Chapter 28
Yuuji caught his breath outside. The smell was still stuck in his nose and yet, he felt sick from it. Why did it bother him so?
As he took deep breaths of fresh air, he was careful not to stay outside too long, despite the weather getting warmer, it was still a little too cold for him to contend with. 'I have to tell someone this… this… isn't right…' he thought to himself.
"UMPH!" he called aloud.
In a burst of fire, she appeared. Kitsune smiled to him but suddenly paused as she covered her nose in disgust. "UGH! Young master, do you smell that?!" she demanded.
He nodded to her. But then, he felt worried.
He looked to Kitsune oddly, but she picked up on his expression. She paused and sighed to him before nodding. "Yes," she said. "This is what Sukuna smells like to me, but why…" Yuuji turned just as he saw Suiryu storm out of the place in a hurry. Kitsune appeared sick as he suddenly vanished, but she picked up on the smell. "Oh gods…" she whispered.
'What can we do to help him? How did this even happen?' Yuuji wanted to ask, but there was no way he could. His writing hasn't improved that much yet. However, Kitsune peered down at him.
"You must prepare, get everyone at the ready. He is being taken over far faster than he realizes."
'He is!?' Yuuji froze to the notion. But then, his stomach churned painfully. 'How… how do we help him? I can't purify him without Ryujin? How…' he paused as tears began to flow. He has no means or power of saving Suiryu from Sukuna. How can he?
Kitsune saw his distressed state. "Young master…" she said gently. He peered up at her. "I know… this is very difficult for you, but when he returns… he has to be stopped. Remember, Suiryu was part of the demon sorcerer. I know he is nothing like him, but at the same time. He won't be strong enough to stop him, we have to."
"She's right, little brother."
Yuuji froze as Choso came outside to check on him. But he looked somber about it as well. "We were warned ahead of time of this, however, we cannot speak of it. I don't know how we can stop him without harming Suiryu. At the same time… Yuuji… you don't know about this, but… we're under a binding vow with Suiryu." He explained.
Yuuji pointed to himself as well, but Choso shook his head. "No, the brothers and I are. You were passed out when it happened. Suiryu… feared this day could and may come. He wanted to be prepared. When he told him we saw him as a brother, he made us promise… should Sukuna ever take over him. We have to stop him at any cost. Even if to means we…" he trailed off as a tear escaped from him.
Yuuji… couldn't believe what was being said to him. 'He wants you to kill him!?'
"When did he make a binding vow with you!?" Kitsune asked. "Not even I knew of this."
"Shortly after we were reborn. We had a few days to settle in and understand our strengths. When he took them into consideration, Suiryu made us promise that if he were to change, we end his life. In his own words…" he paused as he peered down at Yuuji. "He said to us 'If Yuuji was willing to die with that bastard when he was his vessel, I have to be willing to do the same as him, if not, I would be nothing more than a coward compared to him' His words," Choso said. "We are going to prepare now… Yuuji… I'm sorry."
He shook his head to it all. 'There has to be something we can do, there just HAS to be a way!' he chirped, but no one understood him. He won't lose any more friends to this bastard!
He began to pace back and forth, trying to think of what to do next, how to do it. Kitsune knew that look on his face too. "Young master, remember what I said before. If you use any more of your strength… you will be trapped in your current form for years longer. You don't want that," she said.
He growled lowly, he didn't care if he was trapped as a baby longer. If he can and summon the strength to save Suiryu, he will do anything! He healed Junpei, he has to be strong enough to do something for his brother.
Yeah… his brother…
All those who have come before Suiryu and even after him, despite the connection he has with the Death Paintings, he has always seen Suiryu as a flesh and blood sibling. Why? Perhaps because of the situation, the circumstance… the bond he has created with him. Yuuji couldn't and won't give up on him, Suiryu never would have.
He sighed aloud as he tried to plan what to do next…
