Chapter 20
In the late hours…
It's never really happened before. Choso told Junpei that at midnight, there would be a meeting of the brothers. However, they are not to tell Suiryu a word of it. He nodded in agreement, yet was worried about what this was all about. As of late, Choso has been a little on edge. He has picked up on that since last week, yet hasn't really had the time to ask him about it. Perhaps, this was it?
When midnight tolled, Junpei got himself out of his room and snuck out of the school. The brothers had left during different parts of the day to avoid suspicion, and he was the last to leave.
They met at the old school, where they use to live. Choso had a small fire going as the brothers gathered around, yet, the atmosphere felt a little tense to him. When Choso saw him he nodded and pointed to a seat. "Please, sit down little brother,"
He did.
No one said a word, but everyone was focused on Choso. "I know you are concerned about this meeting everyone, but I felt it would be best if we kept it between us. For a fear if word gets out of this, we will pay a great price for it and even be blamed for any events that follow."
Junpei was confused. "What do you mean? If it's serious…"
"I don't know if it is yet."
He paused to the tone as Choso explained. "For Junpei's sake, I'll explain a little something about us. You don't quite know the full family history. You know that our mother was used as an experiment by a terrible sorcerer over 150 years go…"
He nodded. "You told me of that, again, I am so sorry she went through that."
He gave a brief smile and nodded. "Thank you, but that's part of the reason why we are here. For just recently… I sensed another."
No one moved, however Sho appeared to have already known. "Choso isn't wrong on the matter, for I felt it for a moment as well. The connection is weak, very weak, more than likely it is a brother, however not from the same father that we have." Sho explained.
"But, I can't be certain. I wish to obtain information of our family, yet, most of the records were destroyed after they learned what Kamo was doing…" Choso explained.
Junpei paused to consider the notion. "Do you think the library might have something?"
"It's hard to say if they might. As I said to my knowledge, they destroyed all the records. But I can't help but feel some may have survived these many years. But we can't get to the library."
The brothers sighed aloud to it all. "I can." Junpei said. "I am a student, aren't I?"
"But it will be controlled information, they won't let a student like you obtain such information now, would they?" Eso asked.
"Good point…"
"I am tempted to ask Satoru if he could assist us, he would have the clearance."
Eso sighed aloud. "I better get cooking then…" he muttered. "But for all the times he comes to our house to eat, this should be free!" he protested.
"It is, all you had to do was ask!"
The brothers snapped to their feet as he came out of nowhere. Satoru Gojo! "How does he do it?" Junpei whispered.
He smiled as he approached the small fire pit. "What you said is true, all the documents and notes Kamo wrote about his experiments were destroyed by the jujutsu council, the moment they were finally forced to act… took them long enough huh? But, the thing is this…" He began to reach into his jacket, he took out a tattered notebook and showed it to Choso. "His original notes… were stolen." And passed the book to him.
He nearly trembled with the book in his arms. "Satoru… how?" Choso asked in disbelief.
"That, I don't get credit for… Yua Tooru does. Her family knew about his misdeeds for a while and has tried to stop him a few times. However, he was as slimy as a hagfish. The council also never took their word since they believed the family was a little crazy… but aren't we all!" he said and smiled. "Her ancestor… who had stayed within the jujutsu society, had purposely stolen the book. Thinking it would be needed one day, and had passed it down from generation to generation just in case. It was last handed off to her uncle who lived in Tibet, he kept it safe and then Yua was given the book… recently we acquired her collection, I found that among the many fine works her family kept… just in case." He said. "But as far as the council knows… that book doesn't exist."
Junpei was impressed.
He never met this Yua woman, but with the way Gojo speaks of her, she must have been someone powerful or important.
Choso was quick to go through the notes, he found a picture slipped out. Picking it up off the ground, he froze to it. "It's true… it's another brother…" he whispered. "The records the council has stated that the first child she bore… died. If that's the case then, how…" he trailed off in thought
The photo was passed around, Junpei took a look and froze. He saw a scared woman, with an odd man with a short mustache and stitches across his forehead standing behind her. At her side was a young boy with black, soulless eyes. But he was smiling proudly next to the man, no doubt the older man, this was Kamo that Choso spoke of. He turned the photo over and said. "Kusozu"
Something resonated in everyone, even Junpei as he spoke the name. "That's him… our older brother…" whispered Sanso. "But… why hasn't he shown himself to us?"
This is where things got a little interesting. Junpei saw Choso's hesitation to speak, however he sighed aloud. "Because, he's not the kind of brother we want in our family." He explained despite what little he sensed, the aura of this sibling was not welcoming nor nurturing. "I can sense everyone here as to who they are by nature. None of us are violent unless we are forced to become so. There is also no will or intention to bring harm to others or to the world for the sake of it. Yet, with this brother… it's all I sense… if anything, it would be similar to Sukuna."
They shuttered, even Junpei. "Shit," he whispered. "So, how do we want to go about doing this then?"
"I'm curious to that too," Gojo announced as he took a seat. "It's obvious to me, you don't want Suiryu to know of this…"
"This is our older brother, we should be the ones to deal with him. Besides, Suiryu has enough to deal with. I rather have him focus on Yuuji as we handle this ourselves."
"Gojo sensei, please, don't say anything." Junpei pleaded.
He nodded to him. "I respect you guys, not a word, but. If this asshole is giving you trouble, you will inform me right?"
"Yes," the brothers vowed. "But we should be able to handle it on our own." Said Noranso.
"Okay then!" Gojo said in a cheery tone. "We'll I am going to head back to the school. You guys ought to return or they are going to think you're up to something"
