When the Lights Fades

Act I, Chapter 3: Memories

As much as Sanemi tried to make friends, everyone was afraid of him, his scars were the reason. Everyone found his scars scary, repulsive even. When he was still a child, he had hardly any friends. The cause was his "scary" look, "looking like a killer", which frightened the people of his village. But his brother, Genya, was not afraid, probably because they were brothers and had grown up together, but that was enough for Sanemi, at least during his childhood.

During his teenage years, when his mother was transformed into a Demon, he received his first facial scars. With the scars he received, he lost the ability to see and perceive any colours, leaving him with only black and white vision. This was probably due to the psychological shock of killing his mother and being disowned by his younger brother... Genya had shouted at him that he was a murderer and such which has traumatized Sanemi even more than he already was.
Sanemi was all alone, his brother hated him, he had killed his mother in order to survive and he could only see in black and white.

Today, he's the Wind Hashira despite his disability, but no one knew about this. He was afraid that if the information leaked out, the rest of the Hashiras would see him as weak and pathetic. And that, Sanemi didn't want to feel that way again. He didn't know what had happened to Genya, but he hoped that his brother was okay.

--
After his discussion with Kagaya, his memories came flooding back. Before settling down on his futon to sleep, he began to think. Thinking about what he could do to try to find a successor brave enough not to be afraid of him. Smile? No. They would be even more afraid... Be nicer? Hmm... Bad idea.

Sanemi sighed quietly and simply lay back in his futon, hoping that one day he too would find a successor. He was still processing the information that even Giyuu had found a successor before him. "Stop thinking about it and go to sleep, it's not worth the headache" he said to himself. 'If only...'

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In front of the entrance to the room where the boy was resting, stood Akaza who had finally returned after filling his stomach. He saw the seal, which he thought had been broken, back in place, protecting the entrance. But something had changed, but he didn't know what. He decided to step forward to study it and saw the word "Seikkatsu" instead of "Mugen". Akaza frowned. "Hm ?Mugen, Seikkatsu? There's no relation to the two though... Well, it doesn't matter." He said before 'breaking' the seal again.

--
"Hey, handsome! I'm back! I hope you're not too lonely ahah!" Akaza shouted with a big smile as he approached the Crystal. "Even if... it's more me who feels a bit lonely..." He said quietly, as if he didn't want the boy sealed inside the crystal, hearing him. "But anyway, even if I think you already know, I'll introduce myself in good manners. I am Akaza, Upper Moon 3! And you... I don't know your name since you can't speak and I don't even know if you're conscious, but I'm sure you have a beautiful name... you must have one. Ahhhh, I talk too much don't I?! Sorry..."

--
Everyone was out of the Infinite Fortress, and Akaza was at a loss as to what to do. He had spent the day telling the boy his exploits, thinking that he would appreciate the gesture. But he really didn't know what to talk about... "I uh..." Suddenly a memory appeared in his head, it was a memory from when he was still human.

In his memory, he was still a child and he was playing with another boy. "Hakuji, come play with me!!!" His friend asked in a cheerful voice. He was a little boy, like Hakuji, but he had a scar on his forehead, a flame-shaped scar that grew over the years. But strangely this scar did not frighten the children or adults of the village, they found it rather beautiful. Hakuji, having no real friends besides that boy, as he was rather hated in the village for being a thief, felt a sense of joy mixed with something else he had never felt before. All he knew was that this feeling made him happy and he blushed a little when he saw his friend, and that his day could only go well with him. "I'm coming, Tanjiro!"