The next day, Shinazugawa and Shinobu went out by a clearing in the bamboo forest where they held the book and notes they needed inside a basket. Kanae then got out of the room and wished them luck then went straight back towards the quarters of {Name}.
The two arrived at the clearing and prepared what they wanted to do. The basket that held their files were by a bamboo far away from where Shinazugawa was stationed and Shinobu holding the book not that far.
"Alright Shinazugawa-san, You know what to do."
"Right!"
Shinobu then the book right up and Shinazugawa prepared a breathe attack.
"ˢʰⁱᶜʰⁱ ⁿᵒ ᵏᵃᵗᵃ: ᴷᵉⁱᶠū ⁻ ᵀᵉⁿᵍᵘ ᴷᵃᶻᵉ!"
(Seventh Form: Gale - Sudden Gusts!)
Sanemi launched his attack with Shinobu moving out of her place swiftly. She watched as Sanemi's attack shredded the book apart. The pages tattered and ripped apart.
The attack went out and left a shredded book in the ground. Shinobu went near it and took a closer look.
"Does your attack usually leave a pattern Shinazugawa?"
"Not that I know off, No"
"Well then, This answers this..."
"What are you talking about?"
Sanemi asked and looked at the shredded books.
"Oh...."
The pages of the books weren't shredded randomly. They were all in broken kanji strokes that could mean something.
"Hmm...Maybe if we arrange it then we'll get a better chance. Perhaps we should take note of it. Shinazugawa-san grab the basket for me will you?"
"Yeah yeah"
Shinazugawa then turned his back and was startled at the sight. There was the timid and blanked-faced Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito, reading the notes out of the basket.
"GAH! What the hell are you doing here?!"
Sanemi screamed at Muichiro, who simply looked up from the notes and stared at him.
"I....forgot"
Shinazugawa then deadpanned and looked at Shinobu for answers.
The girl looked up from the notes and looked at Shinazugawa back.
"What?"
"The hell is this guy doing here?"
Shinobu looked at Muichiro and shrugged.
"I don't know, But we near where he usually hangs out. So maybe he got curious?"
Shinobu said and continued to look at the notes.
"Just grab the paper from him"
Shinazugawa sighed and went towards Muichiro and grabbed the basket where he took out an ink jar, pens and a piece of paper.
He then gave it to Shinobu and tried to Shoo Muichiro away.
"No, I want to watch"
Muichiro simply said.
Shinazugawa was about to argue but Shinobu stopped him.
"We don't have time for this, Just help me arrange this."
Shinazugawa looked at her and then gave up and kneeled down next to her.
They continued to work while Muichiro blankly stared at the sky.
It was now at least an hour since they were arranging it but they still couldn't figure out what the rip pages say.
"So You want...Gilda and Don in on the plan as well?"
{Name} asked in the telephone cup connected to another cup where Norman was holding.
"Yes, I wanted to know If its alright with you..."
Norman muttered
"Hmm, As much as I am flattered you trust me, You don't really have to ask my view on the situation right?"
{Name} said in an amused tone and sat up.
"I know but Its just that, you've been right about things these days and I don't wanna make a mistake...."
"Alright, I get you. Just follow your gut, Norman. If you want them to be in, then let them be in. Just make sure to have a back up plan if something goes wrong"
{Name} said and then yawned after.
"Oh! Sorry! You must have been tired...You just woke up right?"
Norman said and looked out towards the window.
"Yep, Just get back to work. I think someone is coming in"
"Yeah sure, I'll ask Mama if I can visit later. Get well soon"
Norman put the cup down and then walked out of the room.
Meanwhile with {Name}, a knock came from her door and a voice said from behind.
"{Name}? Are you up?"
It was Mama knocking on the door with concern in her voice.
"Umm..Yeah! I'm up!"
Isabella then opened the door with a bunch of medicines in a tray and went towards the bedside table.
She then said nothing and grabbed a thermometer and checked the girl's temperature.
"Still high enough for a fever but low enough for a flu. I'm afraid I can't let the others visit you yet so please stay tight alright?"
Isabella said with her smile she presents the kids.
"I...Of course Mama"
{Name} said and slightly smiled at her before lying down and turning the other way by her side. She thought about what Sister Krone meant...
Key? Hope? Hellhole?
Hmm..Hellhole might mean where we are...The orphanage but the two words confused her the most.
"Something wrong {Name}?"
She was brought out of her thoughts and answered Isabella.
"Nothing really...Just a little tired. That's all"
{Name} replied with a yawn
"Oh I see.. Well I'll leave you to rest. I'll come back later to check on you"
"Yes Mama"
Isabella got up and walked towards the door but then stopped and turned to the sick girl.
"I love you, {Name}"
{Name} then flinched and widened her eyes and reluctantly replied.
"I love you too, Mama and thank you for taking care of me"
"Of course, sweetheart."
Isabella then walked out of the door and made her way towards the dining room where she bumped into Don.
"Oh! Sorry Mama!"
"Its alright! Be careful next time!"
{Name} sat up from her position and looked around for a paper to write the information she has been given.
She then spotted a paper and a pen by the other bed's bedside table and wrote all she knew right now.
- My skin is a "Key"
-This place isn't normal
-Adults are only the ones to feel my skin
She then looked through her writing and folded the paper and shoved it into her chest pocket for safe keeping.
Suddenly a knock came from the window.
She turned towards it and saw a orange hair sticking out of the bottom.
She stood up and opened the window and helped the orange hair inside.
"Emma! What are you doing here? Mama said no visitors!"
"Yeah Yeah I know but we wanted to tell you that we told Don and Gilda! We wanted to actually tell over the cup phone but I wanted to see you so...hehe"
Emma giggled and sat down the bed.
"So how are you feeling?"
"Umm...You know, still tired but I'm okay right now"
"Hmm...Maybe try to make that hidden course exercise of yours slowly. Ray did say that suddenly impacting your body with an exercise you don't do may lead you to getting sick. At least, that's what Ray said"
"Yeah..."
Everything was silent until {Name} realized what Emma said.
"W-wait! Hi-hidden Course exercise????!!! What are you talking about?"
She panicked because she didn't want to get caught.
"Don't lie to me! I have evidence that the course I found was yours!"
"and...."
"You don't have to, you know?"
She looked at Emma
"What are you talking about?"
Emma sighed and sat next to {Name} holding her hand.
"I may not know why you chose an entire course for training but...I know that you did it to save us!"
She turned to {Name} and looked at her eyes.
"The boys and I are already planning this with you, You don't have to go extreme when it comes to us! Look where it got you! Sick and unable to talk to us! I'm not mad but I think I deserve an explanation for what you are doing."
{Name} frowned and looked away from her gaze. She sighed and spoke.
"Emma, I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you....Its just that, I don't think you'll understand and may find me crazy when I say what I am trying to do...."
"Oh! Try me! I can understand anything!"
{Name} then looked at Emma with a raised brow. Slightly Judging her.
"Hey don't look at me like that! I have you know that I am smart!"
"Alright but get ready for a long story alright?"
"Yep!"
In the middle of a bamboo forest, there was 3 people in a clear area with the other 2 looking at ripped pages, trying to combined something. The other one wasn't helping and kept staring at the environment around him.
"*sigh* We are taking so long on finding this stupid answer! I am so getting frustrated!"
Shinobu yelled, her temper already showing while Shinazugawa stayed silent, trying to piece some shredded paper together to come up with a word.
They have been there for an hour now with no break. No one even dared to speak an off topic question as they were busy with what they were doing.
"Maybe you should try to think of a word and write it in kanji. Then see if the shredded pieces match up."
Muichiro said and walked towards them.
The two looked at him surprised.
"Wait! So your gonna help us?"
"Yeah sure, I'm kind of bored right now, So I'll join you..."
"Alright...."
"So what words are we gonna write first.
Sanemi brought out the papers and pens they packed and handed some to Shinobu.
Shinobu took it and wrote some words they found during the first clue.
"Okay! So we have:
Beast = 獣
Prey = 獲物
Knowledge = 知識
Fix = 修正
Stone = 結石
Sacrifice = 犠牲
Thats all I can see that are important."
"Okay, then lets try to analyze first... So the only single kanji is beast...while the rest has 2. During the amount of ripped paper we have, It could mean that there could be 2 kanjis in the word we are looking for!"
Shinobu exclaimed and tried to piece some pieces together to create at least one of the letters. Muichiro as well helped her while Sanemi analyzed the kanji of the words.
He then looked at the poem they found and the 2nd clue Shinobu found and taught of something.
"Hmm, maybe we should try to form sacrifice first..."
Shinobu looked at him confused.
"Why?"
"I don't know, I got a gutsy feeling about it."
"Alright..."
Shinobu then pieced the papers together and formed the kanji, sacrifice. Funny enough, the words were fitted perfectly
"Okay? Now wh-"
The wind then suddenly grew stronger and blew the kanji words away. Shinobu and Shinazugawa panicked and try to catch them but the wind flew them high up, away from their reach.
"Ugh! What are we gonna do now! They were only the clues we have!!!"
Shinobu panicked and paced around while Shinazugawa looked pissed as well and disappointed.
"Now we'll never know what happened to {Name}...."
" I don't think so."
Muichiro interrupted and looked towards the ground.
Shinobu was about to yell at him but Shinazugawa let out a gasp and looked at the ground where they formed the words.
In the ground, words with kanji expressed the sentence of.
水に鍵を書いてください
(Write the key on water..)
"So...you are an adult??!"
"My mind set yes, my body, no."
{Name} explained to Emma who she was and what happened. Emma said she could understand but she couldn't even believe what she was hearing.
"Wait so you are this hashira that killed demons for the good of humans and then got this power called "Breathing style"?? But while you were sleeping, you suddenly ended up in Mama's arms as a baby??"
"Yes"
"And your training is for your breathing style that you believe that can kill the demons in here?"
"Yes exactly"
"Hmm..."
Emma then processed what she heard but then looked at {Name} determined.
"Don't worry I believe you! And I won't tell anyone, only in one condition!"
"What is that?"
"Teach me this breathing style!"