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Chapter Text

Prologue

The first time Akari stole, she was eight.

The infamous pirate duo Akari Hawkeye and Yuji Black Beard hunted the greatest treasure of Sendai in their neighborhood park. Hidden behind a bench, Akari studied their ancient map while Yuji checked the perimeter with their cardboard-crafted spyglass. He let out a shrill squawk, pulling excitedly at Akari’s shirt, “Akari, look! It’s a chicken!”   

Eagerly, Akari rose to her feet and followed Yuji's pointing finger. Putting all her might into sounding in character, she arred at her brother. “Nay, Black Beard! I’ve only got one good eye, and even I can see that’s a wild parrot!” Except you could be blind and still know that the crowing thing was a small chicken. But logically, parrots were the only bird species pirates knew. Thus, for the sake of their identities as pirates, it was a crowing parrot.   

“Arr! That’s right!” Yuji corrected himself.  

Enchanted by the wobbling little fluffy thing, they watched it from afar, lions hunting prey. The winged white animal pecked and scratched the ground pompously. At some point, it stopped by a hopscotch left drawn by other children, hopping in and out of the chalk squares.  

“Blimey! Hawkeye, the parrot is playing hopscotch!” Yuji exclaimed, bouncing excitedly  

“Yo ho ho, Black Beard! His name will be Hopscotch! We have to catch that wild parrot!” Black Beard and Hawkeye set themselves into action, approaching the chick- parrot carefully. Soon they were running after the poor thing, who pecked and scratched both kids desperately in its frenzied state. They held it down until it stopped thrashing around, and it calmed down as the siblings petted its head. They got up, Akari holding the bird close to her chest, “let’s take Hopscotch home!”  

“But what if it has an owner? Grandpa won’t let us, Akari...”  

“We should at least take care of it so that it doesn’t get lost, and we just have to ask grandpa, like, a lot. It will be fine!”  

Except it wasn’t fine. When Akari and Yuji arrived home, it baffled Wasuke to see them covered in mud, scratches, and feathers. To top it off, they were carrying a noisy and frightened chicken, and the old man was so furious he might have had a heart attack. Or an aneurysm. Or both, at the same time. The kids immediately got to their knees, sporting their best puppy eyes, begging their lovely grandpa to let it stay, please? Wasuke answered with a big and resolute no, followed by an hour-long sermon on your grimy brats can’t bring filthy things from the streets deliberately. Especially a chicken, and no, that doesn’t mean a dog would be any better!   

In the end, though, Akari was right. They just had to ask him like, a lot. And soon Wasuke’s no turned into a take that thing out of my sight! And well, that meant they could have Hopscotch as long as their grandfather didn’t see it, right? Thus, Akari and Yuji kept Hopscotch. It rapidly got used to the siblings, who were insistently feeding and pampering the chicken, whatever pampering a chicken looked like.  

Even Wasuke wasn’t as annoyed by the presence of the bird in the morning after, and that most likely meant Hopscotch was definitely staying. That is, until their grumpy neighbor banged at their door, demanding those pesky brats to give him back his chicken! Wasuke called Akari and Yuji, which in turn asked, “Is it your pet, sir?”  

“What? Hell no, it tastes better freshly killed”  

Akari and Yuji freaked out and once again kneeled down, now pleading desperately not to one, but to two old men to let it stay, please. Their elderly neighbor was now much more irritated, throwing rash insults at both kids. Wasuke put a stop to their disordered discussion and settled down to an agreement in which he would pay a rather unfair price for the stolen chicken. Their despisable neighbor was sent away with the money he demanded, and Hopscotch stayed with the Itadoris. Needless to say, Wasuke was furious once again.  

Turns out, Hopscotch was a great pet. The best in the world, actually. it energetically fooled around with the kids and was the best cuddler ever. Akari and Yuji would share their food with Hopscotch, who in turn always asked for more and even stole out of their hands. Especially if they were eating popcorn, Hopscotch’s favorite. However, he was not perfect; his fatal flaw was that he’d wake up the entire neighborhood with a deafening crow before the break of dawn, every single day. That’s how Hopscotch was discovered to be a rooster. And that added up even more to Wasuke’s regret at letting the thing stay; though he would still give Hopscotch a peanut or two and let him sleep on his lap once or twice. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

The first time Akari had a crush, she was ten.

She and Rika were having ice cream together, when Akari asked, “Rika-chan, what’s it like to date someone?” 

Rika stopped eating her ice cream, face brightening up as she answered excitedly, “Oh, you want to be with him all the time! And whenever you’re together, you’re super happy!” And then Rika went on and about, talking about Yuta-kun and how his smile was the most beautiful in the world, how he was infinitely kind and so handsome. How they would get married when they were older, and Yuta-kun would finally save her from the claws of her wicked grandmother! They would live happily after, and would have two kids, preferably two girls. Her ramble was interrupted, though, by her ice cream melting all over her hands. “Wah! My ice cream...” 

“Rika-chan, I think I like Himiko-chan,” Akari let out in a spurt, and Rika went wide-eyed, completely quiet. That was not a good sign, because Rika always talked anyone’s ears off, and now she couldn’t come up with a single word.  

“Himiko-chan? But she’s a girl...” Rika said, uncomfortably wiping down the mess of ice cream on her hands. Himiko-chan was Akari’s classmate, and would often play together with Rika and her. Himiko was kind and pretty, her big blue eyes were akin to the sky of a sunny day, and when she smiled, she beamed like the sun itself. Every boy in their school seemed to be charmed by charming and cherubic Himiko-chan, and Akari realized she was, too. “... and I don’t like her” 

“You don’t like Himiko-chan? We play together all the time!” Akari completely forgot about the issue of her crush being a girl at the revelation of Rika disliking her.  

“Yes, I just treat her nicely because she’s Yuta-kun’s younger sister. But she’s phony, and she’s jealous of me spending time with him.” Rika explained gruffly, still wiping off the melted ice cream. “I don’t know why everyone likes her so much! I’m much prettier!” 

“Rika, that’s really mean,” Akari said, upset. She certainly wasn’t expecting Rika to react the way she did. “You really shouldn’t talk about her like that. She likes you a lot” 

The older girl got up and started to head off, brandishing her hand irritably, “look Akari, she’s a girl. Girls like boys. I’m telling this as your friend. You should really give up.” What had Rika implied with her wording, Akari didn’t know. But apparently, Himiko and Akari being girls was a major complication. Girls liked boys, not girls. But Akari was a girl, and she liked another girl. Maybe she was a boy? No, that couldn’t be… 

Akari went home in a gloom stride, and made a beeline to her bedroom, hiding under the covers. Yuji came up to her, Hopscotch in tow. “Hawkeye! Hopscotch just found a promising treasure map! We shall set sail this weekend!” He announced, holding up high a piece of crumpled copy paper. When Akari didn’t answer, he jumped on top of her and shook her to make her come out of her cocoon. “Come on, Akari! What’s going on?” Hopscotch jumped on top of her, too, pecking at the covers. 

“I told her,” Came Akari’s muffled response, and Yuji froze while Hopscotch kept pecking. 

“You told Himiko-chan?!” Yuji exclaimed, pulling aggressively on the covers. Hopscotch mimicked him. 

“No, I told Rika-chan I liked Himiko-chan,” Akari came out of the covers, eyes pricking and cheeks heating up. “She told me to give up...” 

“Why did you tell her? Rika-san is mean! I don’t like her, nobody likes her!” Yuji brandished angrily, and once again Hopscotch copied the boy, crowing as if he was scolding Akari, too. Akari disapproved of the way they talked about Rika, but Yuji went on, “Don’t listen to that which, you have to tell Himiko-chan!” He emphasized his point by shaking her shoulders “Aren’t you going to her house tomorrow?” 

Oh. Akari had completely forgotten about the schoolwork they had arranged to do in her house. She fiddled with her fingers, “Let it go, Yuji. I don’t wanna talk about this” She didn’t think she could muster up the courage to confess, after all. Himiko was a girl, and girls liked boys. 

Yuji and Hopscotch looked at her pitifully, but respected Akari’s request. Hopscotch curled up to her, and Yuji handed her his newfound treasure map, already making plans for the weekend. 

The next day, Akari went to the Okkotsu residence to tackle down their geography assignment. Himiko-chan, as always, was as cute and bouncy as ever. Akari let her crush talk excitedly about a fantasy book she was currently in the middle of, spoiling the entire story in her monologue. Akari didn’t mind. She loved hearing her talk. Also, her mom was very nice and made the cutest apple rabbits she’d ever seen.  

Himiko and Akari were eating when her older brother appeared at their small dining room. “Yuta! Mom made apple rabbits!” Himiko smiled adorably, pointing to the plate of apple slices. 

“Hey Himiko,” Yuta took a seat at their table, “Hello, I’m Yuta,” The older boy smiled at Akari. His smile was warm and kind, just like Himiko’s. Apart from their smiles and round blue eyes, the siblings didn’t really resemble each other. Himiko’s brownish locks curled beautifully around her rounded face, while Yuta had dark straight hair and very flat cheeks.  

Rika would incessantly talk about Yuta. Thus, Akari knew all about him. Which was really creepy, so she decided to never bring it up. She knew his favorite color was green, and his favorite food was cabbage salad. He would always feed stray animals he found on the streets, and that he was terrible at math. When he lied, his right eyebrow twitched and he smiled forcibly from the corner of his mouth. Now that she thought about it, she knew so many things about him she could blackmail him. And even though she knew this much of him, that was actually the first time she saw Yuta. That was because Rika-chan would often excuse Akari away because “ He’s my boyfriend. You understand, right?” Which Akari didn’t, but complied anyway.  

“I’m Itadori Akari,” Akari smiled in return, and didn’t need any further introduction as Himiko jumped right in, “Yuta, she’s the one that has a pet rooster!” 

His eyes widened in realization, “Wah, that’s so cool! What is he like?” He asked so enthusiastically Akari almost didn’t understand what he was saying. It was very unusual for people to be that positively interested in a pet rooster. Most kids in her class thought roosters to be disagreeable pets, so owning one was just silly. Her reputation as a weirdo skyrocketed when they caught her hunting worms in the school gardens. What?  Hopscotch liked them. 

“His name is Hopscotch. And I’m pretty sure he reads minds,” Akari said between crunchy bites and broad gestures, “Last week, I was trimming his spurs and he was being so disobedient that I thought, ‘If he keeps on making this difficult, I won’t even give him the peanuts I brought today’, and he stopped thrashing in the spot! And after I was done, he kept asking me for food!” 

“Maybe he was hungry?” Yuta inquired, curious but still skeptical. 

“I thought that was it, too! But I gave him millet, and he opened his wings and crowed like crazy, as if saying ‘these ain’t peanuts, you old hag! Gimme the peanuts! ’” Akari made a silly raspy voice and mimicked the way Hopscotch would broadly open his wings, outraged. Yuta and Himiko were giggling unstoppably, and she went on “And when I gave him the peanuts, he went like ‘yeah, this is better, you’re good’, and downright dismissed me with his wing!” Akari replicated her perplexed reaction, and that had the siblings cracking up. 

Yuta was enthralled by Akari’s stories of her adventures with Hopscotch, especially interested in what his dietary needs were, for some odd reason. Himiko had already seen Hopscotch before, and was also absorbed into Akari’s narratives of the great pirate pair, Hawkeye and Blackbeard and their crowing parrot, Prince Bartholomew. Yuta was greatly disappointed when his mother pointedly refused his request of adopting a pet rooster.  

Akari and Himiko finished eating and got to work on their assignment. They were easily the brightest kids of their class, and naturally gravitated to one another. Akari couldn't keep herself from stealing glances at Himiko, hoping that she would look back. That she would smile at her. That she would tell Akari she liked her, too. But Himiko was a girl. And girls liked... boys. 

Later that weekend, the Kraken Tamers were settling sail with a rather promising treasure map in hands. The scent of adventure filled Akari’s lungs as she put her eyepatch on and readily became the mighty Akari Hawkeye. Their destination was a distant and nostalgic one this time, their neighborhood park. The ship would sail for an excruciating long cruise, an endless five-minute walk.  

Yuji and Akari left their house, Hopscotch sitting comfortably on Yuji’s right shoulder – a trick that took the siblings a lot of patience and many handfuls of popcorn to achieve. 

Their long five-minute sail to the park was disturbed by an extraordinary encounter with a big, furry kraken that was particularly interested in devouring a distressed Prince Bartholomew. This kraken was a big, broad and toothy one, which made for an arduous and bloody fight. Our cunning pirates, though, were indeed the Kraken Tamers, and always had many cards up their sleeves. That is to say, they had many dog snacks. Thus, our heroes carried on with their adventure, escaping once more by the skin of their teeth. 

They finally came ashore, and their exploration began. They tried to make sense of the ancient symbols imprinted on the map (“ Yuji, how come you draw this badly?” ), and found out the first hurdle to overcome would be to walk through a frail bridge that crossed a deep canyon. Mid-bridge, Akari heard a familiar voice echoing in the distance. 

“Akari-chan!” Himiko shouted from the park entrance. Her older brother and mother were also staring at her with warm smiles. They approached her, and Akari called Yuji to greet them. Yuta was fascinated when he realized the fluffy white ball resting on Yuji’s shoulder was Hopscotch. 

Soon the duo became a quartet. The Itadori and Okkotsu siblings dove into thrilling adventures, propelled by their fantastic imagination. They explored dense forests, ran away from savage cannibals, traversed through dangerous seas, fought terrifying Krakens and found the most valuable treasures of the seven seas. Also, they fed peanuts to an overwhelmed Hopscotch. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

The first time Akari lost a friend, the second time came right after.  

The next week, she ringed the bell to the Orimoto’s residence. Rika’s grandmother received her with a beaming smile, hastily inviting her in for tea while Rika didn’t come downstairs. Two years prior, the elderly woman had been charmed by Akari the moment she laid eyes on her, and Akari had been equally captivated by the caring old lady. Akari would take every opportunity she had to visit her and Rika at their house, especially because of the amazing marinated eggplant the granny made. 

Rika came out from her bedroom, and Akari said her goodbyes to the granny, taking some of her marinated eggplant to eat at home. Rika looked at Akari with disgust. She hated that marinated eggplant.  

The girls walked side by side, and for once Rika was completely quiet. The silence was tormenting. Her friend always gave Akari the silent treatment when she was mad with her, but today the quietness was especially bitter. She was upset with something, and with each passing second Akari fidgeted more at a loss of what to do. She asked Rika if she wanted to have ice cream, that she would pay for hers. No answer. She tried asking Rika how was her weekend. No answer. Akari had enough. 

“For God’s sake, Rika! Why are you so pissy today? Is it because of the eggplant? Are you jealous of your grandmother or something?” Akari snapped, losing her patience. 

“I couldn’t care less about your stupid eggplant! And about that old hag, you can have her! I don’t care!” Rika bit back, turning red. 

“So what’s this about? Why are you like this!” Akari frowned. 

“It’s because you’re a lying snake!” Rika hissed. 

“What the hell did I do!” Akari asked, indignant. 

“You’re trying to steal my boyfriend!” She snarled. 

Akari didn’t understand, what could have gotten Rika to think that? “What?” 

“Don’t act like you don’t know!” Rika yelled at her face “You took him to play with you, and now he won’t stop talking about you! How could you do this to me, Akari? I thought you were my friend.” Rika’s eyes watered, and Akari froze on the spot. She tried saying something, anything, but her friend kept talking, “First, it was my grandmother. I never liked that witch anyway, but she became more insufferable when she met you. She started making more of this disgusting eggplant you like. She always complains that I’m not like you. Then, it was my dad. He would always talk about how you were such a nice girl, and that I should have manners like yours. He liked you better than he ever liked me. Why? Why do they love you so much?” Fat tears strolled down Rika’s cheeks. Whether said tears were of sadness or anger, Akari didn’t know. “And now, you steal Yuta from me. The only person that understands me, the person that I love the most in the entire world. It’s a matter of time before he’s in love with you, too.” Rika sobbed uncontrollably, so much that Akari could barely make out what she was saying  

Akari was baffled. Had her friend always felt like this? “Rika-chan, I didn’t know... I’m sorry-” 

“No, you aren’t! I hate you! I hate you so, so much! I won’t let you take Yuta from me- I’ll marry him, we already promised each other. You won’t get in our way. He loves me, not you. Not you!” Rika’s eyes darkened, full of hatred. 

“Rika, no! I never wanted to take Yuta-kun from you! I’m sorry. I won’t talk to him anymore, I promise. Please, Rika. I’m your friend.” Akari was desperate at this point. Rika didn’t even look at her eyes anymore. Akari messed up, didn’t she? She should've never talked to Yuta. Not even looked at him. Rika wouldn’t be like this if she didn’t. Akari tried touching her friend’s arm to get her attention, but Rika coiled back as if she’d been burned. 

“No. You betrayed me. You’re not my friend.” Rika hissed acidly “Don’t talk to me ever again.” She turned away, and never looked back. 

A few days later at school, every single one of her classmates acted weirdly around Akari. Himiko avoided her. When she tried approaching her, one of her giggling classmates shout out to her in a mocking tone: 

“Himiko and Akari are girlfriends!” 

Akari stopped dead in her tracks. Cold settled down in her gut. Where did they take that from? She looked at Himiko; she didn’t meet her eyes, trembling. Was it out of fear? Anger, maybe?  

Akari decided to confront her classmate before Himiko became more upset. 

“We’re not girlfriends. Girls don’t like girls.” Akari clenched her fists, resolute on her statement. Even if she only half-believed it. 

“So you don’t like her?” Another classmate inquired. 

Akari hesitated. Of course she liked Himiko. Could she tell the truth? Should she lie? Should she make an excuse? Amidst her mental war, she couldn’t decide on what to do, and all what came out of her mouth was a string of incoherent stuttering. 

The other children around her watched the exchange intensely. They laughed at her mockingly. Her classmates called her the "Worm Hunting Weirdo" and told her Himiko wouldn’t like her back. Only afterwards Akari realized Himiko had ran away long ago. 

She thought she could handle people ridiculing her, but not like this. Akari's heart ached terribly, overcome with an immense urge to cry. She had been prepared for rejection from her crush, but didn’t expect it would be this humiliating. 

She fled the classroom before the tears rolled down. Not even Himiko-chan could stand the sight of her anymore. She wondered why, how? How did they know? I just told Yuji and-  

Rika.  

- ✿ - ❀ - 

The first time Akari saw death, the second time came right after. 

Rika’s funeral was closed-casket. 

Her head was completely crushed by that car.  

She was only eleven? Oh, God...  

The Okkotsu boy saw everything happen... poor child.  

How come did this happen?  

When Wasuke told her about Rika, Akari couldn’t believe him. When Yuji tried to comfort her with a hug, she told him it could not be true. All the way to the funeral, Akari still didn’t register it. And even when staring at her reflection on the polished wood of Rika’s casket, Akari could not believe there laid Rika’s dead body. 

Though even if she did not believe it, she grieved the loss of her friend. She wept so much her head hurt. She wailed as loudly as a newborn baby. Snot ran down her nostrils straight to her mouth, but she couldn’t care. She couldn’t see a thing through the curtain of tears that formed over her swollen eyes. She cried because she missed her friend. She cried over the bitterness of guilt. She wronged Rika. Akari was Rika’s only friend, the only person she shared everything with. And Akari took the affections of her grandmother, her father, and the boy she loved. She took all Rika had, and all she cared about. Akari couldn’t even make things right before she died. She couldn’t apologize properly to her. She couldn’t fix anything. Rika was gone forever. 

She didn’t see the Okkotsu siblings at the funeral. Yuta was said to be pitifully traumatized by Rika’s death. He saw her head get split up by a car, after all. Not like Akari searched for them, though. They didn’t want to see her anymore. 

Akari came home tired and with a booming headache. She laid on her bed, but her tired mind only conjured memories of Rika. Akari cried until tiredness knocked her out. 

She woke to see the sun already up in the sky. Which was odd, because Hopscotch always crowed before sunrise. She wondered if he was tired, or sad for Rika’s death. Akari felt her eyes water again, and got up from her bed to busy herself with something else. Yes, go and check on Hopscotch.  

She took a platter of peanuts from the kitchen and went to their backyard, already anticipating Hopscotch’s reaction; he would open his wings broadly and jump up and down asking for his delightful morning peanuts. 

Except when she opened the backyard door, the grass and walls were painted crimson. At the center of the yard, a pool of blood held the dismantled parts of a rooster, as if it had been torn apart again and again relentlessly. Minced guts embellished the grass like millions of tiny poppy flowers. Feathers covered the ground like a fluffy rug, though all of them were stained red. The head of the rooster was intact, but his eyes were as glazed and soulless as those of a dead fish. 

Akari screamed. 

Chapter Text

Ch. 1 – Foolish, Petulant Girl

June of 2018, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture.  

The second time Akari nearly died, she was sixteen. 

Visiting someone ill in a hospital every other day turns out to be mentally taxing, not to say exhausting. That’s why you should always have some form of mental health maintenance just for good measure. Today, Akari’s trip to the hospital was punctuated by the “appreciation of the little things”. 

Well, Akari loved gardenias. She loved her family, she loved animals, she loved whittling, and above all, she was vigorously passionate about Yuji’s signature milk pudding. Or Yuji’s food in general for that matter.  

Of course, today was a nice day. The afternoon sun was lovely, there would be pork chops for dinner, and she couldn’t be more eager to engage in a mildly offending conversation with her grumpy and short-tempered grandfather. 

“Stop bringing me flowers. I hate those things,” Wasuke frowned disgustedly at Akari’s bouquet of gardenias, “they stink.” 

“Would my homemade food smell better?” Akari smiled and rolled her eyes at Wasuke’s horrified expression. “Come on, it isn’t that bad.” 

“It isn’t that bad? Have you eaten your food?” Wasuke spoke those words as if talking about being tortured. That’s how being subjected to Akari’s hellish food might have tasted like, if her stepping foot in a kitchen wasn’t prone to inciting national state of emergency in Japan. 

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. I won’t make you food, I promise” Akari chuckled, arranging her gardenias in a tall vase “I guess I’ll have to keep bringing you flowers, then.” 

“Weren’t you supposed to be at school now? Don’t you have club activities or something?” Wasuke inquired, squinting at his granddaughter.  

“I wasn’t feeling well,” Akari half-lied, diverting her attention to the flower vase. 

“And coming here for me to scold you was supposed to make you feel better?” He asked, huffing. 

“Well, yes,” she smirked. 

Silence fell upon them. The afternoon breeze invaded the room, spreading out the sweet smell of white gardenias. Akari placed the vase by the window, beside the wooden crane she carved for Wasuke – a symbol of good luck and longevity. 

She turned around to stare at the sickly figure of her grandfather. His wrinkled skin hung tightly to his facial bones, turning him into a haggard living skeleton. From head to toe and inside out, Wasuke became gray and lifeless. Eyes glassy and hollow, he felt cold to the touch, but not dead cold. Barely having the energy to sit up, he became grumpier and disagreeable, but that’s because he felt as miserable as he looked.  

“Yuji told me you were going to his club today to meet his friends,” Wasuke said, frowning. 

“I haven’t got time for that. I have to focus on studying for college,” Akari answered, rubbing her neck. 

“You should make time for friends.” 

“Yuji’s my friend. That’s enough.” 

“Akari, you only have me and your brother, and when I die it will be only him. At this pace your deathbed will be more depressing than mine.” Wasuke scolded, staring at her eyes, “you foolish, petulant girl. Stop making excuses for yourself.” He huffed.  

Akari knew deep down that her grandfather was right. Perhaps she was indeed making excuses for herself. But she really did have her priorities; Wasuke was terminally ill with lung cancer – consequence of a past smoking habit. He had been diagnosed two years prior, and being the oldest of his two grandchildren, Akari saw it as her duty to take care of herself and her brother. She took on most of the house chores - except for cooking. She often tried to keep Yuji in line, encouraged him to take school seriously and scolded him for getting into fights. As soon as she turned sixteen, she got a part time job at a nearby convenience store. She learned to save money and always shop for the cheapest products. She made plans for herself, mapping out her path to go to college and become a doctor. She worked hard not only on her studies, but also on hers and Yuji’s future. 

They talked for a while, about school, her part-time job, and an amazing recipe of rib pork chops Yuji had invented. Akari left Wasuke’s room to go use the toilet and stumbled upon her brother carrying a yellow bouquet. She greeted him with wry smile. “Hey, Yuji! Good luck with your yellow chrysanthemums. He told me my gardenias stunk.”  

Instead of answering her, Yuji stared straight at her eyes, as to give her no escape, “Akari, you should’ve come to the Occult Research Club today. We talked to kokkuri-san.” He laughed, and a pang of guilt stabbed her. “You know, Sasaki-senpai and Iguchi-senpai are really cool. They wanted to meet you.” 

“I’m sorry, Yuji. I chickened out,” Akari said regretfully. 

“Next week you’ll go without fail,” He held his pinky out, serious.  

She hesitated for a moment, but answered, “yeah- I will,” Akari tangled her pinky onto his, asserting their promise. Yuji offered her a smile in response. 

Akari went to the toilet and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her silken caramel-brown hair fell over her rosy cheeks and lean jawline; her eyes were almond shaped, and her irises were toned a warm amber, adorned by a pair of thick eyebrows. 

As a child she was the “Worm Hunting Weirdo”, now people in school called her the “Jasmin of West Junior High” - Yuji accused her of going through metamorphosis. Akari received attention from more people than she’d like, which was overwhelming and unwelcome. She focused on her studies and performed impressively in every test. Teachers delighted themselves with her brightness and dedication. They expected the best out of her, and she never disappointed. However, spending too much time with teachers led to disconcerting rumors about the “true nature” of her relationship with them. The students doubted she could ever get such good grades without any type of favor in return. She also received the nickname of “Teacher’s Pet”, though as one can guess, that was not a compliment in the slightest. 

Sasaki and Iguchi were familiar names to Akari. They had been trying to form an Occult Club ever since their first year of high school. She remembered having been invited to a myriad of clubs – theirs also, but refused, nonetheless. They did look like nice people. She wondered if they believed the rumors about her to be true. Maybe if she gave them a chance, they wouldn’t speak ill of her behind her back... Next week, without fail . 

She had to go to her part time job, so she shoved her thoughts away and returned to Wasuke’s room to bid him and Yuji goodbye. Upon opening the door, they were bickering as per usual.  

“Don’t play hooky in a place that smells like disinfectant,” Wasuke held out an accusing finger at Yuji. 

“You’re so annoying! Club finishes before 5PM! If I didn’t have so much free time, I wouldn’t have come to visit you every single time.” Yuji snapped, frowning in irritation. Akari went to his side by the window, sending him a scolding look for speaking rudely to their grandfather. 

“Hmph, so you had leeway” Wasuke mumbled and turned on his side, facing away from his grandchildren. 

“...Akari, Yuji” both looked expectantly at their grandfather’s back, waiting. 

“You both are strong kids, so hold onto each other and help people. It’s fine if all you do is reach out a hand. Just help people whenever you can. Even if you’re lost. Even if they’re ungrateful... help them anyway.” Akari felt her stomach plummet and held Yuji’s arm to try and ground herself. Dread ate away at her heart as Wasuke spoke his last words. “When you die, you should be surrounded by people. Don’t die like me.” 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Rika and Hopscotch’s death had been unfair. Outraging. Unacceptable. They lived as vibrantly as nightingales, and death lunged at them like a sharp and nimble snake. How could life be so frail and insignificant, and death so sly and disloyal? Death was bitter and miserable, an evil and supreme force that overruled each and every tiny speckle of life. 

Wasuke, on the other hand, had felt like he’d been dying for a long time. His condition incapacitated his body cell by cell, and his mind deteriorated at a similar pace. At some point, he looked like a walking corpse, and months after he couldn’t even walk anymore. Eating became a struggle. Constantly in pain and chained to his hospital bed, life felt like torture. He had been condemned a long time ago, and despite their best attempts at keeping their grandfather from falling into depression, Akari and Yuji had seen him become lifeless before he actually died.  

Despite all, Wasuke’s death was no less crushing. 

Akari called her boss to communicate her absence at the convenience store and went to sign some papers at the hospital’s front desk, where Yuji talked to a nurse.  

“My grandpa would be mad if I moped around... I’ll have to laugh while I burn him up.” Yuji answered the nurse in a half-joke. She looked at him, perplexed. 

“Don’t mind him, he’s joking.” Akari tried reassuring the woman as she finished signing the last paper. Just like that, it was over. After two years of walking to the hospital every single day, there would be no more visits. Wasuke wouldn’t scold her for not eating enough, wouldn’t squabble with Yuji over the most trivial things, and he wouldn’t give her any piece of elderly advice anymore. For a moment, Akari wished she was a kid all over again. She wanted to not worry about bills, food, her house, or her future. She wanted to lay her head on her grandfather’s lap and sleep through a lazy afternoon. Her puffy eyes watered again. Wasuke’s passing felt like a hollow to her heart. 

“Itadori Yuji, right?” a clear and deep voice called out. 

Akari turned around to see a handsome young man, probably a teenager. His spiky hair was colored raven-black, so dark that it shone blue; a pair of deep blue eyes studied Yuji intensely, so much that Akari feared her brother might have been pierced through by that look alone.  

“I’m Fushiguro Megumi from Jujutsu High School. Sorry, but there’s no time,” He continued, staring straight at Yuji’s eyes, “the cursed object you have is extremely dangerous. Hand it over right away,” he demanded. 

“Cursed object?” Yuji asked. 

He lifted a hand from his pocket and brought his phone forward, showing Yuji a photo of a wooden box with a sliding lid. It held an object of elongated form, wrapped in a long string of yellowy paper replete of strange symbols. A red velvety padding cushioned the box, securing the object in place. 

“Oh, that! Yeah, I found it” Yuji exclaimed in recognition “I don’t mind handing it over, but my senpai took a liking to it. At least give me a reason” 

Fushiguro hadn’t spent not even five minutes in their company, yet he seemed completely fed up with them. Akari strongly disliked his condescending demeanor and hoped he would just go away already, but he answered Yuji’s request, “in Japan, the number of people who die mysteriously or go missing is, on average, over ten thousand a year. This is mostly the result of the negative feelings that pour out of humans, which bear life to cursed spirits. Said spirits take great part in the murder of civilians across the country.” 

“Cursed spirits...” Akari pondered over the absurdity of that affirmation. So, people mysteriously died over cursed spirits ? Like, ghosts? 

“I don’t care if you believe it or not.” How rude! “Anyway,” The boy huffed, “places where crowds gather, like schools or hospitals are where curses manifest easily. Pain, regret, humiliation... the more people dwell on bad memories, the more these places become receptive to those feelings.” He sighed, “for that reason, a cursed object is often found at such places as a talisman. The object you found is such an item.” 

“A talisman?” Yuji asked curiously “Isn’t that a good thing? How’s that dangerous?” 

“The more evil placed on a cursed object, the more it deflects other curses - Using poison to fend off poison. After many years, the seal weakens and the talisman essentially changes form. Then it attracts curses and feeds on them, but that’s beside the point. 

“Among other cursed objects, the one placed at your school is extremely dangerous and is categorized as special grade. Now, before anyone dies, hand it over. ” He pointed a finger at Yuji, clearly done with their conversation. Akari wanted more than anything for the boy to go away. 

“Like I said, I don’t care.” Yuji retorted, throwing a small wooden box to the other boy. He caught it in a swift motion. “You better explain this to my senpai!” Fushiguro slid the lid of the box open, only to have his eyes widen in shock. 

“Where are the contents?!” He shouted and sprung forward, aggressively grabbing Yuji’s hoodie collar. Akari tensed up. 

“Like I said! My senpai have it!” Yuji delivered in a snarl. 

“Where do they live?!” Fushiguro tightened his hold on Yuji. 

“Hey, stop it! We’re in a hospital!” Akari tried to reason. 

“Not sure... Somewhere over in Izumi distri-” Yuji went quiet and frowned. 

“What’s wrong?” Fushiguro demanded sharply, letting go of Yuji’s yellow hoodie. 

“They mentioned something about peeling off the seal tonight at school...” 

Akari’s stomach lurched. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

They ran. The boys were clearly more athletic than Akari, especially Yuji. His physical conditioning had always been extraordinary, even as a kid. On his first day on High School, he was immediately named “The Tiger of West Junior High” for his sports aptitude. However, she didn’t stay behind by no means. Her legs had been trained to keep up with Yuji’s pace, though she never came even close to his inhuman top speed. Akari knew very well her brother was slowing down to keep up with her, making sure she kept close to him all the way to their school. He didn’t trust their third party enough. 

In the end, Akari and Yuji chose to give the crazy stranger the benefit of the doubt. This lunatic, deranged Fushiguro guy. Even though believing him might be a bad idea, if people were really in danger, she couldn’t just blatantly ignore them.  

They reached the school gates, and all three came to a halt. The atmosphere surrounding the school building was astoundingly dark, and unnaturally heavy. The air became thin and difficult to inhale. Their shoulders slouched, giving in to the overwhelming pressure. Countless shivers ran down Akari’s spine, each adding up to her screaming instinct of running away.  

“You stay here. Where’s the club room?” Fushiguro moved forward, seemingly unaffected by the ominous aura. 

“Hold on! I’m coming with you! It’s bad, right?” Yuji argued “It’s only been a couple months, but they’re my friends! I can’t abandon them!”  

“Stay here!” The boy barked at them. “Where’s the club room?” He demanded. 

“Third floor, home economics class” Yuji answered, and Fushiguro ran through the school gates. 

Staring at the building in front of them, Akari was heavily inclined to believe what Fushiguro had said about cursed spirits. She knew it wasn’t logical to believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits, but how else could she explain the fear that consumed her inside out? The most primal certainty that what laid there would kill her in the blink of an eye? How could she ever explain how much death she found herself faced with at that moment? She knew Yuji was equally disturbed; tense and unblinking. Minutes passed before either of them could break out of their shock. 

“Shit, Akari. We have to help them!” Yuji urged, exasperated. 

Akari too, worried for Sasaki and Iguchi, and itched to help. But she wasn’t dumb.  

“You feel it, too, don’t you? This energy? What are we going to do against a spirit? Punch him in the face?” She grabbed her brother’s arms, though it served more to ground her than to hold him back.  

“They’re going to die, Akari!” 

“We are going to die, Yuji! ”  

“We- we have to help them” Yuji said, but he didn’t meet her eyes. He held a blank stare, staring at the distance. “What am I doing?” 

Akari didn’t have to ask, because she knew what he was thinking.  

You both are strong kids, so... help people.  

What was she doing?  

Before she knew, they were both running. A rush of courage she never imagined she had surged from deep within, powering her legs with an inexplicable resolve. She headed straight to the school’s front entrance, but Yuji chose to climb the building, jumping up to the third floor in a combination of dexterous maneuvers. How could he have no regard at all for his own wellbeing? Glass shattered loudly, and Akari’s vexation escalated as she realized Yuji had broken the window. 

“Shit, you have to be kidding me!” She growled loudly. Did Yuji have any idea of how much a window costs? They didn’t have money to spare to pay for the repairs! She let out a string of insults, and in her fury, she only later realized she had passed the entrance hall without changing out of her street shoes.  

Despite being dark, she navigated swiftly through familiar corridors and stairs. Screams echoed from the floors above, urging Akari to run faster and find Yuji as soon as possible. 

Her legs were on fire when she reached the third floor. Turning left, she finally reunited with her impulsive brother “Yuji! Are you okay? Were you cut-” she had been ready to give him an earful, when she noticed he was kneeling, holding an unconscious girl in his arms. It was Sasaki. 

Akari leveled down to check on her. She felt cold to the touch, but she looked unharmed. However, on the floor laid Iguchi, unconscious as well. She winced as she took in a curtain of blood trailing down from his forehead, where his skin was raw and bumpy, as if it’d been chewed on. The red liquid hid his eyes, but Akari guessed they were damaged, too. What did that to him?  

“Did the curses...?” Akari caught herself thinking out loud. 

“Yes, but they’re okay.” Fushiguro explained, “aren’t you both scared?” 

Shitless. Akari thought but didn’t answer. She checked on Iguchi’s pulse instead. 

“Well, I was... But you know, people actually die,” Yuji started, staring at the distance. 

“Huh?” The other boy asked, confused. 

“So, at the very least, I want the people I know to have proper deaths” 

Akari sighed. “Yeah, but did you really have to climb the building and break open the third-floor window ?” She scowled at him, hoping her eyes would get her message across – you could’ve hurt yourself, dumbass.  

“I’m sorry, I sort of acted on instinct” Yuji sent her an apologetic smile and made to get up. His movement caused an object to fall from Sasaki’s pocket, which he caught midair. “This it?” 

“Yeah. Special-grade cursed object, Ryomen Sukuna’s finger. It’s a miracle it didn’t get swallowed” 

Yuji raised it and Akari came closer to look as well. The finger’s necrotic skin was colored a dark vinaceous tone. Its nail was black, chipped and pointy. Rounded protuberances sprouted from its joints, shaped disturbingly resemblant of human faces. Numerous veins wrapped around its base, akin to disgusting roots. The more she looked, the more she wanted to vomit. 

“Why would anything eat it? Does it taste good?” Asked Yuji, unshaken by the finger’s appearance. 

“Don’t be stupid. You’d do it to gain stronger cursed energy. It’s dangerous, so hand it over already.” Fushiguro huffed. 

“Yeah, yeah.” 

Yuji extended his hand forward to hand him the rotten finger, when an overwhelming presence surged from the ceiling.  

“Run!” Fushiguro screamed and pushed them backwards. The floor above them crumbled under the formidable weight of an enormous body. Powdered plaster and cement debris fell over their heads. A dusty cloud spread over the corridor, burning the sensitive surface of their eyes. Even if they tried to, they were impeded from seeing anything by a dense white fog. Akari was momentarily taken aback, and before she could even try running away, she was held strongly by her waist and lifted. 

As the fog settled down, she found herself facing a surreal creature; shaped like a fat chameleon, it stood horizontally on three pairs of muscular arms. Two long fleshy appendices sprouted atop its mouth and hung along its cheeks like a Chinese moustache; Underneath its chin, a loose goiter jiggled as the monster moved. Its dark green skin was rough, dry and brimming with warts. It had two pairs of red eyes on both sides of its head; its flattened snout and the absence of lips put to display two rows of gigantic, flat teeth. Its massive hand exerted such great pressure against Akari’s ribcage she feared her bones might break. 

Fushiguro had also been caught tightly by the curse. As soon as he recollected himself, he put his arms forward, crossing his hands. He screamed, “Nue!” 

The curse wasted no time; it slammed the boy into the wall so hard he formed a hole in it. He’s dead. Akari’s breathing became erratic as she put all her strength into squirming out of the creature’s grip. No, no, no!! Tears formed over her eyes as she screamed, punched and kicked the curse. The monster roared back at her face in response. It was so thunderous she couldn’t hear anything else. Her limbs burned under the pressure of the creature’s grip. The excruciating pain blurred her sight and made her head pound. When she was at the brim of blacking out and had already lost her strength to fight back, the giant hand suddenly released its grip on her. 

She fell a short height but hit her temple on the rubble that laid scattered on the floor. Her head became muddled from the collision, and she almost didn’t register when Yuji came to her side and propped her up against a wall. Akari knew her brother was talking to her from the movement of his mouth, but she only heard white noise. She didn’t have the chance to answer him, because he went away before she could formulate anything. 

The curse opened a hole in the wall to the outside of the building and jumped through, taking Fushiguro with it. Yuji also jumped down after taking a last look back at his sister. Akari brought her hand to a sticky liquid that flowed down from her forehead. She stared at her bloodied fingers, thinking about the abominable monster that nearly crushed her. The creature that killed Fushiguro right before her eyes; The curse that Yuji went right after without hesitation. 

Akari snapped out of her trance and got her bearings, hearing screams and loud crashing noises from below. Dizzy, she struggled to get up, and staggered to the hole in the wall. The curse was on the rooftop of the school’s central building, and Yuji seemed to be struggling against the monster, dodging continuously from its frenetic attacks. 

Akari quickly descended to the second floor, and leaped through a window that led to the rooftop they were on. As soon as she set foot on the floor, the curse disintegrated right in front of her. 

Who stood in front of the sizzling remains of the cursed spirit was Yuji. However, he held a powerful stance; a menacing and intense dark aura surrounded him. His face was marked with bizarre lines, and when he opened his eyes, an extra pair opened right above his own. The four of them were red. He started laughing maniacally, in a raucous way that was uncharacteristic of Yuji.  

“Ah! I knew it! Light is best appreciated in the flesh!” He exclaimed in a resonant and coarse voice that was not Yuji’s. He tore apart the yellow hoodie he wore as if it was toilet paper. It was just then that Akari noticed his long, pointy dark nails. The moon’s pale rays illuminated his exposed torso, revealing a tapestry of tattoos that matched the ones in his face.  

“Yu-” Akari tried calling for her brother. However, weak and feeble, her voice was instantly silenced by terror when two pairs of red eyes landed on her. 

His look was accompanied by a sinister, palpable darkness, as if the world itself had held its breath. He observed her, expression blank but eyes glinting with alarming hostility. That look pierced her, and as she glanced into his eyes, she felt as though she gazed into the abyss itself. 

What the fuck. What the fuck happened to Yuji?  

“Yuji?” Akari quivered, her entire body trembling with undeniable fear. 

“Who are you?” He growled, crimson eyes glued to hers. 

“I- Akari. Your sister,” she answered. 

At her answer, Yuji seemed to snap out of it – gripping his own chin, he blinked. He tripped backwards, and asked “Huh? What do you think you’re doing with my body? Give it back.” That was Yuji’s voice. He was okay, he was fine. Thank God.  

“How are you able to move?” Yuji’s mouth moved, but it was the unfamiliar voice that spoke again. 

“Huh, it is my body, you know?” Her brother’s voice retorted. 

Was there someone else inside his body? No, that couldn’t be. Akari staggered, lightheaded. Realizing her hands trembled and her head hurt terribly, she held onto the railing for support. 

“Don’t move!” Fushiguro commanded, making Akari finally notice him. He was bleeding from his head, but alive. She was surprised and relieved. “You’re no longer human,” He crouched down, snarling at Yuji, “Under Jujutsu regulations, Itadori Yuji,” He brought his arms forward, clenching his hands into fists. A black fog emerged off the ground and swished around his feet, “I will exorcise you as a curse!”  

What the hell?  

“Fushiguro, what?” She had known. This guy was a lunatic. Akari held herself up as best as she could, approaching him, “Stop right now! ” She came to stand in front of Yuji, seeing the markings in his body disappear. “You won’t lay a finger on my brother!” Akari yelled at him, using her rage to prevent her from fainting. “Yuji, you okay?” 

“I’m fine, it’s okay. But we’re all beat up, we should hurry and get to a hospital” Yuji stared worriedly at Akari’s face. She realized it was probably because of the blood. 

“What’s the situation?” The exchange was interrupted by an unusually tall, white haired and blindfolded man, dressed in all black. 

“Wha-?!” As Fushiguro became aware of the presence of the man, he deactivated his sorcery, and his magic disintegrated. “Gojo sensei! What are you doing here?” He inquired, surprised. 

Sensei... This man is his teacher.  

“Hey!” Gojo greeted in a melodic tone, “I wasn’t really planning on showing up,” He bend down to take a closer look at Fushiguro “but man, you’re roughed up!” He took out his phone and quickly set himself into various angles, snapping pictures of the disheveled boy. “I'm gonna show this to all the second-years,” he intoned, “c’mon! Look this way!” Fushiguro stared back at him, annoyed.  

Is this man really a teacher?  

Gojo continued, checking his photos, “the higher-ups wouldn’t shut up with a special-grade cursed object gone missing. So I stopped by while I was out for some sightseeing. So, did you find it?”  

“Umm...” Yuji started hesitatingly, stepping up in front of Akari. “Sorry, but I ate it” He admitted, shameless and honest. Like he always did- wait a second, he ate that nasty looking finger?! 

“For real?” Akari and Gojo asked in unison. One incredulous, other amused. 

“For real” Yuji and Fushiguro answered in unison. 

Was that the reason he’d been acting weirdly before? He at the finger, and it... possessed him...? 

The tall teacher came closer to Yuji, checking him over. Akari tensed, watching him carefully. He looked deep in thought as he leveled down to stare at Yuji’s face. As much as you can stare at someone with a blindfold on, that is.  

Gojo finally spoke, chuckling. “Damn, it really did combine with you. How amusing.” 

Akari stepped in, determined. They seemed dead serious about this whole ordeal, so she figured maybe negotiating would be the best option, “Please don’t exorcise Yuji-” before she could say anything else, though, Gojo bent down to stare at her face, too. 

“You’re a peculiar case, too,” he told her, invading her personal space. Too close! “Megumi, you found quite the exquisite pair here.” Gojo turned away to look at Fushiguro. 

Akari sighed and tried again, ignoring his comment, “look, I know my brother ate your special finger cursed thing,” Akari gulped, “but surely there’s some way around killing him?” 

“Hm, I can try to negotiate for you, but first I have to be sure your brother can suppress Sukuna.” 

“Sukuna?” Yuji asked. 

“The curse you ate. Can you swap with it?” Gojo asked. 

“Oh yeah, I think I can do that,” said Yuji. 

“Then give us ten seconds. Take control again after ten seconds,” Gojo instructed, stretching out his long legs. 

“But-” Yuji tried, looking at Akari. 

“Don’t worry, I’m the strongest,” Gojo smirked. “Megumi, hold onto this,” he threw a paper bag towards Fushiguro. He continued stretching and turned to Akari, “And you, please stay close to Megumi so I can see you both. Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.” 

She huffed, looking at her brother. He reassured her with a thumbs-up and she decided it was best to just go along with them for now. She stood by Fushiguro’s side, praying for Yuji not to be hurt. 

“What is this?” Fushiguro asked, looking into the paper bag. 

“Kikufuku from Kikusuian,” Gojo spoke enthusiastically. Akari’s stomach grumbled. What was the last time she ate? Noon? No wonder she was so fatigued. Oh, what wouldn’t she give to eat one of Yuji’s rib pork chops. Her stomach grumbled again.  

Oh, yes, someone’s talking . 

“-the bullet train home.” 

Yuji- no, it was Sukuna. Sukuna launched himself high up in the air, and charged from above, directly towards Gojo. 

“Behind you!” Fushiguro shouted, stepping up in front of Akari in a protective gesture. 

Gojo didn’t seem alarmed at all by the incoming attack, “Kikufuku’s not like other souvenirs-” A loud crash sounded when Sukuna’s powerful attack landed, causing the floor to crumble and lifting a dust cloud around them. 

“-and the whipped cream inside is just exquisite.” The fog settled down to reveal Sukuna on his hands and knees, Gojo sitting on top of his lower back. 

Sukuna quickly sprung upwards twisting his torso, striking again at Gojo. The white-haired man clapped his hands, teleporting himself out of the trajectory of the other’s strikes. Sukuna kept lunging at him with swift kicks and powerful punches. He was unbelievably fast. Inhumanly fast. But none of his blows came even close to touching Gojo. 

They stood with their backs against each other. Gojo held forcibly onto Sukuna’s arm, turning him around to deliver a violent punch to his face, drawing blood. Gojo coiled his arm back again and threw another punch to his abdomen that send him flying, launching him meters away. He was blasted away with so much speed and force that Sukuna wasn’t even able to hold onto the floor, cracking the tiles as he was thrown backwards. 

Sukuna came to a halt, held by the railing “Oh, for crying out loud. You Jujutsu sorcerers are always a pain in the ass, no matter what era!” He yelled, racing forward once again. He was coming directly towards them, and Akari’s heart leaped out of her chest. Sukuna gathered the momentum to jump into the air, charging a powerful strike directly at Gojo. The blow didn’t hit Akari and Fushiguro, though it destroyed a massive part of the school building behind them in its impact. “Though that doesn’t mean much to me,” he finished, smirking. 

“Seven, eight-” Gojo appeared when the fog dissipated, not a single piece of hair out of place. Sukuna stared at him, flabbergasted. “Nine. About time.” 

Sukuna staggered, head dropping forward as his four eyes slowly closed and he lost conscience. Akari held her breath, praying for Yuji to come back. 

“Oh, was everything okay?” Yuji asked, lifting his head back up again. Sukuna’s tattoos completely disappeared from his body, leaving no trace of the curse. Except for two slits where the extra pair of eyes had been, but that was it. Akari relaxed. She was so relieved she could cry. 

“Color me impressed. You really can control it!” Gojo exclaimed, smiling. 

“So, you won’t kill him, right?” Akari asked. 

“Guy’s kind of annoying, tough. I can hear his voice,” Yuji complained, hitting his head repetitively. 

“It’s a miracle that’s all he’s doing” Gojo walked closer to Yuji, lifted two fingers and touched his forehead. Yuji blacked out right after, and Gojo caught him.  

“What did you do ?” Akari hissed. 

“I just knocked him out. If he isn’t possessed by Sukuna when he wakes up, he might have potential as a vessel” Gojo explained. 

“But you saw what he did, he can control him! You can’t take him!” Akari yelled, outraged. As soon as she stood up to stop the man from taking her brother, she became unconscious and fell back down.

Chapter Text

Ch. 2 – The Ashes of Itadori Wasuke

Akari’s heavy eyelids made her eyes difficult to open. She woke up to a well-lit hospital room. The design was familiar; it was the hospital her grandfather had been in. Muscles aching and head pounding, she sat up slowly, wincing as she moved. The pain on her body was so great that she twisted sideways, retching violently. Akari heaved as she searched for water and found a glass sitting on the bedside table. She drank it in small sips and in between deep breaths, waiting for her stomach to settle. 

She slowly collected herself and recalled bits and pieces of the previous evening. What came to her head were flashes of a disgusting monster and a rotten finger, as well as Yuji fight- 

Yuji!  

Just as she jumped off the bed to look for her brother, Yuji appeared at the room entrance.  

“Akari, you’re up!” He exclaimed, strolling hastily towards her. 

“Yuji! Are you alright?” Akari worried, staring at his face. There were no signs of fighting, no bruises or cuts. She had hoped her mind had been deceiving her; however, yesterday’s events were proved true by the presence of two slits under his eyes.

“Yeah, I'm fine. I’ll call a doctor to see you,” he said, setting a backpack on her bed and pushing her shoulders down to make her sit down. 

“Yuji, about yesterday-” Akari tried asking. 

“I’ll explain later, Akari. You need a doctor. I’ll be right back.” He said and left. Akari didn’t have the energy to argue. 

As she waited, she glanced once again at the bedside table and found the wooden crane she made for her grandfather. She took the small figure in her hands, turning it around. 

  Yesterday was real. I saw a monster- a curse. I should’ve done something about it. What do I do, grandpa? Yuji’s been possessed by a curse- what will happen to him? What do we do without you?  

Yuji came with a doctor, who asked for him to wait out while he examined her. Thankfully, she didn’t suffer a concussion from hitting her head. He had already treated her wound and instructed her in tending to it.   

Inside the backpack Yuji left for her, there was a pair of light wash jeans and an embroidered floral sweatshirt. The clothes she wore the day before were muddy, ripped and bloody. She left her room to meet Yuji at the hospital’s cafeteria and go home as soon as possible; even though she changed into clean clothes, she still felt dirty and longed for a hot shower.  

Inside the backpack, she also found her phone, completely shattered. The screen wouldn’t even light up anymore. Great. Another dent to our savings. And speaking of which, she remembered the window Yuji broke at school. The window they’d have to pay for. She huffed in frustration, estimating under her breath the amount of money they would spend.  

But then she recalled that it wasn’t just a window that had been destroyed, but a whole section of the school building. She halted for a split second, and her train of thought was interrupted by a thunderous hunger stabbing her stomach. The smell of the cafeteria made her mouth water so much that she had to continuously gulp down her saliva. 

“Yo, Akari-san,” the blindfolded man from yesterday greeted her, sat at one of the cafeteria tables, “I hope you’re hungry, because I bought you some food!” He exclaimed, pointing to a tray of onigiri, miso soup and fish. 

“Why are you here? Where’s Yuji?” Akari asked, apprehensive. 

“He’ll meet us shortly; he went to see his friends”  

“I’ll go look for him, then.” Akari turned to get away. 

“You’re aware of your brother’s situation, right?”  

Akari froze, recalling once again the events of the previous night. 

“I want to help you, alright? Let’s talk.” Gojo said with a smile, nodding to the seat across him. 

Akari turned to stare at him, trying to read the strange man. Gojo sat relaxed, with a nonchalant smile. His eyes were covered by the blindfold, but she felt his stare weighting down on her. She fidgeted, uneasy. Perhaps he was using some kind of sorcery that she wasn’t aware of. 

Judging from the fight Akari had witnessed the previous night, this man was strong. At first glance, his physique wasn’t remarkable, except for his height. Akari concluded his strength must have come not from physical power, but from sorcery. She also remembered he had been the one that blacked Yuji out to take him away, and at that thought her cheeks heated up in anger. 

Akari also realized that if that man wanted Yuji dead, he would’ve already killed him. And that meant that either he wanted something from them or maybe he was telling the truth and wanted to help them. Akari weighted her options, and considering the little competence she had in the cursed spirit department, she chose to listen to what Gojo had to say. 

“You didn’t need to buy me food, the nurses gave me vouchers to eat,” Akari finally answered. The nurses were familiar with her, so she ended up receiving more vouchers than necessary. She planned on sharing them with Yuji.  

“Oh no, don’t worry. Please eat, I have to talk to you about your brother,” Gojo gestured, offering her a seat. “By the way, I believe we haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Gojo Satoru, teacher at Tokyo Jujutsu High.” 

“...Itadori Akari.” Akari hesitated, but sat nonetheless, “How are you going to help us?” She asked, biting at an onigiri. 

He waited for Akari to finish chewing, and said, “There’s no easy way to say this, but your brother has been sentenced to execution.” 

Akari choked on her own saliva and grains of rice, “what the-”  

“Yes. But listen. It’s been suspended.” Gojo quickly added. Akari stopped coughing, but lost all her appetite.  

“You see, Sukuna is a very powerful and ancient curse that currently consists of twenty fingers – from its two pairs of arms. Said fingers are cursed objects that can’t be destroyed by conventional jujutsu, and they are getting stronger and thus more difficult to seal with each passing day. Actually, Yuji being alive after having eaten one of Sukuna’s fingers is a miracle in and of itself!” 

“But why was he sentenced to execution?” Akari asked with a frown. 

“Well, the higher-ups are cowards, you know. Sukuna is extremely dangerous, so they don’t want to take any chances with such a powerful curse on the loose,” Gojo lifted a finger, gesturing pointedly, “but I managed to convince them they’d be better off by feeding Yuji-kun all of Sukuna’s fingers and only then executing him.” 

“And how is that helping? Why- Why don’t even try to find another way? Yuji hasn’t done anything wrong! He is fifteen .” Akari couldn’t wrap her head around what Gojo was saying. Why was Yuji being treated as a criminal, when he was the victim? This man wasn’t trying to help them, he was just toying with them. “You’re going to kill him, just like that? Can’t you do anything about it with your sorcery?”  

“I am stronger than Sukuna, but the scope of my abilities is of no use in your brother’s predicament.” Gojo explained, serene. “He has the choice to join Tokyo Jujutsu High and assist in recollecting the remains of Sukuna. Otherwise, the elders won’t accept my proposal and your brother will be hunted down and killed.” 

“You’ll take him to Tokyo ? Only to be executed at a later time ?” Akari’s blood boiled. She curled her hands into fists, holding herself not to lash out at the man.  

“Only if he accepts” 

“And that’s it? No one’s gonna do anything about it? No one’s gonna even try to save him?”  

“In the field of possession, there are no records of a sorcerer ever having been able to exorcise a curse and keep its host alive.” He smirked, “until now.” 

“What are you talking about? You know someone that can do it?” Akari’s voice wavered as she came down from her anger. 

“Maybe. Maybe you can do it.” Gojo pointed at her. 

“Me? You’re kidding, right?” Akari asked, frustrated. 

“Well, there are also no records of anyone like you in the jujutsu archives, you know. Perhaps you can save your brother if you learn the arts of jujutsu.” 

“Anyone like me? What does that mean?” This man made no sense. Akari was certain she was not a sorcerer, and she hadn’t ever seen curses in her life before yesterday. 

Gojo smiled. “You’ll find out if you come to Tokyo Jujutsu High!” 

“Wha-” 

“Akari,” Yuji cut her off, and she turned around to meet her brother. “Sorry for the wait... when I went back to your room you were already gone.” 

“Yuji, is everything alright?” Akari asked, noticing his sagged shoulders and weak smile. 

“Yeah,” he said, taking a seat beside her, “let’s eat. We have to go get grandpa’s ashes.” 

Yuji looked so beat up she wondered about the state of his friends. Iguchi looked terribly hurt the previous night, perhaps his injuries were more severe than she imagined. Noticing her brother seemed deep in thought and in need of space, she decided to leave her conversation with Gojo on hold for the time being.   

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Waiting at the crematorium didn’t help Akari’s gloomy mood in the slightest. If it lasted an hour, it was too much; she couldn’t get Gojo’s words out of her head. As the man had put it, Yuji didn’t have much of a choice in what would happen to him. Either he was executed now, or he was executed later. Gojo seemed to believe Akari capable of saving Yuji somehow, though he could’ve been lying. Honestly, it sounded too much like a lie; if she had any affinity to sorcery, wouldn’t she have found out already?  

While Gojo and Yuji exchanged a few words, Akari fiddled with her grandfather wooden crane, trying to busy herself. She wondered, what would grandpa do, if he was still alive? Probably yell at Yuji for eating that nasty finger in the first place. And then he’d reprimand Akari as well, for letting her brother run around recklessly putting dirty things in his mouth, and possibly fight Gojo if they came to meet each other. He was stubborn and stormed to have his way with most situations. Akari considered if acting as rash as her grandfather did could solve any of her problems, concluding that it would just worsen them.  

Ultimately, she could do nothing to prevent Yuji from being taken away. They were powerless upon these jujutsu goons. She understood that choosing to go against the sorcerers was foolish; not only they could easily overpower the siblings, but also leaving Sukuna untreated could put at risk other people’s lives. She witnessed firsthand the harm that curses caused, and especially one as strong as Sukuna. Yuji couldn’t stay at Sendai, but Akari couldn’t imagine what her life would be without her brother.  

“Yuji,” she nudged him, “how are Sasaki-san and Iguchi-kun?” 

“Sasaki-senpai is well, but Iguchi-senpai...” He sighed, shoulders sagging, “his eyes were badly damaged. The doctors said his chances of recovery were low. I-” he curled his hand into fists, “I shouldn’t have given them the finger.”  

Akari shook her head, “You couldn’t have known, Yuji. You wouldn’t think a spirit could actually hurt someone.” 

“I didn’t actually believe in the occult, you know?” He frowned, “I was only in the club to have fun with them. And I got to hide from the track and field team to boot. But if I did really believe in spirits and stuff, I wouldn’t have let them unseal the finger.” 

“Your friend will be okay,” Gojo said, “Jujutsu is not only for exorcising, you know? Someone is coming to heal his eyes.” 

Akari sighed, relieved, “thanks, Gojo-san.” 

Yuji smiled excitedly, “Jujutsu is pretty cool, huh? Can I learn how to heal people, too?” 

Gojo shook his head, “no, Yuji-kun. Healing others is one of the most sophisticated techniques there is in Jujutsu. You have to be extremely gifted to be able to do it.” 

Yuji shrugged, unbothered, “oh, alright. Worth the try,” mischief glinted in his eyes as he turned to Akari and spoke, “when Iguchi-senpai wakes up, I’ll tell him you were worried about him.” 

Akari blinked, “what? Why?” 

“You bet he’ll be over the moon,” he snickered, “he has a big, fat crush on you.” 

“Yuji! He doesn’t even know me!” Akari sputtered, face heating up. 

“Apparently, he thinks you’re pretty. I can’t see it, though. You have two horrendous caterpillars glued to your face,” he pointed at her eyebrows. 

Akari frowned at her brother, “you tell me, bigfoot,” she nudged his shoe, “did you run from the track and field team, or did they flee from your smelly athlete’s foot?” 

He squinted his eyes, shifting closer to Akari’s eyebrows, “oh shoot! Is that what I think it is? You’re growing a monobrow?” Akari swatted his hand away, and he gestured as if talking in the phone, “Fridy called- she wants her brows back!” He chuckled.  

“It’s Frida! Frida Kahlo! At least say the name right, moron,” she huffed in irritation, “and I don’t have a monobrow!” 

Akari and Yuji were led into the bone picking room while Gojo waited outside the door. At the center of the room, a long tray held bones and ashes laid in the shape of a human silhouette. Akari set Wasuke’s urn in place and accepted a pair of long chopsticks from her brother. In silence, they worked through the bones, collecting each piece together and placing each carefully inside the urn.  

“Akari, you think grandpa had a proper death?” Yuji asked as they carried a femur bone to the urn. 

“... I do,” Akari answered after a while, “but from what he told us before dying, that’s not how he wanted to go at least.” 

“I think he died a proper death, too. You know, he had his fair share of regrets, but he had us in the end.” Yuji sighed. “I keep thinking of his last words...” 

The siblings went silent once again. Akari knew if she tried to speak, she would certainly weep. She wondered what Wasuke thought of himself over the past months. He sounded depressingly remorseful when telling his grandchild to not die like him; to die surrounded by people. She wondered how lonely he truly felt, despite having Akari and Yuji by his side. She missed her grandfather so much, and she didn't want to think about how lonely she would feel if she lost Yuji as well. 

They finished collecting the bones on the tray, and the crematorium staff completed the urn with the cranium pieces and ashes. The siblings then closed the urn together and stood quietly in front of each other. 

Akari took a deep breath, and asked her brother, "have you decided, Yuji?” 

Yuji looked up at her, “if all the parts of Sukuna were gone, then there would be fewer people who get harmed by curses, right?” 

“Yeah. There would,” Akari agreed. 

As they left the bone picking room Yuji stared at Akari once again, his eyes laced with a strong determination that she understood perfectly; he’d made up his mind. 

“Do you still have that finger?” Yuji asked Gojo. The man in question approached them and gave Yuji a rotten finger like the one they found the previous night. Akari became nauseous at the sight. 

“Looking at it again, it’s pretty disgusting” Yuji said, looking closely at the object and frowning. He brought the finger to his mouth, and Akari reacted quickly by holding his arm down.  

“Yuji, please don’t. This could kill you.” Akari pleaded. 

“Akari, I’ve made up my mind. Sukuna’s dangerous, you saw what happened at school. If there’s someone that can do something about him, it’s me.” Yuji retorted, determined.  

“Yuji, wait-” Akari tried to stop him, but to no avail. Her brother swallowed the finger whole in a swift movement, despite her resistance.  

Akari’s breath hitched, and her stomach became cold. Without realizing, she took a step back in fear. Yuji closed his eyes, and slowly Sukuna’s markings crawled back over his face. As the tattoos became completely visible, his two pairs of eyes opened wide. Yuji then bent over, holding his throat, gasping and choking violently. He stumbled over, leaning his head on the wall for support. He let out a throaty wheeze and Akari feared he had stopped breathing. She tried stepping up to help her brother, but Gojo held her back. Just as she was about to give that irresponsible man a piece of her mind, Yuji started laughing and stood straight again. 

“Gross!” Yuji exclaimed disgustedly, sticking out his tongue, “so gross it’s funny.” He kept groaning and gasping as if there was something stuck to his throat. 

Akari was overcome with the desire to murder someone. Yuji, preferably. Her head became so hot she was sure it would explode in no time. She felt her eyes watering and held back her tears by biting her lip, hard. The ferrous taste of blood did nothing to calm down her erratic breathing and savage thoughts.  

“Gojo-san, please excuse us for a moment.” Akari demanded. Gojo nodded and left. 

“Yuji, why did you do it? I told you could die- I asked you not to!” Akari snarled loudly, barely able to control the volume of her voice. She grabbed her brother’s arms and stared defiantly at him. 

“But I’m fine, Akari. Don’t worry-” Yuji tried. 

“Don’t worry my ass! Are you trying to kill yourself?” Akari spat, shaking her brother. 

“What choice do I have? You don’t understand-” Yuji started, but Akari interrupted him. 

“It’s you that don’t understand! What if that thing killed you? It’s poison-” 

“If I don’t eat the fingers, I’ll be killed anyway, Akari!”  

“You didn’t have to do it now! If we delay it enough, I’ll find a way to exorcise the curse and save you-” Akari tried being firm, but her voice came out shaky and tearful. 

“What do you mean? You will exorcise him?” Yuji cut in, confused. 

“I’ll learn how to, Yuji. At Jujutsu High.” Akari answered. 

“Hell no. It’s dangerous, Akari.” Yuji set a hand on her shoulder. 

“Yeah, and you knew eating the finger was dangerous and you did it anyway.” Akari bit back, shoving his hand away. “Don’t give me shit about dangerous, Yuji.” 

“You didn’t see how wrecked you were yesterday, Akari. I thought you’d die! I can’t put you in danger.” Yuji retorted, raising his voice. 

“And how do you think I feel? How I would feel if you died?” Akari stared daggers at her brother, letting all the pent-up frustration pour out of her eyes. She jabbed a finger to his chest. 

Yuji didn’t answer. 

“And how do you think I feel, seeing you walk up to the lion’s den, Yuji? Do you really think I’d let you go alone?”  

“Akari, please don’t. What about your studies? College? You can’t leave everything behind.” 

“Are you kidding me?” Akari said, letting out a breathy laugh “Yuji, you’re my family. If there’s anything I can’t leave behind, it’s you .” 

Her words echoed in the room before a drawn-out silence hang in the air. Yuji mulled over their conversation, eyes unfocused. 

He didn’t answer, but instead pulled Akari into a tight hug. “Oh my God, shut up. You’re so cheesy it’s embarrassing.” 

“You’re the cheesy one, idiot.” Akari said in between choked sobs and chuckles. “And you’re crushing me, let go!” She demanded, hitting his arm repeatedly. 

Yuji snorted, not letting go yet. “Thanks, Kari.” 

Hearing her nickname, Akari finally returned the embrace, smiling and sniffing. “it’s nothing.” She laughed, “but you’ll have to make me milk pudding for the stress.” 

“Deal.” 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“Gojo-san, how can I enroll in Tokyo Jujutsu High?” Akari asked the white-haired man. 

“I’ve already put up your recommendation” Gojo said, smirking and handing Akari a letter. “I take it this means you’ve steeled your resolve?” Gojo asked, staring at both. 

“Not at all. I still don’t get why the heck I have to be executed.” Yuji answered, sighing. “But I can’t just do nothing about the curse.” 

Akari and Yuji stared at the grandfather’s picture by the altar. 

“This last request of yours is gonna be a pain in the ass.” Yuji told the picture. 

“We’ll exorcise Sukuna.” Akari said. “Whatever it takes.” 

“Yeah. I’ve already decided how I’m gonna die.” Yuji said, staring at his sister. She nodded and understood he was referring to Wasuke’s last words – die surrounded by people.  

“Well said! You’re really growing on me, kiddos!” Gojo exclaimed with a beaming smile. “Looks like hell’s shaping up to be fun. Make sure you’re packed by the end of the day.” The man said, opening the door to the crematory’s main hall. 

“Where are we going?” Yuji asked, clueless. 

“Tokyo” Fushiguro appeared at the door and answered. 

“Wait, you didn’t know?” Akari asked her brother. 

“Uh, no- I mean, I knew we were going to transfer to another school but I didn’t know it was in Tokyo .” Yuji answered, sounding excited despite trying hard not to. “By the way, Fushiguro! You’re looking good!” Yuji exclaimed with a thumbs-up. 

“Can’t you see these bandages ?” Fushiguro asked, pointing to his forehead. His injuries had been more severe than Akari’s, as it seemed. She was lucky to have just gotten away with a couple of stitches. 

“You’re both going to study at Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School! And by the way, with your enrollment, we’ll have three first-years and five second-years!” Gojo added joyfully. 

“Just that few?” Akari and Yuji asked in unison, equally baffled. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari and Yuji paced quietly though the graveyard as they searched together for the Itadori family grave. Upon reaching the stone monument, Akari opened the crypt and deposited Wasuke’s urn beside Jin’s while Yuji cleaned up the flower stands, arranging in them the bouquet they had brought. They wouldn’t have time to clean the grave as they had to take the bullet train to Tokyo in an hour. Thus, they poured water on the grave and then proceeded to light up incense sticks and pray for their deceased grandfather. 

During the past day, their world had flipped upside down. Their grandfather had passed, they were attacked by spirits, Yuji was possessed by an ancient curse, sentenced to execution, had his sentence suspended, and now the siblings were leaving their hometown without the prospect of coming back any time soon. 

However, Akari and Yuji were optimistic; above all, they had each other. 

Wasuke left his grandchildren with the final wish of them helping people; of lending a hand to those in need, of using their strength to save others. Akari vowed to fulfill his wish, primarily by saving Yuji. And despite having no clue on how to do so, she decided to take a leap of faith and believe that she could be the one to save her brother from Sukuna. 

Chapter Text

Ch. 3 – Jujutsu Tokyo High

Akari and Yuji had never ridden a bullet train before in their lives. They have never had a good enough reason to, nor spare money for costly trips. Now, their savings were already damaged enough from investing in a new phone for Akari. That’s why she was ecstatic to find that Jujutsu Tokyo High covered the cost of their tickets, as well as the damage to the school building. Akari asked Gojo how they paid for so much if they didn’t take fees from students. Well, the answer was simple: the school was funded by the government. 

The siblings had packed up easily; they didn’t have much to take. Yuji prioritized his manga collections and posters, and Akari went straight for the family pictures and her carving tools. Akari called her boss to tell him she was moving to Tokyo, Yuji bid goodbye to his friends, they took Wasuke’s ashes to the graveyard, and lastly, they visited Rika and Hopscotch’s graves. 

Within thirty minutes of the train ride, Yuji was fast asleep. Akari wondered how much sleep he’d had the previous night and guessed it hadn’t been much, with everything that happened. She felt tired herself as well but was too agitated to be able to rest. She wondered if she’d find another part-time job soon in Tokyo, how hard would learning Jujutsu be, and how the hell would she be able to use sorcery on her brother. Her thoughts were just too jumbled and noisy, but at least the train was empty, and the ride was smooth. 

“You really think you can exorcise me?” Akari jumped on her seat, startled by the unfamiliar voice that spoke beside her. Yuji slept soundly, however, on his cheek, a mouth had morphed into existence and atop of it, a red eye stared at her. 

“Oh, how rude of me! I haven’t even introduced myself, name’s Ryomen Sukuna.” It spoke again, laughing in mockery. 

Akari didn’t even know what to say; was she dreaming perhaps? Seeing a mouth sprouting out of Yuji’s cheek was such a nasty view that she chose to not stare at it any longer. 

“Cat got your tongue?” Sukuna asked. 

“Would you shut up?” Was all that Akari could muster, gritting her teeth. 

“She speaks! I almost thought you were braindead.” 

“What do you want?”  

“Nothing much. Just to tell you I look forward to dismantling you both.” He smiled broadly, displaying two rows of sharp teeth. 

Shivers ran down Akari’s spine. She tensed up and bit back, “dream on. You’ll be dead before you can lay a finger on us.” 

Sukuna chuckled, “lovely pun! But unfortunately for you, I’ve already laid two.” 

“You won’t be laughing once I exorcise you.” Akari spat, fuming. 

Sukuna laughed loudly, “you fool! You think Jujutsu is easy? I overestimated you! You’ll die to the first lowly curse you find.” 

“You talk big, but you’re trapped inside someone that doesn’t know a thing of Jujutsu,” she turned away. 

Sukuna grinned maliciously, “that’s the point. If you don’t even understand this, how do you expect to exorcise me? Pathetic,” he scoffed.  

“Would you shut up ?” Akari snarled, finally losing her patience. 

“Woah, calm down Akari!” Yuji’s sleep was disturbed by the commotion, and he woke up to see his sister staring at him with a murderous look in her eyes. 

“Is everything alright, young lady?” A woman from the cart service came by and asked, frowning at Akari.  

Akari stared at the woman, and then back at Yuji. Sukuna’s mouth had disappeared, and the extra eye was now closed. Her brother looked worried and tired. 

“Yes, it is. It was... a nightmare. I’m sorry to have disturbed the other passengers.” Akari answered, ashamed. 

“Don’t worry. If you need anything, please call me.” The woman said and left. 

“What was that Akari?” Yuji asked in a hushed tone. 

Akari considered telling Yuji about the exchange, but realized Sukuna would hear everything she said to her brother. And she did not want him to know just how unnerved she was. Besides, she knew talking about Sukuna would just infuriate her further. “... I'd rather not talk about it.” 

“... It was Sukuna, wasn’t it?” 

Akari sighed, “leave it, Yuji.” 

“...I’m sorry, he comes out sometimes. It’s difficult to contain him when I’m distracted. Or sleeping.” Yuji apologized, sighing and rubbing his eyes. 

“It’s not your fault. I’m fine, it was just a little stress.” Akari offered him a smile. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

The rest of their ride went undisturbed, but Yuji didn’t sleep again. The trip from Sendai to Tokyo lasted roughly an hour and a half, plus another half hour to reach the school site: Mount Mushiro. On the cleft between the two mountains, they walked through a set of stairs, marked with a series of tori gates and surrounded by rich, abundant and vivid forest. Gojo guided the siblings through and talked to them about the school. 

“This is really deep in the mountains! Are we still even in Tokyo?” Yuji asked in awe. 

“Even Tokyo’s like this on the outskirts,” Gojo explained. 

“Where’s Fushiguro?” Yuji asked. 

“He’s fast asleep after receiving Jujutsu treatment.” 

They passed through a high bridge from which they could overlook the vast school grounds in the distance; It was composed of a tall main building and several smaller and supporting structures, all designed in traditional Japanese architectural style. Upon closer examination, the buildings were awfully resemblant of those of Buddhist temples.  

Apart from the buildings, an enormous sports court could also be seen, but the most dominant element were the trees; They surrounded the campus completely, also overtaking the spaces in between the many structures of the landscape. There was a forest behind the school grounds, which was crossed by paved pathways connected to the campus. It seemed to also be part of the Jujutsu High property.  

“But why such a big school for just a few students?” Akari asked Gojo. 

“Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School is one of only two jujutsu educational facilities. Many jujutsu sorcerers continue to use it as a base even after graduation. It’s a pillar of the community, not just for education. That’s why.” Gojo explained as they approached the school grounds. 

A series of Buddhist structures could be seen along the path they were trailing, and scattered around the school; tori gates, shrines and statues of Buddha and other figures. 

“Why all of these religious symbols and structures?” Yuji asked, curious. 

“On the surface, Jujutsu High is known as a private religious school, so that the government can fund our operations.” Gojo added. 

Reaching the main entrance of the school, they passed through a tall tori gate and entered a large courtyard, surrounded by a series of single-story buildings of thin walls, wooden pillars and concave roofs. Going forward from the tori gate entrance, they walked toward the largest house, and behind it, a seven-story building could be seen; it was the main structure of the school. 

“Anyway, you’re about to have an interview with the principal. Screw it up and he’d reject your admission, so go all-out.” Gojo intoned. 

“Wait, what? Wasn’t our admission settled?” Akari asked, surprised. 

“And what if he rejects? I’ll be immediately executed?!” Yuji asked, disconcerted. 

“What? So you’re not the boss?” Akari shivered as she heard Sukuna’s gruff voice. Both her and Gojo turned to stare at Yuji; once again a mouth had sprouted from his cheek. This time, minus the eye. “Any hierarchy other than strength is boring.” He smirked. 

Yuji slapped his cheek in irritation, holding his hand in place where the mouth had been. “Sorry about that. He pops out sometimes.” He apologized to Gojo. 

“What an interesting body you have now,” Gojo mused. 

“I owe you one, you know.” Sukuna’s mouth now sprouted from the back of the hand Yuji had at his cheek. The sight was no less disturbing than seeing the mouth appear at his face. “Once I make this brat’s body my own, you’ll be the first one I kill!” 

“Me, a target of the great Sukuna? What an honor.” Gojo answered, sounding amused. 

“This guy’s really that famous?” Yuji asked, slapping Sukuna’s mouth with his other hand. 

“Ryomen Sukuna, with four arms and two faces, is a demon of a legend. Truth is that he was a human who actually existed, but that was over a thousand years ago. 

“In the golden era of Jujutsu, sorcerers gathered up all their might to challenge him and failed. Crowned with the title of Sukuna, he traversed the ages after his death as a cursed object. No one could ever destroy his remains. Without a doubt, he is the king of curses” 

So, Ryomen Sukuna was so strong that no sorcerer had ever defeated him; when he died, he was so powerful that his remains became indestructible, and ever since he had been absorbing more power, which meant that he was a thousand years more powerful than he was when no one could defeat him? 

And Gojo said Akari could exorcise such a thing?  

What type of joke is this?  

Neither of the siblings produced any kind of response to Gojo’s explanation. Both didn’t want to voice just how much their hopes had been crushed, and how little prospect of succeeding they really had. Akari didn’t feel like addressing their miserable situation, especially not with Sukuna listening. Long moments of anxious silence followed, though it hardly seemed to disturb Gojo. 

“Are you really stronger than him?” Akari asked, finally breaking the ice. 

“Well, good question,” Gojo answered, contemplative. “If Sukuna regained all of his power, it might be a little draining.” 

“Would you lose?” Yuji asked, worried. 

“I’d win.” Gojo said, nonchalant. 

They finally reached the largest building, and entered a dark large hall, of wooden floor and wooden walls, filled with multiple rows of tall pillars. The room was lit only by candles, all docked in cavities inside the lined pillars. The space smelled of incense and warm sandalwood.  

At the other end of the room, sat on a high tatami a middle-aged man of tan skin and robust features; large shoulders, a goatee and a square jaw. He wore thin-framed sunglasses despite being in the dark. Despite his imposing stance and appearance, the man was surrounded by a collection of plushies of vibrant colors and assorted shapes; some resembled animals, other looked like vegetables, and some looked weirdly like both. The man held in his hands a felting needle and what seemed to be the head of a plushie in the making. 

“You’re late, Satoru.” The man reprimanded Gojo, authoritative, “Eight minutes late. Not late enough to get me angry, but I thought I told you to fix that habit of yours.” He frowned, raising the volume of his voice. 

“If it’s not enough to get mad about, then please cut me some slack. You’re just making dolls, anyway.” Gojo answered, unbothered. “That’s principal Masamichi Yaga.” He said to the siblings. 

“Are those the kids?” Principal Yaga asked. 

“I’m Itadori Yuji! I’m into girls like Jenifer Lawrence! Nice to meet you!” Yuji announced loudly, bowing to the principal. Akari frowned and nudged him with her elbow. 

“I’m Itadori Akari. I’m sorry for my brother’s beha-.” She started, bowing as well. 

“Why are you here?” Principal Yaga interrupted her. 

“For the interview.” Yuji answered, unsure. 

“But why Jujutsu Tech?” The man pressed. 

“To learn jujutsu.” Akari tried, unsure as well. 

“I mean beyond that.” The principal continued, pointing to Yuji. “You, boy, what will you do after you learn about curses and the way of exorcism?”  

Akari took a step back and watched. Apparently, Yuji’s turn would come first. As she settled beside Gojo, he whispered to her, “what do you think of the principal?” 

Darting her eyes to the principal’s form and to the mountain of plushies behind him, she shrugged, “cute plushies. Does he have kids?” 

Gojo snickered, “I guess you could say that.” 

Hearing his odd answer, Akari scratched her head, “well, he seems like a nice dad if he’s making plushies for his kids.” 

Gojo hummed, satisfied, “he’ll like you.” 

Frowning, Akari tuned back into the exchange between Yuji and the principal. 

“It was someone’s dying wish. I don’t care about the details. I just wanna help people.” Yuji answered, resolute. 

“A dying wish?” Yaga repeated, his frown deepening, “so you’re saying you’ll fight curses because someone else told you to? Disqualified!” He exclaimed and raised his right hand, hovering above a green round plushie with bead eyes and an embroidered snout. It was about the size of a bear cub. The green thing rose from its sitting position and snarled as it stared at Yuji. 

“Those weren’t dolls?!” Yuji exclaimed. 

“Cursed corpses. They’re dolls infused with my cursed technique.” Yaga elaborated, and with a swing of his hand, the plushie launched forward and charged a punch against Yuji’s gut, which he defended reflexively using his backpack. Grunting from the impact, he was thrown backwards, and he collided with a pillar. The plushie landed back smirking and dancing, mocking Yuji. 

“Hey! What are you doing?” Akari inquired, attempting a step towards her brother. Gojo stopped her, nodding in the principal’s direction. 

“A person’s true nature reveals itself during crisis.” Yaga said to Akari. “I’ll keep attacking you until I get an acceptable answer.” He turned back to Yuji. 

For heaven's sake! Can’t these guys solve anything in a civilized manner? Even the principal is a crazy old man...  

“Look, man, it’s not just someone else.” Yuji got up and sprung towards the bouncing plushie, “it was my grandfather’s last request!” He punctuated his answer by punching the plushie right on its snout. The green ball flew far into the other end of the room, bouncing back to a pillar, and bouncing off again and again, gaining speed each time it hit a different surface of the room. In its tracks, it ended up blowing out all of the candles, making the hall even darker. The plushie couldn’t be seen anymore, though it could be heard ricocheting endlessly around the room. 

“Shit. Where is it?” Yuji screamed, alarmed. It was then that the plushie changed its course so that it launched itself directly at him, catching Yuji completely off guard. The impact threw Yuji backwards once again, and this time he rolled through the ground until he hit his back against the far wall. “Ow...” he winced. 

“A family member is still someone else .” Yaga continued, “A jujutsu sorcerer is constantly facing death, and not just their own death.” He said, lighting up a candle with a mach. “Sometimes you must ignore the victims. Or tear apart the flesh of a curse. It’s an unpleasant job. You have to be highly motivated and perhaps a little crazy to handle it. And you’d do that because someone else told you to? Don’t make me laugh!” He spoke, daring. “It’d be more believable if you told me you were doing it to postpone your execution.” He lit up another candle. Akari tensed up. Their chances of success just plummeted more with each passing second. 

“Screw you! I-” Yuji brandished angrily.  

“Is it gonna be your grandfather’s fault when you get killed by a curse?” Yaga inquired, pointing at Yuji. 

The siblings froze. The words pierced them like a knife to their chests. They had been using their grandfather’s last words as a justification for the decisions they had taken up to that point; though now it felt more like hiding behind the pretense of honoring Wasuke’s dying wish. 

“You say some pretty damn harsh things, old man.” Yuji answered, stung. 

“Education includes helping students make realizations.” The principal answered, scratching his goatee. 

“I’m not really...” Yuji started but was silenced by the plushie hitting him square in the jaw again. 

“It’s not easy to imagine how you’ll feel on the verge of death. However, I can say one thing for certain. Jujutsu sorcerers never die without regret.” The plushie winded up once more, preparing to punch Yuji again. “I’ll ask you once more.  Why have you come here to Jujutsu Tech?” He said, lighting up one more candle. 

Yuji focused on the body in front of him, and dodged his punch, holding the plushie forcibly in place instead. “Consuming Sukuna is something only I can do. Even if I manage to run away from my execution or from this responsibility, I’d be there eating, taking baths, or reading manga. But I’d get depressed the moment I stopped to think. ‘Oh, I bet someone’s dying right now because of Sukuna. But that doesn’t concern me. It’s not my fault.’ You expect me to just tell myself that?” Yuji raised his voice, staring up defiantly at Yaga. “No thanks. I don’t know what I’ll be thinking when I die, but I’m not gonna regret the way I live!” 

The principal went silent for a long moment.  

“Everyone, out,” he turned around to face Akari, pointing at her. “You stay.” 

“Wait, can’t I stay?” Yuji asked, releasing the plushie. As soon as the thing sprung free, it hit him again on the face. “Ow!” 

“Out!” Yaga barked. 

“It’s alright, Yuji.” Akari told him, reassuring. “I can beat up that plushie’s ass.” She tried to hide her nervousness as she stared at the green thing dancing near them. 

“Come here, Yuji-kun.” Gojo pulled him out, whispering something to him that Akari couldn’t hear. The siblings shared one last look before the door closed between them, making the room silent once again. Yaga lit up another candle. 

“Are you going to be truthful to me, or will I have to take stressful measures like with your brother?” He asked, firm. The green plushie stopped dancing, as if waiting for a cue. 

Akari held her breath and tried not to stutter, “I came to Jujutsu High to exorcise Sukuna and save my brother from execution.” 

The principal stood silent, back turned. The green plushie stared at him and collapsed to the floor after a while, motionless. He lit up another candle. 

“I’m sure you understand just how much danger your brother represents right now. That’s why he’s sentenced to execution.” The principal said, still not looking at Akari. “A jujutsu sorcerer must understand the importance of sacrifices.” 

Akari stilled herself, holding her indignation in. This interview was important, and she would have to get on the right side of this man if she wanted to pass. “And I’m sure a jujutsu sorcerer values life above all else. My brother is a human being, and he’s done nothing wrong to deserve execution.” 

“He is possessed by an ancient curse that killed thousands of people, isn’t he?” The principal asked, still not facing her. 

“Yes, but you shouldn’t be condemning him, you should be helping him!” She brandished, outraged. “This is unfair, he’s innocent!” 

Yaga turned around, now staring straight at her. “And what if something happens to him? What if he ceases being the person he is now? What if he becomes corrupted, or a cursed spirit?” He raised his voice, “what if he kills someone? Is he still going to be innocent ?” 

Akari gulped. “But Yuji is okay now. He... he isn’t gone, and he isn’t dead. He hasn’t hurt anyone. He would never hurt anyone.” She took a deep breath, settling her nerves. “ Please , let me find a way to exorcise Sukuna, and save my brother. I want to do whatever I can to have him free of Sukuna, because he deserves a chance.” Akari pleaded, sincere and open-hearted. 

Yaga took a step towards her, and Akari could see his face better. The man was frowning so hard his entire face looked tense and scrunched up. A long, silent and restless moment passed before he spoke again.  

“To be a jujutsu sorcerer is to carry the weight of the world. Not only your burdens, but of others as well. The role of a jujutsu sorcerer is to protect people. And your brother as of now is a major threat to sorcerers and non-sorcerers. This chance you want him to have can cost innocent people’s lives.” He frowned even harder. “You should give up on being a jujutsu sorcerer if you refuse to understand that.” 

Akari’s stomach dropped, her heart beating desperately. “But he can contain Sukuna! Gojo’s seen it already! Please, he’s my brother! He’s the only family I have left, you have to give me a chance to try- wouldn't you do the same for your kid?” She let out in a spurt. 

His breath hitched, “that’s exactly why you are not prepared to become a jujutsu sorcerer. You’re not prepared to lose him, despite that being the most likely outcome. Your only motivation to learn Jujutsu is to save your brother, but what if you lose him? Death is a constant in Jujutsu, including that of your beloved ones. If he dies, who’ll be the one to blame?” 

Akari froze, her core tense. Yaga was right; she couldn’t bear the thought of losing her brother. If there was at least someone that would help him, she wouldn’t be so desperate and frustrated. But these sorcerers didn’t give a damn about Yuji. They just wanted to feed him the cursed fingers and then have him slaughtered like a pig. She would never let that happen to him, not while she was alive. And that’s precisely why she would fight for her brother with all her might, even if no one would help her. Even if no one else believed her. Even if this man didn’t trust her. 

Akari raised her head, eyes burning with determination. “I won’t give up on my brother. Not only because he’s my family and my best friend, but because he deserves to live. He’s a teenager and has done nothing wrong. I want Yuji to be able to trail his own path, even if you jujutsu sorcerers just want him to be killed.” She stepped closer, getting a glimpse of his eyes behind the shades. “That’s why I came to Jujutsu High.” 

The principal stood still for a moment, staring back at Akari from beneath his shades. She saw his frown soften and his stare begin to melt down with empathy and compassion. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as if contemplating. Akari held her breath, anxious for his final answer. 

On a whim, the principal tensed again, turning away from her. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you stay. If you do, you’ll descend into madness in no time.” 

Akari paled, feeling weak on her knees. It couldn’t be; the principal was about to accept her, what happened? She grew desperate as she realized that meant she would have to go back to Sendai, far away from Yuji.  

“What? No! You can’t do this! I-” 

Akari was interrupted by a knock on the door. 

“Come in,” Yaga commanded, sighing. 

A slender man in a black suit opened the door, letting in a sliver of the afternoon sun. As he carefully stepped closer, Akari took in his hollowed cheeks, his black short hair and pale and wrinkled skin. He wore thin-framed square glasses and fumbled nervously with a letter on his hands. 

“Principal Yaga, this is an urgent matter.” The man spoke softly, handing him the letter. 

“What is this?” He asked, opening the envelope. The suited man didn’t answer, staring at Akari. The principal unfolded the letter, becoming more and more livid the longer he stared at its contents. 

“ijichi-san, call in Gojo. Akari-san, please wait outside with your brother.” Principal Yaga told her, looking pale. 

Akari obeyed and stepped out silently, feeling dejected. The suited man called out to Gojo, who entered the hall, closing its heavy doors behind him. Akari sat down on the stairs beside Yuji and let her head fall to her hands in frustration. 

“So... How’d it go?” Yuji asked, hesitant. 

“He... rejected me,” Akari answered with a long groan, “said I’m not prepared to be a jujutsu sorcerer... I don’t want to be a “jujutsu sorcerer”! I just want to find a way to save you.” Akari huffed, kicking out a pebble. 

“Oh.” Yuji said, taken aback. They both went silent. 

“Did you... fight his plushie?” Yuji asked. 

Akari sighed, “no... it went lifeless as we talked.” 

“That’s it! You need to show him you can also fight, he’ll totally change his mind after you do! You know you pack some killer punches!”  

“...I don’t know, Yuji. The guy completely dislikes me.” Akari sighed again and let out a dry chuckle. “Besides, I don’t think I’ll have another chance to talk to him, something urgent came up...” 

“But there has to be a way, we can talk to Gojo-sensei! He’ll help us!” Yuji exclaimed. Akari ignored him already referring to Gojo as his teacher. 

“Yeah... Yeah! He must know something I can do.” Akari brightened up and got up from her slouch. The doors opened behind the siblings and Gojo came towards them. They got up to their feet, Akari staring hopefully up at him. 

“Gojo-san, I need your help.” Akari spoke with determination in her eyes. 

Gojo smiled, though he looked stiff. “Talk to him again. I’m sure he’ll give you another chance.” He said, guiding the siblings through the open doors. Akari walked in, surprised. Maybe he had already talked to the principal about her? 

She stepped up to Yaga, the man now stiffer than ever. Proving her worth to him seemed like an impossible task; he looked like he didn’t even want to look down at her. What does this man have against me?  

She stared up at him, tall, rigid and robust as a mountain. Here goes nothing.  

“Principal Yaga, I know you doubt me. I know you don’t think I’m suited to become a jujutsu sorcerer, and it’s true that maybe I don’t fully understand yet your principles and rules.” The principal’s eyebrow twitched. “But I can’t stand still while I can do something to help others, especially someone as important to me as my brother. And I’m not one to give up without a fight.” Akari bowed down, “please, give me a chance to show you what I’m worth. Let me prove to you that I deserve to be in this school.” 

The principal finally turned towards her, silent. Inside her head, Akari prayed to every deity she could think of, hoping one of them would bestow her with a miracle.  

Please, please. I'll do anything. I’ll learn how to cook, I’ll wake up earlier, I’ll floss my teeth!  

“Very well. You both start tomorrow. Gojo, take them to the dorms.”  

Akari opened her eyes and stared at him, ecstatic. She bowed down again and thanked the man profusely. “I won’t disappoint you, sir!” He nodded in response. 

She turned to stare at Yuji, both sporting identical smiles. This was as much a victory to him as it was to her. 

They would win this. Together. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“So there’s no curfew, but no noise is allowed after 10PM,” Gojo explained to the siblings as he gave them a tour down the school grounds, to their assigned dormitories. The abundant trees and singing birds refreshed Akari’s mood as she breathed in the smell of grass and the cold breeze caressed her hair. Above all, she was relieved to have passed the principal’s interview. 

However, she was still suspicious of principal Yaga changing his mind so suddenly, especially after being so adamant about refusing her. Even when he finally accepted her application, he seemed absolutely vexed about it. In the end, she chose not to think too much about it, and wasn’t about to complain; after all, they made it into Jujutsu High.  

Despite Yuji’s hapless situation, the siblings were amazed at the school structure and many benefits that came with living there. For starters, the school served meals from breakfast to dinner; the school assistants were responsible for driving the students to missions and to the commercial area of the city on their days off; and in addition to paying no fees at all, they would be paid a fixed monthly allowance, and extra wages for completing missions for the school. The base monthly allowance alone was more than Akari made in her part time job back in Sendai. 

“By the way, your uniforms arrive tomorrow, together with your schedule and your student IDs.” Gojo told them as they walked through a tori gate. “It’s important that you have your student ID with you, especially when going down to the city on missions.” 

“Hm, Gojo-sensei, if sorcerers act mostly in urban centers, why is Jujutsu High in the outskirts?” Akari questioned. 

“Well, that would be to hide the school from curses and intruders. There’s also a barrier around the school to conceal it from unwanted visitors.”  

“Conceal ?” Yuji asked, intrigued. “Wouldn’t it be to protect?” 

“No, the barrier doesn’t block anyone out; rather it works as an illusion that changes the school’s appearance and location. You have to be accepted in by Master Tengen to not be affected by the barrier, however you can still find the school if you know its location.” 

“And who is Master Tengen?” Akari asked. 

Gojo pursed his lips before turning to her, “Master Tengen is an ancient sorcerer responsible for maintaining this barrier along with various other barriers throughout Japan, and we are responsible for protecting them and the school.” 

“So they're also one of the guys that want to execute Yuji?” 

“Oh. No, they're not involved in Jujutsu politics.” Gojo came to a halt before a large house, “here we are.” 

The dormitories resided in a single-story building, replete with wide windows. From the outside, the house felt pleasant and refreshing, especially considering the number of trees surrounding it. Gojo guided them inside through a small Japanese-style porch and took them down a long corridor, the wooden floor creaking softly under their feet. Gojo stopped between the last two doors. 

“Welcome to your rooms.” Gojo smiled at them. 

Akari opened the last door, Yuji taking the other one. The siblings sighed in awe as they took in the well-lit, spacious and ventilated rooms. In each room there was a single bed, a desk, a wooden closet and an air conditioner. On the far wall of the room, beside the bed, there was a large glass sliding door that led to a shared engawa between the dormitories. They also noticed their belongings had already been brought in, for in each room they found the moving boxes they packed back home. 

As Yuji ran inside and threw himself onto the bed, Akari caught herself doing the same. The mattress was surprisingly comfortable, and she sighed dreamily as her muscles relaxed into it. She got up, giddy, and slid open the glass door, stepping outside into the porch. The backyard of the dormitories was composed of a large patio surrounded by sturdy trees, wide bushes and wildflowers. The sliding door of Yuji’s room opened as well as he leaned outside and screamed a loud “Hello!” into the porch. The siblings stared at each other, elated. They’d never had such big rooms just for themselves. 

“All the second-years are out at the moment,” Gojo said from inside Akari’s room, sounding amused. “But you’ll meet them soon enough when they return from their mission in Osaka.” 

“Osaka?!” Akari asked, baffled. She wondered if she’d get to travel around on missions, too. Sending students distant cities seemed recurrent in Jujutsu High. 

“Yes, their return is due to next Tuesday. Meanwhile, you’ll be tutored by someone else,” Gojo explained as Yuji and Akari stepped into the room. 

“You won’t be my teacher?” Akari asked, trying not to sound disappointed. 

“Unfortunately, I only teach first-years.” He lifted a finger, “but don’t worry, I’ll take you to someone that can teach you much more than I would be able to, considering the nature of your jujutsu.” 

Akari pursed her lips, “Gojo-sensei, what do you mean by the ‘nature of my jujutsu’? I mean... I know nothing about jujutsu, I don’t even know how to... use it?” Akari said, anxious. 

“You’re kidding, right?” Asked Yuji, his eyes wide. 

“Uh, what do you mean...?” Akari questioned. 

“Uh... you kind of, disintegrated that curse’s arm yesterday?” Yuji said, “I mean, I don’t know what you did, but I’m pretty sure it was you. You don’t remember it?” 

Akari certainly didn’t remember any of that. She’s pretty sure doing something of the sort wouldn’t go unnoticed, not by her at least. Right?  

“I can’t have been me. It must have been Fushiguro,” she decided. 

“It was you,” Fushiguro showed up at the door and leaned against the doorframe, staring at the siblings. He didn’t have bandages on his head, nor dark circles under his eyes anymore. “I didn’t do anything, the curse’s arm that was holding you simply pulverized.” 

Well, that was terrific news! With this newfound power of hers, Thousand-year-old King of Curses Ryomen Sukuna was nothing but a lowly cockroach. That is, if she knew how to use it.  

“But, how? I-” Akari huffed at the absurdity , and unable to say anything else, looked up at Gojo, expecting an explanation. 

Gojo smiled, “I can’t say what you did exactly, I don’t know either.” Akari sighed, disappointed. “But I can say that you’re different from every other sorcerer and non-sorcerer I’ve ever seen.” She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. “You know that people naturally produce cursed energy, right? The negative energy that seeps out from non-sorcerers result in the generation of cursed spirits, and the negative energy from xamans are used to power up their techniques and in the exorcism of curses.” Akari nodded. “Well, Akari, you don’t have an ounce of negative energy.” She nearly toppled over, blinking in confusion. 

“Are you saying-” Fushiguro exclaimed, looking vexed. 

“No, Megumi,” Gojo interrupted him, and the boy froze. “What I mean is, her cursed energy is not negative, but positive . Much like when someone uses reverse cursed technique.” Akari blinked, utterly lost in the conversation. Positive energy? Reverse what? She stared at Yuji, who also seemed to find the talk clear as mud.  

“I know it may all seem confusing, but tomorrow you’ll meet someone who can help.” Gojo said reassuringly. “Meanwhile, you both settle in nicely! I hope you like your new neighbor,” Gojo smirked playfully, pointing at Fushiguro. 

The boy in question turned to Gojo and huffed. “There were a bunch of empty rooms, weren’t there? Why did you put them here ?” He said, disdainful. 

“Oh, Fushiguro! You’re looking good for real this time.” Yuji beamed up at him, ignoring his snarky comment. “Nice to know you live right by our side!” 

“Oh! I thought it’d be livelier this way, you know-” Gojo told Fushiguro, who was still scowling. 

“Classes and missions are enough. This was an unwelcome favor.” He replied icily. Yuji didn’t seem to mind his rudeness, but Akari was fuming. 

“Bet it’ll be real nice, waking up every day to deal with your stick-up-his-ass attitude.” Akari deadpanned and crossed her arms. Fushiguro gaped at her before clicking his tongue in annoyance and shutting his mouth. 

“Well, it’s all good!” Gojo exclaimed, as if oblivious to the thick tension, “more importantly, we’re heading out tomorrow! We’re gonna go pick up the third first-year!” He announced. No one answered him. 

Fushiguro walked away, shutting the door to his room forcefully and making Yuji flinch. 

“Akari, you can’t be this rude! He’s my classmate now,” Yuji complained. 

“He’s a jerk , that’s what he is. Did you already forget he was the first one to suggest exorcising you? ” Akari retorted bitterly. 

“Yes, but...” Yuji trailed off, not knowing what to say. 

“Megumi’s a good kid.” Gojo said, drawing their attention, “he’s a little bit closed-off. Just give him time to warm up, okay? See you both tomorrow after breakfast.” He then turned around and walked away, taking leave with a wave of his hand. 

“Fushiguro seems like a nice guy, I guess.” Said Yuji. 

“You trust people too easily, Yuji” 

“Well, you doubt people too much.” Yuji said, stretching his arms, “oh! By the way, I found something when we were packing up back home,” he said, running to his room and coming back with a wooden box in his hands. “I don’t remember what’s inside,” he said, opening it and sitting down on the floor, Akari following suit. 

The siblings sorted through the box’s contents together. They laughed loudly as they picked up Akari’s first feeble attempts at carving what seemed to be an uneven bird, a flat spoon and a crooked pine tree.  

Akari then took out a golden medal Yuji had won at a local karate tournament when he was twelve. The kid he fought during the finals had his arm broken when trying to defend a powerful kick from Yuji. The parents and sensei were terrified at the possibility of the other children getting hurt as well, so Yuji was forced to quit karate after that. Needless to say, he was devastated. 

They also found a collection of Hopscotch’s feathers, toys and photos. Akari and Yuji silently caressed the white fluffy feathers and looked through the blurry photos, reminiscing on their late pet rooster. 

“I miss them,” Akari said, smiling at a photo of Hopscotch sleeping curled up to Wasuke. Her eyes began to water, so she set it aside. She’d add this one to their album later. 

“Yeah, me too... I still can’t believe that dog got in so easily...” Yuji mumbled. 

Akari winced, remembering the day she found Hopscotch dead. She decided to bring up something more enjoyable instead. 

“I just remembered I had this strange dream yesterday. I dreamed you were a kid, and you were with Hopscotch , telling him about this prank you wanted to pull on me. Something about putting baby powder inside our hair-drier? I’m glad you never thought of doing that, I would’ve been furious. ” She said, giggling. 

Yuji scratched his nape, “huh... I kind of tried doing that?” He smiled sheepishly, “but grandpa caught me and made me clean it up. Weird that you dreamed that, though, isn’t it?”  

“Hm, I guess I know you too well,” she shrugged it off. 

“Yeah. Yeah, you do.” Yuji smiled, and they went back to unpacking. 

Chapter Text

Ch. 4 – Cursed Seeds

The afternoon sun glowed warmly, coating the vast glade with languid golden rays. The leaves of the bordering forest rustled gently, as if whispering sweet nothings into the wind. In the open field of grass, stood a lonely, sad, but robust tree. Under the motherly shade of the large tree, a little dark-haired boy sat leaning against its trunk, sobbing softly.  

A woman with brown eyes and dark short hair strolled quietly, but surely towards the boy. Dressed in a beautiful blue kimono, she reached him and lowered down gracefully, her robes flowing around her like water. She smiled and looked at him with kindness and compassion, albeit with hesitation.  

“Nishida-kun, it’s getting late,” she spoke softly.  

“I w-want my mommy,” the boy sniffled, wiping wet red cheeks with skinny arms, “I want to g-go home,”   

“I know,” the woman whispered, “but Nishida-kun, your mommy is someplace else now.”   

“She’s not someplace else, she’s d-dead!” he hiccupped.  

“I’m talking about her soul,” she wiped his face, “When we die our souls go to this faraway place to rest.”   

“But I want her to be here, with me,” the boy whined.  

The woman stared at him sadly, “she can’t, Nishida-kun. That’s why she asked me to take care of you. Because she loves you and wants you to be happy,” she sighed. “Let’s go inside, and I’ll make you some tea, alright?” The boy nodded, and they left together.  

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari woke up to her insufferable alarm blaring beside her head. She turned it off with a swearword, groaning in irritation as the sunlight shone straight to her eyes though the uncovered windows of her new room. She got up with a scowl plastered on her face and started getting ready for the day, cursing the strange dream she had during her sleep. 

Someone knocked on her door, startling Akari away from her murderous thoughts. Her unexpected visitor came to be the suited man that had interrupted her interview on the previous day. His eyes widened in surprise as he stared at her; she always had the wildest of bedheads in the mornings. Akari didn’t remember his name, so she remained silent and waited for him to speak. 

“Good morning, Akari-san. My name is Kiyotaka Ijichi, I’m an assistant here at Jujutsu High." He bowed in salutation, “I came here to bring you your uniforms, your schedule, and your student ID.” He said, handing her a big paper bag. 

“Good morning, Ijichi-san,” Akari said groggily, taking the bag and bowing curtly. “Thanks.” 

“It’s nothing,” he replied, “if you need anything you can always ask me or anyone from the school staff.” 

“Actually, I have a question. Does the school have any blinds to spare?” 

“Blinds...?” 

“Yes, window blinds,” she said, pointing at her window. 

“Oh, yes. The staff that prepared your rooms must’ve forgotten... I’ll ask someone to put up blinds for you.” 

“Thanks,” she said, smiling.  

The man smiled back at her, “it’s my pleasure. I hope you have an excellent first day here at Jujutsu High.” 

Akari went back inside her room, grogginess forgotten in favor of the excitement to see her uniform. She set the bag on her bed and took out the pieces that composed the clothing set; a short sleeveless beige dress with a fluted turtleneck, navy-blue leggings, and a navy-blue coat with a wide neck and poofy quarter length sleeves. The coat was the same length as the dress, except for the front, where it was cropped and buttoned up by three golden buttons with a swirly pattern on them. 

She quickly got dressed, surprised at the uniform being actually cute . As she carefully gathered her knotted hair in a low ponytail, the door to her room opened with a sudden bang.  

“Kari! You got your uniform, too!” Yuji beamed as she fixed her long bangs around her cheeks. He was dressed in what seemed to be his uniform; navy-blue pants and a navy-blue jacket with a high large red collar and hoodie. His jacket also had three golden swirly buttons sewn in. “Woah, your uniform is so stylish!” He said, staring at her coat. 

“Morning. Yours is dope, I like the hoodie.”  

Yuji huffed, wide eyed, “you said good morning? You usually great me with a death glare, a ‘ fuck off! ’ and a demand for food.” 

Akari raised an eyebrow, “oh, pardon my rudeness, my dearest, most inconvenient brother. Would you give me monumental pleasure of getting the fuck off my room in this despisable morning?” She mocked, grinning despite herself.  

He chuckled loudly, “No thanks, your royal sappiness, let’s just go! I don’t want to miss breakfast,” Yuji prodded, urging her out. Akari sighed but followed her brother. They weren’t running late; it was still ten to seven, and breakfast was served from seven to eight. However, Yuji was too excited to stay still and Akari didn’t mind a little sunlight now that she was awake. 

The dining hall was a single-story building, spacious and furnished with long wooden tables. There was no one inside yet, and as they walked in, a short and sweet old woman greeted them, welcoming them in. She was Kyoko Fujiwara, responsible for cooking meals for the school. Her and Yuji chatted excitedly about stir-fry recipes as she skillfully rolled up tamagoyaki and cut them into bite sizes.  

Fujiwara assembled their meals, and they sat down to eat. Fushiguro entered the dining hall right after, blatantly ignoring the siblings. Yuji tried greeting him good morning, but the boy was already in the other end of the room. Akari didn’t care. The guy was a prick, anyways. 

Jujutsu High housed many people. Akari and Yuji ate silently as they watched monks, assistants and people in black garments slowly fill the dining hall. Akari wondered if all of them were jujutsu sorcerers and Yuji made a joke about Mrs. Fujiwara killing cursed spirits with a whisk. 

“Good morning, you two!” Gojo greeted them as he entered the dining hall. They greeted back, finished with their food ages ago. 

“Are you ready for your day today?” He asked Akari. 

“Yeah, I am.” She replied, standing up. 

“Good. Yuji-kun, wait here. Akari-san, please come with me,” he said, shifting away. 

“See ya, Kari,” Yuji lifted his fist. 

“See ya, Yuji,” she said, returning his fist bump. She rushed up to catch up to Gojo. 

“How do you like your uniform?” Gojo asked once she reached him. 

“I like it, it’s very nice,” she replied honestly. “Why the yellow and red?” Akari wondered, thinking about hers and Yuji’s uniforms. 

“I thought those colors best matched you both.” Gojo answered. 

“What? What do you mean, you thought?” Asked Akari, confused. 

“Your uniforms are customizable. You see, since your enrollment was a last-minute arrangement, I took the liberty of requesting them. Glad you liked it.” He intoned. 

 “Oh, I see. Thanks.” She spoke, surprised. 

“It’s nothing.” 

After a while, they reached the main structure of Jujutsu High, the large seven-story building. Gojo took Akari through the first floor’s corridors, where he introduced her to some empty classrooms, training rooms, meeting rooms and a library. Finally, they reached a door with a sign that said “Infirmary”. 

Gojo slid open the door to reveal a large room furnished with tall shelves, large steel sinks and a large desk in the far corner of the room - a laptop and tons of paper sheets were spread over it. There was also a steel nursing cart carrying scattered tools, gauze, and medicine, and in the center of the room, a big lab table with more tools and substance bottles messily spread over. This room was adjoined to another separate space that had six hospital beds lined up, all unoccupied. The infirmary smelled of antibacterial soap and iodine. 

By the wooden shelves, stood a tall woman with long dark-brown hair and thick eyebrows. Her downturned brown eyes were adorned with dark eyebags and a mole under her right eye. She wore a long white lab coat over a turtleneck blue sweater and dark jeans, and seemed to be in the middle of shelving some containers when Gojo and Akari barged in. 

“Good morning, Shoko!” Gojo greeted the woman energetically. 

“Morning, Satoru,” she greeted calmly, “is this the girl?” She said, noticing Akari. 

“I’m Itadori Akari, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she bowed. 

“I’m Ieiri Shoko, Jujutsu High’s doctor. I suppose you know why Gojo brought you here, correct? About your condition?” She questioned, shifting closer. 

Akari scratched her nape, “I... don’t really know, I hoped you would tell me.” 

For a split-second Ieiri looked taken aback by Akari’s response, then she whipped her head to Gojo, “Don’t tell me you didn’t explain anything to her? Aren’t you a teacher ?” She inquired, arms crossed. 

“I found it more educational to learn from practice rather than theory, and who would be better than you for the role?” Gojo snickered, “I’m off now, have a nice day you two!” He went away, closing the door behind him. 

Ieiri sighed and addressed Akari, raising her brow, “alright. So, how much do you understand of Jujutsu?” 

“I know that cursed energy is the result of humans’ negative feelings - and, hm. It bears life to cursed spirits, which can only be exorcised by using cursed energy against them.” Akari said, reciting what she learned during the past few days. She stared at Ieiri, who seemed to be waiting for her to continue, “uh, and I apparently don’t have cursed energy...?” she added, unsure. 

Ieiri let her arms drop down, sighing, “that’s a start, at least. Seriously, he could’ve told you one thing or two, but we can work with that,” she turned around and gestured for Akari to follow, her heels clacking softly on the floor, “but just to be clear, I’m not a teacher, so I won’t be able to answer every query you may have,” she pulled two chairs from her desk, having Akari sit directly in front of her. 

“I understand,” said Akari. 

Ieiri crossed her legs and laid back into the chair, “Alright, first things first. You already know what cursed energy is, but I believe you don’t know yet what a cursed technique is, correct?” Akari shook her head. “Well, to put it simply, a cursed technique is an ability activated by cursed energy. There are simple techniques that most people can learn, like summoning simple shikigamis or conjuring barriers. However, other unique cursed techniques are intrinsic to a sorcerer from the day they are born. Therefore, if you possessed an innate ability, you would’ve known a long time ago,” She explained, curling a strand of hair on her index finger.  

Akari deflated. So that meant she wouldn’t be doing cool magic stuff? Like, ever? That was rather discouraging. 

“Cursed techniques... can you give me an example?” Akari questioned, resigning herself to her lack of unique ability. 

“Yes. You must’ve seen Fushiguro’s cursed technique.” Akari held herself not to scowl at the name, focusing instead on trying to remember the boy’s cursed technique.  

“I didn’t see him doing any sorcery” Akari concluded after a while. 

“Don’t you remember seeing his pair of dogs?” asked Ieiri, eyeing Akari curiously. 

Akari pondered, trying to recount in her head the events of the night she and Yuji met Fushiguro. Look, Akari took pride in her good memory. So when her mind came up with no dogs, it’s because there were no damn dogs! Seriously, she would’ve remembered seeing dogs in the middle of her school at night. What was it with people seeing strange things and expecting her to remember it? “No, I don’t. Perhaps he didn’t... use them,” she muttered uncomfortably. 

“Hm, from what he told me, I’m positive he did. But well, if you didn’t see his cursed technique, then I’m sure you must’ve seen Principal Yaga’s. You know, the puppet manipulation.” 

“Ah, yes. I remember seeing him controlling a plushie.” Akari chuckled, “it threw some punches at Yuji.” 

Ieiri smiled, “yes. Principal Yaga uses cursed energy to power his technique of controlling inanimate corpses. Like I explained previously, he can do this only because he was born with the ability to.”  

“Okay, got it.” Akari brightened up, “do you have a cursed technique, Ieiri-san?” 

“Only Reversed Cursed Technique. It’s not an innate technique, if that’s what you’re wondering. In theory, anyone could learn it, but very few people can.”  

That name again, Reversed Cursed Technique. What does it mean?  

Akari opened her mouth, but Ieiri spoke first, “before you ask me what it is, there’s one more important thing I need you to understand.” Ieiri straightened up on her chair, Akari mirroring her. “You said you know that you don’t have cursed energy. Gojo told me that you actually have positive energy instead. All humans have negative energy flowing inside them, though we’ve seen rare exceptions of people that carried no cursed energy at all in their body.” Ieiri pointed at her, “you, Akari, however, have positive energy, something I didn’t even know was possible. Just to contextualize you, very few sorcerers can use positive energy, though it is by manipulating negative energy and transforming it into positive – this process is what’s called Reversed Cursed Technique.” 

Akari blinked, processing the information inside her head, “ok, but what’s the difference between negative and positive energy?” 

“It’s actually pretty simple. Negative energy destroys, positive energy creates. In humans, positive energy can be used for healing. In cursed spirits, it’s the opposite: it’s negative energy that they use to heal themselves. Another important thing to note is that since they’re beings made purely of cursed energy, positive energy can cause great harm to the integrity of their bodies.” Ieiri smirked, “charging positive energy into the body of a cursed spirit can essentially disintegrate them.” 

Akari gasped, remembering Yuji telling her about the incident with the cursed spirit, “that’s how I disintegrated the arm of that curse!” She exclaimed, thrilled. 

“That would be a feasible explanation,” Ieiri hummed, “but since you knew nothing of sorcery at the time, this theory is still dubious.” 

“Is there any possibility I may have unconsciously used positive energy on the curse?” 

“It’s not impossible, but highly unlikely,” she took her hand to her chin, deep in thought. “Do you know how a sorcerer produces and outputs energy?” 

Akari knew. Kind of. She decided to take a guess. 

“Surely a sorcerer leverages their negative emotions to produce cursed energy-” she hitched, a thought popping up in her mind. But how does this apply to me? “Then if negative energy is emanated by negative feelings, then positive energy must be generated by positive feelings?” She concluded. 

Ieiri smirked, seemingly satisfied, “great thing you brought this up, Akari. You’re correct about negative energy. Thing is, we don’t know about the production of positive energy yet . That’s one thing I’ve been wondering about you. It’s already established that your body contains positive energy, and positive energy only . However, about the energy you produce, I see two possibilities: either you generate plain positive energy, or you generate negative energy and your organism automatically processes it into positive energy.” Her eyes shone with excitement, “either way it’s impressive.” 

“But why? And how? I mean, why me? And why am I finding out about this only now?” 

“I’m afraid these questions will remain unanswered as of now. There are still many aspects to unravel about you and your special circumstances. However, I believe it’s best if we start with answering the simpler questions.” Ieiri said, getting up from her chair and walking to the big lab table. “Come here, I’ll show you something.” 

Akari followed her, and upon reaching the table, she saw Ieiri pushing the mess of tools and medicine away to make space for some adzuki beans sprawled on the tabletop. 

Ieiri took two beans, placing one on Akari’s open palm and holding the other on her hand. “These beans have all been cursed. When a seed is cursed, it will be blocked from germinating, no matter how optimal the environmental conditions are for the seed to sprout.” Ieiri closed her hand on the bean, “however, since it’s not an intricate curse that’s been cast on these seeds, applying positive energy into it is enough to unblock its germination process.” She opened up her hand and placed the bean on Akari’s free palm. 

Each of Akari’s hands now held an adzuki bean. She stared at them, trying to spot an indicative that one of them was cursed and the other was not. She only acknowledged them as regular beans, despite knowing that the one on her right hand was cursed. “How do I know if a seed is cursed?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at the doctor. 

“Hm, It’s more of a feeling, really. For sorcerers it’s pretty much second nature, but since you’re new to this, it might take you some practice to discern it.” Ieiri took two small cell culture dishes from the table, “that’s why I’ll give you two tasks for the next couple days. The first task is for you to train your brain to perceive cursed energy. You will use these two beans you have on your hands, one cursed, one not.” Ieiri took out a sheet of adhesive labels, writing “cursed” and “non-cursed” on two of them and sticking them into each of the containers. Akari placed her beans into the recipients accordingly. “Try concentrating on how they feel.” 

“But how is it supposed to feel? Like, heavier or, I don’t know, darker?” She wanted a hint of some kind. It would help if she didn’t have to go into this completely blind. 

“It feels like cursed energy,” Ieiri replied, frowning. Akari blinked, not expecting the blunt answer. “You’ll get the feeling in no time, don’t worry,” she batted away. 

“Alright, then,” she replied, disappointed. “What about the other task?” 

Ieiri took two more beans into her hands, “The second task is to find out how your body generates positive energy. These beans here are both cursed. I need you to sprout one of them. On one of them, you'll channel energy with positive feelings, and on the other, with negative feelings.” She stared at Akari, waiting. 

Akari perked up, understanding Ieiri’s underlying message perfectly, “That way we’ll know if I generate positive energy through positive feelings, or if my body converts negative energy into positive! Whichever sprouts it’s the answer.” 

“Exactly,” Ieiri smirked. 

Akari stared at her reluctantly, “but how do I, you know, outlet energy into things?” 

Ieiri’s smile disappeared into a thin line, “look, I don’t think I’ll be able to explain it to you.” 

“But I don’t know the first thing about this! I’m as lost as a goose in a snowstorm! Please, Ieiri-san, just the smallest tip would be of great help,” Akari pleaded. 

The woman sighed, giving in, “alright. Hm, it feels like you’re hungry, sometimes it’s this weird feeling like you want to use the toilet. Sometimes you feel like sneezing, and when you let it go through your arm, it feels like ‘zoom’!” Ieiri gestured, dragging her hand through her extended arm and outwards, “get it?” 

Akari nodded, trying not to gape. She didn’t understand shit.  

Zoom ...??  

How can something feel like an onomatopoeia?? Forget it, how can something feel like you want to take a dump and like you want to sneeze at the same time! That doesn’t work!  

“And that’s it. And do not ask me how to use reversed cursed technique.” Ieiri quickly added, placing the beans in another container. “Just place these on top of wet cotton paddings. After you unblock one of them, it’ll sprout within two or three days.” 

Akari snapped away from her thoughts, “I’ll do my best, Ieiri-san,” she assured and accepted the container from the older woman. 

“One last thing. I have an offer for you.” Ieiri added, “what’d think of becoming my assistant?” She elaborated, “the workload would be for two days a week, since you’ll be busy with classes and missions. You’ll be able to see me use reversed cursed technique and eventually practice using healing techniques on others. And of course, you’ll be well paid. I’ve been wanting to get an assistant, and you’re a smart girl.” 

Well, that would be a rather tempting proposal. Tempting indeed.   

Akari smiled giddily at the compliment, and accepted Ieiri’s offer. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

After their conversation, Ieiri dismissed Akari, telling her to come back tomorrow afternoon. Leaving the infirmary, she checked her timetable, and discovered she was late for math class. Jujutsu High teaching methods were unusual and rather flexible, considering the demand for students to act on missions. Private tutoring sessions were ministered to them by monks, when and where was more convenient to fit in the students’ schedule. They had less homework than in a common school, but they still had classes and tests on all mandatory subjects. 

All in all, Akari found the private tutoring classes rather enjoyable, taking her time to unwind on math and physics problems. her jujutsu classes were held off temporarily due to Kusakabe-sensei – the second-year Jujutsu teacher - being away with the rest of the second-years. Thus, Akari spent her free time working on her assigned tasks. 

After leaving the last tutoring class, she immediately headed to the library and sifted through books, guides and illustrations on cursed energy and cursed techniques. She lost count of how many times she pressed her palms to the cursed and non-cursed seeds, concentrating on feeling something. Nothing came. 

She’d already arranged the cursed beans into two separate recipients just like Ieiri instructed. However, she had no idea if she was doing the whole use-positive-energy-on-them correctly. She labeled the positive feelings one “Happy bean”, and to it she cooed lovingly, imagining it as Hopscotch, a small puppy, or milk pudding. She also mentalized funny memories, like when she stumbled upon Yuji writing a love letter to his elementary school crush, or the day they found out that Hopscotch’s ancestors were dinosaurs. The other bean was labeled as “Gloomy bean”, which was unfortunate enough to receive all of Akari’s frustration. She drowned it with self-doubt and the anxiety of possibly losing another family member. She also conjured bitter memories of death; of Rika, Hopscotch and Wasuke’s. 

All that tail chasing had better be working, or else she’d go crazy from jumping from happiness to sadness to existential crisis every five minutes. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Ryomen Sukuna is a mythological demon that was said to have appeared in Hida Province, during the reign of Emperor Nintoku. The specter was described by locals as a warrior three meters tall with two faces, two pairs of arms and two pairs of legs. It fought with a bow, and arrow and a sword.  

During the Heian era of Japan, the name ‘Ryomen Sukuna’ reappeared in the form of a powerful jujutsu sorcerer, for he matched the ancient demon’s description perfectly. Not much is known about his origin or life, however his first known apparition was during the Tsukihiko Clan Massacre, in which he alone decimated the entire clan. His motivations remain unknown to this day.  

Many a sorcerer came forward to confront the genocidal man, yet he was never defeated. It is also said that he would feed on human flesh, typically that of his foes. He was such a wicked being that many people mistakenly thought him a cursed spirit.  

After Ryomen Sukuna’s mysterious death, it became of utmost urgency that his remains should be dealt with. Twenty fingers – from his two pairs of hands – endured many failed attempts at their destruction and remain intact to this day as a proof that Ryomen Sukuna was one of the most powerful sorcerers to ever exist.   

Deciding to focus on something else, Akari started doing some research on Sukuna. However, the short text on Cursed Spirits Throughout the History of Japan was the most information she got on the ten books she went through during the past couple of hours. And it revealed absolutely nothing on how to exorcise King of Curses Ryomen Sukuna. 

Despite her almost null progress on the topic of the diabolical curse-man inside her brother, the books Akari consulted contained some other useful information she took notes of, like the threat classification of cursed spirits, the use of talismans, curtains, shikigamis and binding vows. However, to Akari it still was all pretty much abstract. Thus, as the school janitor closed the library, she borrowed some books to study in her room. 

That night, she told Yuji everything about her conversation with Ieiri; he chuckled at the names Akari gave to her beans, and confessed he also didn’t feel the difference between the cursed and non-cursed seeds. She gave the beans a few more frustrated, fruitless tries and decided to call it a day. 

She’d get there soon. 

Chapter Text

Ch. 5 – A Girl, a Boy and a Panda

During the past week, Akari had been going the whole nine yards with the Jujutsu ordeal. She’d religiously tend to her damned beans three times a day, alternating between detecting cursed energy on them and trying to channel energy into the potted beans. Additionally, she was already at her fourth Jujutsu book, after having finished Cursed Spirits Throughout the History of Japan, The Art of Crafting Cursed Objects Vol. I: Barriers and Traps and The Fundamentals of Jujutsu for Children. 

The last book made even less sense than Ieiri’s explanation. 

Yuji also showed her a weapon he had been using against cursed spirits, telling Akari of the bunch he’d already exorcised with it. Given her lack of progress with her beans, she went after Gojo to ask for a weapon of her own as well. The teacher flippantly told her he didn’t have any more weapons and evaded further questions by changing the conversation topic. 

Today was the day her classmates would arrive from their mission on Osaka. She had asked Gojo about their mission, and if she was going to be a part of them in the future. He told her it depended not on age, but on her jujutsu grade and experience. Being a second year in Jujutsu High not necessarily meant she was stronger than first years; if the first year’s jujutsu grade was higher, then they would be sent on more demanding missions. 

Which was a relief. She didn’t want to die in the field just yet. 

Akari would also meet the second-years teacher, Kusakabe-sensei. Perhaps if she asked him for a cursed weapon, he would let her have one. You know, to be finally able to do the exorcising thing. Which was just the whole point of Jujutsu in the first place. She hoped to be finally able to get a grasp of sorcery, especially since in a couple hours she’d have her first actual Jujutsu lesson.  

She chewed on her nails, wondering how that would play out. 

“You know, Akari-san if I were you, I’d prefer eating salmon instead of my fingers.” Kugisaki spoke, startling Akari, “leave the finger-eating to your stinky brother,” she pointed at Yuji. 

Akari glared at her breakfast, still untouched. As she was pulled away from her anxious thoughts, her protesting stomach reminded her that indeed, she couldn’t subsist on biting her nails alone. 

Over the past week, Akari had also gotten acquainted with Kugisaki Nobara, the third and final first-year. Kugisaki sported a short bob of ginger hair, sparkling brown eyes, flawless skin and the sharp and unapologetic confidence of I’m the shit.  

They hit it off exceptionally well. It all started when Kugisaki complimented Akari’s uniform. Their common passion for sweets enhanced their affinity, leading to plans to visit and explore Tokyo’s famous bakeries one by one. 

However, the core factor that cemented their bond was their shared ability to relentlessly tease and torment Yuji.  

“Hey Kugisaki, I’m not stinky!” Yuji complained. 

“Excuse me? We’ve just woken up and you’re sweating already!” She exclaimed, making a disgusted face and gesturing to his humid hair. 

“It’s not sweat! It’s water, I just took a shower!” He spoke up, indignant.  

Akari smirked, “looks like sweat to me,” she poked fun at him, “did you at least put deodorant on? You know you have a sweating problem.” 

Yuji pulled on his hair, face bright red, “It’s not sweat! And I don’t have a sweating problem!” 

Akari feigned shock, “Yuji, is that sweat trickling down your brow? Hang on, let me get you a napkin!” She tried to wipe an imaginary sweat bead from his forehead. He objected, wrestling against her. 

“Can you speak lower? ” Fushiguro growled at them. It was only then that Akari noticed his presence at the table.  

“And can you be less disagreeable every once in a while?” She retorted. 

“You’re the one to talk,” he bit back and got up from the table, walking away from them in an angry stride. Akari huffed and went back to eating her cold food. 

“Why don’t you try being nice to him once in a while? Huh?” Yuji spoke. Akari frowned. 

“You’re the one sparring with him today, Itadori,” Kugisaki spit out. 

“What? No! I already did yesterday, when Akari told him he was a sourpuss !” Yuji whined at the memory, “my arm still hurts from that roundhouse kick.” 

Akari sighed, "I’ll try to keep it down next time,” she continued to eat, annoyed. 

“So, how’s your progress with the beans?” Kugisaki piped in. 

Akari smiled, “I’m getting better at identifying the cursed and non-cursed seeds. I can feel they’re different, but I still have trouble telling which one is cursed and which one is not,” she sighed. 

“Don’t worry about it, you’re progressing much faster than I did when I started to learn Jujutsu,” Kugisaki reassured, “and my grandmother was a really demanding teacher, mind you!” 

“Thanks, Kugisaki-san,” Akari smiled, “but the potted beans feel no different from one another, I wonder what I’m doing wrong. Ieiri’s been asking about them, I don’t have the courage to tell her I made no progress in sprouting either.” She pouted. 

The situation with the potted beans was even more frustrating. Even when Akari finally unlocked their germination process, it would still take them two more days to sprout, and she would only learn of her success once that happened. She might’ve even have unlocked them already, but she had no way to know until they sprouted. 

And to aggravate her anxiety even further, Akari couldn’t even tell if they were still cursed or not. Both the Gloomy Bean and Happy Bean felt exactly the same, and she had no idea what to make of it. She even thought she might have planted them wrongly, but Ieiri assured her that she didn’t, and eventually one of them would sprout. 

“Ah, Ieiri-san...” Kugisaki sighed, “I’m considering sparring against Fushiguro just to get treated by her. She’s so pretty... it’s a pity she doesn’t like girls.” Akari blinked, aghast. Kugisaki stared at her, “what? I’m a lesbian, you know.” 

“Th- that’s not the problem! She’s like, double our age!” Akari sputtered. 

“I’m just appreciating her looks, not asking to marry her. Don’t tell me you never goggled an older person just because they’re eye candy,” she crossed her arms. 

Yuji sneered, “there was this math teacher in our previous school she was completely smitten over, ” Akari gave him a death glare, which he pointedly ignored, “she would sigh all the time doing her math homework. Kugisaki-san, the guy was bald !” He emphasized by pointing to his head. 

“It's called a buzz cut, Yuji.” Akari corrected, cheeks warm, “and would you please stop ?” 

“Ooh! You like the baldies, then? Monk-style?” Kugisaki snickered, amused at Akari’s mortification.  

“No, he wasn’t monk-style, he had pierced ears and tattoos-” Yuji spoke up, “oh! And speaking of tattoos, one day he showed one of his to Akari because she was his ‘best student’! Imagine that, she was spacing out the whole week!” He snickered at the memory. 

Akari glared at her brother, distressed at the memory. 

Yuji was referring to a day in which Akari was clearing up some questions with said teacher after math class, and the topic of his tattoos came up. He just made a lighthearted comment about her being a brilliant student and pulled up a picture of a tattoo he had on his arm; the quadratic formula. She was ecstatic during the whole week, and of course Akari told Yuji about what happened. After all, who else was there to tell? However, someone must’ve heard her conversation with the teacher, because that was the event that culminated in never-ending rumors of Akari being sexually involved with the school faculty. Yuji didn’t know that, because at the time she was a first-year and he attended to another school. And of course, she didn’t feel like sharing that with him.  

Either way, she hated being reminded of that day. 

“That’s it. I’m leaving.” Akari snapped bitterly and gathered up her unfinished dishes, face hotter with each passing second. “I hope Fushiguro beats you up to a pulp today.” 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“You can come in,” Kusakabe called Akari from inside the classroom. 

Akari hesitated, her feet glued to the ground. She was about to meet her classmates and tried hard to remain calm and not to overthink. However, Akari could only worry about what would they think of her, and if she’d be able to befriend them. Not like it mattered anyways. Yuji and Kugisaki were her friends, and that was good enough. 

She slapped her hands against her cheeks and stepped forward, sliding open the classroom door. 

Akari couldn’t help gaping at the three seated figures lined up in front of the blackboard; a green-haired girl, a silver-haired boy, and... a panda. A big, round panda. It looked like a gigantic plushie. That’s what Akari reasoned it out to be, until it moved its head like a living being, its gaze following her as she stepped into the classroom. 

“Uh...” Akari mumbled, dumbstruck. She didn’t realize she was just standing there awkwardly until a voice snapped her out of it. 

“Aren’t you gonna introduce yourself?” The girl spoke boredly. Her face was lean and angular. She was fair-skinned, had sharp golden eyes and hair colored a deep dark green tone, styled with flat bangs and a ponytail. She sported narrow square-framed glasses and a shitty scowl etched to her face, which held an unpleasant resemblance to Fushiguro’s.

“Uh... oh, I’m Itadori Akari, I came from Sendai to study Jujutsu,” Akari stuttered and turned around to write her name in kanji on the blackboard, but she found no chalk. She turned back and found herself staring again at the big-ass panda. “It’s... a pleasure to meet you.” 

“What? Do I have something on my face?” The panda asked worriedly, bringing his paws up to feel his snout. 

It talked!  

Akari gasped. 

“You’re probably scaring her with your face," the green-haired girl deadpanned. 

“Okaka,” the boy finally spoke, his voice soft. He had light skin, straight silver hair and violet doe eyes. His uniform had a high collar with a zipper that covered the lower half of his face. 

Okaka...?  

“No! You’re the one with the scary face! Thank you, Toge!” The panda spoke again, exhasperated. Wait, did the panda understand what the boy meant?  

Akari merely blinked in bafflement at the interaction occurring in front of her. She glanced at Kusakabe-sensei, who seemed to be studying her. He was a tall man with spiky black hair and tired black eyes. Approaching the blackboard, he joined her side. 

“Well, Itadori-san. These are your classmates. Inumaki Toge,” he pointed to the boy, “Zen’in Maki,” he gestured to the girl in the middle desk, “and Panda.” Akari sent him a quizzical look, to which he answered, “just Panda. We do have another student but he’s abroad right now. So, what brought you here all the way from Sendai?"  

Akari grounded herself, “my brother has been possessed by Sukuna. I mean, not entirely as he still has control over his body. I came to Jujutsu High to learn how to exorcise him and save my brother.” 

“Takana?” Inumaki... asked? 

“Yeah, hold on. How did your brother get possessed by Sukuna ?” Zen’in seemed to finally be interested in something Akari said. 

“Uh, he ate one of his fingers...” Akari explained slowly, “two, actually...” 

“What? How can humans be this nasty! Even pandas have limits to what we’re willing to eat!” Panda exclaimed, “and one finger wasn’t enough! He ate two !” 

“Konbu!” Inumaki spoke, pointing at the panda. 

Is this some kind of code? Why does this guy speak in food!  

“Oh, that was one time, Toge...” The panda replied. 

“Your brother is definitely stupid then.” Zen’in grimaced.  

And Akari took that personally. 

“No, he’s not! We were going to die!” She defended. 

The girl ignored her, “not to mention it’s impossible to exorcise a curse that’s possessed someone. Without killing the host, that is. You’re just wasting your time here if that’s what you came to Jujutsu High for,” she said flippantly. 

“Enough of this,” Kusakabe reprimanded Zen’in, who shut her mouth. “Akari-san, please sit down. Class will start now.” 

“I’ll get you a desk!” Panda offered. He immediately ran out and came back with a desk, which he positioned behind him. Akari thanked him and sat down. She appreciated the gesture, but Panda was so large that she couldn’t see much from behind him. She slowly shifted her desk to the side, so that she could see a bit more of the blackboard and her teacher. 

“Thank you, Panda. Now, during our mission in Osaka, you faced and exorcised many cursed spirits. Some you crushed, and some you specially struggled against. We’re going to review these situations and improve upon them.” Kusakabe pointed out, “As you remember, our mission was to investigate the mysterious disappearing of children on a remote part of the city, which our windows have reported to have been caused by a second-grade curse, which is already unusual , given higer-grade curses tend to appear on urban centers. We arrive and find out that the curse is actually a vengeful spirit. Anyone care to explain what that means?” 

“A vengeful spirit is a cursed spirit that originates from cursing the death of a human being. Their spirits are corrupted, and they become curses,” Zen’in replied easily. 

“Correct. However, there’s a key difference between vengeful spirit and other curses. What is it?” 

“They’re more powerful?” Panda tried. 

“Generally speaking, yes. But there’s more to it.” 

“Sujiko, konbu?” Inumaki... tried as well. 

“Also correct. Vengeful spirits all have the ability to speak. But that’s still not it.” 

The first Jujutsu book Akari had read – Cursed Spirits Through the History of Japan - had plenty of information on all kinds of curses, as well as historical records and reports on famous cursed spirits and attacks caused by them. She focused and recalled details about the vengeful spirits registered on the book, deciding to give a shot at answering the teacher’s question. 

Akari raised her hand, and with a nod Kusakabe gave her permission to speak up. “Vengeful spirits act differently from regular curses. It’s directly linked to either strong inclinations the person had in life or what cursed their death, so they generally act with some kind of purpose.” Kusakabe nodded again for her to keep going. “For example, in this mission you are referring to, I imagine the vengeful spirit originated from a curse that involved strong feelings towards children, that’s why they were the only ones to disappear.” 

“Exactly.” He said, satisfied. He turned to Akari’s classmates, stern. “You didn’t realize this key information during the mission, so you took longer to figure out the curse. It was only diverting your attention elsewhere while it kept the captive children hidden away. Inumaki-kun strained his throat more than usual, and your effort was doubled in trying to find the missing children. We didn’t have Ieiri-san with us, so you also took longer to recover. Some situations demand you to act quickly and carefully and preserve your resources. If another high-grade curse appeared, you might’ve been in great trouble.” 

Panda turned around, giving Akari a thumbs-up of approval. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

After their Jujutsu class indoors, Kusakabe-sensei took the second-years to the sports field for some practice. Akari took the opportunity to ask her teacher if she could obtain a weapon of her own to exorcise curses with. However, her hopes were crushed as he firmly denied her request. And to Akari’s chagrin, he added that she first needed to learn how to manipulate cursed energy by herself, and then he would consider giving her a weapon. But for now, she would be fighting with kicks and punches. 

Suppressing her exasperation, she asked him for guidance on using cursed energy and tips to improve her manipulation skills. Kusakabe’s advice proved vague and unhelpful, suggesting that she focused on her core and channeled her emotions. Akari found this extremely upsetting. 

Once he provided his limited insights, he left the second-years to train for themselves. He informed Akari that her classmates would be much better teachers than him, given he knew little of martial arts. 

She didn’t comment on it but found it quite odd that their Jujutsu teacher wouldn’t be accompanying them to practice, not even to supervise them. It was frustrating how much she anticipated her first sorcery lesson with him only to discover that she would have to learn it all by herself. 

Shoving her disappointment aside, she focused on preparing for their practice session.

While the second-years stretched, Akari decided to strike up a conversation with her most approachable classmate: the panda. He was sitting idly, watching Zen’in and Inumaki stretching their limbs. As she approached him, he didn’t seem to notice her. 

“Hi, Panda-san! I’m sorry if I was rude by staring at you earlier. It’s because I’ve never seen a... talking panda before.” She apologized, stretching her shoulders. 

“Oh, Akari It’s okay! And you can call me just Panda,” he finally acknowledged her. “I guess there’s not many pandas in Sendai.” He concluded. Akari opened her mouth to correct him, but upon his clueless stare, she gave up. 

Panda watched her stretch her hamstrings. She felt terribly awkward under his stare, so she said she first thing that came to mind. 

“Aren’t you going to stretch, Panda?” Akari asked him. 

“Why would I need to? I don’t have muscles!” He replied. 

“... What?” 

“Hm, I’m actually a cursed corpse. Do you know what that is?” Akari nodded, remembering Ieiri’s explanation of principal Yaga’s cursed technique. Panda smiled, “that’s why! I’m actually a plush,” he said, probing his rotund belly. 

“So there’s someone controlling you at all times?” Akari inquired, eyes darting around uneasily. Principal Yaga that controlled him, perhaps? 

“Not really! I’m a completely independent corpse, I generate my own cursed energy and all. Very cool, right?” Panda smiled, smug. 

Cursed corpse manipulation usually involved the corpse being endowed with the sorcerer’s technique and then powered by their cursed energy. That meant once the energy within them depleted, the technique wore off and the corpse had to be enchanted again. A self-sustaining corpse was thoroughly impressive. 

“Mentaiko, shake” Inumaki approached them. 

“Huh? I’m sorry, I don’t understand...” Akari said, apologetic. 

“Oh, I guess we haven’t told you yet. Inumaki uses cursed speech, a technique that amplifies the power and compulsion of words, making the listener act based on these words.” Panda explained, “that’s why, to be safe, he speaks exclusively in onigiri ingredients!” 

“Shake.” Inumaki nodded. Akari would hopefully figure out what that meant. 

“What about you?” Panda directed the question to her. 

“Uh. What about me?" She asked back. 

“You know, how you exorcise curses.” 

“Oh, I... I don’t know yet.” She replied. 

“Huh? You don’t know ?” Panda eyed her curiously. 

Akari cleared her throat, “I have an unusual condition in which the energy in me is not negative energy, but positive energy. I discovered it recently, so I’m still learning the basics.” 

“Wait, you produce positive energy? Then that makes you a natural at healing!” Panda exclaimed. “Doesn’t it?” He asked Inumaki. 

“Shake," he nodded.  

“Uh, I don’t know how to heal people yet...” Akari scratched her nape, “I can’t wield my energy yet.” 

“So what do you do against curses?” Zen’in pierced into the conversation. 

“I- I can’t do much yet,” Akari stuttered, “I asked Kusakabe-sensei for a weapon, but he won’t give me one.” 

“He values the foundations of Jujutsu more than any teacher,” Panda mused. “Quite the conservative if you ask me.” 

“Shake,” Inumaki nodded along. 

"Do you know how to use a weapon, then?” Zen’in continued, picking up a staff. “Come on, show us what you’ve got.” 

Akari blinked, hesitant. Truth be told, she wasn’t familiar with the concept of sparring with weapons. Her fighting style relied heavily on karate and hand to hand combat, so she would’ve preferred some individual practice before she dove into sparring. She glanced at Panda and Inumaki, who stared at her with expectant looks in their faces. 

“I don’t have much experience with weapons, Zen’in,” Akari admitted, grimacing. 

Zen’in clicked her tongue, “no problem,” she said, swinging her staff off her shoulder and into the ground. 

She didn’t have the tiniest clue on how to read Zen’in. Was she being welcoming or was she being hostile? To be fair, she seemed to be truculent with everyone and Akari woudn’t receive any special treatment. 

But even if this was her usual behavior, her attitude poked at Akari’s nerves. 

She wasn’t going into this completely blind. She’s learned karate over the years as she was the only sparring partner Yuji had left. She’d learned to appreciate a nice sparring session and even thought it to be challenging, fun and exciting. Luckily, Yuji never broke one of her bones. As of late, the siblings had been training even more frequently as they were supposed to apply their martial arts knowledge to real, dangerous fights. 

“Are you sure about this?” Panda asked. 

“Okaka...” Inumaki said. 

“Yes,” Akari said. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll stop if it gets too much for you,” Zen’in puffed. 

Okay, that was the last straw. She was beating the shit out of this rude-ass stupid girl. 

“Bring it on, Zen’in.” Akari said, settling into a fighting stance. 

The taunt was all it took for the girl’s eyes to tighten up in a hostile glint. She lunged at Akari without hesitation. Her leg shot up swiftly in a forceful kick, making Akari quiver as she blocked the quick attack with both arms. Zen’in wasted no time, lashing out with a series of kicks, unrelenting and venomous as a snake’s bite. 

While Zen’in was undeniably strong, she didn’t possess Yuji’s raw power. The difference between sparring her brother and the green-haired girl was that the former was about action and reaction, and the latter was highly calculated and systematic, the unfamiliarity forcing Akari to retreat defensively. 

Akari’s quick reflexes guided her throughout the barrage of blows, however it came at the expense of her stance progressively losing its balance. At this rate, she would surely let her opponent get the upper hand. As Zen’in landed another kick to her left, Akari capitalized on the momentum to redirect the girl’s leg away, countering with a punch of her own. 

However, Zen’in recovered quickly by twisting in a beautiful arc, her body coiling like a whip’s crack. Akari’s fist barely grazed the other girl, who made a quick work of grabbing her mispositioned arm, twisting it and swiping her leg behind Akari’s, effectively toppling her over. 

Akari’s head collided with the ground and a bitter wave of pain and defeat swept over her. 

“You need to work on your reflexes or else you’ll end up dying to a curse,” Maki said, “and don’t call me by my last name,” she declared before walking away. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“Ieiri-san, I appreciate the lesson, but why am I learning this?” Akari asked as she tied another stitch into the suturing pad. “I mean, I don’t think it’s allowed for me to help you with suturing wounds.” 

“Of course not. You haven’t got any sort of medical graduation or experience.” She said, matter-of-factly, “I may have cheated to take the exam to get my doctor’s license, but I’m not letting a high school assistant to perform medical procedures. You’re learning to suture solely because it’s a valuable skill.” She answered as she poured a slimy solution into a medicine bottle. 

“Wait, did you cheat the exam to get your doctor’s license?” 

Ieiri frowned, “no. I didn’t cheat the exam. I cheated to take it. I only had a year of residency, and the requirement was two." She explained as she labeled the bottles. 

“Alright.” Akari poked her finger at the stitches on the suturing pad. “But can’t we use sorcery for healing wounds? Why would we need to suture them?” She frowned at the trail of sloppy stitches in the pad, unsatisfied. She took a pair of scissors and cut them down. 

Ieiri sighed, “we can’t always rely on sorcery, Akari. It takes a toll on us, and our energy can be easily depleted, especially considering using positive energy consumes double the amount of negative energy.” She explained, shelving some bottles. “And you never know when you’re going to be in a pinch and need to suture a wound. Accidents happen.” 

Akari sighed, “sure.” 

Ieiri silently watched her for a moment. She spoke up, “so, how did your first Jujutsu class go?” 

“It was nice. Kusakabe-sensei teaches well,” she lied. 

“About that weapon you’ve been wanting to get, did Kusakabe give it to you?” 

Akari pushed the needle through the pad as she answered, “he refused. He wanted me to learn how to manipulate my energy first. I mean, I get it. But how am I supposed to learn Jujutsu if I don’t have any means of exorcising a curse? How am I supposed to exorcise Sukuna ?” She huffed. 

“Hm. Understandable, though I agree he could’ve given you something at least to defend yourself,” she hummed. “But if you’re interested in weapons, there’s someone here in Jujutsu High that specializes in cursed weapons. Maybe she could lend you one or let you train with them.” 

That piqued Akari’s interest, “who?” 

“Maki-san.” 

Akari flinched, letting her needle driver fall off her grasp. She noticed Ieiri observing her closely and quickly got back to knotting her stitch. “A- ah, Maki-san...” 

Ieiri chuckled, “no need to explain. She’s a bit rough around the edges, but she’s a good kid. You’ll come through.” 

“Ugh, she’s just so cocky and rude !” Akari groaned, “she had the audacity to tell me I would die to a curse, and you know what’s worse? She’s right ! I can’t do harm to a cursed spirit even if I tried. I don’t have a weapon, I can’t manipulate my own energy, and even if I could, I don’t even have a cursed technique!” 

“Well, if weapons are out of question for now, you could try focusing in taijutsu. ” Ieiri suggested, resting her chin atop her hands. 

Akari finished her stitch and turned to look at Ieiri, “what is taijutsu?” 

“It’s one of Jujutsu fundamental concepts. Taijutsu is a combat style in which the sorcerer fights unarmed; however, their blows are imbued with cursed energy, and at times even combined with spells. Taijutsu attacks are very efficient in exorcising cursed spirits. It’s even more lethal if the blow is imbued with positive energy instead.” 

Well, that'd be a great idea. If Akari was able to use her energy. 

“... I still haven’t got the beans to sprout, Ieiri-san,” Akari confessed quietly. 

“They will, in time. Don’t worry, these things take time.” Ieiri said softly, “in the meantime, do you want help with those?” She asked, pointing at the suturing pad. 

“Thanks, Ieiri-san. I do.” 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

After dinner, Akari rushed back to her room, eager to read Taijutsu: the cursed martial arts , the newest book she rented at the school library.  

Akari didn’t want to admit it out loud, but sparring Maki had left her feeling weak and humiliated; the green-haired girl didn’t even break a sweat with her pathetic attempts at fighting. Maki had treated her as a fool, and in the end Akari proved herself as one. 

At this point, Akari wasn’t even mad anymore at her classmate, but upset and ashamed of herself. Maki had been rude and gotten on her nerves, but she’d been too proud to let that slide. What was she thinking, dueling experienced jujutsu sorcerers? Of course they’d crush her in the blink on an eye! 

Akari also had to admit; Maki was amazing. She was as flexible as a ballerina, and nimble as a dagger. Not to mention the girl packed some heavy punches as well. 

But as much as Maki was amazing, she was double the amount of an arrogant jerk. 

And that was (partially) the train of thought that motivated Akari to learn more about martial arts and refine her lamentable technique. She had been too naive and weak, but she knew better now. 

Her door was sprung open by her noisy brother, startling her out of her Taijutsu book. He made a beeline to her bed, plopping down, “Ah, I’m beat! Let’s go get some drinks at the vending machine,” he grumbled tiredly. 

Akari sighed, “I’m studying, Yuji. Though if you do go, I’ll accept some strawberry milk.” 

“What are you looking at, after all?” He asked, grabbing a book Akari had left open on her bedside table, Shikigami: Jujutsu familiars. Yuji flicked through the pages, staring at the creature images and depictions. Some forms were blurry and uncertain, and some were as clear as crystal. Some shikigamis didn’t have physical descriptions at all. The book covered mostly ancient shikigami, but it was rather interesting to look at, and gave Akari a nice overview on what Jujutsu sorcerers could do with these types of familiars. She even considered if getting one for herself would be a viable option. 

"Oh! These look like Fushiguro’s dogs!” Yuji pointed out, showing Akari a page entitled The Twin Foxes. The book had minimal information on this pair of shikigami, even pointing that they may have not existed at all. One fox was made of light, and the other made of darkness. Some said the shikigami were siblings, and some said they were lovers, but those were just popular tales. “Though his shikigami are wolves, I think.” 

“This book also has a chapter that talks about a pair of dogs. Divine dogs, I think.” Akari hummed, “related with a shadow technique, something along these lines.” 

“Yeah! He doesn’t talk much about his technique, but it does have to do with shadows” Yuji rubbed his chin, deep in thought, “I think it’s called eight- no, ten shadows?” He fell back to Akari’s bed, still staring at the Shikigami book and asked, “anyway, how was your first Jujutsu class?” 

“Great. I think I made some friends.” 

“Really?” Yuji beamed. 

“No. I fought one of them.” 

“Wait, what? Why would you do that!” 

Good question. Why would she do that?  

The immediate answer was that Maki was getting on her nerves, and Akari wanted her to shut up. But far was it from being the only reason. Truth is, Akari had been aching all week to simply be able to do something, to learn how to do sorcery, to have a chance to act on her and her brother’s situation. But she’d been inert, like a log being drifted sluggishly through the tides, waiting for something to come her way. 

So when Maki said she was useless against curses ... yeah, that hurt. 

Akari had never been or felt useless about anything. If she needed something done, she found a way to do it. As simple as that. Jujutsu was different from any other mundane activity, though. 

Additionally, she couldn’t help but worry about their future. She always had, but after Wasuke had fallen ill, her anxiety progressively aggravated. Akari had plans. That’s why she’d always put so much effort in school; she wanted a nice job, a cozy home and a family. She still had such plans, but they seemed to meander away more with each passing day. She still studied as hard as she ever did, but now she had the additional Jujutsu classes and lab days with Ieiri, and of course, the impossible task of exorcising the curse that had possessed her brother. 

Normally, she would share her thoughts and fears with her brother.  

She stared at the slits under Yuji’s eyes. 

He’s listening.  

“She was being a little shit. It’s all good now, though. Besides, you’re the one to talk. You get into fights all the time.” She said, getting up. Akari was feeling sour and decided to take advantage of her foul mood in her routine with the cursed beans. 

“ I do! Not you!”  

“It was just a bit of sparring, Yuji. Nothing much.” Akari said and picked up the Gloomy Bean pot from the windowsill. “Now get out, I have stuff to-” 

Her words trailed off as her attention was captured by the pot in her hands. The lonely adzuki bean rested on a wet cotton pad, the outer shell of the bean cracked open. A thin and small offshoot grew out of the crack, in pursuit of soil, moisture and sunlight. 

Turning towards her brother, a wide smile spread across her face. “Yuji, I did it! It sprouted!” Akari celebrated and a rush of relief coursed through her, overriding all the stress and frustration she had accumulated within her. 

“Wait, really?” Yuji shrieked and came closer to see for himself. 

Akari couldn’t contain her glee. Everything suddenly seemed to be falling into place. She had taken a significant step towards learning Jujutsu and using it to keep her brother safe. Sorcery was no longer just a far-fetched and distant concept; it was real, a tangible skill she could wiled. She would finally be able to put into practice everything she’d learned over the past week; to use weapons, barriers, taijutsu, talismans, enchantments and shikigami. She dropped down on her bed, feeling victorious for once. 

The small sprout that she held also meant she was closer to understanding her condition; one of Ieiri’s theories was right. As the Gloomy Bean germinated, it meant that she produced cursed energy, and her body then processed it into positive energy. Truth be told, Akari hoped for the other way around; if the Happy Bean germinated, it would’ve meant her body produced positive energy, which would’ve been even more impressive.  

A menacing voice shattered her away from her thoughts. 

“Now that’s interesting,” Sukuna jested. Akari turned back to her brother, heart sinking. He held the Happy Bean pot, aghast. On his left cheek, Sukuna’s eye and mouth had materialized, “why don’t you show it to her?” He goaded. 

Yuji walked up to Akari and handed her the pot. She peeked inside, and to her surprise, a tiny sprout had emerged from the adzuki bean. 

Chapter Text

Ch. 6 – Venom

July of 2018, Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station, Taito City  

“I can’t believe that’s how you sneak Panda around through the city,” Akari frowned. 

“It’s not like he can walk around through the streets unnoticed, so yeah. That’s what we do,” answered Maki as she effortlessly pushed the dolly cart. Panda sat silent and unmoving, covered up by a tarp. 

“Doesn’t anyone get suspicious? This looks... kind of obvious.” 

Maki shrugged, “people do stare, but they usually mind their own business. And if we really need to uncover him, we just say he’s a big plushie. Kids are a pain in the ass to deal with, though.” 

“Kids tickle!” Panda whispered through the tarp, “and their hands are full of grime...” 

“Quiet,” Maki interjected, poking the tarp. 

The trio, consisting of Akari, Maki and Panda, were on their way to undertake Akari’s very first mission. Their destination was an abandoned site, the Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station. The train station had been inactive for years, until a recent partnership between Keisei Railway and Tokyo University of the Arts ensued the building’s restoration as a museum for underground art and culture.  

The renovation had been going on smoothly for months and was nearing completion. However, a week prior, an incident involving a group of workers had interrupted the construction and inevitably postponed the art exhibit inauguration. Three men had disappeared. 

“I think we’ve arrived,” Maki nodded to an aging building, stained and outworn by time. The exterior was adorned with intricate stonework and timeworn white bricks. The roof was ornamented with delicate finials which Akari wished she could one day replicate with woodcarving. Teal-colored double doors made of iron provided a stark contrast to the building’s monochromatic palette.  

Akari was anxious and excited about her first official mission. She’d been able to use her energy in combat for a couple days already, and Kusakabe thus deemed her ready to take on field work. 

She also – finally! - got a hold of a weapon of her own. He had shown her a selection of weapons, and she’d gladly chosen a pair of sai. Her fighting style laid heavily on karate, so she figured it’d be easier to start off with a classic weapon. 

Her sai, however, were ordinary and untouched by cursed energy, unlike Jujutsu weapons. Kusakabe told her this was part of her training and instructed her to concentrate on letting her energy flow through the sai, and only then striking cursed spirits with it. Otherwise, the blow would be useless as the weapons had no embedded energy in them. 

Imagine her luck if she failed to use her energy right in the face of a curse. 

“Can we enter it already?”  Akari asked uneasily. 

“No, we have to wait for Akari-san,” answered Maki. Nitta Akari was an assistant at Jujutsu High, who had blond short hair and brown eyes. “She has to lower a curtain around the building first.” 

“In the meantime, let’s chat!” Panda said from under the tarp, “do you think we’ll win the Goodwill Event this year? You know, without Yuta.” 

Goodwill Event? Yuta... ?  

Maki frowned, “so he’s really staying in Africa?” 

“That’s what Inumaki told me,” Panda shrugged. Maki slapped him, demanding he stopped moving. 

“Who’s Yuta?” Akari piped in. 

“Oh, he’s one of our classmates. You know, the one who’s studying abroad,” whispered Panda. 

Akari hummed in acknowledgement, “and what’s the Goodwill Event?” 

“Kyoto Sister-School Godwill Event. It’s an annual competition between the Tokyo and Kyoto Jujutsu Schools.” Maki explained. 

“Yes!” Panda chimed in, “the event lasts two days; in the first day a team battle is held between the schools, and in the second day, there are individual battles. Last year we won, though it was mostly because of Yuuta,” Panda deflated, “without him, I don’t know if we can beat Todo this time.” 

Akari fumbled with her uniform; she was disconcerted about the battles. She could barely lay a finger on her classmates during training, let alone stronger sorcerers like this Todo person. Would she really have to fight them? 

“We’ll have to deal with him somehow if we want to win. He’s the only grade one in both schools. I was wondering if we could hold him off, somehow,” Maki pondered. She turned to Akari, and asked as an afterthought, “by the way, what’s your grade?” 

“huh, I... don’t know,” Akari staggered, taken aback by Maki’s intense gaze. 

The green-haired girl sighed, “just check your student ID.” 

Akari took it out of her coat pocket, “hm, it says I’m grade four...” which she knew to be the lowest sorcerer grade. She felt disappointed, even though she knew she was inexperienced, and... weak. 

“No surprises there,” Maki huffed. Akari felt personally attacked, but was in no mood to fight Maki today, “I guess we’ll have to use Panda to hold him off.” 

“Why is it so important that we win anyway?” Akari questioned, crossing her arms. 

“For us to get promoted, of course! A lot of high-grade sorcerers watch the Goodwill Event, so if you stand out, you can get nominated for a grade promotion.” Panda explained, “I think you can get promoted to grade three, Akari.” 

“To be honest, I’m not really interested in a grade promotion,” Akari confessed, “I’m more focused on my research about my brother’s condition.”  

“It’s no use, Panda. She doesn’t give a crap about being a Jujutsu sorcerer,” Maki scoffed. 

“Well, if you were to lose your only family member, I’m sure becoming a Jujutsu sorcerer would be the least of your priorities.” Akari deadpanned. 

Maki was taken aback for a moment, before her eyes flared up un rage and bit back, “you really don’t understand, do you? Let me make it clear to you; Jujutsu doesn’t give . It only takes . Meaning if you’re not strong enough, you’ll end up sacrificing things you love. Like your brother.” 

“And what choice do I have? To sit back and watch you Jujutsu jerks take my brother’s life? I didn’t choose this, and I would never choose Jujutsu, if it wasn’t for him.” Akari snarled. 

“Would you two stop already? We’re in the middle of a mission!” Panda hushed. 

“I heard everything I needed to hear already,” Maki declared and turned away from both. 

Neither of the three said anything for a while. The silence was uncomfortable, to say the least. Akari fumbled with the bag she had her sai in, intending on keeping her hands and mind occupied. 

Her mind drifted away to a conversation she had with Ieiri last week, when Akari brought into the infirmary two sprouted adzuki beans. Ieiri wasn’t expecting that specific outcome, and it took her by surprise. However, she was quick to come up with more theories; either Akari’s energy source were both pleasant and unpleasant feelings, or her energy was not sourced by feelings at all. This theory was harder to prove, since Akari discovered she couldn’t tune out her feelings easily. 

Ieiri decided it was more productive to focus on other activities instead, now that Akari could use her energy. 

Firstly, they talked about doing some background check on her family. Perhaps then they could understand better her situation. Ieiri advised her to talk to Ijichi about it, since he was the assistant that was usually responsible for researching and keeping confidential information. He might have even started his background research on her, and some key information would help. However, he was out on an errand, and Akari had since been waiting for him to come back to Jujutsu High. 

Secondly, now that Akari had unlocked her ability to outlet energy, she had to learn how to manipulate it. Once again, Ieiri reinforced that she didn’t have a cursed technique, so that left Akari to choose between cursed weapons, taijutsu, and talisman-based shikigami. She settled on taijutsu and weapons. 

Another part of her training also involved healing with positive energy, though that was a more advanced and complicated concept. It was not done by simply applying positive energy to a wound, contrary to popular belief. It required a much higher level of understanding on cursed energy and energy manipulation. Not to mention curse-infected wounds, which were another kettle of fish. 

Akari broke away from her thoughts as Nitta Akari – the assistant – appeared before her. 

“Sorry guys, I had to take that call,” she panted. 

The assistant was quick to instruct the trio to approach the building and drew the curtain around it. The spell fell on them as a liquid, dark substance that cascaded slowly and formed a dome that cast darkness upon the station. In seconds the curtain solidified, hiding and blocking the students out from the outer world. 

“Let’s go,” Maki beckoned to Akari, breaking her momentary trance. She quickly caught up with Panda, who had already stepped out of the dolly cart. 

As soon as they entered the building, they were greeted by a massive rabbit sculpture, sprawled on its belly. The entrance hall was expansive, crowned by a lofty dome ceiling; however, the rabbit took up most of the room. It was fluffy and white, though his face was eerily blank, and even though it had no pupils, its gaze felt heavy and unsettling. 

“That’s creepy,” Panda shivered. 

“It’s terrifying,” Akari muttered, tightening her grip on her sai. 

“Stop flirting with the rabbit, Panda. We’re on a mission,” Maki chided, leading the way down a staircase that deeper into the train station. 

Panda gasped, strongly objecting to her accusations as he ran in her direction. Akari followed suit, eager to distance herself from the sculpture. She focused on the grounding feeling of holding her sai, drawing strength from the knowledge that she had weapons to defend herself with. The further they went downstairs, the fainter the lights got, the sound of their footsteps echoing around them. The air was also chilly, and a gust of wind made Akari shiver despite her coat. 

The floor and walls showed signs of neglect; the paint was chipped off in every surface, and visible cracks marred the walls and ceiling. Loose wires dangled with broken lightbulbs, and the pipes and metal structures were rusty and decayed. 

“I thought they were restoring this place?” Akari asked, puzzled by the state of disrepair. 

“Apparently this is the vibe they’re going for. It matches well with the rabbit,” Panda replied with a shrug. 

They went down the last set of stairs and started surveying the station, senses heightened. They walked together to the abandoned platform, ready and alert for combat. Maki had a spear, Akari had her sai and Panda was bare fisted – because of course, Pandas don’t use weapons! 

Akari stepped closer to the railing, flashlight sweeping across the area in search of signs of curses. However, there was nothing but cobwebs, dust and debris. Frustration welled within her as she turned around to look at her classmates, finding them equally devoid of any discoveries. 

“This is odd, I’m sensing this cursed energy, but it’s elusive,” Maki murmured, brows furrowing in concentration. 

Akari sensed it too; a sinister presence that seemed to emanate from every corner of the station. She delved into her thoughts, searching from an explanation, when suddenly something dripped from the ceiling directly in front of her. Her flashlight shot up, revealing a human corpse suspended from the ceiling, ensnared in cobwebs. Half of their head had been chewed off and blood dripped steadily from their brains. Gender was indiscernible, as the flesh had been violently ripped off their torso and their thorax was completely exposed, a concoction of organs and bones. 

A gasp escaped Akari as she moved her flashlight along the ceiling, revealing the rest of the grotesque scene. Another corpse, equally maimed, was surrounded by numerous spiders. The arachnids were driven off by the light, congregating into a dark, sticky mass in the center of the ceiling. Within moments, the mass doubled in size and fell to the ground. A creature emerged before their eyes; it bore resemblance to a giant spider; however, it had human-shaped legs and face, which featured four pairs of crimson eyes. The curse emitted guttural sounds as it moved, and its body seemed to be in a continuous state of melting and reforming, as if trapped in a macabre dance. 

The curse retracted, tucking its head into its spider-like figure. Suddenly, the head re-emerged, the mouth gaping open with a guttural shriek. A white projectile shot forth directly at Akari.  

She wasn’t quick enough to react, but Panda was. Before she knew, they were both tumbling away from the projectile’s direction, Panda’s soft body protecting her from the impact. 

As Akari recovered, Maki was already on the offensive. With swiftness and grace, she leaped at the curse, blade poised for a strike. However, before her weapon could make contact, the curse dissolved, its form disintegrating into a crawling puddle only to reassemble behind her. Maki was caught off guard and unprotected. The curse shifted forward, but she reacted quickly, kicking it and pushing herself away. Her foot, however, came out completely coated by some dark substance, which began to creep up her leg. 

“Shit!” Maki grimaced, shaking her leg. 

Akari and Panda were already up. Akari looked between the curse and Maki, vacillating on what to do. Panda laid a steady paw on her shoulder, “I’ll hold the curse off. Try and cast positive energy on Maki’s leg to see if you can get that thing to go away.” 

With a new resolve, Akari immediately set off in a sprint towards Maki, who sat propped up on a pillar. This time, she was alert enough to dodge another white ball that came her way. As she approached the green-haired girl, she noticed Panda trying to punch the curse from the corner of her eye. 

Akari lowered down to look at Maki. Her leggings were ripped, her right leg covered in a mixture of a black sticky substance and blood. Maki’s face was completely pale, beads of sweat dripping down her brow. She heaved, her difficulty to breathe and keep her head up apparent. 

Akari finished ripping Maki’s leggings to better assess the situation. She was terrified to find raw rashes and blisters tainting her skin. Aware of her inability to heal the wounds, Akari concentrated instead on removing the black cursed gunk instead. She hovered her hands over her leg, energy sipping out of her fingertips. The substance dissolved almost instantly, but Maki’s leg was still injured and now that Akari could examine it better, her skin was darkened, and the color was spreading over her limb. 

Akari stared up at Maki, who didn’t look any better. She panted, appearing near to passing out. 

“W-what’s this injury?” Akari stuttered, her anxiety escalating. She tried focusing more positive energy into Maki’s leg and realized that even though it didn’t make it any better, it suppressed the dark patches of skin from spreading further. 

Maki gasped, “it’s poison,” she let out weakly. “Cursed poison.” 

“Shit. Why is it spreading so fast? You’re a Jujutsu sorcerer, you should have some resistance to it!” 

Maki scoffed, “I can’t use cursed energy, you idiot!” She wheezed, “of course I’m gonna be weak to cursed poison !” 

Akari was taken aback by Maki’s revelation. She had no idea; the girl was so strong and skillful that the thought had never even crossed her mind. Was that the reason she always fought with cursed weapons? 

“Akari! Is Maki alright?” Panda asked, dodging one of the curse’s attacks. 

“No! She’s been poisoned!” Akari shouted back, “I can’t heal it, but applying positive energy prevents the spreading!” 

“Crap! You have to take her to Ieiri!” Panda said and threw a wooden beam at the curse, which dodged it by melting into the ground again, “take her to the curtain’s edge and tell Akari-san to take you back to the school.” 

“What about you?” Akari screamed over the curse’s loud gurgling. 

“I’ll be fine! I don’t think this curse can poison me!” He said, throwing punches at the curse. Panda’s attacks seemed to be working, burning holes into the curse’s body. However, it just regenerated straight away after each blow. 

Akari stared back at Maki and the thought of the girl dying made her stomach do flips. She hoisted the green-haired girl to have her slung over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry. She kept her right hand on Maki’s tight, focusing on flowing out positive energy to her injuries, and with her left hand she carried one of her sai in case she needed it to defend them both. 

For Maki’s height, Akari expected her to be heavier to carry. She still struggled under her weight, but she knew she could make it up the flight of stairs and out of the train station. Maki needed her to. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, trying to stay out of the line of fire. 

Panda was doing a great job of holding off the curse, keeping it occupied with recovering from his uninterrupted attacks. 

Akari’s legs quivered under the added weight of Maki’s limp body. Step by step, she got them closer to the staircase, keeping her energy flowing into her classmate’s injured leg. Once they were a few steps away from the stairs, Panda screamed in alert. 

Akari’s head whipped back in time for her to see a white ball shooting in her direction. She moved Maki’s body out of the trajectory but was not fast enough to avoid it completely. The bundle of cobwebs caught her left hand, throwing her back and sticking her hand to the wall behind her.  

The impact caused Akari to drop Maki, who whimpered as she fell painfully on her back. Akari’s arm coiled backwards carried with the fast projectile, and she screamed in pain as she felt her shoulder being dislodged out of place, her left arm now limp and useless. 

Maki groaned on the ground, and that propelled Akari to tentatively move her arm out of the sticky cobwebs. The effort was fruitless, and she saw stars as a burning wave of pain shot up from her shoulder.  

“Fuck!” She cursed, tears brimming her eyes.  

“You okay there?” Panda shouted out. 

“I’m stuck!” Akari cried, looking around for a tool that could help her arm out of the cobwebs. Her sai had landed a few meters away, so she tried reaching out for it with her foot – and as she did it, she was forced to rotate her left arm and it burned once again, as if her body was ripping apart from her shoulder. She whined as her foot touched her sai, and she kicked it towards herself. Lowering down to grab it was equally painful, and she balanced on the verge of consciousness as she finally used it to remove the webs that were sticking her to the wall. 

Sweating profusely, Akari staggered towards Maki. Her leg had become even darker and her face, paler. Akari shook the girl by her shoulder and was relieved when she groaned in response. She immediately went back to channeling positive energy into Maki’s darkened limb, however, she felt lightheaded and unfocused from the pain and exertion. 

“Panda, we need help!” Akari strained out, “I can’t carry Maki anymore.” 

Panda didn’t answer, and Akari battled to keep not only Maki, but herself awake as well. With each passing moment, she felt even more drained and closer to slipping away from exhaustion and pain. She cried, wishing she didn’t have to die like this, powerless, weak and humiliated. 

She barely even registered when someone picked her and Maki up, rushing them upstairs. She knew it was Panda, but he looked bigger and sturdier, as if he had a new, stronger form. She looked up at his face, and noticed his eyes were shining a purple light, his head was shaped like that of a monkey, and he had grown big fangs.  

“I don’t have much time left in this form,” Panda explained, “I have weakened the curse, but it keeps regenerating. If I keep fighting it, we’ll run out of time. I have to get you both to safety first.” Akari nodded, acknowledging his words. They reached the entrance hall, got past the giant rabbit and Panda was about to open the doors when the curse appeared behind them. 

Akari alerted Panda for him to dodge out of the way of another white ball, but similarly to what happened to Akari, Panda became glued to the double-doors while the girls were flung away to the ground just beside the rabbit sculpture. 

Akari wailed in pain as she landed on her injured shoulder, Maki falling on top of her. Her vision blurred and wavered, a watery curtain falling over her eyes. Panda strained against the cobwebs, but his efforts proved worthless as the curse shoot out more webs to keep him in place. 

Akari bitterly realized the curse was, in doing so, also robbing them of their only escape route. 

And with Maki poisoned and Panda immobilized, she was the only one that could save them. 

Tears of pain trailed down her cheeks as Akari pushed Maki’s limp body away, relieving the weight from her shoulder. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Maki’s leg was progressively worsening; she had little time. 

Akari rose to her feet as the curse slowly approached Panda, contented with its work. Panda kept resisting against his strains, which the cursed observed in gleeful curiosity.   

She couldn’t remember when exactly she lost her sai, and as she accessed the room, she realized there wasn’t a single weapon in sight. She would have to use her fists to do the job. 

“Hey, motherfu-” she tried screaming, but was cut short by horror. 

The webs on Panda’s right arm relented to his resistance, tearing apart. However, as he directed a punch to the curse, it immediately dodged his blow, as if it was expecting it to come. Panda was caught off guard as the curse bit into his extended arm and ripped it away from his body. 

Naturally, instead of blood, there was cotton falling out of Panda’s severed arm and from the opening on his shoulder. Akari sighed in relief, and as she did, the curse turned to her, spitting Panda’s motionless arm to the ground.  

“Akari, Run!” Panda screamed. 

Akari ignored his warning and fought against the pain on her shoulder; she settled into a fighting stance, fists poised for combat. The curse laughed, low, croaked and guttural, and it swept directly towards her. 

Every cell of her body demanded her to flee. She resisted her instincts, feet glued to the ground. This was her only chance to end it.  

The curse halted in front to her, liquid body melting into the ground and flowing back in. She stared at its unsettling face, seeing herself reflected in its crimson eyes. She took a deep breath and let go of her stance, arms dropping to her sides. 

The spirit circled her, understanding her surrender. The world disappeared as its body engulfed her, seeping and burning into her skin; it was poisoning her. She let that pain sear her body, slowly pierce her limbs and organs until she was sure the curse wouldn’t escape her. 

Akari channeled a sliver of her energy from her core, flowing up her head and down her limbs. It was slow and deliberate, calm and small like a creek. Once her flow reached the tips of her fingers, she let them burst like a cannon, energy gushing out, violent and tempestuous. 

Her head pounded, her ears rang, and her skin burned. The spider screeched in protest, a deafening attempt to flee from the torture of Akari’s energy, but it was too late. A warm liquid trickled down her face, but she didn’t know if they were her own tears or the curse’s melting body. 

Akari could only tell it was over when the noise faded away.  

She stared down at her arms, darkened and maimed. Her skin was wrinkled and torn, a putrid stench invading her nostrils. Everything hurt. 

She collapsed to the floor, exhausted. Maki laid beside her, unconscious. She might’ve been dead already, but Akari’s mind was too muddled to tell. She hiccupped as she realized how pathetic she was. Maki had been right; Akari’s death would be to a curse. Limp, weak and incapable of keeping herself alive, much less of saving her classmate’s life. They trusted her to take care of the situation; it was supposed to be a simple mission. As her breathing became shallower, she realized she didn’t even have the strength to cry anymore. 

Even though she knew Panda was talking to her, she was tuning out of the world and couldn’t hear a thing. Akari reopened her eyes when something grazed her hand. Her sight was blurred, and as she refocused on her hands, she noticed a faint glow shooting out of her fingertips. She gasped, watching the light spread slowly down her charred hand, restoring and healing her skin.  

She didn’t know what was happening, but as she glanced at Maki, a thought occurred to her. She used the remainder of her strength to crawl closer to her classmate, and hugged her body, hoping for the best. 

Akari thought she couldn’t feel any more pain, but she was wrong; just as she was about to pass out, a burning wave crashed through her entire body, wringing out of her a long wail of agony. Tears strolled down her cheeks as the skin of her arm tingled, completely healed. She whimpered as someone picked her and Maki up from the ground. Her head dropped sideways, and she noticed that Maki’s leg was no longer black as well. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“What do you mean you don’t know how to dye hair?” Kugisaki asked, unbelieving, “Yuji colors his hair by himself, then?” 

“Uh, he doesn’t color his hair. It’s natural,” answered Akari, closing her newest book: The art of crafting Cursed Objects Vol. I: Barriers and traps.  

“You’re fucking kidding me that his hair is pink!” She gaped, “your parents had pink hair too?” 

Akari snickered at Kugisaki’s reaction, “only his dad, I think,” she reminisced, “I remember seeing it on some pictures.” 

“Weird.” She turned around, visibly deflating, “ah, I guess I’ll have to do it by myself.” 

Akari’s stomach clenched at her sad tone. 

“I- uh. I could help you, if that’s okay,” she offered, cheeks heating up.  

Geez, I’m such an idiot.  

“You’re the best, Akari! Let’s go, I have prepped everything in the bathroom,” she beamed and pulled Akari away by her hand. Moments after, she let go immediately, her eyes wide, “Shit, I’m sorry! Did I pull on your shoulder?” 

Akari blinked away her surprise. She nearly thought Kugisaki had changed her mind and didn’t want her help anymore. 

“Oh, no. It’s good now. Ieiri-san has done a great job of fixing it,” she reassured her. 

Fixing Akari’s shoulder had been the most painful thing she experienced in her life. During her mission, when she had mysteriously healed her and Maki’s poisoned limbs, her shoulder had been healed as well. However, while the tissues had been restored, the joint itself remained out of its proper position. 

Ieiri calmly told Akari they would have to dislocate her shoulder again, back in place this time. 

It felt worse than when she hurt it in the first place. 

Kugisaki sighed in relief, and they made their way to the girls’ bathroom. Minus the hold handing, which was... fine. Akari was fine with that . The bathroom sink was completely occupied by Kugisaki’s hair coloring essentials. As Akari took it in, the other girl handed her a worn white hello kitty t-shirt. 

“Put this on, or else you might ruin your shirt,” she said, and pointed to her own, which was stamped with a smiling keroppi, “and also wear these gloves.” 

Kugisaki explained the process they were to go through, in which they would only retouch her grown out roots. She instructed Akari in how to correctly apply the dye, starting from her nape and going up her head. 

 “Wow, you learn so fast,” Kugisaki marveled as Akari finished another section of her hair. 

“Thanks, I had a good teacher.” Akari smiled, giddy at the compliment, “by the way, your hair is really soft.” 

“Aw, thanks!” Kugisaki smiled back and stared at her through the mirror, a thoughtful look in her eyes. Akari was starting to feel self-conscious under her stare, and was relieved when the girl finally spoke, “so, there’s something I’m curious about.” 

“What is it?” 

“Are you and Yuji half-siblings, or step siblings? I noticed you referred to his dad as not your own.” 

Akari shook her head. “We’re neither. We’re not blood related, and our parents were never married. I have never met my parents, either. All I know is that my mom died shortly after I was born. Yuji’s parents knew her, so they took me in into their family, and a year later Yuji was born. They both died in a car crash a couple years later, and from then on, Yuji’s grandfather raised us.” 

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Kugisaki said, at a loss for words, “It must’ve been hard on you both and your grandfather.” 

Akari chuckled, “it sure was hard on grandpa. Me and Yuji were such annoying brats,” She finished another section of hair, “I lost count of how many sermons we got for not doing homework and for bringing dirt inside our house. He was horrified when he found out we were collecting living insects on our bedroom!” 

“Ew, that’s gross!” Kugisaki shivered. 

“Yeah, it was.” Akari admitted, embarrassed. 

Feeling her cheeks heat up, Akari finished up Kugisaki’s hair and looked around for the plastic bag they would use to wrap around her head. Kugisaki noticed and handed it to Akari, setting up a timer on her phone. 

“One more question,” Kugisaki began, “why don’t you have your mother’s surname?” 

Akari finished wrapping the plastic bag and sat on a chair across from Kugisaki before answering, “to be honest, I don’t know for sure. My grandfather told me it had been her choice to not give me her surname, and I never knew it,” she shrugged, “but I like Itadori.”  

Kugisaki snickered, “you’re so similar, I wouldn’t have thought you weren’t related.” She laid back on her chair and cleared her throat, “so, is Maki-san well?” 

Akari’s smile disappeared at the mention of her most esteemed classmate. 

Kugisaki winced at Akari’s reaction, “still not getting along, I take?” 

“Oh no, we’re total besties,” Akari rolled her eyes, “we weren’t close to begin with, but after that mission things just went downhill...” 

She sighed, “Maki-san almost died that day. She won’t say it, but she’s pretty shaken up. Give her some time.” 

“She didn’t even thank me! You know, I fucked up my shoulder trying to save her.” 

Kugisaki sighed, “I know. She’ll come talk to you eventually.” 

“I don’t need a full-on conversation! Just a ‘thank you for saving me’ would be more than enough!”  

“I know, she’s in the wrong there. But trust me, it won’t be long before she talks to you,” she smiled, “and if she doesn’t do it on her own, I’ll make her!” She announced, flexing her biceps. 

Akari huffed, “She’s so stubborn and patronizing, I don’t get how you can be friends with her,” she said, repressing a pang of jealousy. 

Kugisaki looked taken aback, “she’s really nice and fun, Akari-san. If you keep telling yourself the contrary, then you’ll never get along with her,” she reprimanded. 

Akari fumbled with her hair, embarrassed, frustrated and jealous. She couldn’t meet Kugisaki’s eyes. “I know.” 

Kugisaki chuckled, “you look cute when you’re pissed!” 

Akari felt her face combust like a bonfire, “I do not !” 

“Yes, you do!” She snickered, “you and Maki-san are more similar than you imagine.” 

Akari huffed again. 

“Promise me you’ll try,” Kugisaki said, extending her pinky out. 

Akari frowned at her hand for several moments, until Kugisaki forcefully tangled their pinkies together. 

“Hey!” Akari exclaimed. 

“Good. You promised. No breaking it, got it?” 

“Fine.” 

Silent moments passed before Akari spoke again in a whisper, “thanks. For listening.” 

Kugisaki smiled with her teeth, “that’s what friends are for, right?” 

Friends...  

Akari sighed, trying to mask her disappointment. “Yeah. I haven’t been able to talk to Yuji lately. Not about this stuff, at least. Sukuna is always listening. I couldn’t even tell him what happened during the mission.” She slumped down, “I miss him.” 

“Is Sukuna always listening? Can’t Yuji do something about him?” 

Akari shook her head, “he’s aware of everything Yuji sees and hears. Sometimes he interrupts us in the middle of conversation,” she brandished her hands, “can you believe the other day we were eating at McDonald’s, and Sukuna kept stealing Yuji’s fries?” 

“Wait, how?” 

“Whenever Yuji grabbed a fry, Sukuna made his mouth appear on his hand and ate it instead,” she snickered, “at first it was kind of funny, when we didn’t understand why his food kept disappearing. Then when he realized it was Sukuna, he tried eating without using his hands. We were kicked out because of the mess.” 

Kugisaki laughed, “Shit, I wish I was there to see it!” She smiled at Akari, “but don’t worry, girl. You’ll be fine.” 

Akari smiled back, “yeah.” 

The moment was broken by Kugisaki’s alarm going off. 

“Alright, I’ll go take a shower now to remove this hair dye. Thanks for the help.” 

“It’s nothing. See you tomorrow?” 

“Yeah. See you tomorrow.” 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari was just on her way to math class when she spotted a tall figure sporting a black suit by the communal patio. She recognized it immediately as Ijichi, the assistant director. It was the first time she saw him in weeks, so without a second thought, she strolled directly towards him. Math class could wait. 

“Ijichi-san! How are you doing?” Akari greeted enthusiastically. She’d been wanting to talk to the man for ages. 

“Akari-san! Just the person I wanted to see,” He smiled warmly. 

“You were looking for me?” 

“Of course! Ah, there’s some materials I wanted to give you,” he said, rummaging through his briefcase. He took out a folder and gave her, “it’s some research I’ve done about known cases of possession by cursed objects, as well as experiments made on some subjects with the use of positive energy.”  

Akari opened the folder to find a rich collection of pages, images and detailed notes written out by Ijichi. She was so happy she could cry, “thank you, Ijichi-san! This will help me so much.”

“Happy to help.” 

“So, Ijichi-san, has Ieiri-san told you about... What’s been going on with me?” 

He adjusted his glasses, “only vaguely. She wanted me to hear from you; she’s still unsure on what’s going on.” 

Akari told the man of everything that happened to her during the past month, from the events back in Sendai to the cursed beans experiment to the bizarre outcome of her mission in the abandoned station. 

She didn’t mention it, but she had also been having strange dreams ever since the attack in Sendai. They either involved Hopscotch or a woman in a kimono, called Yuna. She was sometimes accompanied by a boy called Nishida, but Akari didn’t remember much from those particular dreams. 

She also mentioned the background check Ieiri had told her about. 

Oh, that! Yes. It would be of much help if you told me about your family, or any unusual happening that you might remember.” 

“Well, I don’t remember anything unusual from my childhood, but I was adopted by the Itadori family and didn’t grow up with my biological parents. My mom died after I was born, and I don’t know who my father is.” 

“Hm... Do you recall your mother’s name?” 

Akari scratched her chin, “her first name was Izumi, but I never knew her surname.” 

“And what about your adoption papers? Birth certificate?” 

“Nothing there, either. I’m referred as ‘Akari Itadori’ in both.” 

Ijichi hummed, “alright, a name is better than no-” he was interrupted by his phone ringing, “I’m sorry. I have to take this, it’ll be quick.” 

“Oh, don’t worry, Ijichi-san. I was going to class anyway.” 

Akari walked away distractedly, sifting through the pages of research Ijichi had given her. Just as she was about to enter the school building, she heard her name being called in the distance, and turned around to see the assistant director running towards her. 

“Akari-san! Wait, you said you could suppress poison using your energy, right?” He asked. 

“Yeah, that’s what I did to Maki-san.” 

“I might need your help on a rescue mission.” 

Chapter Text

Ch. 7 – Binding Vow

Binding Vow  

A contract forged through cursed energy that an individual can establish with oneself or others, which revolves around imposing a set of conditions or rules on the parties involved. Sorcerers use Binding vows to attain greater power as in removing self-limitations, or to establish an alliance to achieve a goal.   

However, if a Binding Vow is violated, the repercussions are uncanny.   

- ✿ - ❀ - 

July of 2018, Eishu Juvenile Detention Center, West Tokyo City  

“Cursed wombs that grow and change shape can be expected to become a curse close to that of a special grade...” Ijichi explained. 

Akari’s stomach churned at the mention of a potential special grade curse. She herself was part of the lowest rank of sorcerers, together with Maki. And even though Akari had been getting better, Maki was still stronger than her. She just hoped for the best, determined to contribute to the mission in the case of a fight breaking out.  

“I’m still not sure what that special-grade thing is all about,” Yuji commented, unconcerned. Akari gaped at her brother, who just stared back in confusion. 

“You haven’t been paying attention to classes, have you?” Akari questioned. 

“Don’t give him all the credit. Gojo-sensei is equally incompetent in teaching jujutsu classes,” Kugisaki joked, and Akari snickered at the thought. 

Ijichi proceeded to explain the basics of curse and sorcerer grades, and Yuji did seem to get the concept. He nodded in understanding, however Akari could tell he still didn’t grasp the gravity of their current situation. 

“So there was no special grade sorcerer available?” Akari asked, concerned. 

“Gojo-sensei is the only special grade sorcerer in our school. Normally, he would be the one called in for these missions,” Fushiguro responded. Akari was surprised to hear him talk to her but didn’t comment on it. 

“And where’s the man himself?” Yuji asked. 

“On a business trip. To be honest, he’s probably not someone who should be wasting time at a place like Jujutsu High,” Fushiguro explained. Akari wondered what exactly he meant by that. 

“Our line of work is always lacking manpower, and being overwhelmed by missions is commonplace. Not even more senior sorcerers were available for this mission” Ijichi adjusted his glasses, “this time, however, it’s an extraordinary emergency.” He straightened himself and announced, loud and clear for them, “Don’t fight in any circumstances! When confronted by a special grade, the options are either to run away or die . This mission is to locate and evacuate survivors. Nothing more .” He turned to Akari, “You’re important to this rescue, Akari-san. When you find the poisoned victims, however, don’t try to heal them. Just prevent the poison from spreading and Ieiri-san will take care of the rest.” 

She nodded, gulping. Her palms were sweating so much she had to wipe them down on her vest. 

“Hey! Excuse me!” A middle-aged woman called out to them, “Is Tadashi... is my son okay?” She pleaded. 

From the corner of her eye, Akari saw Yuji taking a step forward, his expression grim. Ijichi immediately stepped up in front of him and answered the woman, “There’s a possibility that poison was spread in the facility. We cannot disclose any more information at this point.” 

“It can’t be...” The woman sobbed, miserable. Akari’s heart clenched at the woman’s grief. 

“Akari, Fushiguro, Kugisaki,” Yuji said, “we have to save him!” 

“Of course.” Kugisaki answered, determined. 

“Definitely.” Akari agreed, a renewed resolve in her heart.  

“I’m going to lower the curtain. Be careful, and good luck.” Ijichi told them as they stood in front of the entrance. “ That which frightens more than darkness itself... that which is darker than black... purify this defilement .” He conjured. 

The curtain lowered down around them, and Yuji stared around in awe, “it’s turning into night!” 

“Idiot,’ Kugisaki snickered. 

In a simple and quick gesture, Fushiguro brought his hands together as if to form the shadow puppet of a wolf. He announced: “Divine dog,” and immediately beside him, his shadow contorted and rose from the ground, materializing a majestic white wolf. 

Yuji recognized the shikigami and lowered down to pet it, cooing at it, “good doggy!” 

Akari noticed a familiar mark on the dog’s forehead; the one she’d seen on her book about shikigamis. She realized that was Fushiguro’s cursed technique she’d heard about countless times.  Now, she was even more certain that she hadn’t ever seen his dogs before. She pondered, yet again, why exactly she didn’t see them in the day the curses attacked her school back in Sendai, and why she could see the shikigami now. 

“If the curse gets close, it’ll let us know,” Fushiguro announced as he opened the door. 

As the students stepped inside the building, the air grew colder and denser, clinging to their skin like a clammy shroud. The world around them twisted and contorted, the walls stretching upwards into a seemingly endless abyss. The only sounds were the distant howling of the wind and the incessant dripping of water. 

There were countless corridors and doors, but there was no sign of where they would lead them. The walls were adorned with rusted pipes, chipped paint, mold and air vents. The cursed energy was dense and suffocating, and Akari had to remind herself to breathe. 

"What’s going on? This is supposed to be a two-story dorm building, right?” Yuji screeched. 

“C-calm down! It’s a maisonette!” Kugisaki stuttered, trying to ease the tension. 

“No, that’s not it,” Fushiguro responded, entranced. His breath hitched and he yelled in alarm, “where’s the door?” 

The teenagers turned around in search of the entrance, but there was no door in sight. They could only see walls covered by a myriad of pipes. 

“Th-the door’s gone!” Yuji stammered. Kugisaki joined in, both freaking out. 

Akari’s mind raced with questions. Was that place real? Were they being tricked? Was this an illusion? Maybe a cursed technique was creating this bizarre environment... 

From the corner of her sight, she noticed Fushiguro staring at her. 

“It’s an Innate Domain,” he spoke quietly, “deployed by the cursed energy of this place.” 

Sweat broke out on her brow as she whispered back, “does that mean the cursed womb has already evolved?”  

Kugisaki and Yuji were dancing in a circle, trying to ease their anxiousness, “What do we do? Ah, what do we do about this?” They sang in unison. 

“I hope not. We have to get out as soon as possible,” Fushiguro answered. His voice then cut through Yuji and Kugisaki’s panic, “It’ll be fine. The dog remembers the scent of the entrance” 

Yuji and Kugisaki instantly melted in relief, “oh, my!” They bent down and hugged the white dog, “good boy! Have some jerky! Have all the jerky you want!” Kugisaki celebrated, happy. 

Akari’s cheeks heated up instantly at the sight. That girl had absolutely no business being this cute. 

“You’re way too calm!” Fushiguro scolded while Akari hid her burning face from the rest of the group. 

“You really are dependable, Fushiguro,” Yuji beamed, “thanks to you, we’ll be able to rescue people and save ourselves, too!” 

“Let’s keep moving,” Fushiguro answered after a while. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

The group followed the dog for a long labyrinth of dark corridors, and the longer they walked, the sicker Akari felt with their predicament. She held tight to her sai, alert for any eventual confrontation.  

After what felt like an eternity, they reached a massive chamber that assaulted their senses. The air was heavy with the metallic tang of fresh blood, mixed with the dark taint of cursed energy. 

Yuji was the first one to notice the horrifying tableau sprawled on the floor - a concoction of body parts, disjointed, twisted inside out, grotesquely rearranged as if someone had been playing with human modelling clay. The upper half of a bloodied man stood as the only distinguishable body between the rest. 

Akari’s head spun with sickness. She struggled to find her voice, and her trembling lips only managed a hoarse croak. Kugisaki's strained voice broke the silence, "this is atrocious." 

“That’s... three people, right?” Yuji asked and kneeled to look at the body. He tugged on the man’s shirt, stretching out the fabric to read his name tag. 

Akari wanted to vomit. What had done this to these people? Were they still alive when their bodies became contorted like this? She had no interest in finding out; she just wanted to find the exit as soon as possible. Still spiraling, she tried to get the group to move. Her voice quivered, “let’s go-” 

“Let’s take this body back,” Yuji interrupted. 

“Huh?” Akari croaked out. 

“It’s that woman’s son,” he explained, “his face isn’t too badly mangled. His mother won’t accept if we tell her he’s dead, but we don’t have a body.” He strained, agitated. 

Fushiguro marched straight to Yuji and pulled him back by his hoodie, “we have to find and verify two more. Leave that body behind.” 

“Quit joking around!” Yuji snapped back, his frustration flaring, “we turned around, and the way we got in here was gone! We won’t be able to come back for it later!” 

“I didn’t say to come back for it! I said to leave it behind!” Fushiguro snarled. 

“He’s right, Yuji,” Akari stepped in, “taking that body with us will only delay the group-” 

"Akari, this is important! His mother is out there, worrying about her son - If we take the body back, she’ll at least have the chance to properly mourn his death.” Yuji stood his ground. 

“Yuji, the longer we stay here the more we put our lives at risk! Don’t you remember Ijichi-san saying there could be a special grade here?” Akari reasoned. 

“We’re already trapped here, what difference does it make to take his body?” Yuji retorted 

“We can’t help the dead, Yuji! There’s possibly still two people in this building that need our help, and you’re here wasting our time for half a body !” Akari fumed. 

“Akari, we can at least give him a proper burial! We're doing this to help these people! Don’t you care about grandpa’s death wish?” Yuji defied. 

Low blow, Yuji.   

Akari’s face burned bright with rage, “when grandpa asked us to help others, he meant we should also care for our wellbeing and for each other! I’m doing my best to keep both of us safe, so don’t you say I don’t care! ”  

“Cut it out !” Kugisaki intervened, tugging at Akari’s vest. “Christ, what are you two doing! You’re both idiots!” Akari stepped back, fuming and holding eye contact with her brother. Fushiguro stood behind Yuji, holding him by his hoodie. 

Kugisaki held tight to Akari’s arm and went on with her sermon, “think about the time and place if you-” both girls gasped as the floor disappeared from below them, swallowing them into a void of darkness. 

The last thing Akari heard was Yuji calling out to her. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari and Kugisaki fell together into a dark room. Their eyes strained to make out each other's silhouettes as they huddled close, relying on touch and instinct to stay connected. 

“Damn it, where are we?” Kugisaki murmured and her voice reverberated through the room, amplifying their dread and sense of isolation. 

Akari’s mind conjured millions of ways they could die in that room; devoured by a curse, dismembered by a curse, crushed by a curse, become modelling clay for a curse....  

A sudden flinch from Kugisaki snapped Akari back to reality, her senses sharpening as she gripped her sai tightly. Kugisaki warned, “there’s curses here.” 

In the dim light, they caught glimpses of a swarm of floating apparitions. The cursed spirits took two distinct shapes; the first comprised of eyeless white masks and the second, a cluster of airborne eyeballs. The spirits laughed together and on top of each other, producing a croaked sound. 

“How can there be so many?” Akari gasped, her heart pounding in her chest.  

As if on cue, a pack of masks descended and dove towards them. Kugisaki immediately unleashed her cursed technique, shooting nails into them. The hit spirits fell to the ground, shattered.  

A pair of eyes charged in Akari’s direction. She swiftly evaded their advances and focused her energy flow into her sai. With a practiced thrust and spin, she impaled each eye with ease and precision, causing their bodies to disintegrate. 

Akari and Kugisaki engaged in a relentless combat with the mass of curses. They struck continuously as the cursed spirits themselves were weak and could be rid of by a single blow. But the more the curses vanquished, the more emerged to take their place. 

Sweat dripped down Akari’s brow as she impaled yet another eyeball, her muscles straining with the exertion. 

“Shit, Akari-san, I’m on my last nail,” Kugisaki panted, her voice laced with regret, “sorry. I should’ve brought more.” 

“Just stay close to me, soon we’ll get this over with,” Akari strained out, despite the frustration that escalated inside her. 

The girls stayed close to one another, however the curses continued their endless attacks. As their stamina decreased and their reflexes slowed down, the curses grew more menacing with each blow. They lost their formation when a big group of spirits descended upon them, and they were launched away from each other. 

Akari felt her clothes rip and tear as she rolled on the ground. She lost her sense of direction momentarily, disoriented and desperate to find her bearings. Panic gripped her as a croaked wail pierced the room, the anguished cry coming from Kugisaki's direction. 

“Kugisaki!” 

“Motherfucker! Take this!” Kugisaki struck her hammer against the curse that was holding her upside down, an eyeless armadillo-like spirit with an enormous mouth. The impact made her hammer break apart and it was launched away, meters out of her reach, “I swear I’ll curse you!” Kugisaki spat, pointing aggressively at the spirit’s face. The curse opened his mouth, raising her high like an appetizer. 

Akari's heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted towards her friend, muscles burning with fatigue. Her desperation scaled as the curse lowered her down into his mouth. However, Akari was prevented from going any further by a black wolf emerging from the ground in front of her. She was taken aback by a split second, before seeing Fushiguro’s mark on its forehead and realizing the wolf was not a curse, but a shikigami. 

Akari whipped her head in search of Kugisaki, just in time to see an elastic appendage shoot in her direction, curling around her waist and saving her from being devoured whole. Kugisaki was carried away by what Akari identified as the slimy tongue of a big green frog, a shikigami which was accompanied by Fushiguro. 

“We’re escaping now!” Fushiguro announced. 

“I hate frogs, you know.” Kugisaki complained tiredly. 

“Yeah, well. Sorry!” He shot back. 

At the sight of the raven-haired boy, Akari sighed in relief before realizing her brother was nowhere to be seen. She got up immediately, running with all her strength despite sensing that her legs might give out at any moment. 

“Fushiguro! Where’s Yuji?” She croaked out. 

“He’ll meet us outside. We have to go,” he ushered, taking off. 

“What do you mean? Where is he!” Akari followed suit, her stomach churning. 

“We got separated by a curse,” he heaved, taking a turn. 

“And how will he find us? How will he find the exit!” 

“I’ll send him a signal-” 

“No, Fushiguro, this place is a labyrinth! I’ll go find him,” Akari announced, turning on her heel. 

Fushiguro held her back by her arm, “No! If we separate, both you and your brother will be lost here. Listen to me, afterwards we can come back and look for him. But now we have to get Kugisaki to Ijichi,” he reasoned, unwavering. 

Akari’s expression melted at his words. She looked for Kugisaki to find out she had passed out inside the shikigami’s mouth. 

“Lead the way, Fushiguro.”  

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Led by Fushiguro’s wolf, they moved fast between long corridors and halls. On their way out, they didn’t find any more curses, which was both relieving and alarming. Akari wondered if the lack of curses on their path meant there was a surplus of them on Yuji’s.  

They were finally able to see the exit a few meters away from them, the gentle patter of rain telling her it was all going to be fine. Akari was so relieved she could cry. She was absolutely terrified of being stuck in the Innate Domain. 

As they stepped out of the dormitory building, Akari turned her head to look at Fushiguro, a joyous “Thank you” coming out of her mouth. But her words were abruptly stifled when she caught him mid-strike, aiming for her neck. Instinctively, she blocked his attack with her arm. 

“What are you doing,” she snarled, distancing herself from him. She took her hands to her sai, ready for confrontation. 

Fushiguro stood motionless, lips pursed, “I’m knocking you out.” 

“Why?” She demanded, raising her sai. 

Silence hung between them, punctuated only by the patter of raindrops. 

“Why! Answer me!” Akari’s mind raced with questions, but she silenced them all up as she stared down at Fushiguro, ready for him to attack her again. 

She was broken out of her thoughts, however, by the mournful howl of a lone wolf. 

Fushiguro’s shikigami stretched itself, producing a series of dragged out, melodious howls. Akari stepped away from the wolf, aware that it was controlled by Fushiguro. After some time, it stopped, sitting back as if it had finished its job. 

At that moment, Akari’s stomach plummeted. 

“Yuji!” She gasped, her resolve faltering as she spun on her heel to rush back inside the building. 

“No!” Fushiguro moved closer, his hand reaching out for her arm. She slapped his hand away, raising the tip of her sai to his face. 

“I’m going to find my brother, and don’t you dare get in my way,” she snapped, fury burning in her eyes. 

“You can’t go in. There’s a special grade inside,” he answered. 

She gripped her weapons tighter, “Then of course I’m going in! I can’t leave my brother to die.” 

“He won’t die.” 

“Oh, of course not! It’s just a special grade!” She roared, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

“He switched with Sukuna.” 

“W-what?” She staggered, taken aback. 

“As soon as we stepped out, he switched with Sukuna. That was the plan,” he explained, his gaze steady. 

“You lied to me!” tears welled up in her eyes. 

“I did. Or else you wouldn’t come with me!” He bit back. 

Once her tears finally strolled down her cheeks, Akari didn’t think twice before dropping her sai and using her palm to slap the boy on his face. He didn’t block or react to it, rooted to the ground. 

“Guys!” Ijichi’s voice sounded in the distance. 

Akari’s ears rang as the adrenaline slowly seeped out of her body. Fushiguro and Ijichi talked in rushed tones, but as they went through the motions of acknowledging Kugisaki’s state and patching her head up, Akari couldn’t register the world around her. There was only a distant tingling sensation on her palm. 

Fushiguro walked up to Ijichi, who carried Kugisaki on his arms. “Take her to the hospital, Ijichi-san. And please expand the evacuation area to ten kilometers.”  

“What about you?” Ijichi asked, carrying Kugisaki to the car. 

“We’re staying here for Itadori-kun.” 

“I understand. After I take Kugisaki-san to the hospital, I’ll return as quickly as possible.” 

“No, there wouldn’t be much point in you staying here,” Fushiguro answered honestly, “if you want to do something, please ask them to send over a sorcerer grade one or higher.” He crossed his arms, “not that I imagine any are around.” 

Ijichi frowned, “I’ll do what I can. Later.” 

Akari watched silently as Ijichi took off. It took her several seconds to realize they were standing still under the rain, her coat already drenched in water. 

“If Yuji dies in there,” Akari choked, her voice trembling, “I’ll never forgive you.” 

He turned to face her, his expression unwavering, “I had to get you and Kugisaki out.” 

“Then why did you try to knock me out?” She snapped. 

“What will you do if your brother doesn’t come out?” He asked instead of answering. 

Akari didn’t have the energy to respond. She just distanced herself from him and sent out a silent prayer for her brother to be safe and return as soon as possible. She also cursed Fushiguro with every swearword, in every language, with every combination she knew of. 

Aware of Fushiguro’s movements, Akari sensed the moment he shifted, and his head whipped towards the direction of the dormitory building. 

“The Innate Domain’s closed off! The special grade is dead!” He declared, visibly relieved. He tried reassuring Akari, “now we just need him to return safely...”  

But before he could finish his sentence, his eyes widened. Chills ran down Akari’s spine as an overwhelming surge of cursed energy accompanied a familiar voice from behind them. 

“Sorry, but he’s not coming back,” Sukuna’s voice resonated, calm and even. Akari turned around to face her brother's transformed form, covered in tattoos, adorned with an additional pair of red eyes and completely dominated by the ancient curse. Overwhelmed and speechless, she and Fushiguro huddled together in shock. 

“Don’t be so frightened. I’m in a great mood right now. Let’s have a little chat,” Sukuna's words were followed by an astonishing display of speed that even Akari's eyes struggled to follow. She could only hear Fushiguro collapsing at her side, realizing only afterwards that Sukuna had struck him.  

She immediately knelt, cradling the boy in her arms to prevent him from laying on the wet ground. Sukuna distanced himself, stopping a few meters away. 

“What did you do!” She cried out. 

“Oh, don’t worry. I merely knocked the boy unconscious.” He sighed, his nonchalant demeanor unsettling, “I would’ve enjoyed some action, but I can’t afford to waste any more time,” he spoke, effortlessly tearing apart Yuji’s uniform. 

Akari held onto Fushiguro’s motionless body, flowing her energy onto him, hoping to awaken him. Her gaze remained fixed on Sukuna, trying to formulate a plan on her mind. Why did he choose to knock Fushiguro out, instead of killing them both? What exactly was he playing at? How long would it take for Yuji to come back? Would he come back at all? 

“Oh, is this body disturbing you? I can assure you this is as inconvenient to you as it is to me,” Sukuna grinned. 

“What do you want from me?” She demanded, her voice quivering. Surveying her surroundings, she realized her sai wasn’t in her possession at the moment. When did she drop them? 

“Yeah, yeah, let’s skip the formalities and get straight to the point, shall we?” Sukuna taunted, approaching her, “you want to ‘save’ your brother, correct?” 

“Yes. From you,” she snarled, her energy flowing steadily into Fushiguro. 

Sukuna feigned surprise at her attitude, “what a tenacious little thing you are,” he started circling her again, predatory, “by the way, if you don’t stop what you’re doing, he dies .” 

Akari flinched, immediately withdrawing her hand. 

Sukuna chuckled, “Good. I was quite close to severing your hand,” he mused, “now, where were we... Ah, yes, your brother. You see, there’s no need to protect him from me, I’m not the one trying to kill him.” 

Ijichi will come back here at any moment. I just need to stall him. I just have to talk.  

“Oh no, of course not,” Akari snorted, removing her coat and gently laying Fushiguro’s head upon it. She rose to her feet, determined to keep the conversation flowing. “You don’t want to kill him; you just want free reign over his body.” 

Sukuna rolled his eyes. “I couldn’t care less for this braindead chipmunk as a vessel. It was inopportune that he ate one of my fingers, really.” 

“And what are you getting at with this?”  

He smirked. “Don’t you wonder why were unexperienced children like yourselves were sent here, when there was such a high risk of that cursed womb becoming a special grade curse? Hm?” 

“There was no one else available. And us ‘unexperienced children’ are capable jujutsu sorcerers,” she responded. 

Eyebrow darting up, Sukuna made it clear that he didn't believe a word she said. She didn’t believe it either but wouldn’t admit to it.  

“You were sent here to die,” he spoke as he kept pacing, “do you really think the higher ups would agree to postpone your brother’s execution, really? Think a little, you’re smarter than that,” he stopped in front of her. 

Her blood boiled, but she kept her cool. What he was saying made sense, but she couldn’t agree with him. They locked eyes, engaged in a silent standoff. 

He sneered, “anyway, had your brother not switched with me, he’d been long dead. Seeing him go up against that curse was ridiculous,” he sneered, “he was scared out of his mind, on the verge of death, and prattling on about his regrets and all that nonsense. Pathetic.” 

“Are you here just to insult my brother?” Akari asked. 

He approached and locked eyes with her. Nausea stirred up her insides as she stared at two pairs of bright red eyes.  

“Don’t you want to end your brother’s suffering? Don’t you want to save him from execution?” 

Akari’s heart raced with fear despite her calm words, “I want to, and I will .” 

He smirked, “Why don’t we make a deal, then?” 

“What type of deal?” She entertained him, despite the raging fear that ate away at her heart. 

“You can become my host,” he propositioned, raising his closed fist in front of her face. She distanced herself out of instinct. He opened his hand, revealing one of his grotesque fingers. 

“You want me to eat that?” She spoke, disgust lacing her words. 

“Yes! You’re smarter than you appear, after all! Should I congratulate you? Do you want a prize, perhaps?” He mocked. 

“You’re not even serious. That thing will kill me. It’s poison. You’re just playing around with me, you monster .” She trembled, her voice quivering with anger and fear. 

He chuckled, “you won’t die, fool. You are resistant to poison, or anything cursed in nature. All because of that positive energy of yours. Got it?” 

Akari fumed, “and how does that even help? The higher-ups will just kill me instead, and you’ll go down with me.” 

His eyes glinted. “Oh, no. No, they won’t kill you.” He took a step towards her, and she flinched. 

“What makes you so sure of that?” She asked, distancing herself further from him, desperately in sought of a weapon. She scanned the area, hoping for some salvation. Sukuna, seizing her desperation, produced her sai from the back of his belt, dangling them right before her, just out of reach. 

“Looking for this?” He teased before shooting the sai out far enough for her not to reach them. “Let’s not get physical, right? I can be much a diplomat, when I want to. Isn’t it obvious? They want to use you. Why do you think you were accepted into the school?” He questioned. 

She gritted her teeth. “Use me? Don’t make me laugh. What would they use me for?” 

Sukuna shrugged, “who knows? But even now, they’re watching you,” he nodded to something behind her, and Akari followed his gesture to notice a small, flat object glued to the entrance gate. Once she did, however, Sukuna raised his arm, and with a swift movement, the device was cut in half. It sizzled with electricity and cursed energy as it fell to the ground. 

He had just used his technique, and she couldn’t even see it. 

That realization hit her like a cold wave. She was outmatched, outgunned. There was no way she could defeat Sukuna in a fight, and he reveled in her vulnerability. 

“That was just one of them,” he said. “You’re invaluable to them, I believe in the same way that doctor is.” 

“And what do you get out of this? I know you’re doing this for your own good, not mine or Yuji’s” She challenged, stealing a glance at Fushiguro, praying for him to wake up. 

He smirked, relishing in the conversation, “once you become my host, my fingers will be protected.” He leered, “Isn’t it perfect ? You protect everyone - your brother, yourself, and me. Isn’t that what you said you wanted?” 

She shouldn’t be considering this. She really shouldn’t. Even if it will save Yuji from execution, at what cost? 

“And if I don’t agree to it?”  

He grinned, “I kill your brother, here and now,” he growled as his nails dug into his chest, blood slowly streaking down his abdomen. 

“Stop! I’ll do it.” She pleaded, desperate. “But you won’t cause harm to us.” 

“Good enough,” he agreed, voice dripping with malice. 

“How can I know you’ll keep your part of the bargain?” She gulped.

“A binding vow, of course. You also know what that is, don’t you?” Akari nodded, her body tense. “Good to know those old books you’ve been reading taught you something useful. You eat my finger and become my host, and I don’t cause harm to you and your brother, satisfied?” His smirk only made Akari more anxious about the situation. Every cell in her body screamed for her to run. Nothing good would come out of such a despicable deal. Well, except for Yuji’s execution being revoked. 

“No. You won’t cause harm to anyone .” 

Sukuna halted for a moment before rolling his eyes, “yeah, sure,” he said boredly, shoving the finger onto her trembling hand. 

Akari raised her eyebrows, doubting him, “what’s the catch?” She questioned and closed her hand around the finger, feeling the uneven texture, the protuberances and the veiny base. She took a deep breath, hoping to gain some time. 

Turn back, Yuji. Please.  

“There’s no catch. Come on before I lose my patience,” he demanded, crossing his arms. 

Will he be able to control my body? Will I be able to contain him? Even if I’m not able to, our binding vow will prevent him from hurting people...  

“Just this one?” She raised the finger, trying to ignore its repulsiveness, “what about the others? This doesn’t assure me that Yuji will no longer be your host.” 

Sukuna sighed, rubbing his temple, “that’s why we’re making a binding vow. Once you eat this, the energy from the fingers residing in your brother will pass on to you. He won’t be my host anymore. That is, unless he eats another finger, which I doubt he will.” He scratched his chin, “scratch that. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ate it.” 

Akari looked down at the finger in her hands, thinking of a way out of this predicament.  

If only she had her sai... 

Sukuna groaned, “You have five seconds,” he said, positioning his hand over his chest – threatening to take out Yuji’s heart. “Five...” 

… she wouldn’t have the courage to do it. 

“Four...” 

She didn’t want to die. She didn’t want Yuji to die. 

“Three...” 

Coward.  

“Two...” 

Akari shoved the necrotic finger inside her mouth. The foul taste of decay and wax invaded her senses, melding together with the unnerving texture, a crumbling tenderness that felt unsettlingly alive, as though it was fighting against her consumption. The bumpy skin slid slowly down her throat, causing her to choke on the object. She forcibly gulped it down as her most primal instincts urged her body to expel it. 

The more she swallowed, the more the sensation intensified. Her stomach churned and revolted against the wicked offering, but she pressed on. The taste lingered in her mouth like a haunting nightmare, an unshakeable reminder of the object she consumed, and the pact she’d made with the devil. 

She focused on the figure in front of her, realizing Yuji’s body was now rid of the tattoos, the overwhelming cursed energy, and the unsettling pair of red eyes. He was shaking her shoulders firmly, urgently speaking words that seemed distant and muffled. 

“Akari! Vomit it out! Now!” Finally, the meaning pierced through her foggy mind. 

Warm tears strolled down her cheeks, merging with cold raindrops, “Y-Yuji, I can’t...” She hiccupped. She wouldn’t be able to expel it out if she tried. The tingling sensation over her entire body told her their pact had already concretized. It was pointless to try to reverse it. Exhausted, hurt, and humiliated, she collapsed onto her brother. 

“I’m sorry,” she quavered, her voice filled with remorse. 

Chapter Text

Ch. 8 – King of Curses

The fog dissipated into the cold night, revealing a tall figure that loomed over a pool of human bodies. Blood flowed down his arms, trickling down twenty fingers tipped with razor-sharp black nails.  

The screams of the men resonated weakly through the air, before a haunting silence settled. Sukuna inhaled the chaos, his crimson eyes ablaze with sadistic delight as he relished every wail of agony, every whimper of pain.  

Sukuna finally moved from his spot, his bare feet crunching bones and splashing in the growing pools of blood. He halted in front of a man – a hapless figure, writhing in agony, crawling through the mud and the sea of corpses and body parts, desperately in search of something.  

Sukuna stomped on his withered leg, and an audible crack reverbed in the air. The man howled in torment, crying out like a pig in the slaughterhouse. Sukuna repeated the action on the other leg, and the snapping of bones combined with the man’s anguishing screams formed a grotesque symphony.  

“What-” the man gasped, struggling for breath, “what have you done to Y-Yuna?”  

Sukuna cackled with laughter, bending over the man. “Me? Oh, I did nothing,” his eyes glinted with malice, “it was she that came to me.”  

The man choked, “She would never-”  

“Just like she would never betray your clan? Keep telling yourself that,” Sukuna rolled his eyes.  

“What do you want from me, you monster! Kill me already!” The man wailed.  

“Oh, no. Are you like this because you’ve lost your little pet? Don’t be sad, now.” Sukuna bent down, lifting the man by his head. His pointy nails drew blood from the man’s scalp, the crimson liquid sliding down his terrified face. “Why don’t we have some fun?”  

  - ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari woke up from her dream, terrible pain straining her neck. She winced and slowly rose her head, adjusting to the dim light. Unable to move her limbs, she realized she was tightly tied to a chair. She squirmed against the ropes, taking in the person seated in front of her. 

Gojo greeted her with his usual nonchalant demeanor, “Yo! Good morning, Akari-san.” 

“Gojo-sensei...” Akari croaked, her throat dry. “What’s going on?” Her gaze swept around the room. The roof, walls and floor were covered in strips of paper – talismans. She recognized some of the incantations as barriers, but most of them were unfamiliar to her. 

“What a déjà vu,” he mused, “third time’s the charm?” 

“Gojo-sensei, what is all this?” Akari gulped. 

“This is to prevent you from committing genocide in case Sukuna takes over,” Gojo explained, pointing to her. 

Befuddled, Akari gasped. Sukuna, taking over? She mulled over his words, the memory of the detention center slowly seeping back into her mind. Long, pensive moments went by before she broke it with a stutter, “I- was it real? Am I really his host now?” 

Gojo crossed his legs, sitting back on the chair, “that’s a tricky question, really,” he smirked, “to the effect of your binding vow, yes.” 

She blinked, “what does that mean?” 

“You and Sukuna are completely incompatible. Your energies keep clashing inside you. You can’t merge to him like Yuji could.” He gestured by lifting two fingers, “but that doesn’t invalidate your binding vow. You agreed to becoming his host, right?” 

Akari squirmed on her seat again. “Yes, I did.” 

“So we can say you’ve become his host. The binding vow is absolute. There’s something odd about you, though. I’m pretty sure your energy has grown.” Gojo eyed her, scratching his chin. 

“How do you know that?” Akari asked. 

“It’s one of my innate abilities, I have an enhanced perception of cursed energy.” He pointed to his covered eyes. “And I can see that two things happened with you ever since we last saw each other a couple of weeks ago. Firstly, your overall energy had grown. Maybe doubled. And secondly, there is another energy inside you, clashing with your own, this one is Sukuna’s.” 

Her confusion deepened. “But why has my energy grown?” 

“I talked to Shoko about it, and she thought of two possibilities: the first is that your binding vow with Sukuna granted you more energy as a side effect – think of it as necessary for the binding vow to succeed. The second possibility is that your body has had to adapt to suppress Sukuna’s own great amount of cursed energy, forcibly evolving to intensify your energy output.” 

“So if we’re incompatible and our energies are resisting against each other... then what are the chances that Sukuna takes over my body?” Akari gnawed at her lip. 

“I can’t say for sure. I believe they’re low, but the possibility exists, that’s for sure.” Gojo said. 

“Am I... am I in trouble now? What’s going to happen to me?”  

Sukuna had said she was invaluable to the higher ups; they wouldn’t want to lose or harm her. Akari clung to his words like the edge of a cliff. 

“You’ll be executed.” Gojo answered plainly. 

She gulped, heart plummeting. She had fallen right into Sukuna’s trap, gullible as a rabbit. “I had hoped they wouldn’t,” she muttered with a dry chuckle, “they accepted me into Jujutsu High, didn’t they?” 

Gojo smirked, “so you picked up on that. You see, it’s complicated. The ability to heal others through reversed cursed technique is rare and valuable, and Shoko is one of the two sorcerers that can do it, the other being Yuta.” He pointed at her. “You have great potential to learn it, but they already have Shoko, so that’s why they’re somewhat interested in you. But it wasn’t them that accepted you into the school.” 

Akari blinked. “Then who?” 

Gojo pursed his lips, “It was Master Tengen that did.” 

Akari frowned, “Master Tengen? The one that keeps barriers around the school?” 

He nodded, “exactly. Master Tengen sent a direct request for your admission, which then brought you to light to the higher-ups. However, even if they wished to save you, Master Tengen has no power or influence over the higher-ups and their politics. They can’t protect you against a death sentence. You’re valuable to those geezers, but no more important than eradicating Sukuna” 

“Why was I accepted into Jujutsu High, then? What does Master Tengen want of me?” 

A couple of seconds passed before Gojo answered, “no one knows.” 

Her stomach flipped. Akari held her breath, a desperate attempt to ground herself. Exhaling, she asked, “will I have to hunt for Sukuna’s fingers, too?” 

Gojo shook his head, “unfortunately, that won’t work. Since you can’t merge to him, once you die, Sukuna’s fingers would persist. It’s pointless to have you consume the other fingers.” 

Gojo’s words spun around in her head, her vision distorted. She was glad to be tied to the chair; otherwise, she would’ve already fallen off. 

“Is Yuji okay, at least? Was his sentence revoked?” She strained out. 

“You brother is fine. As for his sentence...” 

Her head snapped up. 

“...the higher-ups are yet to determine it.” Gojo completed. Akari stared at him, uncertainty coloring her eyes. He added, “the thing is, the higher-ups realized that while they held the execution order for Yuji, you would never work for them. It’d be even worse if they actually carried out the execution. What really happened yesterday was a ploy to dispose of Yuji before his execution, in a manner that looked accidental. There was a special-grade. Sending first-years to rescue people who might not be alive was out of question. If Megumi and Nobara had also died, it’d also be more harassment for me.” 

“But why... was I also sent, then?” 

Gojo sighed, “Two weeks ago, when you were sent on that mission at the train station and almost died, the higher-ups were in distress. They ordered the assistants in Jujutsu High to not take you to any more risky missions. Apparently, you weren’t even supposed to go on that first mission. 

“Ijichi, however, had been abroad with me. He’s not one to bypass orders, so what I believe must have happened is that he wasn’t informed.” 

“But why wouldn’t he be?” Akari asked. 

Gojo crossed his arms. “It was probably because they didn’t want me to know about it. That mission at the train station was most likely another ploy of theirs...” 

Akari’s eyes widened. “To get rid...” 

“Of Maki.” Gojo confirmed. 

“But why? Maki-san hasn’t done anything wrong!”  

“I don’t think it was their will, but that of her clan instead. It’s just an assumption, though.” Gojo supplied. “But that’s beside the point. Ijichi wasn’t aware of the higher-up's orders, and when he heard there could be poisoned victims, he didn’t think twice before including you. Very convenient for Sukuna.” 

Akari suppressed her curiosity about Maki’s situation and instead asked, “but what does Sukuna get out of this? He thought I would protect his fingers, but won’t I be executed?”

“Who knows what he wants? He has even less control of you than he had of Yuji, I don’t even know why he’d want to exchange hosts.” Gojo mused, “unless you’re the means to an end.” 

“So he’s... using me?” 

“Maybe. By making a binding vow with him, the finger you consumed now contains three parts of his soul and cursed energy. Maybe he’s waiting for someone to retrieve it?” Gojo explained, “but he could have also misjudged the situation. It’s hard to say.” 

“Gojo-sensei... will I be executed immediately?” Akari asked. 

“Nah, not really,” Gojo swatted his hand in the air, “we’re not planning on divulging your situation to the higher-ups just yet. They’re a pain in the ass, you know?” 

Her eyes widened as she stood straighter on her chair. “But Gojo-sensei, they might already know!” 

“Eh, why do you say that?” 

“There were some bugs in the detention center... some devices embedded with cursed energy-” Akari said. 

“Oh, those! It wasn’t the higher-ups. At Jujutsu High, we have barriers and incantations that can trap cursed spirits. So if they had seen you at the detention center, they could’ve stopped the operation, resorting to trapping the special grade and waiting for a higher grade sorcerer to take care of it.” 

“So it really was a ploy.” Akari gritted her teeth. She had been played like a fool. When the students entered the detention center, the victims must’ve already been long dead. It had never been a rescue; it was supposed to be murder right from the start. 

“So, that’s why we’ve registered Yuji as deceased!” Gojo beamed. 

Akari choked, taken by surprise by Gojo’s sudden announcement. 

“You’ll stay here at Jujutsu High and discover what’s going on with you and Sukuna, and Yuji will come live at my house for the time being,” Gojo supplied, “and at the Goodwill Event we’ll hopefully have everything sorted out.” 

“Wha- Why? Why the Goodwill Event?” Akari sputtered. 

“For us to win against Kyoto High, of course!” Gojo stood up, “now that we’re settled, you can come out. Yuji is waiting for you outside.” 

“Wait, how long it is exactly until the event?” Akari watched as Gojo undid the overcomplicated knots. 

“Hm, two months, I reckon,” he smirked, “the second day is the best! The individual battles are thrilling.” 

“T-two months, Gojo-sensei? I can’t possibly solve this in two months!” She protested, right hand released. “If I had no clue how to exorcise Sukuna when he was in Yuji’s body, imagine now that he’s in mine!” 

“Shoko will help you. She’s fantastic at this stuff, you know?” He added, finishing his work, “come on.” He called out and stepped out the door. 

Still spiraling, Akari followed Gojo into a wide, empty corridor which ended in a staircase. He let her to the floor above and indicated a door for her to enter. As she stepped into a bright room, she was greeted with her brother pulling her into his arms in a disorienting hug. 

“Kari! You’re okay!” He breathed out. 

“You’re okay too,” she said, relieved. 

“Do you feel pain? Anything? Is he talking in your head?” Yuji blurted out and checked up on her temperature. 

“I’m feeling fine, Yuji,” she reassured, laughing at him for thinking she would have a fever. “and I don’t hear anything in my head, either...”  

“What? You Don’t?” He asked. 

“Yeah. I don’t feel any different. Like, at all.” 

“How can you? You ate his finger!” Yuji gasped. Absentmindedly, Akari glanced around the room, and realized it was windowless; she concluded they must have been underground. The room was spacious and furnished with a big brown rug, a pair of sofas, and wide shelves of books. Gojo had remained in the hallway, most likely giving them space to talk. 

Yuji spoke up again, snapping her off her thoughts, “did Gojo sensei already talk to you?” 

“Yeah, he did. He told me everything.” She sighed, “Yuji, I-” 

“I’m sorry.” Yuji cut in, “I’m sorry for what I said yesterday, Akari. About grandpa.”  

Akari blinked and offered a smile, “it’s okay, Yuji. I’m sorry for lashing out at you like I did,” she bit her lip, “in the end, I think you’re right. I’m too selfish-” 

“No, you’re not! You did so much to protect us, you’re doing all the hard work, doing research, studying jujutsu... for me.” His shoulders sagged, “We rarely see each other now. I was the selfish one.” 

Akari pursed her lips, “Thanks, Yuji, but you’re far from selfish. After all, you’re the one who wants to carry on with grandpa’s death wish.” She scratched her neck, “if I was truly selfless, I wouldn’t have done what I did. With Sukuna.” 

Yuji shook his head in response, “it was my fault. I tried really hard to come back, but I just... couldn’t. I could just watch. I’m sorry.” 

“But if you hadn’t switched with Sukuna, then we all would be dead. You had no choice. It is what it is, we can’t change what happened.” 

He sighed. “What do you plan to do now?” 

“Get stronger. Exorcise Sukuna. Find a way out of this funk. And once I do, I'll definitely get back at those geezers.” Akari asserted, “Gojo-sensei is giving us a chance to fight back. We have to make the most out of it.” 

“You’re right,” He agreed, “I just wish I didn’t have to go away, you know? I was getting used to living here at Jujutsu High.” 

“Me, too. Oh no, who’s going to make me milk pudding now?” Akari brought a hand to her chest, “what a terrible turn of events!” 

Yuji pushed her shoulder, chuckling, “you’ll survive, dumbass.” 

“No, Yuji. This is serious business.” Akari objected, “I expect compensation once you come back.” 

“And what do I get in return?” He asked, skeptical. 

“The undying love of your big sister, of course!” She smiled. 

“Not enough.” 

Akari rose an eyebrow. 

“Just... keep an eye on Fushiguro and Kugisaki. For me. I mean, I know you’ll keep an eye on Kugisaki either way, she’s the only thing you look at these days-” 

“What!” Akari shrieked, silencing him. “No, I don’t! What are you talking about!” Her face heated up more with each word. 

Yuji snickered, “I’m your brother, of course I know when you have a crush.” He puffed his chest proudly. 

Akari was mortified. Was she that much obvious that even Yuji noticed her stupid crush? If so, who else had noticed? Had Kugisaki noticed?  

“You look like a tomato. A big, dumb, obvious tomato in love.” Yuji teased, brows quirking up. 

“Stop, I get it!” She grumbled. “I’ll do it. I’ll keep an eye on them, and we don’t talk about this anymore.” 

Yuji shook his head, “no, no. We will talk about this. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I always tell you when I have a crush!” He pouted. 

Akari sagged. “I... we haven’t seen each other much, lately. And I wanted to tell you. But I didn’t feel comfortable with Sukuna listening in.” She admitted, ashamed. 

Yuji scratched his nape, “So I actually... kind of lied before. It wasn’t me that noticed your crush.” 

Akari’s stomach churned. “Who was it then?” Had it been Kugisaki?  

Yuji grinned. “It was... Sukuna. He kind of commented on it once, and I picked up on it from him.” 

Akari gaped, “what! He talked to you? You talked to each other? About me! About my crush!” She felt sick to her stomach now. 

“No, he usually commented on stuff we saw, but I didn’t answer him. But yeah, he noticed it quickly. He was very observant of everything.” He scratched his head. “Right now, my head is so empty it’s weird.” 

“Wasn’t it always empty?” Akari chuckled nervously, desperately trying to get her mind off the conversation about her crush. “But he saw everything you did? Like, even taking showers?” 

Yuji seemed unbothered by the question, “well, yes.” 

“Didn’t you feel like your privacy was being invaded? Did you shower with your eyes closed?” 

“Well, being seen naked didn’t bother me... but there were things I couldn’t do with him seeing.” He smiled sheepishly. 

Oh. Oh no.  

“Yuji, I didn’t need to know that!” Akari punched his shoulder, her face heating up again. 

He gasped, “It was you who asked!” 

“I asked about showers, not about you touching yourself, you twit!” 

“Isn’t it the same thing?” Yuji inquired, rubbing his shoulder. 

“Good Lord, of course it’s not-” Akari halted, “that’s why you took so long in the bathroom!” 

“I refrain from answering!” He announced stiffly. 

“And I refrain from this conversation.” She ended, mortified. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

After biding goodbye to Yuji, Akari went to gather his belongings with Gojo. She packed up as fast as she could, prioritizing his clothes and some manga she knew he cherished the most. Gojo assured her she could visit her brother at any time, just by asking Ijichi for a ride. Thanking him profusely, they parted ways. 

She was practically dying from starvation by then, so she made a beeline to the kitchen, and secretly raided the fridge. She scarfed down multiple onigiri, leftover salmon and an entire pot of pickled turnip. Overcome with a mixture of bliss and guilt, she mentally apologized to Fujiwara-san with each bite, hoping she’d never find out it was Akari that ate all her leftovers, specially out of the scheduled meal periods. 

She sneaked away to the bathroom, took a hot shower to get the grime out of her body, and finally went back to the dormitories. Her belly was so full she immediately collapsed on top of her bed. 

That’s what happened before she woke up in this place.  

A vast glade, bordered by a dense, overgrown forest, towering mountains and a serene, crystal-clear lake. The glade itself was a carpet of soft, bright green grass, inviting and fresh. An assortment of wildflowers of extensive colors and sizes danced in the gentle breeze, perfuming the air with the scent of blossoms and the earthy tones of the forest. 

The field was silent, lined only by the whisper of the wind, the rustle of grass and foliage. There was a single tree that stood alone on the field, stubborn, robust and majestic. Its trunk was so large that it would take three people just to hug it. Serene as it was, there was something undoubtedly unnerving about the place; there weren’t any animals in sight, no butterflies, birds or squirrels, not a single living soul. 

A familiar feeling struck her. Akari had been here before. Or better, she had seen this place before. On her dreams, more than once. This was the exact place she had seen a boy and a woman talking to each other. She didn’t remember much; she didn’t give importance to those dreams. What were they called, again? Nishida, and... Yuna? 

And to add up even more to her confusion, she woke up in strange clothing. She wore a beige yukata, the fabric outlined with a strip of rose red and the sleeves adorned with a simple pattern of flowers. The obi was of the same color of the red details, stamped with small white flowers. It was beautiful and fit her perfectly. She would have been ecstatic to be wearing such a pretty set, had she known how the hell she got in that attire in the first place. 

Doubting if this was another dream, she pinched herself, but the pain felt real.  

Akari had been trying to understand what was going on for the past hour. She wandered through the glade, stumbling upon some crumbled tori gates, an overgrown, long stone path, and an abandoned shrine on the end of said path. By the lake, she found a small gazebo at which she sat for a while, trying to spot fish in the water. She found none. 

It was when she returned to the lone tree that she saw a human figure sitting obscured by its shadow. She bunched up her yukata and set off on a sprint towards the tree, eager for answers. 

“Hey!” She screamed, trying to draw their attention. As she approached them, she could make out that the person also wore a light Yukata, like hers but detailed in navy blue. “I’m sorry, can you help me-” as the person rose to their feet, she was cut off by surprise. 

In front of her loomed a tall and broad figure, twice her height and width. When he rose, his yukata pooled around his hips, revealing a well-built torso. In place of his navel, resided the terrifying sight of a mouth. Akari's mind flooded with images of this mouth ravaging human flesh, swallowing whole craniums and ripping apart the limbs of its foes.

Tormented by terror, she diverted her gaze to two pairs of muscular arms, all covered in distinct black tattoos. Said markings also covered his face, in the same pattern seen in Yuji’s face when Sukuna took over. He bore two pairs of eyes, both darkened crimson and sharp with malice. His hair was medium-length, voluminous, wavy and blond . 

Akari shivered with fear as she stared up at the terrifying figure she’d seen in her worst nightmares; visions of blood, severed body parts, guts and death seared her head. Sounds of tormenting wails, weeping and wretched whimpers reverberating in her ears. She was paralyzed, unable to escape from the torrent of cursed memories. 

“What do you want, girl?” His eyes glinted, cold and menacing. 

Calm down. He can’t hurt you. You have a binding vow.  

Her teeth chattered. “W-what are you doing here?”  

Sukuna chuckled, voice raucous and dense, “me? I’m merely taking a stroll on this quaint little glade.” 

Akari took a breath. “Where are we? What is this place?” 

He stepped into the light, crossing a pair of his arms. “This is an innate domain.” 

Akari finally moved, taking a step back in return. An innate domain would mean they were inside a sorcerer’s mind. Since Akari couldn’t access her own, the only logical conclusion was... “Your innate domain? W-Why am I here?” She asked, cursing herself for stuttering. 

“ My domain? ” Sukuna jested. “Lamentable. You’re as braindead as your brother.” He raised a finger and gestured to the glade, “this poor excuse of a domain is yours, fool.” 

“It can’t be mine. I don’t have one.” She rebutted, staring at his arms. Akari shivered as her mind conjured a memory of him suspending a man in the air by his neck, blood seeping from his mouth and sliding down the curve of Sukuna’s forearm.  

He glared at her. “Every sorcerer has an innate domain. This is basic Jujutsu, stupid girl.” 

“So how do I get out?” She asked, ignoring his condescending comment.  

Akari reminded herself not to fear him. Their binding vow kept her safe, she repeated like a mantra, hoping to calm down her pounding heart and sweaty hands. 

He rolled his eyes, “the same way you got in.” 

“And how did you get in?” She defied. 

He turned away from her, in a move to step away, “I’m not in the mood to answer your idiotic questions.” 

“Wait!” With a surge of courage, or perhaps stupidity, she threw herself in Sukuna’s way. “Why are you in here, if this is my domain?” She demanded, attempting bravado. 

“Move.” He stated, voice steely and daunting. 

“Answer me!” She trembled. 

“You have three seconds to move .” Sukuna repeated, words laced with irritation. 

Unlike in their previous encounter, he didn’t announce the seconds as they passed. For a beat, he stood stoically in front of Akari, his four-eyed stare piercing through at her. At first, she had no intention of obeying his command; she believed firmly in the protection her binding vow offered. However, as she locked eyes with his crimson gaze, a deep, primal, thundering fear took over every cell of her body, her hairs standing on end. 

Instinctively, she leaped out of his way like a frightened lamb. A millisecond later, he lashed his hand upwards in a single swift, sharp blow.  Akari could only watch in horror as in the exact place she’d been standing moments ago, the ground ruptured, splitting up in a deep cleft that extended for meters away. 

She collapsed on the grass, the world spinning and her knees weak. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari’s eyes snapped open, a cold sweat clinging to her skin as her breath came in erratic gasps. She clutched her chest, heart pounding exhaustively against her ribs. She curled up in a ball and laid on her bed, trying desperately to recollect herself. 

Sukuna would’ve killed her. She was naïve to think the contrary, binding vow or not.  

What was she thinking? He was the king of curses; one of the strongest sorcerers that ever lived. He knew the intricacies of binding vows like the back of his hand. Perhaps he even knew a way to break them without consequence. 

She took deep breaths, attempting to steady her racing heart. Her mouth became parched, throat dry from hyperventilation. Sitting up, she reached for a glass of water she had left on her bedside table, trembling hands causing the water to ripple within the cup. She focused on the coldness of the liquid as it glided down her throat, another attempt to ground herself. 

Akari was caught up in a wretched cycle of attempting to calm herself down and quell her fear. The passing of time became blurred as she fluctuated between temporary respite and plunging back into despair. However, amidst her turmoil, she finally regained control of her breath. 

Once her mind cleared, she checked her phone and realized it was already two in the morning. 

She slid open the door to the backyard, inhaling the cold air and listening attentively to the sound of cicadas. She went back to her room and retrieved her whittling tools and a block of basswood she had bought in a previous trip to the city. 

Sitting on the poorly lit backyard porch, she started carving. 

Akari drew whatever came to mind on the block - a small fox. It was simple, intuitive and easy design. As she slowly and deliberately chiseled away at the soft wood, she let her mind rest once again. 

The sharp knife slid smoothly into the block, wood shavings falling onto her lap one after the other as the small piece gained shape. Her mind threatened to wander away, but she kept pulling her focus back to the task at hand, alert. 

The last thing she wanted was to go back to sleep. She would remain awake, even she had to carve the entire night away. 

Truth be told, she was completely lost, frightened to the bone. She had come close to death multiple times in the past month, felt more impotent that she ever did her entire life, lost her grandfather, moved away from home, distanced herself from her brother, and now, being indefinitely bonded to Sukuna, her life was at the mercy of the Jujutsu heads. 

Despite being Sukuna’s host, Yuji had been fine. He had retained control over his body and mind. With more time, Akari might have found a way to save him. However, she only had a month before the higher-ups tore everything apart. They forced a premature death onto her brother, which resulted in her predicament. 

She now had a cruel deadline, the Goodwill event. Thinking she could exorcise Sukuna in such a short notice was foolish; at this point, her days were numbered, and she could not possibly escape from her demise. Once the higher-ups knew about her connection with Sukuna, they would discard her just like they planned to do to Yuji. 

Should she hope for the best or be prepared for the worst? Could she reclaim her dreams or even live a normal life after this? Akari doubted it. 

Running away was not an option; she would put not only Yuji at risk, but also innocent people, by bringing Sukuna with her. Weak as she was, Akari was also sure other Jujutsu sorcerers would find her in no time. 

Shouldn’t she have made the pact with Sukuna? What if she had tried to escape, or even attacked him? What if she wasn’t such a coward? 

At least, Yuji was safe. His execution would be revoked, and he would live. At least one good thing came out of her misery. She had come to Jujutsu High to save her brother, after all. 

As a lone tear slid down her cheek, she wiped it down immediately. She closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing. 

She focused back on the task at hand. However, shadow obscured her vision, and she looked up to find that Fushiguro stood behind her, his outstretched hand holding a small box of strawberry milk. 

“I’m sorry for interrupting. I just wanted to give you this.” He offered, voice soft. 

Surprised, Akari accepted the small box. It was her favorite drink from the school’s vending machines. 

He nodded and turned to leave, but Akari stopped him. “Did the light wake you? I’m sorry, I can turn it off.” She pointed to the porch lamp. 

“No, I just... can’t sleep,” he admitted, hesitating. 

Akari offered a smile. “Yeah, I get it. Me neither." She confessed, her own insomnia a result of fear and worry. 

Unexpectedly, he offered his condolences, “I’m sorry for your loss.” 

She blinked, momentarily puzzled. Loss? What was he talking about? 

His voice held a tinge of regret as he continued, “I’m also sorry for what happened at the detention center... if I had been more careful... maybe your brother would still be alive.” 

“Oh, I-” Akari quickly rose to her feet, eyes widening with realization, “it really wasn’t your fault, Fushiguro-kun... we shouldn’t have been sent to the detention center in the first place.” She clenched her fists. “And... we had no other option to stop that special grade.” 

He raised his head, eyes sad, “I also acted out of line with you, trying to knock you unconscious. Again, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” 

“It’s okay. Looking back at it now, maybe it would’ve been better if you knocked me out.” She said with a dry chuckle, “you were only trying to help. I would’ve done the same.” 

Fushiguro nodded, not meeting her eyes. His shoulders sagged, and Akari’s heart clenched at the sight. She could tell the boy blamed himself for Yuji’s death, but, as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t reassure him by revealing her brother was alive. 

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Akari spoke, offering her sympathy in return. 

Fushiguro stared at her, unsure. 

“I mean, your dog, the shikigami,” she clarified 

He blinked before he nodded in understanding. “Oh, thank you. But she’s not entirely gone.” 

“Ah, did you merge her then?” She inquired, curious. 

His brow rose, “Yes, I merged her to the other divine dog. How did you know about that?” 

His eyes gleamed under the yellow lamp of the porch, sincere, open and curious. Akari gripped her milk box, wondering why exactly she had thought Fushiguro to be a bad person. She couldn’t remember. 

Akari sat down on the porch, patting down the spot next to her. If she was going to stay awake the entire night, some company would certainly make it bearable, not to mention less miserable.  After another moment of hesitation, he settled beside her. 

“I read about it in a book, I reckon. There’s a lot of information out there about the Ten Shadows technique.” She opened her strawberry milk, taking a sip, “Did your shikigami have a name?” 

Fushiguro blinked, considering her question. “A name?” 

“Yeah, like when you name a pet.” 

“Shikigami aren’t pets.” He frowned. 

“But you really didn’t have a name for any of them?” Akari asked. 

Fushiguro pursed his lips, hesitating before answering, “It was Lily.” 

Akari smiled. “Thanks for telling me. It’s a pretty name.” She took another sip of her drink. “What about the black one? Does he have a name?”  

Fushiguro paused again before muttering, “Black.” 

The unexpected simplicity of the name caught her off guard, and she burst into sputtering laughter. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.” She said, wiping away tears from her eyes. 

“I’m not good with names. It was my sister that came up with Lily’s name.” He confessed, cheeks lightly flushed. 

“It’s not bad. It’s just... I wasn’t expecting it.” She grinned, “were you young when you first received the dogs?” 

“I was five. I didn’t know what Jujutsu was, and no one else could see them, so it was quite... shocking.” He added. 

“So your sister could see them, too?” Akari asked. 

He shook his head. “No, she’s not a sorcerer. She thought the dogs were imaginary” He smiled. “She said we could keep them, and she named Lily as I described the dog to her.” 

Akari smiled. “Your sister seems really nice.” 

Fushiguro shifted, looking away with a grim expression on his face. “She is.” 

Akari eyed him for a moment, considering him. Fushiguro had always been quiet and reserved, only speaking when he deemed relevant or when he was addressed. While Akari may have thought his silence was snobbish, his sensibility, dependability and accountability over his actions proved the contrary. 

The possibility of him talking to Akari out of guilt or pity crossed her mind, but she quickly swatted it away. She didn’t know him much, but Fushiguro didn’t seem the type to go out of his way just to appease his conscience. Furthermore, Yuji liked him, and he’d always had much better judgement of character than her. 

The awkward silence hung in the air for a few more moments. Though Fushiguro had been talkative before, it was clear that his sister was a sensitive topic. The last thing Akari wanted was to push too far and ruin the pleasant conversation. 

“What about your other shikigami? Do they have names?” She asked. 

They spent the rest of the night talking about shikigami, cursed techniques and sorcery. Fushiguro showed Akari his shikigami, listing their names and telling her how he got each one of them. Sensing Fushiguro’s appreciation of animals, Akari told him some stories of Hopscotch, peppering the conversation with random facts about roosters and hens. However, he vehemently disagreed when she made a point of shikigami being animals or pets. 

After an arduous debate, they met each other halfway, settling on the notion of shikigami being akin to Pokémon instead. 

They also exchanged knowledge from books, from which Akari discovered Fushiguro to be some kind of nerd when it came to Jujutsu. She then took the opportunity to ask further about innate domains and how exactly they worked. He explained concepts like domain expansion and its intricacies, such as the importance of barriers and the vulnerabilities in a domain. Even though his explanation was brilliant, it didn’t help Akari understand what happened on her previous encounter with Sukuna. 

The sun began to rise in the horizon, and Akari and Fushiguro returned to their rooms. As the hour neared six in the morning, she hastily dressed herself in her uniform, heading directly to the school infirmary. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“That wasn’t your innate domain,” stated Ieiri, laying back on her chair, “you and Sukuna cannot access each other’s innate domains because of your incompatibility. Had that happened, your connection to the domain would disrupt immediately.” 

“But- then where were we at?” Akari chewed her nails. 

“An innate domain,” Ieiri supplied, rubbing her eyelids. Her eyebags looked darker than usual. The infirmary was permeated with the faint smell of cigarettes, a disordered assortment of papers scattered on the doctor's desk.

Akari choked, “what- what do you mean! If it wasn't mine or Sukuna’s, who's innate domain was it?” 

“The constant clash of your energies was possibly the force that manifested it,” Ieiri explained, “that theory would also entail you were pulled into the domain by that same force.” 

“So, you’re saying it’s a domain that is both mine and Sukuna’s?” Akari paced around the infirmary, “what does that even mean? Can he- can he exploit the domain and use it as an opening to take over my body?” 

“Maybe. And please stop fidgeting around, or you might break something.” 

“But, Ieiri-san, what should I do? What if he takes over my body, we’re doomed-” 

“Stop,” the woman commanded. Akari obeyed and ceased her pacing. “Akari, didn’t you say your binding vow prevented Sukuna from causing harm to others so long you’re his host?” 

“Yes, but-” 

Ieiri rose a finger, “So even if he takes over, by himself, he’s not much of a threat. Yes, the domain is a vulnerability that he can exploit, but that goes both ways. You can also access his soul through your connection.” 

Akari’s eyes widened in realization. 

“This is the chance you’ve been waiting for, Akari. To exorcise Sukuna.” 

Chapter Text

Ch. 9 – Dorayaki, Onigiri and Face Masks

Anguished, unsatisfied and sluggish, Akari left the infirmary.  

Ieiri’s theory supposedly revealed an advantage Akari had over Sukuna, but much to the doctor’s chagrin, the riveting news just served to aggravate the girl’s nerves even further. 

She had very little experience with Jujutsu, and every new encounter with a cursed spirit was accompanied by a different near-death situation. This fact alone confirmed what she knew all along; she was doomed. 

If her and Sukuna’s innate domain was a two-way street between them, then whoever was fastest won, right? 

In a Jujutsu race, Akari was slow. Tortoise-worthy slow. 

And she doubted slow and steady would win the race this time. 

Tired and agitated at the same time, Akari chose to sit down and breathe. She couldn’t let anxiety get the best of her, not when it mattered so much that she stood strong. 

She surveyed her surroundings and recognized the main building’s patio; a vast area surrounded by vivid trees and bushes, adorned with mossy Buddhist statues. A gentle morning breeze carried the scent of fresh grass. Her life had been so hectic in the past weeks that she barely even paused to take in the scenery. Jujutsu High was peacefully beautiful, despite being an operational center for such a gruesome activity as the exorcism of cursed spirits. 

Truthfully, Akari enjoyed living in Jujutsu High; the food was incredible (though not as good as Yuji’s), the dormitories were cozy, the buildings were spacious and clean, the surrounding nature was beautiful, and the teachers were compelling and highly knowledgeable. 

If only the circumstances were different, maybe she would’ve been glad to become a Jujutsu sorcerer. It was a virtuous profession, sorcery was incredible, and to top it off, they earned tremendously well... 

Who was she kidding? She could never be a Jujutsu sorcerer. 

Her phone pinged in her pocket. 

Opening the message she received, Yuji had sent her a picture. 

There were dorayakis, of both custard cream and adzuki bean paste. Smooth and shiny, the small honey pancakes made her mouth water, empty stomach growling in protest. Akari had terribly sweet tooth, and dorayakis were one of her favorite sweets. 

[7:35 AM] 

Yuji: breakfast time :9 

[7:37 AM] 

Akari: You waited to be OUT of Jujutsu High to make those??? WHY? D:< 

[7:37 AM] 

Yuji: do u know how hard it is to convince Fujiwara-san to let someone use the kitchen? 

Yuji: she's like that three-headed dog that guards hell 

Yuji: but she guards the kitchen 

[7:38 AM] 

Akari: She likes you. 

Akari: Bet you didn’t even ask to use the kitchen. 

Akari: And the name of the dog is Cerberus. 

[7:39 AM] 

Yuji: I did ask her!!! 

Yuji: then we can call her Fujiwarberus-san :D 

Yuji: btw, did you know Gojo sensei had never used his kitchen before? 

[7:39 AM] 

Akari: The man is already busy enough as it is. 

Akari: Clean the kitchen after you’re done >:( 

Akari: And don’t call the poor old lady that. 

[7:39 AM] 

Yuji: aye aye captain 

Yuj: I’ll ask Ijichi to bring u some dorayakis later 

[7:40 AM] 

Akari: You better!!!! I will never forgive you if you eat them all. 

Yuji sent another picture, but this time, it showed Gojo eating a handful of delicious looking dorayakis, a goofy smile plastered on his face. 

Akari was about to type a response when a hand on her shoulder startled her. Her heart leaped out of her chest, head snapping up to find Kugisaki staring at her with furrowed brows. 

“I’m sorry, Akari-san... it’s just, I called you a couple of times, but you didn’t hear...” she trailed off, glancing at Akari’s phone screen. 

Akari quickly hid her phone in her pocket. Had Kugisaki seen the messages? The photo? Akari prayed she didn’t. 

“I’m sorry, Kugisaki-san, I was just... checking out a recipe.” Akari smiled, palms sweaty. 

“Oh, right,” she replied, unconvinced. Thankfully, she didn’t pry further. “I didn’t see you at breakfast today. Have you eaten?” 

Her stomach growled loudly, betraying her hunger. Akari’s face burned with embarrassment. 

“I- er. No,” she stammered, her head hanging low. 

Kugisaki sat down beside her.  A soft rustling told Akari the other girl had brought a plastic bag with her. Peeking out from under her bangs, she noticed Kugisaki offered her a small bento box with rice, grilled fish, umeboshi and vegetables. 

“Fujiwara-san let me bring this to you,” she smiled, “she said it was only once; next time you have to eat at the dining hall.” 

Akari took the bento, mouth salivating, “thanks, Kugisaki-san.” 

“It’s nothing. I was worried about you,” she replied. 

Butterflies fluttered in Akari’s stomach, blood rushing to her face once again. She had to remind herself that Yuji had supposedly died two days ago, aware that Kugisaki was only worried about her because of her loss. However, as she thought of Nobara’s words, Akari couldn’t help her giddiness. She bit her lip, trying to prevent a smile from escaping. 

They sat silently for a while, Akari happily eating her bento and Kugisaki staring out at the trees, her thoughts elsewhere. 

Kugisaki broke the silence first. “Once, when me and Yuji were out sparring, he told me a story about how you learned karate for him.”  

Akari chuckled, “he liked that story too much. Told that to everyone,” she munched on the rice, reminiscing. “He had just been kicked out of his dojo and had no one else to train with. It was no big deal, though. I ended up enjoying karate in the end.” 

“But it was a big deal to him,” Kugisaki said softly, leaning in. “He told me how you completely destroyed your bedsheet to craft a karate kimono for yourself.” 

Akari chuckled again, bashful for their closeness and overtaken by nostalgia. “Oh, that was such a bad idea! Grandpa was furious. He even found out I had cut a towel into strips to make karate belts for us,” she sighed, the memory of Wasuke making her heart sink. “He made me sew them back together but bought me a proper kimono afterwards.” 

She was startled once again by the other girl, who squeezed Akari’s shoulder a sweet, simple gesture. Hypnotized, Akari held her breath as she was drawn into Kugisaki’s sweet, warm gaze. 

“Yuji told me you were the best sibling he could ever wish for; that you’ve always taken care of him, even when it was difficult,” she smiled sadly, “he admired you a lot. Your dedication, passion and sense of duty. Sometimes, he felt guilty for pulling you along to Jujutsu High, but he was mostly grateful to have you by his side.” 

Akari’s breath hitched, tears welling up in her eyes. 

“You’re amazing, Akari. Yuji was really proud of you,” Kugisaki finished, brows furrowing and eyes glistening. 

Contrary to Kugisaki’s belief, Yuji was safe and sound, and would even be relieved from his death sentence after the Goodwill Event. Therefore, there was no reason for Akari to weep or be sad over Kugisaki’s words. Everything was well. 

A cascade of tears slid over Akari’s cheeks, and she hiccupped, clumsily wiping them away. Kugisaki’s arms enveloped her, comforting, solacing and steady. Akari snuggled into the other girl’s embrace, face nestled on her shoulder and food forgotten. 

Words clogged up in Akari’s throat, ran over by her sobs. More than anything, she wanted to tell her friend about everything she was going through.  

She wanted back her small house, her grandfather, her brother. She wanted to sleep in on Saturdays and wake up to Yuji cooking them dorayakis. Akari missed the lazy Sunday afternoons she spent sparring with her brother or being pulled along to watch the trash movies Yuji enjoyed so much. Akari never thought she would want this, but she wanted to go back to working part-time and earning a shitty salary. Countless times, she wished all of this was nothing but a terrible nightmare. 

Her mind was a whirlwind of “what ifs”. What if she had not accepted the binding vow with Sukuna? What if she had been able to prevent Yuji from eating Sukuna’s finger? What if they had discovered Wasuke’s cancer earlier? What if she had tried to make amends with Rika? What if she had protected Hopscotch’s house better? What if she had been stronger? 

These questions haunted her, together with her fear of Sukuna and her impending execution by the higher-ups. 

Ieiri had strictly advised her about keeping her situation secret. The less people knew, the less chance they had of it being discovered. Furthermore, if the higher-ups ended up finding out about Akari’s situation, Kugisaki would have been an accomplice, and Akari would never forgive herself if something happened to the girl. 

Hiccupping with abandon, she gripped Kugisaki’s coat. Akari was probably ruining her uniform, but she allowed herself to be a little selfish, and hugged her for a little longer. Kugisaki petted her head in silence, and soon Akari’s sobs ceased. 

“T-thanks, N-Nobara,” she hiccupped. 

Nobara squeezed her a little tighter, “it’s nothing.”  

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari detested feeling sorry for herself. It made her feel impotent and pathetic. And these self-degrading feelings resulted in sadness, which in turn brought about more self-pitying, which just started the dreaded cycle all over again. 

That’s why she chose to occupy her mind with work instead. 

After classes were over, Akari sought a shadowed tree by the school gardens. She spread out a blanket and sat down, sifting through Jujustu books, her notes and Ijichi’s research. 

Exorcising Sukuna was entirely possible. She just needed to find how.  

As Akari immersed herself in Ijichi’s collection of notes, she became impressed at the level of detail, organization and fluidity. He had put together for her a formidable number of papers, book excerpts and notes of his own.  

Despite the extensive content, very little information was useful to Akari, now that she was Sukuna’s host instead of Yuji. 

One of the papers Ijichi compiled theorized possible the transferal of hosts using a binding vow. The author conducted various experiments to prove himself right, but all of them were fruitless. The theory was half-right; it was only short of a connection between the hosts. In Akari’s case, it had been one of Sukuna’s fingers. 

Some other information she already knew of; the cursed object merges to the host, if the host isn't strong enough, the cursed object completely takes over them and their form. Applying reversed cursed technique didn’t work, either. Some authors strongly believed that to be due to the souls of the curse and host being completely tethered together. 

But none of that applied to her and Sukuna’s case. 

A single excerpt from a book caught Akari’s eye.  

Chronicles of Cursed Artifacts, page 57  

“‘The treasure on a climbable mountain is killed for the harshness of winter.’  

A couple of years ago, I was invited to stay in the Zen’in Estate to conduct a series of studies on the clan’s collection of unidentified cursed objects.  

The Zen’in family is one of the Three Big Sorcerer Families, known for their mastery in the arcane arts, heritage interwoven with the mystic forces of ancient Japan. It was a rare opportunity to explore every nook and cranny of the estate’s warehouse and enrichen my own personal research on cursed objects.  

Time was of essence and in my flurry, I foolishly made such an unfortunate choice as to take my dimwitted research partner with me.  

The man was a rotund amalgam of hair, sweat and inverted feet. I felt sorry for him and decided to give him the opportunity to assist me in such a remarkable job. He was harmless so long you kept him away from the kitchen.  

On the third evening of our stay, the bumbling walrus of my research partner got his grimy hands on one of the Zen’in family most esteemed cursed objects; the amulet of the Twin Foxes. He prattled on about its immense power and how it could be used. I immediately demanded he returned it to its original place and that he didn’t touch it again.  

Much to my chagrin, on the last evening of our stay, dinner was ruined by the revelation that my partner had ruefully disobeyed me. The gruesome image has forever been seared in my memory.  

His face twisted in agony as a violent tremor seized his body. His desperate gasps for air grew labored, his eyes bulged with terror. He whined in pain, whimpering and wheezing like a pig. Clutching his stomach, he spewed out a mixture of blood and black substance. That liquid also oozed from his nostrils and eyes, staining his face and clothes.  

He wailed in despair, and the smell of burnt flesh suffused the dining room. A collective gasp echoed as the man collapsed, his stomach seared open, blood, guts and charred skin bubbling together in a grotesque meat stew.  

He stilled, lifeless. Not a single soul moved. After what seemed like forever, the head of the clan strode towards the body, lowered down and with his gloved hand, retrieved an object from the open cavity in the corpse’s stomach.  

He rose it high, exhibiting the object that caused such an accursed destruction of my partner’s body.  

It was the amulet of the Twin Foxes.”    

A single, simple note accompanied the clipping. It said, “Cursed Object?”, an arrow darting to the “amulet of the Twin Foxes”. 

Akari had once heard of the Twin Foxes before, in a book called Shikigami: Jujutsu familiars. However, the book said the foxes' existence was just a popular legend and never proven to be true. 

She didn’t know for sure what both their powers were, but she recalled reading somewhere that the Black Fox possessed the ability to control cursed spirits at will. 

It was no wonder the amulet was such a treasured item; freely commanding cursed spirits was incredibly powerful, and the possibility of forming herds of cursed spirits could catastrophically scale up. 

Sukuna, he was a cursed spirit, wasn’t he? 

Akari wondered if such power would allow her to exorcise Sukuna, or to at least permanently neutralize him. 

The excerpt she’d just read revealed the talisman might exist. However, it would be secured inside the Zen’in family Estate. 

She needed more information on the Zen’in family, and she knew of one person that could help her. The biggest issue was that this person was Maki. Not only did they exchange little to no words, but also talking about Maki’s family was taboo, as Panda had once warned Akari. 

The grass rustled beside her, and she turned to find Panda and Inumaki approaching her, a three-tier bento box on Panda’s paws. 

“Akari! What a coincidence! Do you mind if we join you in your blanket?” Panda beamed. 

“Shake, Sujiko.” Inumaki said. Akari was trying to learn his onigiri-ingredient language and remembered “shake” combined with “sujiko” meant something along the lines of a greeting. She responded with a smile and a wave. 

“Yeah, we might have to squeeze a little bit tight to fit in, though,” she quickly gathered her research papers before they sat on them. 

“Good!” Panda said before unceremoniously plopping down by her side. Inumaki followed suit, sitting down in front of them.  

“What have you got there?” Akari pointed to the bento, mouth salivating. 

Panda grinned, unstacking the bento. Opening them, he revealed its contents. It was onigiri. Heaping amounts of onigiri. 

Inumaki’s eyes shone as he spoke directly to her, “Sujiko, Konbu, Okaka, Takana, Tsunamayo-” 

“Wait, wait,” Akari interrupted, “calm down, I’m trying to understand what you’re saying- sujiko and konbu, what do they mean-” 

“No, silly!” Panda cut in, “he’s just listing the onigiri flavors we’ve brought.” 

“Oh,” Akari snickered, bashful, “my bad. Sorry, Inumaki-kun.” 

“Shake,” Inumaki reassured, immediately going back to listing the onigiri fillings. 

“Do you like them?” Panda asked after Akari’s third rice ball. 

“Absolutely! Did you make them?” She exclaimed in bliss. 

“It was Inumaki!” Panda beamed, “he’s our onigiri sommelier, the best there is! Aren’t the onigiri refreshing? Isn’t the rice just perfect, fluffy and dreamy? Aren’t the fillings just right in proportion and flavor? They are perfectly balanced so that they can shine without entirely robbing the rice of its uniqueness!” 

Akari blinked, taken aback. She stared at the onigiri in her hand. It was surely delicious, tasty and soft. Only then she realized that she had been absentmindedly scarfing down the food, barely chewing.  

Onigiri was Wasuke’s favorite dish to make. During their childhood, Akari and Yuji would always have them for breakfast or to eat during lunch at school. Even after their grandfather got bedridden, Yuji perpetuated his tradition, putting onigiri every day in their bento boxes. Every bite she took was stuffed with a new wave of nostalgia and longing. 

“... that’s what Yuta would say,” Panda pointed out. 

Akari smiled sadly, “they’re amazing. Thanks for the onigiri, Inumaki-kun. Did Fujiwara-san let you use the kitchen?” 

“Shake.” 

“She only lets him use the kitchen. She’s got a soft spot for him.” Panda explained. 

Inumaki smiled, biting a mayo and tuna rice ball. He took out his phone and snapped a selfie of them eating together, “Takana, Sujiko.” 

“Send?” Akari inquired, looking at Panda for confirmation. 

“Yes, to Yuta. Inumaki always sends him photos of his onigiri,” he came closer to Akari and whispered, “he hopes it’ll make him come back from Africa sooner.” 

“Okaka,” Inumaki reprimanded, texting on his phone. 

“Anyway, Akari. I wanted to invite you for face mask night today,” Panda grinned. 

“Face mask... night?” 

“Yeah. With us...” Panda gestured to him and Inumaki, “...and Nobara!” 

Akari liked to think she wasn’t easily dissuaded. She was disciplined, organized and responsible. She had planned on doing research during the evening and practice channeling her energy before going to bed. Nothing could possibly stray her from her perfectly planned routine. However, the image of Nobara wearing cute pajamas and a face mask, chattering on about beauty routines instantly made her insides melt into a puddle. 

Akari looked away, covering her face with her bangs, “sounds nice.” 

She could skip channeling practice. Just for today. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“Ieiri-san, have you ever heard of the Twin Foxes?” Akari asked, tagging some medicine bottles. 

“Twin Foxes? No, I don’t think so.” She answered, carefully pouring a solution into a tube. “What are they?” 

“A pair of legendary shikigami. A book I read said one of them can control cursed spirits...” Akari trailed off. 

“Control cursed spirits, huh?” Ieiri sighed, eyes distant. “And you plan on trying to use this against Sukuna?” 

“Well... yes.” 

Ieiri quirked a brow. “Are you sure it’s going to work? Are you sure that Sukuna is a cursed spirit?” 

“What do you mean?” Akari asked, brows furrowed. 

“Sukuna is a jujutsu sorcerer, turned into a cursed object. He may very well be human.” The woman crossed her arms. “If that’s the case, this shikigami’s power won’t work on him.” 

“So if he’s human, I'll have to...” Akari gulped, eyes wide.  

It was disturbing to think of Sukuna as something other than a cursed spirit; if he was human, then “exorcising” him took another completely different meaning. Sukuna had killed thousands of people in the past, but would she have the courage to end a human life, even of a despicable being such as him? 

Ieiri didn’t need her to complete her sentence. “Before anything, you have to find and understand the core of his cursed energy. His own innate domain. Understand who he is, how his jujutsu and your own work. Then we might know what to do.” 

“But- how do I find it? what does it look like? How does it feel ?” Akari asked, frustrated. 

“I don’t do descriptions, you know that.” She said. “Besides, this isn’t easy to do. You have to train your perception of cursed energy first.” 

“I have been training! I can use energy on objects and even see residuals.” Akari protested. 

Ieiri shook her head, “you can use energy on weapons and taijutsu. But doing these simple energy manipulations and seeing energy residuals isn’t good enough,” she tapped her heel, “you need to understand the crux of cursed energy in individuals. Dig deeper into the core of Jujutsu.” 

Akari sighed, frustrated, “Ieiri-san, I don’t have time. How can I possibly learn this in two months? Isn’t this notion something you pick up over years of practice?” 

Ieiri nodded, “for the average jujutsu sorcerer, yes. But we have a card up our sleeves,” she nodded, “you’re ready to learn that now.” 

Akari’s eyes widened, realization coloring her face, “you mean I’m going to learn healing?” 

Ever since Akari first became able to use her energy, she had been pestering Ieiri with requests to teach her how to heal wounds. The woman had explained more than once that she wasn’t ready to learn the technique, and that she had to master the basics first. Ieiri even reinforced the importance of being resourceful when using reversed cursed technique, by making her learn how to suture wounds. Akari had religiously practiced energy manipulation every single day, eagerly waiting for the day that Ieiri would meet her request. 

“Yes,” she stood, “I can’t explain exactly why, but when you heal someone, you can feel the person’s energy and interact with it.” 

Akari frowned, “and that will make me better at detecting cursed energy?” 

“You'll get a tactile sense of other people’s cursed energies. It will certainly make your learning curve shallower,” Ieiri said, pulling a chair in front of her. 

Without missing a beat, Akari sat down with the doctor. “How do I do it? Where do I start?” 

Ieiri observed as Akari fussed with her uniform, “I will explain this only once,” the woman crossed her arms, “when you heal a wound, you feel this pull deep inside your belly. When you concentrate in the wound and start to heal it, it feels like you’re dipping your hands in water, and as the wound closes, it feels like grains are forming in the water, like sand.” Ieiri frowned, “I guess you can imagine it like you’re trying to transform water into sand.” 

“Ieiri-san...” that makes no fucking sense “...thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” 

“Good,” Ieiri got up and retrieved a tray she kept on a nursing cart. She sat back down, tray on the table beside them and a scalpel on her hand.  

“What are you doing?” Akari asked. 

“Demonstrating,” she stated, “I need you to watch closely and pay attention. Try your best to feel the energy working on the wound.” 

Akari nodded. 

Unflinching, Ieiri lowered the scalpel on her open palm. As the blade penetrated and slid over her skin, blood slowly oozed out of the growing wound. Ieiri calmly set the tool aside on the tray and held her right hand above her open palm. As she breathed in, the torn skin started to react. The edges of the wound quivered briefly before the flesh started to move, growing. The skin wove back together, folding in and on itself as if it was dancing. The small wound soon disappeared, leaving behind not a trace of the damage that marred the skin mere seconds ago.  

Despite having healed the cut, speckles of blood stained her palm. Ieiri took a tissue and cleaned it. “Did you understand?” She asked. 

Akari blinked, mesmerized, “that’s amazing.”  

She needed to learn how to do that. Not only because it was incredible, but tremendously useful as well. She wondered just how much more helpful she would be in missions and at the infirmary. Akari wanted to watch it again, understand exactly what was happening in the wound and how it worked. She reached for her phone, ready to ask if she could record Ieiri doing it again. 

She flinched, however, when the woman reached for the scalpel and cut her hand open again. 

“Heal it,” Ieiri extended her wounded palm. 

For a brief moment, Akari froze. Her mind struggled to make sense of Ieiri’s order, overtaken with a debate on whether or not the woman was serious, and if she was, excuse me, what the fuck?  

Akari resurfaced from her trance when the blood started to trickle down and taint Ieiri’s skin. She moved in a flurry, hands cold and trembling as she held Ieiri’s bleeding hand. Akari’s mind didn’t even process whatever it was that she was doing, eyes unblinking and unfocused as if she had been in a trance. 

Slow and cautious, she began to channel her energy onto the wound. She breathed in, focusing on the feeling of her energy engulfing the skin. Much to her disappointment, it acted more like an inefficient, ragged blanket than anything else. Ieiri waited patiently despite the blood that now dripped into the floor. 

Akari tried again, now with a bolder approach. Her energy ventured closer to the wound, tentatively tugging at the skin. At this moment, she was startled by a new feeling, like a static shock, which made her fingers flinch. She pressed on, dipping herself again into unfamiliar territory. She encountered the foreign energy once again, and it continuously brushed against her own, flowing around her like it was an impediment and then back into a stream. 

“I can feel your energy, Ieiri-san,” Akari said. 

“Good. Now, try to close the wound,” she responded, voice soothing. 

Encouraged and reassured, Akari used her energy to dive deeper at the wound, tugging again. Ieiri’s energy resisted the intruder, and as she tried to guide the skin back together, the resistance became even stronger.  

Like a fish swimming against the current, Akari floundered as the flesh slowly regenerated, weaving and folding like Ieiri had previously done, albeit with loose clumsiness. The pooling blood difficulted her vision, and she scrunched up her face in concentration. Akari’s mind slipped for a moment, and Ieiri winced as her skin was pulled. 

“Sorry,” Akari quavered. 

“Concentrate,” Ieiri reprimanded. 

Akari reeled her mind back to the task at hand and continued to apply energy to meld the flesh back together. Ieiri’s energy continued to resist, but as the wound closed, it cascaded down into another current, as if mending the torn skin was an escape valve for a pressure cooker. Sweat tickling down her brow, she held her breath as she finished healing Ieiri’s palm. 

Ieiri touched Akari’s shoulder, and she flinched back in surprise. Retrieving her bloodied hand, Ieiri wiped it clean, revealing the result of Akari’s unpracticed work. It looked far from pristine and smooth like it once had been; the skin was stretched and bumpy, dense in some places and thin in others. In the slit the cut had been, the skin was lifted, uneven and colored pink and raw, as if a toddler had pinched it together in a cruel joke. 

Akari gasped, “Ieiri-san, I'm sorry, it- it looks terrible- does it hurt?” She fretted. 

Ieiri blinked and shook her head. “No. No, it doesn’t hurt. It looks like this because you have to work on your technique...” she gaped at her hand, “but I have to say I’m impressed. Not even Yuta managed to do it on his first try,” she hovered her hand over the skin and slowly fixed it, her palm now smooth and scarless once again. 

“What? You didn’t think I could do it? Why did you make me then?” Akari inquired, breathless. 

Ieiri met her frustrated eyes, “because you needed a push, Akari,” she sighed, "it is as you’ve said. We don’t have time. We can’t wait or prepare for the perfect moment. We have to push through and do it.”  

Akari’s mind was split between anxiousness and relief. She dreaded being reminded she had two months to exorcise Sukuna, but at the same time, she was grateful that she had people to count on. Ieiri had guided her from her first day in Jujutsu High. Even if her methods were unconventional and confusing at times, Akari didn’t think she could’ve made this far without the woman’s help. 

“Ieiri-san, can I... ask you a question?” Akari said reluctantly. 

“Go on.” 

“Did... the higher-ups order you to train me?” Akari murmured, afraid of the answer. 

Ieiri hesitated before sighing. “They did.” 

 Akari deflated. “Oh.” 

“But I’m not doing it for them. I’m training you because I believe in you, Akari, and I want to help you as much as I can.” Ieiri stared straight at her eyes, a sweet smile tugging at her lips. “You’re much stronger than you imagine.” 

When Gojo revealed the higher-ups' interest in Akari's potential for healing, she'd been confused and worried about Ieiri. Doubt and suspicion crept up in Akari's mind, and she wondered if she could really trust the woman, or if everything she'd done for her had been merely taking orders.

Even though Ieiri said she'd been helping her out of her own volition, people often lied. Wasuke used to lie about not feeling pain or tiredness. Yuji lied about his bad grades and about not having gotten into fights whenever he came back with a purple eye and blood-speckled clothes. Hell, Akari herself lied about being too busy to go out with Yuji and his friends, not wanting to buy new clothes, or even not wanting to frivolously spend money at an arcade someday.

However, as Akari eyed the doctor’s tired face, she took note of her droopy eyelids and the dark, wrinkly circles adorning her eyes. When Akari entered the infirmary that morning and saw on Ieiri’s desk a collection of scribbled notes and images of cursed objects, she had known the woman stayed up until late the previous night doing research for her. Maybe she didn't even sleep.

Her heart rattled in her chest, and she blinked desperately to prevent tears from escaping. She hated crying in front of others. She wanted badly to thank Ieiri, but the words were choked in her throat. Pursing her lips and smiling, she nodded. 

“Are you alright? I’m sorry if it was too much,” Ieiri said. 

“No, it’s just-” Akari smiled, “I’m glad, thank you Ieiri-san.” she gulped. 

“Good,” Ieiri smiled in relief. “Anyway, you learned a lot faster that I thought you would. Can you sense my energy better now?” 

Blinking, Akari stared at her, finally realizing something different about the woman. Senses enhanced, she was now aware of the energy she had encountered while healing the wound, flowing inside Ieiri’s body.  

Eyes widened, Akari answered, “yeah. Yeah, I can.” 

“Good. Your perception of my energy has been augmented because you’ve interacted with it. Insofar as you keep healing others, you’ll get a better understanding of energy flow in general.” Ieiri explained, “it’s like... learning how to cook. Once you make a recipe, you understand it better, and as you keep on making different recipes, you get better at cooking in general.” 

“Ieiri-san, you know I can’t even cook rice, right?” 

Ieiri crossed her arms, “It was just an analogy. And you can’t go wrong with rice, Akari. You just put it in a rice cooker and let it be.” 

Akari sighed, “last time I tried it, the rice burned. Every food I try to make just burns.” 

Ieiri’s eyebrow quirked, “have you tried making a salad?” 

“Yeah, it burned too.” Akari admitted. 

“How the hell did you burn a salad ?”  

“It was Yuji’s birthday, so I was trying to make something special,” Akari began, squirming on her seat. “I thought, why not roast the vegetables a bit before tossing them into the salad? You know, for that extra smoky flavor. So, I put them in the oven and went to get a book. I was really into it, and... well, I might've lost track of time.” 

Ieiri's eyebrows shot up, a mixture of amusement and disbelief. “How long did you roast them for?” 

Akari's cheeks warmed as she mumbled, “about an hour.” 

Ieiri burst into laughter, eyes crinkling as her delight spilled into the room. Akari couldn't help but join in, realizing the sheer absurdity of what she had done. 

The woman wiped away a tear of laughter, trying to regain her composure, “point taken. No more cooking analogies from now on.” 

Akari grinned, lightheaded. 

Still smirking, Ieiri continued, “well, as I was saying, you’re in the right path. You just need to practice more, and that includes acquiring better dexterity with your energy and working on your control,” she got up and retrieved the beaker she had been using to pour a solution into a tube, “this is cough syrup. Inumaki-kun often relies on syrup and lozenges because his technique is harmful to his throat. Common medicine does help him, but only to an extent,” she rose the beaker, “that’s why I'm lacing it with positive energy. This will strengthen the protection offered by the syrup, especially against the damage of cursed energy. 

“And to do that, you need to maintain a steady and controlled flow of positive energy in the liquid as it falls,” Ieiri rose the beaker and tilted it, the concentrated substance trickling down into a tube she held with her other hand. As the syrup fell in a thin string, Ieiri’s energy looped and swirled around the liquid in a constant flow, slowly combining to it. The woman had been doing this ever since Akari stepped foot in the infirmary that afternoon, and she mistakenly thought Ieiri had only been rearranging Inumaki’s medicine into more manageable recipients. 

Akari watched in silence as Ieiri poured the syrup and completed the tube. She handed it to Akari, who observed as the positive energy swirled slowly before it stilled, melding completely to the liquid. 

“If you do so much as slip or apply the wrong quantity of energy, the energy will decant. The wound you healed looked like that because you need to maintain a steady flow of energy when healing. Doing this will help you practice.” 

Akari smiled at the medicine tube, thanking Ieiri once again. She would gladly repay Inumaki for his onigiri. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari wanted to bury herself in a hole and never come out ever again. 

But first, she needed to assassinate her brother. 

Yuji was the sole, idiotic, imbecile culprit to the disgraceful situation she found herself in. 

It all started when Ijichi brought her three recipients with the dorayaki Yuji had promised her in the morning. She was ecstatic, that is, until the accompanying note written by her brother told her to give two portions of the sweets to Fushiguro and Nobara. 

Which was alright, she could live with that. 

Akari didn’t know if she should blame the lack of sleep, her own incompetence or the effect that sweets had on her, but she couldn’t have been dumber. She was doomed from the moment she handed them the dorayaki, clearly home cooked, not expecting Nobara to ask if Akari was the one to make them. 

Obviously Nobara was just teasing her, as the girl was acutely aware of Akari’s inability to cook. But Akari’s braincells had short-circuited, and she dumbly answered that yes, she was learning how to cook and was the one to make them. 

Nobara’s eyes widened in disbelief, but she soon became excited about Akari’s progress with her culinary skills. The compliments made her heart swell, and for a moment, her guilt for lying was overruled by pride and giddiness. That is, until everything came crashing down as Nobara questioned: where had she made them? Did Fujiwara-san let her use the kitchen? 

At least this time, Akari had the judgement to think before speaking. She considered her options, which were close to none; if she told them Mrs. Fujiwara let her use the kitchen, this could be easily debunked if they simply asked her, or if they wanted to ask for the privilege of use by reasoning that she’d let Akari. 

However, there was no other accessible kitchen except for the one in the school, heavily guarded by the old lady, so Akari would’ve had no other place to supposedly cook these accursed dorayakis.  

Cornered, Akari froze. What could she say? What should she say? She saw no exit to her embarrassing situation, that is, until Fushiguro spoke up. 

"You made this in Gojo-sensei's house, didn’t you?” He questioned.  

Akari stammered, bewildered. “I- why do you think that?” 

Fushiguro raised his dorayaki recipient, a limited-edition Hello Kitty lunch box, in the shape of the character’s head. He turned the lunch box upside down and pointed to something scribbled on the bottom. The lines were squiggly and stretched out as if it’d been written on a haste. Time had worn out the paint of the permanent marker, which was now faded and scratched up. However, there was no doubt to what had been marked on the dreaded lunch box: 

Satoru  

At that moment, a flood of thoughts invaded Akari’s inert mind.  

Why didn’t I check these boxes before handing them?  

Why write his name on a lunch box! Is he a fucking toddler?  

A Hello Kitty lunch box! Why? Where did this even come from!  

Even though her mind was spiraling, she just stood there, debased, disgraced and dumb. 

“Oh,” Nobara said, eyes wide and unbelieving. 

Akari wanted to rip her hair off on frustration, cackle like a mad old which and disappear with a flick of her crooked wand. She was so ashamed that she couldn’t even talk, and an awkward silence prevailed, as heavy as the elephant in the room. 

Why would she supposedly try to hide that these dorayaki were made in Gojo’s house? 

If she died of embarrassment now, would Yuji forgive her? 

Yuji...  

As a self-defense mechanism, her mind desperately conjured another train of thought, accompanied by a new rush of emotions: anger and spite. She didn’t care whether Yuji had done this by accident or not, he was still the one to cause this humiliation. Akari was overcome with the desire to immediately take off to Gojo’s house and choke her brother to death. 

How could he be this careless and distraught? Multiple times she had complained about his lack of attention. He would often swap his and Akari’s belongings: bento boxes, schoolbags and he even used her shampoo when his was still full. In middle grade, Akari had to mentor him or else he would have failed History and Japanese. 

She wanted to cry. 

Nobara eased the tension, dragging Fushiguro away. “A-Anyway, they’re delicious, Akari-san! Thank you so much.” 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

After Fushiguro and Nobara left, Akari went straight back to her room, hastily dialing her brother’s phone number. She didn’t keep track of time, but if she had to guess, they talked non stop for an entire hour. Yuji kept apologizing, but it was fruitless in quelling her burning anger. 

She said some nasty things to Yuji, which she wasn’t proud of. At the time she wasn’t thinking straight, and in retrospect, she might’ve been too harsh on him, and even got to the point of lashing out her frustrations on her brother.  

She made the mental note to apologize to him. 

When she got back to her room, that is. 

Look, Akari had thought multiple times about giving up on the invitation to face mask night in Panda’s room. 

She was tired, sleep deprived, sad and frustrated. The last thing she wanted was to sit still for twenty minutes with a gooey, sticky mask on her face. 

However, when Nobara came to her room dressed in keroppi themed pajamas and slippers, Akari let herself be hopelessly dragged down to the other side of the dormitories. 

She tried not to flush as Nobara put a face mask on her, their bodies close. They sat in front of each other, the first-year hovering over Akari with a bowl and a spatula. Every time the other girl moved, Akari had to suck in a breath, aware of Nobara’s breath against her forehead, contrasting with the cool mixture on her skin.  

Akari was trying so hard not to stare, but she couldn’t help curious, furtive glances to Nobara’s chest. Her keroppi pajamas comprised a pair of pants and a button up shirt, but the girl had a big chest, her cleavage was showing, and Akari was pretty sure she wasn’t wearing a bra. 

Oh well. 

She was glad the mask was an opaque green, because she was certain her face was as red as a tomato now. 

“Green tea helps minimize excess oiliness on the skin,” Nobara explained as she covered Akari’s nose, “since I and Inumaki-senpai have dry skin, we’re going to use an avocado one instead.” 

Akari gulped, eyes darting away from the girl, “aren’t you going to wear a face mask, Panda?” 

Panda applied a mask to Inumaki’s face. He smiled, enjoying himself despite the trouble of his enormous paws fumbling with the small spatula, “of course not! I’m a panda. Pandas don’t wear face masks,” he scrunched up his face in concentration.  

“Okaka,” Inumaki responded. 

“Don’t move!” Panda reprimanded. 

Akari glanced around Panda’s bedroom as Nobara applied more of the substance onto her skin. Differently from the other students, he had a double bed and a bigger room, purportedly because of his hefty size. He also didn’t have a wooden closet like in the other rooms, and it had been replaced by a set of shelves filled with panda miniatures, toys, plushies and pictures. 

Panda loved... pandas. Which was, at the same time, unsurprising and uncanny. 

Instead of the desk usually present in the other dormitories, Panda had a chabudai at the center of his room, at which the students sat with their pajamas, snacks, drinks from the vending machine and face masks.  

“All done!” Nobara announced, sitting back on her heels, “I’ll set a timer for you.” 

Akari smiled, thanking the girl. She opened her mouth again to offer applying Nobara’s face mask on her, but Panda was faster. 

“Let me make yours, Nobara!” He sang, scooting closer, “yours is avocado, right?” 

Akari pouted in disappointment, but she wasn’t going to dispute it. Panda looked like a little girl playing with dolls, and to her own surprise, she found it adorable. She couldn’t find it in her to be mad at him for stealing Nobara’s attention for a little while. 

She took out her phone and snapped a selfie, sending it to Yuji. She captioned; I love you very matcha.  

[10:49 PM] 

Yuji: is that a face mask??? 

Yuji: is Kugisaki with you??? 

Yuji: GOGOGO >:D 

Akari hid a giddy chuckle behind her hand. Yuji was an idiot.  

“Do you prefer big boobs or small boobs?” Panda asked Nobara, catching Akari’s attention. 

“Hm... I don’t care about the size, really,” she shrugged. 

Akari’s heart raced. She glanced at Panda, who winked at her as he continued applying the face mask. 

What did that wink mean? Was he trying to help her? Befuddled, Akari watched in silence as Panda continued to question Nobara about her type in girls.  

“Taller or shorter than you?”  

“Hm... that would be taller,” Nobara answered. 

Akari and Nobara were roughly the same height, with Akari being two centimeters taller than the other girl.  

That counted as being taller, right ? 

Akari gripped the table, knuckles white. 

Panda grinned, “and what do you find most attractive in a girl?” 

Nobara considered his question for a long, tense moment before she answered eagerly, “muscles!” 

Akari’s stomach plummeted. Muscles? She fought the urge to flex her biceps, hoping her lean limbs were considered attractive enough. Maybe if she worked out more...  

She shifted on her seat, looking back at Panda. Maybe he could help her out with this one. 

However, she was surprised by the sight of him beaming. 

“What do you think of glasses?” He prodded. 

Nobara quirked her eyebrow, “glasses? They’re cute I guess. What is with this line of questioning?” 

Panda feigned innocence, “I’m just curious, that’s all! Isn’t this the type of talk humans have when they gather to perform beauty routines?” He spread more of the mask, “now, tell me, do you like common hair colors or, like, unnatural hair color? Like green for example.” 

Green hair?  

Akari’s throat tightened. They could only be talking about one person. 

“Do you think I’m dumb, Panda-senpai?” Nobara said flatly, “I know you’re trying to find out if I’m into Maki-san.” 

“Gya!” Panda recoiled in shock, “No! No! I’m not trying to do that!” 

“Okaka,” Inumaki reinforced his response, eyes wide. 

Nobara shrugged, “well, if you asked me I would’ve answered, but since you don’t want to know...” 

Panda naively took the bait, “no, now I want to know! Do you like her?” 

She shook her head, “nope, not answering,” she smirked. 

Hopelessly, Panda and Inumaki fell deeper into Nobara’s trap, pleading for her to tell them and satisfy their curiosity. When she didn’t even budge, they resorted to bargaining. Panda offered one of his figurines and to carry her shopping bags for an entire day. For a week, a month and then a year. Inumaki offered onigiri and the opportunity to see Panda become a ball, commanded by his cursed technique. 

Panda gasped in horror at the thought. 

Akari closed her hands into fists, heart racing in her chest. Was there something going on between Maki and Nobara? She wished from the bottom of her heart that it wasn’t the case, but she felt an urgent need to find out. 

She forced a smile, “now I’m curious, too!” She strained despite her clumped throat, “tell us, Nobara! Please?” 

Panda and Inumaki smiled, giving her enthusiastic thumbs-up gestures. 

Akari was overcome with the dreadful desire to retreat immediately to her room. 

Nobara’s expression wavered for a moment before she sighed and gave in, “alright, you guys win,” a light flush took over her cheeks as she finally admitted, “I like Maki-san.” 

Chapter Text

Ch. 10 – Worms

Akari was drained. 

It was already past midnight when she finally got out of Panda’s room. After Nobara’s revelation, Panda and Inumaki bombarded her with questions about her crush on Maki. Akari permanently tuned out of the rest of the conversation, smiling, nodding and providing small commentaries when her classmates addressed her.  

She had wanted to cry more than anything, but as she reached her room and laid down on her bed, her head was empty and dull, and the tears refused to come. 

A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she reflected on her own situation; she already had enough problems to deal with – the cursed spirit in her body and her impending execution, not to mention the short time she had until the Goodwill Event – she didn’t have the luxury of being sad because of an unrequited crush. 

And yet, here she was, laying on the sting of rejection and self-pity. 

She was stupid. How could she not even suspect Nobara’s crush on Maki on the first place? The girl kept going on and on about Akari’s classmate, on how Maki taught her a new move when they were sparring together, how Maki explained Nobara how to wield her hammer better to get the most impact from each blow, or how Maki was so physically strong she seemed unreal. 

I bet she can crush a watermelon with her legs, Nobara once told Akari and Yuji in secrecy. 

Maki was strong, capable and determined. She could easily exorcise cursed spirits, even though she wasn’t able to wield cursed energy herself. She couldn’t even see curses, but that was never an impediment for her. 

Maki knew no limits. 

Unlike Akari, who could see curses, could use positive energy and on top of that had the help and assistance of experienced sorcerers, but she still couldn’t save herself. And she couldn’t have ever saved Yuji if Sukuna didn’t offer to make their binding vow. 

She hit herself with her pillow, chastising herself for being such an idiot. She didn’t have time to be thinking about how she was foolish or about comparing herself to Maki of all people. 

Laying back down, she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, counting to ten again and again until her mind cleared. Staring at the room’s ceiling, she contemplated her predicament. 

Reluctantly, she acknowledged her unwavering fear of sleep, knowing it meant confronting Sukuna. Ieiri had explained that whenever she slept or became unconscious, she was going to be pulled into the domain inevitably. And she would most likely encounter Sukuna there every time. 

Akari didn’t want to think if he would try to kill her every time. 

Ieiri had offered reassurance, insisting that Sukuna’s goal was to intimidate her and discourage her from entering the domain. Despite Akari’s fears, one truth remained: any harm from Sukuna would be a violation to their binding vow. 

But how certain could Akari really be? 

If she kept playing it safe, she would never exorcise him.  

She would never have her life back again. 

On the brink of tears, Akari retrieved a bottle Ieiri gave her that afternoon. The doctor had anticipated her sleeping troubles and prescribed some sleeping pills for her. 

As Akari placed a pill on her tongue and grabbed a cup of water, a bitter realization washed over her: from now on, she could never again use sleep as a form of rest. She could never tune out only to wake up on the next day. She would always, against her will, remain conscious while inside the innate domain. 

If the jujutsu elders didn’t kill her in two months, madness certainly would. 

You know what? Fuck it. Bottoms up, she thought as the cold water slid down her throat. 

She stirred and thrashed on her bed, unable to lay comfortably. Her head pounded and her limbs trembled. She felt hot with a blanket on, and cold without it. Laying on her side made her shoulder hurt, laying on her back felt weird and laying on her belly felt terribly wrong. Anxious and inpatient, she thought Ieiri to be messing with her and made the sleeping pills to be placebo. However, the longer she muddled on her thoughts, more her mind quieted down and soon a wave of tiredness crashed onto her and swept her away from consciousness. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“Eiji, Daiki!” Scolded a beautiful woman. She had black eyes and long, lustrous and straight dark hair. Her face was thin and long, and her skin and features were mature, but the shine on her eyes was warm and contagious. “Why are you still awake?”  

The two boys, dark-haired like their mother, immediately stifled their giggles. They froze on their mats, lips pursed together to halt any further bursts of laughter.   

Their bedroom, illuminated by the flickering candle their mother held, had molded and stained walls, containing only a chabudai and a bamboo chest as furniture. The boys laid on old, ragged, and worn-out sleeping mats, huddled together for warmth.  

“Sorry, mommy,” the younger boy said. He seemed no older than five. His voluminous, wild hair framed a pair of sharp, intelligent eyes that glinted with mischief. “Daiki started it,” he pointed to his older brother.  

“No! Eiji’s the one that started it!” Daiki objected. He looked older than his brother – around eight or nine. Differently from Eiji, Daiki’s hair was neatly trimmed, and his eyes bore a resemblance to their mother’s, kind and tender.  

“It doesn’t matter who started it. If you don’t go to sleep now, I won’t let you go out with Uncle Hiroshi tomorrow,” she said, tone stern.  

The boys gasped and hurriedly burrowed under their covers.  

“But mommy, can you tell us a story before we sleep?” Eiji peeked out, eyes pleading.  

The woman sighed, relenting. “Just one.” She crouched down in front of them, and the boys snuggled into their mats in anticipation.   

She pondered for a moment before she began to tell a story of a young girl called Hana who once wished for the Gods to heal her friend, who was burdened by illness and debilitation.  

The woman tethered the tale with intrigue and enchantment, her imaginative mind pouring out of her lips in a captivating narrative that transported her children into a magical realm in which animals could talk, the wind could sing, and the water had free will to take any form it wanted.  

Eiji, particularly fascinated, intermittently interrupted the story from time to time to ask unnecessary questions – how tall was the pine tree? How big was the water horse? Can a monkey really carry a human baby? - and the woman obliged every single time. Daiki grumbled about these interruptions for a while, but eventually, tiredness coupled with the soothing cadence of his mother’s voice lulled him into sleep.  

“When Hana was finally able to return home, she used the gemstone’s power to heal Michi, who was already too weak and on the verge of death. But as the magic worked on Michi’s body, nothing changed, and Hana feared the worst.” The woman paused as Eiji suck in a breath, fidgeting anxiously with his toes, “but suddenly, color rushed back into Michi’s face, and the entire village rejoiced as she woke up and finally came out of her bedroom. She was completely healed.”  

Eiji let out a long breath, throwing himself back on the mat, “I almost thought she was going to die!”  

The woman smiled, “but Hana saved her, didn’t she? Now, let’s sleep, Eiji,” she said, getting up.  

“Okay, but I still don’t believe your story,” he pouted.  

She quirked her brow, “and why is that?”  

“Because monkeys can’t carry human babies”  

She laughed, “fair enough, Eiji. But a magic monkey surely could, right?”  

He contemplated her words, “maybe he could...”  

Bending down, she planted a soft kiss on his forehead. “Goodnight, snuggle-bug.”  

A grin spread across his face. “Night, mommy.”  

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“I hate my hair,” Eiji huffed as his mother sat him down onto a creaking chair.  

“But your hair is beautiful. Just like your dad’s,” she reassured, a comb in her hand as she gently worked through his fluffy locks.  

“Daddy’s hair is ugly!” He whined.  

She chuckled. “Don’t let him hear that, alright?” She continued combing his wild hair and he groused with every knot she undid.   

“I wanted to have hair like yours and Uncle Hiroshi’s. I look like a dog, mommy!” He lamented, shoving the hair away from his eyes in frustration.  

“Who said you look like a dog?” Her brow furrowed.  

“Daiki’s friends,” he muttered, eyes downcast, “and some girls too.”  

“Well, they’re wrong. You look handsome, Eiji.” He crossed his arms as if he didn’t believe a single word. "And you know what? Today, you get to choose how we cut your hair."  

 “Can you cut it all off?”  

“You want to be bald?” She asked, eyebrow raised and blade in hand.  

He stilled, reconsidering, “maybe just... short. Very short.”  

She raked her fingers through his fringe, adjusting the angle of his head with her other hand. “Alright, young man. I'll give you a short haircut. We can use some oil afterwards to make you look even better, how does that sound?”  

“Are you sure it’s going to look good?” He hesitated as she brought the blade to his fringe.  

“Of cour-”  

The woman’s words were cut short by a sudden shriek that burst from her lips, and her hands jolted, blade sliding and slipping out of her grasp. Eiji, startled at his mother’s reaction, tried to raise his head to look at her. He flinched, however, when the sharp blade she held slit through his hair, diving straight to the skin of his forehead. The boy froze, blinking when blood started to trickle down the wound and into his left eye.  

The woman gasped, hands trembling as she bolted to the other side of the room. Retrieving a cloth, she rushed back to him. “Eiji, I’m so sorry! I thought I had seen a worm on your hair,” she fretted, pressing the cloth against his forehead, “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Please hold this in place so that I can get the supplies,” she panted.  

His eyes widened and he stilled, “is there a worm on my hair?”  

She shook her head, hands trembling, “No. No, darling, there’s not.”  

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Daiki and Eiji huffed and puffed as they made their way down the stone path to their house. Laughter echoed in the air as the siblings used crooked tree branches as swords, running, rolling on the ground and poking each other as if they were in an arduous battle.  

As Daiki swung his branch around and hit his brother’s side, Eiji’s clothes got muddied, his skin scratched and his hair even more disheveled. As the younger and smaller brother, he soon came to the realization that he could never beat his big brother in a fight. So, he did the smart thing: he ran.  

Eiji heaved as he reached their house, leaning on the wall for support. He collapsed onto the ground and Daiki arrived moments later, equally breathless and sweaty.  

“Gotcha,” Daiki lifted his branch with a sluggish and fatigated arm, letting it fall atop of Eiji’s hair.  

Eiji removed the branch and wiped the sweat from his forehead, wavy hair sticking to his wet skin. As he pulled his fringe back, he revealed a bright pink scar that laid horizontally on top of his left eyebrow.  

“It’s just because you’re older,” he panted.  

“But you should-” Daiki was interrupted by the reverberating sound of their father’s voice.  

“You did what to the rice?” He raised his voice, and the siblings shivered in place. They sat outside their house, below the window. They stared at each other with wide-eyed trepidation. Slowly, they lifted their heads to peer inside.  

“I told you, I threw it away,” their mother’s calm response came.  

“You could’ve just fucking washed it, Risa!” He boomed, voice dripping with anger.  

“The rice... There were more worms than rice,” she justified, voice trembling.  

“I bought that sack yesterday, I would’ve known if it was infested with worms!” He roared, his grip on Risa tightening as he shook her, and she coiled back in fear. “That rice was our month’s entire supply! What are we supposed to eat now? Do you want us to starve, you wench?”  

“I can’t feed worms to our children,” she retorted, “buy another sack!”  

“With what money, stupid woman? The only way to get another sack is to steal!” He cackled, throwing her arm away from him. “You know what? I’m going out. You better have this fixed by the time I come back.”  

“How? I already sent it to be burned!” Risa cried.  

“I don’t care.”  

Daiki tugged on Eiji’s robes, and they both sank to the ground again, watching their father disappear along the stone path that led to the village marketplace. Their mother’s sobs echoed in the distance, but neither boy dared to peek through the window again.  

“Daiki, at what time Ito-san burns the waste?” Eiji asked, voice small.  

Daiki rose to his feet, urgently pulling his brother with him. “At sunset. Maybe we can arrive on time and help mom save the rice!” He urged, and they set off running.  

Fatigue gripped them from their earlier play, but as much as their legs shook and sweat soaked their clothes, they didn’t stop. Eiji, lagging behind Daiki, gasped in fear whenever his brother turned a corner and momentarily disappeared from view.  

Daiki arrived at the bonfire first. He wailed for Ito-san to stop, voice screeching and arms flailing for attention. He stumbled on his feet and rolled on the ground, ankle twisting painfully as his robes became soiled and torn.  

Eiji sprinted towards his fallen brother. Daiki told him to forget about him and rescue the rice instead. Eiji did as he was told, recognizing along the waste pile a single round, full sack of rice. His small hands grappled with the cloth as he dragged it away with all the strength he could muster.  

“Hey, boy! What do you think you’re doing?” Ito protested as he approached Eiji.  

Eiji fumbled with the sack opening, not being strong enough to rip it open and neither having the coordination or clearance of mind to untie the intricate knots. He gave up on using his hands and resorted to using his teeth instead.  

“Stop it! Are you so hungry that you’re scavenging through the thrash? Maybe your father should stop wasting money on sake!” Ito pried the bag away from Eiji’s hands and mouth, and he bellowed in protest.  

“Ito-san! No! Our mother threw this away by accident!” Daiki's voice rang out, and he limped with difficulty towards them.  

Ito told them the rice was infested with worms, and the boys insisted to inspect the sack’s contents just to be sure. The man yielded to their pleas, and with a small blade, he ripped it open. Ito sifted through the rice, closely examining mound after mound in search of vermin.  

Not a single worm was found within the rice.  

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari’s eyes fluttered open, and she found herself under the shade of the large tree at the heart of the innate domain. The world wavered around her as she closed her eyes and sat on the grass, leaning against the tree. Slowly, she adjusted to her surroundings – a vast grassy meadow, a stone pathway leading to the lakeside gazebo, a vast sea of trees, and a gaping chasm that ran deep and long across the ground. 

The world steadied as her head stopped spinning, and she stared mindlessly across the glade, mulling over what she had just seen. 

The only logical conclusion she could draw was that the images she saw were memories - Sukuna’s memories. 

The notion felt invasive, a breach of privacy she hadn’t sought. She shouldn’t feel guilty for accessing his past; it wasn’t something she had willingly chosen. 

He was so often portrayed as a curse, a cursed object or simply the King of Curses that it was easy to forget that he had once been a man. This realization made her wonder what led him down the path to becoming Ryomen Sukuna, though glimpses of his childhood couldn’t provide a definitive answer. 

The insight she gained didn’t add much to her previous knowledge; the only relevant piece of information was his original name – Eiji. She doubted that alone could possibly be the key to exorcising him. After all, Sukuna had existed for over a millennium. He was probably a far cry from the person he once was. Eiji was already dead long ago, and he took with him every speckle of humanity Sukuna once had. 

Akari silently absolved herself, of wrongdoing; seeing Sukuna’s memories were a means necessary for the greater good, so she would continue doing it if she could. 

Could she even do it again? 

Her gaze fixated on the cleft beside her, suppressing the fear it invoked in her. Sukuna could kill her with a wave of his hand, if wanted so. As a chill crept down her spine, she scanned the glade again, confirming Sukuna was nowhere to be seen. 

She couldn’t tell if that was good or bad. 

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and relaxed her body and mind. She used her senses to focus on finding Sukuna’s energy, feeling a faint pull in a mysterious direction. However, the closer she got to grasping this feeling, it slipped away from her like grains of sand. 

Frustration welled up, and she reopened her eyes. For a moment, she was overcome with the terrifying sensation that Sukuna would be standing in front of her, but as her eyes adjusted to the light, she could only see the peaceful green glade, scarred by the cleft Sukuna had inflicted on it. 

She had to idea on what triggered those memories, and the answer to this mystery wouldn’t come easily. 

At that moment, a sudden realization panicked her; if she could glimpse onto Sukuna’s memories, could he do the same to her? She pondered this possibility for a minute, and concluded that, as unsettling as it would be, she had no useful knowledge that Sukuna could possibly leverage against her. She’d lived a normal childhood and only recently started to learn about sorcery and cursed spirits, and she ruefully acknowledged that she didn’t get much far past the basics of Jujutsu. 

She tried not to wince, however, at the thought of Sukuna seeing some of Akari’s most embarrassing or private memories, like her first kiss - middle grade, a clumsy, jittery boy who had forgotten to spit out the gum he had been chewing, or when she regretfully found out what the suspicious stains on Yuji’s bedsheets were.  

She shook these thoughts away and focused back on her current situation. If those were Sukuna’s memories, did that mean the dreams she had been having were in fact memories too? 

Memories of a woman called Yuna... 

And memories of Hopscotch? 

It didn’t add up at all. 

Akari had been seeing Hopscotch’s and Yuna’s memories for a while now, though her mind disregarded most of those memories as strange dreams. She had never heard of this woman called Yuna or the boy that accompanied her – Nishida. There was also the faint wisp of an elderly person, wading at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t see a face or a name to them; what were these memories doing inside her head?  

She cursed herself for remembering only a pair of first names. 

She started seeing Sukuna’s memories only two days ago, after they made their binding vow and Akari became his host. The sea of corpses, disfigured body parts and guts, the wailing agony that undulated on the air, and the acrid smell of blood were seared in her memory.  

Sukuna was a curse. 

And Akari would use everything she had at her disposal to exorcise him. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Having been able to rest properly, Akari woke up that morning renewed and refreshed. Despite her initial worries, she didn’t encounter Sukuna in their innate domain. She wondered if he was avoiding her, or they simply didn’t cross paths. Nevertheless, she had spent the night beneath the tree’s shade. 

As she readied herself for her day, she was pleasantly surprised to find that her skin looked brighter and felt softer, most likely due to the face mask she had worn the previous night. She would have to thank Panda and Nobara later. 

Akari felt a pang of shame as she admitted to herself she had thought about Nobara throughout the night. She watched the leaves rustle as she wondered what could’ve been. What if she hadn’t met or befriended Maki? Was there a chance that Nobara would reciprocate Akari’s feelings? 

Foolish and delusional, Akari wished Nobara’s words from last night had been nothing more than a fevered dream; she longed to hear from her lips that it was all a mistake or a small misunderstanding. She imagined Nobara looking deep into her eyes and reassuring her, confessing feelings that were meant for Akari alone. 

She wanted to hold hands and go on dates. She wanted to keep coloring Nobara’s hair and take her on every restaurant she liked. She wanted to pick out clothes together, hug, kiss and fall asleep to a late-night movie session. But this was all silly and unfounded wishful thinking, a fantasy she couldn’t afford to indulge. 

She slapped herself in the face for being such an idiot. Even if Nobara reciprocated Akari’s feelings, they couldn’t commit to a relationship; Sukuna lurked within her body, and the countdown to her execution loomed closer day by day, the two-month deadline inescapable. 

However, seeing Nobara again after last night proved harder than Akari had thought. 

Nobara looked exceptionally beautiful that morning, radiant and dashing. Akari couldn’t pinpoint if it was for her satiny hair, her shiny lip gloss or her smooth, unblemished skin, but one thing was certain; Akari could not unglue her eyes from the girl. She could not focus on her breakfast or the conversation that fluctuated through the table. Her eyes wandered and her mind drifted on the tiniest details of Nobara. 

And Akari berated herself internally for her inability to contain the butterflies in her stomach, or the chills on her spine. However, she didn’t even need much chastising on her part; just the mere thought of Nobara proved painful enough.  

Nobara was like an ungrateful addiction; the more Akari thought of her, the more she hurt. 

Distracted, Akari’s classes whizzled by in a blur. In the afternoon, she decided to occupy her mind, taking one of the training rooms for herself. Her muscles strained as she practiced her form. She struck the air with her hand, followed by a clean kick with her right leg. Concentrating on her breathing and the feeling of the tatami mats under her feet, she worked relentlessly on her precision, strength and agility. She emptied her head of everything; Nobara, the higher-ups, her execution and Sukuna. It was a necessary respite for her sanity. 

Akari had gone to Ieiri during the day. She told the woman about the dreams she’d had over the past months and how she figured them to be memories. She recalled information in loose, incomplete fragments and pieced them together like a horrible mosaic. Ieiri listened attentively, nodding along to Akari’s jumbled and disordered explanation. 

Unfortunately, the doctor reinforced what Akari already knew: there was no feasible explanation for her report. In cases of possession, it was the curse that obtained the hosts memories, and never the other way around. Furthermore, this knowledge transferal was complete and instantaneous, not in fragments. 

Suddenly, the door to the training room slid open. Leg poised in a high kick, Akari nearly tumbled in surprise. 

“Oh. You’re here,” Maki blinked. 

Akari returned her puzzled stare. “Um, hi,” she stammered. 

Maki cleared her throat, “this is the room I usually train in.” 

Akari’s eyebrows quirked up, wondering if Maki was implying she should leave. “I just arrived. Can’t you use another one?” 

“Can’t I stay?” She rebutted. 

Akari hesitated. “Do... you want to?” 

“Yes,” Maki replied tersely, ignoring Akari’s befuddled stare. 

With a bag laden with wooden swords and staffs, Maki shed her shoes and strolled to the corner of the room. She dropped the bag, weapons clacking against each other. Akari observed silently as Maki retrieved a pair of staffs and casually threw one at Akari’s feet in a wordless invitation. 

Ever since their mission at the train station, an unspoken truce had formed between the two. They no longer acted on their animosity, and their usual bickering receded and gave in to simple greetings, nods and studious glances. 

Akari had given up on the idea of befriending Maki long ago. That is, before Nobara made her promise that she would keep trying. 

She dreaded the thought of that promise. 

Akari lowered down and accepted the staff, her heart thrumming as she watched Maki stride gracefully to the center of the tatami mats, staff in hand and a smirk on her face. The afternoon sun shone a beautiful golden on her skin, her figure elegant, poised and strong. 

Their communication had shifted to Jujutsu practice. Akari and Maki didn’t need to exchange a single word to feel the pull whenever they sparred. Their eyes never wavered, locked in a silent exchange of intent. 

Despite countless sparring sessions, Akari had yet to win against Maki. The girl was intelligent, agile and strong, inhumanly so.  

And she couldn’t get the image of Nobara gushing over Maki’s strength out of her head. 

Gritting her teeth, Akari leapt first and swung the staff above her head. Maki’s eyes gleamed as she deftly blocked the attack. Akari was pushed away as Maki spun her staff, aiming for her knees, but Akari evaded the strike. 

Maki raised her staff again and Akari recovered her footing just in time to block it. Maki quickly rotated her weapon, and Akari reacted by adjusting the angle of her own. The girls entered a rapid succession of blows, agility and instinct guiding their hands and feet. The staffs clacked and slid against each other, a rhythmic dance that grew faster and stronger with each passing second.

Akari's muscles quivered and burned under the intense pressure of Maki's strength, but Akari had learned to embrace this pain. It had been difficult at first, when she was unsure on how to deal with the strength difference. Yuji had always been controlled and mindful when sparring her, but Maki was never merciful or lenient, and for that Akari was grateful.

Since the first time they sparred, Akari had been watching Maki fight. She was immaculate, calculated blows, perfect angles and controlled strength. The girl had the prowess of an experienced warrior, reflexes as fast as lightning. However, closely observing Maki so much made Akari realize that as much as she was impeccable, she was still human, and thus, prone to error.

Akari caught a slip in Maki’s form, and she took that moment to spin her won weapon and deliver a stronger blow to the upper end of her staff. The wood produced a soft cracking noise as Maki struggled to regain her grip and balance, narrowly avoiding a strike that grazed her cheek. 

They locked eyes in an intense exchange. Both panted, alert for the other’s next move. Maki’s grin returned as she shifted first. 

Maki spun her staff towards her feet, and Akari quickly dodged the weapon, using the momentum to direct a kick to Maki’s side instead. 

Akari gasped when she saw Maki duck in a way she had never expected her to; the girl dropped to the ground in a perfect split, and as Akari landed on her feet, Maki used her staff to sweep against her legs, throwing her off balance. However, as Akari’s back approached the ground, she recovered by shifting the weight on her body, supporting herself on her hands as her foot connected with Maki’s jaw in a backflip. 

Maki was momentarily disoriented by the blow, and Akari took the opportunity to return the hit she’d received: she swept her staff on the girl’s feet, causing her to fall onto her back. 

Akari stood up, swinging the end of her staff to Maki’s neck. Maki smirked and dropped her own weapon, accepting her defeat. 

Akari helped Maki to her feet, and they bowed to each other. She sat down to catch her breath, Maki’s footsteps thudding away. She smiled to herself, closing her eyes. She had been working hard to make her technique better, and recently she even got to win against Panda, finishing him in a beautiful shoulder throw. 

Even if Panda’s weight made her shoulder hurt for days afterwards, she didn’t regret it at all. 

A bottle of water appeared before her, breaking her away from her thoughts.  

“Why are you still here?” Maki asked. 

“What?” Akari begrudgingly accepted the bottle. 

“At Jujutsu High.” 

Akari had to resist the urge to gape. “I’m sorry if I’m not wanted around,” Akari fumed, crouching to get up. 

“Shit, no – wait. That’s not what I meant.” Maki fumbled with her words, a flush spreading on her cheeks. She sat down in front of Akari, causing her to retreat on her attempt to rise.  “I mean, what do you want to do here?” 

“Why do you care?” Akari frowned. “Don’t you want me gone?” 

“No. No, I don’t. I-” Maki stumbled over her words again, discomfort apparent. She took a deep breath and looked directly at Akari. “I’m sorry.” 

Akari blinked in surprise, taking a moment to process what Maki had just said. Had she heard correctly? Did Maki just apologize? 

“Sorry for what?” Akari finally asked, opening the water bottle. 

“For being an asshole.” Maki replied flatly. 

“Isn’t that your default behavior?” Akari snorted, ignoring Maki’s shocked stare. “Did Nobara tell you to come here and apologize to me?” 

Maki gritted her teeth. “Yes, she did. But that was not why I came.” 

Akari turned her face away from Maki, eyes burning with resentment. Nobara. Of course it had been her. It wouldn’t be Maki’s nature to reach out on her own. “Why did you come, then?” 

“I came to apologize!” Maki protested, frustration flaring. Akari glared back at her, seeing sincerity in her gaze. “For the way I treated you when you came to Jujutsu High. It was unfair and rude. Some stuff happened on the mission before you came, and it sort of got to me.” She paused. “And... thank you, for saving my life back at that train station.” 

Akari struggled with conflicting emotions. Part of her still wanted to hate Maki, especially after learning of Nobara’s feelings towards the girl. However, as she looked into Maki’s eyes and heard her heartfelt apology, it became difficult to hold onto her anger.

Akari stuttered, at a loss for words. “I- It’s alright. Thank you.” 

Maki blinked. “It’s me who should be thanking you, not the contrary.” She exhaled and leaned back, fidgety. “You know, you’ve gotten better. Have you been practicing your footwork?” 

Akari couldn't help but smile at the unexpected compliment. “Thanks. I have.” She smirked. “Got some pointers from you, actually.” 

Maki acknowledged her words with a nod, fumbling with her training clothes. “You haven’t answered my question, though. I figured you would want to go back to your hometown, after-” she trailed off. 

After your brother died , were the unspoken words that hung in the air between them. 

Akari hesitated before answering, chin resting on her knees. “I may not have Yuji to protect anymore, but there’s still people who need help. And Sukuna’s out there, too. I need to get stronger.” 

Maki nodded again, sipping at her own water. They sat in silence for a long moment, and Akari began to wonder if she said something wrong until Maki decided to speak again. 

“I left my sister to become a Jujutsu sorcerer.” She said, eyes downcast. 

Akari was taken aback by Maki’s admission. “Why... did you have to leave?” she asked gently, not knowing what to say. 

Maki’s lips curled in a wry smile. “The Zen’in are a bunch of fucktards,” she said, taking off her glasses. “When I was born, my inability to see curses made them see me as less than thrash. I was just a lowly servant, undeserving of an ounce of value or respect.” She clenched her fists. “So I stole a bunch of weapons from their warehouse and came to Jujutsu High to prove them wrong; I don’t need cursed energy to beat all of them up. I’ll show them, once I become the head of the Zen’in family.” 

“You’re really strong, Maki-san. I have no doubt you’ll do it.” Akari said sincerely. “What about your sister?” 

Maki sighed. “She has a cursed technique, so she stayed in the family. She told me she would never talk to me again if I left, but I did anyway.” Maki put her glasses back, “I couldn’t stay in the clan anymore, not even for her.” 

Akari offered some comfort, “you did what’s best for you, didn’t you?” 

Maki glared at her. “Would you do the same?” 

Akari thought for a moment before answering, “It’s hard to imagine how it must’ve been, but I think I would.” 

Maki frowned. “But you left your hometown, school, everything you had, for your brother.” 

“But it’s different. My brother had a death sentence.” Akari replied. “I came to Tokyo High in hopes of saving him.” 

Maki pursed her lips. “You’re right. I- I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” 

“It’s alright.” Akari hid her face behind her knees, reminding herself once again that she had to act as if Yuji had died. “Is your sister well at least?” 

Maki sighed. “I think she is. She went to Kyoto Jujutsu High. I believe she’s striving for a grade promotion this year; she’s grade three still.” 

“Grade three, huh?” Akari pondered. “You’re registered as grade four, but you’re higher, aren’t you?” 

Maki frowned in frustration. “The Zen’in just keeps on hindering my promotion. I’ve been on grade four ever since I joined the school.” She clicked her tongue. “But with the Goodwill Event that’ll definitely change.” 

For Maki, the Goodwill Event was much more than a simple grade promotion or a bigger paycheck; it was her honor at play. It was the opportunity to fight back against her oppressive family and prove not only to them, but to herself that she could indeed become a fully-fledged jujutsu sorcerer and one day, take the place of the Zen’in clan head. “We’ll win against Kyoto, no doubt!” Akari flexed her biceps with determination. “And you’ll get your promotion.” 

“I thought you didn’t care about grade promotions,” Maki quirked her eyebrow. 

“I don’t. But you do.” Akari answered sincerely. 

Maki turned her face away, ears red. “You have to work for your own promotion, idiot.” 

Akari came to a regretful realization that she had misjudged Maki. Despite her rough exterior, the girl had a good heart, unyielding determination and unmistakable appreciation for her friends. She reminded Akari of Wasuke; ill-tempered, bad with affection and soft-hearted at the same time. 

“Weren’t the Zen’in mad when they realized you stole their weapons?” Akari asked. 

Maki huffed, irritation evident. “Not really. I don’t even think they noticed, to be honest. They only came to me looking for one thing.” 

“What was it?” 

“It was this necklace I grabbed in a hurry; I don’t even know what it is. It seems useless, I was surprised when they demanded I gave it back.” She rolled her eyes. “Of course, I didn’t relent, so I keep the thing hidden in case they want to try and retrieve it.” 

Suddenly, something occurred to Akari, and she asked eagerly, “do you have it with you now, Maki-san?” 

Maki was startled by Akari’s sudden burst. “Yeah, it’s in my bag I think.” 

“Can I see it?” 

Akari watched anxiously as Maki rummaged through her bag, fingers brushing past an array of weapons she carried with her. After what seemed like an eternity had passed, Maki exclaimed with recognition as she retrieved a small object from one of her inner pockets. She handed it to Akari, and together, they examined it closely. 

The necklace had a simple and thin string of silver, a single pendant attached to it. The pendant fit snugly into Akari’s hand, though it was too large to be suitable of a necklace. The design was simple yet intriguing - a silver fox curled in on itself, glinting with something mysteriously alluring. 

“Did they ever tell you what this is?” Akari gulped. 

Maki shook her head. “No. And I had Ijichi-san and Gojo-sensei have a look at it, but they said this thing is just a normal necklace.” She shrugged. 

“Maki-san, can I...” Akari hesitated, mind spiraling. Was that the amulet of the Twin Foxes? Or part of it? It had been stored within the warehouse of the Zen’in clan, so it must’ve been. But then again, Ijichi and Gojo had taken a look at this thing, and concluded it wasn't anything special.

She stared at it again, trying to sense any remnant cursed energy in the small object. There was nothing; not a speckle of sorcery or energy or any distinct presence or feeling to the fox. She sighed in frustration. This had to be the amulet. Was it broken? She had the sudden urge to rush to the library and dive into research.

“Keep it? Alright, you can.” Maki said, and Akari stared at her in gleeful awe. “But under one- no. Two conditions.” 

“What are they?” 

Maki rose a finger. “One, you don’t give this back to the Zen’in clan.” Akari nodded, and her classmate rose another finger, smirking. “Two, you help us win the Goodwill Event.” 

Akari smiled, clenching the silver fox on her palm. “Deal.” 

Chapter Text

Ch. 11 – Give and Take

Six weeks. That was the time Akari had left until the Goodwill Event. Until Yuji came back to Jujutsu High, and the higher-ups gained knowledge of her and Sukuna’s situation. Deadlines just served to aggravate her anxiety, and even though she tried not to think about that too much, Maki was a boisterous, ambulant reminder of that fact. 

“Akari, Stop hesitating! Strike him like he’s about to kill you! The Kyoto students won’t show you any mercy!” Maki reprimanded, strict and demanding. “Megumi! Pay more attention to your feet! You’re too slow!” 

“That’s easier said than done!” Akari bellowed, dodging a high kick from Fushiguro. 

“I don’t care! Just do it!” Maki hit her staff on the tatami mats.  

In preparation for the Goodwill Event, Akari had fallen into the habit of sparring Maki and Fushiguro every weekday on the afternoon. At first, it was an unlikely, ungainly trio, but soon their harmony shone through; they had a certain rhythm to their fights, fast-paced, intense and often stressful. Sometimes the rest of the students would even try to join them briefly but preferred to train separately, especially because of Maki. 

Despite being scornful and hard, Akari had to admit to herself; Maki was an excellent teacher. She pushed her and Fushiguro in the right direction, pressed on their weaknesses and countered their strengths. Akari had, in the span of two weeks, fought with more different kinds of weapons and fighting styles that she could count on her hands. 

“That’s more like it.” Maki said as Akari and Fushiguro sat down on the tatami mats, sweaty and sore. Her limbs tingled as she panted, exhausted. Maki offered them both a water bottle each, and Akari chugged it down with urgency. 

“Why did you want to train today?” Akari asked, wiping her mouth. 

Today was Saturday, which was usually their day off. Akari had been peacefully carving by the school patio when, caught off guard, she regretfully accepted Maki and Fushiguro’s sudden invitation for a sparring session in the morning. It was not like she had anything better to do. She had originally planned to go to the movies with Yuji, but he cancelled their plans due to a last-time appointment with Gojo. 

On the bright side, now that Sukuna couldn’t interrupt them, she’d been talking much more to Yuji, and they would hang out on weekends. They’d meet at Gojo’s house and go out together, either to a restaurant, the movies or the arcade, like they did the past weekend.  

Akari had been delighted when Yuji also surprised her with a brand new set of carving tools and the dessert she’d been craving so much for such a long time: milk pudding. 

Yuji had started learning Jujutsu as well, insisting he would help her combat Sukuna and exorcise him. She appreciated her brother’s efforts, but highly doubted he’d be able to do something about her situation. He asked her, yet again, if she really couldn’t hear Sukuna in her head. His guilty tone had her hesitating, and she cowardly lied, telling him that Sukuna didn’t talk to her and that he shouldn't worry about it. 

Akari noticed, with some relief, that the slits under Yuji’s eyes had started to close. She’d been afraid that Sukuna had tricked her into thinking Yuji was safe, but it seemed like his words held true. Her brother had no longer any connection to the King of Curses. 

“No special reason.” Maki dismissed her question. “But Megumi’s only here because he didn’t want to carry Nobara’s shopping bags.” 

“It was you that invited me to spar, Maki-senpai.” Fushiguro protested, irritated. 

"So I take Panda’s on shopping duty again?” Akari asked, snickering with amusement. Panda had promised he would carry Nobara’s shopping bags for a year upon her admission of her feelings for Maki, and it seemed she had been taking advantage of that promise. 

Maki sighed, “he is. I don’t know why you dread it so much.” 

“Haven’t you ever carried her shopping bags?” Akari asked. 

“I did.” Maki pursed her lips. “But she only had like, two bags.” 

Something stung Akari’s heart, but she pushed it away. Even Akari had once carried Nobara’s heavy and voluminous shopping bags, and it seemed that once again, Maki was the special one; the one that Nobara treated differently.  She was slowly learning to come to terms with these small defeats and the irrevocable fact that Nobara would never like her the same way she liked Maki. 

For the past couple of weeks, Panda had been trying to get them to be together. Either by forcefully sitting them together during breakfast, throwing Nobara onto Maki during practice or inviting them to do something together and bailing out at the last minute, just so that they could be together alone. Nobara, irritated, insisted Panda took care of his own love life, and to that he answered that Pandas didn’t pursue romance like humans did. 

Panda tried to get Akari to partake in his plans to make Nobamaki real, but to her it still hurt to look at them together, so she just watched from the sidelines and forced a smile onto her face. 

Akari offered yet another strained smile. “It sucks, honestly. When she goes on a shopping spree, she just buys anything that comes her way.” 

Maki shrugged. “Panda can handle it. He carries stuff for me all the time.”  She sat down before them, glancing at Akari. “How’s the thing with that necklace going?” 

Akari sighed, retrieving the silver fox from beneath her training clothes. “I found out some more stuff about it, but nothing groundbreaking.” 

Fushiguro furrowed his brows, eyeing the fox curiously. “What is this?” 

She carefully removed the necklace and handed it to him. “Maki-san got it from the Zen’in clan warehouse. I believe this is part of the amulet of a pair of legendary shikigami, the Twin Foxes.” She sighed. “But no matter how much I try, it seems like there’s nothing inside this thing.” 

“And what have you found out?” Maki asked as Fushiguro kept examining the amulet. 

“The Twin Foxes are separate entities but tied thoroughly together. They exist for each other, and because of each other. There is some speculation on how they came to be, but nothing set in stone.” Akari gathered her hair in a ponytail, relieving her sweaty nape. “The Black Fox is a master of poison and puppeteering; its poison can control cursed spirits, but it’s lethal to humans. The White Fox, on the other hand, is a master of healing and transfiguration; it can heal anything, make an old person young again, it can give them wings, it can make someone immortal.” A chill crept up her spine, but she ignored it. “Some people thought it able to resurrect the dead, but that’s not possible.” 

“It can heal anything ? Isn’t that something like reversed cursed technique?” Fushiguro asked. 

Sweat broke down Akari’s brow, and she attempted to cool down by drinking water. “No, there’s stuff that not even reversed cursed technique can do. Like-” 

Fushiguro’s eyes widened, and he spoke with urgency, “Like removing a curse from someone?” 

Akari blinked, confused by his outburst. Something churned inside her belly, and she answered him with trepidation. “Well, I-I guess it could? I haven’t really-” 

Akari’s words were cut short by a sudden pressure to her abdomen. She gasped, water bottle slipping from her gasp as she doubled over. There was a hand on her shoulder and a voice above her head, but her mind and ears rang red with fear and confusion. She stumbled, her stomach contracting and squeezing in upheaval. 

A burning liquid shot up through her mouth and nostrils, rancid and distasteful. She heaved, tears streaming down her cheeks as the room disappeared from her sight, overtaken by darkness. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari tried to inhale, tears prickling her eyes. She blinked a few times, warm sunlight burning onto her sweaty face. Once her sight got clearer, she stared down at her body. 

Her training clothes were gone, swapped out for the yukata she wore at the innate domain. However, the beige robe had been completely stained crimson, wet and vivid. She gasped, lightheaded – was that blood hers? Her clothes were intact, the obi applying pressure against her belly. Hands trembling and sight unfocused, she undid it along with the other belts, removed the yukata and lifted her soaked undershirt. 

A long wound cut across her abdomen, going from under her left breast to her right hip. Warm blood oozed onto her skin and clothes. She reached out for her belly in a trance - as if it was a dream. She grazed the cut, but felt nothing. 

Akari froze in horror; what had done that to her? 

Frantically, she acknowledged her situation and settled on a priority: stop the wound from bleeding. Staring at her hands, she reaffirmed herself. She had done this before; she’d healed cuts on her skin, busted lips and bleeding noses. She could do this. 

Resting her hands on the open wound, Akari closed her eyes before she exhaled, energy seeping out of her fingertips. Differently from healing others, when healing yourself, your energy does not resist against your own, which made self-healing much easier. 

However, as Akari went through the motions of applying her energy to the wound, nothing happened. Her skin didn’t move, unaffected by the sorcery. Sweat dripped down her brow as she panted, desperately pressing her trembling palms closer to her abdomen.  

Removing her bloodied hands, she stared at her skin with widened eyes and trembling lips. The wound was still there, pulsating, oozing and warm. 

The world quavered around her as she shivered. Akari dizzily surveyed her surroundings to find she sat on a patch of grass, the green gone in favor of red. How much had she bled? 

Trying to get up only worsened her situation; her mind fogged, sight fading out. Her own limbs seemed miles away from her reach and her stomach churned with overwhelming nausea. Her own spine was too weak to support herself, but she didn’t even feel anything even when she fell back down on the grass. 

There was a gentle but firm touch to her shoulder; one that turned her limp body so that she could lay on her back, wet grass tickling her skin. 

There was a pressure on her stomach, uncomfortable but welcome. Something churned inside her, and she tried to react, but she couldn’t. Her sight was splotched, and her body wouldn’t move, no matter how hard she tried. 

When the pressure was gone, there was a man. A blonde man with black tattoos. 

And then there was nothing. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

“Don’t let him get away!” Screams reverberated through the corridors of a large Estate, an elegant combination of polished wooden floors, walls with intricate patterns and golden-woven paper lamps. An enormous creature ran away from the sound, leaving a trail of blood on its wake.  

He moved so fast that it was out of the building in mere seconds, the voices resonating faint and far. Once out, however, his presence alerted even more men, and the thing made haste of fleeing through the front double gates.  

It evaded most of the attacks, but the raining arrows pierced its skin, and a strong poison seeped into its bloodstream. Urgently, it burst through the closed gates, destroying them with a single blow. The wreckage fell onto the men that tried stupidly to stop the thing by interdicting the only exit, but he didn’t care; he kept running, blood oozing from his chest, back and arms.  

There was no specific direction or regard for continuity. He flew over rivers and chasms and threw himself over mountains. He reeled right and left, but he didn’t stop. Even though he got rid of his attackers, he couldn’t run away from the damage they inflicted on him; he had lost too much blood, and the substance in his veins had started to take effect.  

He became slow and hindered, but that never stopped him. He continued to traverse the landscape like the wind on a stormy night, but after climbing and running for what seemed like forever, his body collapsed to the ground. He panted, incapable of moving a finger. His eyes fluttered, and he stared at the grass before him, at peace with his demise.  

He was startled by the apparition of a pair of small feet in sandals. A boy stared at him, wide eyed and breathless. His scrawny body trembled as he eyed the monstrosity before him; a gigantic man with two pairs of arms, a face with two pairs of red eyes, his skin laden with a disturbing combination of tattoos and blood.  

The man closed his eyes, and together with the disappearing rustle of the boy’s footsteps, the world faded away.  

He woke up to the humming of birds and the smell of soup. Opening his eyes, he winced as the light filtered in through a poorly covered window. He was met with an unfamiliar ceiling and a strange, small room; tatami mat flooring, a simple painting of a green landscape, and a atop a chabudai, bandages, medicine and a bowl. A simple folding screen divided the room, but as the man tried to sit up to look closer, his hands and feet found unyielding resistance.  

A set of sturdy ropes imprisoned his wrists and ankles. Countless talismans covered the length of the ropes, strengthening his restrains and hindering his escape.  

Eyes fluttering, he accessed his own condition; he only wore a pair of pants, and his torso was entirely bandaged. His second pair of arms and eyes were gone, and his bloodied skin had been cleaned. His skin, however, was damp with sweat and his body trembled, muscles twitching with discomfort and pain.  

A small, dark-haired head slowly peeked from behind the folding screen, letting out a tiny gasp when their eyes met.  

“Who are you?” The man asked, voice raspy and croaked.  

“Do not talk to him.” A stern voice came from behind the screen. A woman stepped into the room, brown eyes and a bob of black hair. She wore a simple kimono, detailed in strips of blue and white flowers. She stood tall, poised with grace. Her skin was porcelain and her face, lean and sculptured. “It is us that should be asking instead, who are you?”  

He remained silent.  

“Answer my question.” She demanded, unsheathing a long katana and pointing it to his throat.  

He glared blankly at her, eyes betraying nothing.

She brought the katana closer, the tip grazing his skin. “Why are you here?”  

“I don’t know where I am.” He said.  

The woman snarled, “don’t play around with me. Or else I kill you.”  

“My, my! Where are your manners, Yuna?” Spoke a hoarse voice, accompanied by a hunchbacked figure, silver hair, and a wrinkled smile. “Don’t be rude to our guest.”  

“He’s not a guest.” Yuna said. “He’s a curse.”  

The old woman scratched her chin. “Oh dear, I do believe he appears quite human. And a dashing young man, if I do say so myself. Don’t you agree?” She stepped closer.  

Yuna halted her. “Please let me handle this, Yasuko-san.”  

“You have already done plenty. Let me have a look at him.” The woman pushed past, kneeling with difficulty beside the man. She slowly brought a wrinkled hand to his forehead, pushing back his damp blonde hair, and his eyes fluttered shut. “He’s running quite the fever.”  

“It’s the poison. There’s nothing we can do.” Yuna crossed her arms.  

“Can’t you use the fox?” The woman asked.  

“We can’t trust him.” She pursed her lips.  

“But you’ve restrained him enough. Are you letting him die like this?” Yasuko asked.  

Yuna frowned, face conflicted. She glanced at the trembling man, meeting his tired eyes, and sheathed her weapon. She helped the old woman to her feet and kneeled in front of him instead. “If you try anything funny, I kill you. Got it?” His only response was an empty stare, which Yuna took for a positive answer. “Can you lower a curtain, Yasuko-san?”  

“Of course, dear.” The old lady smiled, chanting slowly and gently, “emerge from darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure.”  

The light filtered away from the room, the dark outline of their bodies barely visible. Quiet breathing wafted around them as Yuna brought her hands close to her chest, whispering an incantation. Suddenly, a dim white light seeped out of her hands and started to circle her body, slowly growing in size and intensity. Despite squinting with discomfort, the man's eyes never left the woman.  

The light swished in a graceful dance, her yukata billowing along with its movements. It climbed her shoulder, shot under her arms and above her head. It grew a long tail, paws, pointy ears and a snout. It slowed down as it gained shape, the tail curling gently against Yuna’s waist and arms as it moved. Circling the woman one last time, it stopped beside her. Elegant and lean, eyes sharp and fur soft, a white fox stared at him.  

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Coming back to her senses, Akari was greeted by a strange ceiling. Disoriented, she glanced around. The room was ample and spacious, with traditional tatami mat flooring, moldered wooden panels and ripped paper screens. Sunlight filtered in through a window, revealing a cloud of dust wafting through the air. The furniture was sparse; there was a big chest in one corner of the room, a tall vase with dry, dead bamboo and a chabudai in front of her, containing bandages and crimson-stained cloths. The floor was stained with blood, leaving a blotchy trail to where Akari was laying. She sat atop the largest stain, still fresh and damp. 

She looked down at her body, her torso covered by her blood-stained yukata. Her belts and obi were gone and nowhere to be seen. She carefully lifted the fabric off her body, finding her torso wrapped up in bandages and soaked in blood. 

“Finally, you’re awake.” Spoke a low, husky voice. 

Akari hastily covered herself, swiveling around in the direction of the voice. Sukuna stood at the entrance of the room, leaning against the doorframe. He was noticeably smaller than when Akari first saw him, lacking the second pair of arms, his additional pair of eyes shut. He stared at her, irises colored gray rather than red. His hair was pushed back into a half top knot and his wavy bangs cascaded freely.  

His once-pristine clothing was now marred with crimson stains, in a similar state to Akari’s yukata. There was blood also on his hair and skin, and he glared at Akari with disdain. 

“There is no need for that. You have nothing worthwhile of laying eyes upon.” He rolled his eyes. 

“Why are you here?” Akari hissed, feeling lightheaded. 

“To regenerate your blood.” He took a step towards her. Akari recoiled, looking for a weapon to defend herself with. 

“Stop! What are you talking about?” Her heart thrummed in her ears. 

Sukuna sighed in annoyance. “The wounds prevent blood from coagulating. You're bleeding out, and since you lack the skill to regenerate blood, I have to handle it for you. Are you content with that, you useless fool?” 

Akari hissed, “why? Why would you even help me?” 

“Isn’t it obvious? You’re my host.” 

The motivations behind his actions were puzzling. Had she been a host like Yuji, then her life would’ve been valuable to Sukuna, as her death would also mean the vanishing of his consumed fingers. However, those weren’t the conditions inflicted upon them. Since they couldn’t merge to each other, if Akari died, Sukuna’s fingers would persist until he found his next host. 

“And you think I’ll trust in you just like that?" Akari retorted, trembling. 

“And what do you think I would do? Have you already forgotten your own terms for our binding vow?” He said, coming closer. 

Akari tried to stand up, but her head spun, and she sat back down, clutching her stomach. “Stay back.” 

“Do you wish to die, foolish girl?” He snarled, crouching beside her. 

Akari hugged her body, scrambling away. “Don’t touch me.” 

Sukuna’s voice was laced with displeasure. "You know what? I couldn't care less. I can just wait for you to become unconscious again." 

Panick gripped Akari as her sight became increasingly foggy and her body, tenser and heavier. She collapsed to the floor, unable to keep herself straight. She was about to pass out, and then Sukuna would do whatever he pleased with her limp body. Her stomach churned at the thought. 

He only needed to regenerate her blood, right? Then touching any part of her body should suffice. 

“Hand...” she strained, reaching out with her hand as her sight darkened. 

Sukuna’s annoyed sigh came accompanied by a strong, warm grasp on her clammy hand. There was an immediate rush of heat on her body as his energy invaded her, flowing through her bloodstream and restoring the warmth she had lost. Akari involuntarily closed her eyes as her body relaxed. 

“Don’t sleep.” Sukuna reprimanded, startling her awake. 

Akari slowly regained her strength as Sukuna regenerated her blood. After a while, he let go of her hand and waited silently as she sat up, her head pounding. Once the world stopped spinning, she glanced at the man sitting cross-legged in front of her. 

“What’s this?” Akari pointed to her abdomen. “Was it you that did this to me?” 

Sukuna sighed, removing the top part of his yukata. Underneath his clothes, his torso was wrapped around blood-soaked bandages, and as he used his technique to cut them down, he revealed a gash on his skin, a perfect twin to Akari’s own injury.  

“Someone attempted to disrupt our binding vow. As punishment, we have gotten these seemingly everlasting wounds.” 

“You could’ve been the one to do this to me, and your wound is your punishment.” Akari said. 

He scoffed. “Are you stupid? Had it been me, I wouldn’t even be alive anymore.” 

Akari pursed her lips. “And how do you know it was someone else that tried to disrupt our binding vow?” 

He let out an annoyed sigh. “Had the transgressor been either of us, the consequences would be much dire to the part that violated the vow. Why else would we both be punished equally?” 

Akari quirked her brow. “And can’t you heal yourself?” 

He rolled his eyes. “Of course not. You tried it for yourself, didn’t you? That’s part of the binding vow’s punishment.” 

Even though Sukuna’s explanation made sense, Akari had her suspicions. If it was some third party that interfered with their binding vow, whose side were they on? Were they trying to help Sukuna, herself, or eliminate them both? Either way, there was this nagging feeling in her mind that Sukuna knew more than what he let on. 

Akari stared down at her bloodied yukata. “So that’s it? We’ll just... bleed forever?” 

“When there is a partial disruption to a binding vow, there is usually a means to repair the damage. In our case, I dare say it’s rather straightforward.” 

“And what would that be?” 

“We have to work together to heal both of our wounds. Consider it as a means to mend our disrupted connection.” He pointed at her. “As we know, both of us can’t heal our injuries by ourselves. In fact, I believe no one other than me can heal you, and vice versa.” 

“And what makes you believe only us can heal each other’s injuries?” Akari squinted her eyes in suspicion. 

“If that doctor was able to heal you, then I wouldn’t have to babysit you and regenerate your blood.” 

“And why would Ieiri-san heal me? I’m only hurt inside the domain.” Akari said, remembering passing out during the morning. She wasn’t injured then. 

“What stupid nonsense.” Sukuna pinched the bridge of his nose. “Our bodies inside the domain are soul-bound to our physical bodies. Anything that happens to you outside the domain is reflected here, and the opposite is also true. So, yes, you are bleeding onto the doctor’s hands, and she’s unable to save you.” 

Akari gnawed on her lip, mulling over what she should do. Just for how long had she been out?  Bleeding out, and having her blood restored by Sukuna? She wished she knew. 

“What if we don’t heal it?” Akari asked, hands unsteady. 

Sukuna shrugged. “You die.” 

“And you don’t?” 

“Right now, I’m the only one that can keep both of us alive, and if you don’t want to help, then you might as well die from blood loss. Once you’re dead, our binding vow has no effect and neither does its punishment.” Sukuna pointed at her. “So, if I were you, I’d cooperate.” 

Akari’s situation had been getting progressively worse. Not only was she bleeding out to death, but also Sukuna was the only one that could save her. It also didn’t help her to think that if she died now, it would make no difference. In six weeks, the higher-ups would execute her anyway. 

Sukuna could just leave her to her demise, crawling in her own blood and tears until the warmth was completely sucked out of her body. But he was offering her the choice to live, only for her lifespan to last for six more miserable weeks. It wasn’t worth it. She might as well just refuse to help him. 

But as she thought back to her life at Jujutsu High – Nobara, her classmates, Ieiri and Yuji - her resolve escaped her grasp, and she selfishly longed to have her last six weeks to live.   

“What should I do?” She asked, glaring at Sukuna. 

“Very well.” He smirked. 

“Most wounds are difficult to see, even if they’re superficial.” Sukuna explained, pointing to his own naked torso, the cut open and oozing blood - a perfect twin to the wound Akari had gotten in her own body. “So, whenever you heal someone, you have to use your energy to first access the damage as a whole and feel how and where you should start. You may have noticed this already, but you can tell the deepest part of a wound by sensing the pooling of cursed energy. This is crucial, especially in healing things you can’t see, like internal organs.” 

Being close to him, Akari silently took note of his tattoos. She asked herself what exactly they meant; when Sukuna took over Yuji’s body, the markings would surface onto his skin, together with a pair of red eyes. Were those features linked to Sukuna’s cursed technique? 

However, despite having the tattoos, why didn’t he have the extra pair of eyes? And why weren’t his eyes red now? And what happened to his exorbitant height and his second pair of arms? She furtively glanced at his face, only to find him staring straight back at her. 

“Are you even listening ?” Sukuna squinted. “Or are you-” 

Akari interjected, pretending she hadn't been caught off guard. “I am listening. And honestly, I think you’re trying to trick me into using up all my energy.” 

He frowned. “And why is that?” 

“Doing this ‘assessment’ before healing a wound takes double the amount of energy! And what if I don’t want to heal all the wounds? Do I still have to waste energy on them?” She said, lightheaded. 

“Why don’t you let me finish before making such stupid remarks?” He retorted, displeased. 

Akari stared once again at his face, finding a small scar on top of his left eyebrow. Was that... Eiji’s? She remembered seeing how he got it on one of his childhood memories. 

Shaking her thoughts away, she answered him. “Go on.” 

Sukuna spoke calm and eloquently, his deep voice gentle despite his usual terrifying demeanor. Akari didn’t know if it was the soothing cadence of his voice or her tiredness, but her eyelids felt impossibly heavy, and she had to battle to stay alert, focusing on Sukuna’s explanation. 

Ieiri and Sukuna were completely different mentors. While Ieiri had trouble explaining and demonstrating her technique, Sukuna’s methods had an art to them, a deliberate elegancy that flowed with intelligence, care and providence. He told her much more than she needed to heal his wound, including how to regenerate limbs correctly and even how to properly deal with poison. 

However, the beauty of his technique was quickly overruled by his manners and teaching methods. 

Sukuna’s index finger fell onto the tatami mat, blood shooting out and flowing down his hand. Akari could only watch, startled and appalled, as he held out his fingerless hand in front of her. “Like I said, for you to regenerate limbs, you should follow the natural flow of cursed energy, and stop when it recedes.” He said as his bloodied hand slowly regained its lost finger, the flesh quivering and weaving together. Once it regenerated completely, he flexed it as to test his work. “Wish to try?” He asked with a smirk. 

“I would be overjoyed to regenerate you a crooked finger, yes.” Akari smiled despite her dizziness. 

“Very well.” Before Akari could object, he immediately used his technique to sever his pinky. The finger fell on the tatami mat, right beside his forgotten index. Sukuna extended his hand to her. 

Akari’s eyes widened with shock. “Why did you do this?” 

“Didn’t you say you’d give me a crooked finger?” He mocked. 

“Are you stupid? I wasn’t serious!” She fretted, clasping his bloodied hand. Regenerating body parts was a task she hadn't attempted before, and she didn't want to waste her energy healing a finger for him. It wasn't even part of their agreement. 

Frustrated and angry, Akari chose not to regenerate his finger. Instead, she focused on the wound and healed the skin where his pinky had been severed. The bleeding stopped, and she gruffly pushed his hand back at him. “Here you go.”  

Sukuna raised his hand and laughed. “Good luck healing us. You’ll need it.” 

Akari ignored his provocation, her sight blurry. “Is... that all?” 

“Yes.” He shrugged, his severed pinky regenerating effortlessly. 

Is he showing off...? This jerk!  

Akari looked down at her trembling hands. She could do this. She had to do this, or else she’d just die without having been able to do anything. She didn’t want to die. 

Her thoughts were interrupted when suddenly a dark-nailed hand grasped her wrist, and she looked up in disarray. 

“You’re bleeding out, fool.” Sukuna said as warmth rushed forth from his grip. “If you can’t even save your pathetic self, how do you expect to heal others?” 

She pulled her hand away, escaping the overwhelming heat of his reversed cursed technique. “It’s enough.” 

Sukuna shrugged. “Whatever you say. Shall we?” 

With a nod, Akari steadied herself and stared at his torso. Sukuna sat straight, waiting placidly for her. Akari brought her hands closer to his abdomen, but he interrupted her. 

“We need to cut your bandages down first.” He pointed at her. 

“Alright, where’s the scissors?” She asked, opening her yukata just a small fraction. 

“No need.” Sukuna said, and as he did, her blood-soaked bandages suddenly split in half, pooling down at her hips. She quickly covered herself as she felt her breasts and belly lose their coverage, hugging the yukata close to her body. 

“What are you doing!” She yelled. 

“Will you help or not? I’m losing my patience.” He spoke with an irritated frown. 

Akari’s face heated up with anger and embarrassment. She cursed him in her head, focusing on remaining calm despite her inner turmoil. She questioned if she really wanted to do this, but even though she hated him and wanted him dead, her will to live and see her friends again was stronger. 

Resolute, Akari grabbed one of his hands and shoved it on top of her belly, wrapping herself with the yukata again and holding it close with one of her hands. “Don’t look.” She commanded. 

Sukuna rolled his eyes, eyebrow twitching. “Pest.” He spat. 

Ignoring him, she focused on his open wound and brought her free hand to touch it, the blood warm and sticky. With an exhale, she slowly let her energy seep into Sukuna’s wound, and felt him doing the same. Following his previous instructions, she focused first on using her energy to access the wound as a whole. The deeper she ventured, the harder it got to go further, as his energy became denser and more resistant.  

Sukuna observed her boredly as she battled against his energy. The wound went deep into his torso, and as she kept pressing on, she realized his internal organs had also been harmed by the cut. According to Sukuna, her wound was the same as his, so that meant she had been in a worst state than she initially thought. 

Suspicious of him, she halted her assessment on him and used her energy to feel her own abdomen. Without the resistance she’d find in someone else’s body, she finished it in instants, only to find her internal organs to be in the same state as his. 

How were they not dead yet? 

Akari gasped as her energy slipped, and Sukuna smirked. “Giving up already? This was supposed to be the easy part.” 

Akari got a hold of her energy, refocusing on the wound. “Our organs are all fucked up.” 

“I know.” Sukuna answered. 

“Aren’t you in pain?”  

He quirked his brow. “Are you?” 

Akari blinked. Despite the chasm on her abdomen, she was not in any type of pain or discomfort. Why? 

“I believe this is linked to the punishment. Our pain is numbed here as to not hinder us from mending our binding vow.” Sukuna explained. 

Akari silently acknowledged his words, concentrating back fully on the wound. She finally finished accessing the damage; It was a single, deep gash, slicing through his ribcage and organs. She shivered, thinking of her own injury. 

Now that her energy had seeped into his torso, she was ready to start healing him. Following his previous instructions, she begun by the deepest part of the wounds; where his cursed energy pooled denser and stronger, and felt him follow suit on her injury, his energy trailing the same path. 

She had already used a good amount of energy just in assessing the damage, but as he had explained after she questioned him about the waste, when healing the wound, she could manipulate and use this energy as well, so she wouldn’t spend any more resources than necessary. 

He’d told her to gradually incorporate the lingering energy as she worked on healing the wound, which she visualized as if making a French braid, weaving the wound together while picking up the energy she’d previously used. 

Sweat broke down her brow as she forced more of her energy into Sukuna’s own, her body rushing with heat as his energy weaved through her. She’d never worked on an injury this deep, and the closer to one’s core a wound went, the harder it was to heal it. Her fingers twitched and her arms burned; her energy output was more intense than she was used to. 

Ignoring the urge to back off from Sukuna, she leaned closer and pressed her hand further against his warm, bloodied skin. As she healed his injury, her energy flow became steadier and more manageable, and she closed her eyes as she felt it work through Sukuna’s organs and bones. The task was rapidly draining her, and she wondered if she would have enough energy to heal him completely. 

Akari decided to just keep going until she felt she couldn’t do it anymore. With the deepest parts of the wounds already healed, she was getting closer to the surface, and once again following Sukuna’s words, she gradually applied less energy to the injury. This method helped with conserving energy and having better control of the healing process, together with a clean finish. 

Having practiced for weeks with Inumaki’s syrup made this part surprisingly easy. She thanked Ieiri on the back of her mind. 

Akari was dizzy with exhaustion once she finally finished. She stared at the skin on Sukuna’s torso, perfectly woven together as if there was never a wound there in the first place. 

“Very well.” Sukuna startled Akari out of her trance, removing his hand from her belly and wiping the blood with a cloth. 

Akari stared down at her bloodied hands, deep in thought. What was going on with her and Sukuna? Why had she been seeing his memories? What triggered them? Touching him or using energy on him didn’t seem to be the answer.  

What was his connection with Yuna and Nishida? And what were their connection to her? From her previous glimpse at his memories, she learned they met him when he was Eiji, and that Yuna had been a master of the White Fox. How much did he know about the Foxes? Could his memories have the answers she sought? 

And Sukuna could’ve just let her die and heal himself afterwards, no harm done to himself. Why, then, had he chosen to help her live? Why had he chosen her as his host? What was her worth to him? 

Akari muttered, “why...” 

Sukuna glared at her, and she met his eyes with a skeptical look.  

“What do you want from me, Sukuna?” Akari asked, despite being unsure if her question would get an answer. 

He stared back at her. “A favor.” 

“What is it? What could I possibly do that you can’t? And what makes you think I would do as you say?” She gritted her teeth. 

He leisurely eyed her, gaze disdainful and uninterested. “Come back when you’re ready to learn about the foxes.” 

Akari gasped. “What-” 

“You know where to find me.” He said and got up from the floor. 

“Wait-” Akari tried to follow him, but her body was suddenly overcome with exhaustion. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari was uncomfortably hot. Her hair and back were completely soaked. She was covered by a thin sheet and as she resurfaced to the world, she groggily uncovered herself and stared down at her body. Her torso was bare, the thin tube of an IV attached to her arm. The bed she laid on was damp with sweat and... blood? 

She hastily blinked the sleepiness away, remembering Sukuna’s words. Her body had suffered a punishment from the binding vow, thus the blood. She looked around and found only a chair beside her bed, the rest of the room blocked from view behind a curtain. Was she in a hospital? 

As she sat up, covering herself with the bedsheet, she put a hand to her neck, wondering if she had a fever. Despite feeling hot, she wasn’t feeling feverish or fatigued at all.  

Suddenly, the curtains around her slid open. 

“Akari! Thank God, you’re awake!” Ieiri gasped, hurrying to her side. “How are you feeling?” 

“I-” Akari croaked out, mouth parched. “I’m fine.” 

Ieiri nodded, pulling a nursing cart that was hidden behind the curtain. She took out a hospital gown and waited for Akari to dress herself before taking her temperature and measuring her blood pressure. 

“Your blood pressure and temperature have gone down, but they’re still a bit high,” Ieiri said with a frown. 

“Ieiri-san... what happened?” 

The woman sighed. “Fushiguro-kun and Maki-san burst in here a couple of hours ago carrying you. You were unconscious, your body was scorching, and there was blood on your mouth and clothes. I removed your shirt and found this terrible gash on your abdomen. I immediately tried to use reversed cursed technique on you, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t heal you, and I didn’t understand why.” Ieiri pursed her lips. “I tried searing your wounds to stop you blood loss, but it was as if there was this invisible barrier on your body, preventing me from doing anything. You wouldn’t stop bleeding, but your vital signs held strong. It’s possible that your body was regenerating the blood it lost, but the injury only fully healed just a while ago.” 

Akari’s eyes widened. “Oh.” Sukuna wasn’t lying or exaggerating. She would've really died, hadn’t it been for him. She knew that, but to hear the confirmation from someone else felt entirely different and strange. 

“What happened?” Ieiri asked worriedly. 

Akari slowly told Ieiri of everything that happened and everything Sukuna told her. She explained the conditions to their punishment, and how they worked together to mend their binding vow. 

Ieiri remained silent through her story, and after Akari finished, silence settled. The doctor’s gaze was distant and unfocused, and Akari feared the worst. Had she done something wrong? 

“Do you... do you think he was lying?” Akari asked, heart thrumming in her ears. 

“...No,’ Ieiri finally answered, “it all makes sense, but... who would have the power to interfere with your binding vow?” 

“I don’t know...” Akari frowned. “Do you think... someone else is attempting to host him?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“His condition to our binding vow is that I’m to be his host. If someone else eats one of his fingers, won’t they become his new host?” 

Ieiri shook her head. “I don’t think that’s the case. He didn’t say you’d have to be his only host. But... what about your body temperature?” 

Akari blinked. “What? Wasn’t that from Sukuna regenerating my blood?” 

“No. No form of reversed cursed technique causes this abnormal elevation of body temperature. Blood restoration would only restore your temperature to normal. Was his temperature high as well?” 

“No. He seemed... normal? If you exclude him being shorter and lacking the extra pair of arms.” Akari said. 

“That’s odd... we have to look further into it.” Ieiri eyed Akari. “But first, you need to rest.” 

Akari sighed. “I want to take a shower. I feel sticky and grimy.” 

“I’ll accompany you. I need to have a smoke.” 

“I’m sorry for worrying you, Ieiri-san.” 

Ieiri chuckled. “It’s not your fault, dummy. Can you stand on your own?” 

“I think I can, I just...” Akari’s cheeks heated as she stared down at her hospital gown. “I just want a proper shirt for walking down to the shower quarters.” 

“Oh... I forgot about that. Just a second, I’ll get you one.”  

“No, even if the shirt I was wearing is bloody, I don’t mind.” 

“Um, sorry, Akari, but your shirt and bra are unwearable. I had to cut them down when you got here. Wait here while I get you a spare.” Ieiri said and left. 

“Oh, alright...” Akari trailed off, thinking if she should ask whether Fushiguro and Maki were present when Ieiri bared her to the world. 

But ignorance is a blessing, and in the end, Akari decided it was best for her not to know. 

- ✿ - ❀ - 

Akari left the infirmary with Ieiri and headed straight to the showers. She reveled in the feeling of the sweat and grime being washed off her body, draining away together with the fatigue from training, suffering a fatal injury, having it healed and healing Sukuna in return. 

Once Ieiri took her temperature again and judged Akari was fine, they parted ways. It was already far past lunch time, but she was so hungry that begging Fujiwara-san for leftovers seemed like a perfect idea in her head. Of course, there were snack machines spread throughout the school, but Akari couldn’t bring herself to spend her precious money on them. 

Old habits die hard, and even if Akari earned more than double of her previous salary, spending money felt uncomfortable and wrong. Now that she didn’t have to pay for food or bills, she could save about ninety percent of her earnings, and the whole amount went to her college funds, even if going to college seemed like a distant dream at this point - that money was mostly meant for Yuji to have, in case the worst happened to her. 

However, as she battled with conflicting emotions, a loud crashing noise broke into her thoughts. 

She whipped her head in the direction of the school main patio, where a cloud of dust raised from one of the surrounding buildings. 

Akari dropped her bag of shower items, immediately dashing towards the patio. She was close by, and when she got near the building, she spotted Panda and Inumaki coming her way. 

“Akari! Come!” Panda urged her, extending his arm while Inumaki hopped onto his back. 

She understood perfectly, jumping into his soft body and holding onto his neck. Panda, having secured them both, leapt and propelled them upwards through the damaged structure. They moved fast, and Akari could only briefly notice that a great part of the wooden beams supporting the building were cracked apart. She braced herself for combat, expecting an attacker to have invaded Jujutsu High. 

When they landed on the rooftop, Inumaki immediately jumped off Panda’s back. 

The first thing she saw was a strange man. Dark hair, tied tightly into a top-knot. His face, outlined with a chiseled jaw, was adorned with a big, vertical scar that covered its left side, starting from his hairline and going all the way through his cheek. He was a shirtless mountain of muscle, tall, broad and heavy. Akari doesn’t think she’s ever seen someone as muscular, save for Sukuna, in his two-armed, monstrous form.  

Said man was advancing towards a familiar figure, which Akari instantly recognized as Fushiguro, who sat on the ground, unmoving. 

Before Akari could think of anything else, Inumaki positioned himself behind Fushiguro, freeing his mouth from behind the collar of his shirt. 

Panda and her were distant from the others, and even though she couldn’t hear Inumaki, she realized he spoke from the shift in the cursed energy. His technique commanded the strange man, who suddenly halted in place. 

Akari let go of Panda’s neck, rushing to Fushiguro’s side. Panda jumped over them, arching straight to the strange man, coiling back his right arm for a punch. 

“What are you two doing?” Panda yelled, hitting the man square in the jaw, pushing him a few meters back with the sheer force of the impact. “Whew, just barely safe.” Panda sighed in relief. 

“Okaka,” Inumaki said, zipping his collar back up. 

Akari leveled down to get a look at Fushiguro, whose face was completely covered in blood, flowing down from an injury on his head. Entirely focused, she brought her hands to his head and started applying her energy onto him. 

He grabbed her wrists, halting her. “Stop. You passed out this morning.” He whispered, brows furrowed. 

“I’m good, Fushiguro-kun. I promise.” Akari pressed on, and before he could object any further, she had already healed him. He looked at her in worry, but she reassured him with a smile. Alert, she stood up and turned to stare at the intruder. 

“Okay, I guess that might actually be an out.” Panda said. 

The strange man stood up and spat blood onto the ground. “Long time no see, Panda.” He smiled. 

Akari frowned. Did they know each other? Why had this man attacked Fushiguro, then? “Who’s that guy, Panda?” She asked. 

“A nuisance.” Panda sighed. “Todo Aoi, from Kyoto High.” 

Akari had heard of Todo multiple times during the past few weeks. Third-year, first grade sorcerer Todo Aoi. He was the strongest student in Kyoto High, their win condition for the Goodwill Event. Every one of Maki’s strategies revolved around neutralizing, incapacitating, evading or delaying this big hunk of muscle. Why, however, was he here at Tokyo High, vandalizing the school and attacking a first year so brazenly? 

“You can use reversed cursed technique?” Todo asked, staring at Akari. 

Akari narrowed her eyes. “Why would I tell you if I could?” 

Todo scratched his chin, ignoring her jab. “So you’re that girl…” He looked her up and down, sighing with... disappointment? “I guess it’s worth a try... hey, Itadori, right? What’s your type in men?” 

Akari blinked in puzzlement. “H-huh?” She stuttered. 

“It can be women, too. I don’t care.” He added. 

“What type of question is this?” Akari asked, rattled. 

Todo sighed and pointed at Fushiguro. “Just please don’t give an atrocious answer like he did. I was physically in pain at his words.” 

“You attacked him because of his answer?” Akari asked, eyes wide. 

“No. I attacked him because he’s boring. At least that’s what his answer told me.” He grimaced. “You look as boring as him, but again, I can’t judge someone by their looks. Hence the question.” 

Akari quirked her brows. “So, instead of looks, you choose to judge a person entirely based on their type? Quite the hypocrisy.” 

Todo clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “You don’t understand.” 

“I don’t need to understand something pointless.” 

“Answer him, Akari!” Panda cut him, catching her by surprise. “Otherwise umm... he’ll break down the entire building!” 

Todo blinked. “What? No, I wouldn’t do that.” 

“Don’t listen to him! He’s a force that needs to be contained! He’ll go rampant!” Panda pleaded; his previous playful demeanor gone in favor of desperation. “What’s your type, Akari?” 

Akari stared at Panda, mouth agape. Would Todo really go rampant at a refusal to answer his stupid question? He did attack Fushiguro, so Akari was inclined to believe that was indeed the case. 

However, as Akari thought about the answer to the question, she found none. She didn’t have a type; each of her past crushes were a far cry from the others; Himiko was bouncy and cute, Kaito was awkward and shy, Tanaka sensei was mysterious and nerdy and Nobara was outspoken and had a strong personality. 

No matter how hard she tried to find a pattern between her past crushes, she would fail. Thus, she had no real answer to Todo’s question, but at the same time it couldn’t go unanswered. 

She glared at Panda, who was desperate to hear her speak. She would have to come up with something, and as she thought about how Panda liked to play matchmaker with his friends, she decided it was best to say her type was the exact opposite of Nobara. 

She put a hand on her chin, thinking. Nobara was short, so... “Um, tall, with an upbeat, carefree personality and a soft tone of voice.” 

“T-tall?” Panda stammered. 

“U-um, yeah! The taller the better!” Akari grimaced. 

“Upbeat, carefree personality? Soft tone of voice?” Panda fretted. He was completely losing his marbles. Had Akari said something wrong? 

“Y-yeah...” 

“For boys or girls?” Panda gulped. 

“B-both?” 

Akari glared at him, bewildered. Even though he was a plushie, and thus had no blood, she could neatly see the color draining from his stricken face. 

“You…” Todo wavered, head hung low. Akari held her breath, bracing herself for his attack. Were her words that boring? She wondered what Fushiguro had answered for her “type” to be as atrocious as his. 

“Takada-chan…” Todo raised his head. Tears streamed down his face as he glared at Akari with widened eyes. “I have never heard such a perfect description of Takada-chan…” 

“Takada-chan…?” Akari tried to follow. 

“You….” Todo smiled and wiped his tears, eyes warm as he gazed at her face. However, his expression darkened as his gaze trailed up and down Akari’s body again. “But you’re… short…. skinny… and flat…” 

“Flat?” Akari yelped, exasperated as she stared down at her body. She sure was lean, but her boobs and butt were average-sized. It was nothing outstanding or remarkable, but... “I’m not flat !” 

“No… No! You’re not even my type!” Todo roared, face laden with conflicting emotions. “What even is your height? 1,50?” 

“Wha- No! I’m 1,62!” Akari had never felt this offended before. Who did this man think he was? To call her short, skinny and flat! She gritted her teeth, face burning with anger. “Listen, here you- “ 

“No! I’m loyal to Takada-chan!” He bellowed, turned around and left, leaving Akari confused, annoyed and embarrassed. 

Chapter Text

Ch. 12 – Hopscotch

Before the building could collapse, Panda brought the students down. Akari worriedly stared at his blank face, wondering what he was so upset about, but was too afraid to ask. Had she said something that bad? Weirdly as he had reacted, it didn’t seem like Todo had… disliked her answer.

She slipped away to search for the bag she’d dropped in her rush when Fushiguro came over to her side. “Are you alright?” He asked, his brows furrowed in concern.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Ieiri discharged me, so don’t worry.” She quipped, stooping to retrieve her bag.

“What about your injury? Did she heal you?” Fushiguro pressed.

“Um, yeah, she did.” Akari fabricated. What alternative did she have? Admitting she’d relied on Sukuna for help was not an option. “I’m fine, I swear. I just need to eat something.” She rubbed her nape.

Fushiguro nodded resolutely. “I’ll come with you.”

Despite Akari’s insistence in refusing his company, Fushiguro’s determination prevailed. It didn’t matter what she told him, seeing her get injured out of left field that morning must’ve left an impression on the boy. She wasn’t going to dispute it; she lacked the energy and good enough arguments to convince him.

Upon arriving at the dining hall and asking for an unscheduled meal, Fujiwara-san reprimanded both for skipping out on lunch. Akari was surprised to hear Fushiguro had neglected his meal, too, and wondered if it was out of worry for her. It wasn’t his fault that they missed out on lunch, so he shouldn’t be punished for breaking the rules.

She tried explaining the situation to the old lady, but Fushiguro preempted her. “We’re sorry, Fujiwara-san. We weren’t feeling well. It won’t happen again,” he declared with a bow.

The lady sighed. “Alright. But where is Maki-san? Isn’t she joining you for a meal?”

“I’ll call her. Thank you, Fujiwara-san.” Fushiguro assured.

“Sit down, you two. I’ll call you in a few.” She said, leaving for the kitchen.

Akari waited as Fushiguro messaged Maki, reassuring her of Akari’s well-being and informing her of their decision to eat at the dining hall. Maki replied immediately, ordering him to keep watch of Akari and informing them that she had promised to eat out with Nobara.

“Sounds like a date.” Akari mumbled as Fushiguro told Fujiwara-san that Maki wouldn’t be joining them.

As they sat down at one of the tables, Fushiguro cast a curious glance her way, but refrained from commenting. Sensing his scrutiny, Akari swiftly redirected the conversation. “Why did you lie to Fujiwara-san?” She whispered, suggesting he could have mentioned taking her to the infirmary that morning, hence their absence at lunch.

“Ieiri-san told us not to tell anyone,” he replied. “Not until we’ve figured out what happened to you.”

Akari blinked. “Oh. Of course.”

“You haven’t told Panda-senpai and Inumaki-senpai, right?” Fushiguro was quick to ask.

“No, I barely had the chance to talk to them.”

“Good. Do you have any idea of what happened to you? I’ve never seen something like that...”

“...No. I don’t.” Akari averted her gaze. “It must’ve been shocking.”

Fushiguro nodded. “Everyone was quite rattled. Even Ieiri-san.”

Akari nodded. To have a student become hurt out of nowhere, and with a mysterious wound she could do nothing to heal... it’s no wonder she had already smoked a full pack of cigarettes by the time Akari came out of the shower.

“Oh.” Fushiguro perked up, as if remembering something. “I forgot to return this.” He reached for his pocket, handing her the amulet of the Twin Foxes she had shown him that morning.

Akari thanked him and returned the amulet to her neck. She sighed, looking at the small silver fox on her palm. It looked like a normal necklace, no matter how hard she tried to decipher it.

“It does feel like an empty shell,” Fushiguro remarked.

“Doesn’t it? Even Gojo-sensei said that.” Akari frowned. “I keep thinking this is a fake.”

“What do you know about the Foxes?” Fushiguro inquired.

Akari scratched her chin, slowly remembering the research she’d amassed with Ijichi’s help. “Well, besides what I already told you, the Twin Foxes have a single master each, and there is a binding ritual that serves to deem the masters worthy of their power. Not much else is known about them, especially because they vanished during the Heian era. It is rumored that the Zen’in clan has kept the amulet hidden inside their warehouse, trying to study and unlock them for years.” She held the amulet out. “If this was what they were trying to study, it was a big, fat waste of time. So I think this might be a fake, maybe to deceive robbers? I have heard a story of someone that tried to steal the amulet by swallowing it...”

“That would make sense. Perhaps that’s why they haven’t tried to retrieve it?”

“Oh, no. Maki-san said they tried. They stopped pestering her after a while, though...”

Fushiguro stared at his hands, lost in thought. Akari observed him, sensing a silent struggle. She wouldn’t press; if he wanted to share, he would. That had always been their unspoken understanding.

“Akari-san... why are you interested in the Foxes?” He finally broke the silence.

That was a good question, one that Akari couldn’t truthfully answer. The Foxes were a distant, intangible hope of saving her life. Perhaps the Black Fox could neutralize Sukuna, or the White Fox could somehow break into their binding vow and disrupt their connection. Realistically, the chances of either of the Foxes having power over her and Sukuna’s situation were slim. Yet, she clung to them desperately, a lie she told herself each day to muster the strength to keep going. 

She pursed her lips. “I think I can use them to exorcise Sukuna. I’m still not sure how, but it’s worth a shot, isn’t it?” She strained, forcing a smile.

Fushiguro’s expression hardened. “Akari-senpai, I know I’ve said it before, but I’m really sorry-”

“Fushiguro-kun, stop.” Akari swiftly interrupted him. She already knew what would come out of his lips. It would be the fourth time, in the span of two weeks, that he would apologize for the incident that “took Yuji’s life” at the detention center. Akari had reassured him multiple times, reinforcing he wasn’t at fault for anything that happened that day. However, her words seemed to go through one ear and out the other. Even with Akari’s forgiveness, Fushiguro struggled to forgive himself.

As Fushiguro looked up at her, Akari sighed. “First of all, please drop the ‘senpai’. I was only joking at the time,” she referenced a playful conversation they had earlier that week, when she teased him about her being the only second-year he didn’t refer to as “senpai”. She even joked about his lack of respect, but his intense reaction left her regretting the jest. “I know you respect me; there’s no need for the honorifics.”

He frowned. “But-”

“And!” She interrupted before he could counter. “Stop apologizing for something that isn’t your fault. And I know that deep down you know that it’s not your fault.” She met his gaze squarely. “You know, when me and Yuji got into Jujutsu High, people warned us about this type of thing. Being a sorcerer is hard and often cruel, and Jujutsu takes more than it gives.” Akari recalled Maki’s harsh words. “And even though I had to learn this the hard way, I have to live with it. In the end, I don’t regret anything, at all.” She smiled. “So you shouldn’t either.”

His stoic expression gave way to a purse of his lips and a strained smile. “Thanks... Akari-san.”

“No need to thank me.” She relaxed. “So, I’ll ask you the same question. Why are you interested in the Foxes?”

“It’s... because of my sister.” He slowly answered. Akari patiently waited, allowing him space to think. “Tsumiki’s been in a coma for a year now. Through research and with Gojo-sensei’s help, we’ve discovered she’s been cursed, and nothing I tried to reverse the curse worked. Talismans, tools, not even reversed cursed technique. I even consulted specialists about it, but all of them told me the same thing over and over; that my sister was good as gone. The curse took over her body completely.” He clenched his fists. “I had lost hope to save her, but hearing about the White Fox’s powers... I really believe this could work. There’s a chance I can save Tsumiki, and even if the chances are abysmally low, I have to try.”

Fushiguro rarely mentioned his older sister, and the other students respected his privacy. Hearing Fushiguro talk openly about his frustrations was completely new to Akari. His tense shoulders indicated that this was a difficult topic for him, and she could understand what he was going through. When Yuji was possessed by Sukuna and sentenced to execution, her mind brimmed with anxiety, pain and guilt.

“I’m sorry about your sister, Fushiguro-kun.” Akari said. “I’ll be honest with you, I have no idea if the Foxes could help your sister, but I want to help you as much as I can.” She smiled. “So, let’s work together on this.”

- ✿ - ❀ -

Yuji always said that Akari looked like a zombie on Mondays. He would point at her untamed hair, comment on her dark circles and say her morning breath smelled of death. She hated him for it each time.

However, as she made her way to the infirmary in the afternoon, she wondered if his presence at Jujutsu High would alleviate her zombie-like state, even if she had to endure his stupid teasing. 

Insomnia had haunted Akari in the past couple of nights. Since her last encounter with Sukuna at their innate domain, she hasn’t been able to sleep properly. Brief attempts at rest were shattered by sudden, intense bursts of heat.

Now that she knew that Yuna had been a master of the White Fox, she wanted nothing more than to see more of her memories and obtain more information about the shikigami. However, she’d have to rely solely on luck to do so; not only she couldn’t control when she glimpsed at Yuna’s memories, she couldn’t select which memories she saw, and more importantly, she struggled to fall into deep slumber.

Somewhere deep into the night, she abandoned the pursuit of sleep, resorting to doing research instead. Investigating the history of the Zen’in clan proved boring and unfruitful. There was only a limited selection of books in the school library, all containing the same content - a glorification of the clan’s achievements and influence. Their pride and arrogance saturated every page Akari turned.

She would never find anything useful in those censored, manipulated books.

She couldn’t find any further information on Yuna and her companions, nor Sukuna and much less on the Twin Foxes. Fushiguro had been assisting her with the latter, but even he encountered difficulties in the research.

In truth, Akari had contemplated abandoning the pursuit of the foxes, unable to progress on her research. She had already accepted the amulet in her possession as a fake, the possibility of finding the legendary shikigami a distant thought. She had been slowly coming to terms with her demise, and that she should be executed when the time came.

However, before she succumbed, she resolved to aid Fushiguro. She had felt the anguish brimming his eyes when he spoke about his sister. Time was short, and she might not save Tsumiki in her remaining six weeks, but she could seek the answers Fushiguro needed to find the foxes. She wanted to accomplish this much before she finally died. 

She considered taking up Sukuna’s offer; information on the foxes in exchange for a favor. The nature of the favor remained unclear. Could he want control of Akari’s body? Such a proposition was inconceivable, especially for mere information. Even if he held all the answers she needed to find and use the foxes, it couldn’t outweigh the importance of others’ safety. But, what if his request was different?

She needed to talk to him, but she couldn’t sleep. And that angered her the most.

As she reached for the infirmary door, her phone rang inside her pocket. “Akari-san? Are you at the infirmary?” Spoke Ieiri’s tired voice.

“Yes, I just arrived.” She said and entered the empty room.

“Could you please bring me a folder I left at my desk? I’m in the third autopsy room.”

“Alright, I’ll be right there.” 

Akari had accompanied Ieiri twice to the school’s autopsy rooms before. All three were situated in the school’s underground levels. In the aftermath of curse incidents, victims’ bodies would be brought to the school, where Ieiri, burdened by the sole responsibility of their autopsies, often found herself working tirelessly. Her perpetual fatigue, stress and overwork were evident in the dark circles under her eyes, even though she never complained about her work.

As Akari stepped into the autopsy room, the distinct smell of chemicals and formaldehyde invaded her nostrils. Her eyes immediately caught the outline of a pair of covered bodies that laid on two of the autopsy tables.

The third autopsy room was the most spacious, and Ieiri’s favorite due to having the best ventilation system. She seldomly used the other two, only resorting to them when the third was being cleaned or under maintenance. Akari personally preferred the second room, as it wasn’t entirely underground, and it had windows that allowed for natural light. To her, the sunlight made the room less eerie and intimidating. Ieiri told her she would eventually get used to it and would then join her in her preference of the third room.

“Thank you, Akari-san.” Ieiri said as Akari handed her the folder. “Trouble sleeping again?”

Akari let out a tired sigh. “How did you know?”

“Your eyebags rival mine.” Ieiri said. “I guess you’re out of sleeping pills. I’ll prescribe you more.”

“Thank you.” Akari rubbed her eyelids, feeling a tinge of embarrassment at Ieiri’s direct observation of her appearance.

“I’ll have to give you a lighter dose this time, though. Have you been trying out meditation?”

“I… yes, and it helps me relax at times. But my heart suddenly accelerates, my body feels hot and sweaty, and I just can’t sleep for a while.”

Ieiri’s eyes widened. “You’re having sudden temperature rises? Why haven’t you told me?”

Akari frowned. “They pass by quickly… I don’t think much of them.”

Ieiri looked at Akari with incredulity, which soon morphed into anger. “Akari, you’re not dumb. You know how serious this is! How are you not worried?”

“It’s just… I didn’t think it was anything bad, I feel fine.” Her head dropped.

Ieiri opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again with a purse of her lips. “You know that Satoru has a plan, right?”

Akari looked up. “What do you mean?”

“I’m saying Satoru probably has a plan to save you from execution. Don’t go giving up on yourself.” Ieiri shook her head. 

“But what is this… plan?” 

“I don’t know. But he’ll find a way.”

“I… do you really think Gojo-sensei can find a way?”

Ieiri smiled. “He’s the strongest. Have some faith in him.”

Gojo-sensei was the strongest. Akari heard this same phrase thrown around so much that it became hard not to believe it. She didn't know how, or why Gojo-sensei was the strongest. She knew nothing of his technique, except for his enhanced perception of cursed energy.

Gojo might've been the strongest. But he wasn't omnipotent.

Akari highly doubted that he could break Jujutsu's laws, or intercept a binding vow. It didn't work that way.

But maybe, just maybe. Maybe there was another way.

Akari sighed and offered Ieiri a weak smile.  “So, what’s the case this time?” She redirected their attention to the corpses. 

Ieiri pursed her lips, sifting through the papers inside the folder. “It’s complicated... and gruesome.” She glanced at Akari. “They’re completely disfigured. I would appreciate your help with this one, but I understand if you don’t want to look at them.”

Akari nodded. “It's okay, Ieiri-san. I want to help you.”

Ieiri’s gaze studied her before she nodded and moved towards the tables. Akari braced herself as the woman removed the cover from one of the bodies.

A creature of white skin was covered in blood. Their skullcap had been removed, exposing the intricate folds of a brain beneath. It had a face of elongated shape, small, crossed eyes, a flat nose with exposed nostrils and an enormous mouth with a flat dental arch that laid vertically instead of horizontally. It had a chunky body, paired with muscular human limbs, and a fat, robust tail. An open cavity on their torso displayed a collection of damaged organs and bones.

It was an horrendous sight, but Akari was somewhat used to seeing deformed creatures such as curses. However, Ieiri didn’t do autopsies in cursed spirits, which could only mean that the thing that laid in front of them was a human.

“I-isn’t this a curse?” Akari stammered.

“No, it’s a human. A transfigured human.” Ieiri said. “Yuji-kun came across them during a mission this morning.”

“What made them like this?”

“A cursed technique forcibly altered the structure of their bodies. Nanami-san and Yuji-kun told me they had cursed energy just like cursed spirits, which made it difficult to discern them as humans.” Ieiri pointed to the exposed brain. “Their brain stems were tampered with, most likely to create a state of confusion and impaired consciousness. This tampering also may have caused them to be able to use cursed energy.”

“So they were alive…” Akari trailed off. 

Ieiri eyed her silently. Akari didn’t speak her next words, but she didn’t need to. The doctor understood her perfectly. “They died of blood loss. Honestly, they were probably already in a great deal of pain and discomfort on top of their confusion. It was an act of mercy. They couldn’t have been reverted back to normal.”

“Couldn’t they, really? What about reversed cursed technique?” Asked Akari.

Ieiri shook her head. “Their bodies and brains have been altered down to their core. Reversed cursed technique could heal their injuries, but it would halt there.”

Akari chewed on her nails. “Then… what about the White Fox? It has transfiguration powers…”

“Akari, that’s a long shot,” pointed the doctor, “the best chance we’ve got at saving others is to neutralize the sorcerer that’s doing this. Then maybe they’ll have the answer to turning them back to normal.” She sighed. “Though you really shouldn’t get your hopes up.”

"Why?”

“Even if their bodies turn back, will their minds as well?” leiri shook her head. “And perhaps not even the foxes can fix this. Don't lose sleep over it, alright?”

Akari nodded, throat tight. Was there really nothing she could do?

“Anyway, I got permission to recruit you for this mission. That is, if you want to participate?” Asked leiri.

“A mission?” Akari blinked. “ I thought I wasn’t allowed to go on missions anymore.” 

"You can't do field work; that hasn't changed. The higher-ups don’t want to take any chances.” Ieiri explained. “You’d help here at Jujutsu High, doing research and supporting Nanami and Yuji-kun.“

Akari’s shoulders sagged. She wanted to actually do something helpful for the mission, like tracking down and hunting the perpetrator. Being locked up in Jujutsu High while reading old papers and writing reports was boring and useless. But at the same time, Akari didn't think she would have another opportunity to help out on a mission. The higher-ups had vehemently prohibited her from doing any sort of field work, given her history of nearly getting killed while out on missions.

But even if she’d be doing only support work, she couldn't help but to be excited for the chance to work together with Yuji on this one. It was a bit silly, but it reminded her of their childhood, when they’d play together and pretend to be pirates. Akari had the brains while Yuji harbored the muscles.

Akari smiled. “Count me in.”

- ✿ - ❀ -

“May I join you, sweetie?”

Yuna acknowledged the old woman with a nod. Yasuko slowly sat beside Yuna as the woman stared distractedly at the lake. They were inside a japanese-style gazebo, protected from the afternoon sun. The water rippled with life, the tree leaves danced, and the wind carried the warm scent of early spring.

“Is this about what Eiji-kun said?” Yasuko eyed Yuna's frown.

Yuna pursed her lips, her gaze troubled. “What if it comes down to confronting him? Will I be able to fight him? Will I be able to go through with the plan? I know I have to do what is right, but…” her voice wavered. “I love him, Yasuko-san. I always have.

“And I know I shouldn't feel like this. There's no turning back from his actions. From his decisions. He made his choice, and so did I. But I catch myself thinking… what if things were different?” She said with a quivering breath. “What if I had accepted to elope with him when we were younger?"

“Did you want to elope with him?” Yasuko asked. 

“Yes. No- It's complicated.” Yuna sighed. “I had my family to think of. Our income depended directly on my powers. Running away with Kai meant I could never see them again. And besides, our marriage was arranged. What if his proposal to run away was a ploy to get rid of me? I was poor, scrawny and ill-mannered. Not worthy of the hand of the Zen'in clan's heir.” She let out a dry laugh. “Oh, how I despised that place.”

“And did he deem you unfit for his wife?” 

Yuna’s answer came without a hint of hesitation. “No. Never. He was the only one inside the Estate that respected me. The main family, however, saw me as an item. They only ever cared about my technique and the foxes. After our marriage, they immediately started harassing us about children. Heirs. At my second miscarriage, the sneers became more apparent. The whispers, more prominent. Even the servants turned up their noses behind my back… But Kai? Kai never did. He loved me. He accepted me.”

Yuna was startled by a wrinkled hand resting atop of her closed fist. Yasuko rubbed circles onto the back of her hand, and slowly the younger woman relaxed.

“You'll do the right thing, Yuna-san. I have no doubt you will.”

“Thank you, Yasuko-san.”

- ✿ - ❀ -

Akari awoke to the faint, gentle sound of a flute.

Her head throbbed as she opened her eyes to a familiar ceiling. The last time she saw this place, she had been with Sukuna while they worked together to heal their wounds. However, upon examination, there was something different about the room. The tatami mats weren no longer blood-stained, the paper walls weren’t ripped and the ever-present cloud of dust had wafted away.

She stared down at her robes, and in expecting to find them torn and bloody, she was met with surprise. Her Yukata had been restored to its original state, the fabric pristine and tightly secured around her body. Had Sukuna done this? Had he cleaned the room and dressed her? Her face burned with anger and embarrassment. This was too much.

Akari took a deep breath. It didn’t matter who did this. She had finally been able to sleep and return to the domain. She had a goal.

She closed her eyes and strained her ears. She was greeted with a distant high-pitched sound, a lone melody vibrating with melancholy and sorrow. Akari had heard this instrument played before, in taiko concerts and traditional festivals. It was a shinobue.

The bamboo flute calmed her beating heart, and she used this moment of peace to focus on her thoughts. She’d just had a glimpse at one of Yuna’s memories, but Akari couldn’t make sense of it. Yuna talked about her past. About a man she loved - Kai. An arranged marriage, and the Zen’in clan.

Akari’s eyes snapped open. Zen’in. Yuna had been a Zen’in! Now she had a full name as a lead. 

Zen’in Yuna.

Even after having scoured through the history of the Zen'in clan, the name didn't ring a bell to Akari. Maybe she needed to look harder, or perhaps she needed to look somewhere else other than the school library.

She wondered if she could convince Maki to take her to the Zen'in Estate. Probably not.

Akari resurfaced from her thoughts once the flute became silent. As if awakened from a trance, only then she began to question the origin of the sound. She focused on her surroundings, and a distinct feeling brushed her mind. She could sense Sukuna's energy, and he was nearby.

She rose to her feet and cautiously made her way out the house. Upon opening the front doors, she was greeted with sunlight, soft and warm against her skin.

Suddenly, he appeared by her side.

“Finally-” he started.

Akari screamed, heart leaping out of her chest. She swung around in surprise, but Sukuna deftly caught her arm and prevented her fall. 

Once stable on her feet, she forcefully retrieved her arm from his grasp. “Why are you-” she began, furious, but her snark slipped away at the sight of a white, fluffy ball on Sukuna's left shoulder.

The rooster glanced at her with curiosity for a split second before perking up,  glinting with gleeful recognition. It stood up, wobbly with excitement as it spread its wings broadly and jumped from the man's shoulder, directly into Akari's trembling arms.

“Hopscotch!” Akari exclaimed as the rooster pecked her hair and clothes, nuzzling its face onto her chest. She caressed his fluffy feathers, rubbed a finger on the rough skin of his legs and tested its weight against her arms. 

Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized this was not an illusion. Hopscotch was there, in flesh and bone. Alive.

Akari was whisked back to her childhood as her mind flooded with memories of the little rooster eating popcorn, waking the neighborhood up at dawn, pecking Akari's tousled hair in the mornings or climbing up on Wasuke's lap when the old man dozed off during lazy afternoons.

She quickly wiped her tears away, suddenly remembering herself. Sukuna was quietly walking away from her.

“What's going on?” Akari demanded.

“Keep him entertained, will you?” Sukuna said. “I’ve had enough of this wicked thing.”

“Hold up!” She halted Sukuna by grabbing onto his yukata, and as the fabric stretched and pulled, she was rewarded with Sukuna's deadly, irritated stare. She didn't care the least bit. “What do you mean you had enough? How long has Hopscotch been here for… Why is he even here?”

Would he even stay there, in the domain with them?

Akari’s eyes widened, and she cradled the little rooster closer to her chest, suddenly afraid that if she let him go for even a mere moment, he would disappear forever. Again.

“Your… pet.” Sukuna sneered, “it appeared while you were away.”

Akari frowned. “Why?”

“Do you think I'd tell you, even if I knew?”

Akari shrugged, and Hopscotch's head bobbed with the movement. She fought the urge to squish him for being so adorable. “Why not? You're always so cooperative, you know?”

If Sukuna was amused or annoyed by her joke, his expression didn't show. He was completely blank. “What do you want?”

“Answers.”

Sukuna crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, signaling Akari to go on.

Akari glared straight into his gray eyes. Where had the red color gone, she wondered. “What is this favor you want from me?”

“I'm not telling you unless you accept my terms.”

Akari’s arms started to perspire, and Hopscotch fidgeted with discomfort. She lifted him to her shoulder, and he gladly accepted the change of place. Akari stared back up at Sukuna to find him frowning at the rooster

“And what are your ‘terms’?” Akari rested a hand on Hopscotch in a protective gesture. “Let's hear them out and then I'll decide whether or not I want to know about your favor.”

Sukuna directed his hateful stare at her instead, raising a finger to outline his first condition. “You don't tell anyone else about this ‘favor’, or any circumstance surrounding it. You can't actively or passively disseminate any information about this. If someone finds out by accident, and the leak is a consequence of your actions, that too will be on your account.”

Akari nodded. He was being exceptionally cautious about this. What exactly was at stake for him? “What if someone else learns about this from you?”

“That doesn't count as a violation on your part.”

“Okay. What if someone forcibly extracts this information from me, say with a cursed technique, for example?”

Sukuna smirked. “For that we set a condition. You’ll be incapacitated from speaking, writing, drawing - any method of communication- when it comes to enlightening a third party on the nature of our pact.”

Akari gasped. “Is this even possible with a binding vow?”

“Of course it is. Under the right conditions, that is. I'm not finished yet.”

Akari clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Go on then.”

“After I tell you the favor I want from you, You'll have twenty four hours to decide whether you'll agree to it or not. In case you don't, you'll forget everything about this. And don't try and write it down somewhere so that you can read it afterwards; that'll count as a violation of the first term.” Sukuna remarked.

Akari huffed. He’d thought it all out in advance, didn't he? Bastard. “What do I have to gain from accepting such demanding terms?”

“If you agree to assist me with my request, I'll indulge your curiosity about the Foxes, this domain, the apparition of your little pet right there,” he nodded to Hopscotch. “And those bursts of heat that trouble you.” 

Akari tried not to let her surprise show on her face. “You know about all of that, huh?”

Sukuna continued, “yes. And don't delude yourself into thinking you can learn this information through my memories. It doesn't work quite so effortlessly.”

So Sukuna knew she'd been seeing his memories… did that mean he'd also been seeing hers, then? That would explain why he knew about the heat.

She'd already assumed that only seeing memories of Sukuna and Yuna would be fruitless. Not only because she'd been seeing less of them and had no control of which ones came to her, but also there was a fundamental piece of information missing from the memory fragments: people’s knowledge and thoughts.

She wouldn't have access to Sukuna’s thoughts in any meaningful memory; she was merely an observer. She had no context, no understanding and little to no sense of time. If Sukuna experienced or saw something related to the Foxes, to Hopscotch or even to Akari herself, she'd only be able to understand what she saw, and that could both be meaningless and misleading.

“Is that it?” She said after a stretched-out silence. “You're basically forcing me to be silent?”

Sukuna shrugged. “Interpret it as you will.”

“I’m not satisfied with your terms.” declared Akari.

Sukuna squinted his eyes. “And what do you propose?”

“I don't want just information. That’s too little in exchange for a favor. I want your help to find and use the Twin Foxes.” She demanded.

Sukuna’s mouth twitched. “Can't you do anything on your own?”

Akari interpreted that response as an agreement. Feeling bold, she continued, “a day is too little time to think. I want two weeks.”

He squinted with scorn. “Two days.”

“A Week and a half.”

“You're testing my patience, girl.”

“A week. I need time, Sukuna.” Akari said.

“Are you finished?” Sukuna said with disdain.

He was being really complacent. He must've really wanted this favor from Akari. She decided to push her luck.

“Lastly, from now on, you have to take care of Hopscotch.” Akari said.

Sukuna cackled.

Funnily enough, Akari wasn't joking this time.

“You want me to babysit this thing?” He pointed at Hopscotch, who reacted by spreading his wings and crowing in protest.

Akari calmed the upset rooster by petting him. “Just feed him and don't let him run away. He might get lost. I can take care of the rest.”

Sukuna crossed his arms. “It is not my responsibility if this idiotic thing runs away. And it doesn't eat.”

“Of course he eats!”

Sukuna rolled his eyes. “No, he doesn't. I don't eat, nor do you, when we're inside this domain. Why would he be any different?”

Akari sighed. “Okay, but just keep an eye on him, then. I’ll make a coop for him or whatever. If he runs away you just tell me where he went.”

“That I might do.”

“Alright that's it. We’ll make a binding vow. You'll explain to me what favor you want from me right now. I have a week to think about it, and if I accept to help you, you tell me whatever I want to know about the foxes, this domain, Hopscotch and my sudden bursts of heat. And you help me with the foxes.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, and you'll start watching over Hopscotch.”

Sukuna grit his teeth. “This won't be part of the binding vow.”

“Why not?”

“I can't guarantee this thing won't disappear, neither can I watch over it the entire time.”

“And I'll just have to take your word for it?” Asked Akari.

Sukuna only stared blankly at her. “Yes.”

Akari clicked her tongue. She hated to admit it, but Sukuna had a point. “Whatever. Fine.” She relented, “if I don't help you, I get nothing. And I forget all about this. Also, I'm incapacitated to communicate anything about this.” Akari said.

“Good. Are we done?”

“Yes.” Akari put out her hand for him to shake it.

Sukuna stared at her hand for an awkward while. She even thought he might've kept her hanging, but he eventually returned the handshake. 

As their hands touched, a sudden rush of energy engulfed them, a familiar sensation. A binding vow.

The second one she'd done with Sukuna.

And hopefully the last.

As Akari stared at their joined hands, Sukuna's voice broke into her thoughts.

“I want you to destroy a cursed object.” He said, and retrieved his hand.

“Which object? Why?” Akari asked.

“A flower. The lily of a thousand crying souls.”

Akari searched her mind for the name. “I’ve never heard of it. Why do you want it destroyed?”

“Someone's soul is trapped inside.” Sukuna said.

“Who is this person?”

“My mother.” Sukuna answered easily.

“Are you lying?” 

Sukuna frowned.  "Lying? I couldn't even if I wanted to. It's implicit in our binding vow. I'm revealing what you need to know about the favor I seek from you.”

“Are you going to get more powerful if I destroy this object?” Akari squinted her eyes in suspicion.

“No.”

“What happens to your mother’s soul if I break this object?”

“It becomes free.”

“Does this object serve as an advantage over you?”

Sukuna scoffed. “Apart from the fact that my own mother’s soul is contained within the object? No.”

Akari’s brow twitched at his condescending tone. “Do you even care for your mother? I thought curses didn’t have feelings.”

Sukuna scratched his chin, Seemingly unaffected by her jab. “Who knows? Perhaps you’re right.”

Akari took a deep breath and suppressed her anger, focusing on the weight of Hopscotch on her shoulder. “Can your mother grant you more power, or fight alongside you?” 

“Of course not.”

“Then why do you want to free your mother’s soul?” Akari asked, confused. There had to be a trick to this.

“She’s been imprisoned for too long.” Sukuna said with a nonchalant shrug.

Akari frowned. “And why does it have to be me to break her free?”

“That is a query I can only answer if you're willing to accept the task."

“You're infuriating, you know.” Akari said. “Whatever. I have a week to find out what I need to know.”

Sukuna’s upper lip curled with irritation. “Very well. Have fun with your stupid chicken before I decide to feast on it.”

“Have fun with the stick you have up your ass.” Akari muttered as Sukuna stepped away. She watched his back with muted anger until he raised his hand above his shoulder.

He was very clearly giving her the middle finger.

Hopscotch screeched in upheaval  as Akari yelled a string of insults after Sukuna's back.

- ✿ - ❀ -

“Yuji, what was the name of the movie again?” Akari asked while trying to sneak a glance at the movie tickets on Yuji's hand.

Yuji huffed in irritation, hiding the tickets out of spite. “For the tenth time, Akari, it's Human Earthworm 3!”

“Haven't we watched this one already?”

“Of course not! We've seen part one and two, part three has just come out.”

“But- I don't remember anything from part one and two!” Akari protested.

“Akari, we watched part one and two a month ago! How can you not remember anything?” He let out a frustrated sigh. 

Akari frowned. “But what is there to remember? It's just a bunch of gore.”

Yuji shook his head in disappointment. “You missed the point of the movie entirely. I see I need to reeducate you in the ways of the Human Earthworm franchise.”

Akari grimaced. “Thanks, but no. I'd rather remain ignorant.”

Yuji opened his mouth to protest against Akari’s refusal, but his attention was stolen by a third figure that rejoined them.

“Hey, I'm back.” Junpei announced with treats in his hands. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah. Thank you for getting the popcorn.” Yuji answered with a thumbs-up. “We got the tickets. Let’s go.”

Yoshino Junpei was a civilian present at the time of the incident with the transfigured humans. Yuji had carried out Yoshino's investigation, which unsurprisingly led to them becoming close friends. 

Yoshino was a scrawny boy, had tired green eyes and dark hair that reached to his shoulders, the right side of his face concealed by long bangs. He was a high school student in Satozakura High School, though he'd stopped attending classes a while ago.

The boy had been in the same movie screening room as the humans that had been assassinated, and thus had seen it happen. It seems that after such a shocking incident he awaked the ability to see cursed spirits, and Yuji has been pestering Yoshino about joining Jujutsu High ever since. He hadn't agreed just yet, but Yuji's insistence would soon bear fruit. It always did.

“Wait, you don't eat chicken?” Yoshino asked as he stared at the chicken nuggets in his hands.

“No. Not since Hopscotch. You know, our pet rooster? It doesn't sit right with me.” Yuji answered sheepishly.

Akari smirked. “It’s actually because of a promise we made when we were kids,” she said. “Can you believe he cried when our grandfather told us chicken nuggets were made from Hopscotch’s friends?”

“Idiot. You’re the one who cried.” Yuji nudged her.

Akari’s chest filled with warmth at the mention of Hopscotch. Five days had passed since she first reencountered him, and as much as she was afraid of him disappearing or becoming hurt once she left the domain, her fears dissipated the next day, when she was welcomed into the domain by a broad flap of wings and warm, fuzzy crowing against her chest.

Sukuna had kept his part of the deal. Hopscotch had always remained by the temple buildings inside the domain, he had not so much as a scratch in his little rotund body and, to Akari’s unpleasant surprise, seemed to enjoy Sukuna’s company and even seek it out when Akari was not around.

Only yesterday, Akari entered the domain to find Hopscotch nestled by Sukuna’s side as they sat in silence before the lake. The little rooster crooned with satisfaction, which he often did when sleeping in good company.

Boiling in contempt, Akari waited for Sukuna to move away from her pet rooster. She’d rather not direct a word to him, could she avoid it. If he was bothered by her hateful stare against his back, he showed no signs of it.

He stood still as stone. His back poised elegantly, golden hair bright under the gentle, ever-present sun of the domain. From where Akari stood, she couldn’t see his face, but wondered if his stillness derived from a deep meditation.

He had no second pair of arms. Not a mouth to his stomach, an inhuman height or monstrous mass of muscles. His figure was so serene that Akari almost forgot he was a curse.

Almost.

At last, she lost her patience and walked up to him. Hopscotch, upon hearing her hurried footsteps, woke up and made haste of climbing to her shoulder. Akari smiled at her pet with adoration, but her attention had been on Sukuna.

He’d not been meditating, it seems. He only stared at the lake, a distant look in his gray eyes.

“It seems your attempt to set fire to my back by stare alone bore no result. Better luck next time.” He said.

Akari made no response, only hurried away with Hopscotch on her shoulder and heat on her cheeks.

“Akari, where are you going?” Yuji’s voice dissipated her thoughts.

She stared at him in silence. It took her a moment for her sluggish mind to remember where they were. The movies. Right. 

Yuji sighed. “Earth to Akari! What are you spacing out about?” He knocked onto her head.

As she glanced behind him, she realized they’d passed the movie screening room. 

Akari smiled sheepishly. “Ah… it’s just… school stuff- actually, um, I was going to use the restroom. You go ahead.”

Her brother frowned, sensing her lie. Akari bit her lip and flurried away. She hated keeping secrets from him.

She hadn’t spoken to him a single word of anything that happened inside the domain. She didn’t mention Sukuna, her tormented, sleepless nights, the sudden bursts of heat, the fragmented memories that haunted her mind, or the mysterious reappearance of Hopscotch.

It didn’t feel fair to burden him with her troubles. He’d already been feeling guilty enough for letting Sukuna escape from his grasp, only to lurk inside his own sister. Once, in one of her visits to the Gojo residence, Akari accidentally overheard Yuji pleading Gojo to save her, and that killed her inside.

She had to resist a sob of her own when she heard her brother’s voice tremble.

They didn’t talk about their situation, but Akari saw it in Yuji’s eyes; the regret, frustration and self-loathing. It mattered not how much she reassured him that everything would be alright. He didn’t believe her. Not in the slightest.

Probably because he could see the truth in her eyes, too. 

Akari fixed her clothes and hair in the restroom mirror. She’d used makeup to cover her dark circles. Even though Ieiri’s sleeping pills had helped, they unfortunately hadn’t fixed her insomnia. She could take longer rests in between her heat bursts, but she would still wake up with her skin scorching and covered in sweat, and had to wait for it to cool down so she could sleep again.

The situation was becoming unbearable. Frantically, she searched for information on her condition, but unsurprisingly, she bore no results. Not even Ieiri understood what was happening, which was worrisome. Akari’s lack of proper sleep was driving her to the brink of insanity, because with each passing day, accepting to aid Sukuna with his favor became increasingly appealing.

Akari had gathered more information on Sukuna’s request during the past few days. The lily of a thousand crying souls was a well known cursed object, it seemed. The object was said to hold all the souls lost in the Tsukihiko clan massacre, an incident that made the clan instinct during the Heian era.

The information stirred in her a memory of a book she read on her first days in Jujutsu High. An excerpt that caught her eye talked about how Sukuna alone was responsible for the decimation of the entire clan.

The more Akari delved into the nature of the object, the more questions flooded her mind. Why was Sukuna’s mother within the thousand crying souls of the Tsukihiko clan? What drove Sukuna to commit the mass murder of an entire clan, particularly with his mother being on the receiving end of his blade? Why was Akari the chosen one to destroy the object?

But more importantly, was Sukuna tricking Akari?

As she left the restroom, deep in thought, a strange voice called out to her.

“May I have a moment, miss?”

Akari turned around to find a tall, attractive young man smiling at her. His most outstanding characteristic was his strange clothing. An attire composed of a dark-blue kimono atop a long-sleeved white shirt, cream-colored hakama bottoms and sandals… who wore traditional clothing to the movies?

His hair was blond, the ends a strange, dark-green color and his ears were covered in piercings. A shiver ran down Akari’s spine as his sharp, brown eyes went up and down her body. She hugged herself out of instinct, and the man seemed to relish in her obvious discomfort.

“What?” Akari asked sharply,  realizing they were alone.

“I assume this isn’t yours, is it?” He smirked and retrieved something from one of his pockets. Akari immediately recognized the object dangling from his slender fingers.

Her hand shot to her neck in search of the thin chain of the twin foxes’ amulet. Surprise struck her when she found the string to be secured around her neck, and confusion stirred her head as she retrieved the amulet from beneath her clothes, intact and in her possession.

“Oh, apologies. It seems this one is mine.” He smiled and kept the necklace hanging onto his index finger, as if it had no value whatsoever. 

Akari eyed the amulet on his hand. It wasn’t the other half of her amulet. One picture she had found a while ago showed that the other half was a dark, onyx-colored fox that fit perfectly into the one she had. The necklace this man possessed was identical to hers; a silver fox attached to a fine chain.

However, there was a single difference to the object he held. Contrary to Akari’s, his amulet was embedded in latent, muted energy.

Cursed energy.

“Who are you?” Akari demanded.

The man smiled predatorily, basking in her attention. “Zen’in Naoya. It is a pleasure to meet you, darling.”

Zen'in. What could these people want with her? “What are you dangling that thing around for?” She pointed at his amulet. “You might get robbed, you know.”

“I could say the same thing about you, carrying that thing on your neck like some sort of costume jewelry” He snickered. “Though your cheap copy might be worth even less than that.”

Akari raised a brow. “And what makes you think that mine is the cheap copy, and not yours?”

“Oh, please. Don’t play dumb with me. Maki is so imbecilic that she couldn’t even steal the right amulet.” He scoffed. “She’s a disgrace, that one. Had she been born with a half-decent affinity to jujutsu, she would’ve noticed the difference between the amulets and chosen the correct one. The clan was merciful not to disown her, you know? And still she had the gall to run away.”

Akari's stomach churned in upheaval. Maki had shared the painful details of how her family mistreated and abused her, but hearing this man talk about her friend as if she were worthless made Akari want to punch him.

“Don’t you dare insult her.” Akari snapped. “You're the imbecilic ones for refusing to see just how strong she is. She’s much better off without you.”

“And you're delusional. Spending time with Maki has tainted you.” Naoya rolled his eyes.

“What the hell do you want from me?” Akari hissed. “If my amulet is fake, why are you even pestering me about it?”

“Oh, no. I don’t want that fake thing of yours.” Naoya said. “I’m presenting you with the opportunity of obtaining the real thing.”

“In exchange for what?” Akari inquired.

Naoya smirked, eyes glinting red. “For your hand in marriage.”

Chapter Text

Ch. 13 – The Lone Tree 

Akari blinked, utterly incredulous.“What the fuck?” She sputtered. Surely this man didn’t just ask her to marry him out of left field?

“What is with that reaction?” He asked with disdain.

“What is with you ! I’m sixteen!” Akari flinched, her disgust evident.

Naoya raised a brow. “It doesn't matter. You can live at the Zen'in clan as my servant until you're of marrying age. Perhaps this way is even better; I'll make sure to put you in your place.”

“Put me in my place?” Akari echoed in a mix of disbelief and anger.

“A woman must always walk three paces behind a man.” He smirked. “I’m sure you’ll learn it rather easily.”

Ignoring his comment, Akari’s stomach churned, and she wanted nothing more than to flee from his gaze. “I don't even know you. Why would you want to marry me?”

Naoya shrugged. “I have my reasons.”

“No way in hell. I'm not marrying you for this stupid artifact.” Akari turned away, determined to put distance between them.

The man huffed with contempt. “You want more? Fine.” He said.

A mixture of terror, disgust, and rage bubbled within her, but something else compelled her to stay and listen to him.

Somehow she wished she hadn't.

Naoya smirked again and lifted his fingers one by one. “First, you get this amulet and I can teach you what I know about it. Second, I can get the Zen'in clan to stop hindering Maki’s grade promotion.”

Akari tensed up, and Naoya’s grin widened. She cursed herself inwardly for letting her body betray her emotions so easily.

“Third, the Zen'in clan will protect you and your brother from the elders’ death sentence once they find out about your binding vow with Sukuna.”

Akari's eyes widened with shock. “So you're the one who's been spying on me.” She growled, recalling the device Sukuna destroyed at the detention center.  “Since when?”

“I'm not finished.” Naoya snickered. “And last but surely not least, I will show you how to be free of Sukuna.”

“What do you mean by that?” she tried not to let her voice tremble.

“Your binding vow with him, no more. You'd be free from his grasp. From being his host.”

“You're lying .” Akari said. “Why would you need to protect me from the elders if I'm going to be free of Sukuna?”

“Because we need more time, dear. Gojo will reveal your brother's survival at the Goodwill event, won't he? That's too soon.”

Akari’s disgust transformed into a fiery rage. “So you're basically offering me an escape from death, only to live the rest of my life chained to the Zen'in clan as your doting, obedient wife?” She spat. Between Maki and Yuna's life experiences, she'd heard nothing pleasant about the Zen'in clan.

“No. We can divorce after you've given me what I want.” Naoya licked his lips. “An heir.”

An heir. Akari fought not to picture the repulsive scenario of having to bear a child for this man. “So that's what you want? Why with me?”

“Because of your jujutsu, of course. This unique condition of yours is… valuable. And you're good looking, to boot. Our child will not only be a jujutsu prodigy, but blessed by our combined genes, too.” He casually ran a hand through his hair.

This man… he couldn’t be serious, could he? Akari replayed their conversation in her head, trying to make sense of his words. This strange man couldn’t possibly be asking her to marry him and give him a child solely because her jujutsu was unique .

Naoya continued, “by the way, you should consider yourself privileged; I don’t just negotiate with any woman.”

“Creepy bastard.” Akari snapped. “I'd rather die than have your child.”

Naoya’s face scrunched up in rage. “You think you're all that, huh? Fine. Do whatever you want, you stupid little cunt. Just don't expect me to show you any pity when you come begging at my feet for a second chance.”

With a final, disgusted glare, Akari turned her back and walked away. She wanted to run, to shake off the shivers running down her spine. She’d never felt so repulsed in her entire life.

“Oh, and tell Maki that she was lucky to survive the train station. I will do better next time.”

When Akari swiveled around to face him, he had already disappeared, leaving behind only the weight of his words hanging in the air.

- ✿ - ❀ -

Yuji would be terribly disappointed in Akari.

If he was upset about her not remembering anything about Human Earthworm part one and two, imagine his vexation when he discovered that as she watched the credits roll, Akari couldn't remember anything from the third part of the franchise either.

Well, it had been the first time in days that she slept so soundly.

Thankfully, Yoshino’s incessant gushing on horror movies had kept Yuji busy enough for him to forget about asking Akari on her opinion of the film.

In truth, Akari was still reeling from the conversation she’d had with Naoya. Just thinking of him made her want to puke. Compared to him, Sukuna could actually pass as a sweetheart.

Speaking of which, the deadline to her response was nearing its end. She had one more day to decide if she’d accept his deal, and she still didn't know what to do about it. She didn't even want to think about it; she just wanted her bed. 

Ijichi would meet her at Yoshino's house to drive Akari back to Jujutsu High. Yuji had planned to stay over and watch movies with him.

While they waited for the chief assistant, Yoshino invited them in for tea, leaving the siblings alone while he looked for his mother.

“Remember to use protection.” Akari whispered once Yoshino was out of earshot.

“Wh-what?” Yuji yelped, his cheeks red. 

Oh, Akari was loving this.

“You and Yoshino-kun, huh? Have a nice ‘sleepover’.” She teased, nudging him.

“It's not like that!” Yuji groaned.

“You said the same thing about Suzuki-kun, remember? Grandpa completely lost it when you came back home with a hickey.” She snickered.

“Junpei and I are just friends, Akari. I don't like him that way.” Yuji huffed.

“Alright, I won't press it. But don't let him see your feet-”

Their banter was abruptly interrupted by a loud crashing noise from the floor above, accompanied by screams and inhuman screeches. Without a second thought, the siblings bolted towards the stairs, and shrouded in rubble and blood, they found the source of the commotion on the main corridor.

Yoshino’s right arm was covered in blood, dripping crimson into the floorboards. His lips trembled and his eyes were blown out with shock and terror as he stared at a humongous creature in front of him. It had blue skin, an elongated body akin to a stick insect, but its legs were twisted human limbs. Its ribs and spine were perfectly outlined by the lack of fat and muscle, and the beast constantly heaved, moving as if in incessant pain.

Yet, however grotesque the creature appeared, its face was the most unnerving part of it all.

A perfectly untouched human face.

The face of a woman that had Yoshino’s eyes and upturned nose.

“Mom? Is that… you?” Yoshino's voice cracked.

The creature craned its neck. “Dinner. Rea-dy.” It screeched in response.

Yoshino was immobile. His mother- the creature - lurched towards him. Quick to react, Yuji struck first. With a swift kick, he sent it flying across the corridor. He grabbed Yoshino's shoulders and made the boy look at him.

“Junpei, I need you to stay behind us.” He said.

Akari ran to Yuji's side, her eyes unglued from the twitching body of Yoshino's mother. She was exactly like those transfigured humans Akari had seen earlier that week, the only difference being the preserved face.

“No! I won't let you kill my mother!” Yoshino untangled himself from Yuji's grasp, tensing up as his cursed energy grew. Suddenly, a light blue form appeared by his side, soaked in cursed energy. The summoned creature grew in size, sprouted tendril-like appendages, its body taking the shape of a jellyfish - a shikigami.

Yuji faced Yoshino and Akari took the cue to handle the disfigured human at the other end of the corridor. It had already recovered from being thrown around, preparing itself to strike again.

“Junpei, we won't kill her. We'll just take her to Jujutsu High-” Yuji tried to explain, but the shikigami lurched at him.

“You're lying! You'll just kill her when you get there!” Yoshino yelled.

Junpei's mother launched against Akari, and she reacted by ducking the attack. The transfigured human, out of balance, became vulnerable to Akari's kick to its gut, which made the creature spit out blood.

“Stop!” Yoshino screamed, and his shikigami diverted his attention from Yuji, attacking Akari instead.

Her arm was pierced by a set of spiked stingers before she could move out of the way. She became immediately aware of the poison invading her bloodstream and she instinctively reached for the wound. The skin around the wound started to react - Black spots emerged, causing searing pain to spread through the contaminated limb. Not only did it hurt, but Akari couldn't move a single finger anymore.

Sukuna had taught her how to deal with poison. She had to act fast, before her entire body became paralyzed. The poison was strong, but as she ducked out of the way of the shikigami, she felt her sorcery working and her arm regaining its lost movement. Her technique was far from perfect, but she'd soon be over with.

As she evaded yet another strike, she spotted Yuji fighting off Junpei's mother. She was strong and swift, but Yuji was stronger. He secured her spindly limbs with a tight grip, eliciting a guttural screech from the creature. 

“Junpei, stop! I promise we won't hurt your mother!” Yuji strained out, his muscles battling against the transfigured human.

“You don't understand! She’ll never revert back to normal if you take her!” Yoshino roared, his shikigami diverting its attention to Yuji.

Akari’s arm tingled as the wounds on her skin slowly receded. Just a little bit longer now, and she'd finally win the battle against the poison… but her concentration was abruptly shattered.

A heavy hand on her shoulder.

A sweet, velvety voice by her ear.

“Well, hello, Akari-san.” The voice said.

“Mahito! Turn my mother back!” Yoshino's voice reverberated somewhere very distant. Akari couldn't pay any mind to it.

There was only one thing on her mind.

Death.

“You know, I knew you were different, but not like this…” His breath was cold and smelled of pepper drizzled with honey. Akari’s eyes tingled and her nostrils flared as she was rendered immobile; whether by fear or by a greater force, she couldn’t discern. “To think you’d have… this many souls inside you.”

The world succumbed around her, darkened shapes dissolving and wafting into each other like smoke on water. Her own body was no more, forever meandering in the flow of the universe. The void embraced her in a cold dance. She was light, so light she thought she could fly. There was no way to tell where she began and where she ended; she was everything, and nothing at the same time.

Something solacing, a steadying touch seized her from the fog; made her whole again.

The shadows solidified. A gust of wind blew the shapelessness away and gave way to light. There was abundant green. Grass, bushes, trees. Even the sun looked green, dipped in a bright blue sky. She was inside the domain she shared with Sukuna.

Two figures fizzled into life around her. The first was an all too familiar blonde, tattooed man. His hand rested on Akari’s shoulder and spread a comforting warmth through her arm.

The second figure was an unfamiliar man. His skin fair and even, though covered in a peculiar patchwork pattern, as if he had been sewn together. He had long, grayish-blue hair in a childish updo: sectioned into three parts and unevenly tied at the ends.

“You insolent thing.” Sukuna’s voice rang with ardent disdain. “I should have you expunged for daring to touch my soul.”

The stitched man’s eyes plunged in despair, his haggard face contoured with terror.

“I needn’t raise a finger to end you, tough. In fact, you have stupidly meandered into something far more unforgiving.” Sukuna continued. “I warn you; there won’t be a second time. Fool.”

The earth rumbled with the mere sound of his voice. The sky shattered and fell down like broken glass, revealing a looming shadow upon them. Distorted, powerful and, above all, vengeful. The shadow descended and consumed the world. The only echo was of the stitched man’s voice, bellowing in endless, torrential pain.

Gone was the green of the domain, replaced by the crumbling corridor of a house. Sukuna’s touch lingered on her skin, energy tingling through her arm. Her ears rang and the world spun around her as she attempted to recall where she was. 

Something warm splattered on her cheek, breaking into her trance. Blood, she recognized, as she touched her face.

She swiveled around to find the stitched man staring at her in stupefaction. His arms were cut short at his elbows, blood splattering into the ground.

A giggle. “I… He warned me.” The man whispered, looking at his damaged limbs. “I should’ve believed him.” The man looked up at Akari’s face, and in the dim light, the hue of his eyes glinted. One dark blue, the other gray, his gaze distant and unfocused. “The king of curses, huh…”

“Mahito!” Junpei yelled, snapping the man out of his trance. “It was you who did this to my mother, right? Turn her back!”

As if on cue, Junpei’s transfigured mother let out another roar as it battled against Yuji’s unyielding grasp. 

“How rude, Junpei-kun. Can’t you see I’m incapacitated?” He quipped, raising his arms. “I can’t turn your mother back. What a shame, I had just learned to transform them while keeping the head intact.” He sighed.

Junpei’s face contorted in anger. “Why did you do this? Tell me!” His breathing was erratic.

Mahito shrugged. “No special reason, I guess. But if you really want your mother back, you could ask Akari-san to do it.” He snickered as Akari looked at him, befuddled. “I guess I should be going.”

Junpei tensed up in alarm, and at the same time, his shikigami pounced at the stitched man. “You’re not going anywhere .” He snarled.

“Bye bye, Junpei-kun.” Mahito smiled before his body abruptly diminished into the shape of a grayish eagle. It swiftly flew away from the shikigami’s trajectory and escaped into the night through an open window. Junpei tried to follow after him, clinging to the windowsill, but it was too late.

Junpei collapsed with an anguished cry. Yuji tried calling out to him, but his voice wouldn’t reach the boy. He was still holding onto Junpei’s mother and couldn’t move, so Akari approached Junpei in his stead.

“Yoshino-kun.” Akari touched his shoulder, and he flinched away from her touch.

He gazed at her face. “You. You… can fix this, right?” He blurted out, breathless.

“I… don’t-” She hesitated, heart pounding.

“Please! You have to save my mother. She’s all I have.” He whined, tears in his eyes. “Please.”

“Akari-san, you need to stop.” Ijichi’s worried voice cut through her concentration. “This is clearly not working.”

Akari blinked away the haze on her eyes, testing her trembling hands. The transfigured human gazed tiredly at her, having given up long ago on fighting against its restraints. Junpei’s mother remained unchanged; her body was still disfigured beyond recognition, her face the only thing intact. “But-”

“He’s right, Akari.” Yuji said, stern. “It’s been almost an hour. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“No!” Came Junpei’s desperate objection. Akari’s chest throbbed. She needed to get a hold of herself. She was the only one that could save this transfigured woman. Junpei was counting on her. She was his last hope.

Junpei continued. “Just a little more, please. Mahito said you could-” Akari flinched as the boy reached out for her, but Yuji came between them.

“Junpei, I’m not saying we’re going to abandon your mother.” He crossed his arms. “Just that we need more time to understand how we can save her. If Akari can really reverse her condition, we still don’t know how.”

Junpei bit his cheek. “I can’t trust you. You’ll take her to Jujutsu High and kill her. I know.”

Ijichi intervened. “Junpei-kun, we would never do such a thing. Your mother is a victim, and if there’s hope of saving her, then it is our duty as jujutsu sorcerers to find the cure. But if Akari-san is the key to saving your mother, you must respect her limits, too.”

Akari clenched her teeth. She wasn’t at her limit yet.

“It’s alright-” Akari started, but Yuji’s steely gaze silenced her.

“I can’t leave my mother.” Junpei insisted.

“Then don’t.” Yuji said and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Come to Jujutsu High.”

Akari looked away from them and stared at the transfigured human’s face instead. Junpei’s mother was beautiful, her features elegant and lively despite the condition that accursed her body. Her eyes, however, were hollow and sunken, devoid of life and light.

She reluctantly admitted to herself that Ieiri had been right; reversed cursed technique couldn’t save the transfigured humans, no matter how hard Akari tried.

But she couldn’t shake Mahito’s words out of her mind. Could she really be capable of reverting the transfiguration? If so, how?

She would find out. She had to.

She closed her eyes and touched the woman’s face in a silent vow to save her.

- ✿ - ❀ -

Sukuna remained a mystery to Akari. Each history book she perused seemed to have its own rendition of who he was, and why he did what he did to the Tsukihiko clan. Some painted him as an evil man, corrupted by power and cursed energy, while others suggested he’d died and turned into a vengeful spirit. A recent book even hinted he’d been upset over a broken heart; painfully rejected by a beautiful maiden of the clan.

Akari took all of these retellings with a pinch of salt. None seemed to align with Sukuna, somehow. He didn’t seem the type to lose control of himself, ever mindful and intentional. But again, that was her interpretation of him, and she could very well be terribly wrong.

That he’d killed a sea of people, she knew to be true. She’d seen it with her own eyes, the disturbing images of piled bodies and severed limbs seared into her eyelids. She couldn’t fathom, however, Sukuna’s reason for doing so. Why would a man like him seek her help to free his mother's soul? A mother he himself had killed. Did he regret it, or was there a motive unbeknownst to her?

Speaking of which, why only his mother? Didn’t he have a brother? What about his father? Whatever happened to them?

Akari let out a frustrated sigh. She’d been amassing more questions than answers, and today was her deadline to answer Sukuna’s proposal. She’d had a week to think about it, but was still unsure on what to do. Could she really trust him?

The doors to the library opened a fraction, and a green-haired head poke through.

Akari welcomed her classmate in. “Maki-san! You’re early.” 

The second-years had an upcoming math test that week. Akari had no trouble with math, and even enjoyed numbers. This, of course, had nothing to do with her first-year crush on her math teacher. Akari just liked math, plain and simple. 

The same couldn’t be said about her classmates, though. Formulas made Inumaki tremble from head to toe, Maki didn’t even know how to start solving logarithmic problems, and sometimes Akari even doubted that Panda could do as much as count.

“You’re early, too. What are you doing?” Maki joined Akari on her table, careful not to disturb the nest of sheets and books Akari had displayed around her.

“Just some research.” Akari shrugged.

“On… the Zen’in clan?” Maki inquired with a raised brow, eyeing the closest book.

“Um, actually, it’s on Sukuna. In the Heian era, it is said he attacked the Zen’in clan with the intention of extinguishing the family.” Akari pointed to an excerpt in the book Maki was looking at. “Someone survived the attack, though, and rebuilt the clan from the ground up.”

“I’ve never heard of this.” Maki frowned.

“I suppose not. The books on the story of the Zen’in clan never mention this. I think they've been censored by the clan. I found out about this through other sources.” Akari explained. “You received education exclusively from the Zen’in clan, didn’t you?”

“I… suppose it makes sense.” Maki hummed.

Akari had been meaning to talk to Maki about the Zen’in clan, but never got the chance. She pounced at the opportunity, leg shaking in nervousness. “So, how was it like to arrive at Jujutsu High for the first time? You know, after stealing their weapons and leaving the clan?”

Maki squinted at the question, but ultimately gave in despite Akari’s skittish smile. “It was… freeing, I guess. I didn’t think much of it. It felt good to steal their weapons, though. I only wish I could’ve carried more.” Maki smirked.

Akari suppressed a sigh of relief. Maki didn’t like talking about the clan, so hearing a quip in her response was a good sign. She thought carefully about her next words. “So you got all of their best weapons?”

Maki swatted her hand. “No. Those are kept in a separate vault, much harder to steal from. But the weapons I got sure as hell were missed by them.”

Akari’s brows shot up. This was the first time she heard of a special vault. She retrieved the twin foxes’ amulet from her neck. “You think the other part of the amulet could be inside the vault?”

Maki sighed. “I guess? I don’t know what’s in there. Only the clan head and the heirs have the key.”

Akari frowned. “ Heirs ? There’s more than one? Isn’t there only one clan head?” She recalled Naoya’s words from a couple of days ago. He’d said he wanted an heir from their marriage, and thus Akari supposed he was the sole, rightful heir of the clan.

She suppressed the shiver that ran down her spine as she thought about the man.

Maki pursed her lips. “The current clan head has four sons. The next head isn’t decided by age, but by the most promising lineage. The son with the strongest cursed technique has an advantage, and if their offspring possesses strong techniques as well, their favor is even higher.”

Akari’s eyes widened with understanding. That’s why Naoya wanted her child; he wanted to increase his chances at becoming the next clan head. She became dizzy at the mere thought.

“Are you alright?” Maki asked with concern.

“Yes. I just spaced out for a moment.” Akari was quick to recover her senses. “So, um. Where is the Zen’in Estate even located?” She asked stupidly.

Something inside Maki snapped at the question. Her face scrunched up in rage as she inquired, “why do you want to know that?”

Akari gulped. Sweat broke down her brow as she realized she’d not delivered the question as smoothly as she’d planned. “I-I’m curious, that’s all.” She bit her tongue, cursing herself for stuttering.

“You’re lying,” came Maki’s cold remark.

Akari’s stomach plummeted. Did Maki know about Naoya’s proposal? Was Akari so easy to read, so transparent? No, it couldn’t be. She hadn’t been obvious; hadn’t mentioned Naoya. Hadn’t directly asked about him or any other member of the family. Maki couldn’t possibly know he’d contacted her. Perhaps Maki thought Akari wanted to go to the clan in search of the other half of the foxes’ amulet, which was… partially true.

“No, I-” Akari began, but Maki cut through her words.

“It's Nobara, right?” 

“What?” Akari asked, taken by surprise. What had Nobara to do with anything?

“It was her that told you to ask this, right? She asked me the exact same thing.” Maki scoffed. “I can't believe this.”

Akari blinked away her confusion. “No. Maki-san, Nobara never mentioned anything about this to me.” She stared straight at her classmate's eyes.

Maki eyed Akari suspiciously for a long moment. Sweat broke down Akari's brow as she tried her hardest not to break eye contact with the other girl. Maki could be way too intense at times.

“Alright. I believe you.” Maki concluded.

Akari held in a sigh of relief. “But… why would she ask you something like this?” She thought out loud.

Maki huffed. “Because she’s an idiot, that’s why.” Akari’s eyes widened in surprise, which prompted Maki to explain, “She wants to talk to the clan head.”

“Why? What about?”

Maki sighed. “The Zen’in clan is proposing a new rule for the Goodwill event. Fourth-grade sorcerers won’t be able to participate in the event anymore.”

“What?” Akari yelped before hastily covering her mouth at the realization they were in a library. Luckily, there wasn’t anyone around to give her the stink-eye. “Can they even do that?” She asked quietly.

“No, they can’t. But the elders can. And it seems they enjoyed the idea very much.” Maki scoffed. “They’re claiming the event is too dangerous and competitive for low-leveled sorcerers…”

“Wait, has this rule already been issued?” Akari worried.

“No. It looks like not all the elders agreed to the idea.” Maki wringed her fingers. “Principal Gakuganji - the principal from Kyoto High - is one of those who disagree.”

“How easy is it to convince them otherwise?”

“It’s hard to tell.” Maki’s expression became troubled. “The clan is probably buying one by one of the elders with favors and money. It won’t be long before they coerce the entirety of the higher-ups. Even Gakuganji.”

“How can you be so calm , Maki? Aren’t you worried?”

“Of course I am!” Maki hissed. “But what can I do about it? It’s not like I can barge into the higher-ups’ meeting room and threaten all of them.”

Akari could actually picture Maki doing just that; invading a room full of old croons and threatening them into breaking off the new rule - Panda would be strung along as her bodyguard. Or her weapon-carrier. Or her moral support. Anything, really; Panda was overall very well-rounded and reliable.

But if Panda went with Maki, it most likely meant that Inumaki would tag along. And if Maki, Panda and Inumaki went to threaten the higher-ups, Akari would certainly be dragged along as an indispensable part of the second-year quartet, much to her chagrin.

It was a good thing that Maki seemed to have some (if minimal) sense of self-preservation and had thought the idea of direct confrontation quite ridiculous.

 “So… Nobara had the idea to go to the Zen’in estate and stop them?” Akari asked, a weariness settling in her voice, tired of the mental acrobatics.

Maki rolled her eyes, her frustration evident in the twitch of her eyebrows. “Yes. And I told her it was a stupid idea.”

A gasp hung on Akari’s lips as she processed Maki’s bluntness. “And… what did she say?”

“She said it was our best shot at getting my promotion.” Maki pursed her lips.

Akari gulped and reluctantly asked, “and what did you say?”

Maki sneered.  “I told her I wasn’t a baby. I didn’t need her to solve my problems for me.”

Well, Akari takes back what she’d said; Maki had no sense of self-preservation.

Nobara must’ve been angry, Akari mused. Upset. Furious.

But… would she really?

It would’ve been more tolerable if she’d just been angry at Maki. But Akari knew better. Most of all, Nobara must’ve been frustrated, confused and hurt. She constantly put up appearances, presenting herself as strong, confident and unshakable, but Nobara was so, so soft. She liked hugs and cute animals, laughed at the silliest of things, and could doze off when having her hair brushed.

Nobara was supportive and sweet. The kind of friend who’d bring you food, eagerly invite you out as a distraction from your problems, take care of you, ask about you, embrace you, fight for you. Maki had witnessed these facets of Nobara, and yet she regarded it as no more than an inconvenience. 

Why? Why did she have to like Maki? Akari would never say such a rude thing to her. She’d never dismiss her efforts so callously.

And yet, Nobara had no eyes for Akari.

“How… how can you be so insensitive, Maki?” Akari’s voice trembled. “Nobara was just trying to help you.” 

Maki blinked, a frown etching deeper into her face. “Help me? Every time we’re together, she wants to discuss tactics for the Goodwill Event or talk about the Zen’in clan. I have nothing to talk about the Zen’in clan! At this point she’s not even being helpful anymore, just annoying.”

“Annoying? Is that what you think of your friends?” Akari hissed. She wanted to cry. 

Why did Nobara have to choose Maki? Of all people? This rude, stupid, dense girl?

Maki let out a frustrated huff. “No. Look. You don’t spend all day long asking me about my relationship with my sister, my past in the clan, or how I plan to ascend to becoming the clan head - and let me tell you in advance, I have no fucking idea. You don’t invite me to sit down and discuss plans for the Goodwill event and drag me for hours on end because you’re criticizing and pointing out every mistake I make.” She grit her teeth. “I’m tired , Akari.”

Akari saw red. “And how do you think Nobara feels? She’s been doing everything she can to help you, going the extra mile for you - and you alone - and you have the gall to tell her that she’s unhelpful? You come to me complaining that she’s annoying and expect me to pat you on your head and agree with you? Did you even stop to think about how she must’ve felt?”

Maki let out a bitter laugh. “Of course I knew you’d take her side. Why did I expect differently?”

Her cheeks ran hot, so hot. Maki was stupid. So very stupid. “Of course I will. She’s my friend.”

“Right.” Maki sprung up from her seat, face contorted. “Have fun with your friend, then.”

“Where are you going, Maki?” Akari snapped. “I’m not finished.”

Maki didn’t flinch, didn’t look back. “Bye, Akari.”

Akari watched in fuming silence as Maki hastily exited the library. Her eyes burned and her throat clogged up. She was in no mood to study anymore, and hurriedly gathered her belongings, leaving a note and her study notes for Panda and Inumaki, as well as three bottles of throat syrup.

I’m not feeling well today. Use my notes to work though today’s homework, and we can review it some other day.

The syrup is for Inumaki-kun. I figured out a way to make them more potent, so give me some feedback when you try it.

Good luck, guys. Sorry for bailing out. I’ll make up for it. I promise.

 - Akari

- ✿ - ❀ -

Eiji strode quietly through the rustling of grass and leaves, robes floating in the breeze. He made his way into a small clearing, glazed in the golden hue of the afternoon. He sat down, leaning against a tree, and retrieved a bamboo flute from his robes.

He weaved a mellow sound with the high-pitched flute, drawn-out and light like the wind. Slender, elegant fingers fabricated the notes with practiced grace. The song danced in the air before briefly coming to a descending end, and the flute hovered against his lips for a moment.

“I know you’re there.” Eiji announced, moving the flute away.

Nishida, caught red-handed, stepped away from his hiding place behind a tree. “When did you notice?” He gruffed.

“Back at the torii gate.” Eiji said, calmly studying his flute.

“But- that was… wait, you knew all along?” Nishida whined, “And you only spoke up now?”

“Look boy, I know you want to help, but you’re better off taking care of the garden.” Eiji sighed, finally looking at the boy.

“If you think I’m so incompetent, then teach me how to fight! I can be useful!” Nishida stepped closer.

Eiji scoffed. “No, thank you. I don’t want to be on the wrong edge of Yuna’s sword.”

“Yuna-san doesn’t need to know! You should at least teach me how to use a sword, for when the need arises” Nishida sat down before Eiji, chest puffed and posture straight. “If someone attacks the temple while you’re away in the city, I can protect Yasuko-san!”

Eiji’s brows knitted together. “You know that old woman can fight with a sword, don’t you? Maybe even better than I can.”

Nishida stared him squarely in the eye. “But what if she… she throws her back out? Or if the attackers make her trip on her feet! She wouldn’t be able to get back up. She’s old; I’m young and healthy. I can fight!”

“Just how old are you, even? Six?” Eiji inquired.

“Six!? No- I’m already Eight!” Nishida protested. “How old were you even when you started to train?”

Eiji scratched his chin. “Ten.”

“Well, if I start now, I’ll be two years ahead of the other children!”

“Other children? What other children?” Eiji squinted his eyes in suspicion.

Nishida gulped. “Uh, the… children that could attack us!”

Eiji crossed his arms, expression stern. “You’ve been sneaking out to the city, haven’t you?”

His body tensed up completely. “Of course not!” He croaked.

Eiji huffed. “Do you understand the meaning of the word ‘fugitive’, Nishida-kun? It means you can’t go out in the open where people might recognize you.”

“But you also go down to the city! Aren’t you a fugitive yourself?” Nishida refuted.

“An assassin is hardly the same as a scrawny brat. If someone snatched you up, the most you could do is flail around uselessly like a fish.”

“Then train me to become an assassin as well!” Nishida wailed.

“Do not, under any circumstances, let Yuna ever hear you say this.” Eiji sucked in a sharp breath, and Nishida pouted miserably at the man. “Alright, I’ll train you. But you have to promise me three things first.” He lifted three fingers before Nishida’s twinkling eyes. “First, Yuna can’t know about this. Second, you’ll stop sneaking out to the city alone.”

“But-” Nishida complained.

“Do you want me to train you or not?”

Nishida promptly shut his mouth.

“And third, you’ll start taking your lessons seriously.”

“What? But I’m taking them seriously!” He protested.

“You may be fooling Yuna, but you can’t fool me.” Eiji’s brows quirked up. “You don’t even read, do you? You just repeat whatever Yuna reads out loud.”

“How- how did you…”

Eiji shrugged. “It takes one to know one, it seems. I used to do that when I was younger.”

The boy sighed, defeated. “Alright, I promise.”

The man nodded, pocketing his flute and rising to his feet. “Good, now follow me.”

“Are we going to begin training now?” Nishida bounced, excited.

“No, boy. You’re going to learn how to read properly before Yuna finds out you’re throwing dust in her eyes.” Eiji chuckled. “Otherwise, you’re in for the earful of your life. And trust me; I’ve been there.”

- ✿ - ❀ -

Ever since she and Sukuna were afflicted with twin wounds, Akari had been staying within the surroundings of the building he’d brought her to. As she explored further on the following days, she understood the place to be an abandoned buddhist temple.

The main temple was a large, single-store building that stood in dark, vine-covered wooden beams and steep roofs, their curved eaves adorned with small, intricate silver ornaments. The entrance led to a large, stone-paved patio, decorated with mossy and crumbled stone statues.

Strangely, she’d seen this place in her dreams - in the memories of Yuna and of Sukuna, in his life as Eiji. The images that came to her mind were mundane and quiet. She’d seen them eating together inside the main building, strolling around the lake with Nishida or helping Yasuko-san with taking care of her vegetable garden.

From what she understood, Eiji had spent some time in this temple, hiding from someone. Akari didn’t know who, or why. It seemed not even Yuna and Yasuko knew of his reasoning, but they let him stay either way.

Nishida - the little boy - was also a runaway. His mother had died when Yuna rescued him, and it seemed he’d had no other family to go to. Yuna and Yasuko became his caretakers, and he looked up to Eiji like an older brother.

Eiji. The man before Sukuna. He was a quiet sort. Taciturn, sharp, and solemn. He was often cold and closed-off, preferring peace and solitude over prying eyes. Akari wondered what happened for him to turn out like this. He’d been quite joyous as a kid, after all. He’d actually been a very cute kid - took his elegant, poised features after his mother. His aging blessed and nurtured these features, resulting in - admittedly - a rather handsome young man.

“You should work on your punctuality,” Sukuna’s baritone voice rang behind her.

Akari yelped and turned around to face him. She was instantly met with the sight of Hopscotch perched comfortably on Sukuna’s shoulder.

It was really difficult to not think of Eiji when she looked at Sukuna. He was exactly the same as in his thousand-year-old memories, not a single hair different. He had the same fluffy blonde hair, the same blue-gray piercing eyes, the same sharpness. Even the faded scar on his forehead looked the same.

However, differently from Eiji, Sukuna was an absolute prick.

Akari crossed her arms. “I’m on time. And what are you doing with my rooster?”

“First, you insist I care for your rooster, and now you're vexed that it lingers with me. Make up your mind, woman.”

Akari silently stepped closer to Sukuna, reaching up for Hopscotch. She did her best to ignore their closeness as the small rooster shifted in anticipation, braced for the jump, and landed on Akari’s arms. 

“Have you thought about your answer?” Sukuna asked flatly.

She had, in fact, thought about her answer, much to her exasperation. She’d spent nearly every waking (and sleeping) hour just thinking about it, wading in the muddy waters of her thoughts, trying her best to survive the raging war inside her head. She wanted to accept his terms, but was terribly afraid of doing so. What if her actions led to Sukuna being unleashed into the world?

But at the same time, he was only asking for a single, simple thing. And it had nothing to do with resurrecting or empowering him.

“I have one more question to ask before I give you my answer. Two, actually.” Akari said.

“Go ahead. But mind you, you don’t have much time left.”

“That stitched man from a couple of days ago - you met him when he touched me. His technique is… transfiguration.”

“I am aware. I’ve seen the humans he touched.” Sukuna said.

Akari realized he must’ve seen one of her memories. “Right. This man said I could save these transfigured people. Do you know what he meant by that?”

“I do.”

Her eyes widened. “So can I really save them? How?”

Sukuna shook his head. “Yes, you can. And I won’t give you such information for free. We have a binding vow, remember?”

Akari sighed, frustrated. “Right. To my other question, then. Why do you want to free your mother’s soul?”

Sukuna silently regarded her question, and she watched him for signs of lying as he answered, “Being sealed for such a millennium is… a silent experience. It’s akin to being trapped in an estate of eternal meditation. While the resilient minds thrive and find enlightenment, the feeble ones succumb to madness. My mother wasn’t exactly the epitome of sanity to begin with.”

“So you want to free her soul because you think her mind’s been broken?” Akari said slowly.

“Yes,” Sukuna responded.

Sukuna was steady and thorough in his words, not a hint of hesitation or uncertainty. Maybe he was telling the truth, but most likely, he was just very good at lying.

Yet again, she saw no way that this binding vow would result in him being resurrected.

Her mind reeled back to the people who’d asked for her help. This was Fushiguro’s best shot at saving his sister. It was the only hope Junpei had left of turning his mother back.

Junpei. Her heart ached as she remembered his desperate pleas, the way he begged at her feet for her to save his mother. Akari could do nothing. Absolutely nothing. She’d just stared at the tired, mellow face of his mother and hoped that she could find a way to help her.

“Just so that we’re on the same page; our deal entails that I’ll destroy this cursed object and free your mother’s soul, and in return you’ll give me information and help me with the Twin Foxes.” Akari recited, for the hundredth time that week.

“Yes.” Sukuna answered patiently.

“Alright. I accept it.” She decided, praying that she wouldn’t come to regret her decision.

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, a rush of cursed energy engulfed them, electrifying every cell of their bodies. The sensation felt familiar; Akari had already done a binding vow with Sukuna before.

Akari waited with bated breath for Sukuna to do something. To say something. But he had his eyes closed, face serene. The only indication that he was alive was his chest moving as he breathed in and out. 

She stared up at him, taking note of his curly hair and getting a glimpse at the faint scar in his forehead. Akari stood there awkwardly until he finally opened his eyes and met her stare, making her flustered for being caught staring at his face.

“Ask.” Sukuna demanded, unbothered by her redness.

“Um- I…” Akari cleared her throat and tried to find her footing. What should she ask first? She’d had so many questions, but none of them surfaced to mind. A white ball appeared on the corner of her sight, reeling her mind to her pet rooster. “What is Hopscotch doing here?”

Sukuna regarded the rooster as it pecked the ground. “His soul is trapped here.”

“What? Why?”

“I must show you something first.” He turned around, walking away. “Follow me.”

Akari stooped to grab Hopscotch, afraid of him running away, and made haste to catch up with Sukuna’s stride. “Wait, what will you show me?”

Sukuna was leading them out of the temple patio, and as they passed through a large, tall torii gate, he answered, “the heart of this domain.”

“But why? What does it have to do with Hopscotch?” She asked as the rooster pecked her clothes.

“Be patient for a moment, will you? You’ll understand soon enough.”

They took a long and irregular stone pathway that followed along the lakeshore. It was punctuated by crumbled torii gates and damaged by overgrown vegetation, tree roots and debris. There was a lingering familiarity to trailing this path, probably due to the memories she’d seen of this place.

“Fine. Then tell me, what can the White Fox do?” She asked after a while.

“White Fox? You surely meant Dawn Fox.” Sukuna answered without looking back.

Akari furrowed her brows. “No. I meant the White Fox, from the legendary pair of shikigami, the Twin Foxes. The Black Fox and the White Fox.”

Sukuna chuckled, looking back at her. “You are quite wrong, girl. And if I were you, I wouldn’t refer to the foxes like that in front of them. They would be far from thrilled to find their titles reduced to the color of her pelliage; they can be tremendously temperamental, especially after a thousand years.” He laughed even harder. “Even I am still hailed as the King of Curses, after such a long time. Oh, that’s the most amusing thing I’ve heard in quite some time.”

Sukuna… he had never laughed like this. 

Akari fought against the heat on her cheeks. Why were her cheeks hot? “Fine, whatever. Dawn Fox it is. What can it do?”

“If you’re wondering if it can fix that transfigured human from a couple of days ago, yes it can.”

“You saw that one, too?”

“It wasn’t from your memories, if that’s what you’re wondering. When that man-like curse touched you, he disturbed the barrier of this domain. I had a glimpse of the outer world at that moment.” Sukuna explained.

“Wait. man-like curse? He’s a curse?”

“Yes. That stitched person that transfigured that human is actually a cursed spirit. A very young one.” 

“But I thought… I mean, he communicates just like a human.” 

“He’s what you call a… special grade. He’s got a higher level of self-consciousness.” Sukuna glanced back at Akari. “And let me warn you about him; His abilities are very similar to those of the Dawn Fox. I could even dare to say they’re exactly the same, but he is… crude and untrained.”

“That’s why the fox can revert the transfiguration, then…” Akari thought out loud. ”What do you think he wants?” Akari asked as they traversed a small bridge. The old wooden boards creaked dangerously under their combined weight.

“It seemed to me he wanted to separate us.” Sukuna offered.

“But - We haven’t been punished like before, when we got the twin wounds.” Akari pointed out.

“No. This stitched curse was way too weak to do any real damage. To us, anyway. The average sorcerer would be completely defenseless against his technique.”

“So I can save transfigured humans with the Whi-” Akari cleared her throat. “Dawn Fox’s power. Could I use its power to remove a curse from a person’s body, too?” She asked, thinking about Fushiguro’s sister.

“You mean a curse etched into someone? Us, for example?” He looked at her from above his shoulder.

Akari contemplated for a moment before answering, “yes.”

Sukuna smirked. “It could.”

Her chest did a somersault. “So that’s what’s in for you? You want to be resurrected?” Akari accused. They were approaching the small gazebo by the lake. 

He rolled his eyes. “I already told you; the only thing I want from you is to destroy a cursed object. It has nothing to do with being resurrected.”

“But don’t you want to be resurrected?”

“Well, what do you think?”

“I think you should answer my question.”

“And I think you should stop making such mindless, vapid questions. Or would you also like to know the date of my birthday? My age? Or perhaps my sign - I hear people from this age care for this type of ludicrous nonsense.”

“I’m not interested in your astrological chart, Sukuna. I just want to make sure you’re not playing me for a fool.” They got past the gazebo, walking towards the wide glade she’d woken up to in her first time at the domain.

Sukuna chuckled, a low, mocking sound. “Playing you? If I wanted to play, I would have chosen a more entertaining game. Maybe shogi, but I doubt you’d be much of a challenge.”

Akari scoffed. “Oh, shogi ? Really, you’re such an old fart. What else do you do for fun? Take a stroll in the mornings to pop your joints? Write haikus in the afternoon?”

Sukuna smirked. “Well, if you’re so interested, I could compose a haiku about how slicing you up into a million tiny pieces while I roast your chicken for dinner is just perfect for an autumnal evening. Would you care to hear it?”

Akari instinctively hugged Hopscotch closer to her chest. “I’d prefer a haiku about how much of an abhorrent company you make. How you ruin summer, soil autumn, spoil winter and destroy spring.”

“Am I such an inspiration that you’d write four haikus about me? What a devoted follower you are.” He mocked.

Akari rolled her eyes. “Well, of course. In fact, you’re so inspiring that I don’t think I could ever run out of words to describe just how loathsome you are. Actually, if it meant I could be rid of you, I’d  gladly write a thousand haikus about you.”

Sukuna chuckled, sounding genuinely amused. “You should certainly try it. At least then you’d be busy enough not to bother me with your meddlesome self.”

“Meddlesome? I’m just making sure you fulfill your part of our pact, you know.” She snapped as they approached the large, lone tree. Akari noted, in the back of her mind, that the rupture he’d left on the ground on their first encounter had completely disappeared, leaving behind no trace of damage.

“And I’m just trying to survive your incessant chatter. And talking about my personal affairs was never included in the pact.”

Akari fumed in silence as she stared daggers at his back.

“We’re here.” Sukuna said as they halted before the tree.

“You brought me here to see this tree ?” Her nostrils flared. 

“Have you never felt there was something distinct about this tree?” Sukuna ignored her temper, his palm resting on its trunk.

Akari took a deep breath. “I think so, but… I can’t quite put my hand on it.”

Sukuna smirked. “Well then. Put your hand on it, as you’ve said.”

Akari settled Hopscotch down into the ground, and as he went away to peck at some wildflowers, she reluctantly reached for the thick bark. She stood still for a while, feeling nothing noteworthy from the touch.

“What am I supposed to feel?” She asked.

“Concentrate.” He reprimanded.

Akari held the urge to roll her eyes at him. She concentrated on the rough surface, and as she grasped a faint energy emanating from the tree, warmth flooded into her fingertips and the wood wavered, reacting to her touch and resonating with her whole. Pulsating. Alive.

“Is it… beating?” Akari whispered, entranced by the feeling.

“You could say that.” Sukuna said, and without warning, stepped away from the tree, holding his hand high for an instant before plummeting it down, the movement sharp and clean.

Akari instinctively flinched away from the tree as an overwhelming wave of cursed energy crashed against her, shaking every cell of her body to its very core.The sensation was heavy, dark and unsettlingly familiar; it was Sukuna’s very own cursed technique, unleashed raw and undeterred against the tree he himself affirmed to be the heart of the domain.

“What have you done?” Akari yelled in alarm as the bark continuously cracked and quivered before her eyes. The very ground below them trembled, as if aggravated by the severity of the assault.

The slashing against the tree went on, and Akari could swear that inside her ears rang the bellows of pain and agony of the living bark. Her sight blurred and her body quivered, overwhelmed by her own senses. It was too much.

Sukuna remained silent. He didn’t as much as flinch at the devastating reaction of the world around them. He merely watched the tree with a steady gaze, as if he’d already been expecting this.

Suddenly, the quakes receded. The screams became silent. Sukuna finally moved, approaching the tree once again. Akari was paralyzed, her heart flipping within her chest. She could only watch, appalled. In yet another unexpected move, he forcefully pulled a piece of bark that became loose from the repeated slashing of his cursed technique. 

That snapped Akari out of her trance, and she stepped closer to him, intent on stopping further acts of vandalism, but he spoke first.

“Do you see it now?” Sukuna looked straight into her eyes.

Akari gave no answer. She didn’t know what to say, or what to think, really. What could she say? She couldn’t have ever expected any of this.

Because as she looked into the crack he had inflicted on the bark of the tree, something glowed inside. The light was warm, soft, healing, even. A watery, bright cocoon filled every inch of the trunk’s interior, pulsating with wispy life. Encased within, a white figure was curled in itself; the distinct outline of a long snout and a furry tail the tell-tale signs of a sly, astute animal.

A fox.

Chapter Text

Ch. 14 - Seven Suns

In the entirety of Akari’s life, she had asked Wasuke about her parents only once.

Jin Itadori, Yuji’s biological father, had passed away in a car crash just a month before. The burden of raising his grandchildren alone weighed heavily on Wasuke, shrouding him in grief and stress. He’d started smoking again, though he abandoned the habit after a brief period. Akari was five - confused, curious and worried. She mustered the courage to ask Wasuke about the rest of their family. Why weren’t they present at Jin’s funeral? Why couldn’t they help Wasuke?

Wasuke explained reluctantly that Akari’s mother, Izumi, had died shortly after giving birth to her. He knew little else about Izumi, except for her first name. Itadori Jin, in an act of kindness, had taken in the newborn girl, giving her his surname and raising her as his own. The revelation that she and Yuji weren’t blood siblings devastated Yuji.

Snot and tears stained Akari’s shirt as his younger brother sobbed, worried that she’d leave him because they weren’t blood-related, and the day Wasuke died he’d be left alone. Akari offered reassurance. She’d never abandon him. He was and would forever be her brother, no matter the blood ties. His tears slowly receded, but the fear in his eyes and the ache in his chest persisted. After that day, she never dared to ask about her biological family again.

Now, as she reflected on that decision, she wished she hadn’t refrained. Perhaps she’d have some answers to the sea of questions that swirled around in her head. Maybe she’d know something more helpful than her mother’s name.

Under the shade of the lone tree, Akari and Sukuna sat in a tense silence, the soft melody of Hopscotch's chirps breaking the stillness. As the breeze whispered through the grass, Sukuna's deep voice rumbled, drawing Akari's attention away from the serene surroundings.

Firstly, Sukuna clarified that the fox they saw was indeed the legendary shikigami Akari had been after - the Dawn Fox. He then told her that the shikigami was stuck inside the tree, encased within a cocoon that made it dormant, in a state akin to being sealed.

The cocoon, he detailed, was made of souls. Akari couldn’t understand it. To her it was only a yellowy, gelatinous membrane. At most, there were some particles floating around in the liquid. 

Sukuna simply sighed and continued his explanation, “I wouldn’t expect you to understand.” He said with derision, and Akari rolled her eyes at him. “However, that’s beside the point. What matters is that your chicken’s soul used to be part of that cocoon there.”

“Wait-” Akari interrupted, her fingers absentmindedly stroking the bird’s feathers. “What do you mean by that? Now he’s not?”

“No. The cocoon is disintegrating, it seems. His soul was released, hence why he’s walking freely among us.”

“And why exactly is it disintegrating?” Akari pressed.

“I don’t know.” Sukuna admitted, his gaze unreadable.

Akari eyed the man cautiously, unable to shake the feeling of unease. Despite her skepticism, she trusted that Sukuna wouldn’t lie and violate their contract. 

“So, why is the fox here with us, then?”

Sukuna shook his head. “It’s not here with us. We’re here with it.”

Akar’s confusion deepened, but she held back her protests, urging Sukuna to continue.

“This domain,” he gestured around them, “is the Dawn Fox’s innate domain. It acts as a neutral ground between us, preventing our souls from merging and keeping us apart.”

“But I thought it was our incompatibility that prevented that?” Akari countered, trying to make sense of Sukuna’s explanation.

“No. It is the fox that interferes with our fusion.” Sukuna asserted. “And it’s only able to do so because it resides within you.”

“Wait-” Akari pointed to the cracked tree trunk, the outline of the white fox scarcely visible. “Are you saying that thing is inside me? ”

Sukuna pinched the bridge of his nose. “Have you absorbed anything I've mentioned? Yes, it is .”

“How… why?”

Sukuna shook his head again. "I don't know either. But it has always been inside you. I sensed it from the moment I first laid eyes on you."

“So you knew all along? And you didn’t say anything?” Akari hissed.

“Of course. Do you take me for a fool? What did I have to gain by telling you such a thing?”

“I-” Akari sighed, her frustration dissipating. “Fair enough, I guess. Do you happen to know why this thing is inside me, then?”

Sukuna’s expression darkened. “No, I don’t. I believed the Twin Foxes to have been vanquished during the Heian era. This is as puzzling to me as it is to you.”

“What happened to them during the Heian era?”

"The Dawn Fox died. And without the Dawn Fox, the Night Fox’s bonds to this world were forever seared,” Sukuna explained tersely. "Clearly, my judgment was flawed. The fox wasn’t dead, only sealed."

“But- how did it end up inside me?”

“I don’t know.” Sukuna admitted curtly.

“ You don’t know ? For someone who’s been advertising himself as the knowledge-bearer, you’ve been saying that a lot.” Akari sneered.

Sukuna’s gaze became ice. “I never claimed to know anything about that. I was always clear about my knowledge on the foxes .”

“Well, it just so happens that that, ” Akari pointed at the tree, “ is one of said foxes.” Akari hissed, refusing to back down.

Sukuna clicked his tongue, displeased. “Does it even matter how it got there? What difference does it make to know if you were born with it, if someone cursed you or if you were stupid enough to ingest it in the form of a cursed object?”

Akari frowned. “Oh, thank you, but I would’ve known if I had eaten a cursed object.”

“Then it’s pointless to think about it now.” Sukuna sneered. “You should focus your efforts on successfully performing the ritual.” 

“Right.” Akari huffed. “If the Dawn Fox is inside me, then what about the amulets? Are they all fake?” She asked, thinking about the amulet in her possession and Naoya’s own copy.

Sukuna crossed his arms, pensive. “No. But you could say that the amulets are… mostly ritualistic. A piece of the foxes’ souls rest within the amulets, and they’re used to bind and call upon them. The amulets are indestructible, much like my fingers. However, since the Dawn Fox is inside you instead… I suppose that makes you the Dawn Fox amulet.”

“I’m the Dawn Fox amulet?” Akari repeated dumbly.

“Yes, you oaf.” Sukuna sighed. “This thing has been protecting you all along.”

Akari was reminded of the day Yuji ate the first of Sukuna’s fingers. The cursed spirit that had appeared at the school had lost its arm when it grabbed her. At first, she’d thought the phenomenon to have happened due to the positive energy existing within her body. But what if it’d been the Dawn Fox, protecting her?

Another, more unpleasant memory came to mind - the mission at the train station, with Maki and Panda. She and Maki had nearly died that day, poisoned and drained by the cursed spirit. She recalled looking down into her charred, darkened arms. She’d collapsed from the exertion, thinking those to be her last moments. However, her skin suddenly started healing by itself, restoring her dislocated shoulder and removing the poison in Maki’s system.

“So that means I’m immortal?” Akari glanced at the fox, heart thrumming in her chest.

“You could say that. Though breaking a binding vow could still kill you.” Sukuna supplied.

Akari held her breath. “So I don’t have to fear the higher ups’ death sentence, right? I can’t die, after all.”

Sukuna questioned, "Not even if they threaten to kill Yuji in your place?" Akari's face fell. "They're well aware that your involvement with Jujutsu is because of him."

Akari’s stomach dropped, cold. She’d thought her brother safe from the higher-ups’ shenanigans at last, only for her supposed immortality blessing to bring him doom again. 

Regardless, Yuji would never be truly free from peril, would he? He always got into fights unabashed, coming back home with busted lips, swollen eyes and that typical sheepish grin etched on his face. Unsurprisingly, he was in his element when fighting cursed spirits and saving people. Had the siblings never stumbled upon the world of Jujutsu, Akari always suspected he’d take a mighty, heroic profession such as becoming a fireman.

“What should I do, then?” Akari sighed.

“Search for the Night Fox, obviously.” Sukuna supplied. “Don’t you have a lead?”

“I-” Akari clenched her fists. “It could be inside the Zen’in clan.”

Sukuna ignored her obvious discomfort. “Then you know where to go.”

“No, I don’t know where it is located,” she complained, “and if I go there I’ll have to talk to Naoya Zen’in…” her face scrunched up in disgust.

“Who?”

Sukuna hadn’t seen Naoya’s memory, it seemed. Akari explained, “He’s one of the heirs of the Zen’in clan. He approached me a couple of days ago, offering me the amulet of the Dawn Fox. A fake, obviously.”

“And what’s so awful about him?” Sukuna prodded, interested.

“Well, he wanted to exchange it for my hand in marriage.” Akari clicked her tongue, a rancid taste in her mouth.

Sukuna smirked, chin in hand. “Your hand in marriage, eh? How convenient.” 

“Convenient?” Akari echoed in disbelief.

“Of course. You could seduce him into giving you information.” Sukuna suggested, unbothered. 

“Seduce him? Are you crazy?”

“Why not? You could wear those scanty frocks you call clothes. Leave your legs bare. It should be fairly easy.” He scoffed.

Akari blinked, befuddled. He couldn’t possibly be serious. “No- First of all, my clothes aren’t scanty frocks. You’re just old. Showing off a bit of skin isn’t considered scandalous anymore, get that through your head.” Sukuna rolled his eyes. She ignored him and continued, “Second of all, he’s old.”

Sukuna quirked his brow. “How old is he?”

“I suppose he’s around twenty-five?” Akari mused.

His brows descended into a frown. "Quite the hypocrite, aren't you? Wasn't it not long ago that you were drooling over your teacher?”

“Not you, too.” She groaned, face burning hot. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not the same thing. Stop bringing that up.”

“If you’re the one ogling an older man, it’s fine. But if it’s the other way around, it’s not?” Sukuna retorted.

“Of course not!” Akari burst. “I don’t know how these things worked in the Heian era, but in this era this is considered objectively wrong. So I’m not seducing him. I don’t even want to come near him.”

Sukuna sighed tiredly. “Then what will you do about the Night Fox’s amulet?”

If the amulet was really inside the Zen’in clan, Akari had no other choice but to go there. But at this point, even eating another of Sukuna’s fingers seemed like a better idea in her head.

“I… I have to think about it.” Akari concluded.

Sukuna glared icily at her. "You truly believe you have all the time in the world, don't you? You have a lead on the amulet’s whereabouts, a clear means to grasp it, and yet you wish to think ? You’re as blind to opportunity as a bat in daylight."

Akari huffed. “Look, I don’t want to talk about this right now, much less with you of all people.”

“I just wanted to let you know you’re wasting your time,” Sukuna retorted.

She ignored his jab, too tired to retort as her body started to weigh down on her. “I’ll try to find the location of the Zen’in clan, and when I do, I’ll decide what to do about it.”

Sukuna rolled his eyes. “Whatever. As long as you find the amulet.”

Urgency took hold of her tone as heat pooled up in her chest. “Right. Subject closed. There’s something else I want to ask.” Sukuna nodded for her to continue. “What are the bursts of heat I’ve been experiencing as of late?”

“Those are symptoms of the awakening of your technique.” Sukuna answered flatly.

“A technique? Mine? Impossible.” Akari blinked.

“Seven suns.” Sukuna ignored her. “I’ve seen it before. You’re manifesting red first.”

“What do you mean? What is this technique? Where have you seen it before?” Akari asked, restlessness aggravating and head spinning.

"The seven suns is a technique rooted in the prism concept. It involves refracting light into its seven constituent colors, akin to the colors of the rainbow. The user typically has a greater affinity for one of these colors, which manifests first." Sukuna pointed at her. "In your case, the color is red."

Akari’s head was pounding, her mouth dry. She couldn’t think clearly, and her lips desperately blurted out more questions, “How do you know this? Why is it manifesting only now?”

“I knew someone that also had this technique, though her primary color was green. And for why it’s manifesting now… that would be that thing’s fault.” Sukuna nodded towards the Dawn Fox. “It was sealing off your technique.”

Akari had so many questions. She didn’t even know where to begin. Her limbs were limp and heavy, and she prayed it wasn’t caused by an impending burst of heat, wishing it a symptom of a harmless flu instead. She looked at the fox, and wispy lights flew about in its watery cocoon. “Why? What changed?”

“The fox will soon be unsealed. The cocoon is starting to disintegrate.” He said. “I’m unsure what caused this. When I met you, it was already happening.”

Akari let out a tired laugh. “This is absurd. I can’t believe this.”

“You must learn how to control it.”

“I didn’t even know what Jujutsu was, until recently. How am I expected to know how to control a technique ?” Akari said, her lips trembling as she started to sweat. She looked up at the sky, trying to soothe her breathing and her pounding heart. 

“Stop whining. It’s not even that hard.”

Akari’s breath hitched as she spat, “fuck you.” She bit down onto her lip. Her eyelids drooped as her stomach became increasingly warm, the dreadful confirmation that the tingling on her body was indeed due to another burst of heat. Her eyes stung with unshed, frustrated tears. “I’ll wake up soon - Is it too much to ask for a half decent night of sleep?” She let out a bitter laugh. “This is so fucking stupid. I just want to get rid of it.”

Akari used the last of her strength to put Hopscotch away before she laid down on the grass and let herself be swept away to yet another fit of insomnia.

- ✿ - ❀ -

Akari woke up with her nape damp with sweat, her body scorching. Her stomach lurched and her chest ached with a sharp, hot pain. With trembling hands, she reached for a glass of water beside her bed and slowly drank it between choked sobs.

The bursts of heat had been getting worse with each episode, and this time was no different. The world around her became hell. Her bedroom was permeated by a fiery haze and her skin burned in a vivid red. There was no pain, only the suffocating weight of the heat. She couldn’t move from her bed if she tried; infernal tingles clawed at her limbs and drained all of her strength. Akari hugged her legs tight in an attempt to soothe the discomfort, but it didn’t work. It never did.

Inhaling was impossible from her nose. The air was a thick, dense fog. Her body battled to conciliate breathing through her mouth and weeping in frustration. Why did this have to happen to her? Why did she have to go through this again? What did she do to deserve this? Why couldn’t it stop?

A familiar sensation brushed against her, an energy pulling lightly at her own. Dark, potent and sharp. Sukuna was… reaching out to her?

The thought alarmed her. What was he attempting at? He had never tried this before. His energy reached out again, more insistently this time. Akari wearily responded to him by reaching out with her own energy.

A jolt coursed through her body as Sukuna’s presence asserted within her. For a moment, she feared it would overthrow her, but it didn’t. His energy was a constant hum under her skin, signaling their established connection.

Can you hear me? Sukuna’s voice echoed in her head.

“I- yes.” Akari responded, startled.

Good. Now listen, your body is scorching like this because you don’t know how to control your technique, so it burns unrestrained.

Akari produced no response. A wave of heat burst through her body again, and she hugged herself in an attempt to endure it. A long moment dragged out between them, Filled only by Akari’s choked sobs and ragged breathing. The only indication of Sukuna being still present was the consistent brush of his energy against hers.

Try using your energy to suppress it, Sukuna’s voice echoed again.

She ignored him as rage bubbled up within her core, infecting her limbs and feeding the fiery heat on her body. She frantically tried to sever their connection, but to no avail. Sukuna hung onto her like a wooden splinter, the kind that she’d notice only too late, when it was already buried deep into her skin. She hated splinters. She hated him. Hated his presence, his voice and his stupid cursed energy. But most of all, she hated that he’d seen her in such a state of humiliation.

Itadori.

“What do you want?” Akari intended her words to bite him like a whip’s strike, but her lips trembled and she sounded like a pathetic, mewling kitten instead.

I can help you.

“Go away,” she croaked.

You’d rather go through this?

Akari tried again at repressing his energy away, but it proved again a draining and unfruitful task. Another choked sob burned her throat, the heat relentlessly ebbing onto her body. If it meant she could be rid of this torture, she was willing to do as he said. She just wanted it to be over.

“Fine.”

Sukuna instructed her to breathe in and out, a task difficult at first but gradually becoming easier as time passed. To her dismay, the heat didn’t tone down as she’d hoped. However, her heartbeat slowly became steadier and her mind less convoluted.

Now as you breathe out, I want you to focus your energy on the heat. Imagine you’re collecting it and condensing it into a red sphere. 

Akari’s body melted and tingled, but as Sukuna’s voice guided her through the hellish sensations, she found her footing. His descriptions rang clear and simple and she could easily picture them even through the disturbance of the heat.

The red sphere came to her mind, clear as crystal, and she relaxed. However, the heat crashed onto her again, her heart began thumping again and she stood still for a moment, breathing in and out, focusing on Sukuna’s voice roaming in her head, guiding her to inhale and exhale. The heat remained, avidly burning still, but with each exhale, her agony diminished and gave way to a strange sense of calm. This episode would soon be over, she would just have to endure it. Like she did every other. 

She managed to regain control, and the sphere resurfaced again to her head. Slow and gentle, she used her energy to gather the heat in her body into the sphere. The burning quieted down little by little, and this realization brought utter joy to Akari’s tired heart.

Once the heat became a distant echo of its former intensity, Akari slowly released the sphere, pocketing it away in her heart in a silent promise to reach out to it again in the future.

You can keep doing this if the heat comes again, but I’d recommend you start learning how to control your technique.

Akari’s eyes remained closed, her mind throbbing. She laid down with a tired sigh and hummed in response.

Rest. You’re in no state to talk. We can discuss more tomorrow.

Akari was dull, exhausted, but above all, relieved. Her body was so relaxed that she fell asleep almost immediately. That is, until she was startled awake by the distinct feeling of Sukuna’s energy slipping away. Their connection had been cut off, it seemed. 

She wondered if he could still hear her anyway.

“... thank you,” she whispered into the dark.

- ✿ - ❀ -

“How’s Nobara doing? Did she tell you what’s going on?” Panda asked Akari as they walked together to their jujutsu class.

Akari let out a heavy sigh, her brows furrowing with concern. “Not good,” she admitted. She hesitated for a moment before continuing, “And yes, she told me what happened, but I won’t tell you.”

During breakfast, Nobara had pulled Akari aside for a chat. Akari had been excited and bashful, stupidly hoping for some sort of bonding moment between them, but all her hopes came crashing down as the girl opened her mouth to talk about Maki, of all people. 

Nobara had been upset about her fight with Maki regarding the new rule to the Goodwill Event - the one that didn’t allow for grade four sorcerers to participate. She told Akari everything that happened between them, which Akari already knew from Maki’s perspective the day before..

However, it was infuriating that Nobara couldn’t direct her anger at Maki, blaming herself for the fight instead. Nobara confessed then to having said some nasty things to Maki, catching Akari by surprise. Maki hadn’t mentioned any of that.

“But Akari, Maki didn’t want to tell us what happened! I almost thought she was going to strangle us…” Panda whined.

“Shake.” Inumaki shivered.

Akari shot Panda a pointed look. “I’d say that’s your sign to keep your snout out of people’s business, Panda.”

Panda could be a bit… pushy sometimes. Not necessarily out of malice or ill will; much on the contrary. Panda was eager to please others and help his friends, be it by trying to solve their problems for them or playing matchmaker with them. It was sweet, silly and a bit naive, in honesty. The problem was that Panda’s efforts to make his friends feel better often backfired by failing miserably or augmenting the issue tenfold.

Akari advised him more than once on that matter. But her words seemed to fall on deaf ears.

“Yelp, that’s it. We need to intervene.” Panda concluded in a jolt, completely disregarding Akari’s comment.

“Wait a second, we ? Panda, I’m not getting involved in this.” Akari protested, crossing her arms defensively.

“Akari, they need you! Nobara won’t open up to me, much less Maki!” Panda pleaded.

Akari let out a weary sigh, rubbing her temples. “And do you think Maki would open up to me ?” She said tiredly.

Panda frowned, his expression earnest. “Of course. She thinks very highly of you.”

A pang of surprise shot through Akari at Panda’s words. Maki, thinking highly of her? That seemed… far-fetched. Maki was confident, even arrogant at times. Besides, Akari was, at most, several levels below Maki in everything.

However, now, in retrospect… Maki had come to her yesterday for advice, hadn’t she?

And Akari shunned her away.

“Can we… talk about something else?” Akari asked, pushing aside the unease gnawing at her.

“Fine,” Panda relented, a disappointed pout on his face. “Have you thought about giving Todo a chance?”

Akari sputtered, caught off guard by the sudden change of topic. “No! I’ve already said I have no interest in him - why are you so insistent, Panda?”

“But Akari, you don’t understand! He’s a nice guy - a bit stupid sometimes - but he’s got, like, this big heart.”

“It’s not because he’s stupid that I don’t want to go out with him!” Akari retorted, frustration creeping into her voice. “No, actually, scratch that. That’s one of the reasons.”

“And what are the other reasons?”

“I don’t want a relationship right now, Panda.” Akari answered on the spot.

“That’s it? That’s not even a valid excuse!” Panda complained.

Akari blinked. “What? Of course it is!”

“No, you’re hiding something from me. I know it!”

“ Am not .”

“I- do you like someone else already?” Panda asked worriedly.

Akari’s heart skipped a beat. “N-no.”

“You do…” Panda whined.

“I just want you to stop playing matchmaker with me. Really.” Akari punctuated.

“Okaka…” Inumaki chimed in, offering his support.

“Okay, okay.” Panda sighed. “I’m… sorry. I’ll stop.”

“Thank you, Panda.”

Panda nodded. “Anyway, but we do need a plan for having you and Maki participate in the Goodwill Event. We need to keep the new rule from being issued.”

In truth, Akari hadn’t even associated the new rule with her own inability to participate in the event. Akari wouldn’t care about participating in the Goodwill event if it wasn’t for Maki. For her, the event was a chance at being promoted. For Akari, it was a deadline.

Even after their fight on the previous day, Akari wanted to help Maki achieve her promotion goal, so she needed to find a way to stop the rule from being issued. She recalled Naoya’s parting words when they first met - a warning for Maki. Akari was pretty sure he was also behind this rule change, and she was possibly the only person who had a chance of striking a deal with him.

Akari felt lightheaded. She didn’t want to think about the implications of making a compromise with Naoya.

Regardless or whether or not she’d resort to this, she first needed to find a way to reach him. The location of the Zen’in clan.

“The Zen’in family sure are bothersome, aren’t they?” Akari remarked.

“Takana, shake, konbu.” Inumaki pointed.

“Yes! Can you believe that last year, Mai showed up here and they had this big fight? Maki almost-” Panda shut his mouth suddenly, as if he’d said something he shouldn’t have.

“What?” Akari asked.

“Okaka, sakana.” Inumaki deflected.

“Um, it’s something… private.” Panda winced. 

Akari decided she wouldn’t pry. “So, have you ever gone to the Zen’in clan Estate?”

“Okaka… sujiko?” Inumaki inquired.

“I don’t know, to get revenge on Mai?” Akari said sheepishly.

“I mean, we could... Mai lives in Kyoto High, though. No point going to the Zen’in estate.” Panda reasoned.

“Do you know where the Zen’in estate is, though?”

“I… yeah. Why do you want to know?” Panda asked cautiously.

Akari shrugged. “Curiosity, that’s all.”

“I need a good reason to tell you that.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to go running into the Zen’in clan.” Panda said, his tone serious.

“And who said I’d go to the Zen’in clan?” Akari crossed her arms defensively. “I have no reason to.”

Panda seemed skeptical. “I know what you’re planning. You can’t hide it from me, Akari.”

Sweat broke out on her brow. Could he know about Naoya? She stared at him, searching for signs of bluffing. She found none. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Panda squinted, meeting her gaze squarely. “You want to get something from their warehouse.”

Akari held his stare, but her facade wavered at his words. “I…” she began, unsure of what to say. She trusted Panda and knew he’d help her if she told him about her need to talk to Naoya. However, Sukuna’s words reverberated in her head, telling her that she should be careful with what she said. She was being watched.

Before she could say anything else, Panda misinterpreted her hesitation. “I knew it! You want the staff of telekinesis!”

Akari nearly choked. What the hell was a staff of telekinesis?

Panda continued, his eyes sad. “I hate to break it to you, Akari, but the staff of telekinesis… it doesn’t exist. Maki fooled us.”

“Oh,” was all she could manage.

“Yes! We believed it was real for an entire year, can you believe it? Good thing we saved you from Maki’s trickery.” Panda said with pride.

“Shake.” Inumaki agreed solemnly.

Panda and Inumaki spent the rest of the morning recounting the story of how they fell for Maki’s prank about the staff of telekinesis, which they had spent months researching.

Akari tried to play along, suggesting that the staff might still be real and proposing a visit to the Zen’in Estate for confirmation.

They were almost convinced by her words, but ultimately remained steadfast in their decision not to disclose the address.

- ✿ - ❀ -

“What the hell are you doing?” Sukuna appeared beside Akari as she knelt over an abused patch of earth.

Akari nearly toppled over in surprise. “Holy shit! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” She unsuccessfully tried to hide her dirt-soiled hands. “It’s none of your business.”

“Are you kidding me? We have important matters to discuss, and you’re playing in the dirt like a witless toddler?” Sukuna hissed.

“Excuse me? I’m not playing in the dirt!”

“Oh, no? Pardon me, you must be digging a hole to bury yourself in.”

“I’m hunting worms for Hopscotch!” Akari retorted, nostrils flaring.

Sukuna pinched the bridge of his nose, torn between frustration and disbelief. “Disgusting. I can’t even- haven’t I told you that the thing doesn’t eat ?”

Akari stood up. “I know he doesn’t eat! It’s him that doesn’t know he can’t eat.”

“I’m sorry ?” Sukuna shook his head.

“He keeps coming to me, asking for food, but I don’t have anything to give him.” Akari sighed. “You see he’s constantly scratching the ground? He’s actually looking for bugs.” She pointed at her pet, who was doing exactly what she described. “Even if he can’t eat, at least seeing food might calm him down.”

“Well, there is a big, obvious flaw in your plan.” Sukuna pointed out. “There aren't any worms or any type of bugs in this domain.”

Akari groaned. “Oh shit, I actually forgot about that.” She tried to rub the dirt off her hands, annoyed that it had gotten under her nails. “Um, is there a chance that there is some millet hanging around?”

Sukuna sighed. “No.”

“Peanuts?”

“No.”

“Fruit?”

“No.”

“Lettuce?”

“There is no food, understand?” Sukuna huffed irritably. “Give up on that stupid thing.”

Akari pouted. “But I can’t do that! Look at him.” Akari gestured at Hopscotch, still scratching the ground furiously. He was angry at Akari because she didn’t have any food to give him. She tried telling him he didn’t need to eat, but he crowed at her face and ignored her like a petty teenager. “It doesn’t even need to be actual food, maybe just something that looks like food,” she pleaded.

“If I say I’ll try to find something will you stop frolicking in the dirt?” Sukuna asked.

Akari bit her cheek. Would he even keep his word? It was hard to tell. However, as much as she wanted to find food for Hopscotch, he wouldn’t starve to death, and there were more pressing matters to attend to. “Fine. What did you want to talk about?”

“Clean yourself first.” Sukuna sneered. “How you managed to become dirtier than your chicken is beyond my comprehension.”

Akari was too embarrassed to respond to Sukuna’s comment. He was right, after all. She’d actually rolled up her sleeves, but as they slid down her arms, she didn’t even bother trying to keep them away from the dirt. It’s no wonder Sukuna called her a witless toddler - her beautiful yukata was disgraced. They walked together towards the lake, Sukuna carrying Hopscotch as Akari ushered to the water, eager to clean the dirt out of her hands.

Sukuna sat down by her side and carefully released Hopscotch. Akari observed, incredulous, as the bird crooned to the man’s side, its rebellious demeanor completely forgotten.

“How did you get him to calm down?” Akari asked, astounded.

“I didn’t do anything.” He said as his hand came to rest atop the rooster’s body.

Hopscotch purred . He actually purred .

Akari looked away, hurt. “Whatever. You still have to find food for him, though. Just wait until he starts scratching you, too.” What was the deal with him? Akari had been tossing dirt around for the past hour in a futile attempt to find worms for him, and all she got in return were aggressive flaps of wings and scratches on her forearm. “This ingrate bird.”

Hopscotch squawked loudly in protest. He didn’t agree with Akari, it seemed.

Akari scoffed. “No, by all means, cuddle up to him, won’t you? He’s the one that’s trying to care for you, after all.”

Hopscotch crowed and walked away, back to ignoring Akari while scratching the ground in search of bugs.

“Are you… jealous?” Sukuna raised an eyebrow.

Akari’s face burned. “Jealous? Don’t make me laugh.”

The weight of Sukuna’s stare burned a hole onto her nape. The silence was awkward and upsetting. She cleaned her hands furiously, wishing she could be strangling him instead.

“How are your bursts of heat?” Sukuna asked as she rubbed her nails against her palm.

“...I haven’t had another after that one.” She muttered, still angry.

“Good. Your body is stabilizing.”

They remained silent for a while. Akari didn’t want to talk to him, so she kept washing her hands a while longer after they were clean. Why did she have to be stuck with him? He was horrid. Terrible. He looked at her as if she was a vermin, talked to her like she was a stupid child. Half of the time she wanted to kill him; the other half she just wanted to cry.

However, killing him or crying about how he treated her wouldn’t help her at all in her current situation. She’d just have to endure his attitude. Again.

Akari took a deep breath, turning around to stare at him. Even though he was an insufferable prick, he did help her with her bursts of heat, and for that Akari was a little bit relieved. Just a little bit. “What’s going on with me?” She asked.

“Your technique,” Sukuna started, “is split into seven abilities, like light refracting on a prism; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and purple. You are most compatible with red, which is the ability to create heat.”

“Right. So that’s the origin of the bursts of heat,” Akari mused.

“Exactly. And now you must learn how to wield your technique. Otherwise, you won’t be able to channel the Dawn Fox.”

“What do you mean? What does my technique have to do with the fox?”

“Do you know the tale of their origin?” Sukuna inquired.

Akari searched her memory for such a tale. She’d only heard rumors about how the foxes came to be, but no actual tale. “Not really.”

Sukuna stared at a point past her, lost in his own head for a while. Akari waited patiently, stealing glances at his tattoos and studying their shapes. 

Akari liked tattoos. She found them charming, fun, and in the right person, hot. One of her coworkers during her time working part-time was completely fascinated by them, and would use a ball-point pen to draw on Akari’s arm when the convenience store was empty. Even though she liked them, Akari didn’t think of getting a tattoo for herself. Tattoos in Japan were born associated with criminals and marginalized groups, and even though they evolved to become a form of artistic expression during the Edo period, a lot of people still frowned upon them.

“In ancient times, there were two spirit foxes. One lived in the realm of light, the other in the realm of shadow.”

Sukuna’s voice cut suddenly through her thoughts, and Akari jolted, realizing he was telling the aforementioned tale of the twin foxes.

“There was an annual festival that celebrated the unity between realms, the Moon Festival. Spirits of all realms communed in the human world, free of boundaries and restrictions, free to roam around and mingle in human forms.

“It was in one of these festivals that the foxes met each other and became hopelessly infatuated with one another. They danced together in their human forms, wishing the night not to end. However, at sunrise, they had to inevitably part ways and return to their realms.

“They yearned for each other for a year, until the next Moon Festival. As soon as the festival started, they rushed to each other and vowed not to be separated again.

“They made a foolish plan; to remain in the human realm after the festival ended and spend the rest of their lives in their human forms. However, as the sun rose in the horizon and they refused to return to their realms, their bodies withered and became decayed. their souls could not handle the rampaging pain, and they were forced back to their respective realms, broken apart once again.

“This time, however, as they exceeded the limits of their powers by remaining in the human realm longer than they should, they were severely penalized. They could no longer manifest physical bodies, and thus, couldn’t access the human realm anymore.

“Two young shamans, touched by their tragic story, decided to help them. As the shamans could reach to the realms of light and shadow, they connected to the foxes and proposed an exchange.

“The foxes would lend their powers to the shamans, and in return, the shamans would lend their power so that the foxes could be with each other and exist in the human realm.” Sukuna looked down at Akari. “You are one of such shamans. Your technique, the Seven Suns, allows you to reach into the realm of light. Hence why you need to learn how to wield it.”

As Sukuna delved into the story of the twin foxes, Akari listened intently. Their tragic love story, their yearning to remain together, and their ultimate punishment stirred something within her. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for them.

Akari bit her lip. “That’s… bittersweet.”

“Come again?”

“I mean, they can’t ever be truly together, can they?”

“Don’t pity them.” Sukuna said, mouth pressed into a sneer. “They’re selfish, cunning little things.”

Akari frowned. “Why do you dislike them so much? Did they do something to you?”

Sukuna’s expression remained cold and distant. “I’d just rather not mingle with the likes of them,” he replied cryptically.

Akari furrowed her brow, sensing there was more to Sukuna’s animosity than he was letting on. But she knew better than to push further. Sukuna was not one to share his past or emotions willingly. “Alright. So, I’m one of the shamans that can bind to them. Who’d be the other shaman?”

“That would be a Ten Shadows user.” Sukuna said. “Luckily, you’ve found one fairly easily.”

“Fushiguro-kun?” Akari’s eyes widened in realization.

“Yes. Though I wouldn’t get too excited if I were you.” He glared at her. “The foxes only bind to two people that trust each other irrevocably.”

Akari gulped. “What do you mean?”

“You have to have a strong connection to Fushiguro, or else the foxes won’t bind to you. They need the shamans to trust each other in order for their connection to work. The original shamans were lovers, for instance.”

“But-” Akari croaked, distressed.. “I can’t- I don’t see him that way!”

Sukuna rolled his eyes. “Such a puritan, aren’t you? I’m not suggesting you seduce him this time. Just that you should work on bonding with him. Explain how the ritual works and he’ll most likely cooperate.” Sukuna pointed a finger at her. “But don’t go babbling around to him about the Dawn Fox being inside you. You know very well there’s someone spying on you.”

Akari huffed. “Fine, I can do that. How does the ritual work, anyway?”

“It’s no use explaining it if you can’t wield your technique. You have to dominate your technique first, then after comes the ritual.” Sukuna reached within his robes, retrieving a piece of bark and offering it to Akari. “Your first task is to burn this using red.”

“Burn wood?” Akari blinked, staring at the piece of bark in her hands. “I’d have to… produce fire. Is that even possible with my technique?”

“Of course it is. You just have to practice.” Sukuna raised his hand. “That’s what the red prism is about, anyway. You can either invoke heat or create fire, directly.” Sukuna took another piece of bark and hovered it between them. With a snap of his fingers, flames erupted from his free hand, engulfing the bark and disintegrating it. Akari yelped in surprise, the acrid, smoky smell hot in her nostrils.

Akari blinked, apprehension bubbling up within her. “Wait, what was that? My technique?”

“No, it wasn’t your technique. Though it comes quite close, so I can offer you assistance,” he said.

“Are you sure you want to help me?” Akari asked, still disoriented.

Sukuna frowned. “What type of question is that? It is my duty to help you, seeing as my part of our binding vow obliges me to do so. One would imagine you would retain information from something we discussed just yesterday. Frankly, this forgetfulness of yours is quite annoying. What are you? A brainless fish?”

Akari’s ears burned with embarrassment. “I didn’t forget about it! It’s just not as obvious as you think! I learned only a few moments ago that my technique is tied to the foxes.”

“Of course. It is not at all due to your limited brain capacity.”

Akari rolled her eyes. “Did you call me here to help me, or just to insult me?”

“It seems I cannot do one without doing the other.” He answered plainly. “Your company has proven all too vexing for me to endure it silently.”

“Well, that’s entirely your problem. You’re the one that coerced me into becoming your host in the first place.”

“Indeed. That was a grim decision on my part,” he said. “Are you done with the chatter? I believe you have a piece of bark to burn.”

With a final roll of her eyes, Akari let herself be guided again by Sukuna in the usage of her technique. Unsurprisingly, he proved himself again an eloquent and capable teacher. The imagery he conjured into Akari’s mind was vivid and clear, helpful as she navigated through the motions of producing fire.

Somehow, she got the bark to burn within an hour.

By hour two and three, Sukuna instructed her into shaping and projecting the fire. As he sculpted the flames, it looked so effortless that Akari thought it’d come easily for her as well. Her overconfidence  resulted in Sukuna’s yukata becoming a little bit singed where Akari hit him by accident.

During hour four, karma slapped her in the face as Akari’s clothes caught on fire and she had to dunk into the lake to quench the flames.

Akari found it absolutely humiliating.

Sukuna found it completely hilarious.

- ✿ - ❀ -

It had been a while since Akari last slept so well, she realized with a soft yawn. She stretched out her muscles and a satisfying tingle coursed through her warm, awakening body.

Something at the corner of her sight caught her attention. A small, unpretentious note rested on her bedside table. The handwriting was elegant and lean, but its contents were brief and vicious.

An address, accompanied by the words:

I heard you were looking for this.

I look forward to seeing you soon.