Chapter 12

In the soul space…

Yua paused to it.

The glowing ball grew massive in a matter of days. Each time Yuuji came it was embedded in his chest. When he left, the ball grew. "It must be feeding off of him…" she said offhandedly.

But what is it feeding from?

As of late, it has become too big for it to lodge itself into Yuuji, yet he would still hold it carefully and treat it with care. Since then, it has grown to the size of a large yoga ball to say the least. But there was something else about it too, every so often it would glow brightly, as she swore there were hands forming. "What is it?" Yuuji grandfather asked of her.

"I don't quite know to be honest with you, I mean it came from Ryujin…"

"I don't even know who the hell that is, I barely know this demon sorcerer you speak of."

Yua sighed. "Sukuna was the strongest demonic sorcerer. He was killed a thousand years ago, but his body did not break down, his power was sealed into his fingers. The bastard had four arms and twenty fingers… your grandson consumed one to save his classmates and reawaken him, Sukuna was going to take possession…"

"Ok, that part I know, but still. What a bothersome asshole…" he muttered.

But he kept looking at this ball that was trying to do something.

It kept staring at one of the photos the grandfather kept of Yuuji when he was a child, the more it looked at it, and the more it tried to take shape in a sense. But it appeared to have hesitated. "I think it wants to turn into Yuuji…" she whispered to him. "But it's hesitating…"

"Hmph…" His grandfather muttered. "HEY! Whatever you are, if you are trying to turn into him, then do it!" he scolded. "If you can become half the man my grandson is, then let him be your inspiration"

Yua was impressed, despite how gruff the old man was. He did have a heart!

Then it happened.

The ball condensed down, and a human form began to emurge. Yua watched from a distance as a hand molded, touching the photo of Yuuji. As it did, it took shape. It perfectly replicated the picture before him, clothing and all.

But there was a problem.

Whatever formed… has Sukuna's hair and curse marks on his body!

Yua froze as the little boy turned to face her and the grandfather. "I did it!" he said proudly. "I… I did it!"

There was an odd look on the grandfather's face. "Is that…" he began to ask.

She nodded, but there was something odd about it. Yua sensed some curse energy coming off this odd child, but it was nothing like Sukuna's. She approached cautiously, kneeling down she asked. "Who are you?"

The boy froze, he suddenly turned meek and peered away. His head shook as he refused to speak. "Are you Sukuna?" she asked.

The boy choked up, tears followed as he said. "I… I don't know,"

He suddenly ran up to her and embraced Yua tightly. She couldn't stop herself from returning the hug, feeling no malic from the boy or any sort of darkness in him. "Where you the only grain of kindness he possessed?" she asked gently.

She felt his head nod into her shoulder.

"GRANDPA, YUA!"

Yuuji suddenly appeared, the boy released her and rushed to him. "YUUJI!"

THUD

The rampaging child knocked him to the ground. Yet as Yuuji regained himself, he froze as he stared into the face of his younger self, yet… with curse markings and the small demon eyes under his main ones. His hair too was oddly slicked up. "Huh?" he said as he went a little pale.

"I think I figured out what that grain was, I just didn't think it would turn out like this!" she said.

"Yuuji, I look just like you now! I'm going to be the best brother you ever had!"

"Best brother?" Yuuji said with great uncertainty. "So… what's your name?" he asked.

The boy froze and shook his head. "I… don't have one, you give me one!" he said with great passion. "Give me a good name, I don't want to be anything like HIM!" he said with great determination.

"Uh… okay… I am going to have to think about it for a while, I can't just think of one off the bat… hmmm, since you are a smaller version of me. I'll call you Chibi for now!"

His eyes lit up. "A smaller version of you…" he said with great excitement.

"So, this is taking responsibility huh?" his grandfather muttered. "I think you got the short end of the stick here…"

"Grandpa…" Yuuji said in a warning tone.

Chibi paused though as he stared at him oddly. "Big brother… you don't really look like this, do you?"

He also appeared embarrassed to say it aloud. "It's because he… did this to you…"

"Yes, but this was also partly my fault too. Do you want to see what I really look like?" he asked gently.

Chibi nodded.

Standing up, Yuuji allowed himself to turn into his physical form. When he did, Chibi froze and stared upon him. There was no look of amazement, but he appeared saddened. "You… were human before right?"

"Yeah,"

"But then…"

"That's right,"

Silence befell them. Chibi began to tear up, "It's my fault!"

The room fell into an awkward pause, Yuuji however leaned down and said. "It's not, I assure you… had you done this, you wouldn't have done so without my permission, yes?"

"But still… I was part of HIM!" he protested.

"But now, you're not!" Yuuji said with a warm smile.

Chibi paused as he stared into the smiling face of Yuuji. The boy's grin could light up a room, Yua always felt his warmth and kindness radiate through him. His lower right demonic arm went on top of Chibi's head, as he playfully ruffled his hair. It appeared to have calmed him down slightly. But he still sniffled.

"So, this was what Ryujin's test?" she asked.

Yuuji nodded. "Guess so, I mean, if there is goodness somewhere in a soul, it has to be given a chance right?" he asked. He looked back at Chibi. "Despite knowing where he came from… I don't see him in this little one…"

"I still wonder though, even if he fully develops, what is going to become of him?" she asked aloud.

"I don't care, as long as I am with big brother Yuuji!" Chibi protested.

Yuuji smiled once more. "Hey, wanna watch an anime called One Punch Man?!"

"OKAY!"

"Let me make some snacks, you go to my room and wait for me there, okay?"

"KAY!"

He ran off happily.

When the door closed, Yua turned to him. "Yuuji, are you really okay with this?" she asked of him. "That's part of Sukuna, like it or not…"

He was a little silent on the matter as he made the snacks. Yet he paused and turned to her. "I don't feel that in him," he said. "You and I both know what Sukuna was like, and Chibi isn't showing any signs of that, he appeared upset when I turned into my true form…"

"Crocodile tears," grandpa muttered.

"Grandpa, why would he fake that?" he asked.

"Because this is a part of him that survived," Yua said offhandedly. "I would suggest you be careful with him around."

The popcorn finished. Yuuji merely smiled off the warning. "I understand and I will keep an eye on him. For now, he's my little brother! And if you need us, we're watching anime!" he got the snacks ready and joined Chibi in the room.

When it closed, Yua turned to the grandfather. "Huh, so he's raising a kid…" he muttered.

Yua nodded, but still wondered what was going to become of this. He maybe acting like a child now, but Yua has a feeling there is more of Sukuna within that boy that they know, but perhaps, only time will tell…

#

They watched the show together. Yuuji held the bowl of popcorn with his lower arms, his chin rested on Chibi's head as he ate with his dominate arms. His sudden little brother appeared to be just as absorbed into the show as he was! He rather enjoyed the humor and fighting within it. They finished a whole season in a night and then started season two without pause.

Then, there was someone who came up on the screen.

"He reminds me of you!" Chibi proclaimed. "He smiles a lot."

He snickered to the comment. "That's Suiryu," he said. "He's a powerful martial artist."

"Suiryu… that's a cool name…" he whispered.

Yuuji then smirked, "Perhaps that should be your name"

Silence came from his little brother, when he peered down his eyes appeared to have sparkled. "Really?!" he whispered. "I… I can be called Suiryu?!"

"I don't see why not, I think it's a badass name"

Suddenly the nickname of Chibi was gone, and Suiryu stuck. They finished the whole series in a single night. Yuuji sighed aloud as he flopped back on the bed. "I think I have to wake up now. I apparently have a solo mission to do today… weird, the elders don't trust me, yet they are sending me out…"

Suiryu fell silent. "They are going to trap you," he said in a cold tone. "I can feel something is wrong…"

Suddenly Yuuji became all ears. "Oh? How can you tell?" he asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I know… I look a lot like HIM… I am starting to remember stuff he did…" he whispered. "But big brother, I don't want to be like him! I'll try to be like you!" he vowed.

He smiled to him. "I know, that's why I call you my little brother. I would never call him such a thing. But with what's happening… you think it's a trap?" he asked.

Suiryu nodded his head. "Just… be careful." He whispered.

He promised he would.