Chapter 38
The intermission.
Suiryu took a deep breath back stage.
Everyone was in awe of him. "Suiryu, those lyrics… right in the feelings!" one stagehand announced. "God, I feel like I was there!"
He smiled for a moment as he chugged back three bottles of water. "Yeah, but you never want to be there," he insisted.
"You okay?" came the voice of Junpei. "That's all… intense stuff out there."
They had gone in order of events, but now they are nearly reaching the end of it all. "The next few songs are going to be the hardest." He explained. "So, let's make sure they get the attention they deserve."
"You sure you're okay, I swore you were getting emotional out there" said Eso.
Tanso nodded in agreement.
Suiryu paused to their comment… he was getting emotional? Was that even possible for him? Then again, he has felt those songs resonate in him. "It's fine, besides… I've seen from both perspectives," Suiryu said. "The last bit of this, is all going to be on Itami, okay?"
They nodded in agreement.
#
Back at the school.
No one moved.
As the intermission started, every eye turned to Itadori. Fushiguro most of all as Yuuji appeared to shy away from the attention. "What?" he demanded of them.
"Little brother… everything that is being shown to us, what Suiryu is singing about… it's everything you felt, isn't it?" Sho asked gently.
He was silent on the matter.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU EVER TELL US YOU FELT THIS ALONE AND SCARED!" shouted Nobara.
"We're your friends too damn it," growled Megumi.
But he didn't answer them. He kept turning his head away, almost trying to hide himself from everyone in the room.
What was he thinking holding this in?
The intermission was over. The opera was back on.
Suiryu appeared dead center of the stage as Kiju. Then began to sing Darkness by Disturbed to set up the second act.
It riffled through everything that happened after the Shibuya. The culling game was the next act, and then the finally. The one that got everyone in the room was a song called 'The child must die'
Suiryu was bounded up in ropes and talisman. The choir in the back represented the elders.
"I have no reason to live
I have no reason to fight
I made a promise
That would end my life
I promised to save as many people as I could
But it was something I couldn't keep
Too many died by these hands
And I feel like I am getting weak
With all that's happened
A fair death won't be for me
Not after all the harm I caused
I will die to ensure Sukuna's defeat
I cannot understand
Why life is so unfair
I barely knew how to live
And now I don't care!
What will happen to me now
It's all up to fate
Find the final finger now
And end this awful mistake"
"The child must die!"
"I will gladly go
Once I know he can't return
Please spare my life
Until the final finger location is learned
"The child must die!"
"Don't you see
This is for your benefit
And not me
Let me at least take down the bastard
You all tend to fear
Let's finish him off
And then it will be clear
My head will be taken
My soul is stained
Let me finish this
Before I am slain!"
"THE CHILD MUST DIE!"
"I accept it already
Don't remind me of my choice
Listen to me now
Let me finish this now, can't you hear it in my voice!"
"THE CHILD MUST DIE!"
The stage went dark.
The actor playing Gojo was suddenly unleashed.
There came a look of anger in his eyes until he suddenly busted out into a powerful rap. It started off slow until he began to sing it more aggressively by the second verse.
"What's the point of power
If you watch everything you care about get taken?
Why bother to fight a war
When they make you the enemy?
This is where I had enough
This is when it's time to get tough
I am the greatest the world will ever know
But this situation is not easy to overthrow
I am limitless
Yet I am also pissed!
No matter what happens
No one is safe
Despite their actions
It's all their own mistake!
As strong and powerful as I am
I am still merely a man
But I refuse to accept this defeat
I refuse to allow a child die at my feet.
If the elders want a fight
They picked the wrong side
This boy will stay alive
For I will make sure, his life is mine
You want a war
You want a fight
Bring it on
Bring all your might!
With everything that's happened
With all that we endured
You think I won't risk it all for a kid?
Then you are very unsure
Combine, think, don't ever waver
I will find a way to defeat that asshole
And become this kid's savoir
But this is beyond me now
I freely admit
But it's time to call upon the others
And see what clicks.
Hang on kid, I am not giving up on you
We are not done yet
This I promise
It will all end soon."
He calmed himself down. Then, he looked to the audience and said. "What do you think? Was this all a mistake? Did we let him live too long for this goal and our sake? What happened was terrible, thousands have died, but had it not been for him. None of us would be alive."
"Save him…" came whispers from the choir.
Then the voices grew in the audience. "Save him… save him… SAVE HIM… SAVE HIM!"
The Gojo actor smiled. "I am so glad you see it my way too…"
The music picked up once more. He appeared to be on his phone.
"Hello I know you feel the same.
But at the same time I cannot appear to get any gain
Listen well, you know its true
The kid is a good one
Too good to lose
Pool your resources
Tell me what you can do
Something, anything
Just something soon!"
There were people in the shadows all appear to be on the phone with Gojo. But none had an answer for him.
"Try as I might
The task is rough
How on earth do you save a kid
From a sorcerer's clutch?
I am powerful
I freely admit
But this is now beyond me
And it makes me sick!
The greatest sorcerer in a generation
Left without an idea
Let alone any compensation.
Being imprison in a hell box
It's no fun you see
But it wasn't that bad, you forget, I'm great, yes, that's me!"
"He really nailed you sensei," snickered Fushiguro.
"Salmon" came Inumaki.
"Shut up!" he snapped back.
It went on with Gojo trying to find someone, anyone to help.
Then a siren's voice was heard.
"I may have a way to save him…"
Her voice was haunting, and yet soothing at the same time. The stage even changed to become something dominating. Her appearance alone made the crowd gasp as if they understood the power behind this woman. Powerful drums resonated through the stage with each step she took.
A woman in a black hooded cape appeared behind Gojo.
"Yua…" he said gently.
"I may have a way to save him.
But you need to do as I say
For more than his life will be lost
On that day
Listen to me Gojo, this could kill him too
Please follow me
And do exactly as I do
I am Yua
My family is gone
Killed by Sukuna
And his legions strong.
I am the last of my family
My heart goes out to this boy
But now isn't the time for introduction
We have no time to toy.
I may have the answer
But it's dangerous you see
This may not just kill the boy
But it will defiantly destroy me."
"Yua, then why…"
Her hand went up to silence him.
"A heart so pure, a soul so strong
He is just a boy
And his life should be lived long.
I am willing to do this
But you need to trust me
Gojo, is that a problem
Or do you have faith in me?"
His smile grew. "Tell me everything,"
They went through what Yua endured. They used the song, breath of life by Florance and the machine to explain everything. Mainly it focused on her trying to get the elders to see the boy could be saved, but her advice was thrown out. They want the boy dead but wanted the last finger first.
The song ended, when she revealed it the audience, many appeared to have gasped and were stunned. "I have it, but anger me, and I disappear with it!" she warned them.
Fushiguro wanted to pay more attention to the performance, yet his eyes kept shifting to Itadori. There was life coming back into his eyes as he began to watch on with great interest.
The final number was performed. 'Itami' announced for the elders to kill him tomorrow after learning what Sukuna had done to Yua.
The final song was Overburdened by Disturbed. It was so fitting since it held the weight of the situation. The whole time he sung it, Suiryu was preparing, getting dressed in a white robe, his arms tied back as they were preparing for his execution.
The audience appeared to be in tears as he was forced to his knees, the last finger consumed and Sukuna appeared.
"At last, at last, the final stretch. My power complete and the brat's death!" he chanted.
But then Yua appeared behind him. Her hair aglow, her hands aflame as she forced them over his mouth and he breathed in the fire!
The stage went dark until they only saw Sukuna standing there, appearing confused to what was going on. Until the stage filled with white fire. "What... No... NO... NNOOOOOO!" he screamed and appeared to be burning alive.
The stage went dark again, then it focused back on 'Itami'. People watched as his body burned, the marks vanished as he screamed aloud in agony to it all.
But then, Kiju Itami appeared human once more. Yua collapsed as he was bathed in white light.
She appeared once more wearing all white herself.
"I've place a greater burden on you, I'm sorry, but it was all I could do… I wish you a long life, thank the divine I found you in time…" her hands gently brushed over his cheek as she vanished into the light.
Suiryu was left alone on the stage until he looked to the masses. He stared at his hands and shook his head. "I don't deserve this… I… hurt too many… Why… why did she die so I could live? I don't deserve it!" he shouted.
But the audience had other thoughts. Gojo was appearing on the side of the stage clapping his hands and got the audience to follow in rhythm of his clap. "Those actions were not your own… Live Itami, live!" he chanted.
Then the audience followed.
"LIVE ITAMI LIVE, LIVE ITAMI LIVE!" they said in unison and did so for a good minute.
Suiryu peered up at them, he tried to smile, but trembled and fell to his knees.
"I… will try…" he vowed. "I still have a promise to keep… to save as many lives as I can before it's my time… I promise to do what I can… I promise…" he vowed.
The lights went out, but as the show ended, massive demonic eyes appeared behind him. A low resonating growl followed as the show ended.