Summary:
Suguru doesn't remember how he died or what kind of person he was before he died. He's thought about asking Yato, but there are far more pressing matters he must figure out first. Who is this white-haired man named Gojo Satoru, why does his heart ache whenever he sees him, and, most importantly, why is his dead body walking around?
In which Yato chose Geto instead of Yukine as his Shinki in episode 1, and everything is going fine until they see Geto's dead body living and breathing and chilling at a restaurant.
AN: Here are a few things to know in case you haven't read/watched Noragami:
-Yato is a God, a poor homeless one
-Gods can transform spirits of dead humans into weapons called "Shinki"
-Shinki don't remember their name, backstory, or how they died
-Telling Shinki their real name is strictly forbidden, that's why Gods gave them a new name
-Just like Curses, Shinki and Gods are "invisible" to the human eyes but some people can see them.
-In Noragami, they have invisible creatures called Ayakashi. In this fic, I've made it so Ayakashi and Curses are the same thing
-Gods are aware of sorcerers, but sorcerers are not aware of Gods
-Hiyori is a human girl who had a near-death experience and ever since then she can see Ayakashi/Curses and Gods and can separate her spirit/soul from her body
That's about all
Chapter 1 New Shinki
Cold beer tasted the best in the sweltering summer heat.
Yato thought as he sat before Tenjin's shrine and sipped his hard-earned beer, the only reward he got other than the promised 5 yen for fixing the drunk man's shower tap. Why he, a warrior God, born to slay humans and Ayakashi alike, had to be on his knees cranking the knob with a wrench in the house of someone he didn't know for only 5 yen—not 5 yen per hour, but 5 yen total, which couldn't even buy a pack of gum from the convenience store—was beyond him.
But what other choice did he have? As a poor God who didn't even have his own shrine to sleep in at night, who had no Shinki at all because goddamn Tomone decided to quit without letting him know in advance, which meant he didn't have time to find himself a new Shinki and now he was practically defenseless and if an Ayakashi were to attack him right now he'd be fucked!
Ahem, back on topic. As a poor, pitiful God whose only wish was maybe a few hundred shrines all across Japan and a few dozen female Shinki feeding him grapes and the likes everyday and massaging his shoulders as he watched them dance or something—which honestly wasn't that much to ask for, amirite?—he had no choice but to borrow another God's shrine to sleep in at night. The old bastard Tenjin had more than enough shrines littered all across Japan so it certainly wouldn't hurt to let Yato borrow one for the night, would it?
Yato threw the empty beer can behind him and winced when the sound of it rolling away grazed his ear.
"Sorry man," he murmured to Tenjin, wherever he may be, "I'll deal with it tomorrow. I'm–" he yawned "–so tired."
He climbed onto the offering box and made himself comfortable. The grate cover of the box had gaps fixed at an odd angle to allow the coins to slip down more easily and to also prevent anyone from stealing them. Good design, but bad for Yato's poor back.
He closed his eyes, thinking about the strange human girl he met not long ago as he willed himself to sleep.
I wonder if she got home alright… I need to tell her about her "tail"... The tail she had in her spirit form which she used to taunt Ayakashi… That isn't a tail… That's a…
Bzzz!
Yato jumped when his phone buzzed in his pocket.
"Huh, what is it, geez."
It was an incoming call from Hiyori. Speak of the devil.
He threw the phone behind him and went back to sleep before promptly sitting up and picking up the call because the phone just kept ringing.
Three seconds later, he appeared before Hiyori. He needed sleep, but he needed a Shinki more.
"You said you found me a Shinki?"
"Y-Yeah! How about this person?" Hiyori gestured behind her vaguely, finally drawing Yato's attention to the dark alley behind her. The darkness in the alley wasn't the shadow; it was a huge Ayakashi.
There was a momentary pause as he questioned reality, his sanity, and his soberness, before grabbing this stupid human girl and running for their life.
"You idiot! Ayakashi are made up of negative emotions! Only dead humans' Loose Spirits can become Shinki! How in the hell did that thing look like a Loose Spirit to you!?"
"B-But I thought you shouldn't judge people by their appearances!"
Great. He was not only defenseless, tired, kinda drunk, but also had to lug around this genius of a human girl who apparently had just dropped her physical body and was now running away with just her spirit. Wonderful.
This was going to be a long night.
There was no way they could get away from this unscathed.
Yato hid a grimace as he led Hiyori around another corner. His left hand which the Ayakashi bit down earlier was already infected with Blight, spreading a dark purplish red bruise-like thing across the back of his hand and up his wrist.
He could handle the pain since it wasn't his first time being Blighted. But untreated Blight could spread and cause him to degrade and eventually die, and he didn't know if he could lose the Ayakashi on their tail while keeping this human girl safe without a Shinki before the Blight consumed him.
He needed to find a Shinki. Any would do. A pure, untainted Loose Spirit would be his top option but he really didn't have the time to be picky right now. He hadn't even seen a single Loose Spirit for however long he and Hiyori had been running, so honestly at this point he'd take the first spirit he'd see. Even if it wasn't so pure, even if–
There was a vague shape of a person sitting with their back against the wall in the shadow of a corner, missing an arm and hunched over, hugging themselves as if trying to be as small as possible. Long black hair overflowed around them like a curtain protecting them from all outside interference. Their form had already begun regressing and resembled more like a human-shaped blob than a human.
Even through the hair gaps, Yato couldn't make out any facial features. It must have been at least a year since their death for them to regress to this stage. A few more years and they wouldn't even resemble a human anymore. After a dozen or so, they'd become no more than a fluff ball of light floating around.
"A man…in his twenties." Yato murmured, stopping in his tracks. "Didn't lead a sinless, pure life, but… full of regret…yearns for a second chance…"
An adult was preferable over a child, but a bad child was easier to control. A bad adult, on the other hand…
"Yato!?"
"I have no other options."
The Ayakashi was closing in on their heels, so Yato had to make this quick.
He jumped and landed on top of a lamppost, staring at the Loose Spirit and drawing its attention.
"Spirit you are lost and adrift, you have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to, thus I grant you a place to belong. My name is Yato." With two fingers, he began drawing the character for its new name into the space before him. "Bearing two names you shall remain here. With these names I make thee my servant. With my life I make thee a Shinki fit to be wielded by a god. Thou art Natsu. Thy Shinki art Ka. Come, Kakki!"
As he made the final stroke and completed the name, the Loose Spirit shot towards him in a beam of light and wrapped around his wrist, revealing its weapon form.
Shinki's weapon form came in all shapes and sizes. They could be actual weapons, clothings, accessories, and sometimes even animals. Those who were especially rare could retain their human form even when transformed.
This Shinki's weapon form turned out to be a bracelet made of black, round beads. The Loose Spirit's memories had begun filling Yato's head and if he didn't want to be distracted he needed to exorcize this Ayakashi quickly.
Yato had never used a Shinki whose weapon form wasn't some type of blade, the easiest type of weapon for him to slaughter humans and Ayakashi alike in the past. But the moment Kakki wrapped around his wrist, he instinctively knew what to do.
Flowing like a stream of water, the bracelet slipped from his wrist and the beads multiplied, extending into a length that could wrap around Yato's waist three times and still have enough left to dangle by his feet.
Yato gripped one connected end and hurled it forward, wrapping around the Ayakashi like how Bishamon would do with her whip and tightening his hold. The Ayakashi made a grating, inhumane sound as it struggled against the binding.
"Your desecration shall not be allowed in this land of the rising sun. Hear me for I am the Yato God. I now lay waste with Kakki and expel thy vast defilement. I cleanse thee!" Yato yanked on the bracelet, intent on severing the Ayakashi in half. "Rend!"
The expected explosion of light as a result of a successful exorcism didn't happen.
Instead, the Ayakashi began shrinking.
And as both Yato, who was experienced, and Hiyori, who was not, watched on with mirroring confusion, the Ayakashi shrank into a small black ball which then dissipated into a black mist and sank into the black beads.
"...Is that supposed to happen?" Hiyori asked.
Yato didn't answer. He heard the question, but it sounded like someone speaking to him as he was submerged in water. The Loose Spirit's memories which had settled in the back of his mind began to emerge to the surface of his consciousness, dragging him into an unfamiliar past full of despair and regret.
"It's fine. My cursed technique didn't make it in time, but he didn't hit any vital organs."
Satoru says after having a sword stab through his chest.
"We're the strongest. No matter what you choose, we promise to protect your future."
I told the girl, who was then shot before my very eyes right after she finally regained her will to live.
"Suguru. Should we kill these guys?"
Satoru asks, carrying the girl's corpse as non-sorcerers surround us. The weak, defenseless humans we are supposed to protect, the filthy monkeys who are clapping and celebrating the death of an innocent child.
Exorcize. Eat. Exorcize. Eat. The taste… Like swallowing a cloth that was used to wipe up vomit. Opening my mouth to allow these Curses to slide down my throat. Disgusting. Absolutely foul. Wanna puke. Wanna stop. Wanna quit. What am I doing this for? Who am I trying to protect? Is there any meaning to this? Don't falter. Don't. D-
"Fucking monkeys…"
Something finally shatters.
"If all of humanity were jujutsu sorcerers, no Curses would be born."
Something finally clicks.
"Shut up, you monster! We should have killed you when you were babies!"
Filthy monkeys screaming at two abused little girls, horribly beaten, starved, and locked in cages fit for animals, all because they are sorcerers.
My friends are dying. My mouth is filled with the taste of vomit everyday. Curses are being born every damn day and yet.
And yet.
We who didn't create the Curses have to exorcize them and put our lives on the line to protect those who create them, those who see us as monsters, who think nothing wrong of sacrificing an innocent child, who justify beating and starving and treating two little kids like animals.
Is it worth it?
Something finally snaps.
Blood. Slaughter. Massacre. Killing those who I swore to protect. But I did the right thing. Yes, I did. I protected these kids. I saved them from hell. I've killed the real enemies.
"Are you the strongest because you're Gojo Satoru? Or are you Gojo Satoru because you're the strongest?"
My one and only. Turned my back to him. He could have killed me. But he didn't.
"You will obey me, you monkeys."
Gathered followers. Gathered Curses. Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. Special Grade, Queen of Curses, Rika. And the womanizer, Okkotsu Yuta.
Fought. Lost. Tried my best. But it wasn't enough. If I were Gojo Satoru… If I had his strength… Would my idea become plausible? Would my dream become a reality?
My last moment. I'm glad I can spend it with you.
"Suguru. Welcome back."
The idiot said. After everything I've done, all the people I've killed, his students I've hurt, he still welcomed me back with open arms.
I laughed. For the first time since Haibara's death. I genuinely laughed.
"At least curse me a little at the very end, Satoru."
My one and only.
This is where we part ways.
I better not see you again too soon, otherwise I will kick your ass back myself.
Yato hit the ground. His hand, back, and head were all screaming in pain.
But nothing hurt more than the pain he felt when he saw Geto's memories. Those were Geto's pain. His grief, regret, trauma, agony, everything he had been carrying since he questioned himself for the first time, since his decision to protect the weak started wavering, thinning, and finally snapping when he saw what was done to Nanako and Mimiko.
Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. That was an event even Yato had heard of despite not having participated in. Gods didn't typically meddle in human affairs, but the amount of Ayakashi released was so great that even some Gods had joined in to help in case the situation got out of control, not that the sorcerers were aware of the extra help since they couldn't see Gods and their Shinki.
(Actually, according to Kazuma, one sorcerer apparently had made eye-contact with Bishamon when she attacked an Ayakashi with her signature whip Shinki while riding on her lion Shinki. It was a woman with long white hair weaved into a thick braid draping before her face. Kazuma, while being in his earring Shinki form, had seen how the woman froze and watched on in disbelief as Bishamon made quick work of her target. Kazuma had kept an ear out since then but no sorcerers had talked about "a blond woman riding a flying lion," which meant for some reason that sorcerer decided to keep the info to herself. For what? Who knows. If Bishamon wasn't worried, Yato had even less reason to worry for her.)
"A sorcerer went rogue and unleashed thousands of Ayakashi onto Kyoto. Fortunately, the evacuation was already completed" was what Kazuma had said. Yato was scrubbing a toilet at the time in Hokkaido, so he said "okay," hung up, put his glove back on, and continued working.
Geto Suguru had committed many sins and normally someone like him would never be given the opportunity to become a Shinki after death. Generally, Loose Spirits of dead human beings who had given into evil could never become a Shinki; however, at the same time, only those whom the Gods deemed worthy of a second chance in life could become a Shinki.
After viewing Geto's life, Yato wasn't surprised that he was given a second chance. The man's life was a tragedy. There was no other way to describe it. His method of creating a better world was immoral and wrong, but his motivation was pure. He changed his mind about protecting the "weak" only because he was forced to realize who the "weak" really were. Being a sorcerer was no longer about protecting the non-sorcerers from the cursed spirits, but rather about protecting the young and defenseless sorcerers from the non-sorcerers.
His definition changed, yet his actions were still for the sake of protecting the "weak." He made himself seem all merciless and unforgiving, yet he didn't kill any of the Jujutsu High students he fought against because they were the future of the Jujutsu world. Even though he knew leaving them alive could cause him more headaches in the future, he still went easy on them and left them a shred of life. He called the Zenin girl a "Zenin failure" and a "monkey" as if he couldn't care less if she died, yet he didn't interfere when Okkotsu stopped mid-battle to heal her injuries.
Was it truly evil to want to protect the weak, to want kids who were born with cursed techniques in rural areas, out of sight and away from any protection, to no longer have to suffer and be called "monsters"?
Was it truly evil to kill the villagers when they were the ones orchestrating the murder of two innocent children?
Geto Suguru, who died peacefully and under the hands of his best friend, didn't curse Gojo before death and instead blessed him with a long life.
Was he a vile human scumbag with no redeeming qualities?
Or did he deserve a second chance?
"My one and only."
Tear tracks left their mark on Yato's face after he furiously rubbed his eyes dry.
Yes, he deserves a second chance.
"And I will give it to him," he swore as Hiyori ran towards him, now back in her physical body. "I won't let anyone take it away, not even himself."
And for that to happen, Geto Suguru absolutely must not find out about his real name.
The Blight hissed and sizzled as he poured purifying water borrowed from Tenjin's shrine's chozubachi over it.
"Water healed your wound!?"
"Not just any water. It has to be purifying water at a shrine's chozubachi." Yato gestured at the basin with the wooden ladle he was scooping the water with. "Any shrine works, as long as it's a legit shrine owned by an actual God who can infuse the water with their power."
Now that the nasty Blight was gone, he could finally examine his new Shinki's weapon form. The string of black beads sat snugly around his wrist, not too tight to leave indents but not too loose to slip off either. The beads were so dark they didn't reflect any light, but they also seemed to have a shine to them, a sort of gloss that reminded Yato of black pearls. It was a strange, contradicting sight, and it felt weird wearing an accessory when his past Shinki were all different types of blades, from Tomone's dagger to Hiiro…no, to Nora's sword…
"So this is what a Shinki looks like." Hiyori prodded at the bracelet. It gave a twitch in response that had her jerking back in surprise. "It's alive!?"
"In a sense. By becoming a Shinki, they're given a second chance in life. Not all Shinki look the same. Some take on weapon forms, some are accessories, others are clothes… They can also be animals. Anyway, good thing I managed to find a spirit that hasn't been affected by anyone. It'll take some time to get used to not wielding a blade but it's at least better than nothing. Let's hope I made the right choice hiring him."
"Him?"
Yato placed the ladle down and wiped his wet hand on his track pants.
"The name I gave him is Natsu."
"As in Summer?"
"And his human name is… Natsune."
The bracelet glowed in response to his calling and melted into strands of light that morphed and formed into a tall man, so tall in fact Yato had to look up to meet his eyes.
"Urk." Yato grimaced.
A 5 ft 8 God, with a 6 ft 1 Shinki.
What am I? Kofuku?
GODdammit.
He coughed to regain his composure.
"I'm Yato, your master. I've summoned you from the Far Shore to serve as my Shinki. I permit you to serve and remain by my side longer than kin."
Natsune with a name derived from the word "Summer" stood barefoot on the burnt pavement wearing only a white shinishozoku yet he didn't seem affected by the heat radiating off of the ground at all. His hair was down, as was the style when he died. His face held an expression of confusion which was slowly morphing into something else as Yato continued speaking.
"There's no need to worry. I will not leave you no matter how you decide to live your life. This is your second chance. Make good use of it."
Natsune looked at Yato, at Hiyori, then back at Yato, and his face contorted into a deep scowl.
"You smell like a monkey. Ugh, how long haven't you taken a shower?"
He took a few steps back and shivered. Shivered.
"God, I can't believe I had to be grabbed by you with your sweaty monkey hand during that battle. Makes me sick just recalling the sensation."
He curled his lips in disgust.
"Who are you two anyway? And did you just say you're my master? Don't be ridiculous." He sneered. "Why are we standing in this sweltering heat like idiots? Can we go somewhere cooler? Are you deaf? Or stupid? Hey, are you even listening to me?"
A gust of humid wind blew past, ruffling Yato's fluffy fluff blue scarf and making him feel like an ice cream cone melting under the sun.
This was what he got?
He CRIED for this bastard, and this was how he was treated!?
I swear to Tenjin I'm never feeling bad for him ever again!
AN: Here's how I came up with Geto's names:
In the anime Noragami, Yato's Shinki, Yukine, was named 雪 which means "snow" and can be pronounced as either "Yuki" or "Setsu". That's why his human form's name is "Yukine", Shinki name is "Setsu", and weapon name is "Sekki".
The name Geto is written as 夏油. "夏" means "summer" and can be pronounced as either "Natsu" or "Ka". That's why his human form's name is "Natsune", Shinki name is "Ka", and weapon name (in bracelet form) is "Kakki".
Each God has a sort of "family name" they gave to their Shinki. Yato's is "ne", Bishamon's is "ma" and "ha", Tenjin's is "yu", etc.
Tenjin is the God of Learning, one of the most well-known gods in Japan. That's why he has so many shrines all over Japan.
Hope you've enjoyed the first chapter.