Counting the Days

is the twenty-sixth episode of Kamen Rider Hibiki.
==Synopsis==
Everybody is out, either enjoying their day off or hunting down Makamou, leaving Asumu and Akira to tend to the sweet shop.
Ibuki crosses paths with a strange couple that are dressed in full kimonos in a busy city.
Hibiki and Todoroki track down a Bakeneko group hidden deep within a mountain forest.
==Plot==
A montage of the various Makamou created by its respective Black or White Puppets are shown.
Asumu is practising drumming on several pillows, with Hibiki by his side. Hibiki notices he's starting tom drum on it like a drum-set and sings along to it about how his heart will bounce if he plays like that. They laugh and lay down in the grass. Hibiki remarks that Asumu is training well with the drums, and was a little disappointed he was put in charge of the whistle in the brass band. Asumu still liked drums the most so he was going to continue practising. Hibiki asked if he wanted to come an see the taiko drums at the next festival as he was one of the drummers. Asumu became ecstatic and accepted the invitation. He told him too look forward to it and Hibiki concluded he was late to an appointment and started running while Asumu drummed a fitting beat.
Asumu arrived at the Tachibana Sweet Place but no one was there when the phone suddenly rang. Ibuki called and was surprised Asumu recognised his voice, and he wanted to wish the boy and Hinaka good luck as Kasumi was with him. Before hanging up he also said they might be getting one more worker. Kasumi was impressed that he called the store and Ibuki said it was because Asumu as his cute little brother. Kasumi commented that she saw Ibuki as her little brother as well which annoyed him. She then grabbed his arm and said that they had to hurry to buy some bonfire gifts which cheered him up.
Hinaka said hello to Asumu and started preparing the shop for opening. He relayed the conversation with Ibuki and that someone might be joining them. Ichirou was still at headquarters in Yoshino for a Takeshi activity meeting so it could not be him. She asked how Asumu's drumming was going and if Hibiki was instructing him well, to which he cheerfully replied that he did and how he got invited to drum at the taiko festival. Hinaka prodded further and asked if he maybe would be drumming the pure sound one day, but Asumu said it was not happening. Hinaka told Asumu to change into his work clothes as today they would do their best.
The Black Puppet was standing close to a stream where it was supervising a Bakegani and its Douji and Hime. Todoroki arrived and jumped on the Makamou's shell and stabbed it with his Ongekigen. But the Hime intercepted him and pushed him of. He engaged in a brawl with the Douji as well and used his Kitoujutsu Raigekiken to defeat it. He used the same technique but with his feet to defeat the Hime with a kick. Hen then jumped back on the Bakegani and used his Ongekizan Raidengekishin technique to defeat it. The Black puppet left and contacted the white puppet telepathically of the situation.
The white puppet was in an abandoned temple where he injected the ground with a vial to create a Bakeneko Douji and Hime. They commented that their child's cradle was beautiful.
Asumu was cleaning the door window when he saw that Akira stood outside. He apologised and let her in and she remarked that the door should probably be open before the customers arrived. Asumu commended her for her work on the previous day as he had heard she saved Ibuki while fighting a Bakegani. She became a little embarrassed and showed him a watermelon she brought. It was at extra price at the supermarket so she bought it to share with the other. Asumu realised then that the extra worker Ibuki talked about was her. Asumu became happy and called Hinaka.
Akira and Asumu were busy serving the customers when Asumu almost bumped into Midori Takizawa in the back. She was holding a large knife which scared Asumu, but she said there was a delicious looking watermelon downstairs. He said Akira brought who just came into the back which made Midori happy and she waved the knife at her while greeting her. The phone suddenly rang and Asumu insisted on taking it before Midori. It was Todoroki who called to report in having defeated his Bakegani, bu there was something he was worried about.
Two backpackers were having a break and decided to have a rest when the Bakeneko Douji and Hime snuck up upon them.
Hinaka, Akira and Midori were laughing about how Midori waved the knife around when Hibiki arrived. He had run into a person named Hokuto who gave him some gifts and he had himself bought a watermelon, so they now had two. Asumu came and passed on Todoroki's information about a summer Makamou. Hibiki got his gear and Hinaka grabbed a map that Akira fixed. They headed out and Asumu wished them luck.
At the Bakeneko lair, the backpackers were tied up with vines and the Bakeneko kept circling outside. One of the backpackers struggled to get free and she started screaming as the Bakenko approached her, awakening her friend who also started screaming.
Akira, Midori and Asumu were taking a break when he asked about what summer Makamou meant.Midori explained that there were several types of Makamou, where a black figure created big Makamou while a white figure created small ones. The small ones appeared during the summer just like ghost and other things usually did in ancient Japan. The summer ones were small but they multiplied very quick and required a lot of effort to defeat. Hibiki had his kurenai form which made him able to defeat them in one hit, and it was usually his job to defeat them. A customer then arrived and Midori said she would tell him more the next time.
Ibuki and Kasumi were riding on a scooter when Ibuki suddenly got a feeling of dread. He looked around and saw a couple dressed in traditional Japanese clothes walking around. He stopped immediately and ran after them but kept loosing them at every turn until they vanished at a bridge.
At the Bakeneko den the Makamou were multiplying itself while the Douji and Hime watched and congratulated it on the newborn kitty.
Hibiki and Hinaka arrived at Todoroki's location, Zanki was out checking the circumference. He told them how he defeated a Bakegani recently but there were other rumours of other disappearances and Zanki concluded it must be a summer Makamou. Hibiki nagged at him for always talking about Zanki and Hinaka said it was because he loved Zanki and could not help it. Todoroki became annoyed that they ganged up on him.
Ibuki saw glimpses of the couple after the bridge and sent his Disc Animals after them. When he reached the other end of the bridge the Disc Animals lay half melted.
Todoroki, Hinaka and Hibiki were scanning Disc Animals when Zanki called to say the north seemed to be the Makamou's location. They just got a hit on the Bakeneko and were heading there now. Todoroki and Hibiki ran of as Hinaka wished them good luck.
Tsutomu Tsumura came by the Tachibana's and Asumu greeted him. He asked if Hinaka was there but Asumu said they were all out except Midori. Tsutomu decided to go down and say hello to her. Akira looked at Tsutomu quizzically as he went down to the basement.
A pair of kids were chasing bugs when the Douji and Hime appeared and said it was their turn to be caught now. The Douji grabbed a hold of the children but was interrupted by several Disc Animals. Todoroki took care of the kids while Hibiki confronted the Makamou and asked them if they were Bakeneko. Two Bakeneko suddenly attack him from the side, but he kept dodging them until he could transform. He tried fighting them of but realised he needed his Kurenai mode and powered up into it.
==Cast==
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** Parent Douji : Sei Ashina
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** Parent Hime : Mitsu Murata
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===Guest cast===
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* Hiker: , 
===Suit Actors===
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==Notes==
*As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside episode 23, .
*Viewership: 9.5%
* At the end of the episode plays the Kabuki Version of Locale Rider Fierce Fighting File Segment. A tie in to the Kamen Rider Hibiki & The Seven Senki movie which was playing in cinemas at the episode's airing.