Chapter 3

Yuuji sighed.

Another tooth gone, and tucked into the box he kept under his bed. Things were not getting easier for him, he was down to his last few teeth now and has not felt any of them growing back. He would run his tongue over the gums, in hopes of feeling ridges or at least points of enamel breaking through.

But, they were smooth as silk, not a tooth to be felt or seen. "I really wish I knew what was happening now…" he said and sighed to it all. It wasn't just his teeth either. His head has been aching, his back feel strange and his throat is consistently sore. At times, it hurts to talk, despite the fact he doesn't have any sort of infection, cold, fever or even allergies.

He peered at his box of teeth and sighed. There were twelve more added, twelve have already been eaten by the tooth fairies, but that still leaves eight of his original teeth in his mouth. Yet even those that remain have become bothersome, he can't fully close his mouth without stabbing his gums, it's uncomfortable all the time now.

Sometimes, he has half a mind to just rip out the remaining teeth just so he could have a piece of mind and not worry about biting his gum line so often.

He also wasn't fussed on the notion that he had to hide his condition from the council. As of late, he wears a mask around to prevent them from noticing his missing teeth. It will also prevent them from obtaining them to make curse weapons. But he does admit, he kept one of his canines for Mika to make a weapon for her. How though was the question.

Still, Itadori tries to do his best each day.

He has been enjoying school a little more. Junpei has really taken to the lessons and school life. It's the happiest Yuuji has seen him in a while to say the least. "This place is great! I'm not bullied!" he said with great cheer.

"Please, bullies are just weak assholes who like to think they are strong by picking on those they think are below them…" muttered Nobara.

"Then why do you pick on Yuuji?" Junpei asked and smirked to the question.

Nobara sneered. "She does it as a sibling, it's like how an older sister picks on a little brother," Fushiguro explained.

"I don't mind it either, it's not bad," Itadori chimed in. If anything, it helps him feel normal. Nobara hasn't changed her attitude towards him the least bit since this has all happened. She treats him the same as ever before… the same goes with Suiryu now that he thinks about it. Many saw him as 'Sukuna's clone' or something like that. Despite the fact they haven't progressed any farther in a relationship, Yuuji sees that there is still a chance for his brother.

Not to mention, she speaks to him so casually and fearlessly, she isn't afraid to say what's on her mind to say the least to Suiryu, and he doesn't care if she swears at him!

"Well, anyway, what else do you do at school? Do you got on missions and stuff?" Junpei asked.

"Sometimes, it really depends on the mission though, and what's going on. But as of late, there have been a lack of attacks to say the least." Fushiguro explained. "We're trying to understand why, considering we still haven't cleared Shibuya yet of curse spirits."

"That place still bothers me…" Yuuji admitted. There were nights where he and Ryujin would go out and cleanse what they can of the curses in Shibuya. However the lingering damage and effect of the area hasn't been able to be properly cleansed. But that was also a few months ago too. Ever since the body thief incident, Itadori has been a lot more careful with his energy. After all, he believes that it is keeping Ryujin alive.

"According to Suiryu, he said the curses are not as organized, and if we can expel and exorcise the special grades in the area, the others should dispel or abandon Shibuya."

"But are we not just giving weaker curses a chance to take over?" Itadori asked offhandedly. "If we are to get rid of all of them, we will have to purify that part of Japan… not even I have the power for that right now."

"Right, you're being careful with that currently." Muttered Junpei.

But there was also another reason, despite all the energy he has been able to gather, Itadori feels he hasn't been able to use it to its greatest potential. He could go all out in a fight before, but his body is altering once again. He can feel it each day and it is taking his energy along with it. Currently, he doesn't know what his strength is, thus why he is very careful at the moment.

"Anyway, maybe we ought to just relax for a while anyways, I mean, we've done our school work, there's no missions…" Junpei began to say, but then his phone went off. He was quick to see the text message but smirked. "Looks like I got a concert this weekend."

"Nice, where are you playing with Suiryu?" Yuuji asked.

But Junpei shook his head. "By request of the vendor, they want the Death Paintings to headline… so it's just my brothers and I… damn, I better get some more blood before then. I can't go on stage looking like a string bean!"

"We really are weird people aren't we? That should have crept me out," muttered Nobara.

Yuuji snickered. "I think that's one of the more normal things that happens round here,"