In front of the door to our apartment, I become rather flustered.

Mostly because of the demon girl at my hand which I have now to introduce to my mum.

"Okay Kuri. Be nice! This person is my mother and very important to me!" (I)

Well, more than an emphatic nod I cannot expect.

I open the door with the key.

"Iori, you're back. Are you alright?" (S)

Mum comes directly running to the entrance.

"Y-yes. Didn't I write that I'm well?" (I)

"You also wrote that you have a problem!" (S)

"Yes, you see..." (I)

I take a step to the side.

At least she waves cutely with her hand.

But the black smoke she emits is a problem.

"Who is this?" (S)

"Remember when I said that things might become alive from me? Uhm, this is Kuri!" (I)

She's still waving.

"I... didn't really expect that?" (S)

"She's three days old. From the ink which I should wash from my face." (I)

"What!? From what!?" (S)

"More is apparently not necessary. Uh, I said she could stay. Is that alright? I would feel bad to throw her out." (I)

"I-it's not like we could." (S)

Mum is really a good person.

"Ehm... Kuri? Do you want to take a bath?" (S)

"Bath?" (K)

Ah, yes.

She looks the part that she came from the sewer.

"Cleaning yourself with water! Clean water. No smell!" (I)

"Can I?" (K)

"Sure. I want you to be happy." (I)

"I can be happy if you want me so mother!" (K)

"Ah, no. I want that you are happy because you have a reason to be happy." (I)

"If you want that this is a reason!" (K)

"No, no. Uh, I don't mean that you should force yourself to be happy. I want to make things so that you can be happy because of your own reasons." (I)

She looks now rather confused at me.

This might become more work than one might think.

Mum has already put the water on in the bathroom and returns.

"Now come, please." (S)

She really is too good for this world.

Treating the demon I brought with me this friendly.

She gently pushes the still confused Kuri to the bathroom.

"Happy... Happy... Happy..." (K)

This might take a while.

But before the door closes I realize that maybe I shouldn't leave the two of them alone and also don't know how Kuri will react if I am away.

She is extremely powerful and mother... not.

So I follow behind.

"Iori?" (S)

"It is also my responsibility, so let me help washing her." (I)

"Hui, you rather fast matured." (S)

"Had a good role model." (I)

While proceeding, I have no idea if what I do is any good.

I mean quite a lot of sludge separates from her hair, but it doesn't stop.

This could even go on forever.

The sole good point is that this won't create any further demons, yet the room already starts to get cloudy.

"I seriously don't know if it is possible to get this clean." (I)

"Can I help?" (K)

"Cough!" (S)

Mum coughs at this smoke.

I really should do something about this.

"Can you make it bright in here again?" (I)

"Sure, but you too!" (K)

Oh, yeah.

Something like this should be possible for me, right?

However, Kuri has already sucked everything inside.

Is this now an eternal circle?

Yet while her hair still stays kind of wet, mum and I manage to get the tangles out there.

Also, the darkness isn't too intense anymore.

"Okay, now you go into the tub and stay in there until you think it is fine. Okay?" (I)

"Sure mum!" (K)

And mother heard.

Great!

Time for explanations.

But she has the awareness to wait until we're back out.

However, her look outside the bathroom is not misunderstandable.

"What shall I say? She has a very elaborate idea about our relationship." (I)

"And what do you think shall we do now, Iori?" (S)

"I have honestly no idea. It's not like I can take her with me to school and letting her be by herself worries me deeply. You haven't seen her in action." (I)

Truth be told, I didn't saw her either with all this smoke there.

"Action? This little thing?" (S)

"She can cause quite an uproar. Believe me." (I)

"Huff, I really don't know what to tell your father." (S)

"I think this might drown in the flood of the rest." (I)

"Pfft. However, she looks nice." (S)

"I think she is. At least she seems to love me." (I)

"Well, you are adorable." (S)

"Thank you for this." (I)

"And? Anything else that I should know?" (S)

"Well, I might have started a conflict with a clan of exorcists and devoured Chiaki." (I)

Wow, that look.

"I-it sounds much more comprehensible if I explain it!" (I)

"First Chiaki!" (S)

"Beeeeep"

"Oh, they answered! ... It's okay!" (I)

"What is okay?!" (S)

"That Chiaki has a sleepover with me." (I)

"The same Chiaki you have devoured?" (S)

Uhh, mum's eye got a nervous twitch.

"Ehm, I have something like a private estate within me.

The one you were.

And she is physically there.

"She wanted to sleep at this place." (I)

"She wanted that?!" (S)

"Yes? It was a little complicated, but I didn't influence anything. Really!" (I)

"I, I believe you that you wouldn't lie about this to me, but she got there... the same way I did? At the same place?" (S)

"Yes? But I tidied it up!" (I)

Her expression doubts this.

"It's just, that Chiaki can see ghosts. She's totally finished. This place is safe so that she can calm down." (I)

"I can understand to some degree, but this is really a bit much. So, what was now with the exorcists?" (S)

"How should I have known that they have a barrier around this shrine?! And as soon I was up there, everyone attacks me like crazy! And that Kuri came and knocked Makoto's grandfather out didn't help either! I didn't really wait for the aftermath there." (I)

"They attacked you?! Are you hurt?" (S)

"Mum, I can safely say that nothing they did had any effect." (I)

"Sigh. I know I wanted you to tell me about your problems, but it gets a bit much. Can you at least try not to get tomorrow into trouble?" (S)

"I will give my best efforts!" (I)

"Duh, seems I cannot ask for more. Then let's see if your "daughter" is okay." (S)

"I am absolutely not okay with this perception of the situation." (I)

As soon the door to our bathroom gets opened a wave of blackness escapes from inside.

I can just jump in front of my mother and with my will to shield her somehow influence the smoke.

At least I think I do when the squall directly stops in its tracks.

"Kuri, are you okay?" (I)

In a blink, the shape of a seven years old escapes the smoke.

If before she looked like the incarnation of a certain murderous ghost, now at least it doesn't look as if I'm neglecting her anymore.

"Mum?" (K)

"Are you alright? There is so much smoke in there!" (I)

"Oh! I'm sorry mum. I didn't pay attention!" (K)

She directly pulls the smoke in her.

"I-it's okay." (I)

Honestly, it's not okay!

If ever a spiritualist tries to look into the history of this house, in this bathroom he will get a heart stroke.

"Kuri, I am not sure if this smoke is good for mum. You should be more careful!" (I)

"I'm sorry!" (K)

Mum presses past me.

"It's alright my little one. You are welcome." (S)

And she gives her a tight hug.

When she is done I see that Kuri stares into the room, mouth agape.

"Clap"

A clap from mum in front of her face frees her from this daze.

"Okay! Iori you bring a futon! The little one needs a place to sleep! And when you're done, we eat! Naturally, Kuri will join us." (S)

"Looks like you are now officially family." (I)

"Fa-mi-ly?" (K)

"Sure, you belong now to us!" (S)

And the next moment I have to throw myself in front of my mother because a certain someone erupts.

"Sob! WAaahh!" (K)

"Kuri! Is something wrong?!" (I)

This amount of darkness could be difficult to explain to anyone who notices!

"I am happy! Sob! This is happy, right? I am happy!" (K)

"Nice for you, but please don't drown us in darkness to celebrate!" (I)

I can somehow instinctively control the smoke to stay at bay and eventually the little demon calms down.

"Does anyone know if this stuff is bad for the food?" (S)

"Don't think so. It should dissipate in the air." (I)

"Not sure if that's a good thing." (S)

"Kuri, you need to be more careful!" (I)

"I'm sorry." (K)

Who could be angry at this sweet child?

After we spend some time getting rid of this smoke, mother starts to prepare dinner.

Meanwhile, I fetch the futon.

However, in my opinion, both of these actions are equally pointless.

It's very likely that Kuri doesn't sleep and not really profits from any nutritional value from the food.

In an unwatched moment, I whisper to her,

"Mum really likes these dinners. You might not like what she prepares there, but if it is not too bad please try to partake. But don't swallow it down. Be considerate!" (I)

I get a nod in return and that must be good enough.

I head back to the living room and find that mum with the provisions from the freezer managed a small feast.

Kind of a waste, but if she would eat it all alone the leftovers would just spoil.

Rather fast I notice that the table is prepared for four persons.

"Oh yes, I forgot Chiaki." (I)

"And this shall soothe me? That you forget her after what you've done?" (S)

"Uh, no. It's just that she didn't want to switch worlds more than necessary. You know, to make that happen I have to do "that"!" (I)

Mum shivers at the thought.

"I really hope she is fine. But you should bring her something!" (S)

"You are right." (I)

I shovel a portion on the plate and am just with a thought in my dream.

Internally I hope that the plate had no contact with anything tentacly and cringe.

For some reason, I have more than a hunch where Chiaki is right now.

Still in the main hall.

"Ah, Chiaki! Mum made dinner. I came to bring you some!" (I)

Fortunately, the hall has some large tables, intended for great feasts.

"Uh, how nice that you come. It's a little lonesome here." (C)

"Sorry. I'll just finish dinner and will come directly back. You have no room yet, right." (I)

"Y-yes. Part of the reason why I'm still here." (C)

"Sorry! I didn't want to treat you harshly. It is just quite chaotic right now." (I)

"No, no. I understand." (C)

"Thank you." (I)

And with this, I am back at the table at home.

"I am not sure if I will ever get used to that." (S)

"Honestly, it is not this easy to adapt. But it's not like I can escape." (I)

"I know, yet these distortions in space are a little eerie." (S)

"And all the demons in the house not?" (I)

"No, these two are sweet!" (S)

"Oooohh, thank you!" (I)

"Then let's eat now." (S)

With this, I sit down, and naturally Kuri, who suddenly appeared, or was maybe all the time present, next to me.

I don't know if she has any idea what she is supposed to do.

at least she copies me with filling her plate.

Yet as soon I start eating, she instead lets dark mass escape from her hands which literally swallows her dinner and leaves nothing behind.

"Ahem, Kuri? Do you have to do it like this?" (I)

"But I always eat like this!" (K)

Well, now I at least know that she has no leftover rats between her teeth.

"You can also use your mouth. At least you should. Can you?" (I)

I hope did not intimidate her and I had no intention to force her to do something that she can't do or that might harm her.

Yet she doesn't seem to have any problems when she starts to chew.

Mum, who was a little taken aback by this display of demon powers seems also intrigued.

"And, how is it?" (S)

"Don't know." (K)

However, she proceeds rather fast to shovel mum's food inside.

"Do you like it?" (I)

"Yes, very much!" (K)

It's quite hard to get answers from someone without any common sense.

Despite me telling her to hold herself back, the meal is soon gone at her speed.

Yet all of us could still get a decent amount inside.

Foremost my mother, as I just ate for appearance's sake.

We help with cleaning the dishes and...

Kuri gives mum a hug.

I am seriously touched.

I mean despite her being an extremely dangerous creature of annihilation she is just so cute you forget about this.

And mother obviously as well.

Tells me that she returns it.

"Ehm, I should then go and look for Chiaki." (I)

"I come with you!" (K)

"Okay." (I)

If she wants to.

To not open any more portals in the living room, I walk to my own room.

"Fine, but don't forget the time." (S)

"Sure, mum!" (I)

I will make sure to be out again before school starts.