Chapter 25

Yua went to check on the children, apparently they have yet to leave Sukuna's side. After all, she found all four of them resting under a tree. However, she caught one of Sukuna's eyes opening. He smiled to her oddly enough. "You can't fool me, you're not asleep." She said gently.

"I never could fool you," Sukuna said as his eyes opened. But he peered down at the children. "So, who married the six eyes?" he asked offhandedly. "I know he must have married a Tooru, but who trusted him? I thought the three great families were not to be approached let alone accept proposals from unless they proved themselves."

She… had no idea about that.

"We made an exception to the rule. Satoru is a good man."

He nodded but looked to the children again. "When do you think it will be our turn?" he asked. "A family of our own is something you have wanted ever since we became a couple."

At this point, she was trying not to throw up in her mouth a little. "Ah… in due time… you know how hard child birth is for a Tooru right?"

"Goes without saying…" Sukuna paused oddly. "This doesn't feel right to me. Nothing looks the same, it doesn't feel the same either." He peered at her oddly. "Chusi… what's really going on?"

Despite his mind regressing, he knows when something is off.

She sighed to him. "I can tell you, but at the same time… I don't know if it will help or hurt you." She said gently.

"YUA!"

She turned as Gojo snatched her into his arms.

"Satoru… not now!" she said through gritted teeth.

"Hand off!" Sukuna growled. "Don't make me fight you!"

Gojo released her, however he wasn't sure how to proceed.

Yua turned to Sukuna once more. "I have told you time and time again that I am not Chusi, but you don't believe me. Why is that?"

He paused oddly. "But… you are… you look just like her!"

"I look just like her, but do I act like her too?" she asked. "Has Chusi ever refused a kiss from you before?"

He paused oddly. Suddenly, he began to think, he shook his head from the notion but then, he started to look very confused. "If you aren't then… who are you?"

Yua took a seat. She has to do this very carefully, or she may trigger something else. "Satoru, take the children, I'm going to speak with him."

He did so despite the children protesting and crying.

"Are you sure about this?" Gojo whispered.

She nodded to him.

He excused himself, leaving Yua and Sukuna alone.

It was strange to see such a confused and scared look on his face, and yet, in his eyes, she could tell he knew this wasn't right either. "What is the last thing you can remember?" she asked gently.

He paused to consider it, he couldn't recall much but, he remembered a voice saying 'Step back and remember who you are'. "When I woke again, you were calling me Uba of all names… is that a new nickname for me or something?"

She forced a smile. "Something like that. But, Sukuna, what do you remember of the Tooru family?"

He smiled. "Everything! They taught me so much, Mother Tooru is an excellent teacher. She helped me find my technique, as well as polish it. I am really good at breaking stuff down. I can cut down a whole deer in seconds!" he said proudly.

"Anything else?"

He paused. "Well, Mother Tooru always made me a bath… she did make the best ones. It was always calm and relaxing to me, when I train a lot I get headaches, but after a bath I felt much better…"

"Mother Tooru was my ancestor… over a thousand years ago." Yua said gently.

His smile… vanished.

"What."

"She was my ancestor, over a thousand years ago… Sukuna, she is no longer with us."

Never in her life, did she ever think she would see a look of devastation on his face. He was stunned, shocked beyond belief to the news. "Mother Tooru… is gone?"

She nodded her head gently. "When I told you my name was Yua, you didn't believe me. I am being truthful to you now. My name is Yua Tooru… I'm the last of my clan."

The devastation struck him again. He shook his head to the notion. "No, that's not possible! The Toorus are strong and powerful sorcerers, they cannot have fallen…"

She nodded to him.

"Was it… did the emperor…"

"He was part of it, however not the one pulling the strings. Does a sorcerer named Kenjaku sound familiar to you?"

He turned his head away.

Did he know of Kenjaku before he went insane?

"I've only heard of him through others, they spoke highly of him, and yet, Mother Tooru was disgusted when she heard his name. I remember he took over a Tooru once before, Mother Tooru was quick to put an end to that however… that one died because of him."

"Anything else?" she asked gently.

Sukuna shook his head no.

"All I know is, Mother Tooru told me to be watchful of the sorcerer with two energies. He had a muddy feel to him… that was him earlier, wasn't it? The one I said who was disgusting?"

"Yes, that was him, after he struck you with a dart. It wasn't poison, but it did affect you. Making you…" she paused.

"Making me what?" he asked.

Yua sighed. "This isn't how you act anymore." She said gently. "Sukuna…"

"Ryomen" he said defiantly. "No Tooru has ever called me Sukuna… it's Ryomen,"

She nodded. "Ryomen… a lot has happened between what you remember and now. At the same time, if we try to remind you or dredge up your past too much too soon, I worry you will not be able to cope with it. For the time being, we are going to take it slowly, and we will try to explain everything that has happened. But for the moment…" her hand surged. She constructed a binding vow then and there and reached out her hand. "I swear to you, when you are ready we will speak about what happened. If I were to misled or lie to you, I will be painfully punished!" she decreed.

"Why go through all that?!" he demanded.

"So you know it's the utmost truth. If I were to lie to you, it will not be in your best interests. This way, you know it is."

He was hesitant, but eventually he agreed and took the binding vow.

"Then… how did Mother Tooru die?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, that I don't know. I wish I knew too, she sounded too strong to be taken down by conventional means." She said.

Sukuna nodded.

"YUA!"

She turned and saw Ryusan approach. "I have a solution…"

Yua put up her hand to silence her. "Thank you but… I think we are going to go a different route. I've already spoken with Ryomen, we are going to take this very, very slowly."

She was stunned. "But I…"

"Thank you, but we can't do that to him." Yua said gently.

Ryusan was stunned, however, she nodded to Yua's choice. "How is he?"

"Confused… and heartbroken."

"Uh… can we get something to eat?" Sukuna asked gently. "I don't think I've had anything in a while."

"Of course, let me reintroduce this place for you, we have changed a lot and for the better." Yua explained.