A/N: As promised, I've returned. Looking forward to your feedback!
I was waiting to see what would happen with JJK near its end...I'm both surprised, pleased, and disappointed. At least it didn't end the way MHA did. Surely it can't be as bad, right? Right? Nay, surely not. We've got a few manga chapters left of JJK, so we'll see where it goes, I suppose.
With my sixteen year anniversary on this site here...well, I feel proper old now; its a shame to see so many popular series having lackluster endings.
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others. Should it be enjoyed, it will be continue. If not, back to the dust it goes. As ever, I own no quotes, references, quotes, themes or memes! They're simply tributes to legends far, far, FAR greater than little 'ol me. I'm just an old man who writes as a pastime. I don't make any money doing this, not a single cent. This is ALL done for free. Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story.
Here we go! Don't mess with Mama Gojo, you wouldn't like her when she's angry...
...and as we all know when you threaten
...ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.
"Family is all. Family is everything. Family is life.
At the end of the day, family is all we have.
We'd do terrible things for family...
~?
But I Trust You (Interlude of a Mother)
Her baby boys were up to something again.
Sakuna Gojo wasn't quite sure what, exactly, only that they were.
Perhaps Satoru was rubbing off on Minoru or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, it was suspicious.
Once they'd made certain she would survive the wounds she'd received from her most recent mission, they'd squirreled themselves away concealed their cursed energy, and refused to be found. She still remembered just how strangely they'd acted at the time:
"Mama be safe."
"Yeah, you're not allowed to croak on us.
She had squealed and swept her boys up into a happy hug. "Oh, my dears! Mama loves you, too!
They'd vanished since. That was...what, a day ago, now?
The family had been in an uproar ever since. Half the clan was out in the woods trying to frantically find them, while the others -including the elders- had barricaded themselves inside the main chamber in preparation for a siege. With their paranoia at an all-time high, there could be no telling what those old fools would do.
And she knew why.
Her brave, clever boys. They were only children; did they really intend to take on the entire clan for her? Could they? They were strong, she knew, but strong enough? No, not yet. She knew what the outcome would be, or at least she believed she did; it made her want to weep. They weren't monsters. They were boys. Her boys, her only boys and the Clan wanted to use them until they broke.
Just like her.
She knew she should be out there, trying to find them, to stop them, to pull everyone back from the abyss.
But she couldn't do that either because she was afraid.
Truly a worthless mother she was
So here she sat, legs folded beneath the table as she poured herself a cup of tea. Outwardly she appeared fine. She was not. Her fingers trembled, betraying her anxiety.
It didn't matter, she supposed. Regardless of tonight's outcome, she would be dead within the year. The Elders would see to it. Her cursed technique might let her manipulate minds and memories, but it mattered naught when her body was so wretchedly weak. She had fought her way through the first mission since her boys were born. Survived the second.
There would not be a third.
Sakuna Gojo wasn't blind. She knew what the elders were trying to do. She was nowhere near a special grade sorceress, yet they kept sending her on more and more dangerous missions. Their reasoning was obvious, their motives plain as day. They wanted her gone. Not because she was a threat, or even a hindrance, but simply because it would be easier.
Her absence would allow them to control her children, her powerful baby boys, to make them tools of war.
They'd outright said as much to her.
"You've done well, Sakuna. You brought those boys into the world. Go now and leave the rest to us."
All she had to do.
Was just.
Die.
With shaking hands she lifted the cup to her lips and drank deeply. The liquid was still hot; it scorched her throat, but that was alright; in her mind, she deserved to feel some pain for her powerlessness. She knew she wasn't the best mother, and maybe she never could be, but gosh darn she'd tried. Not for herself, but her boys. She owed them that much.
But the elders, ah, the elders! Nothing she did was ever good enough.
To think too highly of themselves and end up achieving nothing. It was true what they say, a fool with ambitions is worse than a nobody. And these were the greatest fools of all. She couldn't stop them, not with her influence, not with her pitiful cursed technique, not with anything! Because...at the end of the day...she was...
"Why am I so weak?!"
In a fit of pique she smashed her hands down on the table, scattering the cups and plates there, splashing hot tea across her lap. Pain slashed across her right palm and she cried out; recoiling in pain. Glancing down she beheld an ugly cut across her palm, weeping blood onto the table, bleeding into the ruined tea kettle at her feet. Crimson mixed with tea, and she glimpsed her tortured reflection within, her face twisted in a rictus of pure despair. All the while, the blood kept dripping.
Drip.
Drip drip.
Drip drip drip.
Broken laughter tumbled out of Sakuna's lips and she bent double, clutching at her wound. It was the catalyst, the straw that broke the camel's back, the boulder to shatter the dam of her emotions. Her laughter trailed off into sobs and then she was off, weeping and wailing, screaming and shouting as she laid waste to the table and all its contents.
Even a weak woman like herself could lay waste to a room given enough time and she did; destroying everything she could lay hands on. All the while she raged, years of pent up fury boiling to the fore.
What did it matter if she was smart? What did it matter that she had all this knowledge?! What did it matter at all?!
She may be their Mother but she was weak! There wasn't a thing she could do! NOTHING!
"Wrong."
Startled, she glanced about.
She looked at her hand, still cut from smashing the porcelain cup. Drip, drip, drip, went the blood, pooling from her hand onto the floor. Her miserable reflection stared back at her still, makeup running, tears trickling down her face still as she sniffled in her misery.
Something stirred in the blood.
For a moment, just a moment, she beheld a terrible visage beside her reflection, a beast with nine terrible tails.
It smiled at her, teeth gone sharp, eyes blazing red. "You have more power than you know. USE IT."
A cursed spirit?! Here?! In the compound?! She had to tell someone, anyone, run, flee, before-
"Fool of a woman. If I wanted you dead, you would be. Dry your tears."
She did so clumsily, uncaring of the blood she got on her face. "Who-
"My identity matters naught to you," it rumbled in a voice like thunder from the heavens, "My purpose does. I have a vested interest in the survival of your sons. You will ensure they live long enough to defend themselves. Failure is not an option."
Special Grade. This was a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. It had to be.
.
..
...why was a Special Grade Curse talking to her?!
"Are you afraid, woman? What's the saying you humans use? Cat got your tongue? Shall I pluck out your tongue?"
And yet for all its vile vitriol, there was something in the beast's voice just then; as though it were trying too hard. She hiccuped despite herself. "...you're not very honest with yourself, are you?"
"Impudent wench!" A low growl nearly stole the courage from her outright. "If you weren't HIS mother, I would slay you for that. But enough dawdling. The time approaches. You know what you must do. Will you take the plunge, or will you remain as you always have? Weak, wandering, worthless...?
She slapped a hand at the bloody puddle. "I am not worthless!"
"Then prove yourself to me."
An idea dawned.
It was a dark thought. A mad thought.
But what else did she have left to risk but her life?
"Do you trust me, little woman?"
...what choice did she have?
Sakuna Gojo took ahold of her cursed energy, pressed her bloody hand to her throat...and took the plunge.
"I hereby swear," Almost instantly she winced as she felt a higher power take notice of her, "To undertake a binding vow."
She felt invisible shackles lock around her spirit, twisting harshly."Give me power and I will only ever use it to defend my sons from any and all harm." And then, because they didn't feel binding enough. She added another clause, an extra risk as it were. "I promise to protect them, as a mother should, their interests and their friends. If I break this vow...if I ever willfully act against the interests of my sons...
She choked, swallowed, forced herself to finish.
...I will forfeit my life."
An invisible noose tightened around her throat.
"That's right." the nine-tailed beast crooned from the puddle of blood. "You will die. Best not break it, then."
She massaged her throat, gasping but a little. "I will not...
"Hrrm. You remind me of Kushina. Very well, and in return for your vow, I swear in return to give you what you crave. A portion of my POWER."
Sakuna felt something click in the back of her head.
Silence reigned supreme.
And then.
Power.
She felt her cursed energy swell, doubling, no quadrupling in strength and intensity, enough to force her down to her knees. Pain! Pain, pain, pain! It felt as though she might implode, her body burst beneath the strain of the eldritch energies forced upon her...
.
..
...but it was not to be.
As quickly as the pressure came, it went, leaving her clutching herself with a ragged rasp, wasted and gasping for air.
"What is this...?" She glanced down at her hands, baffled by the blue-black energy roiling off her palms. Is this me?" She saw her reflection in the puddle and balked when she noticed something else; a streak of scarlet stood out amidst her white hair. "What did you do?"
The fox-spirit smirked at her. "Consider it...an investment. The deed is done. The bargain struck. Keep safe your son."
She glowered at him. "I have two sons."
"Yes, of course."
She scarcely heard the words. It felt as if she'd leaped ahead, reaching her full potential in an instant.
Binding vows with oneself could be broken with little consequence, she'd simply lose the power/benefit she had gained. But to make the vow with another...that was another matter entirely. Even now the restriction bridled her soul, slammed into place as she nearly choked. She'd never felt this strong before; but with great power came great responsibility. Should she broke this vow she would likely lose her life.
"Happy hunting."
She blinked and the vulpine visage vanished in a peal of dark laughter, leaving her alone.
In its absence, she dared to hope again.
And that was fine.
A mother was always ready and willing to die for her offspring.
A mother always acted in the best interests for her children.
A mother always protected her babies.
Rising to her feet, she idly looked down at her bloody hand, only to find the wound closed. Pale blue eyes blinked in mild surprise. Reverse Cursed Technique? But how...? Was it a result of her overflowing cursed energy? No, she would not look a gift horse in the mouth; if this was but one of the blessing she received, then she would happily accept it. For so long now her confidence had been stymied by her power or rather her lack thereof. No longer.
For the sake of her sons, she would do what must be done.
She knew what she to do.
She would make it so.
A/N: HERE IT COMES.
Well? Did you like this story? Yes? No? Maybe?
Would you like weekly updates? By all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard!
Your voice matters~! Silence hurts worse than any flame. Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself isn't popular? It will remain, but it won't be continued! I'm working two jobs to keep the lights on, as such I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review, Wouldst Thou Kindly?
And have some previews. Some are quite off, but still...
Mind you, most of these previews are the same.
Wouldn't do to spoil what's coming up.
Vote for what you want to see!
And as ever:
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
SPOILERS LAY AHEAD!
YE BE WARNED!
(Previews)
How dare you even touch them!
The elder collapsed 2 his knees before her. Blood bled from his eyes, his nose, even his ears now.
Oh.
Ohh.
Ohhh, she understood now. she could get used to this.
She grabbed him by the head and whispered a lone word into his ear.
Forget. And he did.
But there, tickling at the edge of her senses...
Sakuna Gojo focused.
She focused terribly hard.
Not just for her sake, but that of her children.
If she did not have power, she couldn't protect Minoru and Satoru. If she couldn't protect them, she was a failure of a mother. If she was a failure of a mother, then she may as well be dead...!
And then, quite suddenly, something clicked in the back of her mind.
'Oh. So that's how it works. All this time I've been looking at it from the wrong angle. I was too weak do it before. But now...
Bringing her hands together, fingers to palm, she formed a small circle, as though cradling a tiny little light within.
She took a deep breath, steeling her flagging cursed energy reserves:
And her eyes drifted open, colder than ice.
"Domain Expansion."
Oh, gods, there's two of them. Can I retire now?"
On the eve of their seventh birthday, he and Satoru were presented before the Elders and told what their purpose would be.
"You will fight one another." one of them declared. "He who wins is the strongest.
Tch. Annoying old fogies. They pissed him off. They could go f-
Minoru crossed both arms before his chest. "No.
"What he said!" Satoru flipped them off. "Why should we fight for your amusement?"
Nanami-saaan~!"
...please do not refer to me so fondly."
"C'mon, don't be like that! You've got an amazing curse technique! Lemme seeee~!"
Did you...did you just rip out that guy's soul?"
Minoru blinked. "...and what if I did?"
Satoru laughed.
Bros before hoes.
Which was why he found himself somewhat baffled when Minoru brought back a girl one day.
Her name was Shoko Ieri, and she would change everything.
Everything.
...Naoya. Stop talking. Before I kill you."
Wanna play?
Geto Suguru blinked.
The baffled boy blinked hard. "Where in blazes did you come from?"
"Bzzzt! Wrong answer!"
"Ow! For crying out loud, Satoru!
"What, its just a little paint; its nothing compared to what you did-
"Satoru."
Gojo grinned. "Yessss?"
Naruto raised his head and wiped paint from his Rinnegan eyes. "RUN."
Didn't need to tell him twice!
Gojo Satoru bolted.
EDIT: And there we have it!
Hope this put a smile on your face, and Happy New Year!
