────── ¤ ◎◎ ¤ ──────

I just remembered I drew this and then I remembered I also wrote something of this. Not fully done, but enjoy :)

────── ¤ ◎◎ ¤ ──────

ZENITSU bought a car.

Life was considerably peaceful after the final battle two years ago between the slayers and the demons. Most people parted their ways, moving to far away places perhaps in hope to forget the horror they faced, and most stayed around connecting with others while reminiscing of the old times together. The past was filled with blood coated blades, tears stained faces and suffering, but in there were also gaps of sweet memories filling in those dark days. Many lives were gone and they would always be remembered, but many lives were saved as well.

Tanjirou wondered what kind of life would he had if demons didn't existed in the first place; maybe he would still be selling charcoals with his family, maybe he would still be helping his mother getting water from the river and read stories to his little siblings. Reality was agonizing, but because of what had happened also lead him to befriend others whom he found to be his new family now.

He wouldn't exchanged anything for the life he had now, with his sister Nezuko and brothers-in-arms Zenitsu and Inosuke. Not one day passed without any laughter erupted from the small house in the mountains and their family bond grew stronger as years passed. The beginning was bitter and painful, but at least in this now bittersweet present, a much sweeter future seem promising.

Still, in those peaceful days, also came troubles and complexity in it from time to time. With this kind of example in front of him right now, Tanjirou could only mustered a worried smile on his face as he tilted his head at Zenitsu, whom had a rather smug and proud smile on his face. When Zenitsu used his sparrow to send a message to get down from the mountain, one would have thought it would be something more serious and not about showing a rather beaten up, dirty, yellow Volkswagen Beetle car.

" What the hell is this thing? " Inosuke was the first to break the silence, picking his nose with his pinky finger. Others had learnt that this particular unhygienic habit of his wasn't something easy to change.

Zenitsu's smile vanished. " You dumbass, this is a car! "

" Who are you calling dumbass?! "

Tanjirou got in between them before a fight break out. " Zenitsu...why did you bought a car? " 

He had to be honest with himself, he had never seen this type of car before and while modern automobile often amazed him, he had expected something like this to happen after weeks of Zenitsu whining on how it would be nice to have transportation to places especially when they went around visiting friends like Giyuu, Sanemi and Uzui who lived further away. Maybe the breaking point was when Nezuko injured herself when going over to the city with Kanao and Aoi, her ankle twisted. 

" After Nezuko-chan got injured, I thought of getting a vehicle to help getting us to far places." The yellow-haired young man turned back to Tanjirou, his smile returning back. " A brilliant idea, right? I was gathering some money to buy a car but lucky for me! I met one of the people I saved from a demon back there and she gave me this car as a gift! Isn't it tough to be a popular? " He leaned against the car and fanning himself with his hand.

" Wow, she must really be grateful to you if she gave you such gift. " Tanjirou looked into the car window, noticing the thick layer of dust and even a honeycomb with bees buzzing around it. " Er -- are you sure you weren't...maybe scammed or something? " He knew Zenitsu well enough to know that his friend could be quite easy to fall into a scammer's trap.

" Scammed? There's no way a pretty girl would scammed me! " 

Tanjirou and Inosuke gave each other a knowing glance, having enough experiences on seeing the yellow-haired boy getting tricked easily with sweet words. Zenitsu faltered slightly at their glances and shuffled his foot as he swayed his body around a little. "...Well, I did met her when I was looking around in a place that sells cars, and this car was a gift from her uncle living in the west country. She didn't want it and was about to sell it but then offered it to me with a much cheaper price than the selling cars there. So it's a win and win situation, right? "

" I think she's ungrateful. Who sells gifts from others? " Inosuke huffed, smacking the hood of the car and the rear mirror fell on the ground. " Hah! This junk is broken! You've been scammed! " 

While Zenitsu and Inosuke argued back and forth in the background, Tanjirou circled around the car, observing it. The car, to say it simply, was not in a good condition. He may be some village boy with not much knowledge of automobile, but he knew that this car was not in a condition to transport any of them anywhere. He wondered what kind of thing this car had gone through to turn it into this kind of state. Tanjirou carefully opened the door and bend down to look at the inside more closer, his nose twitching from the smell of dust, oil and...firearm? He leaned closer, his eyebrows knitting a little. There was another scent, one he found himself to be unfamiliar with. 

Before he could do anything further, Tanjirou was pulled out by Zenitsu. " -- and the two of you better stay silent about this! I don't want Nezuko-chan to know yet since it's a surprise! "

" Eh? Then when do you want to tell her? " Tanjirou looked over his shoulder.

" I am planning on fixing and cleaning this car first! "

" Ah, so you know a thing or two about automobile gears? "

A beat of silence. Zenitsu cast a nervous glance and nuzzled against Tanjirou -- an act that means that he wanted something from the eldest Kamado.

" Hmm...Tanjirou, I remember you still keeping contact with that boy you met in the swordsmith village? Kotetsu, right? He knows about gears and stuff right? "

Getting on what he was trying to say, Tanjirou snapped his fingers. " Oh! You want him to help with the fixing since he has been studying about automobile engineering? "

" Yes! Please write to him, will you Tanjirou? " Zenitsu sweetened his voice and tried to act cute and cuddly. Inosuke let out a vomiting burp in the background, staring at him in disgust.

Tanjirou glanced at the car. Kotetsu had mentioned his interest of vehicles in letters he wrote to Tanjirou, and probably even wanting to study abroad. With him having experience of fixing the mechanic Zero Yoriichi doll, Tanjirou knew that Kotetsu had the talent and spirit to accomplish his dream -- he just need a bit of pushing now and then. Still, would it be okay to request Kotetsu to fix this car?

"... I'll ask first and gets his response." Tanjirou smiled at Zenitsu, who gave a happy gasp and danced around in delight. " But, um, Zenitsu, where are you going to park the car? "

" Hmm? "

" We live up in the mountain, the hill and path are slippery and small. No cars could go up there in the route we take. We also don't have a garage to put the car in."

Another beat of silence.

||______||

The sun had set down just as the trio was finished with what supposed to be a small garage -- at least it could be referred to as that, even if it only had a roof and small space inside with nothing. It was more like a store room, to be honest. No doors though.

Thankfully they were still strong enough to cut down woods and carried heavy loads to build the small hut shack. The final battle had drained lots of their strength and caused quite permanent injuries like the blindness in one of Tanjirou's eyes, but they've exercised enough in the past two years to finally get back in shape. The hut shack was built in the forest, down the mountain, near enough for them to see if they walked down using the path they often used to get to the town.

Zenitsu waved off Tanjirou and Inosuke, telling them that they can go back home first without him. With the light up oil lamp placed on the ground, he made sure the wooden pillars and roof were strong enough to withstand any strong weather. Hopefully there wouldn't be any earthquake that could ruin the shack and damage the car. Carefully getting rid of the honeycomb and wiping the dust off on the outside, he hummed giddily, already imagining the surprise look on Nezuko when he reveal the surprise.

Clang!

Jumping in surprise at the sudden new sound, Zenitsu casted a confused look and got onto his knees, staring at the space below the car where he was sure the sound came from. A metal compartment had fallen on the ground, and he reached for the lamp to get a better lighting before noticing that the object had disappeared. Body froze, different kind of scenarios was running through his mind. His hearing was something he always trusted with, and he knew something had fallen down. Was someone in here as well with him?

He flinched and yelped, crawling backwards as his ears twitched at hearing some sort of shifting noises waving in the air. He placed a hand over his ear, eyes widening at picking up a new sort of sound he had never heard before. If he could made a resemblance out of this new sound, it probably sounded like -- like...

...like a pulse of sort. A sound that indicates something to be alive.

The Volkswagen Beetle car he bought began to move -- gears shifting and metal screeching against each other until there was no longer a car in front of the bewildered young man.

There was a length of absolute silence, yellow eyes met vibrant blue ones and only when the giant robot flinched as the rooftop grazed against his helm, did Zenitsu let out a high-pitched scream.

Was trying to try drawing things I am not that good at (machine, robots) but somehow end up with a crossover.

Ignoring inaccurate history, what if Bee landed in Japan instead. Set after the final battle so everyone is a bit weak but they still capable of kicking ass if they want to.