The first thing he feels is heat.

It's new, intense, and it makes him pause mid-step. He pulls his foot back instinctively—there's something about the heat that's unpleasant. But it's the first time he feels, and he wants to know more.

So he stamps down, where the heat is strongest, and experiences the most overwhelming sensation of his life. He falls to the ground with the force of it, his mouth opening and closing, though he doesn't know why. But if he had a voice, he'd surely be yelling. The small soul beside him is moving frantically back and forth, and a strange pressure is on his leg, his foot, momentarily distracting him from the sensation. Pain, he'd later learn it's called.

It hurts, and it's one of the most incredible things Hyakkimaru has ever known.

The first thing he hears is a woman crying in the rain.

It thunders around him, crashing against his skull, and in the midst of it all a high-pitched something pierces through. This new sense overtakes him so suddenly it's dizzying. He can't tell where anything is through the curtain of sound. What's worse, it doesn't get better with time. His new ears hurt, and sound worms it way through no matter how tightly he clamps his hands on them.

It's not the first thing he's gotten back from the demons, but for the first time he wonders if this is something he can give back.

Days later, he hears something that can only be described as soft. Like when the small soul's hair presses against his skin. It's a voice, like from the souls that follow him, but not grating or whining. It's…nice. And as Mio introduces herself, he begins to feel happy he got his ears back, if only to hear her sing some more.

The first sound he makes is a scream.

He's started to get used to pain, though it's a disorienting thing. It's become a challenge when fighting, for now he has to balance the distraction of pain with the battle. But the loss of his flesh leg is so horrible, he's paralyzed with agony. It fills him and writhes and the shock of it is so strong he feels he's exploding, and he must be, because a sound is bursting from him like bombs from the wars.

His voice scares him so much he refuses to utter another thing when he returns to the temple.

Mio.

His first word is her name.

He doesn't want to speak any more after that.

The first thing he smells is sulfur.

Sulfur is putrid, horrid, and stings his new nose. So sharp he gags, and he wonders why humans even have noses if the world smells so terrible.

Then he discovers flowers, and he thinks the world isn't so bad after all.

The first thing he sees is his mothers.

The mother who birthed him is beautiful, and the mother who raised him is gentle. He knows he is loved. Nui-no-kata loves him. Jukkai has always cared for him.

He knows he will never see them again, so he desperately burns the image of their faces into his mind.

When he's raised from the well, he sees the sky, and he thinks it's the most beautiful thing that could ever exist. Then he sees the small soul next to him, sees her face for the first time, and he thinks the sky might not possibly compare.

(He wonders if Mio looked the same.)

He sees the castle of his birth burning, the fire brighter than he could have imagined.

He feels the heat of the flames even as he is standing hundreds of yards away.

He hears the crackle of wood burning, the structure collapsing, and Dororo's voice, gently murmuring words of comfort.

He smells the smoke from the remains, acrid and oddly comforting at the same time. He knows he'll never forget this day.

His body his whole again, all he ever wanted. And he wishes he could have shared his happiness with his mothers a little longer.

He takes Dororo's hand and walks away.