Lily checked her phone as soon as she woke up. As promised, there was a message from Megumi. Two simple words filled her heart with joy.
"I'm home," she said aloud, exhaling a sigh of relief.
I'm home. Glancing around the room that once belonged to her grandmother, she felt as if she had come home as well. For the first time in a long time, she knew she had come to the place where she belonged. All her life she had felt out of place no matter where she lived or who she was with, even her own parents. Her sense of alienation all made sense now.
Flopping back onto the bed, stretching out her limbs as far as they would go, she experienced a sense of contentment and inner peace. There was no longer an internal struggle of longing for some mysterious something, to be someone else. She had come home to where she should have always been and pursuing who she should be. She would be a guardian - just like her grandmother.
"You think you actually have a choice?" Principal Yaga had asked her. Lily thought she did. She had always stubbornly made her own decisions when possible even to the detriment of herself sometimes just to give her parents a metaphorical poke in the eye and remind them in any small way she could she would exert some control over her life and choices.
At an early age, rebellion had been instilled in her. She blamed her father. She had made it her life's goal to do everything contrary to his wishes. It truly could be attributed to her father because he had defiantly fought his calling, his destiny, in life after all. He even moved several thousand miles away to shirk his responsibility.
His rebellion, his cowardice, must be why her father is so miserable. Depression followed him like a literal black cloud. Until the medication dulled her senses and apathy made her ignore her ability, she could see the spirit hovering over him, an amorphous black ball of Cursed Energy. Occasionally the cursed spirit would reach out and touch him with lengthy gnarled fingers attached to a thin misshapen arm.
Her phone dinged a single time alerting her to a new text message. Lily picked it up to see the message came from a different phone number she did not recognize.
I'm coming to get you. Be ready.
"What the hell?" Lily muttered, jumping to her feet. Her heart fluttered against her ribs as if trying to break out of the cage.
The phone notified her of receiving another message.
This is Satoru Gojō. Not a stalker.
"Not a stalker, huh? Are you sure about that?" she inquired aloud, tossing the phone onto the bed.
Megumi had warned her about him. He seemed goofy but harmless despite his tenacity and low brow techniques to get what he wanted. He probably stole Megumi's phone to get her number from it.
Throwing off her nightgown, Lily dressed in a skin tight pair over black yoga pants and a roomy gray shirt over her sports bra. She did not know what to be prepared for today so she decided to dress in something comfortable and loose. To further prepare herself for any event, she packed a small bag with two extra outfits and a few toiletries. As a model she had learned to be ready for any unforeseen developments from food mishaps to inclement weather that might require a change of clothing.
As she twisted her hair up into a ponytail, there was a knock on her front door. Hooking her bag over her shoulder, she ran downstairs.
"Ding dong!" Satoru Gojō yelled from the other side of the door.
Lily smiled and slid open the door. "I know you are, but I wouldn't expect you to announce it."
"Oooh, I like a woman with a delightfully wicked sense of humor," he remarked.
Lily noticed he wore a uniform. The black jacket and pants looked like a common school uniform worn by thousands of students at many schools. She assumed this must as close as he came to a professional appearance and actually looking like a teacher.
He had traded his round, what her mother would had referred to as John Lennon sunglasses, for a blindfold. She wondered how he could see through the swathe of black fabric covering his eyes but obviously he could.
Her eyes moved up his long, string bean body to his white hair that had been styled to stand on end. To her, he looked like a white spear thistle flower to her which made her simper like an idiot so she swiftly turned away from him to push her sock clad feet into her running shoes.
"I took the liberty of employing a taxi. I heard you had quite a hike yesterday," Gojō said, giving her a wide toothy grin.
"Oh? What else did Megumi tell you?" She whirled around, clutching the strap of the bag.
"Not much," he returned offhandedly. "Ready?"
"In a hurry?" she asked, pushing him out of the door.
"I want to surprise Principal Yaga and actually arrive early," he said sounding quite pleased with himself.
"Punctuality is a problem for you I take it," she rejoined, stepping outside and securing the door behind her. Just for grins, she set up a barrier to test herself. She wondered how long it would hold and if distancing herself from the house alone would be enough to break it.
"You will be trained to place and hold a protection barrier even from a distance," Gojō assured her. "It's impressive you can create one at all without any formal training."
"Thanks," she returned, a flush of pleasure spreading across her cheeks from his flattering words. "I appreciate your vote of confidence. I'm going to need that."
"You'll do fine. You won't be going in completely clueless, just mostly. I know Grandmother Hiroko tried to train you but you were a little bit obstinate about it."
"Hmmm...she discussed a lot of things you huh?"
"Yep. A lot of things," he confirmed in a way that made her antsy.
Gojō opened the back door of the taxi for her. Even behind the blindfold shielding his eyes, Lily could tell he was staring at her.
"I'm not telling you this to make you feel bad but your stubborn unwillingness to learn was a source of great worry and stress for her. But!" he exclaimed, raising a finger into the air. "I want that thought to motivate you to learn faster and try harder."
Satoru Gojō could be painfully straightforward and serious when he wanted to be. Lily kept her eyes on the ground as she passed by in front of him to take a seat in the back of the taxi. She yelped when he pushed in beside her using his bony hip to scoot her over the well worn and cracked leather of the seat.
"Hey, you big dork!" she exclaimed, punching him in the arm. "Why didn't you just go around and get in?"
"Why didn't you just slide over and make room?" he countered.
"Ugh," she groaned.
His argument made sense leaving her no counterpoint. Besides, he had a way off setting her by getting uncomfortably close. He saw absolutely no problem with getting into people's personal space and leaving them unsettled.
"I'm glad to see you brought a bag. You'll most likely be staying with us for a few days," he informed her casually.
"A few days? But I didn't come prepared for a few days," she said wishing he had warned her ahead of time. Just a few minutes ago would have been great. She could have ran back upstairs and grabbed a few things. Oh, well...it isn't like the school is that far away from her house.
"That's okay. If you need more clothes I'll come back to get them for you," he offered seeming way too happy about the prospect of rifling through her closet.
"The thought of you rummaging through my underwear drawer is a terrifying thought," she retorted, shuddering as if to make her point.
Lily could actually picture him trying on some of her dresses with both amused and irritated her. With his tiny waist and long legs he would look fucking fantastic in some of the formal gowns despite the fact they would barely reach his knees. He could have easily been a model. Instead he is a Jujutsu Sorcerer and spends his time saving people from things they don't even know are there. The ultimate thankless job.
"Oh, hey," Gojō murmured pensively, rubbing his chin. "I never thought about that. I have to admit, I am curious about something. Do you get to keep all of the underwear you model?"
"Uh, yeah," she replied, feeling the heat of embarrassment cover her from her head to her toes. "Uhm...why would you ask?"
"Just curious. I've seen the pictures in that lingerie magazine every model wants to be in. Last summer's swimsuit premiere was very nice, by the way," he said, giving her a thumbs up of approval.
"Great," she murmured, covering her face with her hands. "Why do you know all of this?"
"Your grandmother was quite proud of your modeling career. She showed me every time you appeared in a magazine or a commercial. How could I not become interested? I kept up with your career after she died. I would take the magazines to leave as an offering on her grave."
"You didn't!"
"I did!"
"You are a stalker," Lily accused him, pressing her body against the door.
"Nah, just a fan," Gojō responded with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Besides, you belong to Megumi."
"Excuse me?"
"Well, I...hmmm...hey, driver, let us off here please," he requested since they were within a few blocks of the school. "We're going to walk the rest of the way."
"It's going to be a long walk," she warned him, opening the door since the car had halted.
Lily began walking without waiting for Gojō. Thanks to Megumi she knew the way. Unlike other people, she would be able to find the school because she could see through the protection barrier. Besides with his unbelievably long legs he would be able to catch up to her quickly without putting forth much effort.
Lily could not hear him at all as he came up behind her. However, she could feel him. The formidable amount of Cursed Energy he harbored in his lanky frame created a palpable energy around him like an electrical charge that made her brain hum and the hair on arms and back of her neck stand on end.
"What did you mean I belong to Megumi?" she demanded.
"Nothing," Gojō replied, his voice rising one octave too many for it to be nothing.
"Oh, no way," she snapped, whirling around to face him. "After being so talkative and prone to just say whatever comes into that fluffy head of yours, now you want to be quiet and shit?"
"Fluffy head?" he mumbled to himself, touching his palm to the tips of his hair.
"Gojō!"
"Okay, okay." He put up his palms in a surrender gesture. "What do you really want to know?"
"Tell me truthfully...is my grandmother is behind this? This...this idea to push me toward Megumi?"
Raising a corner of the blindfold so he could make eye contact with her with at least one eye, said, "Let me start by saying this, I loved your grandmother as if she was my own. She was very important to me. Not only did she fix up my scrapes and bruises, she was a source of comfort and emotional healing. Megumi as well. Jujutsu Sorcerers fight battles in our minds and with our own emotions too. That's why you, as the new guardian, will be so important," he said in such an earnest tone that made it difficult for her to hold his intense gaze from the mere single eye. "Your grandmother knew you would form a special bond with Megumi because you actually have a lot in common. You will become more important to him over time."
"So she indulged in a little matchmaking even beyond the grave and you are an accomplice," she mumbled, staring at the toes of her black and red running shoes.
"Hey, you act like we committed a crime or something," he returned, putting his forefinger under her chin to raise her head so she would have to look at him. "Besides, were we wrong to think you two belonged together? You found each other on your own without our help."
Lily was too mesmerized by that single glorious blue eye staring at her to pay attention to his words. Her grandmother was right. His eyes are positively hypnotizing and did seem to glow.
"Were we wrong?" he needled her, lowering the blindfold.
"No. You weren't wrong, but - "
"But nothing." Gojō walked past her continuing on to the school. "You like him...he likes you. I don't see why it's a problem."
"Yeah, but - "
"Oh, look, we're here!" he cut off her protesting and ran on ahead.
"Dammit," she growled, shifting the strap of the bag on her shoulder.
Gojō stayed far enough ahead of her she would have to yell to speak to him. His walking fast forced her to jog to keep up with him further eliminating any possibility of continuing the conversation.
Lily followed him through the gate and straight ahead to the one story structure at the front of the campus at the back of the entrance courtyard. At the door, they took off their shoes leaving them on the porch. She also dropped her bag beside her shoes.
Inside, Principal Yaga waited for them, sitting on a cushion and sewing a doll. He wore brown tinted visor like sunglasses. Lily assumed the lighter tint was to compensate for the lower light given off by the torches on the wall. Although the sun shone brightly outside it was like a cave in this dwelling despite the flickering flames to banish the darkness. The torches added an arcane and mystical atmosphere making their meeting seem more profound than she had anticipated.
At first, her agreeing to take on the role of guardian had been like accepting a job and nothing more. Suddenly she began to doubt her worthiness to fulfill the duties of guardianship. She felt even more clueless than before as to what being a guardian actually meant.
Anger toward her father welled inside of her. The duty of guardian should have been his before her. It should have been him who tutored her and educated her on what it meant to be a guardian. Her grandmother never should have been left alone to carry the heavy burden without a clear successor. Damn that man.
The rabid rabbit bum rushed her, head butting her in the belly and knocking her to the floor. To release her fury at her absentee father, she seized the stuffed toy gone mad, or rather purposely possessed, and flung it against the wall. The impact of his pillow soft body made a muted "whump" sound followed by a squeezie toy squeak when he hit the floor.
"Create a barrier around yourself now," Principal Yaga ordered Lily.
"What?"
"Do it - now!"
Lily did so, adding the paralyzing orbs so when the rabbit hit the barrier they would stick to him and immobilize him. She waited the next assault, secure in her safety behind the crystal clear shield as the bunny ran at her with terrifying speed on in its rounded little stumps of legs. Inadvertently she flinched when he smacked full force into the immovable and imperceptible wall.
Him hitting the invisible barricade around her made a hollow thunk sound like when someone runs into a plexiglass wall. The toy squeaked and bounced off, landing a few feet away sprawled on the floor. The golden orbs stuck to the bunny, keeping the corpse doll motionless.
"If you were trying to impress me, you failed," Principal Yaga said. "You need to learn to follow directives as they are issued to you. It could be the difference between saving the a life or allowing an innocent person to die because of your disobedience."
Lily dropped the barrier along with her anger as shame covered her like a damp, suffocating blanket. She bowed deeply in apology.
"I am truly sorry, Sir. I will do better in the future," she promised.
"You must understand it is an actual matter of life or death to learn from your mistakes so you won't make them again. Your main objective as a guardian is creating and maintaining protective barriers. Your goal is defense. Plain and simple. Come sit, Lily. I will explain to you exactly what it means to be a guardian," Principal Yaga said.
An explanation is what she had come here for after all so Lily took a seat on the cushion placed a few feet in front of Principal Yaga and to the left of Gojō who had seated himself to observe her prideful failure that could have easily been a success had she not used the paralyzing orbs.
Something soft and fuzzy bumped her arm. She glanced down and almost jumped out of her skin to see the rabbit standing beside her. He crawled into her lap and sat like a small toddler would in his mother's lap. Apparently he only went into attack mode on command. He followed Principal Yaga's orders, therefore, why couldn't' she? But that was what he had been made for - quite literally. After bending down his long pink ears, she rested her chin on the top of his fuzzy head as she looked at the Principal and waited for him to start speaking.
"Your duty, in most basic terms, is to operate an off campus safe house for Sorcerers. That is why it is vital you learn to set up a protective barrier and how to hold it, even if you're miles away. You will treat the Sorcerer's wounds, both physical and emotional. You will offer first aid and a listening ear should they need one. You will create a place to allow them to recover in peace and safety," he expounded to clearly set forth her responsibilities.
Principal Yaga answered most of her questions. She knew the why, what, who, and where; the how would come during training. So she will be running a hideaway and a hospital. She will be a nurse and a therapist.
Her mother being a good Southern country hostess taught her food nourishes the body and the soul. Always treat guests like family. These Sorcerers would become her new family like they had for her grandmother. She felt even more guilty for not being able to spend more time with her grandmother.
"Do you think you can fulfill these duties as they have been explained to you, Lily Nakamura?" Principal Yaga questioned her.
Lily sat up straight, hugging the squishy plush bunny tightly. She gulped audibly in the quiet room. Only he crackle of the burning torches interrupted the perfect silence.
"Yes, Sir. I do," she answered with the same earnest attitude with which the question had been posed to her.
"Then let's get started on your training. First we will begin with something small. Gojō, take her to the gazebo outside," Principal Yaga ordered him, picking up the doll he had been working on when they arrived. "See if she can make a barrier around a small structure first."
"We're not going to start with putting up protective barriers around people?" Lily asked.
"It's no different than creating one around a building. You will eventually learn to place and hold several barriers at a time," he told her. "Any other questions?"
The abrupt manner with which he asked really did not open the door for her to ask anything else.
"No, Sir," she replied, standing with the bunny in her arms.
Once on her feet, Lily propped the living toy on her hip like a human child to carry him with her. Principal Yaga had said at their first meeting he had made the doll especially for her, and he would be a part of her training. As Gojō slid open the door for her, she heard the unlikely doll maker inhale in preparation to speak which made her footsteps halt immediately.
"There is something else you should know, Lily. Guardians are not just important to Jujutsu Sorcerers...they are important to the world. When they die, they are assimilated into Master Tengen to act as a stabilizer. When she died, most of Hiroko Nakamura's soul and Cursed Energy were absorbed into Master Tengen to prevent their degradation and subsequent devolution that could very well bring about the end of the world as we know it."
Lily inhaled sharply but could not exhale. That was more information than she had bargained for. The shock prevented his words from completely filtering into her befuddled brain.
"When you die, the same thing will happen to you," he added with a note of finality that made her wince.
"And my father? What about him? He ran like a cowardly dog. Does he get to escape the same fate like he so easily shirked his responsibility of being a guardian?" she asked, not trying to hide the resentment in her voice.
"No," he answered bluntly. "There are certain responsibilities a guardian cannot escape no matter how far they may run."
So she really did not have a choice. Lily jumped when a hand touched her arm and squeezed gently to get her attention.
"Let's go, Lily. We need to start your training," Gojō said.
"Y-yeah," she stuttered, hugging the rabbit and making use of his stuffed animal façade to comfort herself.
At least her grandmother would live on forever as a protector of the Jujutsu Sorcerers she loved and protected while alive. She set the rabbit down and he trundled off toward the steps. He tried to step down but his short legs would not allow him to make contact with the next step so he fell forward, rolling into a ball to bounce down the three steps squeaking as he hit each one.
Lily giggled from the antics of the unusual creature brought to life by Cursed Energy. She put on her shoes, then glanced at her bag.
"Just leave it here. We're going to be right there," Gojō said, pointing to the small gazebo placed at the side of the building catty cornered to their current location. "When we take a break, I'll show you to a dorm and you can pick out a room. We have plenty of space here."
"I wish you had warned me and allowed me to pack for a long stay," she muttered irritably, stomping past him.
"We can always go shopping. There's a new sweets shop I've been dying to check out," he said in his usual exuberant tone.
"Any excuse to go shopping," she muttered rolling her eyes, then chuckled. "Maybe we should do that," she said, allowing herself to be amused by his childlike spirit and pure zeal for life. He is without a doubt a light in a dark world. "Hey, Gojō, why do you think Grandmother thought Megumi would be a better match for me than you? It would make more sense for the two of us to be in a relationship and would be much more appropriate at this time considering our ages."
"A little full of ourselves are we?" He lifted one corner of his blindfold to cast a glimpse at her.
"No more than you."
"Touché," he returned, cocking a finger gun at her.
"I think you at least like me a little. You just said this morning you like my sense of humor and you followed my career."
"I won't say I'm not attracted to you, but whatever her reasons, Grandma Hiroko chose Megumi for you. And honestly, I trust her choices better than mine. Besides, I made a promise to her to honor her decision and try to bring you two together. But you two have already come together so mission accomplished."
"We're not together," she corrected him. "Don't distract me. You know her reasons, don't you?"
Gojō smiled at her. Although big and broad and toothy, the grin took on a plastic, mask-like quality. "That's a discussion for another day. I think you've heard enough difficult explanations for today, don't you?"
"One more thing," she insisted, grabbing his arm as he tried to walk away from her. "Will my life always feel so out of control? Like somewhere along the way I've lost my grip and I'm being pulled along down a path I never wanted to go?"
"I can't say for sure, Lily. I hope that feeling goes away for you. Attitude is everything you know."
Lily rolled her eyes. His hand cupping her cheek made her inhale and forget to exhale. He pushed up the blindfold to make eye contact with both eyes.
"Each one of us has our own unique experiences to go through, our own personal struggles to deal with. Yours will be different than mine...than Megumi's...different than Grandmother Hiroko's." He lowered his hand to rest it on the round part of her shoulder. This time the smile he gave her was more genuine. "Just remember, you're not alone. We're here for you as much as you are for us. Got that?"
"Yeah. I got it," she said, walking past him to descend the steps. She bent down to scoop up the pink rabbit. "Come on, Pinky, let's go."
"Pinky?" Gojō inquired with a chuckle.
"I'll admit it's not original by any means but it fits," Lily explained, holding the bunny out in front of her. "Isn't he cute when he's not in attack mode?"
The rabbit bared his dual set of shark chompers.
"Adorable," Gojō mumbled.
"Stop that," she admonished Pinky like an unruly pet, thumping his pink plastic nose. He snarled in response but quickly stopped when she raised her middle finger and thumb in a circle positioned for thumping him again.
Lily sat Pinky at the bottom of the steps leading up to the small 6x6 gazebo with a single stone bench attached to one of the sides. Taking a seat and closing her eyes, she raised the protective barrier around the small structure.
"All right, Pinky, do your thing," Gojō addressed the doll.
Pinky ejected a set of four inch claws from his bulbous hands.
"Well that's new," her teacher remarked upon seeing the razor sharp claws.
Pinky hacked and slashed at the invisible wall sending up showers of sparks. He continued hitting it as if trying to break through by wearing her down rather than actually making a hole.
Gojō took out his phone and turned on the stopwatch function to time how long she could hold the barrier. And he waited.
"Five minutes!" he yelled to inform her of her progress.
Five minutes. No problem. I can do this, Lily coached herself. So far holding the barrier was easy, seeming to expend no energy at all. She closed her eyes to avoid seeing the possessed stuffed animal striking again and again.
"How long have you held a barrier before?" Gojō asked her.
"Uh...I don't know. I've never really timed it. It's just something I did as a kid to play around at first. Then I began to do it to keep the Cursed Spirits away from me when I was busy going crazy," she said.
"Ten minutes," he declared a few minutes later. "You might be able to keep this up a while, huh?"
"It was especially bad when I was in the hospitals. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise mental hospitals are gathering places, practically communities, for Cursed Spirits."
"This is pointless," the teacher muttered realizing she could keep this up for an unexpectedly long time.
Obviously she had become proficient protecting a small area having set up barriers around a room for hours, possibly days, at a time while institutionalized. She had also set up a barricade around her grandmother's house according to Megumi. She had even been strong enough to stop the young but already powerful Sorcerer in his tracks with her paralyzing orbs the night he visited her.
Clearly Principal Yaga and himself were underestimating her. Lily had been through a trial by fire, teaching herself techniques and building her skills. It saddened him to think about her locked up in a mental institution like a prisoner. Her parents had unknowingly trapped her in a prison surrounded by the very things they were trying to save her from.
Gojō checked the timer on his phone. Twenty minutes, thirty-six seconds and counting. He stepped closer to the open gazebo, staying far away from the crazed little beast and his claws, to examine her physical state. She appeared relaxed, totally at ease, with her present circumstances. She almost seemed bored and on the verge of falling asleep as she sat in a lotus position with her eyes closed.
"Stop!" he exclaimed, ordering both the corpse doll to cease and desist and for her to let down the barrier.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, blinking at him in confusion.
"No. You were doing everything right and not being challenged at all. You can't improve without having your ability tested," he said, glancing around at the nearby buildings.
The building to the left of the entrance looked to be about the same size as her house despite being a single story structure. It would be a much more suitable place to train.
"Go in there and put up a barrier," Gojō commanded her. "I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?" Lily inquired, curious and a little nervous as to what he might be up to. How much of a challenge did he think she needed?
"Just go inside and put up a barrier," he ordered her, growing serious which prevented her from questioning his intent again.
"Fine," she grumbled, trying not to pout as she ascended the steps into the other building which was designed like the one where she met Principal Yaga.
Lily left the shoji screen open behind her to allow the light into the dark building. Pinky sat on the bottom step to wait. She found it a little creepy how truly alive he acted as if he had his own will and emotions. She walked through the building and slid open the back door leading out into the courtyard behind it. She wanted to be able to see Gojō and his surprise coming no matter which direction they approached from.
After placing the barrier around the building, she took a moment to glance around the courtyard. It was all gray cement except for a small cluster of trees at the far end on the left. There was a three story pagoda to her right. Ahead of her were three identical buildings in a line, similar in style to the one she was in but smaller. This place has an obscene amount of space and buildings for so few people to be on the premises.
Lily heard a tapping behind her but did not turn around. She sighed in exasperation when the knocking like on a door started assuming Pinky was beating on the barrier.
"You can keep knocking but you can't come in," she said, folding her arms over her chest and stubbornly keeping her back to the noise.
Boom, boom, boom! It sounded like a battering ram bumping into a wooden gate to breach it.
"Honey, I'm home!" called a gravelly voice.
"Oh, no," she gasped, instantly recognizing Sukuna's voice.
Lily slowly turned to see the spirit possessing Yūji's body standing on the other side of the barrier ogling her. The tattoos on his face and arms told her without a doubt it was Sukuna and not Yūji. He licked his lips with his long pointed tongue as his greedy eyes, all four of them, roved over her body.
"Hey, sweet cheeks," he said, toying with the point of a slightly elongated incisor with the tip of his tongue. "I've missed you."
"Shit," she hissed. Then she screamed, "Dammit, Gojō , you asshole! Are you trying to kill me?!"
She heard the man giggle from somewhere, but she could not see him. Suddenly Yūji re-emerged looking a bit bemused and worried. He glanced behind him at Gojō wherever he was standing to stay out of Lily's sight.
"Gojō, are you sure about this?" he asked his mentor.
"You have control over Sukuna. You can take back over before he does anything to hurt her. You got this! It will be fine!" the teacher assured his apprehensive student.
Yūji appeared to have been running, dressed in knee length white shorts, a red sleeveless t-shirt with sweat stains under the arms on the chest, and of course, running shoes. His arms were all brawny muscle and ropy veins.
"Wow," Lily murmured in awe.
Yūji's brute strength alone gave her reason for pause. She could not imagine the power he wielded when Sukuna took over.
"Don't worry. I won't let him hurt you," he promised.
Lily smiled at the sincerity in his warm brown eyes. Though nervous, she believed him.
"Ready?" he asked.
She nodded. Backing away, she stood in the middle of the building to distance herself from him on the other side of the barrier. Standing with her feet hip width apart and planted firmly on the wooden plank floor, she pressed her lips into a thin line of determination as she fortified the barrier.
The tattoos gradually returned to Yūji's skin. As she observed the pairs of thick black lines drawing themselves around his wrists, a circle with a large black dot in the middle materialized on the outer part of his shoulder above the dual lines on his biceps.
Here he comes, she thought to herself, her fingers curling into fists.
Sukuna smiled at her as he raised his fists. Bam, bam, bam! He hammered on the invisible wall. His leering grin never wavered as he continued to strike the protective barrier separating himself from her.
"I'm gonna get you, and when I do, I'm gonna tear you apart," he threatened her.
Then he laughed. He was having fun. She knew he could totally destroy the barrier with one hit but torturing her was so much more fun.
"Here I come," he warned, pulling back his fist to punch the protective barrier.
Lily heard an audible crack. Shit! She closed her eyes and concentrated harder, sweat beading above her upper lip and across her brow. Yūji will stop him. Yūji will stop him, she chanted to herself. Hold the barrier, and don't be afraid.
There was another thump as Sukuna punched the barrier again followed by a snap. She felt as if she had been punched in the gut. Sweat trickled down her cheek.
"You're stronger than I thought," Sukuna grumbled, obviously starting to lose his patience. Since the barrier had not crumbled so easily and he had not gotten his hands on her yet, he was no longer having fun.
Another hit to the barrier made the whole building shake sending shockwaves through her body.
"How ya holding up, Lily?" Gojō yelled to her.
Goofy bastard. There was no way she could speak as she gritted her teeth to maintain the gradually failing safety barrier. The next strike would be the last. The barrier shattered like glass and she fell to her knees, slumping forward as she panted for air.
Sukuna lunged for her with an animalistic growl. Before he could get his black claws on her, Yūji reclaimed his body and landed in front of her on his hands and knees.
"Are you all right?" Yūji asked, a bit winded himself.
"I-I'm...I'm...o...okay," she stammered between wheezing inhales.
"Fantastic! That was amazing! Way to go, Lily!" Gojō bellowed like a cheerleader while applauding.
"But I...only...l-lasted...like five...five minutes," she said as he entered the building with Pinky in his arms.
"It was ten minutes and forty two seconds actually. Longer than I thought you would last," Gojō said. "Don't worry. You'll get better. That's what you're here for after all."
"Sukuna is the King of Curses, Lily. I think you were awesome," Yūji complimented her.
"What the hell is going on here?" Megumi demanded.
All of them turned toward his voice to see him standing at the bottom of the stairs looking angrier than usual.
"Training," Gojō answered.
Lily noticed how he had a tendency not to go into details when it suited him. She could hear Megumi stomping up the steps toward her. Before she could raise her head to see him, she felt a pair of strong arms enclosing her waist to pull her upward. She managed to stand up on her feet but needed to lean heavily on Megumi's slender yet solid and supportive frame.
"She's done for the day. I'm taking her to a room now," he informed all of them, placing her arm across his shoulders and around his neck. "Did you bring anything with you?"
"I left a bag on the porch of...of the building that I guess is Principal Yaga's office," she replied.
"I'll get it," Yūji offered, running ahead of them to retrieve it.
"Any particular place I should take her?" Megumi asked Gojō.
The man shrugged. "Wherever you think she would be the safest."
She will be the safest near me, Megumi thought. He could put her in one of the rooms on the floor above his and Yūji's. She would be close by if she needed help but far enough away not to pose as an unnecessary temptation.
"Hey, Megumi, are you taking her to your room?" Yūji asked as they entered their dorm building.
"No, idiot," he snapped. "I am taking her to a room on the second floor."
"Oh, okay."
"Megumi, I think I can walk," Lily said as they reached the foot of the stairwell to ascend to the second floor.
"Are you sure? I can carry you up," he offered. His eyes met hers and pink spots of color formed on his cheeks. "I don't mind.
"It's okay. I can walk," she assured him, patting his chest over his heart which beat fast under her palm - almost as fast as hers.
Megumi carefully set her on her feet, keeping his arm around her waist to brace her. He reached to take her bag from Yūji.
"I can take it from here if you want to get back to your run," he told his friend and classmate.
"If you're sure..."
"I'm sure."
"Okay. Get some rest, Lily. I'll see you later," Yūji said, giving her a wave.
"Later," she called after him when he jogged away.
Lily leaned on Megumi, grateful for his supporting arm across her back and his strong hand holding her waist securely. He pulled her into his side as they made their way up the stairs.
She felt weak, both mentally and spiritually. Her inner voice berated herself for not being able to hold the barrier longer. Another part of her brain reminded her, as Gojō had said, Sukuna is the King of Curses and not someone to be taken lightly.
"Are you okay?" Megumi asked her as they reached the landing and turned to go up the flight of stairs to reach the second floor.
"I'm good. Just kind of aggravated with myself. Perhaps a little embarrassed," she confessed. "I feel like I should have been better."
"Lily, you held off Sukuna with a protective barrier for over ten minutes. That's no small feat."
"I know but - "
"Don't be so hard on yourself," he interrupted her sternly. "Let's pick out a room for you."
Lily slowly walked away from him praying her wobbly legs would support her. She peeked in the doors from the hallway as she shuffled past each one.
All of the rooms looked pretty much the same. Except for one. This room included a double bed instead of a twin, an attached bathroom, and a balcony. This room would most likely belong to the resident advisor had this been a typical dorm full of students.
"I'll take this one," she declared to him in the hallway before walking into the room.
Megumi placed her bag in the chair beside the bed.
"Are you hungry? There's a cafeteria. We prepare the food ourselves though. Usually all the students get together at least one night a week to cook and eat together."
"Oh, that's nice. How many students are there?"
"There's three of us first years, me, Yūji, and Nobara. You met one of the second years by the pool, Maki. There's also Toge and Panda. Yuta is overseas right now and not actually on campus. Hikari is our only third year."
"That's it? That's everyone?"
"That's everyone. We have other options for food," he went on, returning to the initial subject. "There's vending machines in the cafeteria as well. We can also buy food from the store and cook it here in the dorms. There is a full kitchen on the first floor in this building."
"It's nice to have options," she murmured.
Lily glanced around the room. She found it odd the double bed was already made up and not dusty. Surely someone did not come around and change all of the unused beds every week. Whatever the reason it was prepared, she did not care but was thankful for it.
"I think I'm going to take a quick shower," she said feeling a little crusty since the sweat had dried on her skin.
"Okay. I'll go grab you something to eat. Anything in particular you would like?" he asked.
"No not really. Just something simple. A sandwich? A can of soup? Instant noodles? I don't care. Something quick and easy is good," she said with a shrug. "I'm not picky."
"Be back soon," Megumi said before turning to leave.
Lily opened her bag and got out another pair of yoga pants but gray in color and an oversized purple tie dyed t-shirt. She grabbed the small bottles of basic toiletries and went into the bathroom which miraculously was stocked with towels and washcloths.
The hot water soothed her muscles where soreness had already begun to set in. She washed and conditioned her hair, reveling in the coconut scent. She was glad she brought her lavender body wash. When she returned home to pack more things, she would be sure to bring the whole bottle.
After drying off and putting on her clothes, she wound the towel around her head to dry her hair. Seeing there were only two pillows on the bed, she resorted to stealing the pillows from the beds of a few other rooms so she would have plenty to create a comfortable little nest for herself. She lay down on the bed, leaning back on the pillows and exhaling noisily as she sank into them.
"Knock, knock," Gojō said in a sing song voice without actually knocking on the frame of the open door.
Obviously he had learned his lesson not to imitate a doorbell and inadvertently call himself a ding dong.
"Oh, dear god," Lily gasped, her eyes flying open. She turned her head toward him. "What do you want?"
"I brought you this," Gojō announced, taking that as his cue to enter her room. He held Pinky out in front of him as he approached the bed. Perhaps he was using the animate stuffed toy as a shield.
The rabbit squealed excitedly upon seeing her, extending his short arms with the rounded nubs out to her.
"It's weird how he's bonded to you. I'm thinking Principal Yaga might have actually attached a piece of Grandmother Hiroko's soul to him," he said, coming closer to the bed where she sat so he could hand her the living doll.
"You know, it kinda makes me happy to think that Master Tengen did not get all of her. Selfishly, I would like to believe a part of her will always be with me. Thank you," she returned, taking the stuffed animal and laying him on her pillows beside her.
"Are you still mad at me?" Gojō asked, staring at the floor and tracing a line in the tiles with the toe of his boot.
Lily never expected to see him looking so humble. She wanted to stay angry. She wanted to hate him. Seeing him standing there with his hands in his pockets looking sheepish and ill at ease made it impossible. How can a grown ass man be so cute and childlike especially when he's over six feet tall?!
"Hell yeah, I'm still mad at you!" she exclaimed, snatching Pinky off of her pillow and holding him. "What the hell were you trying to do? Kill me?"
"No. Of course not," he rejoined, sitting down on the foot of her bed.
He pulled two lollipops out of his pocket and offered her one. Pinky growled at him. Lily glared at the round paper covered sucker then at his face.
"Seriously?" she grumbled.
Gojō shrugged and lowered it but she snatched it from him before he could put it back in his pocket. He unwrapped his and stuck it in his mouth.
"It's Hibiscus and cherry flavored. Tart and sweet...like you," he told her as she stared at the fuchsia colored lollipop.
"Flattery will get you nowhere." Lily snatched the sucker out of his hand and ripped off the paper to stick it in her mouth. The idea of that flavor combination did intrigue her. Just like he said, tart and sweet, it tasted like a sour cherry.
Gojō issued a long exhale. "I knew you would be all right. Not only would Yūji not allow Sukuna to hurt you, you're strong than you think, Lily. You said yourself while in hospitals you used the protective barrier to hold Cursed Spirits at bay."
Lily exhaled in exasperation, hugging Pinky to her chest. The rabbit issued a squeak in protest from her zealous hug.
"If you don't push past your limits, if you don't learn your true capabilities, you will never reach your full potential. I don't want to see that happen. Grandmother Hiroko would be disappointed in both of us if we let that happen," he said, standing up from her bed.
"Well, it's not like she's here anymore so what difference does it make?"
"She will always be a part of us in one way or another. She will forever live in our memories. We still have a part of her through you. Your grandmother helped make you what you are, passing on her gift to you."
"It's a gift I never wanted, Gojō," she snapped, staring at him from between the rabbit's twitching ears.
"Maybe not. Sometimes the best gifts are the ones we didn't think we wanted." He sighed. "You are her legacy, Lily...her blood. Part of her will live on inside of your forever and her death...and not even Master Tengen...can take that away from you."
"How is it you can be such a dumbass sometimes and so wise at other times?" she asked without an ounce of sarcasm.
Gojō gave her a prize winning smile showing two rows of sparkling white teeth. "I'm just good that way."
Lily rolled her eyes and groaned, burying her face in the pink fuzz on the back of the stuffed rabbit's head. "And so humble too."
"Get some rest, Lily. I'll talk to you tomorrow," he said, pivoting on his heel to exit her room.
A few minutes later, Megumi entered with a tray of food.
"Is everything okay?" he inquired casting a curious glimpse behind him at the door as if he expected Gojō to walk back in.
"Yeah. Everything is fine," Lily replied, tossing Pinky back onto her pillows behind her.
"Don't tell me you're not hungry because I won't take no for an answer," he warned her, sitting the tray on her bed in front of her. "You need to eat."
"I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you."
"Not today. Today I'm taking care of you so accept it. Please eat." He sat down on the foot of her bed.
"You're sweet," she said, giving him a shy smile. "I would never tell you no."
Her statement made innocently enough without considering how it might sound made them both blush from the implications.
Lily picked up the mini sub sandwich. Roast beef, lettuce, tomato, and mustard - absolutely delicious. He had also brought her a cup of chicken noodle soup. Comforting and tasty.
Megumi patiently waited as she ate without saying a word. When she was done, he took the tray and set it on the desk in the corner. Afterwards, he sat back down on the foot of her bed.
"Thank you. That was sooo good. I didn't think I was hungry but I was starving," she said, rubbing her full and satisfied belly.
"Are you okay?" he asked her for a second time since they had entered the dorm.
"I'm fine," she assured him, placing her hand over his that lay flat on the bed between them.
"Well, I think I will go so you can get some sleep," he announced, beginning to slide his hand from under hers in an extremely reluctant manner.
Lily curled her fingers around his hand to hold it before he could get away. "Megumi..."
His eyes slowly raised to meet hers.
"Will you stay with me? Until I fall asleep," she quickly added when his cheeks flushed.
"Sure," he agreed. "Just until you fall asleep."
With Megumi's help, Lily pulled down the gray and royal blue striped comforter to get underneath it. She snuggled into her pillows, holding Pinky in her arms.
"Comfortable?" he asked.
Lily lifted her head to glance at him. He wore the hint of a smile on his lips and his deep blue eyes gazed at her with a softness that made her belly quiver and her heart flutter.
"I am," she confirmed, returning his sweet smile.
"Even after you fall asleep I won't be far away," he promised her. "If you need me, I'll come to you."
"Oh...I like the sound of that." Lily was too sleepy to realize she had spoken the words out loud.
Megumi's heart hammered his sternum. He wondered if she could hear it because his pulse sounded so loud in his ears. He resisted the urge to touch her, to rub her back or stroke her hair as she drifted off to sleep.
When he was sure she was asleep, he carefully moved off the bed. At the door, he turned back to glance at her. He whispered aloud a promise to her.
"You will never have to be alone or afraid again. I will always be there when you need me."