Edited by absolem 3
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2017, June
Lilly sat beside Tōji on a wooden bench. Tall trees swayed in the surrounding wind, and the sounds of birds chirped merrily throughout the forest. At the start of that year, Tōji finally found something he wanted to do besides gambling.
He wanted to build a house from the ground up.
Not any house, however. One that was off-grind, and almost completely isolated. He wanted to be able to live completely independently and without anything tying him down. He purchased some land in a dense forest in Switzerland and set to work.
Lilly visited him every week. In part to make sure he was okay, and because he was family, she missed him. Yūta and Yūji tagged along every so often.
He had made some good progress. He had a roof over his head, although it wasn't refined.
"Think you'll be ready for winter?" she asked him.
"Yeah," he said. "How are the kids?"
It was a question Tōji had only recently started to ask about. Lilly wasn't sure what brought it on. The only changes in their life was that Yūji brought over a friend named Megumi, and Yūta started to bring over his friends Maki, Panda, and Toge.
Oh and Yūji's grandfather, unfortunately, passed away last summer due to a sudden fit of pneumonia. It was a peaceful passing, and because Yūji was technically a minor he still needed a guardian. A role Lilly glee–graciously–took up.
Yūji moved into their home the day after. Lilly offered him the choice to continue to go to school in the area he grew up in, or she could home-school him. Yūji chose to be homeschooled as he wanted extra focus on his training, which Lilly obliged.
"Everyone's doing well," said Lilly. "Megumi and Yūji fell asleep together last night, you know?"
"Mn?"
Lilly pulled out her phone to show off the pictures she took. "Aren't they cute?"
"Yeah," Tōji said flatly.
"Our little family has grown so much," Lilly sniffled. "I'm so happy."
"Uh-huh."
"Honestly the only thing that would make me happier–"
"I'm not working at your café."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Stinker."
"Uh-huh," was his uncaring response. "Don't you have a boy toy now? Get him to do it."
Lilly's face scrunched up. "He's too pretty. It'll discourage the rest of my staff." Lilly put away her phone and hopped up from the bench Tōji had made. She turned on her heel and bent down to kiss his forehead. "I'm going to head back now. Do you want me to bring anything next time?"
"No."
"Really? I made honey-butter yesterday."
Tōji cocked his head. "How many jars?"
"I can spare a couple," Lilly said with a smile. "Take care, dear."
"You as well."
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Lilly returned home and changed into her nightdress. She wrapped a blanket around herself and got comfy on the couch. She wasn't expecting anyone to join her that night.
Yūta was on a long term mission out of the country. He could still sleep at home, but he chose not to so he could stay aware of the surroundings at night.
Yūji was on a similar mission, although it was not long-term. He and Megumi had traveled to a different city to complete a handful of smaller missions under Satoru's supervision. Satoru guessed it would take them most of, if not the entire night.
They'd return in the morning, but for the night Lilly was on her own.
Tora curled up beside her on the couch.
Okay. Almost on her own.
I think, Lilly thought to herself as she flipped on the T.V. with a remote, it's time to re-watch Lord of the Rings.
It was always nice to see that story. Reminded her of when she visited that world. She was blessed with two lives in the same timeline. What a delightful adventure that was. Her first life ended in a bit of a tragedy, and when she popped up over a thousand years later her buddies were quite surprised. The ones that were still alive, at least. She'd like to imagine the ones that died would have been shocked too.
Lilly made herself cozy. She had only gotten through the opening scene when her phone rang.
Lilly picked up her phone. "Hello?"
"M–I mean, Auntie–"
Lilly's ears perked up at the start of m, but her heart clenched at Yūji's tone. She frowned. "What's wrong, my sweet boy?"
"I, uh–I think I messed up."
Lilly teleported to him immediately.
Yūji stood in a small crater in the ground; residual spiritual energy told Lilly he had fought off a Cursed Spirit. He had a slightly queasy look on his face. Lilly rushed to his side and cupped his face in her hands. "What's wrong?"
"I, uh, I accidentally ate something I shouldn't have," quietly admitted Yūji. "I don't know how, to be honest. It just… happened in the fight with another Cursed Spirit. I came here to retrieve one of Sukuna's fingers–"
Who?
"–and while doing so was attacked. I was fighting and somehow ended up swallowing the finger," Yūji mumbled, ashamed. "I don't know how, honest. And as soon as I did, I think–I think it possessed me. Only for a split second, I was able to repress it quickly, but still–"
Lilly placed a finger over Yūji's mouth as her mind chewed over his words.
"Remind me who Sukuna is again, sweet pea," she said after a moment. She removed her hand so he could speak.
"Sukuna is an ancient Cursed Spirit known as the King of Curses. Over a thousand years ago he was defeated, although Sorcerers could not completely kill him. There are twenty fingers of his that remain in today's world and are known as Special Grade Cursed Objects–"
"–they house his soul?" she whispered, her red eyes trailed down to his stomach. She placed her left hand over his stomach, she then probed him with her spiritual energy.
There's a piece of another soul in him now, and this sounds like–
A Story™.
Yūji was the Protagonist™, and at last he became the vessel for the Big Bad™, an ancient being known as Sukuna.
Lilly smiled fondly at the memories of her time as a vessel. She looked back up at Yūji and soothed him, "It's okay, chéri. Let's get you home now, okay?"
"Can you remove it?" he asked.
"Probably, but… " Lilly tilted her head. "My sweet boy, do you trust me?"
"Of course."
She smiled gently and took his hands. "I think… I think you should keep him. I think it would be nice if you could become friends."
"Friends–? Like Kurai and Yūta?"
"Yes," she said. "Like Kurai and Yūta, or Tōji and Tora, or Ame and myself. I have a feeling you have what it takes. It would make me so very happy if you did."
Yūji's brow furrowed. "He's supposed to be really evil though."
"Says who?"
"Um… everyone." Yūji shrugged. "I don't have much desire to protest, but this was something I was supposed to retrieve for our mission, you know? What should I tell Megumi and Gojō?"
"The truth," Lilly said. "I don't see a reason to hide it. Where are they anyway?"
"Megumi's exorcizing the Cursed Spirits in this area that cropped up because of the finger," said Yūji, "and Gojō's doing Gojō stuff."
"So no clue where he is?"
"Not even a little bit."
Lilly pulled out her phone and sent a text to Satoru.
Lilly: :) Whatcha doin babygirl?
Satoru: :) nothing babyboy
Lilly: Are you free?
Satoru: ;) for you, always
Lilly: Great, Yūji swallowed Sukuna's finger. C'mere please. ;)
Satoru: lol seriously?
Lilly: yeah, can he keep it?
Satoru: LOL
Satoru: it's not a stray cat, my little mochi.
Lilly: Correct. It's more fun. :)
Satoru: LOLOLOL
Satoru: stop hiding your sig, i'll come to you
Lilly: kk
Lilly: so can we keep it?
Satoru: *we*?
Lilly: (◕ヮ◕)
Lilly tucked her phone in her pocket robe, and stopped suppressing a portion of her spiritual energy. She couldn't unleash all of it–her presence was too overwhelming–so she only eked out a tiny bit.
Yūji felt the change in pressure. He looked over curiously at Lilly.
Before Lilly could explain, Satoru hopped down beside them.
"Yūji, if Lilly dared you to eat the finger you could still say no," Satoru playfully remarked. "Don't give into parental pressure."
Yūji protested, "I didn't do it on purpose."
"You were that hungry?"
"No!"
Satoru's mischievous grin widened. "Did it taste as good as it looked?"
"It was the single most disgusting thing I have ever eaten," Yūji stated flatly, a hollow look in his gaze. "Worse than the fire potion."
Lilly and Satoru whistled in sync.
"Sounds terrible," said Lilly.
"Downright traumatic," agreed Satoru.
Yūji rubbed the back of his head. "Uh-huh… so… what should I do?"
"There's one vote for keeping it," said Satoru. "What do you think?"
"I mean… I don't really care one way or another. I think I can keep repressing it, and if it'll become friends with me why not…?"
"Become… friends… with… you…." Satoru slowly drawled that out. Lilly didn't need to see his face to know both of his eyebrows were raised. "You want to befriend Sukuna."
Yūji looked questioningly at Lilly. She nodded encouragingly, and gave two thumbs up. Satoru wordlessly put her hands back down. Yūji nodded. "Yeah."
"Okay that's two votes for keeping the King of Curses as a cute little pet," Satoru chirped. "Before I cast my vote, how about we double check your ability to suppress it? Can you let it out for ten seconds, and then repress it again?"
"Um, yeah."
"Do it." Satoru stretched his arms.
Yūji took a deep breath, his spiritual energy–Cursed Energy–fluctuated a handful of seconds until it started to diminish. In its place was a new signature Lilly hadn't encountered before.
If Yūji was warm like a dragon's fire, then the new energy was toxic like poisonous breath. As soon as the energy took over, the Cursed–Sukuna, Lilly guessed–shot to Satoru. Lilly stepped back and used her energy to create an invisible barrier to protect herself when Sukuna slammed into the ground. Debris flew off and hit harmlessly against her shield.
She waved her hand to create a small breeze to blow the dust away so she could watch.
With Sukuna possessing Yūji, her second son had a slightly different form. Two new eyes opened up underneath his original pair. Dark lines appeared across his body, and his hair stiffened up with the pressure of the Cursed Energy. Even his nails changed into claws, a very familiar transformation.
Ahh~ Takes me back to when I was a vessel.
Lilly couldn't resist smiling.
"My, my," said Satoru. Sukuna was crouched in the crater, and Satoru had casually sat atop him. "You really waste no time, huh?"
Sukuna growled and turned around to swipe at Satoru.
"I've got a hottie watching me, so I'm going to show off a bit, 'kay?" Satoru murmured teasingly in Sukuna's ear as he casually man-handled the Cursed Spirit.
The two moved quickly, although not too fast that Lilly couldn't follow. Satoru wasn't going all out, and Lilly would hazard a guess that Sukuna wasn't at full power either.
Ancient Evils™ sealed into Protagonists™ at the start of Stories™ could never, ever have access to their full powers right away. Either Yūji would have to train more for his body to handle more "evil" power, or they'd have to obtain Sukuna's power separately.
Still, it was a decent display of power. Sukuna was certainly worthy of the Big Bad Ancient Evil™.
Given his aggression, Lilly would bet he'd be a tsundere! Eight out of ten Ancient Evils™ were tsunderes. At least in her case. Asura was a cross between hinedere and mayadere, while–
"Ten," Satoru said, at once Yūji repressed Sukuna.
Yūji rubbed his jaw. "That's weird."
"Welp," said Satoru as he slung an arm around Lilly's shoulder. "Yūji's got a pretty good handle on suppressing it already."
"Yeah. I'm aware of my internal energy, and that seems to act like a fire extinguisher for it so it's not difficult," said Yūji. His brow furrowed. "At least that's how it is right now. I've never been possessed before, so not sure if that'll change."
"I think it'll be fine," said Lilly, already excited to see the budding friendship between Yūji and this supposed Sukuna. Oh she hoped they'd have so much fun together! Her eyes sparkled with delight. She leaned into Satoru and looked up at him pleadingly. "We can keep it, can't we?"
"How can I say no to those pretty little eyes?" Satoru cooed.
"Ew," Yūji said. It was an obligatory ew. If Yūta was there, her oldest would have visibly retched.
Megumi arrived on the scene then. He casually strolled into the clearing, took a look at the crater, and raised an eyebrow. "Did the finger fight you?"
"I ate it," said Yūji.
"Ah, right you–" Megumi balked. "WHAT?!"
"And I'm keeping it. Apparently."
Megumi gaped at Yūji. He looked at Satoru in disbelief. "You're letting him?"
"Lilly asked so sweetly. I can't say no," Satoru said with a shit-eating grin.
"YES YOU CAN. IT'S ONE WORD."
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Bonus:
The following day, Yūji decided to properly introduce himself to his permanent guest and potential new friend.
He was doubtful it would work out, but he didn't mind trying. In the early hours of the morning, he met up with Megumi in Megumi's bedroom. It'd be a quick little meditation and then the two could grab breakfast before they trained.
Megumi was barely awake when he let Yūji in. He mumbled something about getting them coffee and then walked out of the room. Yūji sat crisscrossed on the bed and internally focused on his Cursed Energy.
It didn't take long to slip into his own spiritual core.
Ever since consuming the piece of Sukuna, Yūji was hyper-aware of its existence beside Yūji. Yūji had always been conscious of his spiritual energy, but with the firm training under Lilly he had flourished into a sensor. He was not only aware of his energy, but others' as well. If he was especially familiar with a person, he could even help them manipulate their energy by using his as a mold.
Something he had only ever done with Yūta and Lilly, though. He was close enough with Megumi, so he probably could, but they hadn't tried it out yet.
Yūji stood firmly inside his core, he created a projection of himself. There was a distinct divide between his energy and Sukuna's.
The teenager squinted over at Sukuna's space.
"That some cliché villain shit right there," he muttered as he peered over at the lake of blood and the literal bone throne. He sighed.
And she wants me to be friends with it…? It's either exactly as evil as the stories say, or it's super cringy and into dark stuff to be all edgy. Either way, what a pain.
He'd try regardless. He trusted her implicitly.
"A guest?" drawled out a deep voice from the other side. "Why don't you step inside?"
"I'm not so rude as to stumble into somebody else's soul without being invited," Yūji retorted. He squinted, trying to see where the voice was coming from. He couldn't see anything aside from the morbid environment. "I came here to introduce myself first."
"At least you have manners," the voice said.
"I'm Yūji Itadori," Yūji introduced himself. "I'll, uh, be your vessel for the time being. Nice to meet you, Mr… Sukuna?"
Silence.
Yūji waited a couple minutes, then shrugged.
"Fantastic, if you want to talk I'm here," he dryly said. "Bye."
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Yūji disconnected his connection and returned to reality. He was still seated on Megumi's bed at the dorms. Megumi himself was at his desk, two cups of steaming coffee in front of him.
"How was it?" Megumi offered Yūji a cup of coffee.
"He said I had manners," he said as he accepted the coffee.
Megumi drank his coffee and raised an eyebrow at Yūji. "Surprisingly civil."
"I guess," said Yūji. He groaned and rubbed his face with his free hand. "I get the feeling he's either super arrogant, or a super dick."
"Could be both," Megumi pointed out.
"Could be both," Yūji moaned.
There was an echo of dark laughter in Yūji's head. It was brief enough Yūji wondered if he imagined it.
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What happened with Suguru will be addressed at a different chapter.
Answer: If I could be strong then definitely Satoru. If I can't be, then Shōko. :)
Question: Who would you want to be twins with?
Reviews are love!