#Kokoro Library | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

bsd-bibliophile · 6 months ago

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Survey Dates: 11/15/2024 - 12/15/2024

Number of Participants: 362

Tumblr will not allow me to post pictures of all the survey results, so only part of them are included in this post. You can download and view the complete results here or view them in the BSD-Bibliophile Online Library.

Thank you to everyone who participated! If you are interested in viewing the results from past surveys, here are the results from 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

View the complete survey results here or on the BSD-Bibliophile Online Library.

Comments:

always looking forward to ur survey :)) i love data and it motivates me to read more japanese authors

Another year, another survey! Thank you so much for all the information you provide, it's really some great work you're doing! It's been a while since I had the time to just sit down and read for a while, but I did recently buy The Setting Sun and I read Kokoro this year, which was such a masterpiece I loved it! Again many thanks and love <3

As always, thank you for your lovely work Anne <33

been a fan of this website since i got into bsd (2020) you’re doing god’s work fr!!

BYE BYE BESTIES FROM ME IN THE WESTIES

compiling all these resources is a really awesome endeavor, thanks for all that you do :)

cool asf

Cool survey ^_^

even though i haven't used the library yet, i really appreciate you keeping it up and maintaining it as a resource! thank you!

freaky kunikida 😛😛😛

haiiii

Hey hope everything is going well for you I love seeing your posts and analyses you’ve really done a lot for bsd and Japanese literature fans thanks for everything <33

heyo!! i appreciate all the work you guys do, and while i've had this tab open on my phone for a while, i've not used the website that much. i plan to in the future!!

I cannot choose between Dazai, Ranpo, and Chuuya as favorite characters.

I don't always have time to read or use the library, but I'm very happy it exists and I want to find the time to use it and read more!! You are one of my favorite blogs on tumblr and have done wonderful things for both the BSD and literature community.

i dotn know why i m filling this out

I have not read a lot of Japanese literature but I intend on reading at least 1 work from each author in BSD as a goal

I have not read much, as I would rather read physical copies. Many of the authors' works cannot be found in my country, so I would wait for a bit to read, or just give in and read online translated version. At the moment I can find Ayatsuji, Tsujimura, Natsume Soseki, Dazai Osamu, Yokomizo Seishi...I intend to read more mysteries, so I would focuse on Yokomizo Seishi's at the moment.

I haven't had the time to check out your tumblr, but I have used your website a bunch! I really appreciate the effort you put into all of it, and it made reading Bungou (and other Japanese authors) a lot more accessible and understandable. Without reading some of your descriptions on the authors, I most definitely wouldn't have even picked up their books in the first place. So, thank you very much!

I honestly don’t have one single favorite bsd character, but Atsushi is definitely in my top few, I love his character and his development, and someone very very dear to me is a lot like him <3 ALSO READ STORMBRINGER 💥

I hope you have a great day ahead! This was a lovely survey.

i love dazai

I love entering Tumblr and seeing your posts on my tl, specially if they're from my favorite authors/characters ❤️ I feel like they're always there for me in a way thanks to your posts. I also appreciate the resources, even if I usually read physical books.

I love the BSD-Bibliophile site, it's so helpful when my BSD phase strikes again.

I love the online library even though I haven't used it in awhile. It's a great resource to direct new jp lit readers to

I love the tumble quotes as it inspires my own writing. Thank you and keep it up! x

I love the work that your community/company is putting in. Good luck on everything.

I love this website, thanks for this!

I love your blog! Love from Spain!

I love your online library, and I love how passionate you are about it. If there's any way that we can help add to your collection or just help in general, please let me know!

I loved Bungou Stray Dogs the moment I watched the Anime and started reading the Manga. With this Blog, it was the same: The moment I found it, I loved it! There are so many books written by authors from BSD, that I can't get a hand on in Germany, so that Posts here are my only source. I hope it makes sense... my active english isn't good. Thank you very much for the hard work over all these years!

I originally accessed this website only to search for digital copies of Dazai Osamu's works, but I ended up developing a genuine obsession with classic Japanese literature and reading dozens of books, short stories, and essays from various authors and of different genres. Thank you so much for your hard work!

I prefer reading the Slavic authors at the moment so I haven't read much by the Japanese authors. (I am also learning Russian personally so this is my preference.)

"I really enjoy your blog! It is very fun, informative, and helpful <3

I haven't read much of the authors featured in BSD but I plan to change that next year! Your blog will be very helpful then! Thank you for all your work!"

I really love how you have made all the translated books available online. It has helped me expand my choice of literature actually. Thank you so much for your hard work! This is a place return to every once in a while because it brings me so much joy!

I really love the BSD Bibliophile Online Library. It comes in handy when I want to read books or search for more information on the authors. Bless you for such a wonderful resource!

I started learning Japanese for a light novel series that I was following (not BSD), but BSD is directly responsible for my seeking out more general Japanese literature, rather than just light novels or anime. Would not have read half of that stuff otherwise, so I am quite happy I picked up the series.

I think BSD-bibliophile is an awesome website! Thank you:)

I use the BSD-Bibliophile often! Thank you for making this website.

I want to start reading

I wish I had more time to explore the real works of the authors

I'm glad that such a page exists. I find it important and useful. Just congratulations to the ones (or one) who came up with the idea and followed through with it!

In the future I’d recommend either including modern Japanese authors (Murakami etc) in the survey, or specifying that the focus is classic (largely 20th/early 21st century) authors. But regardless I love what y'all do and the resources you provide!

in truth i haven’t used the site as i’ve wished due to time but i always have this site in mind when i’m looking for japanese authors to read :) i wholeheartedly love this site and have used it to read shorter parts of writings i can read… thank you for all you do! i can’t wait to open up the treasure trove that is this website and dive deep into japanese authors

Is there a list for BSD writers’ literary significance + how they influenced each other in chronological order? I’m relatively new to JP lit and I’d love to learn more

I've already asked for this correction last year, but I will say it again; please change the wording for "Who is your favorite BSD Japanese author" and "What is your favorite literary work by a Japanese BSD author" questions. The authors don't have anything to do with BSD, and now the questions make it sound like you're asking if people like Asagiri or someone else who has worked on BSD, as THEY are the authors of BSD. Not Dazai and others. Please change the wording to "Japanese authors who appear as characters in BSD" or something like that, and don't call them BSD authors. They aren't such. Also, I would like to point out that you've got Hirotsu's name order wrong in all questions. It's Hirotsu Ryuurou (JP order like for others), not Ryuurou Hirotsu (which is the Western name order). Thank you for the survey as always.

I've been meaning to start reading the works on the Online Library, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

I've used your list once!! I haven't had time to read many new things with how busy I've been, but there's a few I've been meaning to get around to for a while.

Just wanted to say how much I appreciate the work you do :) it made Japanese lit way more accessible when I started getting into it

Just wanted to say thank you for all you do!

Just wanted to say thanks for all the work you've put into the blog! It's how I ended up reading Nakahara's poems :)

Keep up the great work!

Love the analyses page! please add more and make it easier to find on the page

Love this blog!!!

love ur website

Love your work 💜

Maybe you should also do a survey to figure out what other Japanese authors are popular. I read mainly translated Japanese, and I'm curious to see just how popular authors like Kawabata, Mishima and Shiga are. Loved this survey btw, can't wait to see the results <3

my interest in Japanese literature was cultivated through the comprehensive list and resources available in bsd bibliophile site even though I started watching bsd much before I found the site for which I'll always be grateful because a lot of my favourite works are from Japanese literature. so thank you!!!

N/A - have a lovely day! :)

One of the Agatha Christie quotes was censored (specifically, the Ten Little Indians poem). I don't think that serves any pedagogical purpose, and it erases the harmful aspects of that story that are worth discussing and acknowledging. Similar to censoring mentions of women in Dazai quotes, it only serves to gloss over and obscure relevant details in the authors' legacies and meaningful context from their works.

"One of the best curated pages. Thanks to you i’ve been able to delve further into the magical world of BSD and some of the greatest authors in literature.

Thank you. You’re a blessing to the BSD community.

Love from Vietnam."

"Please help the Brazilian Portuguese speakers to make a way of doing some kind of the same thing (a place with translations)

It would be great lots of languages on the library"

scurrying here to read tanizaki's works because the games i like reference them is the most brainrot thing i did

stay hydrated!

thank you

Thank you

thank you for all your hard work in organising the online library ♥️

Thank you for all your hard work with the website and the gorgeous posts. I have read many works after seeing them featured on your blog first

Thank you for all your work!

"Thank you for doing these every year, it is always interesting to see the results! If it's okay, I'd like to recommend two books from Japanese authors (altough they aren't related to bsd). First: The Tatami Galaxy by Tomihiko Morimi. It's a funny and surprisingly deep book with a great time loop (and there's an anime based on it that's just as great!) Second: The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda, a gripping mystery that I couldn't put out of my hands.

Have a great year reading, everyone!"

Thank you for everything! I've learned and read a lot about Japanese authors, and even Western ones.

"Thank you for making people more familiar with Japanese literature! Good luck.

Thank you for running this blog! I'm currently working on my masters degree and the blog is going to be a valuable resource for me in the coming months.

Thank you for the google site and everything you've done for the community all these years :-) !!!

Thank you for the survey

Thank you for the survey! : ) I really want to read more books by Japanese authors but there aren't many translations of the ones i want in stores.

Thank you for the work you do!

Thank you for your blog and the website! It really helped me, because it can be hard to find even an electronic version of the book

"Thank you for your continued maintenance and work on the website - I'm incredibly grateful for all of the PDFs, lists, and information on such a broad array of authors. In time, I plan to read every work on the list.

A question - outside of the authors included in the bibliography, who else do you enjoy reading? I am fond of Kenzaburo Oe, Haruki Murakami, Keigo Higashino, Karen Horney, Irvin Yalom, Nietzsche, and Carl Jung (amongst a few others here and there)"

Thank you for your contribution to the BSD fandom!

thank you for your hard work in promoting and providing Japanese books

Thank you for your hard work!

thank you for your hard work! your site has helped me both in terms of enjoyment and providing useful resources for writing my papers and understanding literature better.

Thank you for your hard work!!

Thank you for your hard work, BSD-Bibliophile Online Library is a huge source of information for the community

Thank you for your website and hard work. I'm genuinely grateful.

Thank you for your work!

Thank you so much for making your site. It's one of the main ways I get literature, and it's really helpful because I'm a kid without a steady stream of income aside from an $8 a week allowance, which is not enough to get books at the speed I read them and my family does not go to the library often enough nor does my library have enough to suit my interests. Your online library is truly incredible and I could not be more grateful that you're kind enough to put it out for the world.

Thank you so much for running BSD-Bibliophile! It's such a lovely account, I love seeing the quotes, and also introduced me to new works too — for example, a quote from Dazai Osamu's 'The Villon's Wife' made me realize I hadn't read his whole library yet. 'm inspired by the quotes I read, and it always makes me want to read new stories too! So truly, thank you so so much for running this account.^^

thank you so much for your amazing work!!!!

Thank you!

Thanks for all the work you do!

Thanks for all you do! This is a great resource and an incredibly helpful one!!

thanks for everything, you made it easier for me to read and access Japanese literature

Thanks for your work!!!!:)

The Bibliophile has helped so much thank you!!!! :DDDDD

The website had been very useful, I'm enjoying myself with it a lot :)

The work you do (translating and compiling the works) has given me so much joy when I was obsessing about BSD and looking to read works from the original authors!! The quality of the translations seems pretty great (I'm not fluent in Japanese to know for sure but I've certainly read worse translations) and without BSD Bibliophile, I wouldn't have found a *lot* of works I love dearly. Thanks for putting this together! It's made an impact in my life and brought me closer to works I wouldn't have gotten to know otherwise :)

This survey is really including and cool! Props to the creator

This was fun to take

ur blog is such a wonderful insight into japanese literature through the lens of bsd ^^ i’d like to get more into actually reading the original works esp next year and ur blog is such a great lil sneak peak into them? lovely wotk keep it up (also hopefully gonna start w hell screen cus i read a bit 👍 but idk i like how bsd has such a wide range of authors id never heard of before ^^ literature is such a wide spectrum love it)

Ur posts put a smile on my face! I love ur dedication to the fandom and japanese literature 🫡🫡 you must have been posting daily for more than 5 years? Impressive 😊😌😌

w series literally

What about Fyodor Dostoevsy? (Crime and Punishment is a rather nice book)

Your posts made me buy and read the books. Thank you! 🖤

your website is very nice! it's where i found the english translations for some of the light novels. ive only read 3 so far but hope to read more in the future. thank you for your service 🙇‍♂️

your work is so vast and underappreciated! i really need to take more time to look through your library. thank you for all the work you've put into it!

С:

"こんにちは、翻訳の努力を本当に感謝しています。あなたにはとても感謝しています。正直なところ、お気に入りを選ぶのは難しかったですが、中也の詩が好きなので、結局太宰をクリックしました。とにかく、本当にありがとうございます。良い一日をお過ごしください！"

今年、お疲れ様でした！Thank you for your work. Having access to more of the authors I was curious about led to me conducting a successful research project on Japanese literary fiction last year. This year, I've moved abroad to Japan to learn Japanese at university. I hope that I can contribute to the effort to kindle others' inspiration through translation and storytelling. Please have a happy new year!

#bsd-bibliophile #survey #japanese literature #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bsd

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trancylovecraft · 2 years ago

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(KNY) YANDERE PLATONIC! KOKUSHIBO x SISTER READER: You, Shibou. I, Kokoro (CHAPTER SIX)

Previous Chapter ☆♡☆ Masterlist ☆♡☆ Next Chapter

AO3 link

CHAPTER SIX: "Loathe the way they light candles in Rome But love the sweet air of the votives"

The response to fear or threats has several reactions, Often being called the Fight-Flight-Freeze-Fawn response.

Fight means to confront the threat. Flight means to run away from the threat Freeze means to shut down and block out the threat Fawn means to appease the threat.

Slow and cautious footsteps walked carefully down the hallway as if something was going to jump out at her any second. Shoulders tense, Her eyes travelled around the space in front of her.

It was the shrine hallway. Dimly lit. Hues of marine tinting the walls, ceilings and floorboards as she stalked along them, Okobo sandals clacking against the hardwood as she did.

[F/N]'s hand trailed along the wall beside her, Keeping close towards it.

She had woken up about half an hour ago, Tucked into the futon she had woken up from before with a throbbing migraine and aching legs.

[F/N] had lain there on the mattress, The memories of what happened some unknown time ago still fresh in her mind. She had tried to escape, She had gotten far too. Running for ages yet despite all her efforts it didn't matter in the end.

[F/N] had just wound up right back where she started. Her burning lungs, Beating heart and exhaustion. It was obsolete. She had just gone in a loop with all her effort gone to waste.

And him. Her captor and his insane ramblings, She didn't want to think about him.

She didn't get up for a while after that. Finding little to no motivation to do so coupled with her mind barely processing the information in her mind, Feeling as if she had been shackled to the frame. Like the bedding was trying to keep her down, To not let go. Feeding her false promises of ignorant bliss, Like it was just any other day back at the Kakushi base.

But [F/N] knew that was not the case.

She knew she had to get up eventually, It was an awful remembrance. Even worse when she eventually hauled her aching body off the futon, Swinging her tired legs over the frame and dragging herself out of the room.

[F/N] just wanted to go back to her bed, To crawl under the covers and never get out again. But to spite everything she so desired. [F/N] pulled herself out anyways, Not really knowing why.. Maybe to get a proper look at her birdcage, Perhaps.

The shrine was nigh identical to the one she had resided in before. From the hallway layouts, The group kitchens and to the library it was kept the almost the same to the one back in the real world. The keyword here being almost.

Everything was the same. Everything except a few key differences.

For one, The shrine didn't have any of the expansions the corps had built when they came. There wasn't any of the newer passages, There wasn't an aviary and the library was much smaller than it was.

Even then, [F/N] recognised this place. It was the older version of the shrine, The same once she had stumbled across when she was much younger. How it was here in this nightmare dimension was a mystery to her, It just added to the dogpile of questions she had spinning around in her head. One's she'd need to find the answer to later.

Two, While it was basically identical to the older version of the shrine, There was also a few changes of layout.

Some of it was small, Like a misplaced support beam or tapestries being of different patterns and shapes. On the other hand however, The differences were more.. Large.

For instance the wall she was trailing her fingers across wasn't like any the shrine had harboured. It was like wooden jacktop fencing, A criss-cross structure with diamond shapes as gaps letting spits of light through, An unknown source but one that wasn't aquamarine. A welcome change

Another was the shrine walls, The large stone fortress and the big mahogany gates separating the main building from the outside world were completely gone. Disappeared as if they were never there.

Lastly was the courtyard. Instead of compacted and smooth dirt as flooring it was replaced with a wide open port, Like something large ships would anchor down at but rather one that connected all the docks outside to it like the base of the tree and it's roots.

With both the courtyard and the walls gone it left just the shrine on its own, All by itself in this infinite sea.

But the one thing that ate away at her, The one thing that made the entire shrine feel so wrong in the first place. It was the emptiness.

There were no Kakushi or shrine maidens passing through the hallways, Their conversations and laughter ringing down the passage.

It was instead being replaced by cobwebs and their spiders, Scuttling quietly in the dark corners.

The libraries? Cold and dust-ridden. The kitchens were barren, Dirty and uncared for. Everything was old and seemed to fall apart. It was disgusting and [F/N] couldn't deny the pang it sent straight towards her heart.

[F/N] felt like her situation still hadn't registered in her mind, The entire thing scrambled in pieces. It was so overwhelming, This wasn't real. This can't be.

[F/N] stopped in the middle of the passage. Leaning up against the jacktop walls as her hand gripped the side of her jinbei, Hand over her heart as she tried to steady her breathing. Telling her everything would be alright.

Head leaned back as she calmed the rhythm of her lungs, She clenched her hands tight to feel the soft feeling of fibre in-between her palm.

Oh right.. That's why she got up.

Opening her hand she revealed a scrunched up note, One she had found beside her futon with a small serving of lukewarm soba. It was a note from him, The demon.

To [F/N].

When you receive this note, You should have already awoken from your slumber.

Once you finish reading this note, I expect you to eat the bowl of soba I have provided to you on the vanity desk. Once you have consumed it, Make your way towards the main dining room. I know you know your way there.

Wait patiently. And do not keep me waiting.

-黒死牟

[F/N] crumpled the paper into a tiny ball within her palms. She tossed it aside and let out a breath of air she didn't know she was holding as she mellowed out against the wall.

He wanted to see her. She wasn't completely sure of the reason but [F/N] had a creeping suspicion crawling up her spine. It was the same reason she dragged herself out of bed, Why she was going in the first place.

She wanted answers.

[F/N] placed her hands either side of her on the wall, Pushing herself up she dusted off her jinbei.

She had already spent what little time she had mapping out the fake-shrine. Don't keep him waiting, He said. Being on time wasn't exactly her strong suit but the vision of those amber eyes stalking her, Appearing in her peripherals yet disappeared when she looked that way.

It felt like cold water was being poured down her back. [F/N] felt helpless, More so than usual. She had no mask nor sword, What Kokushibo had done with them she didn't know. But [F/N] felt naked without them, Without it [F/N] was just herself..

And that didn't sit right with her at all.

☆♡☆

The tiny flame was brought up to the tip of the incense stick, The tiny fire starting to catch onto the wood, The flicker of an ember sparking up at the end.

Mitsuri set the incense down onto the platter. The aroma of cherry lotus started the dance in the air as it burned, A scent she breathed in deeply.

The smoke was sweet, It smelt like crushed cherries and freshwater rivers. A cool breeze on a summer day, A sacchariferous taste lacing it as the wind danced across the valley. It was calming, It was nostalgic. Anemoia, Yet Mitsuri knew it all too well.

She turned around towards the bath, Steam rising up from the water within. Mitsuri rested her hands on the cedarwood sides and slowly got in. Watching as the water parted for her as she sunk inside, Rising up until it was at her neck.

Mitsuri stared up at the ceiling above her, She felt.. fine.

She didn't feel good, Not by any stretch of the word but she didn't feel that bad, Not right now anyways. She just felt fine, For how long she didn't know. But right now was okay.

The smell of the incense kept the bad thoughts at bay, Keeping them away out of mind. Along with the bath that was hot against her skin, Most of the thoughts were burned away along with the sticks. Though, Only one still lingered in her mind.

Shinobu. Mitsuri knitted her eyebrows.

What she said to her the other day bubbled up in her mind like the foam rising up from the bottom of the bath. Mitsuri regretted it, She shouldn't of said something like that and it had been eating away at her for a good few days now.

"G-Get out.. Y-You did this, We both did.. But.. Y-You don't even care at all…"

Mitsuri sunk a little lower in the bath. It was wrong, She knew as soon as Shinobu closed the door that it was wrong. But everything felt just so wrong in that moment. Looking back on it, Mitsuri wanted someone to blame and Shinobu was just an easy target.

Mitsuri grabbed the oil from the side of the bath. Popping open the cap she poured some onto her hands as she started to massage it into her hair, Washing out all of the grease built up over weeks.

Mitsuri would need to apologise. It was nasty what she said, She'll need to see Shinobu later and apologise for their entire meeting.

Though that wasn't to say nothing good came out of it at all, This was the first time in weeks Mitsuri had bothered to leave her room. Not to go outside, Get food or bathe. She didn't want to leave either, The outside world feeling so foreign, So terrifying that she barely left the safety of her covers.

It felt like she was trapped under them at times. The weight of her heavy heart keeping her stuck down on the mattress. [F/N], Mitsuri never really knew how fast a loved ones face can melt away into an abstract masterpiece after they died.

But now as she watched [F/N]'s face appear inside her head, A faded blur of what it once was she understood perfectly now. The features on her face slipping away from her, Only the general splotches of colour and shape left now.

It was terrifying, But her meeting with Shinobu and Obanai seemed to make her shift. Pull her out from under the covers only slightly. The state of the room helped snap her out of her trance too. The rotten food, Piles of clothing and the gathering of dust.

It all helped, If only a little bit.

The promise Shinobu had given told her, The promise of revenge on the demon who did this. It was the one thing that got her moving, The last working cog. Vengeance, She desired it so bad her chest started to throb.

Mitsuri felt a small tear roll down her cheek, Letting it mix in with the bathwater. Even if she was able to get out of her bed, Pull herself and try to wash away the stains. How could she go on now, How could she get vengeance for her?

She could wash off the dirt all she wanted, Scrub and scrub until your skin is spotless but the filth she felt stayed on her like a cancer. How could she ever go on? [F/N], The person she grew up with, The person who stayed with her through thick and thin and the person who loved her despite all of her flaws.

It was hard enough when Rengoku died, Her master who she looked up to like a big brother and taught her everything he knew. When the crow delivered the news she was distraught, But then she at least had [F/N] there to hold her hand, Pull her into a hug and tell her everything would be fine.

But now [F/N] was gone there was no one to do that for her. Comfort her and tell her everything would be fine, Because the truth is it wasn't. Everyone around her that she loved and cared for were dying left and right and soon enough there would be no one left.

[F/N].. Mitsuri could lose everything in the world. She could lose her job, Her friends and her limbs. Even then she could smile and say it was okay, But [F/N].. She just couldn't lose her, Anyone but her.

Mitsuri can't go on, She just can't.

"I want you to know I did it I did on my on voilition. I chose this, You have nothing to feel bad over."

"How could I not feel bad over you, [F/N]?" Mitsuri whispered, Running her fingers through the strands. "You're my best friend.. My first friend. We were suppose to do this together yet I let you down.. I-I deserve this.."

"You deserved a better friend than me."

"That's not true.. You're the one who deserved a better friend.. I was stupid and did nothing at all to help you at all, I did this to you.. How could you say I deserved better..?" Mitsuri mumbled.

"The truth is its you. You were the only thing that made me feel like I had a family, Like I had my childhood, Like I was a normal person for once in my stupid little life. I adore you, Tsuri. I really do."

Mitsuri's tears started to pick up.

"I-It's funny.. You were always able to see the good in others, Even if they were horrible and mean-spirited you were able to find their worth. In everyone.. Everyone except yourself.." Mitsuri sniffled.

"I'm living a lie, Everyday I go to work as someone I'm not because of myself. It's pathetic. There isn't any meaning, I'm sorry for saying this but as these are my last words I feel like it's necessary."

"D-Don't ever say that about yourself.. Don't apologise.. Y-You have nothing to be sorry for. Just because you were someone else doesn't mean your true self has no value.. I-It's not pathetic.. Never say it is.." Mitsuri felt the oncoming tears flow out of her slowly.

The voices stayed silent for a moment. Mitsuri watched the ripples in the water as her vision blurred up.

"I love you, And I wish I said it sooner"

Mitsuri sunk just a little further into the water, She tilted her head up towards the ceiling. Staring far-off somewhere else. The cherry lotus incense still burned bright as ever, Smoke dancing in the air.

"Me too.."

☆♡☆

The ticking of a clock, An earworm that wouldn't stop ticking. Over and over, It repeated without any sign of stop.

There was no clock within the room however, The sound a hallucination to accompany the beads of sweat building up in the humidity of her palms. Ones that rested uncomfortably on her knees as [F/N] sat on the tatami mat.

The dining room, It had barely changed from the real one. Ignoring the dust and cobwebs scattered here and there things like cabinets filled with old china, Several talisman statues and empty incense platters were still lying about.

All of this of course was settled within the long layout of the room supported only by rickety wood support beams. [F/N] bit her tongue, The high ceilings and wide structure made her feel small within the confines.

She couldn't help but scan her eyes left from right, Trying to spot any sign of Kokushibo.

[F/N] had been sitting here for over fifteen minutes now just waiting for him to arrive. She had no idea how he would know she was here and waiting, How he predicted when she would be awake but figured he had some sort of way. However disturbing that way might be..

She rubbed the back of her neck, Trying to massage the ache out of it. [F/N] barely could recognise that same familiar sensation of eyes watching her, It only registering in her mind once she felt the cold breath hit her neck.

[F/N] froze, Body stilling like a lake.

"Good.. You are here." Kokushibo mumbled, Only a foot behind her as his eyes dug into her skin. His stare, It felt like it reached deep into her soul and was looking straight at her very being. Scrutinizing her, Judging her every inch.

[F/N] quickly exhaled, A shaky breath escaping her. She didn't dare to turn around, Gathering her bearings as she spoke.

"What do you want." [F/N] asked, Eyes dead set on the wall opposite of her. She didn't even need to turn around to feel his frown etched deep onto his face.

"When you speak to me.. I expect you to show some respect in your tone.." Kokushibo said. His voice was stoic and unwavering yet held such weight to it that [F/N] couldn't help but swallow down her nerves.

When she didn't make the move to speak, Kokushibo took the chance for her.

He placed down something in front of her with a clank, One that was so quiet yet sounded like sirens within the silence of the dining room.

It snapped [F/N] out of her nervous stupor and brought her eyes down to the object in front of her, Revealing it to be a cooked and cut unagi and rice. Grilled river eel that seemed to be sprinkled with chopped leek and black pepper.

[F/N] stared down at it, Seemingly surprised at what it turned out to be as Kokushibo sat down at the other end of the table.

She looked up at him. Even though he was sitting down on his knees, Hands on his shins he still stood towering over her. The darkness of the room cast a deep shadow over his face, One that was staring right back at her, Not saying a word.

They stayed like that for a few moments. [F/N] couldn't help but feel the growing sense of awkwardness under all the tension as she looked over at him. It was quiet, Unsettlingly so.

Compared to how he acted earlier, This was more.. Hands off than before.

When she had first awoken in her caricature of a bedroom he had been there, Watching her from within the murkiness. Once she raised herself from the bed he hadn't taken any time on approaching her, Grabbing her by the cheek and trying to display some kind of faux affection.

It sent shivers down her spine just thinking about it. He had gotten so close like it was a regular occurrence. He didn't want to let go either, Keeping her in place backed up into the corner in fear. He had absolutely no qualms about invading her space.

Though it must of changed once she had gotten out of there, Ran away down the shrine hallways and came face to face with the void outside. Maybe it was what she said to him or the fact that she had tried running away.

"Tire yourself out all you want.. Run as long and as far as you like but you will never be able to leave me.. Not again. When you come back.. Do not expect to be treated with such affection that I have offered you thus far.. Not until you stop with this stupid rebellious phase of yours.."

[F/N] supposed he had kept to his word. He wouldn't be treating her with any kind of 'warmth' or 'affection' as he so put it, Not until she stopped her 'stupid little rebellious phase.'

Her lip quirked. The way he phrased it sounded so wrong. So infantilizing like she was just a rowdy teenager with a lack of basic manners when in truth she was a wounded hostage, Desperately aching for escape, Salvation.

[F/N] hated him, The way he looked and the deepness of his voice. She hated it all. She feared him too, Right now she was helpless. Without the mask or her sword she was useless, Completely at his mercy.

The dressing around her mid-section was the reminder of that, He could kill her anytime he wanted and the fact that he didn't pissed her off.

Somehow, someway. [F/N] needed to find a way out of here, Away from this nightmare, Away from her captor.

"[F/N].. Eat.. I took time in preparing you that meal.. And I expect you to accept and consume it gratefully.." Kokushibo rumbled. His voice sharp and cold like the edge of his sword, Like he was pointing it right at her, Ordering her to do as he says.

[F/N]'s lip thinned before nodding slowly.

"Use your words.." Kokushibo interrupted, Not accepting her non-verbal communication. [F/N] itched, The words seemingly lost at the edges of thought before she spoke.

"Yes.. Thank you.." [F/N] muttered, Eyes locked onto his middle pair as she waited for his response on baited breath.

Kokushibo stared back at her, A blank unfeeling gaze seeming to weigh her words on a scale. He didn't speak, Just hummed lightly.

"Acceptable.." Was all he said.

He continued looking upon her as [F/N] shakily picked up her pair of chopsticks. The thin wood hovering over the unagi, Trying to determine whether the meat was laced or not.

[F/N] gulped. Was she willing to take the risk?

"What..? It's perfectly good eel, I should know.. I caught it myself." Kokushibo asked lightly. His head cocked to the side, Eyes unblinking as he stared her down. "..Why aren't you eating..?"

[F/N] bit her lip, Thoughts scrambling to find a good reason to present to him.

"I-It's just.. The bowl of soba earlier was enough.. It.. It kind of made me lose my appetite is all.." [F/N] said. It was a lie, The bowl of soba that came along with the note wasn't even touched. She didn't feel hungry, She hadn't for a while now.

Kokushibo's eyes narrowed.

"Impossible.. You have been asleep for weeks, One single bowl of soba is not enough.. You must eat.." Kokushibo argued, An accusatory tone lacing him like a prosecutor as he examined her form.

[F/N] gulped. Weeks. Right, Apparently she had been asleep for weeks? It didn't quite register inside her mind, Her sense of time seemed muddled. Minutes and hours mixed together and became one, Measurement wasn't reliable.

[F/N] exhaled.

"R-Right.." She mumbled. The pair of chopsticks still shaking in her hands she slowly lowered them down towards the unagi. Kokushibo watched as she picked up a piece of eel in-between the sticks before raising it towards her mouth.

Nerves irrationally racing under his gaze, [F/N] parted her lips and placed the eel in her mouth as she stared back at him.

She chewed, A sudden sweet taste started to flood onto her tongue as she did. It was soft, Similar to squid in its texture and was unlike her expectation of a bitter, salty and greasy taste.

"..How is it?" Kokushibo asked.

[F/N] swallowed the chunk in her mouth.

"Good.." She answered and this time it wasn't a lie. It did taste good, It was perfectly cooked and seasoned, Made with care and wasn't laced, At least she thinks so anyways. It was good, But it didn't take away the way it felt strange in her mouth. Not from the taste or personal preference but instead in the way you'd try to eat more on a full stomach.

Kokushibo nodded.

"Continue then.." He said, And [F/N] complied under his command. She continued to eat the unagi however awkwardly it felt, Trying her best to focus on the bowl instead of his face. It was quiet, Neither [F/N] or Kokushibo spoke.

"..How was your sleep?" Kokushibo questioned, Breaking the silence between them.

[F/N] looked up at him, The grasp on her chopsticks grew slightly tighter at his attempt to start a conversation. For whatever reason he wasn't going directly in with the questions, It unsettled her stomach and quite frankly annoyed her.

"Fine.. Could of been better.." [F/N] grumbled, Alluding to the bloody dressing and the room walls surrounding her. She said it with a sarcastic tone and a bead of cold sweat running down her brow as she took another bite of the eel.

Kokushibo paused.

[F/N] kept her eyes down, Hoping she didn't go too far.

"You are still opposed to your new living arrangements.. I suppose.. It's understandable. This is a big change for you.." Kokushibo drawled. [F/N] felt another spike in her annoyance, It was that same infantilizing tone.

[F/N] decided to push her limits.

"Why am I here? Like.. H-How is this place even here.. I want you to give me the truth.." She asked, Raising her head up to meet his and lowering down her chopsticks. Her brows were furrowed.

Even though he had "explained" some of it earlier [F/N] had rejected it entirely. She wanted a truthful answer not hidden behind delusion or manipulation.

Kokushibo was quiet for a moment.

"I have told you over and over.. What I say isn't false nor do I intend to trick you.. What do I need to do to convince you of that?" Kokushibo's voice stated to grow colder, It started to sound irritated at her denial. It seemed like [F/N] was near the limits she could push with him.

"You are my younger sister.. I am your older brother. You are here because I want you to be.. This place is your new home now.. You will not be leaving anytime soon so I suggest you start to accept that.." Kokushibo said in a near deriding tone, Making sure to annunciate every word as clear as day to her.

[F/N] shook her head, She opened her mouth ready to speak but was cut off by Kokushibo's own speech.

"I suppose you already know why you're here.. Except for trying to spend some time with my little sister.. Which you ungratefully don't want to do.. It is also because I have questions of my own.. So.. Here is how this is going to go.." Kokushibo started.

"I will ask a question.. And you must answer truthfully. After you have answered.. You may also ask a question of your own.. And I will answer honestly in return.. We will take turns asking until we are both satisfied." Kokushibo suggested.

[F/N] bit her lip. The proposition he had offered to her was appealing to say the least. She would be able to get her answers while he would be able to get his, What kind of questions he had she had no idea.

It didn't matter though. [F/N] wanted to give in to the temptation, Whatever he could ask her couldn't hurt. She'd get her answers and have some kind of basis on this place.

[F/N] nodded.

"Alright."

☆♡☆

The strong smell of chemicals singed at the tip of her nose, It was the only thing she could sense with her entire sight being a dark nothing. She couldn't hear anything either, Nothing except from a high-pitched ringing that is.

The girl groaned, She writhed around tossing back and forth. It felt like every inch of her was in pain, All of her nerves flared up like bottle rockets and exploding in agony. It was barely bearable.

Where was she?

She had no idea. All of her senses were muddled by the pain in her body, It was hard to tell. A metallic bitterness in her mouth, It was really the only thing that she could taste and the only little thing she could sense.

What even happened, Why was she in so much pain? Everything was in pieces, Parts of her mind scrambled into thousands. It felt like something was just out of her grasp, A lost memory, Something she felt was.. Important.

She stretched out a hand, Reaching out into the abyss. Her fingers tried to grab down on something, Anything that she could touch within the shadows.

As her arm extended forward she could feel a sort of.. Light.

It was hard to explain to her, It wasn't visible nor was she sure it was really there. It was strange like a ghostly apparition reaching back out to her, Their spectral hand grazing the tips of her fingers with a cold touch, Sending shivers down the girls spine.

The girl reached out further, A sudden determination to fight through the agony as she tried to grasp the phantom hand.

Tears prickled at her eyes, The pain was excruciating but she fought through it anyways. The palms of her hands starting to graze the hands of the apparition.

The girl grappled onto them, The freezing touch of their grasp embraced hers like a mother holding their child's hand. It was comforting, Even though it chilled her to the bone it was nice, One that felt familiar.

The hand moved, Bringing the girl forward. The pain had completely dissipated now as she was guided upwards, Gently brought forth into the void.

Though as she felt herself rising upwards the darkness enveloping her started to shift too, The shadow parting for her as she went. A new light started to become visible, One independent from the hand as it started to shine.

The girls lips parted, She felt air rushing into her lungs and escaping out through her mouth. Was she not breathing before? The rhythm of her heart started to beat as the light started to grow larger and larger.

It was so blinding that she had to close her eyes. A sudden resonance echoed from within her mind, Lost memories starting to rise.

The girls obsidian eyes opened wide, The light fading out into the clarity of a room. A sharp gasp came from her, Hands gripping the bedsheets she lay on.

She remembered now.

☆♡☆

[F/N]'s brows knitted together, Her lip bit as she waited on baited breath for his question. The tension built up seemed near visible in the air, Almost suffocating so within the darkness of the room.

Kokushibo sighed, Stoic in face, Completely blank making it near impossible to tell what he was thinking. It was uncomfortable to say the least, [F/N] squirmed around under his gaze.

Though she quickly stilled, Keeping her composure. This was her time to get answers. She couldn't falter here, Not now. She needed to stand her ground, Raise her shoulders and look him straight in the eyes, No matter how herculean of a task staring at them was.

"So.. For my first question.. I'll start easy.. " Kokushibo started, Silence broken as his voice echoed lightly in the room.

"..What is your full name?"

[F/N]'s mouth turned into a frown. A rather anti-climactic question from what she was expecting, Though to be fair she didn't know what she was expecting. [F/N]'s shoulders drop only slightly.

"[F/N] Fujimori." She answered quickly.

Kokushibo stayed silent once more. A bead of sweat rolled down [F/N]'s brow, Though she tried not to show it from her hardened expression. What was he thinking..?

"Alright then.. As per our rules you may now ask me a question.. And I will answer honestly." Kokushibo said, Nodding slightly to urge her on.

A question. It was her time to ask.. But what? Where should she start, Which one out of a thousand should she ask? She could only ask one but that was nowhere near enough.

Another bead of sweat dripped down her side.

[F/N] bit her lip. Start easy. Take a deep breath, You'll be fine.

"Okay.. Where am I.. What is this place?" The first question that came to mind. [F/N] steadied her breathing, Good. It was probably one of the better questions she could of asked. She should get a basis of where she is first, Use it as the foundation to base her next few questions off of.

Kokushibo hummed lowly.

"You are in a replica of your shrine.. I ordered this place to be built a few centuries ago after your.. Accident.." Kokushibo paused. "Though it is not exact.. You may have noticed a few modifications.. They are rather recent and have been made for your comfort here.."

Comfort? Like hell this place could be of any comfort to her. It was a mockery of her home, Her sanctuary. Whatever modifications he could have made would never be able to provide any kind of solace to her.

But it was another part of his sentence that drew her attention.

"Accident?" [F/N] queried, Curiosity building on her tongue.

"It is my turn to ask questions.." Kokushibo cut in, Sharp tone cutting through her with a drop in temperature fastly following it.

[F/N] froze, But nodded along quickly not wanting to push her limits any further.

"Second question.." He started "When I found you once more.. You were injured by me in the rubble of your shrine. You appeared as a man, A Hashira.. Not just any but the one who killed a thousand of my kind.. So my question is to you, Why are you a slayer.. How did you do it..?"

Kokushibo's voice was calm yet [F/N] could sense a new undercurrent of bafflement mixed with.. Disdain. It was confusement, One of the only feelings he had shown throughout their conversation.

And if [F/N] was being honest, She shared the sentiment.

"Well.. I.." [F/N] stuttered. Answer honestly, Those were the rules of the game. But [F/N] barely knew what the truth was.

"..I became a slayer because I.. Because.. My friend was going to become a slayer and I just came along for the ride.. How I killed a thousand, I didn't really intend on doing so.. It just kind of happened.. " It was the truth, [F/N] didn't lie when she answered. But it wasn't exactly the full truth either.

Kokushibo's eyes narrowed.

"You became a slayer because.. You followed a friend?" Kokushibo asked. The disdain in his voice more prominent now as he stared her down. [F/N] swallowed.

"My turn." She answered, Expression turning to stone.

Kokushibo's nose twitched.

"Touché.." Was all he said.

"About the accident you mentioned.. What are you referring to?" [F/N] asked. Accident, The way he said it earlier was like the word was stuck on his tongue. [F/N] could tell it was hard subject, Both from the way he said it and how his face seemed to fall once she asked it.

Kokushibo took a moment before responding.

"Your accident.. Yes. It was around five hundred years ago now in the Sengoku era.. It.. It's still fresh in my mind." Kokushibo's voice started to go down, Only in a single pitch as he spoke. Eyes wandering off somewhere else.

"A few months before it happened you had fallen ill.. A hereditary sickness passed down from our mother.. I had been searching months for a cure to no luck. I had came back to your shrine with.. A kind of cure per se but when I had arrived.. It was too late."

[F/N] listened on intently. This was manipulation, This just a lie. But.. Did he really need to create such a narrative? He had explained her falling ill, Going so far as to describe it as an illness from 'their' mother. Was he really going this far..?

"It wasn't the illness that killed you.. Instead it was a pair of slayers. When I had arrived it was in the middle of winter.. A blizzard had picked up and you had ran out into the snow to escape.. You were fatally wounded and by the time I found you.. You were dead, Curled up in the snow, Your body was already frozen over.." Kokushibo trailed off, His voice growing lower until it wasn't heard anymore.

Kokushibo looked up towards [F/N], Eyes looking upon her form. She was still, Unnaturally so.

Not a single muscle moved, Neither from [F/N] or the demon across the table from her. Her lips were parted, Eyes stuck dead open as she stared down at the table.

"I.. You.." She stuttered. Her voice was so quiet, Her jaw started to shake.

[F/N] looked up to him, Glazed over eyes staring at him with a horrified yet disbelieving expression. She stared as if he had three heads, Her head shook.

"A blizzard.. You said.. You said it was a blizzard?" [F/N] stammered. It sounded like she hadn't spoken in days, Like all water had been deprived from her throat. A blizzard, He said she died in a blizzard.

Kokushibo's frown deepened, A grimace starting to play on his face. He didn't even care that she asked another question, The terrified visage she wore distracting him from that fact.

"..Why? Does that mean something to you..?" Kokushibo queried.

It did. It meant everything to her, Her dreams. The original visions that have been haunting her like spectres for months, The blizzard she had trudged through night after night only to collapse time and time again.

He told her it was the way his sister died. She was killed off by a couple of slayers, One's that fatally wounded. It matched up to the unbearable pain in her chest whenever she was there, The way she felt so frantic in escape. It matched but.. How?

These dreams she barely told to anyone, While she had admitted she suffered from night terrors what happened in them wasn't explained to anyone. No one he would have in contact with should know about her nightmares.

But somehow he knew, It was exactly like how he described.

"Answer me.. And consider it my next question." Kokushibo broke her chain of thought, Yet she could barely hear his annoyed voice from the cold sweat building up on her palm.

"DON'T LET HIM CATCH US, [F/N]. DON'T LET HIM FIND US!"

A voice she hadn't heard in a good long while cried out inside her mind. It was her.. Her double. The start of deviation in her visions, She had came to her with a warning. One she couldn't decipher.

Neurons connected. The end of her dreams, When she had fallen into the snow and curled up into a ball she looked up. And every time she'd see a man rush towards her, Clothed in a lavender nagagi kimono and hakama trousers..

[F/N]'s bottom lip shook, She tried to verbalize her thoughts. Put them into words yet it seemed so difficult from under the weight of her raging mind.

This.. This couldn't be what she thought it meant. It couldn't. It can't..

Kokushibo's expression was unreadable, It wasn't like the annoyance before but instead it was like ice. He was stone, Whatever he was thinking didn't show. And it scared her even more.

"Explain. Now." He said just like his expression, Levelled and untraceable.

[F/N] tried to steady her breathing. A little voice in her head spoke out. Don't falter, Ask further.

"I.. I.." [F/N] stuttered, Setting her hands down onto the table and trying to organise her words. She swallowed back a lump in her throat, Making way for her explanation.

"I.. F-For a few months I've been having.. Nightmares." [F/N] started, Slowly pronouncing her words as if to test them on her tongue.

"Nightmares..?" Kokushibo mulled. He didn't make a change in his expression, Nor did his glare stray from her for a second.

[F/N] nodded.

"Y-Yes.. I've been having night terrors for a while now and in these nightmares.. I wake up in a blizzard." She confirmed.

Kokushibo's stare was blank, His eyes near draining the life out of her as his lips parted slightly.

"What occurs while you are having them?" He asks, But [F/N] only shook her head.

"..Isn't it my turn to ask a que-"

"Forget the questions." Kokushibo interrupted. "Tell me what happens.."

[F/N] froze. His sudden aura of authority was something she could feel in her bones. She was never one to obey any kind of Jurisdiction or higher human power, It wasn't in her nature or her nurture to do so.

But a natural instinct burst up inside her from the new atmosphere surrounding him, One that made her want to answer in fear of the consequences.

"I.. E-Every time I fall asleep I wake up in a blizzard.. I'm in the middle of a forest.. There's this pain in my back.. I.. I'm trying to get out of there but every time I get far I collapse into the snow.." [F/N] explained, Repeated almost exactly what he described back to him.

She decided against telling him the last part after seeing his expression.

Kokushibo at this point had a hand resting on his chin, A nail dug onto the pale moonlight shade of his flesh while another pulled gingerly at his lip. He wasn't readable before, But now [F/N] could feel a sense of.. Elation.

She noticed his face start to turn only slightly. The corners of his mouth starting to tug up subconsciously into a small smile.

It was disturbing, It looked so unnatural on his face like it was a cheap replica of an honest smile. But [F/N] could tell this was genuine enough, All from the way his arachnid eyes gleamed. Though despite the light in his eyes he radiated a darker aura. Something she recognised from the time he had sliced her abdomen.

[F/N] shuddered. He was happy.

"I see.. So you do remember something.." Kokushibo muttered. His eyes were off in thought, His grin was so small yet contained such a feeling of obsessive glee. It sickened her, It made her want to puke.

[F/N] tried to shuffle away slightly on the tatami mat she was sitting on, The bowl of unagi went abandoned as she felt her instincts kick up again.

This was impossible, This entire situation felt so wrong. When at any point in her life did she think she would be here? Staring down the unhinged monster opposite from her while he tried to convince her of blood relation. Through her dreams, No less.

"I-It's only a vision. It.. It means nothing." [F/N] blurted out. A thought that ran through her mind and one that she didn't mean to articulate out loud. Also one that she regretted immediately.

Kokushibo didn't seem wavered at all, His claw just continued pulling at his lip.

"No, No. Even if it is just subconciously.. There is still a part of you that remembers.. This.. This is great." He said just a little louder this time, Exasperated and maybe even a tiny bit excited.

If [F/N] thought his visage couldn't get any more hideous then she was proven very wrong. The way his smile stretched wider to reveal his canines, The way his cheeks made way for it and the way all six of his eyes sparkled under the pale light.

It was horrifying.

She barely registered him getting up from his knees, Standing at his full height within the shadow-infested room. He stalked over, One foot in front of the other barely made any sound as slowly made his way towards her.

[F/N] was only snapped out of her trance one he was now looming over her crouched form. She gasped, Shocked at the sudden closing of distance between them. She tried to move her body away, Try to gain some space but she felt fixed to the floorboards, Body unable to move.

Kokushibo went down onto a single knee, He hunched over with his middle eyes meeting her own in a locked stare down.

He seemed to examine her just for a moment, That smile smaller yet still stretched upon his face as he looked at her.

"..The chances of your dream matching up to my own tale is.. Improbable to say the least. You must agree that it's uncanny.. Do you agree, Little one?" He asked. It was almost as if he was taunting her as she tried desperately to think of an exit, Instincts on overdrive.

[F/N]'s jaw trembled. She was unable to pry her eyes away from his, Keeping her steady in place. She felt words grow on the tip of her tongue, Ready to spill.

"E-Even if what you're implying is right.. If your story has any truth to it.. Even if I am your sister.. Why did you kidnap me and take me here?" She squeaked, Shrill and high-pitched under the intense gaze of the Uppermoon.

It didn't make sense to her at all. It was one of the question she had been wanting to ask for a while now, His story didn't add up. Between both the ruthless nature of demons and their lack of sentimental attachment it just didn't make sense.

If she was his sister then that wouldn't constitute kidnapping her, It wouldn't change the fact that he should of killed her. Why he was so insistent on keeping her here, Why he had such an insane demeanour to him eluded her.

Kokushibo let out a breath of air, A shine in his eyes that could of been mistaken for fondness gleamed bright.

And his teeth glowed even lighter under the pale luminescence.

"Because.. Kidnapping you was a necessary evil.. The outside world is dangerous for someone like you.. If I let you out the chance of you getting injured or killed grows too high for my liking.. You need to stay here where it's safe, You need to stay here with me.." Kokushibo started.

[F/N] had no idea what to say, There was nothing to say. What words could she ever use to explain the overwhelming feelings rushing around inside her. Fear.. Anger.. Confusion and Hopelessness.

None of those words portray how she really felt. How much it felt like her heart was going to explode or how badly she wanted to run away.

"I'm your big brother, It's my job to protect you.. That's why you're here with me. I can't let you go back to those pathetic little slayers.. They are the reason I lost you for so long in the first place.."

He continued his rambling, Spoke about her colleagues and comrades with such acidity. The expression on his face was growing even more deluded and unhinged by every syllable spoken. [F/N] couldn't understand a single word, All mixing into a hazy mess.

"Besides.. If you just accept your new living situation then I'm sure you'll grow accustomed well enough.. If you would just stop with your little tantrum then you'll be much happier.. I can assure you of tha-"

Kokushibo paused mid-sentence

[F/N] watched in confusion as his smile fell and his face reverted back into his usual cold and serious expression in an instance.

He got up from the ground and tilted his head up towards the roof of the room, Seemingly engrossed in something [F/N] couldn't make out.

"Muzan-sama.." Kokushibo spoke lowly, His voice was filled with cordiality and stoicism similar to how a knight would speak to a king.

[F/N]'s eyebrows raised, Her lips pressed tightly together careful not to make a sound. Was he.. Was he speaking to Kibutsuji? The demon king, The progenitor of all demons and the bastard who had ordered her to be killed?

That's.. Not good.

[F/N] didn't speak a word though, It looked like they had some sort of telepathic link. Her sweat dropped more than it already doing, One after the other things got more and more insane. How much more can she handle?

The silence was louder than any sound, It felt suffocating yet she didn't dare to break it for a second. She didn't think she'd be intimidated by the progenitor, The passage of his name back at the corps meant nothing to her but now?

[F/N] was alarmed, On edge. Her fate was juggled in the hands of demons and death would be the better option in this scenario. She needed to wait on baited breath and see what the verdict was.

Kokushibo stood there, Nodding once or twice without ever saying a word. However whatever conversation they were having seemed important, She could tell by the sharpening of his eyes and the way his shoulders stiffened.

Was he going to tell him about her? What were they talking about? It was impossible to tell.

"Yes.. I will head over now." Kokushibo said at last. It was the final thing he said, A small nod before all movements went still.

They stood there, It was dead quiet.

Kokushibo looked down at her, That same cold expression on his face as he looked back at her.

"..I have been ordered to leave.. While I am gone I expect you to behave.. Do not try and run lest you wish to waste your energy.. Think over what we discussed here today and then maybe you'll start to see reason.."

That was all that he said to her. Kokushibo didn't wait for her answer before vanishing into thin air, Gone in an instant.

[F/N] exhaled, A breath she didn't know she was holding was released into the now empty room. It was colder now, The silence returned once again to invade every corner of the walls confines.

She came in for answers yet came out with more questions than she expected or wanted, The entire ordeal rewinding in her mind like a cassette.

This couldn't be real, She just wouldn't accept it.

☆♡☆

[F/N]'s feet dragged behind her out of the room, She didn't bother sliding the door shut. Too enraptured with the thoughts of her own mind to care.

She trudged down the hallways, Her head felt like a hurricane right now. Swirling and rushing around at high speeds, Thoughts coming in and out even faster. [F/N] felt like a weight was dropped in her chest, Doing the best of her ability to breathe in and out and not collapse onto the wall.

What were the chances that her dreams and his story matched up? It was impossible, He had described the exact sequence of events that occurred and had linked it to his sister's death.

[F/N] couldn't be related to him, She couldn't be related to Uppermoon one, A centuries old demon who has most definetly killed thousands at this point. But.. The coincidence was too big to be considered one.

She was conflicted to say the least, It felt like her brain and her heart were at war with each other. Her brain was telling her that there was no way that this could be possible, There was no feasible way.

Her heart on the other hand said otherwise, It told her that he was telling the truth. That there was some semblance of honesty to what he was saying yet it also told her that she should run. It resonated in her like nothing else.

It's words reminded her of that dream, Her double's warnings screaming into her ear like an air-raid siren. Crying and wailing out into the storm.

"WE CAN'T LET HIM CATCH US, HE'S NOT THE SAME. WE NEED TO RUN OR ELSE WE'LL NEVER GET AWAY, PLEASE [F/N] LISTEN TO US!"

Her double spoke as if they were one, Which they technically were but it felt different. It felt as if they were really the same person, Not split into two but just one single person.

[F/N] thought it was a prophetic dream from Inari, A warning about the shrine's future attack and to be prepared. At the time it felt like the most rational meaning. But now she didn't think that was the case anymore, It wasn't about the shrine at all.

It was about Kokushibo.

Her double spoke as she knew him all too well, She was scared of him. She told her he wasn't the same, Could that be referring to him being a demon? Maybe, [F/N] wasn't sure.

Or could it be referring to his behaviour. Back when he was towering over her, Leaning down to her level she could see the primal feeling behind his eyes, Like a feral animal. Not unlike a rabid wolf, It was a look she hadn't seen in anyone.

He was so sure that she was his little sister, And at this point? [F/N] had no idea what to think.

Everything was so complicated, It was all happening in such a short period of time that she just couldn't wrap her head around it. [F/N] didn't even want to think about it anymore, It made her head throb and even though she had only been up for an hour or two she just wanted to go to bed again.

[F/N] kept walking through the hallways, She had decided that it was exactly what she was going to do. She needed to sleep on it, Come back tomorrow and figure things out on a clean slate.

CREAK!

[F/N] raised her head from the ground. The old floorboards made a loud noise up ahead from behind the corner. [F/N] could tell it was from the lowering of a foot, Heavy and firm.

She groaned. Kokushibo was back already? That was quick. She didn't want to put up with him again, She just wanted sleep. One that actually made her feel like she was refreshed and rested once she woke.

Sighing, She called out to him.

"..I don't want to continue talking, I'm tired and-"

[F/N]'s speech was cut off, Her pace freezing like water in a single instant as she stared the man down.

That.. That isn't Kokushibo.

The man that turned the corner didn't look like him at all. Instead it was a young man of average height. He had a salmon shaded short-cut for hair and his skin was so pale that it was near sheet white, The only breaks from the artic colour were the thick navy blue streaks wrapping around his entire body.

His eyes widened at the sight of her, They were golden with his sclera like broken glass. It seemed he didn't expect her either.

[F/N] inhaled sharply. The kanji in his eyes catching her off guard. This is a demon, Not just any.. But Uppermoon three.

He opened his mouth to speak, Vampiric fangs glistening in the turquoise light.

"You.. What are you doing here?"

☆♡☆

The evening sun was lowering down on the horizon, The sky painted with hues of red, orange and purple made it look like a masterfully painted watercolour canvas. It was beautiful, Along with the cool breeze brushing into the valley it made a perfect landscape.

The butterfly mansion sat as tall as ever. Several Kakushi and slayers walked in and out about the building, They were sparse in numbers.

Most of the injured from a few weeks ago were already healed back to full health and were sent on their way. The ones that remained still lain on their hospital bed, Being treated by the residents here.

Shinobu wiped her brow, Beads of sweat brushing off onto the side of her wrist as she knelt down in front of the garden patch. Cabbage and turnip halfway grown within the fertile soil. She was currently picking weeds out from the stone lining around the vegetable patch, Gloves clad on her hands as she plucked another out.

Shinobu felt the cold breeze brush against her skin and flow through her hair. She inhaled, Taking it all in. It truly was a beautiful evening, It felt serene. Tranquil in the warm rays of the setting sun.

She listened to the birds chirp and the grasshoppers sing from the bushes. An amaranthine setting. So peaceful that she could pick up the soft footsteps approaching her from behind.

They were slow and Shinobu could hear them stop a metre or two away from her, She didn't need to look up from her work to know who it was.

Shinobu smiled quietly as she pulled out another weed.

"Mitsuri-chan.. It's nice to see you outside." Was all she said to her, Focused on her work.

Mitsuri stood a fair bit away from Shinobu. She was dressed in a white kimono decorated with vivid burst of colour, Blues and pinks morphing into a floral pattern. Both it and her dripping watermelon hair gently wove back and forth in the wind.

Mitsuri didn't smile, Only looked down at her sandals.

"Shinobu-chan.. I.. Are you busy? I can come back later if you are.." Mitsuri asked, Her voice was as quiet as the breeze around them as she fiddled with her fingers.

Shinobu shook her head and stood up from her crouching position.

"No, No! Just doing a bit of gardening is all.." She said, Turning around to meet Mitsuri with that same smile she always did.

Mitsuri looked better than she was last time Shinobu saw her. Her hair wasn't plagued by grease and her kimono looked fresh and recently washed. Though Shinobu could pick out a few outliers like the bags under her eyes and the way her braids weren't as carefully done as they usually were.

But overall, It was a good change.

"If you came here to apologise, It's fine." Shinobu spoke. Though her smile was taught her tone was genuine. Mitsuri shook her head.

"No.. No it's not. I said some really nasty things that I shouldn't of said. I'm really sorry Shinobu-chan, I-I hope you're doing fine.." Mitsuri sighed. She couldn't bring her eyes to meet Shinobu's, Too ashamed to see her face.

"Really, It's quite alright. You weren't thinking straight, I understand that.. And if it's any consolation I didn't take anything to heart." Shinobu assured, Taking a few steps towards the other girl.

Mitsuri didn't answer, Neither did she look up from the ground in shame.

Shinobu took a few more steps forward until they were only three feet apart, Approaching slowly her smile started to slightly decrease.

"Mitsuri-chan. [F/N] wouldn't of wanted you to be like this, I know this because it was in her last words.. I know it's hard but you need to stop blaming yourself." Shinobu assured, Her voice grew to a gentle whisper as she approached the other girl.

Mitsuri's expression didn't change.

"I-It was my fault though. And entirely mine.. I'm sorry about that by the way.. But the thing is if I had just tried a little harder or recognised the signs sooner I could of prevented this.. I could of done something.." Mitsuri lamented, A dull sorrow in her voice as she looked up at Shinobu.

"No, You couldn't of. Things like these are hard to recognise.. Some people can appear so happy and carefree but we never know what's going on down below. You couldn't of known.. I promise." Shinobu reassured her, Her hand reached out and grabbed Mitsuri's shoulder in a comforting manner.

Mitsuri's frown started to shake.

"N-No.. Shinobu. I could of, I did. I knew it was there yet I did nothing.. And now I need to live with what I've done.. What I could of done to stop her." Mitsuri whispered, Tears starting to prickle at her eyes.

Shinobu looked back into her shamrock eyes, Her glazed over violet a comfort to the girl.

"She really meant that much to you, Didn't she?" Shinobu asked lowly.

Mitsuri sniffled.

"She's half of my soul, As the poets may say." She replied.

Shinobu smiled.

"That's a quote from a book, Isn't it?" She asked, A lighter tone playing on her words.

Mitsuri's frown tried it's best to turn back into a smile.

"You've read that one too..?" She asked her.

"Of course, It's a romantic tragedy. One of my favourite genres.. I'm guessing it's one of yours too then." Shinobu questioned in turn. Mitsuri nodded.

"Yeah.. I was always into those kinds of romance books when I was younger and I don't know why but.. That quote kind of stayed with me, You know..? I always thought when I grew up that I'd find the person who I could say that about" Mitsuri's smile lowered.

"..I guess I just didn't realise I had her until she was gone.." She mumbled.

Shinobu rubbed Mitsuri's shoulder, A comforting action to try and soothe her nerves.

"I know.. I.. I'll miss [F/N] too. She really was one of a kind.. One day we'll avenge her though, We'll find the demon alright? We'll make sure her death meant something.." Shinobu admitted lowly, The smile on her face now gone as she looked down downwards her shoes.

Mitsuri thought over her words, Considering every vowel and consonant. All before bringing Shinobu into an awkward hug.

It was one that made Shinobu flinch on touch, But her figure relaxed before returning the gesture, Arms wrapping around Mitsuri's back.

"Alright.. We'll find them. We'll get revenge.." Mitsuri confirmed.

Shinobu was unable to see her face but she could feel the patter of tears fall onto her haori. Shinobu nodded, Staying silent.

They stayed like that for a good few seconds, Before a voice called out to them both.

"Lady Kanroji, Lady Kocho!" The voice yelled out.

They instantly retreated back into their previous positions away from each other. Shinobu recognised the voice as Aoi, One of the staff working at the estate.

She stood wide within the doorframe of the main entrance, Her face was alarmed as she looked at the both of them.

Shinobu and Mitsuri shared a look before running over to Aoi, Stumbling to a halt in front of her.

"Kanzaki-san, Is everything alright?" Shinobu asked, Her personality switched back into it's usual exercised type. A serious expression lain on her face as she looked at her staff.

A bead of sweat rolled down Aoi's forehead. She took a deep breath in, Unable to find the words.

"I shouldn't explain it, I think it's better if you hear it yourself.. Lady Kanroji, You especially." Aoi said. She took no time in turning around and speed walking down the hallway, Head motioning the two to follow her down the passage.

The two followed along with her down the butterfly mansions hallways, Their footsteps echoing out as it hit against the polished wood. Pristine white walls and mahogany doors passed them by as they went, But they were focused on following the girl in front of them.

Shinobu wondered what could've gotten into Aoi for her to act like this, All while Mitsuri was confused on why her especially needed to be there.

It wasn't long until they reached a certain door at the end of a hallway, It was cracked open only slightly letting the light from inside the room flood into the passage.

Aoi didn't hesitate to push the door open and step inside. Mitsuri and Shinobu following after as the room came into view.

It was a single bedroom, One usually used to care for patients in critical condition. It was decorated with a single bed in the middle, Two nightstands at the side and a closet. The source of light being a tall window to the side of the bedding, Letting a single warm ray shine down onto the patient on the bed.

Laying down under the covers was a small girl. She was wrapped in bandages and her unruly blonde hair was a mess, She looked tired when her dark eyes peered up to meet the three who just entered the room.

"H.. Hey.." She stuttered out, Her throat hoarse.

A neuron connected in Shinobu's mind. She remembered who this was. Her name was Maika Heihachiro, She was one of the shrine-maidens at the Kakushi base. A few weeks ago she was found passed out under a bunch of rubble, Right next to where [F/N]'s pool of blood was.

She wasn't able to be questioned on what happened however. Maika had suffered several injuries including severe blood loss, A deep cut on her back and bad frostbite. She had to be put into a medically induced coma to let her body heal.

Though she had awoken now, Conscious and sound of mind by the looks of it.

Shinobu quickly brushed past Aoi and Mitsuri, Speed walking over to the girls smile. Façade brought back on.

"Hello there! Are you doing alright? You've been asleep for quite some time!" Shinobu exclaimed, Looking down at her with a sugar sweet smile.

"I.. I'm fine.." Maika coughed. Shinobu quickly reached over to the wooden nightstand beside her and grabbed the pitcher of water.

She handed to the girl who gratefully accepted the refreshment. Mitsuri moved over to the other side of the bed to look down at the girl. Her expression still hurt by her mourning but curiosity danced along her features anyways as she looked at her.

"Mitsuri-chan.. This is Heihachiro-chan! She was one of the shrine-maidens back at the Kakushi base" Shinobu started.

"I.. I see." Mitsuri responded solemnly.

"That's not all, But you were also there when Fujimori was killed and eaten, Yes?" Shinobu asked, Turning back around to face Maika with an expectant look on her face.

Mitsuri's eyes widened in shock, Surprise coursing through her bloodstream as she looked down at Maika with wide eyes. A sudden hope rising inside her, Circling in her chest.

Maika paused, Then shook her head.

"N-No.."

Mitsuri's face fell, Her thou-

"T-That's not what happened..!" Maika exclaimed however instantly broke out into another coughing fit, Body spasming and her hand covering her mouth.

Mitsuri's brows knitted together, The words coming out of Maika didn't make sense. Not what happened.. What.. What does that mean.

Mitsuri came closer, Her hand reaching out going to grip Maika's free one with a reassuring hold. Mitsuri's fingers entwined with hers as she looked down on her.

"What do you mean..?" Mitsuri whispered. Eyes not taken off Maika for a second.

Maika's coughing fit died down, Her body laid peacefully on the bed.

"[F/N]-sama.. Fujimori-san.. T-They're the same person!" She explained.

Shinobu shook her head.

"Yes.. We're aware. But, Do you mind telling us what you mean by 'that's not what it happened'?" She asked softly.

Maika paused for a second, The sunlight from the window rested down on her face. Pale skin glowing in the luminescence as she spoke.

"[F/N]-sama.. She.. It's hard to remember, It's all fuzzy in my mind but.. She.. She wasn't eaten.." Maika explained, Eyes clenching shut. A headache forming in her frontal lobe as she spoke.

Both Mitsuri and Shinobu looked at each other. A shared stare that meant disbelief, Confusion and sheer bafflement. Maika didn't stop explaining as she squeezed Mitsuri's hand, Bringing her back into the conversation.

"What.. What do you mean [F/N] wasn't eaten?" Mitsuri asked, Levelling herself closer to Maika. Eyes wide as she looked at her, Confusion played all over her face.

"S-She wasn't eaten.. No.. S-She.. She was taken.. I.. The demon that tried to kill her just.. He just stopped.. Picked her up and.. and walked away.." Maika said. "It's all so fuzzy.. I.. I'm having a hard time remembering..

Mitsuri and Maika's eyes locked. Mitsuri looked at her, A sudden shine sparking up inside her like a lighter grew bright in her eyes. It was one she hadn't had in weeks, It was the glimmer of hope.

"I-It's fine.. But what.. What are you saying?" Mitsuri asked, Her voice was so small yet her face held such light to it.

"I-If I am right.. If I am remembering correctly.." Maika's eyes shared that same spark, That same light swirling around in her eyes.

"[F/N]-sama is alive."

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