Chapter 7
The blinding light retreated, making way for real sunlight to kiss the grounds of Jujutsu High. What remained were floating rainbow colored bubbles.
Okkotsu Yuta, newly-transferred first year student observed curiously. The bubbles looked harmless, neither affected by wind nor gravity.
He neared a tiny bubble and touched it.
Pop!
A giggle so innocent and full of cuteness!
Yuta staggered at the unexpected but brief image of a tiny face with crinkled eyes, chubby cheeks, a wide upturned mouth, and two baby teeth.
It was a toddler being entertained. That's all.
And yet, his lips unconsciously twitched into a smile.
In his search of his teacher, Yuta popped other bubbles along the way.
Heartwarming surprises of loved ones. A proposal so simple and sweet; a tight hug filled with the yearning of years apart.
Some people's pet and their adorable habits.
Scenes from all over the world, from various timelines, from different races.
What they have in common was pure happiness. Something Yuta found exceedingly rare these days ever since she...disappeared.
Yuta's depressive visage lightened, his shoulders straightening ever so slightly, as if the weight of the world vanished for a moment. For just a moment, it was as if everything was going to be okay.
For a moment, he was a normal human with normal worries, normal desires, and normal experiences. Bland, nothing special, safe.
But like the bubbles popped along the way, his momentary whimsy rippled away upon seeing his sensei.
His sensei whose mere existence was an anomaly. The perfect example of abnormal and Yuta knew, just as instinctively on that side of the road, he could only walk forward.
However, Yuta paused at a distance, noticing his teacher was not alone. He was accompanied by a woman whose head rested on his shoulder.
She seemed to be asleep.
Yuta resumed walking towards Satoru.
His teacher looked up and Yuta blinked in surprise. It was his first time seeing his teacher without a cover on his face, so much so that Yuta second-guessed himself. Maybe he wasn't Gojo Satoru. He certainly didn't act Gojo-like, being all calm and soft.
Yuta's reservations dispersed when he was greeted with Satoru's familiar grin.
"Yo! Yuta-kun, whatcha up early for?"
"Sensei?" Yuta reluctantly called.
"Hm? Don't you recognize your handsome and great Gojo-sensei?" Satoru teased from his seat.
"Uh," Yuta nervously chuckled, "you looked different without your blindfold, sensei." He stopped a few meters away, suddenly curious of the sleeping woman's identity.
"The whole campus woke up because of the mysterious light." Yuta explained, his eyes jumping between the woman and then to Satoru. "Principal Yaga told us to look for you when he couldn't find you."
"Heh, what an uproar you've caused, Mari-chan," Satoru cackled.
What Satoru did next flustered Yuta. His teacher carried the woman when he stood, hugging her like how one did with a child. His hand went under and supported the woman's bottom.
Satoru's head leaned on the woman's temple and he mumbled in her ears. The woman's legs then wrapped themselves on his hips while her arms closed around his neck.
Satoru smirked and patted her butt. "Good girl."
Yuta busied himself, consciously making space for whatever adult stuff he had the misfortune to witness. Inwardly, his head had this question on repeat.
He was Gojo-sensei, right? Right? RIGHT?
"Lead the way."
"Uh, huh? Ah, ye, yes!"
Yuta sprinted away.
"Sheesh, youth these days."
A warm breath on his neck whispered, "your student?"
Satoru confirmed with a hum. He followed the boy with a leisure gait. By deduction Satoru already knew where Yaga was located, there was no need to let Yuta lead the way other than the boy providing privacy for the two of them.
"Stop groping my butt," Mari grumbled.
Satoru grinned. "It's not my fault they're plump." And to drive the point home, he squeezed again.
She pinched his neck. "You get so cheeky when it's morning."
"And you're getting comfy on the pinching."
Mari playfully chomped Satoru's shoulder. "I'm taking advantage until I can't."
Satoru staggered forward and pretended to drop Mari.
"Kya!"
"Oopsie-daisy," Satoru heaved her up with a small laugh.
"Put me down. Put me down, now." Mari demanded as she wriggled in Satoru's hold.
"But I thought you want to sleep?" Satoru slowly blinked his eyes in mock innocence.
"I can't sleep when I'm around people I don't trust."
"Ouch."
"Yeah. Put me down. Now."
"Make me."
Mari's eyebrows furrowed. She bit her lower lip and summoned her best cute face. "Nii-chan~"
"Using daddy then nii-chan next, ain't ya creative?"
"Nii-chan," Mari pouted and went for a pitiful look, "Mari-chan wants to walk on her own, pretty please? With cherry on top?"
"It fascinates me how you think this works."
"But nii-chan~"
"Ahahaha, keep going, keep going."
Thus, a childish back and forth ensued.
Yuta in front. "..."
Yaga Masamichi wore a similar reaction once Yuta delivered Satoru to him. It took him quite some time to process the human baggage Satoru carried, she was an unfamiliar face, after all.
"Yo! Minna-san, a lovely morning to you all," Satoru crowed with a mock salute using his free hand while the other arm effortlessly strapped its passenger on his masculine chest.
Yaga's eyebrows raised high, even more so when he noticed Satoru's lack of blindfold on. He was fully aware the need for such accessory and it puzzled him why Satoru was not wearing it when there's no immediate danger on hand, except the mysterious light that had vanished without an ounce of damage wrought.
"And who is this?", Yaga questioned on his spot. Some sorcerers peeked behind him but when they saw Satoru, they all quietly backed away, many finding excuses to leave just to escape any potential trolling from the resident crackhead.
No one dared to mess around with Gojo Satoru, most especially a barefaced Gojo Satoru.
"Ah? Did I not tell you last night?" Satoru asked with an innocent blink.
"You didn't even come to the meeting last night," Yaga reminded, "how could you tell me or the elders anything?".
Mari, who was ruminating how to act for the impromptu meeting, "..."
She pinched Satoru's ears. "Oh my god, Gojo, you were hallucinating! Are you still sane?" Mari struggled. "I'm in the arms of an insane person, someone please save me."
Those who were listening, inwardly and collectively thought, "um, sorry, no."
"Ha. Ha. Very funny." Satoru forced a laugh.
Without any warning, he dropped the clinging Mari.
But Mari had learned her lesson.
"Ha!" Mari cackled as she tightly clung to Satoru. "Predictable."
"Who are you calling predictable? I hate routines, ya know," Satoru murmured with a frown, completely upset.
"Yeah, yeah, we all experience boredom in some way or another, big deal." Mari quickly unlatched herself from Satoru and retreated past his reach.
She settled on an area far from the crowd, keeping Satoru and the other sorcerers in her line of sight. Since no formal talks have started on both sides yet, Mari temporarily considered them as enemies.
Satoru never left his eyes off Mari. He saw how she chose her location and witnessed the well-hidden wariness in her posture. Her caution was worthy of praise but Satoru kept it in with only a twitch from his lips the sign of his reaction.
He retrieved his black out sunglasses from his pants pocket and donned it. There was something in Mari that just made everything, the sight of the world, the cursed energy around him, throb in such a subtle manner, so underwhelming that it brought him relief.
For how long she had been with him was how long the Six Eyes was in a frozen state. Or was it? He could still use the Six Eyes, yet, there was an alienating feel to it. Hm, a novel experience. He'd have to experiment further.
Satoru clapped with a sunny smile gracing his lips. "Minna-san, that one over there is my lovely catch yesterday." He dramatically presented both his hands. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Kamiya Jehanne Mari-desu, our first contact of the out-of-the-blue 'medium' species. Please, a round of applause."
Seeing such a great introduction, Mari cheerfully played along. She held an imagined skirt and curtseyed. "A pleasure to meet you all. I admit this isn't the type of meet and greet I envisioned for our first interaction but alas," Mari palmed her forehead with a dramatic sigh, "destiny works in mysterious ways."
Everyone, barring Satoru of course, couldn't quite determine what reaction they should show with this sudden appearance of an otherwise only talked about creature.
It was not much different from seeing a real alien from outer space for the first time...probably.
Yaga Masamichi coughed, as the principal and the highest ranking sorcerer among the bunch, he stepped forward and offered his hand. "A pleasure to meet you, my name is Yaga Masamichi, principal of Jujutsu High."
"Hello, hello!" Mari cheerfully clasped Masamichi's hand. "I am so pleased to finally have some form of procedure--oh! Forgive me, by any chance, is kidnapping people part of your routine?"
"Pft!" Somebody's barely concealed laughter rang out behind Yaga.
"We are an educational institution, Kamiya-san." Yaga did not hesitate to answer with admirable composure. "Our guests are free to visit and leave the campus. Please forget whatever hospitality you have experienced from this man."
"Hey!" Satoru disagreed, miffed.
Yaga lowered his head in a shallow bow befitting his station, enough to give respect but not too lowly as to indicate cowardice. "On the school's behalf, I apologize for any discourtesy done to you by any student or staff." The last word was emphasized so thoroughly that Mari laughed.
"There is nothing to forgive. My visit was unexpected and unannounced so both sides have faults." Mari clapped her hands together. "In that case, we are even!"
What load of crap, Satoru thought while his upturned lips still pasted on his face. He did not expect Mari to be proficient in such diplomatic word plays. With just a few sentences, she had declared her position, cleaned up a muddy situation, and assured her safety.
Taking advantage of Yaga's olive branch, Mari positioned herself as a guest of the school, with all the privileges attached to the title and neither did she utter any condemnation of Satoru for his kidnapping, revealing her stance of wanting to stay in the premises while not beholding the school for whatever offenses Satoru did to her.
Is it because they were sleeping together that she's trying to protect him? Satoru mused. How cute.
He would still get a scolding though.
Ah, Mari-chan, it was useless, you know.
"Where would you like to stay?"
"Ahm, somewhere not in the clinic."
Yaga was quiet and slowly turned his head to Satoru's direction. Even with his sunglasses on, Satoru knew the principal's gaze drilled on him. If looks could kill...and if it could go past his infinity...he'd be dead, so Satoru gave Yaga a big, cheeky smile.
"Okkotsu-kun, please lead our guest to the outer courtyard, yes, there are bigger rooms there. As for you, Gojo...,"Yaga's hand clamped on Satoru's shoulder, "we have a lot to discuss."
See, Mari-chan~
Finally, inside a room of her own, Mari stretched and sat on the bed. She conducted a swift visual inspection of her room.
The queen-sized bed was situated in the middle corner, the headboard was a delicate wooden carving the art of which she could not name. Full of curves and elegant lines just like this place given to her. Subtle wealth glimmered from the ancient wooden cabinet, a floor shining from diligent care, a sofa perfumed with delicate scent and a sliding glass door opening to a well-tended garden.
"After much planning and taking things step by step, it all came to this," Mari murmured, lost in her musings.
Their organization had planned it all, each action thought of with care. They knew they were running against time, undoubtedly knew that no matter how urgent the matter was to them, for the Jujutsu community, they were an unknown and unreliable variable.
And anything that was unknown was treated as an enemy.
So, everything must be foolproof. Everything must be flawless that objection could never be put on the table.
Irrevocable proof and irrevocable strength.
But before they could prepare themselves and present an overbearing front, Mari was forcefully invited inside the enemy camp, destroying their meticulous plans in the process.
However, there was a silver lining in this disruption, Mari thought.
The window for negotiations would be earlier than predicted. Perhaps, in this way, they could really achieve collaboration.
The first step in their organization's true goal.
Mari smiled.
It seemed like it would not be possible to keep her distance from Gojo Satoru. This first connection should serve as an example to others.
But another problem presented itself.
To continue their physical relationship or not?
"Eh, let's just consider it as a second-night stand." She shrugged.
Thirteen hours ago.
Somewhere in Europe.
"Madame?"
An older woman with platinum blonde hair slowly looked up. Atop the table in front of her was a spread of three rectangular cards. Tarot cards.
"Miss Mari went missing."
"So she has," the woman murmured. She reached out to pull a card from her deck. She flipped it open. Upon seeing the card, she sighed, a helpless look resting on her face. "The road I wished she won't journey has begun to unravel."
She put the card down.
It was a picture of a tower frozen in its destruction from one mere lightning bolt.
"My dearest Mari," she whispered, "if only you had run."
Thirteen hours later.
"The team called to confirm Mari-neechan's location." Hiroki ended the phone call while Atsushi paced in the living room.
"It's all my fault," Atsushi muttered, "I was too preoccupied that I didn't notice she was following me."
"What's done is done," a soft-spoken voice soothed the agitated twins. "What matters now is ensuring a successful alliance."
The twins turned to the sofa, their gaze landing on a petite woman with skin of porcelain, a small face, and sharp mono-lidded eyes evidence of her Chinese lineage. She wore a crisp black suit, her thin legs crossed over black trousers clad in killer high heels. Her hair cropped in a short, straight cut warred with the softness of her heart-shaped face. The end result of which was a woman not to be messed with.
Wei Jinjing would not have it any other way.
"How is Mari?" She questioned while tapping on her tablet.
"We were able to detect her exact location through her aura burst but it was quickly overwhelmed by the barrier in place." Hiroki shared. He patted Atsushi's shoulder, "from what the ground team observed though, she seems to be having a great time."
"Good." Jinjing uncrossed her legs and stood. She turned her body to Hiroki. "Have you assembled the team according to my specification?"
"Yes."
With Hiroki's nod, Jinjing rolled her sleeve and checked her watch. "Estimated time from here to where Mari is?"
"Approximately two hours and thirteen minutes in good weather. The area is isolated and away from the metropolitan zone."
"Then let us make good time, no? I'd hate to give a bad first impression."
:Writer's Notes:
Another year ends, another year survived.
The pandemic has truly challenged the bonds of humanity all over the world and in a way, also triggered instrospection in so many of us. I've had my fair share of depressive episodes, moments and nights where I feel that the world is truly a horrible place to live in not because of nature but because of humans.
Writing is my only outlet of all the thoughts churning in my head, given form through characters and events. My mind is fickle and so my writing follows. Therefore, I am ashamed that I am an inconsistent writer but since you, my readers, followed this story up to now, I sincerely give my gratitude for your quiet support.
Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.
Let's see each other again in the next chapter (however long that'll take).
Merry Christmas and a Joyful 2022 for all of us!
