The kanji that make up this word mean 'mushi' and 'body cavity.' This mushi is relatively harmless, in that it doesn't kill the people affected by it. It's a parasite that takes over its hosts' bodily processes, speeding them up to match the mushi's life span, which is one day. As a consequence, the host lives as fast at the mushi does, and grows old and dies as the mushi does, only to revert back to their original age and be revived the next day.
A person affected by the bikuu aging rapidly. Pollen being released from a dying bikuu.
In order to infect more creatures, the bikuu generally take up residence in flowers. When a creature inhales the flower fragrance, the bikuu are able to take hold in that creature's nasal cavities.
The flower home of a bikuu.
The cure is as simple as it is strange--if one takes a pin and gently taps a hole near the root of the mushi at the top of the nasal cavity, the mushi will easily release its hold on the person.
A bikuu being removed.
However, this mushi is a little dangerous to those who have previously been under its spell; the mental state they are held in while under the mushi's influence is somewhat hard to let go of so easily. A person under the influence of a bikuu mushi lives carefree, without thought or worry; their own thoughts move too fast for them to process, and they're easily distracted by seeing the beauty in every tiny thing. Often someone who has been cured won't be able to handle living as a normal human anymore, unable to deal with the endless amount of time a single human life holds.
Bikuu
The bikuu mushi living in someone's nasal cavity.
The kanji that make up this word mean 'mushi' and 'body cavity.' This mushi is relatively harmless, in that it doesn't kill the people affected by it. It's a parasite that takes over its hosts' bodily processes, speeding them up to match the mushi's life span, which is one day. As a consequence, the host lives as fast at the mushi does, and grows old and dies as the mushi does, only to revert back to their original age and be revived the next day.
A person affected by the bikuu aging rapidly.
Pollen being released from a dying bikuu.
In order to infect more creatures, the bikuu generally take up residence in flowers. When a creature inhales the flower fragrance, the bikuu are able to take hold in that creature's nasal cavities.
The flower home of a bikuu.
The cure is as simple as it is strange--if one takes a pin and gently taps a hole near the root of the mushi at the top of the nasal cavity, the mushi will easily release its hold on the person.
A bikuu being removed.
However, this mushi is a little dangerous to those who have previously been under its spell; the mental state they are held in while under the mushi's influence is somewhat hard to let go of so easily. A person under the influence of a bikuu mushi lives carefree, without thought or worry; their own thoughts move too fast for them to process, and they're easily distracted by seeing the beauty in every tiny thing. Often someone who has been cured won't be able to handle living as a normal human anymore, unable to deal with the endless amount of time a single human life holds.