Jujutsu Kaisen: The Forgotten Clan
Chapter 12- Secrets
January 8, 2007: 3:30pm
After touring the campus and meeting a few staff members, I return to my apartment. This is the only place I feel 'safe' and can let my guard down. I was not expecting a note from Satoru to be placed on my front door. It is direct and vague: be ready for a meeting soon not involving the same people from today. I head straight to bed to catch a nap. "Just because you have been accepted into Jujutsu Tech, does not mean you have been accepted as a sorcerer." Grr…these words will not leave my mind!
Emergency Gojo Clan Meeting… 5:00 pm on January 8, 2007.
"Satoru, why have you summoned your mother, me, and your grandfather to this…tea house in the middle of Tokyo? And why is Suguru with us? You could have given us a heads up in the first place…and held the meeting at our house; that way more clan members could have joined." Satoru's father, a man in his mid-forties with brunette hair, almond shaped hazel-eyes, and facial features like Satoru's.
"Honey, let our son explain himself. There is no need to jump to conclusions about anything. And you already know our son and Suguru are best friends." Satoru's mother, the same age as her husband. She has jet black hair and short stature.
"Agh, you two are making a mountain out of nothing." Satoru's grandfather, the current head of the Gojo clan. The person Satoru inherited his personality from.
While the adults in Satoru's family chip in their pieces of commentary, Suguru starts laughing. This is not the first Gojo clan meeting he has sat in on, but it is the most entertaining one to date.
"If everyone is finished, I would like to begin. Oh, the pastries have arrived." Satoru, letting his sweet tooth get the better of him. A swift redirect from Suguru puts him back on track.
"How about we focus on the topic for today's meeting, Satoru. The food can wait till later."
Satoru clears his throat, ready to get down to business, but his grandfather beats him to the punch.
"You called us here concerning the transfer student…Lithuila Santa-Clara." His tone is direct and curious.
All eyes fall on Satoru…who is mid-bite into a chocolate croissant. He puts the sweet down and answers his grandfather.
"That is the correct answer, grandfather. She had a meeting with two of the Elders, the current Zen'In head and the Zen'In heir, today." Suguru clears his throat hinting for Satoru to include everything that happened today.
"What else happened today, Satoru? Your mother and I have plans for the evening and your grandfather would like to return home."
"I am getting to it father! Calm down will you? This was found at the all-female civilian high school Santa-Clara attended up till today." Satoru places the sealed finger on the table. His grandfather's face looks puzzled, his mother's face looks worried, and his father's face is hard to decipher. Suguru takes over the conversation for a short time.
"When Satoru and I brought Santa-Clara to Jujutsu Tech, she was guarded and did not trust us at first. We did nothing to agitate her, but she seemed to understand why she was being brought to Jujutsu Tech. My understanding is, she has been in Japan for three or four years now and the Elders have just taken a serious interest in her presence. Coincidentally, conversations regarding certain Special Grade Cursed objects have surfaced in recent years."
Silence falls between the parties. Rumors of the Special Grade fingers attracting curses and causing harm to civilians and sorcerers around the world have been spreading for the last five years. There are a total of eighteen fingers spread across the globe. Grandpa Gojo takes a sip of his tea, places the cup on the table, and speaks.
"It seems another member of the Carbella Clan has emerged. What colored eyes does Santa-Clara have?"
"Purple, lilac to be precise," Satoru says in between bites of croissant. His grandfather lets off an audible chuckle that attracts attention from other patrons of the tea shop.
"Father, is it necessary for you to chuckle? I thought the Carbellas were whipped out of existence when Sharah…" Satoru's mother does not finish her sentence.
"This is preposterous! If a Carbella member is alive, you know damn well what the Zen'In, Kamo, and select members of the Gojo clan will do to the child in question." Satoru's father's outburst attracts attention from others too. It is safe to say the Gojo clan is a vocal bunch.
Satoru and Suguru look at each other. Debating who will break the news to the older Gojo clan members. Suguru takes one for the team.
"Well…I would not classify Santa-Clara as a child. Sure, she is sixteen, a year younger than Satoru and me, but she can fight. If you all fear for her safety against other sorcerers, she can handle herself. I…" Suguru is cut off mid-sentence by Satoru's father.
"It is just sorcerers she has to worry about. Certain groups of vampires will do anything to get their teeth into a Carbella." The way he says this makes Suguru cringe in his skin. Satoru speaks up.
"Excuse me? Vampires? I thought those were a thing of myth and legend."
"You did not pay attention in history class last month Satoru. Vampires are rare species that live in certain parts of the world. There are no records of vampires living in Japan…that we are aware of." Suguru saving Satoru from further embarrassment.
"Well, I knew that. Thank you, Suguru."
The looks on Satoru's father's and grandfather's faces could not be any different. His father looks ready to rip someone to shreds, while his grandfather has a casual and lazy smile on his face. Grandpa Gojo knows something is up.
"We will keep the finger, for now, Satoru. In the meantime, keep this information between us here (he gestures at everyone sitting at the table). I am not sure what information Santa-Clara has regarding her lineage. Come on dear, we should get going. Our reservation for dinner is in an hour. Goodbye son." Mr. and Mrs. Gojo get up and leave.
"Well grandson, it seems your new classmate will be an interesting one to meet. When will you bring her to a Gojo clan meeting?" Grandpa Gojo acting casually with his grandson. Suguru is giggling under his breath because he is aware of what grandpa Gojo is getting at.
"Grandfather, if you are trying to ship me with someone I just met, it is not going to happen. I am certain she would not be interested in marrying into any of the great clans given the history the Carbellas have with the Kamo, Zen'In, and Gojo clans. Satoru places heavy emphasis and disgust when he mentions the Zen'In clan.
Suguru continues to laugh. At this point, the three men are asked to leave by the tea house manager. The time is 6:30 pm and grandpa Gojo is heading home. Satoru and Suguru are left alone and walk back to campus while talking with each other.
"I know what you are thinking Suguru, keep it to yourself."
"Come on now. Seeing your grandfather play matchmaker was amusing."
"Drop the subject. Besides, I feel…never mind I will keep it to myself." Satoru is agitated.
January 8, 2007, 6:30pm…My Apartment
It is hard for me to stay asleep, but my mind ventures into dreamland after some time. It is not a happy dream per se.
"Keep your voice down, you will wake up the parents." Unknown voice 1
"Let me see the picture again, I want to know where we are headed." Unknown voice 2
"Only one parent is here…at least that is the information I had been given. The two other children are to be left alone." Unknown voice 3
At least three people are walking outside a house looking for a child. One individual has a picture displaying the layout of the house they are about to breach. This first individual signals to their counterparts to stop moving. A light is turned on inside the house and the faint cries of a baby are heard. The baby is placed in their crib, the light is turned off, and the three individuals move closer to the house.
After breaking into the house through a back door, the individuals make their way to the baby's room: soft hues of green and blue paint cover the walls, a small chest with toys sits in the corner of the room, and the baby is sleeping on their back. Their chest rises and falls in a gentle rhythm.
"Go and get the target and make sure it does not wake up." Unknown voice 1
As the second unknown voice looks over the baby's crib, the infant squirms around in the bed and starts opening its eyes. The baby's eyes drift up and catch the onlooker's eyes… which makes the individual freeze in place. Rather than cry out loud, the baby gives a toothless grin, drools, and falls back asleep. The baby is picked up from their crib, swaddled tightly into a blanket, and taken out of the house.
An hour-long car ride brings the three adults and sleeping baby to a river. It is pitch black and freezing outside. The baby starts squirming when the car door opens and is soothed by the individual carrying it.
"There now, you are going to be alright. Please don't cry. Are you sure we have to do this?" Unknown voice 2
"Of course, we do…if we don't carry out our task, we will wind up dead." Unknown voice 3 whisperings to unknown voice 2
"Both of you hurry up and get over here before the sun rises. On second thought…" The first individual walks over to their counterpart, grabs the baby from their arms, and throws the baby in the river. Not a sound is heard from the baby as it lands in the water.
"What have you done! How could you do that…oh goodness!" Unknow voice 2
"Get back in the car. Our mission is complete. If either of you can't handle what you witnessed, I will gladly end your lives now." Unknown voice 1 says this while threatening to use cursed energy against their counterparts. The other two remain silent.
I can feel my heart racing inside my chest. A cold sweat forms on my brow, and I am jerked awake.
"Agh…it was only a dream. What time is it? I see, 7:30 pm…this has been one heck of a day."
Knock, crash. Something is inside my apartment. I get up, throw on a sweatshirt and open my bedroom door. I walk down the hallway into the living and find…nothing. Yet, something is close by.
"Whoever you are, show yourself. Don't make me repeat my statement, I am not in the mood for more bologna today." My eyes are scanning the environment, my five senses are on high alert. I notice a dark figure dash from the corner of the living room into the kitchen. Aha!
I wait for a split second and follow the creature into the kitchen…ten steps away from the living room. I see the outline of a body squatting by the fridge, its back is turned to me. The faint smell of sulfur and blood hangs in the air. I tiptoe towards the figure, and it turns around. We lock eyes.
The creature has their hand on the fridge handle and releases the handle when they notice I am watching them. I start talking, gathering as much information from the intruder as I can.
"What would you like? Are you hungry? If so, I can make us both some food."
Suddenly, I am knocked to the ground as the creature retreats outside. I sit up and notice a small scratch on my right cheek. I sigh and lay back down on the cold tile flooring. Falling asleep for the duration of the night.