Inosuke had made the most of them and wore the serrated blades proudly. They'd slain mountain lions and bears alike and they'd taste plenty of demon blood one day, he'd make sure of it.

"Again, why would you want to do that?" Gyutaro demanded, sending a glare at the boy as they sat there on the moss-covered mountainside.

"If I kill the minor demons, there'll be less trouble for you and the old man. Besides, if I stay, I'll be a burden," Inosuke growled, sitting down beside Gyutaro who was on the ground, staring up at the moon.

"Burden?" Gyutaro echoed with a snark.

"I'm human, and I'm weak," Inosuke grumbled. "It'll be easier for you all to protect yourselves if you don't have to worry about me."

Gyutaro shrugged but said nothing.

"The old man's not gonna like it," Inosuke continued.

"No, probably not," Gyutaro agreed. "But hell, do what you want to do."

Inosuke chuckled and looked up at the stars, his eyes glimmering with raw energy and passion. "I want to get strong and be the best. I want to kill all of those demon bastards, and slaughter their king."