I do not own any characters from Jujutsu Kaisen. Warning: Mentions of sex, rape and murder. Reader's discretion is advised.
"Like the waterfowl that play there on the lake, I too am floating along the surface of a transient world. I could not help comparing them with myself. For they too appeared to be enjoying themselves in the most carefree fashion; yet their lives must be full of sorrow."
Words of the past no longer held purpose or meaning. Colors of the golden age rusted. In the spring and summer, she played in the thawed lake, unsinkable and unbound. Free to live– to love. A pair for life, she foolishly romanticised, blinded by love.
When she fell, she drowned in the frozen lake of indifference and faithlessness. She surfaced the world time and time again with perpetual suffering, sorrow, and determination. Her lasting cursed breath spoke only to erase the man she once loved from entering the world once more.
"You dare insult me by offering this maggot to me," a calm drawl erupted from the throne. The chill of the room plummeted further as the pressure increased. The demonic energy choked the room's inhabitants.
Chiyo bowed with the Minamoto clan heads, who quivered in fear. "N-Never, Sukuna-sama." The elder squeaked. He lifted his gaze in fear. In his bow, her father opted for a firmer voice.
"We believe that Minamoto Chiyo is far more suited to be a concubine in your harem." Chiyo obediently pressed her forehead against her folded palms. She felt the piercing glare of four eyes on her body. Her heart spiked for a moment before she steeled her resolve once more.
"Y-Yes. While she may be… plain or some would say unpleasant in appearance, Chiyo is stronger than her younger sister." The elder tried once more. "She is educated. A flower with wit may benefit your court."
Sukuna shifted as he leaned comfortably into his throne. "Know your place, fool. Do not look up without permission." The elder whimpered before prostrating. A silence hung over the throne room. He finally spoke, "Woman, come closer."
With steady legs, she politely stood. Her eyes still cast on the wooden floors. She walked closer to the curse king. Picking a position mere feet away, her most beautiful junhitoe rippled around her when she fluidly moved into a dogeza.
She bit back a yelp when a strong grip grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. Surprised, she lifted her gaze. Four grey eyes stared back at her. One of his arms held her in place as he examined her. He studied her from head to toe.
The white hair monk bristled behind Sukuna. "You insult the great Sukuna-sama by offering him a blind woman." Chiyo braced herself at their final realization of her moonstone eyes.
"With all due respect–" The elder spoke up.
"I am not blind," she answered politely. She kept her gaze on Sukuna. "I may even notice beyond appearance."
Sukuna pulled her closer to his lap. "And yet, you have the nerve to look me in the eyes." His wicked smile widened. "I wonder, what do you see." Another wave of fear racked the throne room. She heard the clan collectively gulp.
Chiyo held his stare. She stated simply, "Power."
Chilling quiet dropped upon the room once more. Sukuna chuckled lightly before breaking out into loud laughter. He threw his head back in amusement. "How amusing. Honesty was the last thing I expected from an ugly insect like you."
Sukuna pulled back, releasing her from his grip. He used one of his two left hands to wave to his white-haired follower. "Uraume, bring her into the harem."
Chiyo bowed once more as the towering curse rose from his seat. His kimono flowed around his waist as he strode to the doors. "The rest can leave now." He dismissed the clan over his shoulder. He grinned at Chiyo.
"Woman, rejoice for you have been picked by Sukuna." With that, he exited. A relieved sigh erupted from her elders. The Sukuna follower temperedly clicked his tongue as he stepped beside Chiyo.
"Rise, woman. And say goodbye," Uraume instructed strictly. "This will be your last time to see your clan and the outside world as a free woman."
Chiyo bowed her head to the Minamoto elders. She folded her hands neatly above her stomach. "Thank you."
The skittish elder that mostly spoke grew stern. "Girl, ensure that our good graces will be repaid as you become the best of Sukuna's women. Who knew that your lowly birth and our hesitant adoption would prove useful."
Chiyo remained quiet at the reminder of her heritage. "Yes, I will do my best."
The clan elders departed without sparing her another glance. She waited for them to leave with her father. He stepped closer to her, a soft hand laid on her shoulder. "Chiyo…" His tired eyes shone with tears.
Chiyo gently grasped his hand into hers. She pressed a kiss on his knuckles. "Father, do not worry for me. It remains my decision to join Sukuna-sama's harem in place of Chiharu. And I will not regret it."
Her father studied her calm face as she examined his worry. Lines and dark circles stood pronounced against his pallor. She offered a reassuring smile which softened his features. "Be strong. Goodbye, my daughter."
That night, attendants prepared Chiyo for Sukuna. They attempted to convince Chiyo into shaving her eyebrows. The distance of the brows framed too close to her eyes by Heian beauty standards. They also offered to blacken her teeth. She declined politely but adamantly. The attendants grooming her did not press further.
They bathed her in cherry blossom water. Her skin stroked, smoothed and supple. Chiyo donned a silk night robe before being led down the corridors to her room. The attendants brushed her hair down her back.
Other concubines watched her walk unimpressed. They frowned at her appearance, jolting when they saw her eyes. They giggled insults and confusion about the ugly inclusion into their ranks. Chiyo ignored them as she was brought into her assigned room.
Bowing, the young attendants left her alone, sliding the door shut behind her. Chiyo took in the large room. The tatami flooring felt familiar but strange underneath her feet. A simple futon laid in the middle of the room while a floor table pushed to the corner. Beside it, a bamboo framed candle dimly lit the room. None of her belongings in sight since she came without them.
On the other side of the wall, two sliding doors opened into a balcony. Beyond, Chiyo examined the view. A large pond settled into the garden scape. Exhaustion ate at her bones. She decided to journey to her balcony and tour the garden another time.
Chiyo knelt beside the cushion. The softness called her. She laid on it, staring out into the night. Soft moonlight streamed in. She spread her hand in the ray. She curled her fingers in an attempt to capture the light. Her mind wandered to her sister.
Chiharu. She thought of the young girl. Her pale, bright skin that shone more with her smile. Her beautiful adopted sister, who brought Chiyo out of her darkness. A warm feeling bloomed in her chest. It spread to her fingertips, lulling her into slumber.
In the first two weeks, Sukuna-sama hasn't met her. Or at least, while she was awake. At night, she felt the looming presence of someone in her room. A firm caress skittered on the lids of her eyes while another stroked her hair. It held no affection, rather curiosity. Her eyes fluttered open when the dawn approached. She made out a massive shadow leaving her balcony.
Tonight, Chiyo stayed awake. She read a book she borrowed from Shikimi-chan, one of her attendants. In the candlelight, the words lifted from the page, seizing her attention well into the night. He finally arrived. Sukuna-sama expertly entered the room. He didn't appear shocked that she was awake.
He leaned against a wall, watching her. Chiyo tried to ignore it at first. When her eyes grew strained, she closed the book. She set it on her table before sitting on her futon. She lifted her eyes to Sukuna, catching his gaze.
"Would you care to join me?" She held out a hand at him. Sukuna smirked at her.
"You wish me to bed you, woman?"
"I wish you would come to my bed but not necessarily, to do that." Sukuna raised a brow. Another minute passed before he considered her offer. She gestured to the vacant space at the other end of the bed. Sukuna sat comfortably, still watching her.
One hand snaked to the hem of her night clothes. "If you want me in your bed, what do you want to do?"
Chiyo did not mind the flirting hands. Instead, she drew closer to Sukuna-sama. Her hand slowly brought up to his chest. Smugly, Sukuna allowed her to touch him. Her skin brushed against his. "I thought you do not want to do that."
He licked his lips. A dark shadow covered his face, anticipation mounting. He pursued his lips when her stroke did not lead down to the edge of his hakama pants. Instead, she innocently traced the lines on his chest and arms.
Out of curiosity, Sukuna tolerated her touch. Her white eyes flickered while examining him. He found it amusing that the prey was so close to the predator without fear or challenge. Like a bunny approaching a lion to examine its sharp teeth and claws. She went closer, almost sitting in his lap.
Once she satisfied her scrutiny, she stared up at him. "You've come here every night for the past fortnight. Why did you not wake me?"
He leered at her wolfishly, "The stalk and hunt is half of a predator's game." He pulled her closer as if trapping her into his arms. She didn't reply, unfazed by the threat. She was a prey to be eaten and did not flinch.
"This time, I want to play." She quietly pursued the lines of his face. Sukuna threw back his head. A laugh erupted from his chest. She cocked her head to the side when she felt the vibration travel to her own chest.
"You are a weird one," he stated. A hand cupped her chin. "But, I am intrigued."
"Same here," Chiyo boldly replied. She escaped from his arms. She laid beside him with a yawn. "You are welcome to stay for as long as you like."
It became their little routine– the back and forth. Chiyo spent most of her days in her room. Sukuna-sama disappeared throughout the day but reappeared in her bedroom at night. Sometimes, they just stared at each other. Other nights, she tried to read a new book. On rare occasions, they talked but mostly she did the sharing.
"I remember my mother telling me that I had my father's eyes," Chiyo told him one night. "It always made others uneasy because they thought I was blind. But they would be surprised when I can see. But, my eyes were my mother's favorite."
Sukuna scoffed, his arms folding across his chest. "I can never understand why humans wished to spawn more maggots."
Chiyo ignored him, "She died, saying that she loved my eyes." She shivered when a cool breeze swept in.
Sukuna noticed before smirking at her sadistically, "Does it hurt you? Remembering her death? Or does it scare you?"
Chiyo shrugged, "I am not frightened by death or losing her. The illness made her suffer long enough." She turned to watch the moon peeking behind the clouds in the distance. He did not make any move to continue or comfort her.
After a while, she turned her attention back to Sukuna. He stared out to the garden. She took in his muscles, extra hands, and the two slits on his cheekbones. The demonic appearance softened under the moonlight. Her eyes followed the dark tattoo lines before moving on to the crevices of his muscles.
Around his pelvis, the lines of muscles pointed down. Her eyes followed. A slight blush rose to her cheeks. Her mouth grew dry. She tried to moisten her lips. She looked away, her gaze following his into the garden.
A bright flower stood out in the darkness. She smiled, watching it sway in the night breeze. "How pretty," she muttered.
She ventured out into the garden. The scape was far deeper than she originally thought. She started from her balcony and moved inward. Chiharu's favorite flowers, red tulips, beckoned her. She gathered a few into her hands.
Other women of the harem watched her as she knelt on the grass. Disgust wrinkled their face. They spoke about her between themselves.
"The ugly bitch is rolling around in the dirt where she belongs." They giggled maliciously. Chiyo stared at them quietly. They quickly grew uncomfortable under her pupil-less gaze. They walked away.
When she returned to her room, Shikimi-chan waited for her. Iza-chan, her other attendant, quickly got her dirty clothes and went in search of a vase. While she bathed, Shikimi-chan chatted away happily. Chiyo smiled and laughed with the young girl.
That night, Chiyo fiddled with the vase. The fresh, pleasant smell of tulips permeated around her room. She touched the soft petals of the flower as Sukuna entered her room.
"Why would you want those weeds?"
"They are my sister's favorite. They are rather beautiful, don't you think?"
Sukuna scoffed, "Those ugly weeds just die anyway."
"I think that is part of their beauty. Their fleeting life. It makes it more precious and lovely."
"Finding beauty in the transient," Sukuna laughed at her words, "How very human of you." Chiyo shrugged.
"What is beautiful to you?" Chiyo stared up at him. Sukuna paused before smirking.
"Strength."
In the morning, Iza-chan arrived at Chiyo's room with a box in her hands. The attendant gingerly handed Chiyo a letter. The neat writing tugged on her heart.
Chiyo nee-sama,
Words cannot describe how much I miss you these past months. Our cherry blossom tree has bloomed wonderfully again and I am saddened that I cannot view them with you in the Minamoto Spring ceremony. I am further disheartened that I cannot spend my fourteen name day with you.
Despite our distance, here is a gift to always remember me by. I hope you are doing well.
Chiharu.
Chiyo gripped the letter against her chest. The faint smell of tulips lingered around the room. She dearly missed her home now more than before. She carefully folded the letter, placing it in her books. She opened the box to find a pristine amber tokigushi box comb. She held it close to her chest. The treasure filled a space in her loneliness.
She did not allow anyone to touch it. Chiyo brushed her hair without the help of her attendants every morning and evening. On nights when she longed for home more than usual, she sat on her balcony as she brushed her hair.
One night, Sukuna found her like this. He watched her from afar, engrossed in the repeating motions. The ink-like strands smoothly escaped from her brush.
Time passed quickly and Chiyo nodded off to sleep. The spring night air grew bitter. Sukuna walked closer and took the woman into his arms. He carried her to her futon. The warm candle light radiated the darkness and gloss of her hair.
Sukuna ran his hands through her soft hair. He threaded the long strands between the fingers of a single hand. He gently brought it to his lips. The lush tickled his lips.
A breathy sigh escaped Chiyo's lips. She turned to face him. The stands fell out of his hands. Sleep kept her in its clutches as he gazed over her features. Long lashes fell against her cheekbones. Defined cheeks stood out. Shadows shaded beneath her narrow nose. His sight landed on the rosy pouty mouth.
A hand traced her features tenderly and unconsciously. The tips of his fingers grazed her plump mouth. The sun began to rise. Sukuna withdrew his touch. A smirk tugged the corners of his lips as Chiyo's brow furrowed in displeasure.
During another night, the heat reminded her of the fast approaching season. Her silk night robes clung to her body. Sweat beaded at the nape of her neck. She asked for a basin of water to be brought to her room.
She dipped a cloth into the cool water. She sighed happily when she dabbed her forehead and neck. It removed the humidity and sweat from her body. She loosened the robe around her shoulders.
"My, my, what a welcome," Sukuna drawled lowly. Chiyo gasped, dropping her wet cloth. She grasped her clothes to cover her front. However, her back remained on full display similar to Sukuna's bare chest. He had a similar idea on how to cool off. "I normally am the one who does the removing the clothes of my concubines. But, this is a nice change."
The thought of Sukuna ripping off her kimono left her breathless. Chiyo's stomach knotted. Heat from inside herself lit her hidden desires. She licked her lips. A pinprick of fear stabbed her heart. Excited overwhelmed the emotion quickly.
Chiyo stood up. She released her grip on her clothes. Lust flared in Sukuna's eyes when her robe pooled around her feet.
"Welcome back," Chiyo said. She stepped closer to Sukuna. She pressed herself flush against him. She tiptoed to reach his lips. Tilting her head up, her lips brushed against his as she whispered, "Sukuna-sama."
Chiyo kissed him first. She hesitantly moved her lips against his still ones, very softly. When he did not respond to her kiss, hesitation crept from her stomach. She pulled back. "I- I–"
Sukuna's mouth crashed into hers. His lips were hot and fevered. His second set of arms lifted her off her feet. Chiyo yelped. Sukuna took the parting of her lips to slip his wicked tongue inside.
While two arms supported her weight against him, another kept her close. She breathed heavily, wrapping her legs around him. Her heart thumped wildly when Sukuna eased her down her futon.
Sprawled on Sukuna's chest, Chiyo drifted in and out of consciousness. First, she saw Sukuna by the basin of water. He had the damp cloth in one and her night robe in another. When she felt the soothing strokes against her body, she fell back asleep.
Chiyo woke up a second time, staring up at him. In his hand, her hair threaded in between his fingers. She readjusted herself on his chest, chin propped on overlapping hands. A peaceful expression covered his features. She leaned in to give him a soft kiss. Two arms wrapped around her, another buried in her hair. The last hand did wicked things to her that made her mewl until dawn.
She woke to the sounds of birds singing. She turned over to see Sukuna laying on his back. His arm remained her pillow. She traced the lines on his face. Hand hovered over his lips. She jolted when he nipped her finger tips. At the unexpected gesture, Chiyo laughed. Sukuna wrapped her in his arms and flipped them over.
Chiyo arrived for dinner in the harem dining hall. Disgruntled chatter broke out over the table. Sukuna's concubines glared at her.
Chiyo raised a brow. A well-endowed woman, Aika, confronted her. She studied Chiyo from head to toe. "You are who Sukuna-sama has been spending nights with?"
"I am not the only one," Chiyo said democratically. "We reside in his harem as concubines."
Aika spat, "No, he has not visited anyone since the spring. Fuha-sama saw him in your room in the past days." She gestured to a concubine who frequented the garden. Chiyo blinked in surprise.
"Why? Why you?" the heavy chested concubine shrieked. "You, the ugly and flat woman? The bastard child of that despicable clan, weak father, and bitch of a sis–"
A resounding slap echoed through the hall. Silence followed, so quiet a pin drop could be heard. Chiyo's hand stung but her rage engulfed her. "Do not dare speak of my family in that way."
Aika indignantly held a hand to her red cheek. Her eyes wide with anger. "Did you hit me?" She scoffed in irritation. "You think you are untouchable?" A wicked smile plastered on her face. "That is not what I heard about that Minamoto girl. It was clear that only one can touch you and your clan any way they want."
Chiyo slapped the girl's other cheek. Aika fell to the ground. Chiyo was upon her like a woman possessed. She struck blow after blow. The other concubines screamed and pried the two apart.
"I did not know you had it in you," Sukuna drawled the moment he stepped into Chiyo's room. She ignored him, continuing to comb through her hair.
Sukuna continued, "You are not finished already, are you? That bitch did insult your father and sister. Though they are not your true–"
"They are my family in every way that counts," she snapped. Sukuna chuckled darkly. He grabbed her chin. Another hand placed down her comb on the table.
"But I should not need to remind you that you belong to me now," Sukuna stared down at her. Chiyo froze for a split second. She nodded.
"Who did Aika talk about? The Minamoto girl." A dark look crossed her face. Sukuna blinked in surprise but was pleased by the unexpected expression.
"She… she was my first friend from the clan." Chiyo explained. She choked up. "She was… r-raped and we found her dismembered by the side of the road."
Before Sukuna said anything, Chiyo let out a spiteful laugh. "Like she was trash! Curses would have never made her suffer– treat her that way. That's when I realized," she faced him. "Humans are monsters."
At her bitterness, Sukuna grinned. "That is right. Keep that in your heart. Use that rage to become stronger."
A wave of memories flooded her mind. Negative energy flowed from her, ebbing and strengthening. Sukuna hummed, "You have untapped potential. Interesting." He smirked. "Keep that hatred. The time will come for you to use it."
That time came sooner than later. Uraume escorted her to the throne room. She smelled it first. Blood. It made her stomach flip and her mouth gag.
"Get yourself together," Uraume hissed. They waited outside until Chiyo nodded her head stiffly to show that she was ready. Uraume shoved her into the room. She walked to the side of the throne.
"Woman," Sukuna started. He lazed on his throne. "I am home. And I brought gifts." Chiyo stiffened. In front of her, four men laid. Their legs cut from their bodies.
"P-Please save us," one man begged. He rolled around to look up at Chiyo's face. "I-I can give you anything you want. Gold, power, a-anything, just spare me. Please!"
Sukuna tisked loudly. "Is that what you told her? That you can give her all her heart's desires? But she rejected you." Chiyo felt her stomach sink to her feet.
"W-Who–"
"Minamoto Junmi," Chiyo answered softly. She could not believe it. After all these years, Junmi's murderers stood before her. The man gaped and closed his mouth repeatedly like a fish. Chiyo snapped. She yelled, "Minamoto. Junmi! Sixteen years old. Brown hair that reached her waist. Brown eyes and a mole by her lip."
She stepped toward him, grabbing his hair. She jerked him toward her, to look him in the eyes. "She was kidnapped from her home. Dragged down the road, raped, then dismembered. All while she was still alive."
Chiyo's heart panged with pain as if reliving the moment she heard the news over and over again. After three years, justice remained close enough to taste it. "Did you do that to her? Did you? Answer me!"
"Y-Yes," he wobbled pathetically. He sobbed. Chiyo slammed his face into the ground.
"Why? Why? She did not do anything to deserve this!"
A cough rattled from the right. "Young master– only he did it. We did nothing wrong. We were just following orders!"
Chiyo turned her attention to him. She walked over and knelt in front of another legless body. "You were there?"
He flinched before nodding. "Y-Yes but we had nothing to do with her rape! I swear!"
"So you were the ones to dismember her and tossed her aside like trash." Chiyo's chilling statement made the man's lower lip quiver.
"P-Please! We were just following orders."
"She was still alive, wasn't she?"
He gulped, "We had no choice. It couldn't be traced back to our clan! We would've all been ruined–"
"And what about Junmi?" Chiyo spat. She laid a hand on his twisted arm and pulled. He howled with pain. "What about her life you ruined?"
"P-Please spare us."
"Please forgive us!" The begs and snivelling grew louder. Chiyo's mind conjured Junmi's pleas three years ago.
"There you go," Sukuna interjected happily. He cackled, "What do you want to do with them?"
Chiyo recalled what was left of her friend. She took a sword off the floor. Sukuna excitedly leaned forward from his throne. She held the blade against the nobleman's neck. She pressed enough for a bead of blood to drip onto the steel. He shrieked his apologies. Instead of the snivelling man, all Chiyo saw was Junmi's murderer.
Flashes of Junmi's face pasted in her mind for three years. Her eyes held no judgement. Her smile that beamed brightly with innocence.
Chiyo sighed, "The last thing she would have wanted was more blood to be shed." She dropped the sword. Her hands shook. Disappointment radiated from Sukuna.
A henchman laughed maniacally from Chiyo's left. "You bitch! You cut off our legs and still do not have the guts to finish us off." Chiyo froze as he continued. "Your little friend shared our pain. She couldn't feel her legs after we were done with her. Then we cut opened her guts first and watched the life leave her eyes–"
A tear dropped from her eye. Then, another and another. She cried for her friend. She sobbed for her final moments. In a flash, blood spurted again. An agonizing scream pierced through the air. Chiyo thought it was herself but realized that it was the henchmen.
"Shut up," Sukuna threatened. He held a pink organ in a single hand. "Your legs and tongue are the first to go. You will feel helpless even when you want to run or scream for aid. Just like Minamoto Junmi. But you'll wish that you had a swift death like hers."
Chiyo ran out of the room. Everything after blurred together. She could not remember when she arrived to her room or when the day ended and night began. After three nights, Sukuna finally visited her.
"They will live but not for long," he said simply. Chiyo did not answer. "They will feel every inch of pain they gave Minamoto Junmi."
Chiyo remained quiet. Sukuna sighed. He stood to walk out. A small tug pulled his attention. Chiyo gripped his arm. "T… Thank you. Thank you for finding them. For making them pay."
Sukuna stared at her in surprise. He never heard those words, especially not when it's directed to him. She hesitated. "I-Is it alright if you stay?"
Without meaning to, Sukuna's hand wiped away the tear that ran down her cheek. He did not answer but stayed with her. He waited until she fell asleep. He watched as she fidgeted in her sleep. She kept a tight grip on one of his hands.
"What happened?" Sukuna growled. His eyes grew sharp, deadly. Chiyo froze, her kimono off her shoulders. "Woman, answer me."
Her eyes darted to the long gash from her collarbone to her upper arm. She moved to cover the wound. "I-It's nothing."
"Does this look like nothing?" Sukuna calmly asked. His collected tone sent her shivers down her spine. It surprised her that the gravelly, almost threatening tone set a fire within her.
Chiyo kissed him chastely. Sukuna allowed her to. She grinded her hips to his to distract him.
"Woman, answer me," Sukuna tried again. His voice rumbled. Chiyo pulled back, sitting tall in his lap. Her lips grazed over the column of his neck. She nipped the skin above where his pulse would have been. "Chiyo."
Something inside of her snapped. She let her head fall back. She moaned, loving how her name fell from his lips. "Sukuna, later. I will tell you later. First–"
She smashed her mouth to his, her hips circling. He groaned in approval, hands petting her private areas. One fondled her chest. Chiyo jolted when another hand slapped her bottom.
"You will listen to me," Sukuna growled. Another smack took her breath away. She whimpered in arousal. She gasped when a hand squeezed her neck. "Do you like that?"
She nodded fervently. She rocked against his muscular body, searching for more, A sadistic light shone from Sukuna's eyes. He chuckled darkly, "You, whore. Do you want more?"
He bit her wound. A hiss escaped her mouth. Pain mingled with pleasure, deliciously exciting her more. "Yes. Please."
"I like hearing you beg," he said darkly. He squeezed her throat until she squeaked. He released his grip, sliding it into her hair. A sound of clothes tearing pierced through the room. It overwhelmed their heavy breathing. She shivered when her bare skin pressed against his chest. "Say my name."
"Sukuna," she whispered. Eyes rolled back her head at the onslaught of pleasure. A hand found where she needed him the most. Her voice pitched, "Sukuna-sama."
"Good girl," he muttered against her skin. "What a good girl… Chiyo."
While Chiyo was asleep, Sukuna left her room. He called all his concubines into the throne room. He lounged on his seat with his spear in his hand. The red mark marring porcelain skin seared into his mind.
His concubines appeared with their best clothing and makeup. They knelt in front of him in a line. They bowed their heads, prettily– obediently. Docile like lambs.
"Who did it?" Sukuna asked simply. He rose from his throne. He paced through their line as they glanced at each other in confusion.
"W-What do you mean, Sukuna-sama?" Fuha replied. Her round eyes peered up at him. Sukuna stared down at her. Her gaze skittered away.
"Who hurt Chiyo?" Sukuna watched them carefully. A nervous air permeated from the women.
"S-Sukuna-sama, it was an accident." He recognized the voice. His first suspect. He walked toward her. Aika arched her back further when he stopped by her. Her perky breasts stood out more in an attempt to get his attention.
He hummed, "How so?"
"She walked underneath a window and a pot fell–" She gasped. Sukuna's hand wrapped itself around her neck and pulled her off her feet. AIka squirmed in the air, hands clawing at his hand.
A deadly aura fell upon the room. Concubines tittered in fright, pressing their foreheads to the floor. Sukuna raised Aika to his eye line. "Do you deem it wise to lie to me?"
Tears streamed down the woman's face as she choked out a no. "S-Su-Sukuna-sama, i-it was a-an accident. P-Please forgive me!"
Sukuna narrowed his eyes. "Do you expect me to believe that?" He threw her across the room. Aika yelped when her body met the floor. She coughed violently before scrambling into a dogeza. "I will not ask again. What. Happened?"
Aika quivered. Her hands shot out to clasp them together as a sign of prayer. "F-Forgive me. I-I needed to show her her place. She spoke back and a-all I saw was r-red. T-They," she pointed to the frightened women. "Handed me a v-vase. I-I threw it at her. I-It only hit the door but it-it shattered–"
A whoosh cut her off. Sukuna swung his spear with ease. A wet, loud thud made the concubines shriek. Aika's shocked expression stared at the rest of his harem. They scattered, making distance between them and the decapitated head.
"There has been a crime," Sukuna announced to the room. His arms spread wide. "The perpetrator has been dealt with. But, to my surprise, she had accomplices. How should I punish the other maggots?"
The women whimpered, bowing to him yet again. Their sniffling and pleads echoed through the throne room. One of his lesser concubines peered up at him pitifully, "Sukuna-sama, p-please we had no hand in–"
"Silence," Sukuna swung again. This time half of her head flew to the side. Her body dropped to the floor. A pool of blood spread towards the other women.
The horrifying scene triggered a chaotic chain of events. It was a massacre. He picked up the grovelling women and ripped them apart easily. Blood sprayed around the room. Sukuna's pants soaked with blood.
The screams died down when the bodies mounted into a pile at his feet. A sniffle caught his attention. He walked toward the sound. Fuha curled into the corner.
Sukuna crouched in front of her. His bloodstained hand touched her cheek. She flinched. "W-Why are you doing this?"
Sukuna tilted his head. He hummed, "You signed your death wish when no one spoke the truth. You dared try to lie to me."
Fuha shook her head. Fear wracked her body, "She needed to know her place–"
"And you decided to take it into your own hands?"
She sobbed, "She's impaired and adopted– not of noble blood like the rest of us– But, you… you chose her for months, every single time." She studied his face as he listened. Her eyes widened with a flash of realization. "You- You l-love her. P-Please forgive me. Please–"
A laugh left Sukuna's mouth. The chilling sound made Fuha jolt. "Me? Love?" Immediately, his amused expression dropped. His eyes grew big with rage. "Do not think that I, the great Sukuna, would feel that despicable and human emotion."
The taste of iron filled her mouth. Her body grew heavy with every passing second. Blackness slowly colored the corners of her vision. The four eyes that she loved coldly stared down at her.
"Why?" She choked out. Sukuna picked his dark fingernails absently.
"You are too dangerous," Sukuna declared. "You have made me more human. Therefore, weak. I am only interested in strength– in power."
She cried. Her eyes grew weak, "I love you…"
Before the darkness consumed her, she heard Sukuna's voice rumble, "I know. That is why you must die."
That was Chiyo's first death of many. The transient world faded into an unending cycle of nightmares. She understood how fleeting life was but no longer held the same beauty. Every life she reincarnated to she sought for her family.
When she died, her father followed. He went to war with Sukuna, allying himself to people who called themselves curse technique users. Though the elders did not approve of such sorcery, the rise to power seemed too irresistible to decline.
Her sister married into the Zenin clan as a sign of mutual allegiance. The Minamoto clan and their samurai members went to their deaths. Chiyo discovered the near extinction of her clan when she entered Chiharu's house as a ward.
When Chiharu saw her uncanny appearance to her first life, she hugged the young girl. Chiyo, shocked to see her younger sister now in her early thirties, accepted the embrace wordlessly. Chiharu sniffled, recounting her and their father's heartbreak.
She married into the Zenin clan to have their justice against Sukuna. Thrust into the world of sorcerers, she raised her children to defeat the monster. She offered for Chiyo to live in luxury. She did not need to fight Chiharu's battles any further.
Chiyo shook her head, "I am a part of this fight too."
Despite their initial hesitation, the Zenin clan accepted her into training. Chiyo learned about curses and inherited techniques. "You have untapped potential." Sukuna's past words rang in her ears when she discovered her biological family's secret.
Misogi. The original reversed curse technique. Purification of curse items using water and cursed energy. Over time, she laughed at the irony. As a side effect, the technique purified her soul after every corruption of her body. Death washed away her previous uncleanness and suffering but her rebirth stained her soul.
The endless cycle of death and rebirth dimmed her rose-colored lens. The repetition of sufferings made her hold her own life as insignificant. Mostly because of her deaths at the hands of her former lover. She remembered her love and heartbreak over and over to die at his hands. The bitterness and rage created her meaning– her purpose.
It was the only thing that drove her forward. She vowed to Chiharu on her younger sister's death that she would protect the Zenin clan's descendants from Sukuna and other curses. Chiyo became a testament of the past to bring about a brighter future.
She gathered more information from her lifetimes and taught it to the next generation. When one near dies, the trail of evidence is followed until the end. She found her father's history and line– the Izanagi clan.
Chiyo traveled to her biological family's hidden library. Somehow, they went extinct. They have a way of dying and she wanted to discover how. The first lesson she learned from her original clan was their motto.
"Emerge from the darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure."
Using her clan's practices and simple exercises, she created the first barrier technique to keep civilians unaware of the bloodshed. A rippling cast of darkness enveloped certain, contained areas. She passed on her knowledge to other curse technique families.
The crux of her existence was far more difficult to dispel despite her numerous attempts. On top of piles of bodies, the king of curses faced the queen of sorcerers. Chiyo remained the only curse technique user to stand toe to toe with Sukuna. But, the weight of corpses at her feet and the color of blood on her hands made Chiyo decide on a different method.
"The king of curses is dead!"
"Do not begin celebrating, you fool," Chiyo hissed. She gripped Sukuna's spear in her hands. "We must start the process to seal away his ability to incarnate."
She swung the blade down. The twenty fingers cleanly cut from the massive hands. "Chiyo-sama, the grave wax cannot be damaged." Chiyo cursed at the news.
"It is time for plan B. The boxes!" She instructed. The other sorcerers laid the digits into the wooden crates.
Chiyo quickly laid the spear imbued with power and curse energy with the boxes and paper seals. She closed her eyes, imagining a wave of energy to flow onto the items. "Cursed Technique: Chigaeshi-no-okami."
"Chiyo-sama~"
"Gojo," she greeted back. The familiar sight of the Technical College warmed her heart. She examined the lankly teacher then the teens that surrounded him. "You've grown."
"And you look as beautiful as ever," Gojo flirted. Chiyo rolled her eyes.
"I'm way too old for you, kid."
"Anyway, Chiyo-sama meet the students of Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College," Gojo gestured to the students. "Kids, meet Amamiya Chiyo. She will be handling Sukuna."
"Good morning," the students injected. Chiyo nodded. She noticed the Zenin twin. They looked at each other in confusion. A flash of recognition and hesitation flickered in their eyes when they saw her moonstone gaze. Gojo clapped his hands.
"Oh, did I forget to tell you? This is Izanagi Chiyo."
"Say that earlier." Maki hissed. Most of them bowed deeply at her. "We will be in your care."
A pink haired boy looked around. "Ha? What's happening?"
"Itadori, bow!" The girl with brown hair whispered.
"Ara, ara, so you're finally here," a familiar low voice chuckled. Chiyo narrowed her eyes at him. A second eye appeared below Itadori's. A mouth opened beneath it. "Chiyo."
"Welcome back to the land of the living, Sukuna." She stated plainly. The mouth cackled.
"Long time no see. How long has it been? A thousand years?"
"Thereabouts," she replied, stepping closer to Itadori. The young man's eyes flickered to her in confusion. Then, a light bulb flashed in his mind.
"You two know each other?" He exclaimed. He pointed to Chiyo. "Then, you must be more than a thousand years old! You don't look like an old lady?"
Chiyo didn't feel insulted. "I'm an old soul," she replied with no further explanation.
"Ah! She and Sukuna go way back. She was the one who sealed away Sukuna's fingers!" Gojo interjected.
"What?!" Itadori exclaimed.
Sukuna laughed, "Way back is one way to say it." Black lines appeared on Itadori's face. The students stiffened, readying themselves for combat. Instead of moving to harm anyone, Sukuna in Itadori's body pulled Chiyo close.
"I must say that you look ravishing," Sukuna grinned down at Chiyo. He examined her from head to toe. His gaze lingered longer on her short hair that barely grazed her shoulders and the sliver of skin of her midriff. "I will enjoy killing you for the nineteenth time."
Chiyo peered up at him with no fear in her eyes. "I wonder, if I tear your tongue out, will Itadori-kun feel it?"
Itadori's body recoiled away from her. Lines disappeared as the teenager took control of his body again. The young man stuttered, "P-Please don't."
Chiyo watched Itadori in astonishment. This is why Gojo decided to keep Sukuna's host alive. The eye and mouth reappeared on Itadori's cheekbone.
"I thought you liked my tongue," Sukuna purred. Gojo guffawed. Chiyo felt a small blush rise to her cheeks. Itadori slammed his hand over Sukuna's mouth to silence the curse's laughs. But another mouth appeared at the back of Itadori's hand. Sukuna wiggled his tongue at Chiyo.
"The only thing I would like is to kill you." Chiyo replied. The temperature around them dropped.
"Heh, good luck with that."
"Ummm…" Itadori raised his hand. Chiyo raised a brow as Sukuna disappeared. Itadori's eyes shone innocently. "How do you and Sukuna know each other?"
The boy with messy black hair sighed in exasperation while the brown haired girl frowned. Chiyo ignored the question. "I'll be meeting Yaga now." She turned on her heel and left.
Nobara slapped Itadori upside the head. "How do you not know Izanagi Chiyo?" They turned to Gojo, who held up his hands in mock surrender. "Tell him earlier!"
"Izanagi Chiyo. She's one of the first sorcerers. Her curse technique– Misogi. She can purify cursed objects and even people but not successfully for the latter." Gojo smirked at Itadori. "She was the former lover of Sukuna. She made sure that he would never rise again. Until now."
"And when you said that she and Sukuna go way back…"
"That meant they were in love," Maki answered. The Zenin laid her staff across her shoulders. "Or at least she was."
Itadori blinked. "Wow. And when she said that she was an old soul…"
"She meant it," Fushiguro replied. "She has been reincarnated into different bodies for over a thousand years."
Gojo nodded his head. He clapped his hands together. "A hundred points to Megumi! But her story is for another time. That was only the beginning of the tale of Chiyo!"