Chapter 13

He couldn't understand it.

One moment, he felt as if he were trapped, lost and confused in a darkened world. Then, he came into a new light, only to feel confined once more. "What is happening? Why is this happening? Am… am I being transfigured again?"

His mind is haunted of his death, he keeps seeing it every time his eyes closed, but then, he also see that manic who did it to him. The stitched up man, the one who showed him how to use curse energy… only to use him to spread pain among others.

He tricked him into turning against the one person he could have considered a friend. A good friend…

A best friend.

But now, he doesn't know anymore.

He just remembered breaking free, and when he felt that surge of energy, he feared it was Mahito once more and made a run for it. He turned back only once to see there were nine strangers, all of them too powerful for him to contend with.

There was no choice but to escape.

Yet as he tried to, his body began to feel strange. It wasn't typical as he felt one side of his face ooze. He could feel the curse energy flowing through him, at the same time, he felt those he tried to escape from following him!

"OTOUTO!" one shouted aloud. "WHERE ARE YOU OTOUTO!"

He turned to see if they were getting closer, only to slip down a small ravine and nearly end up in the river. He took a moment to catch his breath, but then saw his reflection. Immediately, he fell back to what the water revealed. "I'm… I'm normal?" he whispered fearfully. He was about to peer again, but then he heard someone shout out.

"JUNPEI!"

His blood ran cold.

They know his name!

That means they know what he looks like, they know where he lives, they… they are hunting him!

Junpei hid himself in a small cavern, shaking; worried to what will happen when they find him. Would they devour him? Will they torment him through transfiguration? What will they do? He didn't know, but at the same time, he wanted to get out of here as soon as he could.

"I want to go home…" he wept.

His heart froze when he heard footsteps. Peering out, he looked to see who or what it was. When someone slid gracefully down the side of the embankment, his heart must have jump-started.

He knew him!

He knew that face!

"Yuuji?" he whispered in amazement. Suddenly, he found his courage and came out of hiding. "Yuuji!?" he called out.

There was a reaction. In his moment of joy he rushed and pulled his friend into his arms. "Yuuji! I am so sorry! I'm so sorry for what happened… why didn't I believe you?" he wept.

He didn't feel the hug get returned right away, it was a slow, and uncertain embrace. "I'm not him," said a deep voice, but it sounded as if it tried to be gentle.

He froze to it.

He heard that one before too!

Junpei pulled away quickly, but saw no hint of greed to take him out. "Who… who are you? What do you want with me?" he asked nervously. "What did you do to Yuuji!" he demanded

Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind.

Two massive arms came around him, easily encasing his whole body in the embrace! "OTOUTO!" the voice cheered.

"Let me go! Let me go! PLEASE LET ME GO!"

"Junpei, calm yourself."

"You're not Yuuji! Who are you!? Who is this?! What did you do to me!" he demanded.

"Brother, please put down Junpei,"

The massive curse did, Junpei was gently placed on his feet as he slowly backed away from them. "Who… who are you?" he demanded.

"Suiryu Itadori, Yuuji's brother… we're essentially twins," he explained and smiled. "This here… huh, what is your name?" Suiryu asked.

The curse was huge, a massive cauldron like belly, his flesh a deep red as he had black markings all over his stomach He had short white hair and a small white beard, if anything he looked like the monsters seen in mythological stories. "Shoso, but you can call me Sho for short" he said proudly. "I'm Sho!"

"Sho," Suiryu said as if he were introducing him.

"What do you want with me?" he asked once more.

Sho appeared a little hurt by the comment. "We came looking for you, little brother." He said gently. "I didn't see you with the others. I was worried."

"Br… brother?" Junpei whispered, but shook his head. "No… no I'm not like you."

"But you are," Suiryu said.

Sho paused however. "I am having my doubts as well that he is indeed a brother, can you prove otherwise?" he asked of Suiryu. Sho's face changed rather drastically, going from an excited look, to one of doubt and anger. "I do not like being tricked, especially when it comes to family!" he said in a warning tone.

Junpei paused as Suiryu approached him, and then suddenly brushed back the bangs on the side of his face. He stepped aside and pointed. Sho took one look and smiled. "He is a brother!"

"What?"

The Yuuji imposter nudged his head towards the river. "Look and see for yourself."

He was nervous.

On shaky legs Junpei went to the river and brushed back his bangs.

The sight before him wasn't the least bit settling.

The side of his face was a discolored light blue. His eye was black as night as he bore black markings oozing down from the eye, but it dripped blood! He immediately covered it up once more and moved far from the river's edge after seeing it. "I'm… I'm…"

"A curse, yes," Suiryu said as gently as he could. But his tone was so cold to him. "You have a lot to learn, and much needs to be explained to you. For now, you are better off to come with us. No one will harm you, I promise. Besides… Yuuji is back at the base camp."

"Yuuji… Yuuji really is here?!" he asked with amazement.

"I'll explain when we get there."