𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙚 | 𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘩. ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

009. | ʜᴀᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇꜱ

Touko lay unconscious upon her bed in the apartment, her body drained of energy from the previous battle. This time, the strain of her ability seemed to have taken an even greater toll on her body. Her breathing was slow and rhythmic, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. There was an undercurrent of exhaustion that clung to her form. Her body was in dire need of rest, the battle having pushed her to her physical limits. She lay there as she recovered from the intensity of the fight.

As she pushed herself to the limits of her Doppelganger ability, the subsequent strain on her body grew proportionally. The longer she maintained the clone, the more energy it sapped from her, leaving her physically exhausted and in dire need of rest. The contract between Touko and the Doppelganger Devil had a cost, and as she drained herself by maintaining several clones, the restorative sleep she fell into would take progressively longer to overcome the fatigue.

Touko's unconscious body remained still on the bed, her breath slow and rhythmic. However, her closed eyes suddenly began to twitch, moving slightly under her lids. This subtle movement was a sign that her mind was far from dormant. Despite being asleep, there was a level of activity within her dreams, her consciousness still active and engaged with the events taking place in her thoughts.

Her unconscious form continued to twitch on her bed, her mind caught in the grip of a nightmare. Memories from the tragic night she lost her family flooded her thoughts, the harrowing events of that fateful night replaying like a nightmarish film in her dreams. The pain and trauma from that time resurfaced, bringing with it a flood of anguish and terror. In her sleep, Touko's body tensed, her expression tightening as she relived the horror of those moments all over again...

In the dark recesses of her dream, a younger Touko held her father's hand tightly, her small fingers clutching the stems of the flowers she had picked. She looked up at him with innocent eyes, her voice carrying a hint of pleading. "Can we bring Mama, Itsumi, and Kaito with us next time?" she asked, her heart filled with childlike simplicity. The question hung in the air, full of both curiosity and hope.

Touko's father smiled gently at her question, his expression warm and affectionate. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as he replied. "Of course, Touko." he said, his voice full of warmth and love. "We'll bring your Mama and siblings along next time." He ruffled her hair playfully, a gesture that brought a small smile to Touko's face.

Young Touko held the bouquet of flowers close to her chest, her small hands cradling them gently. She looked down at the blossoms, a soft smile spreading across her lips as she pointed to each flower in turn. "Mama will get the pink roses." she said, her voice filled with certainty and love. "Itsumi will get the white lilies, and Kaito can have the daisies." As she spoke, her voice quivered slightly, filled with the bittersweet joy of giving to her loved ones.

Her father chuckled lightly, a warm smile still on his face. He leaned down to her level, his voice gentle and loving. "And what about you, sweetheart?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with affection. "What flower do you want to keep for yourself?" He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his touch tender and comforting.

She looked up at her father with wide eyes, her expression earnest and innocent. She shook her head slightly, her voice soft as she spoke. "I didn't pick any flowers for myself," she murmured, her fingers tracing the petals of the bouquet gently. "I wanted mama, Itsumi, and Kaito to have them since they didn't come."

Touko's father's eyes softened further at her words, his voice brimming with love and pride. "They already have a flower," he said. "And it's you, Touko. You're the most beautiful flower in the world. No other flower could compare." He gently squeezed her shoulder, his touch filled with affection and warmth.