The Vow

by MizukixTsukiyomi

She was a myth. Her current era waited for her to return to put balance in their world. With her life in danger from many curses, Kagome learns Naraku wasn't the biggest problem. Someone is after her. Someone knew about her. But the strongest sorcerer is behind her to protect her and both decide to mentor young sorcerers along the way.

1. Pink Soul

Title: The Vow

Rating: M

DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Jujutsu Kaisen belongs to Gege Akutami. Two highly respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!

MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes: long time no write...oops. Life definitely has changed for me since 2019. A lot has happened. I have been an elementary teacher for the past 4 years and that keeps me busy and tired. I've been in a relationship and that also has kept me away from some hobbies as I start my life. But I miss this. I truly do. Jujutsu Kaisen slowly rekindled my love for writing. I am a bit rusty still, so please bear with me as I slowly get back into it. Updates won't be as frequent, but I will do my best!

Now, everything in this chapter is with the idea I would continue and people like it, so yes, there are some questions you might have but it has purpose. So please let me know!

Chapter 01: Pink Soul

---

Two pairs of eyes blinked simultaneously as they stared at the long report they were given. Another blink stretched out the silence. No matter how many times they went around to interpret the report, it made no sense.

"This makes no sense." Throwing the report back onto the coffee table in front of him, the white-haired teen threw his head back to rest it against the black-leather sofa. "You're telling me Tengen and everyone else suddenly found out about this so-called 'phenomenon'?" Head coming back up, the teen lowered his specs with his index finger only slightly. "You've gotta be joking, Yaga-sensei."

"Satoru, we might as well give him time to explain." The black-haired teen sitting across sighed as he lowered his copy of the same report from his eyes. "But he does have a point, Yaga-sensei. A priestess? There is just no way."

"No way what?" Yaga questioned. "That a priestess exists?"

"No," Gojo crossed his legs, "that a priestess is the answer Tengen has been looking for. There are countless priestesses all over the world, but this one?" He pointed at the report on the table. "This young girl is the one he needs?"

Yaga sighed, "We don't know all the answers. All I know is that Master Tengen is requesting she be brought. He might speak with her or-".

"Use her?" finished Gojo. Standing up from his seat, Gojo lifted a brow towards Yaga. "I don't agree with the traditional ways, and you know that." Gojo blinked as he felt a hand on his shoulder. His head looked over to see Geto sending a smile to Yaga.

"We will go and see her, but we can't make a full promise she might be coming willingly."

"That's the thing," Yaga added, "it's not a choice. She is to come willingly or by force. She is needed." His eyes landed on Gojo. "Unfortunately, this mission overrides the Gojo clan's duty. Do you understand?"

Turning his attention back to his partner, Geto blinked noticing Gojo crossing his arms.

"That's just a myth I long discarded in my tradition." Gojo scoffed, waving his hand up and down. "The clans have long done their duty to protect priestesses in the past, but the one they waited for never came. I ain't waiting either."

Geto sighed, watching as Gojo walked out the room.

---

The bustling crowd in the afternoon began to double as people started to leave work or leave their schools. Gojo and Geto walked out of the main gates of the train station and headed towards the exit that led to their destination. Left and right they tried to dodge the people during rush hour but kept a close distance to each other.

"Are you suspicious of this girl we need to see?" Geto asked, pushing his hands into his pants pockets.

Crushing the can of coffee in his hand, Gojo walked past a vending machine and dropped it inside the trash can. "Everything they plan is suspicious. It's just weird to be hearing that they suddenly need a priestess...and a 16-year-old at that."

Geto nodded as he started to walk with his partner. That was true. Master Tengen was requesting the help of a 16-yeard old priestess. What could she possibly have to offer to the world of jujutsu sorcerers? That was the real question, and they would have to wait and see with their own eyes. "Do you think this is the priestess your clan has been waiting for?"

"No." Gojo immediately cut in. "Our clans, the Zenin, Kamo, and Gojo clans all were established years ago with the foundation to protect priestesses as they were the first to exorcise demons and curses. But priestess blood became extinct, and the clans remained strong. They learned from the priestesses themselves and carried that knowledge. That is how jujutsu sorcerers came to be. After all these years I don't feel like being tied to a traditional mission. I've already tasted freedom."

Geto nodded, understanding his feelings. All clans were bound to the ultimate oath: protect the Shikon Miko. Whoever that was, they were still waiting for her return.

Gojo pushed his glasses in as they began to see their wide exit frame illuminated by the sun's rays. Before the two could take a full exit, their eyes immediately widened as they felt the hairs behind their neck immediately stand up. Both Gojo and Geto whipped their heads around the corner only for a sudden blast to crush the wall and gates inside the train station.

"W-What the-?!" Geto dodged the sudden disk of wind coming his way. Jumping away from the cursed attack, Geto's eyes narrowed to see Gojo having done the same. "A curse?" He watched as civilians ran in horror of the destruction, but of course, they couldn't see the true fright. They only hoped no one was hurt.

Gojo straightened himself out, "I believe so." His eyes followed the purple tentacle curse with the head of an octopus and hot slime oozing out of his mouth. The size of the said curse reached from the floor to the ceiling of the train station, but they could see it was trying to get bigger. "So gross." Gojo smirked. "Alright, let's set up a veil before more people start to see this-".

A soft screech caught their attention over to the little six-year-old girl shouting for her mother. Her frantic eyes scanned the rumble and smoke for any sign of her guardian.

"Shit!" Gojo cursed under his breath. "Suguru!"

"I got this!" Understanding the jobs they had, Geto immediately prepared his stance, and his hand came up in the air to release a curse monster of his own. "Go get her!"

Gojo nodded as he ran towards the young girl who began to cry. "Oi!" Gojo called out to the girl, "grab my hand-!" His eyes widened the minute he noticed a medium sized metal beam started to swing from the ceiling. Gojo made a dash towards the girl and used his body as a shield to hover over the girl. The beam snapped from the cables and the full force of the fall hit Gojo's back. He bit his tongue as he felt the heaviness starting to ache on his back.

"Satoru!" Geto shouted. Geto took a step forward to help his partner, but immediately flinched back as he dodged a tentacle that reached to pierce him. He glared at the octopus-looking curse as his cheek slowly split into a thin cut, proof the curse had reached slightly. "I'll have to-".

Geto's eyes widened as a bright pink orb spun in between him and the curse before it flew towards the curse. He watched, awed by the illuminous light, as the orb made a direct hit, and the curse began to wail from the pain.

"Are you okay?!"

Geto looked over his shoulder to see a long black-haired female with cerulean eyes wearing a light green sundress standing only a few feet away from him. He blinked, noticing her hand was stretched out in front of her as her chest heaved.

Having sensed her energy as well, Gojo's eyes narrowed, noticing some pink fumes coming out of her stretched out palm. Did that orb come out from her? That didn't feel like cursed energy...or any type of sorcerer trick. What had she done?

"Who-?" Geto could only blink as she quickly appeared in front of him – in between him and the monster – and watch as their enemy started to unleash a slime attack.

The girl's hands came together in prayer as she closed her eyes.

Both Geto and Gojo watched as a large pink barrier spun out of thin air in front of her before it stretched out to create a dome around them. The octopus-curse screeched out as his slime was completely vaporized and the barrier shot an attack of its own in the form of arrows. Arrow after arrow stuck to its body making the curse shake uncontrollably.

Cerulean eyes remained glued on the monster, watching as each arrow began to melt away the curse.

Geto couldn't believe what he was witnessing. The curse...was being exorcised? Saved? His eyes lowered to the mysterious girl standing in front of him as she kept her hands together. Was this her doing? He felt no curse energy in her. Nothing about her power felt familiar for him to narrow what she was using. But he knew one thing.

Gojo's glare tightened on the teen girl. 'She's powerful...'.

It made them nervous, not knowing what it was, but also when they took a closer look at her, realization hit.

Within a few seconds, the curse had completely disappeared and left a floating spirit of a young man. He seemed confused but relieved at the same time. The spirit turned to the mysterious girl before giving her a bow out of gratitude. The teen girl sighed, lowering her hands and giving a curt nod.

Gojo and Geto watched as specs of the curse slowly disappeared into the air before the calmed spirit floated away to peace. In all their years of working and studying jujutsu, they had never seen something so beautiful. They had never experienced seeing a soul go into the afterlife with so much confidence and love. Was the curse cleansed? Completely purified?

Geto took a step towards the girl only to halt the moment sirens echoed throughout the city.

"Crap!" Gojo shouted. "We didn't put a veil!"

Geto about to grab the girl only to feel her hand clasp around his wrist, catching him off guard.

"Follow me!" She called out, pulling him towards one of the untouched exits.

---

Blinking together, Geto and Gojo were taken back by the small yet antique looking shrine before them. Had they always skipped this shrine in Tokyo? Jujutsu sorcerers were required to know about most shrines in case of curse energy spreading from that origin. They never knew these steep steps lead to a quiet little shrine with a spread-out courtyard in front. To their left, a gigantic think tree gave enough shade above the house and most of the front of the shrine.

"You two should be safe here."

Both looked at the mysterious girl as she tried to catch her breath. Looking over her shoulder, the black-haired female smile. "You two alright?"

It took only a few seconds for their eyes to focus on her features. Their eyes widened as it immediately clicked in their heads this was the girl from the report they were given. The girl Master Tengen was looking for!

"Ah!" The girl exclaimed, "you guys are bleeding!" She winced at the sight of the droplets of blood slowly oozing down. "Uh, let's go inside the house. I should be able to help."

"Why should we trust you?"

Her cerulean orbs blinked, finally hearing a voice from the white-haired male.

"For all we know, you could be planning to end us after that fight." Gojo's brow rose, waiting for a reply. Was he suspicious? Not really. He could take her down any second, but he was going to test her to see just who she was as a person. He felt a jab to the side of his arm; his eyes slightly glanced over at Geto who gave him a 'stop-it' look.

"Well," the girl stated, "I saw that you two noticed whatever that cursed thing was and second, a bad person wouldn't go out of their way to save a little girl. So, my instincts are just saying to trust you two – for now."

The two remained quiet, watching as she walked towards her house.

Geto's shoulders slumped as he let out a tired sigh. "We might as well see the mission through, Satoru."

"Well," Gojo rolled his eyes, "if she tries anything, I'll just knock her out and send her to Master Tengen and then we can call this mission complete."

Geto couldn't help but chuckle at his statement. Following his partner towards the house, they quietly made their way into the home and took off their shoes in the genkan area. The ceiling was low, making it hard for them to stand up as straight as possible. Turning the first right corner of the house, Geto and Gojo watched as the teen girl moved some cushions closer to the coffee table.

"Are you alone here?" Geto asked.

She shook her head. "My mother is out on a book club meeting and my younger brother is out on a soccer practice match." She pointed to the ceiling with her index finger. "My grandfather is currently sleeping upstairs." Her eyes glued onto the Gojo. "Let me check your back."

Gojo blinked. She knew?

"I can sense some pain on your back." She stated. Patting the cushion beside her on the floor, she waited. "Come on, I'm not going to kill you."

Cautiously, Gojo made his way towards her and plopped himself on the cushion. He bent a knee upwards to rest his elbow on top while his other leg bent on the floor. "It's only a scratch from the beam. It wasn't so bad."

"Hm," the teen girl tilted her head to the side seeing the cut on his black uniform and the gash it had made. It wasn't that deep, but there certainly was an open wound.

"Are you going to go grab the first aid-kit?" Gojo asked.

"Huh?" She snapped out of her staring. "First-aid kit?" She raised her palm up before hovering it over his back. "I don't need that."

"What do you-?" Gojo's eyes widen slightly, along with Geto's, as they see her pink glow slowly emerge out of her palm and surround Gojo's wound. Gojo felt a warm tingle on his skin before feeling his back cool down. The pink hue under her palm glittered and surprisingly, it felt so oddly comfortable. Gojo's eyes rose to see the girl's attention on his wound. With her so close to his person, he could clearly see her features. She looked so fragile, but the way she had handled herself at the train station said otherwise.

She had experience.

Feeling eyes on her, cerulean orbs slowly glided upwards to see Gojo's sapphire hues on her. It finally sunk in just how good looking the two males were. Feeling a hot blush slowly spreading over her cheeks. Ever since starting high school, she had started focusing on her studies, especially since she had missed so many days of school. Due to her (secret) mishaps through the well, she had missed a lot of curriculum and she had a lot of catching up to do. She sacrificed many nights and weekends of her last year in middle school.

But now, here she was, healing these two teens boys who had seen the monster she sensed. The immense corrupted aura had her skin crawl with goosebumps, yet her own instincts from her previous battles had made her react. That's when she saw these two or more so...sensed them.

They weren't normal.

"So...," she whispered, "who exactly are you two?"

The two male teens stared at each other in silence, unsure how to reply.

"I can sense a weird aura coming from each of you." She added.

"You can sense us?" questioned Gojo.

"Somewhat...," her pink hue slowly disappeared over Gojo's now closed wound, "are you like exorcists or something?"

"Do you see us wearing a cross or something?" Gojo's eyes narrowed, but the second he noticed her hand being pulled away from his wound, he blinked to see her pink glow gone. She was done? He tried looking over his shoulder. Although he couldn't really get a clear view of his back, he felt well. There was no soreness or any sting on his back. She...healed him.

"Well, I don't know," she continued, "it's not every day I meet people who see what I see. Not to mention can fight back. I thought I was going crazy seeing all these weird spirit things popping up!"

Raising a brow, Geto was beginning to take mental notes. "Popping up? You mean it wasn't like this?"

She shook her head.

"Well," Gojo intervened, "they are curses."

"Curses?" she repeated. "Like...bad voodoo?"

Gojo leaned back in his seat to rest his now healed back against the couch as he continued to sit on the ground. "Cursed spirits to be exact. They are a race of spiritual beings, and they are invisible to humans."

She continued to listen, nodding to his explanation.

"They become incarnated or should I say are born from negative emotions humans create over time. We call that cursed energy."

"What...exactly do they do?" she questioned.

"Well," Geto cut in, "you saw a bit of what it was capable of back at the train station. Cursed spirits haunt and bring harm to humanity. They are our primary targets and our special exorcist work."

"Work?"

"We're jujutsu sorcerers."

Her attention fell on the white-haired male. Did he just say jujutsu...sorcerers?

"As he said," Gojo continued, "we take care of cursed spirits. They are invisible to your everyday humans but are incarnated from the cursed energy they emit from negative emotions. Cursed spirits haunt and bring harm to humanity and are consequently the primary targets of jujutsu sorcerers." Gojo smirked as he lowered his glasses from the bridge of his nose. "That's where we come in."

She blinked, trying to make sense of their words in her head. It made sense. Why did it make sense? Because she herself had out of this world adventures and anything that sounded crazy could happen. She wasn't denying their story entirely, but she did have her reservations. She raised a brow in question. There was one question she had. In all her years here in Tokyo, then traveling into the feudal era and coming back, she had never encountered such cursed spirits let alone jujutsu sorcerers. She had seen some spirits, but nothing to the level she experienced today. Something was off.

"And what brings you here today?" She asked.

Both teen boys shared a glance before Geto broke it first and stared at her cerulean eyes. She was becoming suspicious. Smart girl.

"We are looking for someone who can help us with the Jujutsu world and possible join us." He explained.

A pregnant silence enveloped the room. The girl cautiously let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding onto. She waited for them to continue.

"We are looking for you." Geto's eyes narrowed slowly, "Higurashi Kagome."

At the sound of her name, the said girl's eyes squinted back. Her guard was back up, and this was not missed by the other two. Her fingers flexed at her sides. "Why?"

"We aren't sure ourselves," Gojo shrugged, "the old geezers sent us to get you to help Master Tengen."

"Master Tengen...?" She repeated. So, was she on their radar now? Did someone catch on about her abilities in this era?

Geto cleared his throat, "all we know is that you possess a power that could help Jujutsu High and all the sorcerers including Master Tengen. We aren't sure what that is, but it seems the higher ups do. Can you think of anything...on why they might be saying something like that, Higurashi-san?"

Kagome remained silent, but her right brow twitched as the jewel popped into her mind. Shaking her head, Kagome sighed heavily. "I don't even know what to think. I'm just a ...regular teen girl who comes from a line of priestesses, that's all."

Gojo's brows furrowed.

She had a story - a big story she wasn't telling.

He continued to stare at her from behind his specs. Watching as her pupils tried their best to hide her secret. He would keep an eye on her for now.

"We would like you to come with us to see Master Tengen." Geto placed his hand over his chest. "Perhaps he could give you those answers."

At this, the priestess leaned back. She didn't sense an ill intent to his words nor were their auras corrupted, but she was suspicious indeed. Should she believe them? This was the first time in months she had met someone who had abnormal abilities outside of hers and outside of the feudal era.

"No rush in your decision." Geto cut into her thoughts. "We can come back tomorrow to see what you decide."

"Woah, woah! Only until tomorrow?!" She exclaimed. "You want me to follow you two strangers to some guy I don't know?!" Now they were being ridiculous.

Getting up from his resting spot, Gojo sighed and dusted off his pants. "Don't be mistaken. We are gentlemen but we have a mission, and we prioritize the mission. If we must take you by force, we must."

Kagome's brow twitched at his reply. "That's kidnapping...".

---

Softly closing the door behind him, Geto watched as Gojo's eyes wandered around the shrine. The quiet warm night allowed them to take in their surroundings a bit better. As soon as they had arrived at the shrine to hide from their pursuers, they hadn't even noticed the shrine was indeed one with a full-on middle court area and a few sheds and shrines surrounding them.

Gojo's eyes remained glued on the sky. "You took mental notes, correct? After watching her fight and hearing what she had to say, something just doesn't make sense. She seemed to be following along with the idea of cursed energy and jujutsu sorcerers, but the question remains. Why is her energy pure?"

"So, you feel that, too?" questioned Geto. He walked to stand beside Gojo as his eyes also wandered all over the sky above them. "It's too pure and clean. The energy feels strong and stable, but it has me wondering what kind of energy is she receiving then and from what? All energy comes from something."

"Well," Gojo sighed, "there are two options: she either is producing it on her own or...she is receiving it from an object."

Geto chuckled. "The higher ups are going to want to know who she is. Perhaps that's why Master Tengen wanted her."

Pushing his hands into his pants' pockets, Gojo tilted his head down to stare at the wooden shrine doors leading to a small room. "Here's the thing...we can't mention anything until we fully know if she is on our side or not."

Geto sighed again, "true...". Looking to the side, Geto noticed the seriousness in Gojo's eyes. His eyes had a hardened stare at the tall tree in front of them. "Satoru...you don't believe she is the one, right?"

Gojo remained silent as his crystal blue eyes scanned the height of the tree. The shade of the leaves moving side to side letting some of the warm sun rays through the openings. If she was then all clans would start moving. Their entire purpose of existing would have worth. Not that it mattered to him. He didn't care about an old myth. A girl who traveled through time to save the feudal people from one of most cursed demons – Naraku. Looking at the house over his shoulder he scoffed. Was she the one?

"Here's the scary thing," Gojo continued, "from what I am sensing, she is hiding more of her power."

Geto blinked out of slight shock. More power?

---

Eyes glued to the cement below her, she kept her face hardened at the thought of the two teen boys who had practically given her a deadline before she was to disappear. She sensed a great amount of power in each and she knew she could probably hold herself off for a while against them, but she wasn't entirely sure what they were capable of.

Yet again, they didn't know what she was capable of, too.

Kagome sighed as she stopped at the intersection waiting for the walking light to turn on. The beeping of the stop timer and cars filled her ears as she stared at the busy Tokyo life. These people were living normal lives and yet, there was a world hiding right in front of them. Spirits they couldn't see were becoming more aggressive and if they were starting to become like the ones from yesterday, she was worried at one point she was too powerless to do anything.

At the green light to walk, Kagome took her time through the long intersection. Her mind began to wander to the past. Her feudal days had shaped her into a new person, and she was definitely left with depression at having left those she loved behind. But alas, her only role was to complete the jewel and defeat Naraku. That's what they had done. After a grueling 13 months, they were able to get all the shards and defeat the corrupted demon.

Kagome's hand rested on her chest.

The jewel had asked her for a wish. She said she wanted to make sure the jewel never went to the wrong person. The jewel came to rest back inside her body once more and in a matter of minutes, she had disappeared from the feudal era and found herself at the bottom of the well in her original home. No matter how many jumps and prayers she had given to go back at least once more, she was never able to return.

Stopping in front of the train station from yesterday, Kagome watched as construction to rebuild the station began. And just like that, everyone believed it had been an attack from a human who was still out on the run.

Was it wrong to feel a rush from the battle? She had felt a thrill swimming in her veins when fighting the curse. She let out a heavy sigh as she started to continue her walk to school. It was nice to feel useful, but she wasn't sure if to trust the two boys. Was she needed by their master? For what?

Crossing the next street, Kagome's body halted the moment she felt an incoming attack to her left. Turning her head, her hand twitched ready to place a barrier only to stare at broad back clothed in black. Freezing in her spot, Kagome's eyes widened seeing the white-haired male standing before her and immediately exorcise the attack. What were they doing here?

"Good morning, miko-chan!" Gojo winked from over his shoulder.

Before she could say anything, Kagome blinked the moment she saw a blue light emit from Gojo's index finger and shot it straight across the street. Her eyes landed on the muscular male wearing a brown bag over his head fall to the floor grunting in pain. How did she not notice his aura? Now with them fighting, her senses were very much alive sensing everything around her.

"Don't let your guard down, Satoru."

Kagome blinked and turned her head over her shoulder. It was the other guy she had helped heal.

"He made several copies of himself, so just be cautious. I've finished setting the veil around us." Geto continued. His eyes lowered to the priestess in front of him. A soft smile graced his lips. "Good morning, Higurashi-san."

"W-Were you two following me...?" She asked.

"Hm," Gojo rubbed his chin, "think of it as personal bodyguards for now."

Her attention snapped to the white-haired male, "so stalking me."

Smiling at her, Geto placed his hand on her head, making her lip twitch at the contact. "Unfortunately, as of this early morning you have become a target for many."

"Huh? A target?" She repeated.

"There's a bounty on your head." Geto looked over to Gojo, watching as they saw the enemy's body evaporate into thin air.

Feeling fear blanket her, Kagome's eyes lowered to the floor. She hadn't felt paralyzed like this in so long. There was a bounty over her head? People were coming to kill her? Her body felt cold. Numb. She thought she had already gone through it all in her age after fighting demons and dealing with lots of different hardships, but what was this feeling? Scared of the unknown?

Her thoughts came to an abrupt stop the moment she felt her body being lifted from the ground. Kagome blinked as she felt herself being placed over Gojo's shoulder. "H-Huh? W-Wait a damn minute! Put me down!"

"Sorry, miko-chan, but unfortunately plans have changed. Your time limit is no longer existent as you have become a target." Gojo sighed as he kept a tight grip on her waist. "There are now more people than we liked that know about you. We can't risk it now."

Parting her lips to object, she felt a zing in the air. Her entire body had now been consumed by fear. At the other end of the street, she saw a black-haired male, muscular and confident standing with a long sword over his shoulders. His eyes trying to pierce into her soul. Kagome's throat went dry as she felt the murderous aura.

Gojo immediately turned his head over his shoulder only to see nothing there. He was sure he had felt something.

"What's wrong, Satoru?" Geto asked.

"I thought I felt someone watching us." He replied, keeping his sapphire gaze on the street.

"There was someone there...".

Both males looked over to the priestess, seeing her eyes firmly glued on the same spot Gojo had turned to.

Sighing under his breath, Geto grabbed his flip phone out of his pocket. "Tokyo might be a bit dangerous right now. We will need to move her We need to confuse those that are targeting Higurashi-san."

Gojo snapped his fingers, catching both Geto's and Kagome's attention. "I know the perfect place!"

Kagome's brow twitched, "wait a damn minute! You can't just kidnap me! Oi!"

---

"Yes...yes... no... I'll be okay... okay... yes... sorry... I'll be back as soon as this is over." Kagome's fingers tightened around the pay phone's cord. "I love you, too...".

Hanging up, Kagome stared at the green pay phone box before exiting the small phone booth. She blinked as she saw both Geto waiting for her. She raised a brow noticing Gojo had gone ahead to the beach only a few feet away. They seriously went and kidnapped her, and she just had to explain to her mom about this abrupt 'mission'. If it hadn't been for her feudal days, her mother would have probably called the police.

"Ah, Higurashi-san," Geto smiled, lowering the brochure from his attention, "is your mother okay?"

"Has to be, no?" Kagome scoffed, walking closer to the duo. "You two are lucky she understands these kinds of situations." As she reached the beach area where they had laid their towels and rented umbrellas, her expression dead-panned watching as Gojo had changed into his swim trunks and red zip up jacket. The man was in the water looking for something.

"I do apologize to you and your family for doing this. I do hope you can understand we are only here to help."

Listening to Geto's words, Kagome sighed. She still didn't send any ill intent. If anything, their souls were good. They were harmonized with purity. About to reply, Kagome's lips parted only to feel a starfish being flung to her face and stick. "Yeah...," her eyes lowered into a glare, "I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY OKINAWA!"

Running towards them, Gojo smiled and waved, "yo! All good, Kagome-chan?"

Her brow twitched. Kagome...chan? So now he was all comfortable? "Why are we here of all places?"

"Hm," he scratched the side of his head, "a mini vacation?"

"Vacation?" Kagome repeated. "Aren't I on the market to die?"

"Well, think of it as a bucket list? Before you die?"

Peeling the starfish from her face, she raises it to throw it towards him only to feel another hand softly landing on the top of her head. "Now, now, let's just have fun. What do you say, Higurashi-san?"

Eyeing him from the corner of her eyes, she sighed. "Fine," she flung the starfish back towards Gojo only for it to stick in front of his face, "but I am not agreeing to staying with this Tengen man. I'm only using you two as bodyguards until It's clear."

Geto laughed softly, "if you need protection, we don't mind doing so."

Sighing under his breath, Gojo took off the starfish from his face and raised a brow at the priestess. "We've been doing so already."

Kagome blinked in return. What did he mean by that?

---

Coming out of the public restroom from the main aquarium lobby, Kagome looked around to see visitors walking left and right before entering the main gate into the attraction. Geto had suggested coming to the aquarium to take their minds off a few things, but she was sure it was best to keep her in the public eye as much as possible. Since when did she become a damsel in distress? Out of the blue her life had completely changed one-eighty.

Taking a step forward, her eyes scanned the area to find the two male teens who said they would be waiting nearby. Her body jolted the moment she bumped into a wall. Rubbing her nose, she winced, "ow...". Her eyes opened and rose to see a pair of cold eyes staring down at her. Her blood went cold the moment she recognized the eyes and aura. She observed his stiff stance. Now taking a closer look, she noticed the small scar on the corner of his lip. He wore the same tight black short-sleeve shirt and sport baby beige training pants with a black sash tied around his waist. This was-.

"Hm, I don't understand what's so special about you...," the man's voice was low but laced with kill, "but I guess that's none of my business if the organization is paying me."

Kagome took a cautious step back, ready to scream if needed only to see the mysterious man turn his back to her.

"Your bounty is still active," he waved at her without looking at her. "I won't do anything until then."

Her pupils shook, watching as he disappeared into the crowd. Not one once of his aura left in the room. Just like that...she could have died. She was sure of it! She had felt her soul completely paralyzed. Finally finding the strength to move, Kagome sprinted in the lobby looking for Gojo and Geto. Her eyes frantically searched and searched. She could have probably found them by sensing their auras, but her entire self was on panic. She couldn't focus except wanting to warn them. Her eyes and soul found relief seeing them at the far end of the vast lobby behind a pillar, she was about to call for them only to hear her name.

"You think Master Tengen will use Higurashi-San as a Star Plasma Vessel?" Geto questioned, as he read some messages in his phone.

Kagome immediately stopped running.

Gojo sighed, pushing his hands into his pockets. "That's a possibility, but we won't know what he does with her. All this just reeks of sacrifice or locking her up."

Her eyes widened.

"But it's better than those other bastards getting their hands on her." Gojo sighed again, looking at the entrance tank ahead of them. "Probably better that we ease her into this life change than someone else."

"Then it's probably better you make the move first, Satoru."

Gojo tensed.

"You can protect her. That's why your clan exists. If you become head of the clan, we can both help her out. She doesn't have to be controlled by Master Tengen or anyone else. You more than anyone knows the other clans would be selfish having her power." Geto huffed, stuffing his hands into his shorts' pockets. "They would end up using her, not protect her."

Gojo tilted his head back slowly. "That girl would never see her family again. This would turn her world upside down. That would be unfair to her...".

Kagome's body weirdly relaxed as she heard them speak. So...she was never going to see her family? Was that the plan no matter if she was caught or escorted? Fighting back the tears, Kagome said nothing but walked past the two.

"Oh, miko-chan! We got the tickets here-!" Gojo blinked, taken back by her silence.

Lowering his hand with the tickets, he stared at her back. Did something happen?

Geto came to stand beside his partner, "do you think she overheard us?"

Keeping his eyes on the priestess, Gojo sighed and scanned the tickets under the light. He remained silent, observing the girl as she walked at a fast yet observant pace of her own. Her fiery eyes had cooled down as she watched the many tanks surrounding her. But every now and then, her eyes would land on groups of teens, field trips and couples walking around her.

"She may have an inclining." Gojo whispered to Geto, "but let's try not to bring it up anyways. We are here to take her mind off the dangers."

Kagome watched as a group of three teens turned their backs towards the large tank as the famous whale shark swam closer. They all smiled as one of them took a selfie with their camera. A small smile decorated her own lips. She never really got to experience the teen life. At the age of fifteen her whole life had to make a change, and mentally she did, too. But she sometimes wished she could have had those teen experiences. Her hand came back up to her chest.

The Shikon no Tama had changed her life.

There was a possibility whoever Master Tengen was, was aware of the jewel, too.

She turned her eyes back to the large tank. Eyes followed the whale shark as it continued to freely go left and right.

She was tired of being a target.

Feeling a hand on her head, she remained glued to the whale shark. She knew Geto was making his presence known. But she had already sensed them walking behind her. A quiet sigh blew between her lips.

"So...I'm to be sacrificed?"

Both Geto and Gojo looked at each other before looking back down at her.

"So you did overhear." Gojo replied.

Sighing again, Kagome's shoulders slumped down. "I might have an idea why this Tengen wants me."

Once again, Geto and Gojo shared a look of confusion. A question that continued to hover over their heads. So, did she know something?

"As you already know, I'm not a normal sixteen-year-old. As other teens have their hang outs, clubs after school, and so on...I spent most of my last year or so 'sick'." As the vast room slowly emptied out, Kagome gave a weak smile to her own reflection in the tank. "I wasn't really sick...I was just...busy."

"Busy?" Geto questioned. "With?"

Kagome took a deep breath, unsure if it was smart to be telling her story. But at this point, she felt her life inching to the end. Perhaps...she felt a sense of hope in them? A hope they could help her only if she could tell them who she was...what she was.

Her story.

"I was busy fighting demons and putting a jewel back together...".

Taken back by her weird response, Gojo raised a brow. Did she say demons? A jewel? What was she talking about?

"I'm sorry, Higurashi-san," Geto smiled nervously, "but what are you trying to say-?"

Geto stopped mid-sentence as he caught her smile towards him and a few tears flowing down her cheeks.

---

Placing a warm blanket over the priestess's body, Geto sighed watching as she breathed out softly in her sleep. After their day in the aquarium, they were too stunned to do anything afterwards. They hadn't even gone out to eat dinner. They had come back straight to the hotel to rest. Or at least, to give her a break. She was overstimulated at this point. Looking over to see Gojo staring at Kagome from the balcony door, Geto dimmed the lights in the room.

"There's just no way, right...?" Gojo whispered, watching as Geto went over to join him on the balcony. "Traveling five hundred years into the past? You're telling me this girl traveled five hundred years into the past because of a jewel? The jewel?" He scoffed at the idea and shook his head. The silence filled by the sound of the nearby waves of the beach. "Is this some cursed object we should be worried about?"

Slightly keeping the door open behind him, Geto then rested his hands inside his pockets. His mind flashed back to the aquarium. Her whole demeanor had completely changed when he caught her crying. She wasn't lying. She was broken.

She told them everything.

Everything.

There were just so many questions about every detail she gave, but by the end of the story, the place was becoming too congested with people. And instead of them asking her those questions on the way back to the hotel, Geto had offered to carry her on his back.

She had fallen asleep...crying.

"Whatever this object is, it's resting inside of her...," Geto whispered.

"So she says." Gojo's eyes narrowed. He really didn't like not knowing everything.

Geto closed his eyes, "If what she says it's true, Master Tengen will probably absorb her power."

Gojo cursed under his breath and turned his head to face the beach now. "Sick bastards...all of them." But now the answer was clear. She was the priestess all three clans had been waiting for. She was here and Master Tengen had already known. Yaga had said his words took priority over the clans' initial mission. Did that mean Master Tengen check with all three clans and get their approval? So much for loyalty.

Chuckling under his breath, Geto looked over at his partner. "What's this? Are you caring about her now?"

Gojo scoffed but remained silent for a few seconds. He rested both elbows on the balcony's metal bar. "She's a funny one...that's all."

From the corner of his eye, Geto could see the soft expression over his partner's face. He had known him now for a couple of years and he knew Gojo wasn't one to care about people so easily...but it seemed the priestess had struck a cord within him. "Well, teasing her isn't funny, Satoru."

"The brat just...never caught a break and now that she is in her original time, all these damn curses are becoming aware of her power. There was a high chance her powers hadn't been awoken until she crossed time."

Geto's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed the dark circles under Gojo's eyes. The night sky and his glasses were doing a good job hiding it, but he could tell. "You noticed she was acting weird at the aquarium, right? I don't believe it was because she overheard us."

Gojo didn't want to say anything out loud to alarm Geto or Kagome, but he had felt a weird energy around the priestess. Something he had felt before, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Whatever the intrusion energy was, he didn't like it. "I did get worried though."

Geto blinked in silence, letting him continue.

"Something didn't feel right, and I was about to hate myself because my protective energy should have alerted me right away."

"You think it's her own energy colliding with yours?" That was a theory they had held onto.

Gojo tilted his head to the side, making a small popping sound. "She has such precise control of her energy, but I don't think she is aware of that. Whatever she was doing with it in the feudal era, she must have had some training that let her go wild at times. Her energy is just pure...too pure. Maybe that's why I can't always sense her. She blends so well with nature's energy."

Geto nodded, "so she creates pure energy on her own, compared to us using cursed energy from our surroundings." Well, that proved she was an asset to Jujutsu sorcerers. "She is an almighty being and if this jewel powers her even more, then she is an asset to Master Tengen and Jujutsu High."

"Honestly," Gojo scoffed with a smirk, "she could be an asset to destroying the infamous fingers."

Geto's eyes immediately widened, "you aren't thinking of-?"

"We can't have Master Tengen have her locked up." Gojo's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "She is needed and will be needed. We can't let anything get to her."

---

The next morning arrived. Since waking up, it had been a silent morning and breakfast at the hotel. Kagome had felt the tension, but it wasn't a tension to be wary of. Quite the opposite. It was a tension of sorrow and lament. Her feet took each step on the stairs up the shrine one-by-one. The shadows of the trees and the torii gates helped to ease the summer heat as they went up.

"Are you okay, Kagome-chan?" Geto asked over his shoulder as they stopped at one of the more open areas of the torii gates.

"Huh?" She blinked out of her thoughts. "Y-Yeah...I was just enjoying the quietness."

"Oh, then I'm sorry for interrupting your peace." He smiled.

Kagome shook her head, "n-no, it's okay. I was content." Although she was content with the peace around her, she felt something off between the two boys. Since waking up, they had been even more suspicious, but not in a way that made her want to run away. Did something happen after she fell asleep?

Geto's expression softened at the sight of her smile. His thoughts sprinkled back the memory of Gojo mentioning her pure energy. The energy she could emit naturally.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked back. "You seemed more troubled than me."

"Yes," he replied, "just a bit tired."

"Probably because we are both tired of babysitting her." Goto yawned.

Kagome's glare snapped over to Gojo, "is that so? Don't get so sad, Gojo-kun. We all know you are going to miss me once I leave you."

Gojo turned to her and inched closer to her face. "You really think so, huh? You think I'm going to miss your ass that much?"

"Oh I know you will!" She stuck her tongue out.

"Maybe you're going to miss being by us hot guys!" Gojo blew a raspberry to her.

"You two...," Geto nervously laughed as he saw the two were going at it back and forth. "Well, thank you to everyone for working so hard to do what they could." Looking around, Geto saw the bigger of the torii gates just a few steps away. "We're inside Jujutsu High's barrier now."

"Satoru."

Gojo looked over to see Geto looking over to him with a smile of his own. "Hm?"

"You really worked hard this time."

A heavy sigh escaped Gojo's lips.

Kagome's shoulders tensed as she sensed Gojo's aura shrink in size. Is that why she felt the air so thick? It was his aura she was feeling? 'That's why he was exhausted...he must have had a protective spell of sorts to protect us and keep an eye out.' It had her wondering if she should have done the same to help. Her fingers curled into her palm. She wanted to help!

"Like I said, I'm just happy to stop this babysitting mission!" He rolled his eyes. Parting his lips to speak again, Gojo felt a sharp object pierce through his chest making his eyes widen as everything around him slowed down. Eyes slowly lowered to his chest only to see a big blade resting with his blood staining the point and red droplets drip to the sand.

The group fell silent as they saw their companion frozen in place from the shock and pain. Kagome's eyes widened with shock as she saw the long blade resting in Gojo's chest. Red. Too much red. Her sense immediately snapped her out of her shock to see a black-haired male standing behind Gojo's body with his hands holding onto the hilt of the sword.

'W-Wait a minute...,' Kagome's throat went dry, 'there's no way Gojo-kun got stabbed! Didn't they say we were inside Jujutsu High's barrier?! Then why?!' The priestess watched as the mysterious male slowly withdrew his blade from Gojo's chest, only for a gush of blood to spill under his feet. A smirk decorated the man's lips as he twirled the hilt of his weapon in his hand. This man oozed of corruption.

A curse.

Turning his head over his shoulder, Gojo forced a smirk over his lips. "Have we met before?"

Kagome's pupils shook as she noticed the man standing behind Gojo. This man...he was the one at the aquarium! The one she saw on the street! The one that had her on her toes. Her skin crawled with a scream to run. For all of them to run!

"Don't worry about it." The mysterious male's voice was deep and low, but the tone was enveloped with confidence. "I'm terrible at remembering guys' names, too, but I guess you must feel to know my name, right? Fushiguro Toji."

Gojo's eyes scrunched. What did he mean by that?

"I once went to go see the brat born into the Gojo clan with the Six Eyes on a lark," he continued. He scoffed at the memory of the little Gojo kid once watching him with those icy blue eyes. "Never before or after that had anyone noticed me standing behind them. That's why I wore the infamous Gojo down."

Kagome's pupils enlarged as she heard the man's plan. 'You stupid girl! You should have placed a barrier! You should have helped! You should have used your powers! Now-!'

The sound of gushing blood and flesh ripped into their ear drums as they saw the black-haired man stab Gojo once more.

Gojo quickly twisted his upper body to throw a gust of curse energy towards him and blast him away from his person. As soon as the male was thrown away from Gojo, Geto's body took an offensive stance and released a worm-like curse out of his collection to attack their enemy. Kagome's eyes watched as the beige colored worm exploded out of thin air and stretched out in a blink of an eye to the size of a bus to pin the man.

Kagome's ears picked up the sound of coughing, making her turn to see Gojo falling to one knee and clutching his chest. "G-Gojo-kun-!" She stopped in her tracks as she saw his palm signaling her to stop.

"I'm fine...," he forced another smile. "I didn't make it in time with my technique, but it missed my vitals."

Her brows furrowed out of worry, "vitals or not, you need to be healed!"

"I strengthened myself with cursed energy so the blade couldn't be swiftly drawn out." He tried to reassure her with a gentle smile. "It was like passing a safety pin through a knit sweater. Prioritize the mission."

"That makes no sense!" Kagome exclaimed. As she took a step forward, she felt Gojo's hardened glare on her person before his gaze shifted over to Geto.

"Get her out."

Geto blinked.

"I'll deal with him." Standing up, Gojo faced the cursed spirit worm as it began to shake uncontrollably. Stretching out his arm in front of his chest while holding it down with his other arm, he sighed. "Suguru, get her out of here. Trust me, it would do us no good or Jujutsu High to have her captured."

"Satoru...," Geto whispered under his breath as he turned his attention to Kagome. Both laced in fear yet taking their defensive stance. He watched as her fingers began to flex. Was she getting ready to fight? He closed his eyes in thought. He knew the mission, yet knowing his best friend, he also knew that demand from him wasn't related to the mission at all. He sighed as he grabbed Kagome's wrist within his grasp.

"O-Oi-!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Be careful!" Geto shouted at Gojo. "Let's go!"

Kagome frantically watched as their distance became longer as Geto forced her to run behind him. "O-Oi! No! Wait, Gojo-kun is in trouble! We can't just leave him there-!" Clasping her other free hand over Getou's grip, she quickly felt his fingers tighten around her dainty wrist.

"Just listen, Kagome-chan. Please."

She stopped fighting; eyes remained glued on Getou's back as they continued to run the opposite direction from Gojo.

His aura...

Guilt.

---

Feeling the rumbling of the elevator descending to the undergrounds of Jujutsu High, Kagome's eyes remained fixated on the metal bars keeping them in the small space of the elevator. It was dead quiet. Only the screech of the metal and metal rods were echoing in the space. Her eyes slowly rose to see the "city" waiting for them at the bottom floor. Was this where she was supposed to be delivered to? As the elevator came to a shaky stop, Kagome's attention rose to see the metal doors slowly opening and revealing a dark tunnel ahead.

Geto got off first before waiting for her. "Higurashi-san?" He could tell she was overthinking. Her concern for Gojo and their safety was clearly written on her face.

Coming out of the elevator, Kagome began to follow Geto. Her mind was plagued with Gojo's fight. Toji's aura was menacing, and it had her scared Gojo wouldn't come back to them. "Geto-kun...?"

He looked over his shoulder.

"Will...Gojo-kun be okay?"

"Don't worry, Satoru is strong."

Kagome's eyes met the soft expression she had come to adorn on Geto. One that made her feel at ease. She nodded slowly, "people don't need to die to have a better tomorrow...".

Watching her walk past him into the dark tunnel lit by candles hanging on the wall, Geto couldn't help but feel guilty they were bringing her here. Perhaps...this is where they had to start listening to their hearts and not the mission.

---

Gojo watched as Toji broke free from Getou's curse monster and stood on a boulder with a different and wider blade over his shoulder. Gojo's rose a questionable brow seeing Toji's blade and the weird purple worm-looking curse monster wrapping around his torso and chest before coming up to his left shoulder. 'That's a different blade from before...Where did that come from?'

"Huh," Toji scratched his cheek with his index finger, "the Shikon girl is gone. I had hoped to take you down with that earlier attack. I must be getting rusty."

"The bounty on Higurashi has already been taken down, you idiot." Gojo chuckled, although he felt some of his cold sweat slowly drip on the back of his neck.

"Because I took it down, prideful bastard!" Toji smirked back. "When facing people without openings like you, you must first create ups and downs leading to several false goals. I laughed when those Star Religious Group men went to Okinawa. It sucked that none of the sorcerers around her died, but if I hadn't set that time limit on the bounty, you wouldn't have released your technique until the very end."

Taking a step forward on the boulder, Toji's vein twitched on his forehead as he felt a weird energy pulsating through the area. It felt faint, but close. "By the way...".

Gojo's shoulders tensed.

"...what is that power in the air? I don't like it...but I want to know. It isn't you nor that other Jujutsu high schooler that was with you." Twirling his blade in his hand, he stopped the edge of the blade to point at Gojo. "What else are you bastards hiding?"

Gojo quickly took a defensive stance as he stretched out his palm out and his other hand readied itself to call upon a curse. 'Is he sensing Kagome?! This is bad! He is sensing her pure energy! My technique was keeping hers hidden from others and now that I turned it off, he must have felt it right away!'

"Are you going to answer my question?" Toji's brow rose, waiting.

Prepping floating rock around him, Gojo immediately sent a few flying towards the enemy.

"Then," Toji immediately took his own stance before sprinting forward, "I will find out myself!"

---

Exiting the end of the tunnel, Kagome was presented with a shrine-like city only lit by candles. It was a big town-like area underground. She couldn't imagine something like this was beneath them in Okinawa.

"Here we are...," Geto spoke, following behind her. "This is the foundation of the nation's key barriers, The Main Hall of the Tombs of the Star."

Kagome's eyes traveled up the thick root with a sacred rope wrapped around. The root stretched vertically from the floor to the ground above them.

"Once you descend the stairs," Geto caught her attention, "pass through the gate and continue to the base of the big tree. Then you'll be inside the special barrier that's separate from the barrier surrounding Jujutsu High. Only those invited are able to enter it. Master Tengen will protect you in there."

The priestess quickly turned her head to the teen next to her. "W-Wait...you're talking like I am walking there by myself!" Was he going to abandon her here?

Relaxing his shoulders, Geto slowly turned to face her fear. His lips slowly curled into a smile. "Or we can turn back around and go home together."

Taken back, Kagome felt herself leaning back from his words. Wait...was he being serious? Turn back? Like forget the mission? Go home? Was he being serious or giving her hope?

Getou knew he would get in big trouble not completing the mission. Heck, it was safer for her to quickly get into Master Tengen's barrier if the danger escalated outside. But something just didn't feel right. Robbing her of her youth just out of nowhere made it seem they were the bad guys. He didn't want to be the villain of her story.

They were willing to do what they could to protect her.

"Geto-kun...what are you-?"

"When our teacher told us about this mission, he said you were needed. He was trying to tell us to be aware of how heavy this mission really was without knowing the details. Our teacher may be a muscle-brain, but he often does roundabout things." Geto chuckled under his breath. "Don't worry, Satoru and I already talked it over." Placing his hand over his chest, he smirked at the priestess. "We are the strongest. No matter what decision you make, we will guarantee your future. Besides, Satoru's mission had always been to protect the Shikon Miko...to protect you."

Slowly, Kagome's pupils dilated as his words anchored her to reality. Was she being given security? Reassurance? She felt her lower lip quiver as tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. Letting them fall, Kagome covered her face as she began to sniffle. "I...I had so much fun with you two! I wanted these moments to last a little longer! I never really had a choice in my life! I want to be free! I want to help! I want to be with-!"

Kagome gasped as she felt a spike of cursed energy at the end of the tunnel. Before she could turn her head to the side, she felt a pierce into her skin. Eyes widened as she looked over to see her upper arm having been hit with a bullet. Falling to the floor, knees first, Kagome felt her body lock from any other movements. Her body was quickly subdued in shock as she grasped her arm with her free hand and felt blood oozing out.

Geto's eyes shook as he saw the priestess fall to the floor. "KAGOME!"

"Oh my...I missed."

Geto stopped from going on the floor to turn to see Toji emerging from the shadows of the tunnel. His smirk on full display as light hit Toji's face.

"I'm definitely getting a bit rusty." Toji sighed.

"Why the hell are you here?" Geto's voice was laced with hatred.

"Huh?" Toji blinked, scratching the side of his head with his gun. "Why? Oh?" The smirk returned, "that's why you're asking that?" His smirk showed teeth as glee emitted from his person. "Because I killed Gojo Satoru."

"W-What...?" Kagome whispered in disbelief. Gojo? Killed? "N-No... no...t-there's no way...". Kagome's body jolted as she felt another dark energy in front of her. Looking over at Geto she watched as the space behind him split before revealing curses of his own. A woman wrapped in white bandages with only a brown trench coat covering her body. Her black hair floating in the air as a white dragon with yellow glowing eyes immediately popped out of the dark space Geto had opened.

Geto lowered his stance and flexed his fingers outwards. "Is that so?" He glared, "then you'll die here!"

Kagome shook her head, "G-Geto-kun, wait-!"

In a blink of an eye, both males had disappeared to the other end of the area. Geto had ordered his white dragon curse to attack Toji while Geto defended himself from Toji's bullets with his own curses. Kagome could barely keep up as they quickly shot, sliced, and destroyed the area. Debris began to fall around her, making her wince as she felt the wound on her upper arm tense. The pain was heavy, but this was nothing. This was nothing at all. She could hold it in. She could try healing herself, but she wanted to save her energy.

Her mind wandered into her knowledge. What could she go? How could she help? Closing her eyes, she started to feel a migraine weighing her down with all the questions flooding her mind. Taking a deep breath, Kagome released the pressure on her wound and raised a palm in half prayer to her chest. She hadn't tried to detect auras from far away in a long time and she only had done this type of reading with jewel shards.

Her vision saw nothing but darkness, but sparks of auras lit up her senses. She could sense Geto's fight with Toji. She could sense Geto's soul fueled with hatred. Letting her own soul expand out of her body, she tried searching for Gojo's soul.

Where was he? Where...?

Far away in the darkness, she noticed a faint white light. Gojo's body was outside the area, but he was there. His soul was wavering with the little strength it had. He was trying to hold onto life as much as he could. Could she do it?

Her eyes slowly opened as she kept her palm straight up. She knew she could do it. The consequences?

She would worry about it later.

"Jiyuuna Tamashii."

A bright pink orb of light emerged out of Kagome's chest. Her chest heaved as a small smooth pink sphere floated within the orb.

"Kami-sama...please...share my strength, my power, my soul with them. Protect them." A tear streamed down her cheek as she heard a small crack on the jewel. Looking in front of her, two familiar-looking shards floated above the jewel before they shot out in different directions.

"Please...".

---

Dodging his many curses flying his way, Toji threw his gun to the side as he had a sword hilt come out of the purple worm's mouth that rested over his shoulders and torso. He smirked as he ran towards each curse Geto threw at him and slashed them away with ease.

Geto cursed under his breath watching as each one of his attacks were easily being destroyed. Debris flew all around them, knowing very well other sorcerers would soon know of this destruction let alone sense it.

Toji landed across from Geto, only a few feet away. Both stood without moving an inch. From the corner of his eye, Toji watched as one of Geto's curses, the woman wrapped in bandages had appeared and with swords surrounding his space. "My, my...," a smirk curved over his lips before using his own blade to slash through all the swords and the curse itself, "why not just admit it's over for you."

"For you!"

Looking over his shoulder, Toji watched as Geto had his palm in front of him. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched his purple curse over his shoulders being absorbed towards the sorcerer's hand.

Geto bit his lower lip, hoping his curse manipulation would work on Toji's. 'His cursed spirit may have a unique ability but it's not that strong itself. I can absorb it! That'll lock down his armory! Then I can just brute-force him-!'

Using the hilt of his sword, Toji deflected the cursed energy Geto emitted and pushed him back a few feet away. The smirk on his lips stretched, "almost got me there!" Readying another sword out of his curse's mouth, his eyes darkened with the thirst to kill.

Geto's eyes narrowed, feeling his body still heavy from Toji's push. His whole body open to any offense. He watched as Toji's thick blade came down towards his chest only to see a bright pink streak of light flash between them. In a split second, before Toji could stop his slash, both men watched as the pink light spun into Geto's body.

Toji's expression hardened as he made a crosscut on Geto's chest as soon as the light went out. Ignoring Geto's fall to his knees, Toji immediately turned his head towards the main entrance where he had shot the girl. That power...it was hers. He had felt it.

And it pissed him off.

"That's her power, huh?" He smirked. Sprinting off towards her, Toji twirled his sword in his hand.

"No!" Geto shouted, pressing on his chest as blood gushed out his open wound. Coughing to the floor, Geto cursed under his breath as he felt an earthquake from the debris make the foundation under him crumble.

Toji landed before Kagome, making her gasp as she saw Geto's body fall to the floor along with the debris they were on. Kagome's chest heaved with panic the moment she noticed Geto was unconscious. Did the jewel shard not work? Did she fail?

"Don't worry, I didn't kill him." Toji sighed. "There's no telling what might happen to the cursed spirits he has absorbed after he does die."

Her breaths were short. Her heartbeats began to quicken their pace. As Toji took a step towards her, she gasped again and fell back on her behind. She shook her head, readying her palm to emit a barrier. Kagome jumped watching as Toji squatted down eye-level to her.

"So... you're the priestess the stupid organization wants." He lifted his brow and tilted his head. "Well... unfortunately I need the money so."

"G-Go away!" Kagome shouted. "Leave us alone-!"

As soon as Kagome lifted her hand up to shoot a blast of her miko energy, Kagome felt a heavy thud hit the back of her head. Her vision slowly blurred before falling backwards and seeing Toji's full frame come to a stand and holding the hilt of his sword by his side.

---

Watching as a woman shook a white sheet over the coffee table before them, Toji's brow rose as he saw it lay flat. Laying the priestess's body on top of the white sheet, Toji watched as the old man before him inspected the girl's body. He couldn't help but stare at the bump on his forehead and the weird way he slicked his black hair back. "She's not dead, as you ordered."

The old man dressed in all white gently moved a strand of hair away from Kagome's face. "Hmm, indeed." A smirk crept down his lips nodding at the sight of the legend before him. "We'll issue your payment as we discussed. I'll even throw in a bonus!"

"Why, thank you, Shigeru-sama." Toji smirked back. "Generous as ever, Founder."

"Oi," Toji's handler whispered behind him, "he is not the founder."

"Eh?" Toji turned his attention over his shoulder.

Sighing under his breath, Shiu, Toji's curse handler turned to face Shigeru as he sat down on the couch in the private office. "Do you mean it? I know it was a necessary expense, but you've already helped us out a lot, too. I thought you'd complain a bit more."

Shigeru chuckled under his breath as he rested his elbows on his knees. "We hired you for the capture of the girl and we were expecting you to fail. Our Star Religious Group was founded in the Nara Era, when Tengen-sama began preaching about the moral foundation of jujutsu sorcerers, a minority, as Buddhism spread throughout Japan. Jujutsu society and religious corporations are at complete odds with each other. That strain is what gave birth to our modern Star Religious Group, the Time Vessel Association. That is also why we have devoted ourselves to remaining non-sorcerers. However, the time has finally arrived!" Standing up from the couch, Shigeru snickered. "We will have the ultimate pure power! Sorcerers around the world will be able to do nothing! We will finally have the one thing connecting us to God!"

Hearing the drowned-out speech, Toji couldn't help but blink in confusion. Pure power? "I sensed something different from her. Pure power?"

Shigeru slowly covered Kagome's body with another white sheet before picking her up in his arms. "She is a legend we waited for over 500 years. She holds the key to controlling all spirits, pure and cursed. She will be the one to make us one. When we heard rumors of her finally appearing with the Shikon no Tama, we just had to act. If jujutsu sorcerers got their hands on her, they would have been unstoppable!"

"Who is she exactly?" questioned Toji.

"She is the priestess who stopped one of the infamous demons in the feudal era. The one who has full control of the Shikon no Tama...Higurashi Kagome."

"Feudal era?" Toji repeated.

Taking out a cigarette from his box, Shiu sighed. "Human society might be what crumbles if Master Tengen loses control, though." He didn't care much for the war between the two nor what the balance could end up being. All he cared for was getting paid for the work he did.

Walking over to the door awaiting his entrance, Shigeru chuckled. "With the pure miko who transcends between the gods and the heavens...if we all perish at the end, we shall perish alongside her."

Watching him leave with the priestess in his arms, Toji rolled his eyes and raised his index finger to his head before looping it to signal the craziness they just heard. Shiu chuckled under his breath in response, quietly agreeing with the madman.

---

"What exactly did he mean by pure miko?"

Breathing out the smoke, Shiu looked over at Toji as they walked together and exited the Star organization building. Sighing, Shiu's eyes rose to stare at the sunset. "It's an old myth geezers believe in. At a time when demons and pure beings existed, no one could control it and it was constant war. It is said years ago, a pure priestess by the name of Midoriko was able to end the war and create a powerful jewel to grant wishes."

"Demons?" Toji scoffed. "You really want me to believe that?"

Shiu shrugged, "look, I said it was a myth they believed in. The myth goes on to say Midoriko combined her soul within the jewel along with the demons she was fighting."

"Hm," Toji scratched his cheek, "and where is this jewel?"

"That...we don't know." Pointing to the building with his thumb over his shoulder, Shiu signaled Toji to look. "Those geezers believed the jewel rests inside her body. So, who knows...they say they are after her, but it could be they are solely after the jewel. They probably believe the jewel could grant them any wish they desire."

Trying to wrap his head around the myth, Toji shook his head as he stopped before an outside path of pillars on either side all the way to the end. "So, they are just a crazy bunch. Well, I don't care," he shrugged, "as long as I get paid. Speaking of which, let's go eat with their money! Take me to one of the restaurants you use for clients."

Laughing, Shiu shook his head with a smirk, "no way. You never pay for a guy, anyway." Shiu dropped the left over bud of his cigarette on the ground. Grinding his shoe on top, he looked towards Toji over his shoulder. "I've already decided I'll only see you either for work or in Hell."

Toji scoffed watching as Shiu waved and left him alone. Shaking his head, he began to walk down the pillar path. The echoing of cicadas were the only sound filling his ears as his mind wandered to the myth. A priestess...from five hundred years ago? Something wasn't adding up, but the math itself was beginning to give him a headache. That's why he only took care of the brute force work. The rays of the sunset hit him hard, making him squint as he raised his hand to make a shade over his eyes. Looking ahead, he blinked out the blur of the bright sun. The view ahead of him began to clear only to see a tall slender man standing on the other end of the path he walked on.

Toji recognized the white hair and uniform immediately. His brows furrowed, questioning the presence before him. "Huh?"

"Hey," a bloody smirk decorated the white-haired male's lips, "it's been a while."

Toji's eyes widened as he saw the crystal blue eyes meet his gaze. "For real...?"

"For real, real." Moving white strands of hair from his forehead, a small, healed hole was shown. "I'm alive and still kicking!"

Toji's fingers curled into his palms. What the hell had happened? He was sure he had killed Gojo back at the shrine! "Reverse cursed technique?!" When did he learn that? He wasn't aware of the infamous Gojo kid to know that technique.

"Bingo!" Gojo smirked, brows high as he felt the adrenaline starting to boil in his veins. "When you stabbed me through the throat, I really thought you had gotten me. I gave up on counterattacking and poured all my focus into the reverse cursed technique. I wasn't one hundred percent sure it would work, but something inside of me finally unlocked. My mind had blackened out when I dropped to the floor, but in my mind, I saw a pink light flash before me! It was a warm light that engulfed my entire being! It felt...amazing! I was enlightened!"

At this, Toji's body tensed further. Pink light? Had it been the same light he saw before attacking Geto? There was no way! Did that priestess do something? "Cursed energy is negative energy," Toji replied. "There is no way you could have regenerated."

"True," Gojo chuckled, "but I was blessed to experience positive energy for the first time in my life. An energy so pure it opened my true potential for battle. I was able to do reverse curse techniques – perfectly! I hadn't been able to do that up until now! I finally grasped my true power on the verge of death." He pointed to his chest with his thumb, "Her power unchained me!"

Hearing him go on and on about his "true" awakening, Toji couldn't help but wonder if this had anything to do with the priestess. What exactly did she do? Did she have the ability to awaken a sorcerer's true potential? How? He tried to remember what Shiu and the stupid old man had said. All he could circle back to was her pure energy. Is this what they meant she was one with the heavens? It would make sense if it was true. Who knew what her positive pure energy could do in battle against their cursed energy.

'She can purify anything...,' Toji cursed under his breath, realizing he had given the organization a valuable person.

"Now...".

Toji's attention was fished out of his thoughts to see the glee on Gojo's face. He was on cloud nine from what he could tell.

Gojo tilted his head to the side, "where's Kagome?"

"Huh?" Toji raised a brow. "Ah...the girl. She's been delivered already so I don't know-." Toji immediately felt his body go cold as he felt the pressure in the air. Making eye contact with the Gojo kid again, he noticed the anger and excitement swirling in his pupils. The pressure around him...was that his energy?!

"You're going to lose today." Gojo stated, laughing through his words. "You're going to lose today because you didn't chop my head off and because you didn't use that cursed tool when you could! I was saved by the heavens themselves!"

Slowly reaching for the hilt coming out of his cursed worm-like creature on his shoulder, Toji scoffed. "I'm going to lose you say?" Toji laughed, pulling his blade from the monster and twirling it in his hand. "Our fight is just getting started!"

"Oh? Is it?" Gojo raised his brow.

Toji immediately sprinted towards him, swinging his sword horizontally. A blast of dirt and dust expanded, covering the area. As the air cleared, Toji's brows knitted as he saw no sign of Gojo.

"Reverse cursed technique...".

Toji looked over his shoulder, noticing Gojo had appeared behind him – upside down and holding out two fingers together. Red light beams gathered in front of his eyes before creating a small red orb.

Gojo's lips curved upwards, "Red."

A red beam of light blasted towards Toji's direction. Blocking with his blade, Toji grunted as he was pushed further away, full force, towards one of the buildings behind him. A big crash echoed in the space. Toji coughed from the push as he slid down to the ground. His smirk still decorated his lips as he watched Gojo's high on his face. "That monster...". Stabbing his sword into the ground, Toji used it as support to get back up on his feet.

Toji pushed his arms back, holding them together from behind, and stretched. Veins slowly became visible as he let his body relax. 'That shock wave was an application of Limitless, the cursed technique reversal, Red, huh? So he poured the positive energy generated by the reverse cursed technique into the Limitless technique ingrained into him.' Connecting a chain to the end of his sword, Toji began to swirl the blade behind him as he held the chain connected to his cursed monster on his shoulder. 'All things he can do, I can handle!'

---

Eyes shot open, Geto's breaths quickened as he felt the pain in his body pulse. His eyes met a white ceiling with fluorescent lighting. Fingers flexing for movement, he felt alive yet...so lost.

"Ah! You're awake!"

Turning his head to the right, he kept it on the stiff bed only to see a familiar brunette wearing a familiar uniform under the door frame. "S-Shoko...?"

"We were worried you were going to be in a coma." The short-haired brunette chuckled as she walked into the infirmary. "I'm surprised you are healed, though."

"Healed?" He repeated. His hand quickly came up to touch his chest. Geto quickly sat up. Where were his wounds? He was sure Toji had slashed him. What happened-? His pupils dilated remembering the pink light that had appeared before him. Did that save him?

"Aside from the body ache, are you feeling okay?" Shoko asked. "Master Tengen felt his barriers break a bit, so he called reinforcements. Especially since the girl you two were in charge of never arrived."

"Kagome!" Geto turned his head to the female sorcerer. "Where is she?! What happened?!"

"Hey," Shoko shrugged, "I'm just as confused as you. To be honest, with the wounds you were found with, you have been dead in a matter of minutes. But when they found you...," she reached for her phone and turned it on before showing him her screen, "you were enveloped in a pink barrier."

"Pink barrier?" He whispered, shoulders relaxing. Pink? Wait...there was no way, right?

Shoko turned the phone back to her as she replied to a few text messages. "The barrier was not cursed, and it was keeping you alive long enough until it fully healed you itself."

"The barrier was healing me?" He asked. Geto connected the dots. He had seen this barrier and color before. It was her signature. Quickly getting up from the hospital bed, Geto reached for his bloodied uniform resting on the chair.

"Oi, oi!" Shoko raised a brow. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Where's Satoru?" He asked.

Shoko blinked. That was his first question? Sighing, she crossed her arms. "Gojo left without a word. He was found alive, too. He was also enveloped by that weird pink barrier. But before we could bring him here, he woke up and left the scene. He didn't say anything except some sorcerers were saying he looked too pissed. They were too scared to intervene and stop him."

Buttoning up the last button on his jacket, Geto walked towards the door. "I have an idea where he is going."

---

Dodging another attack from Toji, Gojo bent backwards, watching the sword fly in front of him. Was he scared? No. Was he worried? No. He was delighted to feel everything. Everything. The world made sense around him. Everything around was alive, and he could see beyond the souls of the living. Is this what it meant to be one with spiritual beings? Is this what Kagome sensed in her everyday life?

It was beautiful yet horrifying to sense everything.

Gojo dodged again, but his eyes remained glued to the auburn sky. 'Kagome-chan... I'm not angry over you right now nor am I worried, but I'm sorry I couldn't protect you back there. You have opened my world, my universe. You have graced me with your spiritual blessing and made me strong...at what sacrifice?' He understood what she was.

She was a priestess who had encountered corruption 500 years ago. She awakened the pure energy on earth by being here. Whatever this jewel was, she was being fueled both pure and chaotic energy, yet she remained gentle. She was the prophecy jujutsu sorcerers awaited.

Kagome was the legendary priestess who would erase all curses.

She could purify the world.

'But in the wrong hands...she could be a danger. She could also become corrupted by the evil around her.' And at that, Gojo knew she was also a danger to jujutsu sorcerers. Jumping up, Gojo floated in the air and smirked at his opponent below. He would make a vow here and there. "Through Heaven and Earth, I alone am the honored one."

Putting together his thumb and index finger to make an 'O', he slowly raised his arm to the side as small chunks of the ground floated around him. His eyes narrowed as he watched Toji swing his chain around again before flinging it towards him. 'You're a Zenin, huh? That's why you know so much about me and my Limitless technique, yet...you abandoned your clan.' Gojo raised his arm forward and held his hand signal. A bright purple glow pulsed from the tip of his fingers as his stare locked on the former Zenin clan member. 'From here on out, I vow to the gods I will protect the priestess. I will fulfill my clan's duty.' His eyes narrowed, "Hollow Purple."

The purple light blinded Toji as it flew towards him. He was frozen in his spot as he saw the light getting bigger and closer.

Gojo slowly descended to stand before Toji. His eyes remained stoic as the sound of blood dripped down to the floor. He stared at the chunk he had blasted off from Toji's body, leaving him with one arm and half his torso. His Hollow Purple had cut a circle into Toji's body and pierced into the building's many thick walls.

The sound of chains rattled to the floor as it slipped from Toji's weakened grip. His free hand slowly came up to touch the missing part of his body. His hand lathered in his own blood as it flowed downwards. His mind flashed to an image of his son being carried by his wife.

"Any last words?" Gojo asked.

A thing stream of blood flowed out of Toji's mouth as he smiled. "Nah...". His memory once again flashed an image of his son – older. "Heh...two or three years from now, my kid will be sold off to the Zenin clan. Do what you will with that information."

Silent, Gojo watched as Toji's head slowly lowered and stilled.

---

Geto's eyes widened as he stared at the familiar purple worm-like creature before him. His body shook with confusion as he stared at the streak of blood the worm had made on the floor. That was Toji's curse...where was he? His head snapped towards the building Shoko had texted him. This was the building cult hid. Running down the pillar path, his eyes caught the destruction. Cursed energy from both Toji and Gojo lingered, but both were nowhere to be seen.

Geto immediately stopped in his tracks as he saw Toji's body standing still at the entrance of the building. His body looked like it had been bitten off. Geto gulped as he slowly made his way towards the male. He didn't sense any energy left in him. Did...Gojo kill him? The sun had fully set with only hues of dark red and purple illuminating the sky for the upcoming night.

Continuing his way inside the building, his only trace was the energy Gojo had left. His path led him down a vacant hall made of metal walls before coming to two huge mirror-made doors. His reflection showed his distress. Was he too late? Grabbing both handles on either door, Geto pulled them open only to be greeted by a bright white light illuminating the room. His throat went dry as he heard clapping echoing in the room.

Geto watched as hundreds of people, young and old all dressed in clean white clothing clapped in harmony. In the middle, he saw Gojo slowly making his way towards him. His clothes were still bloody and stained from the battles he had. In his arms, he carried a body covered by a white sheet. Geto's eyes lowered to see the feminine dainty hand drop to the side.

His heart stopped.

"You're late, Suguru." Gojo spoke as they came face-to-face. "I guess Shoko told you where I was, huh?"

Geto's brows shook as he continued to stare at the hand. "S-Satoru...is that...?"

"I knocked her out a little longer," Gojo whispered, eyes narrowing darkly. "She is still alive. I don't want these sick bastards to know she is alive if not we will have a bigger problem."

Relief washed over Geto as he heard Gojo's words. So she was okay...

"I screwed up, though."

Geto's head snapped up to stare at Gojo's icy blue eyes.

"I screwed up bad, Suguru." Gojo tilted his head to the side. "Should we kill these people?"

"What...?" Geto whispered. What was he talking about?

"The way I feel right now, I doubt I would feel any guilt about it." Gojo's grip tightened on Kagome's body. "I would be doing Kagome a favor."

Geto's body tensed as he continued to hear the clapping. These people were happy. They were happy to see the priestess connected to heaven and earth was dead. They believed jujutsu sorcery was close to an end with this phase. Shaking his head, Geto's fingers curled into his palm. "No... there's no point right now. Kagome-chan... would be unhappy to know we did such a thing."

"No point, huh?" Gojo repeated, walking past his partner. "Does there really need to be any point besides revenge?"

Fingernails pierced into his skin, drawing out droplets of blood on the white tile. "Jujutsu sorcerers need a reason...". He hated himself. Hated himself.

Oh, how badly he wanted to take revenge.

---

Cerulean eyes slowly opened only to be greeted with a haze. Kagome's eyes scanned her surroundings only to see she was indeed surrounded by a white mist of sorts. Her hand reached out to touch it only for it to gently swirl around her palm.

"Where am I...?" she whispered to herself.

"I see you have entered our domain."

Jolted out of her inner thoughts, Kagome quickly turned around only to see a familiar yet unknown face. A beautiful woman with fair skin and dark long hair floated within the mist. Her clothing told Kagome she was far before the feudal era. Meeting her wise eyes, Kagome's lips parted.

"Midoriko-sama...?"

A gentle smile formed over the said woman's lips. "My, you have had quite the adventures, haven't you?"

Kagome took a small step forward. "What are you doing here? Am... I dead?"

"Oh child," Midoriko chuckled, "death is far lonelier than this. You are still far from that door."

What was Midoriko doing here? Was this a dream then? Before Kagome could ask those questions, she watched as another body emerged from the mist. Kagome waited, silently as her eyes scanned the female. Her eyes slowly widened as she recognized the face before her. Her fragile features similar to hers. Her long black hair tied back into a low ponytail. Kagome immediately recognized the white and red hakamas.

"Kikyou...?"

Kikyou nodded, "good to see you too, Kagome."

What were they both doing before her if she was not dead?

"We are here to warn you, child." Midoriko spoke. "Our presence in the feudal era and what we did have made a future for present holy people. As you have seen, jujutsu sorcerers were made throughout history with our guidance. Demons slowly became extinct, but our lives were still in danger as some demons left demonic energy. This is how cursed energy came to be. When you returned to your era, time continued. You were one of the strongest priestesses, and priestess in history tried to come to your level, but never could. That is why jujutsu sorcerers trained...to protect us as we were the only ones who could purify and exorcise."

Kikyo sighed as she took a step forward, "Kagome... Naraku was not the strongest of demons. He was the strongest in his time, but there were demons waiting for a window to attack. Some even waited in hiding and consumed those cursed energies becoming even stronger. There are many in your era that will come after you now that the jewel has made its presence."

Kagome's eyes wandered to the white mist at her feet. "You mean...I'm even more of a target?"

"Correct," Midoriko continued, "you must be cautious. The Shikon no Tama is yours and yours only. You must continue to protect it with your life. Even from the vilest of curses."

"Who must I... be wary of in my era?" That was the true question. Kagome couldn't think of anything worse than Naraku.

Both Midoriko and Kikyo shared a glance before turning back to Kagome.

---

"Here we go!"

Deflecting the pencil and eraser come towards him, Gojo laughed as he caught them in midair. "Yeah, it's working!"

"Geh," Shoko stuck her tongue out as she watched Gojo winking at her, "what the heck was what?" He had asked the three of them, Geto, herself and-.

"Are you using us to practice your technique?"

Shoko's eyes glided over to see the famous priestess standing beside her with her arms crossed. It was a bit weird having a new student around, but she had become accustomed to it. It was nice to have another female around, especially when dealing with the two idiots in her group. But there had been trouble to have her join. Master Tengen and everyone else objected to the idea of having her roam around free. After all, she was the priestess jujutsu sorcerers had labeled a myth.

And yet, here she was.

Of course, Gojo was able to convince them. He was close to being the head of his clan and he reminded them of their sole duty. That had anchored everyone down to agreeing.

But she still had eyes on her.

A year had passed since their incident with Toji and Gojo fully activating his potential power. Kagome had been training under them to fully master her own abilities. To say the least, Shoko was quite shocked at how much energy Kagome was holding within. Gojo and Geto were training her on how to compress it and hide her true power.

Gojo shrugged with a smirk, "I need the training, too, Kagome-chan."

"Right...," her eyes glared.

"Automatic selection of targets for your jujutsu technique?" Geto asked, fishing Shoko out of her inner thoughts.

"You know," Shoko sighed, "having Limitless perpetually active will fry your brain."

"But I can also keep running the reverse cursed technique with the energy I generate on my own." Tapping on his head, Gojo gave them a sly smile.

Kagome's brow crooked up. On his own? 'That's thanks to the jewel shard, idiot.' She sighed under her breath. She hated to admit it, but the jewel shard had only healed his wounds and opened the pores he needed to be at one hundred percent to use his abilities. Her gaze carefully went over to Geto. She wasn't sure why the shard hadn't done the same for Geto. The shard had only healed him. Her face scrunched at the mystery. Of course, no one, and absolutely no one knew about the jewel shards resting within the two. If Master Tengen and the rest of the higher-ups ever found out, she was sure they would lock her up to keep an eye on her.

"Oi, Shoko!" Gojo called out. "Could you lend me some lab rats to practice?!"

"Eh~," Shoko raised a brow in return as she walked towards him. "Now you want more favors?"

Kagome chuckled at their interaction. All stress aside, she was happy to see everyone was safe and well. Her family understood why she had left and even told them she was going to attend school at Jujutsu High. The higher-ups had granted her visitation every now and then as long as Gojo and Geto accompanied her.

"You know, thinking back to a year ago...".

Kagome blinked as she heard Geto's voice.

"I was really frightened at the thought of you dead when Satoru carried you out. The things I would have done if that had been a reality."

Kagome's eyes trailed upwards to stare at the cloudless sky. "Well, Satoru-kun had to do what he had to do." Falling silent, Kagome memory traveled back to how she came back from her unconsciousness and her visit from Midoriko and Kikyou. Everything had been a blur, yet she clearly understood where her life was heading. She had to be even more careful than ever.

She would train how she needed to stay alive and protect those around her.

Turning her head, she was about to ask Geto how he was faring only to see his lost expression glued to the floor. She blinked and tilted her head to the side. Taking a closer look now, she noticed his complexion had changed since meeting him. The color in his skin was getting even more pale.

"Suguru-kun?"

He blinked.

"Are you okay? You look like you're losing weight...".

The soft smile she adored made an appearance on his lips. "I'm okay. Probably just a bit tired." That was no lie, but ever since Gojo had shown his strength, he had become the 'strongest'. He was given even more missions than before and most had him go alone. Since Shoko was also not sent to dangerous missions and Gojo had to be away, Kagome would stay behind within the barriers of Jujutsu High.

Naturally, that led to him also being sent out on multiple missions alone.

Kagome leaned back; eyes glued to his aura slowly pulsing with pain. "Alright...," she whispered back, "but please tell me if I can ever help."

"Thank you, Kagome-chan."

---

"Hmmm...what to drink?" Index finger tapping on her chin, Kagome tilted her head to the side as she eyed the many drink options from the vending machine. It was a hot summer, and she wasn't sure if she wanted a coke or juice. "Apple juice!" Digging into her skirt pocket for change, she blinked the second she heard coins being dispensed into the machine. Her eyes trailed the arm upwards only to see Geto pressing on the button below her drink.

"Ah...Suguru-kun, you didn't have to!"

Geto bent down to grab it from the bottom before handing it to her with a smile. "I'm here to take care of you."

A tint of red slowly blossomed on her cheeks as she took the juice in her hands. "T-Thank you...".

Grabbing a drink for himself, Geto sighed as he waited for his said drink to drop. "Kagome-chan...".

"Hm?"

"Do you mind if we have a talk?" He asked.

A bit taken back by his request; Kagome quickly flashed him a smile of her own. "Of course! I love having your company!"

Returning the smile, he walked over to the wooden bench across the vending machine. He took a seat first before Kagome plopped herself next to him.

"Is everything okay?" Kagome asked.

"Who knows...," he sighed, eyes glued on the water bottle in his hands. Both elbows rested on either knee as he leaned forward. His mind wandered to Gojo and Kagome talking with each other during their training in the morning before having taken her attention from him. He was happy to see she was spending her time with them now...just like she wanted.

Just like they wanted. He was happy she was safe...for now.

"Are you getting used to things around here?" He asked.

"Sort of," she shrugged, "learning all these things about curses sure is a lot...but it helps I have some background knowledge."

Geto nodded back, "right...". His eyes landed back on the water bottle. "Are you close to Satoru now?"

She blinked, close? "Um...to Gojo-kun? I wouldn't say I'm close to him, but I guess due to the binding vow I made with the jewel to help you two, I guess I feel a spiritual bond?"

Geto glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. A binding vow. She had given a part of her pure soul to save them. A shard rested within them. In the end, she had saved both and protected them. It was supposed to be the other way around.

Kagome gave a small smile at Geto, "Geto-kun...you look tired." His eyes looked worn out. The white baggy t-shirt and sweatpants were so unlike him. Was he stressed about something? "You know I want nothing but the best for you. You have a good heart, Geto-kun and I wish to see your dreams come true for this world. That's why you're a sorcerer...to help." She had heard the stories from the others about how he believed jujutsu sorcerers were there to protect the weak. Protect the well-being of others. She admired that.

Her soft smile made him chuckle softly before turning his attention to the empty hall on the othe side. "At least you believe in me...".

"Always will." She stood from her spot and gave him a light peck on his forehead. "Thank you for the juice. Next time I'll buy you a drink!"

Stunned from her soft kiss, Geto's hand slowly reached to touch the warm spot. Watching her turn away to leave, he quickly reached for her hand. Clasping it tightly in his, Geto looked at Kagome with worry.

Kagome blinked, blushing at the skin contact.

"Kagome-chan... if I make a world where all pure beings are safe from curses, would you hate me?"

The priestess's shoulders relaxed. "Suguru-kun, it would be impossible to fully erase curses. It's a natural balance in the world." Unfortunately, it was a truth they knew and could never fix. "We have humans that have natural emotions, and most are from normal human beings who don't even know about this world we live in. The best we can do is erase those curses as they come out."

"I just...," he slowly released her hand, "wanted to make a world where you would be okay."

She released a soft sigh, "Trust me...I have my scars, but I will be okay if you and Gojo-kun are there to guide me. Besides, both of you promised to protect me, remember?"

He chuckled, "Right...we did."

"Well, I gotta go and write today's reports for Yaga-sensei. Don't stay here too long, okay?" Waving goodbye, Kagome then ran towards the hall.

Geto, left alone in the room, sighed as he opened his water bottle. But he could try to change the natural balance, right? After all, they were sorcerers.

---

Twirling the pen between his fingers, Gojo rested against the wall of the small waiting room. The sunset rays hit the inside of the room like a single-lit candle. His covered eyes went over to the window to his right, watching as Nanami and other sorcerers walked out to call it a night.

"Ah! H-Hot!"

His attention shifted over to the priestess sitting near the coffee table in the middle of the room. There she sat on one of the comfy black sofas everyone fought for in school. She winced as she stuck her tongue out and set her ceramic cup of hot tea down on the saucer plate in front of her. Her hair was now worn down and draped over her shoulders.

It was good to see her relaxed.

"Be careful, idiot." Gojo chuckled. "Tea is hot."

"I know that!" She scoffed, fanning out her tongue the best she could. "It was already sitting there for 10 minutes so I hoped it wasn't that hot." She really hoped her tongue wasn't burnt. Cerulean orbs landed on the silent sorcerer. He was too quiet. Usually, he'd be teasing her more than this. "Yaga-sensei really is taking a long time...".

Gojo rolled his eyes as he threw the pen to the nearby desk. He controlled the pen from making a harsh fall and controlled the fall as soon as it floated above the flat surface. Lowering the pen with his finger, he looked over at Kagome, "keh! And he was the one to call us over!"

A silence stretched until Kagome carefully reached for her cup of tea again. "Have you talked to Suguru-kun?"

"No," he replied, crossing his arms. "He's been distant lately."

"Hmm...," eyes on the ripples of her tea, she watched as one of the little stems of the green tea brew sank down. "I can feel his emotions...slightly."

At this, his brow rose and carefully observed the priestess from the corner of his eye.

She set the cup of tea back down before laying her palm in front of her and slowly letting a bit of her miko-ki envelope into a sphere over it. In a blink of an eye, the pink glow evaporated and left a pink smooth sphere floating over her palm.

Slightly tilting his chin upwards, he watched as the priestess stared at her sacred jewel. The infamous Shikon no Tama rumored to be a myth. But if anyone took a closer inspection, one could see the two small missing shards.

"Suguru-kun holds one of the two shards I shared with you two. I saved both of your lives but that took a part of my soul to be ejected out of my body, so I'm not at a hundred percent power. But as long as the shard is within your body, I can also feel some things you feel. That was part of my pure contract to keep you two safe and alive." Kagome sighed as her eyes narrowed in worry. "I am concerned about Suguru-kun; he doesn't seem like himself."

"Can you keep an eye on him?" Gojo asked.

"Not exactly how it works, Satoru-kun." She sighed under her breath. "I can keep you safe to an extent, but not pure nor can I really see what you're doing. Although I can sense where you might be depending on the distance."

Looking out the window, Gojo's shoulders relaxed. He released a held sigh. "Well, you don't have to worry so much about us. Suguru might be going through some stuff, but he and I will be here no matter what. After dragging you into our messy world, Suguru and I promised we wouldn't leave you to the dangers of Jujutsu High...especially since you saved our assess. It's our duty to you."

A rose tint blossomed on Kagome's cheeks as she heard the sincerity behind Gojo's words. Clearing her throat, Kagome hoped her tea was warm enough to drink.

The sound of a shoji door opening caught their attention to see Yaga standing with a file by his side.

"About time!" Gojo scoffed, pushing himself off the wall. "We are busy people, too, ya know!"

Kagome blinked, sensing the cautious aura swirling around Yaga. What was this about?

Gojo's smirk returned. "Why the long face-?" His view was met with a file as Yaga held it in front of his face. "What is this?"

"Read it." Yaga ordered. "Right now."

Both teens remained silent and didn't move a muscle. Why the sudden harsh tone? Yaga was one to be harsh to begin with, but there was something different in his voice. Almost...anger and suffering.

Lowering the cup of tea from her lips, Kagome watched as Gojo snatched the file from Yaga's hand and opened the folder. The previous silence had become heavier, and Kagome could only feel her own nerves twist as Gojo's aura began to flare in the same way as Yaga's.

Gojo's eyes immediately widened as his pupils scanned the reports.

Kagome slowly stood from her spot on the sofa. "What's wrong, Satoru-kun?"

No answer. Only the sound of his frantic page flipping.

Finally, Gojo lowered the report from his attention and delivered an infuriated glare towards Yaga. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Yaga sighed, "you think it's easy to tell you this? The evidence is there...we can't deny it."

Kagome flinched as she watched Gojo throw the report and folder down to the floor with full force. "I'm asking YOU!"

Picking up the report from the floor, Kagome flipped through the same crinkled pages. Her eyes scanned the typed report and with each sentence she read, she could feel her hands going cold. She felt her heart picking up beats as she read the name of the suspect they were looking over.

Over a hundred people dead...?

A village burned down...?

His parents...killed by him?

"Yaga!" Gojo shouted. "Answer me!"

"Don't make me repeat myself," Yaga closed eyes, feeling the intensity of Gojo's anger. "Suguru killed everyone in the village and-".

"I read the damn report!" Gojo cut him off. "That's why I said to explain yourself!"

Kagome's fingers dug into the papers as she held the sides. Her eyes read the final line. The consequence.

Sentenced to death.

"Suguru's old home was already an empty husk, as well." Yaga continued. "Though, from the bloodstains and residuals, he most likely killed his parents, too-".

Gojo's fist punched the wooden walls of the room, leaving a dent. "Like hell he did!"

"Satoru!" Yaga shouted back. "I don't understand what's going on, either!"

Taken back by Yaga's pained expression, Gojo took a step back. His fingers curled into his palms at his sides. Fingernails pierced into his skin; droplets of blood stained the wooden floors one by one.

"Kagome-chan...".

The named priestess jumped at the sound of her name. Turning her attention over to Yaga, she saw his serious expression glued on her.

"You know what this means right?" He questioned, leaving her in her shocked state. "I am aware of the vow you made with these two idiots. These two brought you to know who you were, what you are, and what you are capable of. Only we know what you had to do to save Satoru and Suguru. Your freedom is gone if they sense any danger around you. Master Tengen allowed you to roam free for now, but he has the right to call you in and be in cased within his own barriers. It's already a risk to have someone like you roaming although we know our intentions are to teach you how to use your powers."

Kagome swallowed, hard.

"The Shikon no Tama allowed you to share part of your soul. Your soul holds excessive power...Suguru...he has part of your soul."

Her shoulders slumped, knowing the consequences this was beginning to unfold.

"He is a strong curse energy user. There might be a time he might come for you depending on where his mind wanders." Yaga sighed as he rested his hands inside his pants pockets. "Satoru, you are hereby given a cemented mission: protect Higurashi Kagome at all costs, even from Suguru."

She felt her vision blur as her tears slowly started to rise. She felt those tears slowly stream down her cheeks, but she still found herself unable to move or say anything from the shock. Their world...their friendship...had completely turned around.

A ring from Gojo's pockets fished them all out of their silence. Gojo immediately dug his hand into his pocket to grab his flip phone and answer the call. "Shoko?! Where are-?!" His eyes widened as he heard her voice on the other end. "Stop him there! Don't you dare let him get away until I talk to him!" Hanging up the call, Gojo sprinted out of the room.

"S-Satoru-kun!" Kagome called out. "W-Wait-!"

He was gone.

Her hand dropped from the shoji door as she faced nothing but the empty hall.

'What do I do...?'

---

"Oi!"

Stopping amid the crowd, Geto turned his head over his shoulder as people slowly moved to the sides of the sidewalk. His tired eyes watched as the crowd revealed his former white-haired partner panting at the other end of the sidewalk. His glare pierced through his soul; his anger flaring from his eyes.

"Suguru!"

"Ah...Satoru."

"What the hell are you thinking?!" Gojo shouted. "Explain yourself."

"You already heard most of it, didn't you? That's all there is to it."

Gojo's eyes narrowed, wrinkling his forehead as he contained his anger. "So you're just going to kill everyone who's not a sorcerer? Even your parents?!" This was not his partner he knew. This had to be all fabricated. "Suguru! Answer me!"

"I can't allow my parents to be a special exception," Geto replied. "Besides, those people aren't my family anymore."

"That's not what I am asking! You said so yourself! We weren't allowed to kill when there's no point to it!" He remembered the day he wanted to kill those who were behind Kagome's kidnapping. He wanted to slaughter everyone in the damn room.

But he knew better. Geto had stopped him.

Turning his body to fully face him, Geto graced him with his smile. "There's a point to it. Significant, too. It's for a great cause."

"The hell there is!" Gojo took a step forward. "There's no great cause! So you're just going to kill all non-sorcerers and create a world of only jujutsu sorcerers?! That's a crazy thought!"

"I just want a peaceful world," Geto sighed again. "A peaceful world where Kagome-chan can be safe. Where we don't have to worry about curses anymore if only jujutsu sorcerers are around-."

"-think about how Kagome-chan will react!" Gojo cut him off, anger fuming out his body as his chest heaved. "Kagome-chan is devastated by the news! She is broken by what you're doing!" Gojo's shoulders dropped as he watched the expression on Geto's face melt at the sound of her name. He understood. He understood perfectly what he was doing and why...but this was not the way. No...

"I broke her heart...," Geto chuckled under his breath, eyes dropping to the floor, "figures. Look, don't try to convince me of what I can and cannot do. You are trying to tell me what I want is impossible, but I know that for you it's possible."

Gojo took another cautious step forward, "come back...come back to us...".

His head slowly rose, matching with closed eyes with a smile. "I want to make a safe world for her and everyone else." Turning around, he rested his hands in his pockets. "Even if she ends up hating me."

Watching him walk away, Gojo extended his palm out, ready to attack.

Ready to stop him.

Wanting to stop him.

He froze. His aim trembled as all the emotions swelled within his body.

"Hey, Satoru...".

Gojo jumped at the sound of his name. His eyes met the tired gaze of his friend across.

"Are you the strongest because you're Gojo Satoru? Or does being the strongest make you Gojo Satoru?"

"What are you trying to say?!"

"If I had been given a chance to become you," Geto tilted his head upwards, "this foolish ideal would become a lot more grounded and real, don't you think? I've decided how I'll live my life. If you want to kill me, kill me."

Gojo froze.

"There's point to that."

Watching him wave goodbye, Gojo began to curse himself. Why was his body not moving? He could end it here! He could force him back!

"Take care of Kagome-chan...," Geto's voice echoed in the area, knowing Gojo could hear him. "Let her know I will create a world for her. Just for her."

"SUGURU!"

---

"Gojo-sensei. Gojo-sensei!"

"Eh~, so even senpai sleeps, huh?"

"Of course he does. What kind of question is that?"

Eyes slowly opened. His vision clearing to the sight before him. Three familiar heads stood before him staring intently.

"Oh!" The pink-haired male exclaimed, "he's awake!"

"Oi!" The brunette female spoke, pointing to him, "That's one of those comfy expensive chairs, isn't it?!"

"Gojo-sensei, please don't fall asleep after summoning all of us here," sighed the Zenin kid.

Chuckling, Gojo slowly lowered his black bandana to his eyes. He had forgotten he had called them into her office. Having entered the room first, there was no sign of her, so he figured he would wait. He didn't expect he would fall asleep.

Gojo stood from the black chair, watching as Nobara and Yuji began to bicker over the chair.

"Hey! No fair!" Yuji whined. "I get it next, got it?!"

Hearing the sliding door open in the room, Gojo tilted his head to the side seeing his world come in.

"Ah! Sorry! We both called you here and I thought it would be fun to have you all try these new specialty cakes from Shibuya Station! I didn't think all of you would be here...".

Her soft laugh made Gojo smile back. There she was, walking in with a tray of tea and a bag holding the slices of cake she bought for all of them. Leave it to her to take care of them.

As she always did.

"Oh! Cake?!" Yuji exclaimed with a smile, completely forgetting about the chair. "Oh! Did you buy them from that new little shop inside the station, Higurashi-sensei!?"

"That's the one!" She grinned. "I brought a slice for each of us."

"Awesome!" Yuji took the tray into his hands as Megumi came around to help with the pastry bag. "I call the strawberry one!"

"No! I want that one!" Nobara glared.

"Too bad!" Yuji shrugged with a smile.

Watching the three set the sweets and tea on the coffee table in her office, Kagome sighed with a smile. "Maybe I should have bought a slice of each flavor for each of them. I forgot how much they argue." Feeling a hand on top of her head, her cerulean eyes looked up to see Gojo looking down at her. Years had graced him with height while she stayed the same height.

"Today's the anniversary of you joining Jujutsu High, right?" He asked.

"Oh, you remember?" She blinked. "I lost count after a while...".

Coming to stand behind her, Gojo lowered his chin to rest on top of her head. "I had a dream during my nap," he whispered.

"About?" She asked.

Keeping his gaze on the three in front of him, Gojo's lips curved into a smile. "My promise."

She tilted her head slightly upwards to catch a glimpse of him. "I told you, Satoru, don't be hard on yourself. Focus on what is in front of you."

He chuckled under his breath, "I do. Forever will."

---

MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes: Oh I know I'm still rusty, but I do hope some of you are interested. I hope to write a second chapter where Yuta comes in so I can answer more questions and have more Geto interactions. Let me know what you think!

As always, reviews help us know if to keep going. Thank you for reading!

Ja~ne!