Candles || Kokushibo

🖤38: ᴡɪʟᴅ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍs🖤

      Now, Mabel remembers when her subconscious mind traveled back the first time, which was when she first encountered her uncle and father while her uncle was alive and both appeared to be extremely serious. She was very much terrified, but where was she now? The environment around her had changed. The trees weren't as tall, and some of them were even cut and lying around on the ground. Were they being chopped up out here? Perhaps they left when it started to become dark. Mabel looks up and notices the brilliant stars sparkling in the dark sky. Although she is disappointed that she can no longer spend her time in the sun, the night sky was stunning. She takes a steady breath and turns to gaze forward again, observing that additional trees had been cut further ahead. She looks at the scene with her head slightly tilted before moving ahead and scanning each tree stump. She flinches at a distant sound. It sounds like footsteps to Mabel, and it also appears to be getting closer to her. Although she is confident that whoever it is is a regular person, what if they have experience? What if this person was a slayer? The only slayers who are aware that she is now a demon are the hashira, her brother, his two friends, and Kanao. She immediately feels overwhelmed by panic and steps back with trembling steps.

     What is she expected to do? She couldn't run very far, even if she tried. Although she is slower than the majority of her siblings, she sometimes wishes that she had at least part of their knowledge. She was now a demon, which might be advantageous because she is little, but her paranoid mentality wasn't really helping her at this point. She dashes behind a thick tree, disguising her petite figure as she gently slides down till she reaches the ground. She hides her face in her legs so that she won't see anyone who might see her. She tightens her body more than before as the sound creeps closer, but it then abruptly stops. The person, whomever they are, is now directly in front of her.

      Unexpectedly, she feels hands beneath her armpits hoisting her up, which makes her shriek. She can feel the tall man's long hair delicately touching her face as he gently presses her body into his chest and rests her head on his shoulder. She slightly opens one eye before her maroon eyes spring open in recognition of the familiar long hair and earrings. She immediately becomes more composed and talks more slowly. "Uncle Yoriichi?" The man comes to a complete halt, standing there in the chilly air without shifting an inch. Mabel trembles as she tucks her face into his shoulder and softly curls up in his arms. "It's cold, Uncle." She locks her eyes and tangles her fingers in his clothing. He eventually resumes walking, but this time more slowly than before. The man, on the other hand? How did she know who he was? How could she know his name when he can't quite remember ever encountering this little demon in his life? It was only because of her innocent and fearful aura that Yoriichi refrained from killing her. Even if she isn't doing anything wrong right now, presuming that she won't do anything wrong in the future may not be such a smart idea. In addition, he now doubts his ability to murder her, even if necessary. Who is this girl?

      Yoriichi had been with his dear friend before sensing Mabel, so it felt natural for him to return, but what would they believe of the child resting in his arms? She is a demon after all! As it turned out, they had no problems with her. The Tsugikuni could only assume that it was because they already had two children, and upon spotting a third child by itself in the woods, their parental instincts were triggered. But it was worrying to wait for her to wake up. Suyako entirely forgot that she was a demon since she resembled a human so much, and as a result, she almost got burnt. After that, she started crying out of terror.

      Mabel never expected to wake up and discover that her subconscious mind is still not in her time zone. It may have only happened twice, with this being the second, but she awoke back at home the first time. The sun was up, but she was resting under the window to avoid being burned. Yoriichi sits next to her, leaning against the wall, and scans her face from the corner of his eye. Sumiyoshi is sitting in the sunlight, staring between the two while raising an eyebrow. "Are you okay?" Yoriichi snaps his gaze towards his friend, taking a short big breath. He looks at his friend's red eyes for a few seconds before returning them to the female. "I have the impression I've seen her before."

      "That's because you have."  Both men turn to look at the source of the voice, where they see a familiar man with one knee lifted, his arm resting on top of it, and his other leg bent on the floor underneath his raised leg. Mabel's lethargy vanishes, and she leaps to her feet, clutching to the man. "Nii-chan!" She giggles as she sits with her back on his lifted leg. She gently grasps his hand as it rests on her lap. As Mabel fiddles with his fingers, the young man smiles softly and glances up at Sumiyoshi and Yoriichi. Despite Mabel's desperate grasp for his hand, he elevates his arm and waves at the two.

"Hi! I'm Sumiyoshi, it's nice to meet you!"

🖤Secrets/Extras🖤

~In chapter 20 in the "Secrets/Extras", it was stated that when Mabel saw Yoriichi and Michikatsu during the Mugen Train arc, those two were the real Yoriichi and Michikatsu. It was also stated that they can go to the Taisho Era when they sleep, but when they wake up they'll forget everything until they sleep again. This is the reason why Yoriichi didn't remember Mabel. 

~When Mabel, Yoriichi, and Kokushibo left the time zone in the Mugen Train arc, the time rewind and it was like she never appeared in the first place. This is another reason why he didn't remember her.

~When (past) Yoriichi sensed Mabel, he went to find her to kill her, but when he actually found her and noticed her terrified aura, he didn't have the heart and planned on taking care of her as a parent from then on.

~Suyako cried for almost two hours after forgetting that Mabel was a demon.

~~She would have called herself a murderer

~There's a reason why her subconscious mind traveled through time again.

~~It will be stated in the next chapter!

~Mabel was sleeping in her time line. She's sleeping on Akaza's chest.

~~Douma is sleeping with his back against Akaza's back

~Senjuro has a small thick ribbon tied in his hair where his hair is already tied up. The fabric design is the same as Kokushibo's black and purple clothes

~~Shinjuro was NOT happy

~Muichiro once tackled Sanemi to the ground

~~There wasn't a reason why, he just did

~Douma now wears his hair up in a ponytail