Chapter 13

'I feel ridiculous…'

It was the main thought he had going through his head. The idea of training is sitting among vegetables… of course he has stooped this low to gain power.

He has been sitting there for twenty minutes but nothing appears to be working.

"Mind if I join you?"

He opened his lower right eye and saw her. He sneered but nodded.

Yua took a seat across from him. "So, elemental huh?"

"Be silent,"

"Ooo cranky today too it seem?" she said and snickered. "That or you are just frustrated…"

He said nothing and tried to focus. His eyes closed once more, he could feel the earth under him and yet, why doesn't he feel its power? Why can't he figure this out?!

'If the brat's brat can do this, so can I!' he thought with great determination.

As he tried to focus, he once more found nothing to be found, to be extracted from the earth or given to him in power. When he opened his eyes, he sneered as Yua still sat across from him. "That was barely five minutes," she said bluntly.

"Tsk, why are you here?"

Yua shrugged her shoulders. "Considering the assistance you gave me when I had no limbs, I figured I could try and help you with this. Granted, I am not too familiar with elementals. At the same time, two heads are better than one, are they not?"

He said nothing but nodded in agreement.

"I think you need to alter your perspective," Yua said gently. "Instead of thinking about what you are taking from the earth, have you considered what the earth does and how it relates to you?"

It was a strange notion to consider, but then again. Humans have associated themselves to certain elements, sorcerers too. Some of them, their technique derives from elemental power. Kashimo is a good example for he harnessed lightning, could it be a similar process?

"But how am I like earth? Besides stubborn in my ways?"

Yua snickered. "See! You are already making a connection to it. Yes, earth is stubborn, it's hard to move, harder to use in your favor and if you push earth too far… you can cause a landslide and take out everything. But what else is earth? You're sitting in a vegetable garden for goodness sake!"

Sukuna peered about but knew he had no connection to the element in this manner. He reached down with his lower left hand, taking a fist full of dirt into it. "I am nothing like this," he said. "I am not nurturing, I do not feed the hungry nor provide them with the means of sustaining themselves. I do not offer a sturdy foot hold, nor am I a protector."

He paused as Yua stared at him, she appeared… almost amazed by what he said. "What?" he demanded.

"What you said just now. Despite the fact that you believe you don't have much in common with the element, you certainly understand it. And you are not even considering the combative power either. Hell, you aren't even thinking of the strength the earth has to offer. You are considering the softer side of this element, what good it does and how it supports all and not favor one."

Sukuna paused and nodded to it. "Which means, I will never obtain its power…"

"Okay, start talking, what's wrong?" she demanded of him.

Sukuna sighed with defeat. "I never learn do I…" he muttered to himself. "The brat's boy figured out something about me, something Kenjaku did to ensure that he covered his ass as the children say now a day. Apparently he had a plan in place if I had lost by curse energy. A curse placed upon me, which would not allow any new notion or ideas of obtaining power besides curse energy to be recalled or retained by me. I don't remember the battle with the curse wombs, I don't recall this snow war everyone speaks of that I had with the boy… nothing… was retained."

"Crafty bastard, I'll give him that…" Yua said with her arms folded. "Is it lifted?"

Sukuna nodded. "No doubt the brat lifting the curse on me would be considered a favor repaid… he owed me one. He did so with ease, at the same time…" he paused. "I don't think obtaining this power is within my reach."

Yua sat and listened to it all. She never snickered or mocked Sukuna for his situation, but she truly listened to what he had to say.

"Honestly, and this is coming from me… you are selling yourself short."

"What?"

"Sukuna, you have a squash of all things, named after you. That squash is treasured by the people here, your people, for how versatile it was. Just like you. It possessed many qualities that improved the lives of those around you. It fed your people." She decreed. "It what the earth does, it feeds the people. You would have made an instant connection in the past had you not fallen into madness. But that path has become more difficult since you have. Think about it, I think this is within your reach to obtain. You just have to try harder than others."

He was silent.

That's been happening to him a lot as of late. He is rendered silent, since, what has been said is true and yet. Can he truly consider it?

"Why help me?" he asked. "I shouldn't have power at all"

"Then why did Lady Tiamat offer it to you?"

She got him there, not even he understands the logic of a dragon goddess!

"We have all come to an odd agreement here in the domain. If lady Tiamat is willing to offer you power again, Sukuna, we won't stop you from obtaining it. Hell, we will even help you gain it if asked. She sees something that we don't. She knows something we have yet to understand. So, I rather be safe than sorry. If lady Tiamat has opened up your ability for elemental power, we will help you."

He snorted a sigh. "And if I can't obtain it?"

"We can try something else."

"Why?"

"Something to do," she replied and smiled. "I know it's not a simple thing for you to accomplish, trying to change your ways. Some days you do well. Other days you appear to fall into your old way of thinking… the fact remains, you're trying."

"Tsk, I don't need to be reminded every time!" he protested.

Yua snickered. She stood up and opted to leave. "Well, I am going to see this snow wars. If anything, since you don't recall what had happened the last time, face Kiyoshi again. You two appeared to have had fun, at the same time. Are you not watching an elemental sorcerer perfecting their craft?" she teased.

She took her leave shortly after that.

Despite the idea of playing in the snow is childish. She had a valid point. Kiyoshi is still learning his elemental ability, as such he can pick up on his queues and adapt them to his own needs.

Tomorrow, Sukuna thinks he is going to have to have a snow day…