Junpei watched you fall in what felt like slowed motion. When he heard the whooping shout of whoever must have fired and saw two shadows approaching, all of his courage dissolved and he fled the scene, racing through the descending mist toward the exit.
Fucking coward! he berates himself, ducking beneath the wooden barriers lining around the perimeter of the parking lot.
He just left you there! How could he do that?! Your body–Oh, God! There was so much blood! It still clings to his face and clothes. The smell of your death is all over him. It all happened so brutally fast. And now he has no idea where to go.
You were all he had.
What should he do? He's not even sure how to get back to the church on his own. Even if he did find the way, he doesn't want to go back without you. He should at least try burying you. Shouldn't he?
"Oh, fuck!" he sobs while doubling over. Sick with grief at the thought of laying you to rest in a cold dirt hole like he had to do for his mom.
Collapsing behind a row of dumpsters, he pulls his knees up to his chest, on the verge of hyperventilating. Tears roll down his cheeks as he weeps, still trying to be as quiet as possible. He wipes his face and stares at his hands. At your blood. And hers too…
In his frantic state, his mind is playing horrendous tricks on him, showing him horrific flashes of your body and his mother's too. He can still see her bloody mangled body when he closes his eyes. His memories of discovering her beneath the dinner table, ripped practically in half, are replaying as if they'd only just occurred.
"Mom…." he whimpers helplessly.
His gaze slips down to the two black bands around his left wrist.
Sukuna.
Junpei curls his fingers tight. There's no way Sukuna would let something happen to you. He needs you alive. A pulsing crimson glow ignites from Junpei's fist. He has to go back for you. He owes you that much after everything you've done for him.
The sound of a car door closing breaks the silence. Across the street sits a black car that definitely wasn't there when they arrived, and it looks as if someone is getting out. They must be with the other people he saw inside the park.
A short girl with high blonde pigtails turns in Junpei's direction. He ducks low, peering between the cracks where two dumpsters meet. Did she hear him? He holds his breath just to be sure, inhaling the salty, sweet stench of carnival garbage.
The girl turns back around and opens the rear door of the vehicle. At first it looks as if she's pulling out a shotgun from the backseat, but upon closer inspection, he decides it looks more like a broom instead.
He waits for her to seat herself on the lid of the trunk, no doubt waiting for a signal from the people inside to pull the car around to collect your body.
There's no way in hell he's allowing that to happen.
Momo sighs, kicking her feet in the air.
"Stupid fog," she mutters while casting a scowl overhead.
Manipulating her broom only a few feet off the ground, she twirls it in a lazy sweeping circle, swirling together a pile of leaves. What could be taking Mai and Todo so long? In weather like this, her main advantage to her team is useless. Without altitude on her side, she's unable to scout the enemy on the ground for her teammates. What if they end up needing her?
Those weren't any normal humans she saw trespassing. She's positive she sensed the energy of at least one powerful curse user, but Mai was adamant that she and Todo could handle it without a problem and insisted Momo stay behind out of harm's way until the fog lifts. She reminds herself it's because her partners care about her safety, not because they find her to be useless in times like these. Though it would be easier if Mai was a tad nicer about how she worded it. Everyone has been at each other's throats these days. Momo sighs again. Maybe after this mission is over they can catch a break for a while.
Snap!
What was that? It sounded like a twig breaking underfoot.
"Hello?"
Her hands tighten around her broomstick, holding it closer to her chest. No one replies, but she still can't shake the feeling that she's being watched. Another chill runs up her spine.
From her radio receiver, a message blares loudly.
"Deadshot Mai to Momo. We're ready for pickup. Meet us in the parking lot. Over."
"Thank God!" she heaves with relief, fumbling with the car keys.
"Sorry," a hushed voice whispers over her shoulder.
THWAAKK
"AH–!"
Before Momo can react, someone shoves her abruptly from behind, slamming her head hard against the car window.
A pair of trembling hands reach for her unconscious body.
"YEAH! What a shot! Did you see that?"
"Fucking hell, Mai! You were only supposed to wound it." Todo hisses in disbelief.
"Hmp. Looks pretty wounded to me. You saw its face didn't you? That was Sukuna's vessel! Can't be too careful when it comes to Special Grades."
"Still…" he lets his words hang.
They step out from behind the Ring Toss stand, surveying the area to make sure it's clear then approach the gorey scene ahead where your body lays face down.
"What happened to the second guy?" Todo asks. He looks around, seeing no sign of whoever it was.
"Probably ran off but he wasn't our target. Lucky for him."
Mai isn't concerned. Her real prize is your lovely carcass.
God what an excellent shot! And from one of her longest ranges yet, it's definitely going to make sorcerer history. The shot that snuffed out Ryomen Sukuna.
Todo is less celebratory.
"What the hell are you smiling for? This is going to be so much more damn work tonight." He nudges one of your black boots.
"Are we sure it's dead?"
"Uhh, well, do you see there in the middle of the neck where there's pavement visible? Pretty sure that's a critical hit. Or maybe you'd like to check for a pulse to be sure?"
He pauses, sucking his teeth pityingly. Considering the promise he made to Itadori, this is an awful outcome for you. Todo swore that he wouldn't end your life or bring you any harm if he could avoid it. At least he stayed true to his word, but this….This feels terrible nonetheless. Yuji is going to be heartbroken when he finds out. He'll have to come up with the proper sentiments to break the news to his best friend.
Aoi Todo kneels to assess your body. You haven't moved a muscle since collapsing. With one hand he takes your shoulder and slowly flips you onto your back. Your head flops sharply at an angle, grinding what's left of your vertebrae together.
"Ugh!"
He covers his mouth to keep from retching from the smell. Your blood is strangely dark, and although he can see your jugular vein hanging in shreds, nothing is coming up.
"There's no heartbeat," Todo announces.
"See? What did I tell you? I don't miss," Mai crows.
"You blew right through bones and everything. What the fuck did you shoot it with?"
She opens her gun, popping out two shimmering bullets.
"One of these beauties: Platinum Arias. They're made from melted statues of the Amida Buddha. Blessed twice to be sure to have any cursed spirit singing their swan's song. This gross thing isn't getting up."
Her partner frowns. "Seems a bit overkill…"
"Since when did you get so soft? Just be ready to toss it into the trunk. I'll radio Momo again. She should be up front by now." Holstering her weapon, Mai switches on her walkie again.
"Momo, where are you? Come help us with this mess. Do you read me? Over!"
There's nothing but dead air over the radio. That's odd. Where the hell is she? The sooner they get this corpse back to campus, the sooner Mai can start flaunting this over her lousy sister, so what's the hold up?
"Todo, go see what's keeping her. Be quick about it. We don't want this thing stinking up the car any more than necessary."
The third year sorcerer doesn't argue but gives her a contemptuous look. Mai has always been a terribly sore loser and an even worse sore winner. He already knows she's going to be insufferable on the whole ride back, and probably lord it over him for months if not years to come. He heads to the park exit, eager for a break from her swelling ego.
Once alone Mai kicks your ribs for no reason, still exuberant from her kill. She twirls in a gleeful little circle.
"Got you! Haha! Oh, things are gonna start looking up for me now. I can feel it! No more curse duty, I'm going to be making bank as a special case sorcerer by requests only. Maybe I can even get a flat rate for my pay…plus bonuses for incidentals. A girl's gotta eat, you know?"
Your corpse doesn't reply to her. Your dull gaze is pointed straight up to the stars.
"Nothing to say? You had every Jujutsu sorcerer in Japan working their asses off to find you for over a year. I don't see what the fuss was all about, to tell you the truth. All curses die like dogs, and you're no different. ''
She frowns, bending over to get a good look at your mangled face. You're a mess of bloody shreds and bone fragments. One of your eyes has drooped closed, and your mouth…Your mouth is simply gone, your lower jaw missing entirely. A few of your teeth lay on the pavement next to you, scattered with crushed stale popcorn and torn pink prize tickets.
"Pitiful," she sighs. There is something almost disappointing in this kill. She was expecting more of a resistance from you, but the bullet took all the fun out it seems.
A glint of something on your neck suddenly catches her eye. The gold woven chain you always wear sits unbroken at the base of your fatal wound, shining through your blood.
"What have you got there?"
She reaches for it, finding the metal much heavier than she assumed it would be. It must be real gold. There's no reason to let something this fine go to waste. She stoops to both knees, twisting the clasp around to the front. Easier said than done with the way your head is lying. She shoves it back, snapping another tendon roughly with the movement.
With her attention focused elsewhere, Mai doesn't notice Sukuna's eyes beneath your own steadily blinking open.
No outside sounds reach you. No light reaches you. The roughness of the pavement beneath your skin doesn't even register its abrasion.
But there is a voice calling your name from inside your head, begging your consciousness to return.
"Please, wake up. Wake up!"
Sukuna? That's right. He returned to your body just before…Before something awful. The memory is broken into bits, you're in too much shock to piece them all together.
"What…happened?"
"Jujutsu sorcerers. They've injured your body, and they're still close."
"What about Junpei? Where is he? Did he get away?" you ask frantically.
Sukuna pauses slightly before responding with reluctance.
"I don't know. I'm sorry."
Your panic intensifies at the thought of something happening to your friend. You promised to keep him safe. He's probably scared and running for his life all alone in the dark.
"We have to find him! They'll kill him! And exorcize him so we can't bring him back!"
"You're too injured to move…We can't get up yet."
"I thought you were supposed to be invincible! Why isn't my stupid body healing? What's wrong?!" you demand.
"Whatever that Jujutsu witch shot us with is slowing me down. The damned thing must have been imbued with sacred energy. I'm doing what I can, but you're mending slowly."
How could you have let this happen? You should have kept your guard up. Why did you think you could have a single night off? Why were you even trying to celebrate your birthday? What a stupid mistake. They'll find your friend. Junpei can't hide from sorcerers on his own. With barely any training on how to use his abilities, there's no way he can defend himself against them. He's going to die again because of your selfishness. He'll die alone and frightened.
"Stop it. Don't let your thoughts go dark," the voice in your head scolds gently.
"Ryomen…Ryomen, I'm scared."
Your voice is so small, too defeated to muster above a whimper.
A warm vibrating tingle slowly begins to cascade over your body, bringing feeling back to your fingers and hands. There's a tickling sensation as the skin on the back of your neck threads itself back together, bit by bit.
"Don't be," he whispers softly.
"Ugh! Finally."
Mai holds up the gold chain, scrutinizing it in the dark. She wipes off the gore with the sleeve of her jacket, reminiscing on the ancient tradition of wearing the blood of your enemies to gain their power and wondering if there may be any truth in that. With a shrug, she unclips the clasp and wraps it into place around her neck.
There's no suppressing her triumphant grin now. What the hell? No one else around will see if she celebrates a little. She giggles and pumps both fists in the air jubilantly, twirling around on the toes of her boots.
"Huh?" She stops short, pausing her happy dance as she realizes–
You've stood up.
"Oh!" she gasps in shock.
Although Sukuna has managed to get you onto your feet again, you're a far cry from being okay. In fact, you look like death. Only a few scraps of skin flap loosely along the sides of your neck. With your upper vertebrae missing, there's nothing to support the weight of your head. He's forced to physically hold it upright in the palm of your hand. Your thumb squishes into the roof of your mouth. You can feel smooth pits from where you're missing teeth.
"No…No, no, no. Go back to being dead, you fucking monster!" Mai unholsters her weapon. Although you're a much closer target this time, her hands are shaking too much to keep you in her sights.
Sukuna turns your head toward her, locking eyes in the dark. A bitter smell fills your nose. For a moment you wonder if it might be gun smoke, but it's been too long since her last shot. You must be smelling her fear. How enticing…
You can still feel the chill of the breeze through your wound at the base of your skull. Fortunately there is no pain, but you're not in any condition to try flying away yet. And you still have to find Junpei too. There's no way you're leaving without your friend.
But first things first…
You straighten your stance, squaring your shoulders, and stick out your forefinger at the sorcerer in front of you, mimicking her with your thumb pointed up to make your hand resemble her gun.
"Huh?" She almost laughs at the gesture. Are you mocking her? What are you gonna do with a finger?
Then she recalls Sukuna's power was contained to his fingers. What if you're still strong enough to fight?
Her heart hammers in her chest. Shoot it! Shoot it! she screams silently, but another thought hits her. One that makes her stomach drop.
She took two bullets out of her revolver earlier to show them to Todo. Which means she only has three left.
But what chamber are they in?! There's only a fifty percent chance she can hit you again, even from this close. And if she misses and you're not bluffing…what then?!
Damnit! I'm screwed! Mai dreads.
Your eyes squint at the corners, glowing like burning embers as you smile cruelly at this brave sorcerer girl who dared to crash your party.
"Don't…move," she orders through her clenched teeth.
Sukuna jerks your shoulders slightly in a laughing gesture, still aiming your finger right back at her. Her terror is mounting by the second, and he's the only Curse in the vicinity to feed off of it. Your wound begins to close faster. Bones and muscle begin to reform.
"Stop that! I'll give you three seconds to get back on the ground!" she screams, trying to sound as assertive as possible, as if there's no way in hell the pull of her trigger might possibly fail her.
She feels like throwing up.
"One!"
She blinks and suddenly your hand has moved. You're now pointing your finger at your temple. What the hell? Why are you playing games?
"Two!" she continues.
Something cold touches the side of Mai's head.
"Huh?!"
Her hand had come up on its own accord, aiming the barrel of her gun at her head to mirror you.
How…How did that happen? Did you make her do that?
She looks into your eyes again, those terrible smiling eyes. Your tongue hangs limply from the cavern of your ripped jaw.
Sukuna's mouth manifests on the side of your bloody face, grinning with pure malice. He laughs maliciously at her plight.
"Three."
Mai's finger pulls the trigger. She hears a click followed by a deafening explosion.
As soon as he realized the car wasn't where they left it, Todo knew there was something wrong. There's no reason for Momo to go anywhere until they called for her, and she would have responded before doing so.
"Momo? Hey, Momo-chan!" he shouts down the empty street, straining to hear any response unsuccessfully.
Shit…
He takes a lap around the block, calling for her but hearing nothing to indicate where she got off to. What the hell is he supposed to do now? Ending right where he began at the park entrance, Todo turns to head back inside. Maybe she radioed back to Mai by now.
Or not…
Whoever they saw accompanying Sukuna's vessel is most likely still in the area. Maybe he would prove to be a bigger problem than they thought.
The third year sorcerer quickens his pace, retracing his steps back toward the rising filigree spire of the carousel he remembers passing.
There! Ahead he sees the ring toss stand where Mai took her shot earlier and–
And her body lying on the ground.
"Mai!"
He rushes to check on her, finding no injury and noting that her revolver is still in her grip. She's unresponsive but otherwise seems to be okay. At least she's still breathing, but what the hell happened to her?
Todo then notices that the body of Sukuna's vessel is nowhere to be seen.
Having no other choice, he reaches for his partner's radio. He presses the receiver.
"This is Aoi Todo. Location is Asakusa district, Taito. I'm requesting backup immediately for the pickup of at least one downed teammate. Second teammate is unaccounted for. Repeating, Momo Nishimiya is currently missing in action along with the car."
After a few seconds of pensive silence, he can find no other words to say what he must.
Forgive me, Itadori…
He clicks the receiver again.
"We found Sukuna's vessel. You'd better hurry."
You're struggling to breathe. The disgusting, wet rasping rattle of your windpipe sucking from the open air is sickening you. The fog has sunk lower, settling through the park and turning it into a ghastly labyrinth for you to navigate your way through. There's still no sign of Junpei anywhere.
After your standoff, you left Mai's body sprawled on the ground, out cold but still alive. Her only salvation was the empty chamber that clicked into place as the hammer of her gun fell. The explosion she heard was supplied by her own worst fears, amplified and manifested by Sukuna.
"Lucky little bitch. You should have let me finish her off," he rasps from your cheek.
I'd rather find Junpei than waste any more time, you think silently. A lie and a pitiful excuse, but your Curse doesn't address it.
Your gunshot wound is finally sealed in the back, but your throat is still a gaping horrorshow. How are you supposed to find your friend? You can't call for him, not that you would anyway with sorcerers out here. Even flying low is out of the question without risking being seen by them from the ground.
Where could Junpei be? Each ride station, food cart and game stand is a potential hiding place. You can't possibly check them all. He could be anywhere. Unless you're already too late…
The sound of footsteps coming from your right catches your attention. A figure steadily comes clearer through the fog. You hold your breath to silence the awful sounds coming from your throat.
Junpei?
"So we meet at last, vessel of Sukuna," an unfamiliar voice greets you, sending all of your hopes crashing.
You were wrong. It's another sorcerer. And a big one at that. He's one of the most enormous men you've ever seen! His chest is bare, revealing a hardened row of rock hard muscle, and his dark hair is swept back tight out of his face. The set of his features is grave.
"I know your human name already, but we've never officially met before. Allow me to introduce myself."
He grabs the lowest hanging ride car of the Zipper, yanking it off its bearings and heaving it directly at you. You dodge it but just barely, the breeze of its bulk whizzes by much too close for your comfort. This guy is strong. It doesn't look as if he's using any weapons either. You assume he probably doesn't need them.
His rippling muscles flex as he takes a fighting stance in anticipation. He's been waiting for far too long for this match originally promised to him over a year ago. You'd been spared from your executioner without ever meeting him face to face.
"I'm Aoi Todo, third year Jujutsu Sorcerer. The last opponent you'll ever face."
On the other side of the park, in the tiny silver trailer of a shaved ice cart, Mai Zenin jerks awake with a sharp gasp. She stares up at a metal frosted ceiling in shock and confusion. What the hell is she doing here? She and Todo entered the park after receiving Momo's last call, distinctly remembering the urgency in her voice when describing the facial markings of one of the intruders she saw inside.
They found the target, and she took it down.
No…It got back up! And then–
She slowly reaches up to touch the side of her face but finds no blood. Relief washes over her when she realizes she's unharmed.
"Huh? Hey!"
Patting down her neck, she finds herself one gold chain poorer than she was earlier.
She heaves a disappointed and disgusted sigh. You must have taken it back.
"Goddammit!"
Fuck, it's so cold! Someone had propped her body up on several enormous blocks of ice. She picks up a uniform jacket draped over her body, a very large jacket.
"Todo!" she snarls.
That asshole must have left her here and gone after Sukuna's vessel on his own. As if she'd let him take all the glory for himself! After a brief search she realizes he also took her radio… but thankfully not her gun.
The door handle is locked when she tries it. Howling with all of her fury she kicks it uselessly with the heel of her boot then pounds with both fists.
"You motherfucker! Let me out of here!"
In a blind rage, she unholsters her weapon and aims it at the lock.
BOOM!
It blows apart, allowing her to kick the rest of her way through the splintering wood. Now, where the hell did that enormous jerk go? He must be tracking Sukuna's energy through this shitty fog.
A thunderous crash in the distance alerts her. Ha! That must be him! No one makes a racket quite like Todo. She takes off in the direction of the noise, flipping open the barrel of her revolver to reload it as she sprints.
"Todo, you asshole! Don't you dare finish the job before I get there!"
The sorcerer before you makes no sudden moves to rush in. He has to be careful considering you took out his partner when they were both thoroughly convinced you were dead. He isn't making any rash decisions. At least the damage Mai inflicted seems to still be affecting you. You're hell to look at with only half your face.
"You're a tough one to find. Hundreds of sorcerers busting their asses nonstop looking for the incarnation of Sukuna just for us to find you here." He pauses, looking around to re-evaluate your strange surroundings.
"By the way, why exactly are you here? It's an oddly cheerful place for a curse to be hanging out. I thought your kind only feeds off the misery of humans."
A low rumble in your chest causes more of your dark blood to bubble up through the hole in your throat. This guy is seriously pissing you off by addressing you as a curse.
The sorcerer smirks. "Ah. Right. You're probably not in the mood for small talk right now. That's just fine with me. There's no need to make a spectacle. We should make this quick before everyone else gets here."
With your cursed energy still being sluggish to heal your injury, you have several doubts. The last sorcerer had only been defeated because she psyched herself out. By facing you with her guard down, her own worst fears became her undoing.
Todo looks like he's taking his job much more seriously.
Inwardly, you address your Curse.
"Sukuna, can we fight right now?"
"What other choice do we have?" he answers darkly.
The hulking sorcerer takes his fighting stance with both hands brought up to his center. He vows to make this as quick and painless as possible for you. A mercy killing, an end to your suffering non-human life. He's resigned to beg for Itadori's forgiveness, though he doubts he will ever earn it.
"Come on then. Let us get this ugliness over with," he heaves.
He charges, moving much faster than you were anticipating for a man of his size. You'd paused your healing in preparation to defend yourself, but his speed catches you by surprise and he lands the first blow.
WHAMM!
An enormous fist slams into your chest, thoroughly shattering your ribcage. There's a crackle of your bones snapping from the impact, but thankfully no actual pain. The force however knocks you off your feet. You're sent hurtling back into the barrier surrounding the ferris wheel.
With a groan, you shake your head to clear your vision. Todo is coming at you again, giving you no time to recover physically.
"Get off the ground! He's too quick for us while we're injured," Sukuna urges.
You run to the wheel, reach for the rim of the lowest spoke and haul yourself up onto the brightly colored roof of one of the cabs. Your chest is numb, but luckily you're able to leap up to the next car, climbing higher into the air away from your pursuer. Sukuna's energy is flooding your system, straining to repair yourself even at reduced pace so you can focus on fighting back instead of fleeing. The cabs sway precariously beneath your weight as you land. Someone as big as Todo should have difficulty with this.
However the crashes below tell you that he's still following suit. He doesn't sound slowed down at all. Fuck, this guy is agile!
"We can make this as difficult as you'd like. Though it's easier on us all if you just hold still!" He swings again, aiming this time for the underside of the car where you're standing.
Using the unexpected boost to launch yourself, you reach forward and–
Grab nothing! Your hand closes in the empty air. You watch the cab where you were only a second ago fly rocketing off its hinges from the sorcerer's punch, leaving you nothing to grasp in its place.
"Wha- Hey!" you blurt while readjusting your landing to hold onto the outermost rim instead.
Did you somehow fall lower without realizing it? How the hell did that happen? More importantly, where is Todo? You don't hear him under you anymore. Did he fall without you hearing it?
"Above!" Sukuna shouts just in time for you to jerk your head.
Todo is descending upon you with both arms pulled back, preparing another direct hit. You swing your legs forward and release your hold to propel yourself further inside the structure.
CRRASSSHH!
There's an explosion of metal as the sorcerer strikes the spot where you just were. Finding your footing, you leap toward the axle at the center– and miss your hold again! Bits of falling steel rain down around you. You're back at the outer rim, scrambling for a grip on its teetering edge and barely hanging on.
Todo lands on the center axle of the ferris wheel. "Interesting choice of terrain! But if it's your last request, I can certainly honor it."
You're at the end of your wits.
"How the hell did he do that? He's able to switch our places somehow!"
"Damned pain in the ass sorcerers! Such fucking pests! Allow me to deal with them my way and let us be done with this nuisance!" Sukuna demands. Running from a challenge has never been his style.
"No! Don't kill him!"
"Idiot! Do you think he's playing? Sorcerers aren't going to hold back, so why should we?" he argues, flipping your body over the shaking frame to stand upright.
Your Curse pools his energy into your fist, fully sick of this encounter. He wants nothing more than to teach this cocky sorcerer a hard lesson.
"When he's dead, we can find your precious Junpei, but he isn't going to let you look in the meantime. I thought you were worried about your little friend? Or maybe you don't care if they've already re-killed him. I'm sure they have by now."
He's taunting you, bargaining to get his way. You can sense how he longs to spill Todo's blood, to lick it from your palms after tearing his chest open and scraping out soft organs. The full violent fantasy is playing for you to see in detail.
"I said NO! Find another way! You hear me?!" you scream resolutely.
You can feel your features twisting with Sukuna's growing rage. You're not giving him very many options to keep you safe.
"What are you trying to prove by letting them live?! That you're better than they are? You are infinitely superior! No sorcerer could ever hope to hold a candle against your true power. Let them see it! They should perish for the trespass of merely challenging you!" he roars inside your head.
"No more dead sorcerers! Please…I'm begging you."
The horrid image you see contorts, combining with your own memory until it's no longer Todo's body lying lifeless beneath you.
Sukuna's outrage falls silent. He's aware of the wounds that even he cannot heal.
"You seem distracted. Am I not worth your full focus?" Todo calls from his place at the center of the ferris wheel, still unsure why you haven't gone on the offensive yet.
He scowls contemptuously. "Do you…think I'm a waste of your time?!"
The way Itadori pleaded for you to be spared led Todo to believe you'd at least be worthwhile in combat. He'd never think his best friend would have such strong feelings for someone who wouldn't even defend themself. Launching himself at you once more, Todo finally allows his cursed energy to engulf his entire body. He's put this off long enough. If you aren't going to fight back, then you really are asking to be put out of your misery.
"You're a huge disappointment," he sneers.
When his fist fires forward you meet the brunt of his assault with your cursed energy igniting forth at last.
"Finally found your will to live, you wretched thing? Then let's see it!" Todo shouts while swinging with his opposite fist. He doubles his energy, ready to at last test his strength against a vessel of Sukuna.
It's all you can do to block the heavy blows raining down on you, allowing yourself to slip down the rungs of metal under Todo's assault. He's a force of nature, relentless in his attack, and it becomes abundantly clear what his ultimate intentions are.
You haul your fist back, swinging with all the might your desperation affords you to land a solid uppercut. Todo's head rocks back as he stumbles back on the swinging cab roof, but he immediately recovers with an incensed smirk and redoubles his efforts, fist hurtling for you and colliding with your own, both alight with your cursed energy. The force of impact blows you both away from the other, sending you tumbling down the final levels of the ferris wheel. Your wings snap out, flaring to slow your momentum.
Flapping to stay aloft, you refuse to take your sharp glare from Todo as he stumbles to his feet. Your opponent's head cocks to the side. Even from this distance, he can see the cloak of black feathers behind you.
"So the rumors were true after all…You actually absorbed a shikigami," he mutters.
His hesitation speaks volumes.
He's recalculating his odds.
You set your sights for the top cab of the ferris wheel, then take off with one powerful stroke of your wings.
Your opponent won't be deterred. He follows you, kicking off from the remaining broken beams of the rim.
"Not so fast!"
His hands come together to activate his cursed technique. As you reach the crest, he switches your places once again.
Your wings spread open to their full extent, keeping you in the air as the sorcerer grips a steel beam to hang onto the top cab. He has all of three seconds to wonder why you're staying low until he hears the ear-splitting creak of the wheel being lifted.
Using all of your physical strength, you rip the structure from its support frame. It groans in lifeless complaint as it bends then snaps. He has to hold tightly with both hands as he's hoisted through the air. You throw it like a discus, whipping it around fully before releasing your hold.
CREEAAAA-BOOOM!
The ferris wheel flies, hurtling across the park in an explosion of metal and sparks as it crashes to a skidding stop. More game stands and snack carts are obliterated, clearing a distinct skid in the concrete and scoring the earth.
Unable to fly any higher than the fog allows, you're forced to land. Surely that was enough to disable the bastard at least temporarily. You're exhausted, your legs fairly shaking.
Approaching the remnants of the bent and twisted ride, you listen carefully for Todo. You nearly breathe a sigh of relief until his lumbering form rises up from the wreckage. Dripping blood from his temple as well as various cuts to his arms and chest, he's visibly injured, but not nearly enough.
"Goddammit! What does it take to stop this asshole?!"
"You should let me take over. Let me have him!" Sukuna insists again.
You don't respond. You're not ready to face that possibility yet. There has to be a way to immobilize him somehow that won't also kill him.
Todo kicks his way out of the wreckage, looking more than a little pissed off.
"Well, I must say this has been the most fun I've had at an amusement park in years…But we've dragged on a bit too long for my liking. It's time to end this." he grunts as he wipes the blood from his face.
The screeching of car tires stops you both in your tracks.
"Finally! Where the hell has she been?" Todo grabs the radio receiver from his pocket while wiping away the blood dripping into his eyes.
"Momo-chan! We're just below the roller coaster. Keep driving straight, you'll see us."
There's no response, but the headlights of the car turn and bear straight ahead, blinding you both. The engine of the car roars louder as it picks up speed, rocketing at full speed.
"Coming in a little fast aren't you? Slow it down!" Todo hollers into the silent radio receiver.
RRrrRRRRRR!
You flare your wings and kick off the ground just as the black car comes ripping through the fog. Todo isn't so fortunate. The grill smashes into his body and he flips over the hood. His bulk slams against the pavement, and he makes no further movement.
What the fuck?!
CRAASSHH!
In the blinding thickness of the fog, whoever is behind the wheel had no way of avoiding impact with the hulking mass of the pendulous Pirate Ship ride. You're still piecing together what exactly happened when the driver door opens and someone comes staggering out.
Junpei!
You land in front of him and throw your arms around his neck, overwhelmed that he's unharmed. Pulling his forehead to yours with a hard thunk, you express your happiness the only way you possibly can right now.
"It's good to see you too!" He hugs you back shakily, taking a moment to look you over. Briefly he touches what's left of your cheek, wincing as he does so.
"Here. I picked this up…Um, it's yours."
He reaches into his pocket then puts something in your hand. Something sticky and sharp. But also smooth?
Oh. It's your lower jaw.
Well, that's an embarrassing thing to lose.
You hold it in place, letting Sukuna's healing take over and stitch it back together. Giving your mouth a tentative stretch, you try smiling.
"Thanks…"
Your voice doesn't sound right, there's too much loose blood in your throat. Speaking only makes you cough and choke.
"Are you in any pain?" he asks.
You shake your head, directing your thoughts inward to Sukuna.
"We have to get out of here. Soon this place is going to be crawling with even more sorcerers than we can handle."
Junpei opens the driver's side door, leaning in to check on his unfortunate passenger. The sorcerer girl he knocked out earlier is still slumped over in the passenger's seat, buckled safely and cushioned by the airbags during the crash. She moans lightly when he pokes her shoulder. Good, she's fine more or less. It's just as well to leave the car behind anyway, there's no way the two of you can drive in this fog. He was only able to navigate by following the instructions blaring from the girl's walkie and following the crashing booms of your fight with Todo.
Ruefully he looks back at the man he drove into. He feels sick, in complete disbelief that he could do such a horrible thing. When he heard over the radio receiver that you were alive, there was nothing else on his mind except getting to you. His foot was slammed all the way to the floorboard when he collided with the sorcerer. The sound of his body tumbling overhead replays on a horrific loop.
You grab Junpei's arm, urging him to look away from the body. There's no time for the boy to get caught up in his thoughts.
BOOM!
The driver's side door glass explodes in a million shards. You turn around to find the sorcerer girl from earlier has finally recovered, though shaking from exhaustion and fury made it difficult for her to hit the mark.
She's already preparing her next shot.
"No more Russian Roulette. I threw in extra just for you!" she screams
.
.
.
To Be Continued…