Chapter 15
Yua paused.
"You look like you were struck by lightning… care to explain?" she asked of Rook.
Rook was singed; his hair was standing too far on end than before, at the same time. He was on the shoulder of Ryoto, barely able to keep on his feet. "Well… stuff happened and…"
"He helped my sensei and I take out a curse that was deep within the water. Aunt Yua… something is happening around us, and I don't think it's good."
She nodded to this. Sukuna has mentioned it before. In fact, he has made certain everyone has heard his opinion on the matter. Normally he does this as a brag, but this time it was a warning… part of her anticipates that he wants to say 'I told you so' but that's besides the point. Yua knows to take the matter seriously.
"Did elder brother redirect lightning?!" asked Zennyo.
"Looks like it," Yua replied.
"That's really hard to do," chimed Ka Riu.
"Yes, and it can be foolish if you don't know what you are doing. We're lucky he didn't get hurt!" Yua protested.
"Oh, by the way mom, if the sisters call me a monkey… can I go Gojo on them?" Rook asked.
She paused to this, already her mind was thinking of ways that Rook is going to use this to his advantage, at the same time, she can't blame him on that aspect. She nodded. "I draw the line at poop throwing"
"Aw! Take out all the fun…" he pouted. But that wicked grin soon appeared on his face. "Fine, I suppose I can't win them all…" he said in playful defeat.
Yua rolled her eyes to this. Rook regained his strength and when to clean up as she turned to Ryoto. "So, you got Megumi tomorrow?" she asked.
"Indeed, we have to go out and get rice balls for lunch… if we don't do that on Wednesday, I never hear the end of it from him."
"He gets verbal?" she asked.
"More like really chatty. Constant chirps if we don't get rice balls… then he gives you one hell of a stink eye…"
"He was good at those…" Yua said fondly, but paused. "I heard you have been trying to help him… any progress?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Not really, but I did figure out that if I am to help him, I need to understand his technique. So I've been trying to master all the shikigami from the ten shadows. At the same time I had half a mind to go straight for Mahorage. But sensei talked me out of it."
She paused to this. "If anything, you would have been able to do it, right? You are your father's son after all…"
"But aunt Yua, I've never really been in a fight before at the time… sensei knew it too, he suggested I wait to face Mahorage last, so I can learn how to fight. It was some of the best advice I have been given."
She didn't consider that. Ryoto, unlike Sukuna, has lived a rather quite and peaceful life since being born. Not even Sukuna has pushed him into mock battles like the others. That, or perhaps he is too startled to do so. Sukuna is like Gojo when it comes to their children… they have no idea what to do!
Still the insight this teacher had… she has to give credit here.
"How many have you tamed?" she asked.
"Wolves, rabbits, serpent, Nue and round deer." He explained.
"Round deer? Really?"
"I am good with the wolves as it is, also I need to balance myself out. All of them are capable of fighting, even the rabbits. However I had nothing for healing. So, I figured I would focus on round deer before max elephant. That's the next one."
Yua nodded to this. He is taking his time to learn the ten shadow technique. It's the kind of studying that would impress his father. Then again, Sukuna would obtain it all on the first try just for the pure hell of it. But Ryoto knows to take his time and learn what he can before moving on to the final boss.
"What do you think will happen after you tame Mahorage?" she asked.
He paused to consider it. "If anything, I am hoping I can connect with Megumi better. I feel as if I am lost in the darkness, at the same time, this is meant to be. I think I have to understand his technique to know where I need to go to find him. It's as if he is lost in his own power."
An interesting way of thinking about it.
"That's because his power form when he was a human is keeping him in this world. It's his mortal connection." Came out of Ka Riu. "If anything, the ten shadows is trying to educate Ryoto to better help Megumi. Since Ryoto will have an understanding of the shadows and perhaps their perspective as well."
"Indeed, it's not Megumi telling him to learn the ten shadows, it's the shikigami doing so. Have you used any shikigami when you mediate to speak with Megumi?" asked Zennyo.
Yua froze to this.
"You two are not even a week old and yet…" she shook her head to it. "Sometimes my own children can startle me…"
Her sons laughed of course, Ryoto smirked to it all but he was listening to them. "I haven't summoned any shikigami when I meditate. The thought had crossed my mind, but my gut was telling me it wasn't time yet"
They nodded to this. "When you defeat Mahorage… summon him when you meditate with Megumi. It will make it all the more clear for you. At the moment, you are doing everything right. You are not rushing this either, so take your time and learn everything you can, you'll need it." Warned Ka Riu.
Ryoto nodded to this. "I think I will get back to work then, I better start training once more before I am stuck with Megumi all day tomorrow." He excused himself to go and do just that.
When he left, Suguru returned with the girls Mimiko and Nanako. "But… BUT!" they protested to him.
"Young ladies… we spoke of this. From now on, don't you dare utter that word to your older brother… or you are going to upset your other siblings. Rook is your Oniichan!" he stated.
They sneered to it all, just as Rook came back outside from his shower.
They glared at him. "Monkey" Nanako uttered under her breath.
Suguru caught it, but he turned to Yua who merely had a 'watch and see'. She then gave the nod to Rook who was now smiling wickedly. He came up before them, squatted down… and pretended to pick through their hair!
"EW! What are you doing!"
"Ook, ook!" he snapped back and smiled.
"Well, if you are going to call him a monkey. Rook is going to act like one until you stop. And just so you know, his father is Satoru Gojo… if you don't think he can be annoying to you… just wait, he will escalate" she warned.
"PAPA!" They protested.
Suguru however, smiled. "Reap what you sow ladies. We have told you, and you ignore us. So, I think it's only fair, if you are going to call him a monkey, he acts like one. But, if you stop, so will he"
They pouted and endured Rook picking through their hair.
When they were silent, he backed off and waited. "Well…" he asked of them.
They kept silent, they only glared at him but didn't utter a word.
"If that's the case, I'm going to see Oji. Later!"
They waited until he was a distance away, one was about to speak until. "Sisters, if you are going to insult him here and now… we will tell" warned Zennyo.
"Indeed, and if you think what he was doing was annoying… he has only just begun" chimed Ka Riu.
"You'll tattle on us!?" the sisters demanded.
"Big time."
"Bros before sisters"
"Or we simply tell Saitama…"
They froze. Mimiko and Nanako trembled a little at his name. It's not what one thinks either. You see, Saitama has gotten good at cuddling. Yua doesn't understand it, but according to Choso he and his brothers went through this. From being deprived of affection for so long, he's making up for lost time. He and his brood mates do cuddle every so often, and yet, the younger siblings want in on it since they too enjoy the bonding.
Recently, Saitama disinclude the twins Mimiko and Nanako. They were upset since they wanted in on it, but he said. "If you cannot call your siblings by their name, or at least acknowledge them as your brother… I won't accept you here" He is in charge of the whole brooding process, his siblings agreed with his terms, the sisters however…
"No fair…" muttered Nanako.
"Totally fair" Yua replied. "You ladies ought to be grateful that you got a second chance. As well, the man who raised you before is your true father now. I wouldn't be insulting the gift, let alone who came with it." She warned.
"I happen to agree" Suguru replied. "My way of thinking, of teaching you… I see now where I went wrong. My anger was justified, but how I lashed out…"
"In all honesty, you acted the way any sorcerer in power would do. At the same time, those who are truly powerful like Kenjaku and Ryomen Sukuna, they play the long game when it came to human suffering." Zennyo stated.
The girls froze, they went white at the mention of the name. Sukuna terrifies them still… Yua has to give credit where it's due here, he hasn't let them see him yet.
But perhaps to move things along, she may have to let them have a… run in with the King of Curses…