Chapter 3
He never ran so fast or so hard in his life… this was nothing like back in high school when he was avoiding the bullies. There were at least places to hide, rooms to sneak into or even a locker to jump into if needed. But, when he is out in the open, in an unknown place, not knowing who brought him back, let alone how… it was utterly terrifying. At the same time, as he ran for his life, he found clothing just appeared on him. He took a moment to pause and look over himself, he wasn't wearing his school uniform that he died in, but the casual clothing he wore when Yuuji came over for dinner.
Shaking his head, he continued on and ran, but… where to go?
He nearly fell down a small embankment, but that led him to find the cave, at the same time, he heard voices shouting aloud. "OTOUTO!"
"OTOUTO, WHERE ARE YOU?!"
He didn't know who or what they were calling for, but he feared that this otouto was out in the woods along with him.
Yet, his blood ran cold when he heard someone unfamiliar shout out. "JUNPEI!"
Who knew his name?!
Who on this earth would know his name after being gone for so long? He trembled in fear, as he sensed something come closer to him. At the same time, something was heard a short distance from him.
He mistook this person for Yuuji, since they appeared the same in the shadow of the night. Junpei literally threw himself at him, thinking it was his friend that he wronged.
Yet, when an uncertain embrace was returned as he hugged him, the voice… sent a chill down his spine.
"I'm not Yuuji,"
Thus, led to his unexpected encounter with a massive man who appeared more like a Japanese demon seen in folklore stories!
The moment he was discovered was still rather memorable in his mind, looking back, Junpei even found it funny. He mistaken Suiryu for Yuuji despite the fact Yuuji had a far more innocent look on his face and his hair wasn't slicked up as it was. But also when Sho grabbed him from behind and lifted him off his feet. He was just so happy to have found him and called him Otouto, the first brother he encountered was said to be the oldest. Sho also made certain that Junpei was indeed one of them.
How it was proven… well… that part still bothers him a little. Suiryu merely brushed back Junpei's bangs and pointed, as if he knew all along that he was hiding something. When he looked for himself and saw the discolored skin, black eye and oozing blood mark, he realized he wasn't the same as before. At least the cigarette scars vanished.
"I have a lot to explain, come back to base camp with us, Yuuji is there too" Suiryu explained.
When he learned that Yuuji was here, he agreed to it. Yet the walk back was rather unnerving. "Little one, are you okay?"
He peered up to Sho who looked to him with great concern. "I… I don't know," he said honestly. He nervously held his left arm, sometimes he would rub it as a self soothing method, but it wasn't working.
"Sho, ease up on the question for now, he's in shock" Suiryu stated. "There will be time to ask them, but for now, it's best to let him process the notion he's alive again."
"Again?" Sho whispered, he peered back towards Junpei but didn't say anything else.
Yet, as they walked. He felt there was this protective aura coming off of Sho, he could feel it in his very being that this… person, wanted nothing more than to keep him safe and comfortable. Why? He didn't understand, and yet, the closer they got to base camp, the more he began to feel something within him. His heart was beating feverishly; he began to feel something resonate within his very being until they returned. His eyes came upon the others, so many new and yet odd looking faces and appearances. But the moment they saw him, they smiled and snapped to their feet.
"BROTHER!"
They came charging! Junpei froze in fear until Sho stepped in front of him! "Hold it!" he ordered. "Little brother isn't sure of us just yet, give him space"
They froze in their steps instantly. Their looks of excitement settled as they realized they were scaring him. Instantly, they all backed up and gave him room. Sho then stepped off to the side as another came before him yet was very calm in doing so. His hair was a little strange since they looked like pompoms on his head, yet he spoke in a gentle voice. "We understand you are not the same little brother we had before, and wished to be called Junpei, we will honor your request little one."
He just nodded to him as the one named Suiryu called them over.
When he explained everything that happened, why they were brought back. There came a defensive feeling, Junpei saw the brothers tense up at the mention of them being needed for battle. He felt it in his gut too, it wasn't sitting well with them. They were nervous to the news, when Choso asked for privacy from Suiryu, he happily agreed and left.
He was alone with them, and feared they would turn on him since Suiryu was gone. However, it became a very heartfelt discussion. He learned that Choso and Eso were given life before… and yet Junpei still didn't understand at the time as to how or why this happened.
They spoke of how they were used the last time by curses for their cause. Junpei understood in a sense where they were coming from, after all, he was used too. Eso, the rather tall and strong looking one… yet appeared like a male stripper spoke his peace on the situation. He had good instincts the last time they were alive and didn't trust who they were working with previously. Yet from what was asked of them now, he declared this was a sincere request for help. Then, Choso turned to Junpei. "What do you think, little one?" he asked aloud.
Suddenly, all eyes turned to him. Junpei spoke his peace about it all, if the brothers weren't going to fight in the war, he would. He owed it to Yuuji, and the least he could do was answer his plea for help. Yet, upon saying that, the brothers suddenly rallied to the idea of going to war and agreed.
He never understood why this was the case, but has since learned it was because they wanted to stay together as a family, Junpei was also the youngest out of all of them, and they wanted to be certain he was protected.
When Suiryu returned, Sho asked if they were fodder for this war. He laughed, the most evil laugh you could think of erupted out of Suiryu! It was scary to say the least, and yet when he settled down he insisted they weren't. "What I put Yuuji through, you think if anything happened to you guys, he would kill me!" he explained.
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The brothers would go and get settled in. At the same time, Suiryu explained to him how he needed the most help out of them. He didn't understand it at first until Suiryu suddenly grabbed his hand, and transfigured it before his eyes! It took him by surprise, not to mention, the hand had altered to that of the disgusting creature he was turned into the last time!
Yet as he screamed aloud, he was stunned as Eso came out of nowhere and tried to attack Suiryu for it! It was a double lesson he learned that night. "You see why you need to get stronger?" he asked.
He nodded. The brothers would drop everything to help him. If they go to war and this happens… whatever plan or battle strategy would be for not if the brothers break formation to just try and help him. Also, transfiguration still scares him.
However, Suiryu promised him, he would help him grow powerful enough to stand on his own. He didn't quite believe it, but also, remembering he came from Sukuna, it was possible, wasn't it?
The conversation suddenly came to a pause as Yuuji's phone went off. Suiryu sneered realizing it was his teacher. "Shit…" he muttered.
This was when he witnessed something oddly amazing. Suiryu touched Yuuji, and found his face had changed to that of Itadori's! "Wait how…"
"Contact transfiguration," he explained but in Yuuji's voice. "I cannot turn into Yuuji on a whim, nor will my voice go light enough to pass as him. I have to do this in order to mimic his voice." He answered the phone, trying to pretend to be Itadori. But when he hung up, his face altered back. "Fuck," he muttered.
"Who… was that?"
It was his first time meeting a powerful sorcerer. Satoru Gojo was his name, and Suiryu explained he was Yuuji's teacher. Junpei felt his power first hand, the moment he arrived there was just this great pressure on his shoulders. Yet, Gojo appeared to be rather fun and good natured for the most part. He stayed for a meal after Eso was able to prepare something with what Suiryu managed to bring. After the two of them excused themselves and allowed the brothers to settle in.
The dinner table was oddly quite. No one was saying anything, but, they were all looking at each other with such proud and happy expressions.
"Has everyone picked out a room?" Junpei asked offhandedly.
They paused and shook their heads. "You pick first little brother," Choso insisted. "Any room you desire it is yours."
He thought they would fight over the biggest room! However, Junpei wasn't greedy either. He explored the odd dorm they were to live in, he found a modest size room and opted to pick it on the left side of the hallway. "I'll take this one if that's okay?"
Choso peered into the room. "It's rather small for you isn't it?"
"Honestly, it's bigger than my old bedroom, this is more than enough,"
Choso nodded. "If you are certain then, it's yours."
He wondered into it rather carefully, still uncertain about the conditions as well as situation, yet Junpei slowly eased himself down on to the side of the bed. He began to relax for the first time, and yet there was a strange sensation coming to his sides. They itched oddly, and then… it felt like his sides were splitting, before feeling something moving. "What the hell…" he muttered.
Closing the door to be safe than sorry, he was nervous as he reached for his shirt and carefully stripped it off. He looked at his reflection and brushed back his bangs, in good light he saw what he had become. "Damn…" he muttered.
He leaned back, but froze at the sight, from his sides, there were two large mouths!
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed in utter terror. Yet when he did, the two mouths followed suit!
His screams rattled the walls!
"GAH! WHAT THE HELL!" He shouted in anger. He tried to use his arms to blocked the mouths on his sides from screaming anymore, it worked a little, until he eventually calmed himself enough.
The brothers were quick to bust down the door. Choso was at the ready for battle until he saw Junpei. He trembled as he tried to cover the mouths up from the brothers. "I… I don't know how they got there… Why they are there… I… I…" he stammered.
They froze to him. "We don't see anything wrong with you," said Sanso. "Little brother, this is just how you are."
"But… I have MOUTHS on the side of my BODY!" he protested. "Oh God, what am I?!"
He was trembling now, tears soon followed as this made it perfectly clear. He's not human.
Turning to the brothers once more, he was stunned as Eso waved them off. He closed the door behind him and stood there. "I know the feeling,"
"What… what do you mean?"
"I'll show you this once and only once, since I am self conscious about it." He said in a stern tone. He turned around and lifted his shirt.
Junpei froze as he saw a rather odd looking pair of eyes staring at him his spine was even sticking out and was clear as day! "You have eyes on your back?"
Eso paused. "Just eyes?" he asked curiously, he turned to the mirror and looked for himself. "Huh, last time… wait…" he focused, his back suddenly changed and altered until a hideous face appeared that spewed blood! "There it is,"
Junpei was stunned as Eso showed him the horrific back he possesses, yet, when he settled, the face vanished and those creepy eyes remained. "I suppose something happened that hid that, but before, that part of my back was always exposed and in full view… not pleasant to say the least. I didn't wear a shirt at the time because it was uncomfortable and musty smelling."
"If you didn't like people seeing it… why show me?"
"Because you were scared and upset about your mouths. I wanted you to know I know how you feel, and, it's not your doing that they are there either. It's just how we came to be." He said gently enough.
Junpei nodded to him. "Thank you," he said. Peering back down at the mouths, he found they were rather large, the tongues on them were strange and same with the teeth, and they were massive and had various gaps within them. He looked to Eso who had a slight tear in his eye. "Something wrong?" he asked.
"The mouths you have… it's what Kechizu had… same size, look… you really are our little brother…" he said.
"Kechizu… that was his name?"
Eso nodded. "Please, don't be upset you have those, honestly, they aren't bad and I think they suit you, I wonder though, what you can do."
He didn't know either. Suiryu vowed to train Junpei on what is to come… after he gets over his fear of transfiguration…
