Chapter 25

Back at the 'girl's weekend'

"I LOVE that color! Please, do my fingernails in that shade?"

It was a massive transition. Maki was rather taken aback the moment Mochi woke up. She stretched herself out and took in the room before her eyes widened. "Wait, our girl's weekend is now?!" she asked with great excitement.

"Indeed, you just needed to rest from your school activities, how do you feel?" Lady Tiamat asked.

She wasn't the least bit shy anymore. If anything, she was outgoing and rather confident, similar to Rook, but not as in your face as he can be. Instead, she took in every bit of the pampering the ladies have received.

Maki was weirded out to be served by fae spirits.

Mochi savored every bit of the pampering like a typical teenage girl, she was even chatting it up later with the ladies without fear.

Lady Tiamat smiled to her. "Mochi, do you feel better?" she asked.

For a moment, she froze, perhaps recalling what had happened. But then, she smiled to Lady Tiamat. "I understand a lot better, and I am sorry for how I acted lady Tiamat…"

"Don't apologize, I should have warned your family ahead of time."

"I got questions about that…" Maki said offhandedly. "How come only the Toorus were affected? I saw all the other students eat the dragon meat, and yet it had only this affect on Yua's kids. Why is that?"

In fact, it appeared the ladies from the domain wanted to know that too.

Lady Tiamat explained it was their technique growing and their bodies had to adapt. "I can believe that for Shin and Mochi, but Rook?"

"Rook… is capable of going beyond that of heavenly restrictions." She explained.

"What… is that even possible?!" Maki demanded.

"It is, for you see, Rook is already harnessing that ability. He may not have curse energy or any energy, but the fact remains he can sense ALL energy. Humans release energy all the time, even weak electrical surges. Sorcerers release similar electrical currents as well they have their aura. However, he has made it so his body can pick up on different types. That alone can be difficult for one to do if they are not exposed to such. However, Rook has somehow been able to make it work."

"I don't get it," said Nobara.

"Rook is like a magnet." Mochi said aloud. "His body react like a magnet to certain energies, it how he is able to track people down. He alters his aura so his body can pick up the very significant one that can differ one person from another. So if he has picked up on your body energy or any form of power you have, he can track you anywhere since he tunes his energy to the opposite of his target, making him drawn towards them."

The room paused.

"What?" Mochi asked.

"You explain it like it's a technique!" said Nuwa.

"It's his," she simply stated. "It's how Rook makes himself strong,"

"This is more confusing then sensei explaining math…" muttered Maki. "I had wondered why he preferred to train with Sukuna than me…"

"Ryomen does so since it's something he too can learn for himself. He's invested into Rook so he can pick up on this ability as well. So it is only natural that the method is perfected so it can be learned by both parties." Lady Tiamat explained.

The room was rather silent for a moment.

"So… should we stop this?" Nobara asked.

"Not in the least bit" Lady Tiamat decreed. "Besides, he is still mastering his elemental power, there is are lot for him to take in on that alone."

Before they could speak farther, something caught Lady Tiamat's attention. In fact, she suddenly stood up from her seat and glared to the far left side of the spa.

"Mother?" asked Caille.

A low growl came out of her. "He's here…"

The ladies froze, the granddaughters trembled at the notion.

"Whose here?" Maki demanded.

"Yeah…" said Dr. Shoko.

She sighed and took a seat. "My Uncle." She decreed. "He's come to the earthly realm. However, I cannot stop him from doing so."

The ladies shook at the thought.

"Your uncle can come and go as he pleases?" Nobara asked with concern.

"Not as he pleases but every so often, I did not invite him to come. He came on his own accord and is Japan as we speak." She said with a slight growl to her voice. "However, I have to permit him, for the same rule applies to me in the heavenly realm."

"Damn… what does he want?" Nobara asked.

"If I know my uncle, he has a connection and is using said connection to get to me. I wouldn't be surprised if he finds out that there are more than just my children here who are dragons." She said. "When he finds out, in the words of Suiryu… he's going to lose his shit."

There was silence in the room.

"So, do we stop him?" Mochi asked.

This stunned the room as she asked such a question.

Lady Tiamat smiled to her gently and shook her head. "No, we can't. You see child, if a dragon attacks anyone in this realm that is not a dragon… it's an act of war. When war is evoked, the dragon that attacked is offering their realm as the battlefield. If we were to strike him without him attacking first, we are asking for war… and the earth will be the battle ground." She explained.

Everyone was rather nervous to that. "I didn't know it was that complicated…" Maki whispered. "But, if he does attack someone here who is not a dragon… war takes place in the heavenly realm. Does it not give them an advantage?" she asked.

Lady Tiamat smiled to her. "There are pros and cons with dealing with a dragon war. If it on their turf, they can have an advantage since they know the lands well enough. At the same time, when a dragon war occurs… the land is decimated… every living thing will be destroyed without just cause besides being in the line of fire. It I why I made the rules as they are… it's also why Toshi won't be joining his brothers as a dragon… after all, as much as I wished to have Sukuna at his best, you know what happened." She said gently.

Needless to say, everyone nodded. "But my choice was not wrong, considering he is the one who found the way around my rule on becoming a dragon. Had he remained in his madness and had such an opportunity… I doubt he would have wasted it. As well, considering his nature at the time… he would have started a dragon war. But I have little doubt it would take place on earth, for he would always attack first."

"Damn, that's some hindsight…" Nobara muttered.

"So, just be cautious and keep on our toes right?" Mochi asked.

"Yes, and if anything seems off to you, you know to go to my sons or my daughters, correct?" Tiamat asked of her.

Mochi nodded. "I am going to start training again when I get home. Oji taught me a few things that I have yet to prefect…"

"Oji?" Maki muttered. "Sukuna has been training you?"

She nodded. "Oji taught me that how I need to keep my energy going, it has to keep flowing or else the fire will burn me rather than be controlled. He gave me some tasks to do, but I have yet to prefect them…"

She was curious. "Can you show us?" Maki asked.

Mochi's eyes widened as she nodded. Lady Tiamat asked an attendant to bring something. She returned with three metal hoops.

"Hoola hoops?" the ladies asked aloud.

Mochi nodded as she took the hoops from the attendant.

"Oji told me that fire has to keep moving, if it is left stagnant then it will snuff out, at the same time, it can burn me according to him. He is more concerned about it burning me than anything." She said offhandedly.

Maki and Nobara exchanged worried looks.

Sukuna… was worried about her?

"What's he after now?" muttered Nobara.

"Don't know, don't trust it…" she whispered back.

Lady Tiamat on the other hand laughed. "Oh you two!" she snickered. "Are you forgetting something about Ryomen right now? He switched bodies with Satoru. Their personalities also got a little mixed up in there…" she said in a hinting tone.

Maki wasn't any less convinced. "Wait, you're telling me, since he was acting like Gojo sensei… he saw Mochi as his daughter?!" she protested.

"Oji is very protective," Mochi said. Then, she started to use the hoops.

One on each hand that she had to keep moving, all the while keep one moving about on her hips.

"I… see no practicality to this…" muttered Morthan.

"You'll see…" Lady Tiamat said in a hinting tone.

Mochi was good with the hoops, but Maki saw that she tired quickly. Her curse energy was also going into the hoops as well, no wonder she is tired!

When she was done, Mochi was sweating a little. "I use to only be able to do this for five minutes or so. Now I can go half an hour!" she said proudly.

Still, what was the purpose of that?!