Years later. Rika and Yuta stand outside a classroom after being brought to Jujutsu High by sorcerers after a few more run-ins with curses. They were told that their massive cursed energy reserves were attracting the curses by the one who found them. Now older, Yuta towers over Rika who used to be taller than him.
Rika looks up at him, smiling at him. "You want me to go first, Yuta?" She asks in her new Jujutsu uniform.
Yuta tugs at his white jacket nervously. Y-yeah if you don't mind.."
Rika nudges him a bit, fixing his jacket. "Don't worry about it. It's no problem at all." She steps back admiring him, her cheeks getting a bit red. Yuta blushes seeing her like that.
"I can't believe I'm taller than you now.." He admits scratching the back of his neck.
Rika makes a pouty face. "But I'm still pretty, though, right? " she asks worriedly. Do you wish I was taller?! I can take some growth. " Her words are cut off as Yuta pulls her close, hugging her.
"No. You're perfect the way you are Rika." He says calmly "It's just I was used to looking up to you. And yes, you're still pretty. Nothing will ever change that."
Rika hugs him back, her worries fading away. "Why didn't you just say so? " she mumbles as she buries her face in his chest. "You made me worried there."
"Sorry, Rika. I didn't mean to," Yuta says, gently patting her head to calm her.
Rika looks up at him. "Don't worry. I'll forgive you on one condition! And that's-" Yuta already knowing leans down kissing her quickly.
Rika lets out a small sound, pleased that he already knew. "Aaa" She hugs him tighter. "I never get sick of that!"
Yuta smiles, about to say something as they hear a loud voice in the other room.
Inside the room, Satoru Gojo yelled excitedly. "Students one and all! We got some new students! Let's give them a hand!" He gestures dramatically to the door. There's a silence as none of his students give a reaction. "Aww... Not a single hand? Ah well. You two can come on in!"
Outside the room, Rika laughs. "So much for going first then." She takes his hand leading him. "Guess we're going together.."
Yuta smiles "I guess so.." He says, following after her, relieved that it turned out this way. They enter the classroom still holding hands. As they enter, the other students take a mild interest in them.
The girl with green hair and glasses has her legs crossed. 'Holding hands? Are they a couple? Or just kids?' She sighs leaning on her hand. 'Whatever as long as they don't get in my way.'
The other two look at each other. The Panda pointed at their hands giggling. The boy shrugs before looking back forward. The silver-haired man with the blindfold yells loudly pointing towards them. "Here's our latest students! First up, we have Rika Ori-"
Rika clears her throat loudly. Gojo chuckles pretending to be afraid as he corrects himself. "I mean! Rika and Yuta Okkotsu!"
There's the sound of a crash as the panda hits his head on the table, completely disappointed. "Just siblings.." He says defeated.
"Kelp." The boy says, patting the panda's back.
'Kelp?!' Yuta thinks completely lost as he looks at the two.
"Who the hell cares?.." The girl says annoyed at their antics, staring bored at the pair.
"Oh... Uh. We're not sib-" Yuta tries to explain as the room starts shaking as Rika's cursed energy flares up. Gojo smiles at this show of power amused. While the other students almost freeze in shock.
Rika smiles innocently as she holds their hands up showing off their rings. "We aren't siblings. We're husband and wife. Don't make that mistake again." A hint of malice in her voice as they drop their hands back down at their sides.
The panda stands shocked, his jaw dropped. "Mar- Married?!"
"Mustard leaf?" The boy says casually.
'Mustard leaf?..' Yuta tries to understand. 'Am I missing something?..'
The girl's eyes widened a bit. "Married?.." She shrugs. 'Okay then. They're weird.' She thinks relaxing back in her seat.
Gojo teleports near Maki's seat. "Now that that's settled. It's TIME FOR INTRODUCTIONS!" he shows off Maki much to her annoyance as she grinds her teeth. "First off! We got Maki Zen'in the cursed tool user. She uses cursed tools to deal with curses!" Maki raises her hand in greeting.
"Next up we have Toge Inumaki the Cursed Speech user. He can only speak in rice ball ingredients. Sooooo have fun with that!" Gojo continues.
Inumaki waves "Tuna" Yuta looks at Rika trying to see her reaction unsure what to say himself. Rika on the other hand looks uninterested instead looking at their hands smiling.
He sighs seeing her apathy. 'Well Tuna must be a greeting..' Yuta thinks, making a mental note. 'Hopefully, I can decipher it. Or see if the others have.' Yuta frowns. 'That's if Rika doesn't try to keep them at a distance..'
"Annnnnnnnd Panda!" Gojo fixes his mask.
Panda nods waving. "Hi, I'm Panda."
There's a small silence. 'Is that really all he's gonna say?!' Yuta looks at him. 'Is he just in a mascot outfit!?'
Rika looks mildly interested for a moment looking at the Panda. She tilts her head taking in his features. 'A talking panda? I wonder if he eats bamboo..'
Gojo claps his hands, breaking Rika out of her thoughts. "Anyways! You should've all experienced this by now. Buuut the number of people who die mysterious deaths or go missing is about 10,000 on average. The majority of those aren't actually from accidents. But curses are born from negative emotions. And among those, few are caused by evil sorcerers who we call curse users. You see only curses affect curses. This base here is where we learn curses to exorcize curses. Well with that out of the way! Welcome to Tokyo Jujutsu High!" Gojo cheers as he pops some party poppers he got from seemingly nowhere.
The students from the school looked at him incredulously, shocked he was barely telling them this now. Gojo, picking up on their looks raises his hand apologetically. 'My bad'
He clears his throat. "Well, I do have missions today. We'll have a pair-ups. Let's see…" He scans the room trying to get a feel of them. "Okay! I got it. We'll have Inumaki take on a solo mission. Panda and Yuta. And last, Maki and Rika!"
"Doh!" Maki grumbles. 'I was hoping I was the solo..'
'Did she say Doh?!' Yuta thinks as he glances at her.
Rika has an annoyed expression on her face. 'Why am I not with Yuta?.. I hate this school already..'
"Alright! So now that that's settled let's head out!" I'll take the girls and you guys will be alright by yourselves right?" He asks heading towards the door and giving them a thumbs up.
Yuta looks back and forth between Rika and Panda. 'Is this really all we're getting?! It's happening so fast... What will I do without Rika?..' His body starts shaking scared of the notion.
Rika takes both of his hands, squeezing them gently. "Hey... Let's hurry up and finish these missions so we're back together again. Okay?" She smiles reassuringly.
Yuta's shaking comes to a stop as he looks down at her sweet smile. He returns her smile nodding. "Right!"
Maki has an amused look on her face. 'That kid was definitely bullied before she came along.'
Shortly afterward the students walked off in their separate directions. While Gojo makes a phone call leaning in the hallway. He looks annoyed when the person he calls doesn't pick up.
Inumaki waves to Panda as he goes off on his own. Panda gives a short wave before looking towards Yuta, slapping his back gently. "Hey don't worry! Between the two of us. This mission will be a breeze!"
Yuta smiles nervously, fidgeting with his collar. "I just hope I don't get in your way." He says timidly. Panda laughs good-naturedly, patting Yuta's back as they walk off.
With their departure, this leaves Maki and Rika alone with Gojo who's still trying to make a call floating in the air as he tries comically to get better service. Rika is completely stone-faced as she watches this. Making glances over at her. 'She seemed so talkative before..' She clears her throat. "Hey-"
"There's no reason for us to talk." Rika answers coldly, cutting her off.
Maki feels a blood vessel pop as she clenches her fist. 'This bitch.' She scoffs, relaxing. "Whatever. Hey idiot. Let's get a move on. Whoever you're calling clearly doesn't want to talk to you." She crosses her arms. "Not that I blame them." She adds grumbling.
"Aww... Must be busy" He puts his phone away walking ahead of them noticeably dejected.
The girls follow after him silently, not speaking a word as Gojo explains their mission as they drive over. As they arrive Gojo shows them the entrance. "Now. With that all said! Any questions?" He asks his phone already in his hand.
"Tch.." Maki turns and walks ahead. Rika shakes her head following after.
"Great!" holding his phone up as it rings. The veil, already starting to fall. "Good luck. Oh! And try not to die… Oh! There you ar-" his words are cut off as the veil completely falls, sealing the pair off from the outside world.
Rika looks back looking at the veil. 'This energy..' She reaches out, touching the veil.
"Hey, rookie! Don't get distracted." Maki yells, rushing three curses. Rika snaps out of her thoughts looking over as she sees Maki spin slicing with her weapon dealing with them in an instant.
Rika looks at the display, raising an eyebrow. "Is that really how she fights? It seems so.. Normal.'
"Remember the weaker the curse is the more they'll group up. Got it?" Maki twirls her weapon before resting it on her shoulders.
Rika nods mentally stashing the information. "Where to now?"
Maki motions her head to the building. "Inside, obviously"
Rika starts walking towards the school wordlessly. Maki smirks, swinging the tool back and following Rika. 'Maybe we'll get along after all'
As they walk through the school's hall Maki glances to the sides noticing some curses cowering and being docile. 'She was able to shake the room with her cursed energy alone earlier... Is it because of her that they're staying back' She looks over at Rika curiously. "Hey?"
"Hm.." Rika mumbles not really paying attention to Maki as she walks.
"What grade are you?" Maki asks, ignoring the girl's indifference.
Rika stops looking back at her. "Aren't we the same? I'm in my first year." She answers monotone.
Maki suppresses the urge to punch Rika as a vein appears on her forehead. "Not like that. Just– Just throw me your school ID" She says holding her hand out for it.
Rika shrugs, pulling out her ID and tossing it towards Maki as she looks into a classroom. 'Empty?.. No.. I can feel the energy.'
Maki catches the ID looking at it. 'Rika Orimoto.. So I guess she's not officially married to that kid yet.' She glances down to the bottom checking out the grade. 'Grade 4? Same as me. But she definitely has an abundance of cursed energy. Maybe more than Gojo if that's possible..'
Rika shifts a bit her hands raised "Hey look out!"
The ground starts rumbling. Maki stumbles using her tool to support her. "Huh?"
A curse peers around the corner and before the girls can react he lunges forward expanding launching the girls through the roof.
Maki catches her tool spinning as she falls back down. "Shit! You're too big!" She attempts to attack the curse, but her tool gets launched away as the curse swallows her and Rika.
The big curse laughs, his voice echoing. "Thanks for the meal.."
Inside its stomach, Maki looks around, stomping her foot. "Dammit, I dropped my tool! HEEEEY! LET US OUT OF HEREEEE!"
Rika sits up looking around lazily. "Where?.. Huh?" She shakes her head. "Did it eat us?"
"YES AND SOME HELP YOU WERE!" Maki yells pointing at her.
Rika's ears ring as she points at herself. "HUH?! WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?!"
"ANYTHING! DON'T YOU HAVE A CURSED TECHNIQUE?!" Maki stomps her foot again.
"I-" Rika's words are cut short after they hear a shuffling causing them both to look in that direction, their argument forgotten for the moment.
"Please... Please help us.." A boy asks as he holds another kid who looks sickly. Both children have rashes and disfigured skin.
'Must be the missing children Gojo mentioned earlier. It's a miracle they're not dead already..' Maki struggles to keep standing, her legs getting wobbly as she falls to her knees. "This shits embarrassing.." She holds her leg ready seeing the curse affecting her like the kids.
Rika notices it too, her eyes on the leg. "You okay?" She asks with no real concern in her voice.
Maki shakes her head. "Most people don't have resistance to this crap like you." She groans frustrated at the situation. "Nothing we can do but wait for rescue now. Dammit." She hits her hand down.
"Is she going to die?.. I.. I don't wanna die.." The boy starts whimpering, cradling his friend as tears stream down his face.
Rika's cold expression fades away for a moment as she places a hand on the boy. "Don't worry. No one's going to die. Eating me was the worst thing this curse could do.." She stands up walking around a bit away from the other touching the stomach wall.
Maki watches this curiously. 'What's she gonna do?.. Could it be her technique?'
"Got it.." Rika says calmly.
Outside Gojo watches intently as something bursts through the curse's stomach.
"Who are you?! WHO ARE YOU?!" The curses chants over and over with growing dread. Rika, holding the others, jumps out of the hole. A replica of the curse starts fighting the original curse tearing it apart.
Gojo lifts his blindfold revealing one of his eyes glowing as it takes in the information. "So that's how it works... I finally got to see it first hand." He smiles amused. "Based on the reports I thought it was something like Suguru's. But that's not it."
He leans against the car dropping his blindfold back down. 'She matches the curse's energy, almost mimicking it. And that in turn allows her to create a shikigami replica of that curse using that energy as a catalyst. Making her shikigami curse almost a curse in return. It seems she doesn't need to actually touch the curse to achieve that. But direct contact accelerates the Process. That is so scary!' He laughs watching her slowly making her way towards him.
'I've never heard of a technique like this... That's troubling considering its potential. Not to mention her lineage..' He crosses his arms. 'That's not the only thing. If this is what she can do against curses. I wonder how her technique works against actual sorcerers'
Rika steps through the veil panting before collapsing exhausted. Gojo smiles seeing this. 'Rika Orimoto.. Such an interesting girl... No known connections to major sorcerer families. And she has more cursed energy reserves than me.'
He glances down seeing her completely passed out. 'All of these combined only leave me with more questions..' He snaps out of his thoughts. "I forgot to show them how to channel and use cursed energy.."
He picks up his students and the children floating some of them in the air. 'That's my bad.' He smirks. "But still... Well done" He says as they complete the mission.