Chapter 21
Yuuji woke.
His body ached all over, it hurt to breath let alone speak. And yet, he laid in the hospital, trying to move himself.
He couldn't.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't bring himself to move from where he laid. "What did that guy use against me?" he whispered. "How… how did it damage me so?"
He was about to close his eyes once more, until he heard. "Hey bro." Peering up, he saw Suiryu smiling at him. "You look like shit,"
Yuuji smiled. "I feel like shit too…"
"Well, perhaps we can change that. I've been working on this all day…" he said as his hands went over Yuuji's chest. "This may hurt a little…"
"What else is new?"
Suiryu smirked as he began to focus.
Yuuji felt curse energy get pushed into his body, at the same time, he felt light headed. Just like when the thief attempted to take over him, his soul was being pushed out! "Suiryu… what…"
KABOOM!
It happened so fast. Yuuji jolted, yet couldn't sit up, but he could see the massive hole in the hospital room now! Suiryu was bouncing down the pavement before he finally skidded into a stop!
"What the hell!" shouted doctor Shoko.
She froze as she saw the massive, smoldering hole in the wall, and Suiryu stumbling back into the room. His nose was bleeding, his lip split open, yet he was quick to heal over. "Okay, that didn't work…" he muttered.
"What didn't work? Why the hell are you blowing up in my hospital!" she demanded.
"Trying to save his life! Your walls, I don't give a fuck about." Suiryu snapped back. "Okay bro, round two!"
Before Suiryu could try again, Yuuji grabbed his arms. "I know what you are trying to do…" he said weakly. "Suiryu, it's okay…"
"Like hell it's okay!" he protested. "You ain't dying!"
Yuuji forced a smile. "You do know, I was more than willing to when Sukuna possessed me… this isn't something that can be fixed. I know it… Suiryu, please… don't do that again…"
"What was he doing?"
Suiryu sneered at her, but he stormed off shortly after.
Dr. Shoko peered down at Yuuji. "Well?" she demanded.
He sighed. "He was trying to switch bodies with me," he whispered. "Suiryu was going to take my soul and put it into his body, at the same time, his would go into mine… he wanted to switch places with me so I didn't die…"
"But then, he would have…"
Yuuji nodded to her. "Yeah," he whispered.
There was a stunned look on her face. Not even she could believe what he was trying to do. "Why would… I mean… he came from…"
"Because, he's my brother…" Yuuji said. He smiled once more. "Honestly, if this is how I go… I don't mind… Suiryu is here to train everyone and will keep them safe for me. Sensei too, they won't need to worry."
Dr. Shoko didn't quite agree with the notion. "Just keep resting Itadori," she insisted. "Perhaps I can see if someone can fix that hole…"
#
Yuuji tried to sleep. But his dreams kept waking him.
He was seeing something odd, and yet he felt it was a real experience he had. All he could recall though, was walking into a darkened cave, hidden deep within a mountain. He has never been there before, yet there was something familiar about it. Looking about, he found various passages and hidden paths. He took one that felt as if it would go one forever.
But then, it came to a rather odd chamber. It lit up with fire the moment he walked in, and found but a large vase in the middle of it all. Peering in, there was a white liquid of sorts, yet his reflection, he saw Ryujin. A smile came over him. "This maybe enough…" he said as he lifted the vase off the ground and began to drink the contents.
Yuuji would wake shortly after that, he couldn't recall if it happened or not. Since he never had a weird taste in his mouth. Yet as he lay in the hospital bed, he could feel something changing in himself.
"Ryujin? Is something happening?"
But there was no answer from the dragon. Ryujin has gone strangely quiet as of late. Yuuji would continue to rest his eyes, but at the same time, he felt Suiryu's presence in the room. He tried once more to force his soul out and into his own body in hopes of swapping places with him, yet when it failed again… and he went through the ceiling in his attempt. Yuuji couldn't help but laugh when Suiryu came back down and through the same hole he just made.
"FUCK!" he shouted in rage.
Yuuji snickered.
"What the hell is so funny?"
Yuuji continued to laugh at him. "You… you are trying so hard to switch with me… Suiryu… you know I wouldn't do that to you."
He was taken aback by his words, but sneered. "Why the hell should you be the one to die?" he growled. "After the shit Sukuna put you through… the very least I could do is this!"
"But I don't want you to… Suiryu. I never saw you as him."
He froze.
He couldn't move from where he stood as he stared Yuuji in the eyes, all four of them for that matter, trying to find a hint of lie in his words. But he couldn't find any, Yuuji wouldn't lie like that to him. "Besides… It's not the worst way to go... I was able to help a lot of people this time."
"You are not going to die because of this!" Suiryu stated in a stern tone. "I don't care how long it takes, you are not dying!" he stormed out of the room shortly after.
It warmed his heart to see his brother so determined to help him, at the same time, Itadori was at peace with it. With what he became, he was able to help a lot of people, save them as well. He got to meet new friends and learned so much more than what he was anticipating. Still, he felt terrible. When he dies, Ryujin will have nowhere to go.
"I hope something can be done to help Ryujin at least… he can do so much for so many people… far more than I could." He whispered.
The tiredness was getting the better of him. With a yawn, Yuuji began to fall back asleep.
#
He sensed something off.
Yuuji's eyes slowly opened as he found the council of elders in his room… well five of them at least. They were peering at his bed, yet the moment they noticed his eyes open, they appeared rather relieved. "To think you managed to survive Xing. Okay, we have everything in order and are ready to transport you to Hong Kong…"
Yuuji was confused. "I'm not going to Hong Kong," he said weakly. "And who is Xing?"
"You don't need to keep up the act, we are the only ones here. Xing, get ready. I am certain the divine elders cannot wait to see you."
"I'm not Xing!" Yuuji protested. "Don't take me out of this room, I am not going to Hong Kong. The body thief is dead anyways," he said in as loud of a voice as he could.
The elders paused, but there came a smile over their faces. "But the divine elders don't know that… besides, we finally have a chance to be rid of you… Now, off you go demon vessel!"
The bed began to move. Yuuji felt the wheels begin to move as he tried to sit up. "Stop… stop…. STOP!" he shouted.
#
Suiryu snorted awake. "Huh?" he muttered. "Something's… wrong…"
He sat up and out of bed, he wondered over to his sliding door that led outside when he felt a shift in energy. "Why is that…" suddenly, he woke rather instantly. "Oh shit!"
Tearing open the sliding door, he rushed out and towards the hospital wing. Despite wearing only a pair of boxer shorts, he didn't care at this point. "BRO!" he shouted.
Yet by the time he arrived, the walls and roof of the place were blown off!
Suiryu was startled as it rained elders for a moment. The old men could take a hit, he would give them credit on that! Yet as he peered back to the hospital, he found Yuuji's room was blown to smithereens! "YUUJI!"
Yet as he rushed to where the room once stood, he found his brother unharmed. Somehow, he was able to cast a barrier over himself, yet at the same time, his mouth was gushing blood!
"Bro…" he was quick to get in there and attempt to use reverse jujutsu. It may not help the cracks that have formed, but injuries like this can be healed still. Yuuji was gasping for air, until Suiryu healed everything from the inside as best he could. "Bro?" he asked gently.
Yuuji's eyes opened up, he peered into Suiryu's and smiled. "Thank you," he whispered before falling back to sleep.
As he did, his attention then turned to the elders. Why were they here?
He's about to find out!