Chapter 15
It all happened shortly after the battle.
Everyone returned to the domain within the mountain, followed by those wearing nothing more than black, shadow like clothing. They came in from the rear to ensure no one was left behind, as well to ensure no other threats came to those before them.
Before a word could be spoke. Suiryu's eyes rolled back as he collapsed then and there before the masses.
Yet, one in black jumped and caught him before he hit the ground.
"Okay, who the hell are you?!" Gojo demanded. He was so brash that he reached out for the one who grabbed Suiryu and tore back their hood.
But he froze stiff.
In fact, he stumbled back in shock, unable to believe his own eyes. He wrenched off the blindfold to be certain, but even then, he was in disbelief. "Yua?"
#
She peered up at Satoru. 'Why the hell does he look so… devastated and yet… happy?' she thought. But she ignore her own question, her focus turned to Suiryu, as she was careful to pick him up off the ground. "He's a heavy boy isn't he?" she joked. "I will be honest, I don't know how this all came about, but for the moment… he needs rest." She stated.
"Marry me…" came out of Gojo. She ignored it for now, she didn't have time for his games.
She walked with Suiryu in her arms, A man with odd black marks across the bridge of his nose was quick to cut her off. "Hold it… that's my brother…" he said as his hands clasped together. "Put him down."
Yua paused as she stared into his face, suddenly, a name came to her mind. "Choso?" she asked.
Instantly, he froze. "How do you know my name?"
"Yeah, I don't know either, but I promise you. I am not here to hurt Suiryu. I'm Yua… Yua Tooru" she explained.
His stance suddenly lowered. "Tooru?" he whispered. His eyes shifted to Gojo who nodded his head. He became relaxed and settled rather quickly. "I… I apologize…" he said meekly.
'Okay, weird' she thought once more. "Where was he sleeping before? I want to get him to bed."
Choso snapped out of it and led her to Suiryu's residence. From there, Yua tucked him in and then felt his forehead. He was burning up oddly. Perhaps his body is adjusting once more to having curse energy again. She was quick to get a rag and some cool water, for the next few days, she tended to him. Taking the rag off his forehead and cooling it once more in the water near by. "You must know how Yuuji feels now huh? As I said before, you two really are like brothers. Both of you have been screwed by that bastard Sukuna… now, you have shared his pain on many levels, I think you can proudly call yourself Suiryu Itadori." She said gently to him.
By the time he woke up. Suiryu didn't believe she was sitting before him. In all fairness, she couldn't quite believe it either. And yet, there was this look in his eyes that she had never seen before. "Are you okay, Suiryu?"
Suddenly, she was snapped into his arms. He embraced her wholeheartedly, hell, she swore she heard him weeping too! "You're here… you're really here…" he whispered to her over and over again. "I'm so glad you are. I… I was so lost…"
She couldn't help herself. Reminiscing of her previous life, she remembered when she got upset, her mother would rub her back and hum to her. She began to do that on instinct. She hummed and continued to do so until, Suiryu settled down. His grip upon her lightened as he suddenly pulled away.
Instantly, he turned red and sneered at himself for his childish behavior.
"Shit…" he muttered.
"Please, like I am going to ruin your image," she snickered. "But, how do you feel Suiryu?"
He paused. "I… don't quite know myself to be honest with you. I mean… I don't feel as weak as I did before…"
Yua smiled to him, her hand gently cupped the side of his face as she looked into his eyes. "You have done an amazing job, I'm proud of your accomplishments Suiryu,"
He felt those words… and yet… why did he feel he was unworthy of them? He was about to speak until Yua stood up.
"There's a lot of questions, not enough answers." Yua said gently. "I'm still trying to figure out how I got back, all I know is you were asking for help, and I agreed… wait… oh right, the others!"
"Others?" he asked.
"I wasn't the only one who came back with you," she said. "Come, let's go see everyone. I'll introduce you to those I know. Which sadly I think it's one."
#
They wondered outside.
Suiryu paused as he peered about. Everyone… everyone was here. They survived the attack and now, they are within the domain for safekeeping. He appeared relieved for the moment. Yua on the other hand knows they can't be content with this just yet. "YUA!"
She turned and saw Gojo fast approaching, those reincarnated with her were still wearing their black hoods. Perhaps they were unable to take them off? "Gojo… huh… why are you three still hiding? Specially you!" she scolded to the one in the middle.
"Special curse technique to ensure one remains hidden who wants to be hidden…" Suiryu said. "In this case, their disguises won't come off until they remove the cowl themselves… unless…" he snapped his fingers trying to recall the method of removing the hoods, when suddenly it happened. The black hoods turned to tatters, revealing the faces of the three.
Gojo froze.
"… NANAMI!?" he cheered.
"Damn, I had a good thing going there… hello Satoru…" Nanami said in a disinterested voice.
But then Gojo froze, "Muta, I didn't think you would…"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I am just as shocked as you are."
"Who the hell is this bastard?" Suiryu asked pointing to the last man among them.
Yua even looked at him oddly, his face was familiar. But he smirked towards Satoru. "Six eyes…" he said.
Gojo stared at this man rather coldly. "Why the hell is he back? Why not Yaga!"
"Yaga is dead?" Nanami asked.
"Wait, what the hell, when did that happen!?" Yua demanded.
Suiryu explained what occurred, when he was rendered human. It was Yaga that helped him escape, however, he wouldn't go with him. "I… saw him die before me, and I couldn't do a damn thing…" he paused. "I asked him…"
"Suiryu?"
"I asked him to return." He whispered. "But… he said he was at peace with what he did. He said there were others who could help better than he could, and yet… I could have brought him back…"
"Suiryu…" Yua said gently, her hand came on his left shoulder. "If he said he was at peace, he really was. When one is dead, they can't really lie to those who speak with them. There is no point in them doing so for they don't gain anything from it. Yaga was telling you the truth. Don't beat yourself up over it."
He took a deep breath and nodded to her. "Okay then…"
She turned and saw Gojo glaring at man with the scar on his lip with hatred. "You… why did you come back!" he demanded of him.
"Was tired of being dead!"
"Will you two knock it off!" snapped Nanami. "It's like looking after toddlers, I swear to God…" he muttered. Already he appeared to be regretting his choice in returning.
Yua sighed aloud as she came between the two. "Break it up, both of you!" she ordered. "Now is not the time, nor the place since the hoods have been removed, the curse energy here just spiked sharply."
They backed down for now. "By the way, call me Toji."
Yua paused as she peered at him, but that look, he almost appeared desperate. She nodded, but the others didn't want to agree to this. "Why the hell are you so nervous? Do you know someone here? Or are you making sure someone doesn't recognize you" Muta asked.
Toji paused as he scratched the back of his head a little sheepishly. "Uh, how do I put this… I sort of know someone here… someone close to me, but I was never in their life since I lost the will to really live or make anything out of myself. Became the sorcerer killer, lived off the kindness of women who would have me for a night and ditched the next day, leaving without a word… Took on a big contract to kill the star plasma vessel… succeeded but died doing it."
"You died after you brought her corpse to the cult of Tengen." Muttered Gojo. "But yeah, you died shortly after that."
"I wasn't paid enough for that job. But anyways, yeah, this is where we are now."
"Yua…" Nanami said with a very concerned tone.
"I don't like it any more than you do, Kento. But at the moment, let's humor him, for from this moment on. He owes everyone here a favor." She stated.
"SUIRYU!"
They came running. Yua turned and found Nobara and Fushiguro coming right for them. She froze to see Nobara, but she appeared to be in good spirits. Fushiguro looked well too, and yet, she could see it on their faces. The hell they must have gone through after she passed…
"Yua…" whispered Nobara. "Thank you…"
"I wouldn't be thanking me, if anything. I feel terrible." She said and sighed. "The moment I gave Itadori the dragon… everything got shot to hell for you guys."
They paused. Even Suiryu froze. "You saved him from Sukuna. Instead of taking his life you gave him yours," he protested. "You are not blaming yourself for this!"
"Let's be honest, things were shot to hell long before you got back to Japan, Yua. I wouldn't be blaming you the least bit on what happened after. Besides, it's not all that bad. Sure we lost some people, at the same time, we have gained people too."
Typical Gojo, brushing it off like it's nothing new to him.
"Wait, Nanami sensei… Muta too? Why is Muta back? Didn't he betray us?" Fushiguro asked.
Muta shied away. "I… do have to explain myself."
"Fushiguro. His betrayal, only robbed us of curse objects and yet a few of the guards to the storage of said objects. But it's not worst compared to what has happened recently."
"Besides, he did help Yuuji in Shibuya, when he fought Choso for the first time, before they knew the truth about each other." Suiryu explained. "He also fought Mahito, nearly won but the bastard was a lot tougher than he realized."
Suddenly, everyone paused. "How do you know that?" Muta asked.
"Huh?"
"Just now, what happened, how did you know all of that?" Muta asked again.
"I have some of Yuuji's memories, so I remember you helping him."
"Yeah, but, about my fight with Mahito, how did you know about that?"
Suiryu froze. Yua snickered as he appeared just like Yuuji when he gets confused. "Uh…" he came out of him.
"Did he lie about it?" Yua asked. Muta shook his head no on the matter. "Then perhaps it's best he knew the truth about you before bringing you back then. But for the matter at hand, let's just let things be, we need to know what the hell is going on, how everyone here is and where the hell is Yuuji!?" she demanded.
Everyone paused to her outburst. Yet the moment she settled, she heard a gentle call of a baby dragon…
