Nobara is no expert on human anatomy or curse, or even demon anatomy. Heck, she can't even tell the difference between an insect or a bug.

But.

Humans should have their intestines inside their bodies, right? Like that's a given. There is no way to survive if your intestines are on the outside.

Can rct even heal that?

What are the limits, anyway? Can you come back from any kind of attack? Blows to the head? Or even if you're cut in half? No one has ever sat her down and explained just how the reverse curse technique even works.

Jaken grabs her hand. "You foolish child! We must run now!" He squawks, but Nobara cannot take her eyes off the sight.

Yuki is a special grade.

Special grades are like nothing in this world. Like Gojo-sensei. Special grades are strong. And yet…Yuki-san's intestines are wrapped around her like rope. Sukuna's tentacles wrap around Yuki's body like her intestines. There is a stench in the air. That copper smell. Blood stains the floor.

She hurls all over the floor. Bits and pieces from breakfast. She hurls until there is nothing left but her own desperation. It mixes with the blood and the sight makes her want to hurl again, but she has nothing left inside of her. Nothing left to give.

Yuki-san is strong, right? She can recover from this. Nobara wipes her mouth. She should do something. Anything. Help Yuki-san get out of this mess.

But Choso is down for the count, and it's just her. Where is Yaga-sensei? Where is Panda? Anyone? How did Sukuna even get out?

Where is Yuji? Is he still alive? What about Sesshomaru-sama? He could take Sukuna on, right?

Right?

"Let's go," Jaken says, pulling her away.

"No! We have to help." Nobara tugs, but Jaken's grip is surprisingly strong. She needs to do something. Even if it is just to buy time for Yuki-san to heal. She is a special grade! That has to mean something. Yuki-san should be untouchable like Gojo-sensei.

But. Gojo-sensei isn't here either, and he is the strongest.

"She is already dead. He's absorbing her. If you try anything, you will die." Jaken pulls her along and sighs at the sight of Choso. He bends down and mutters something under his breath.

The room flashes out of sight, though Sukuna's haunting red eyes are scarred into her brain. His aura. His demeanor. Everything about him was terrifying. And she didn't jump in and help. She should have jumped in to help. Assist somehow. Why did she stand there and do nothing? Just because Yuki-san said she could handle it?

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

"Nobara!" Kagome-san greets, smiling gently. "Did you get some more research done?" Kagome-san rubs her belly and then frowns at the sight of Choso.

Nobara trembles. They were just at the school, but now they are here at Sesshomaru-sama's estate. She blinks back the tears.

Safe. They're safe, but what about everyone else? Who is protecting them? Warning them?

Jaken squawks something and a guard rushes over, lifting Choso over their shoulder with ease, as though he weighs as light as a feather.

"Nobara," Kagome-san calls, placing her hands on her shoulders. "What happened?" Kagome-san glances at Jaken, who sucks in a breath.

"Sukuna is out. He had Naraku's body," Jaken answers. "He engaged in a battle with Yuki and decided to absorb her," he relays as though he is giving a report.

Kagome inhales. "Okay…" She turns away. "I need to know everyone else is okay." Kagome walks away and then pauses. "Nobara, do you want to come with me or go lie down?"

"How are you still calm?" Nobara asks. Her hands are still trembling. Sukuna took Yuki out as though she was nothing. As though fighting her was a simple matter and the outcome was always going to be in his favor. "Su-Sukuna is out there, and you're calm!"

How is she so calm? Doesn't Kagome-san realize that Sukuna will come for all of them? Especially her?

Kagome sighs softly and walks back over to Nobara. She wraps her arms around her and pulls her into a hug. "Because I have to be calm. Someone has to be strong when others are weak. That's what it's like when you aren't in it alone. It's okay to be upset. To be scared. But we need to make sure everyone else is okay. They need to know. Or maybe they do know since InuYasha and Yuji left out together."

"They left out together?"

"Yeah, I think they went to help out at the Zenin estate, or they went to do something else." She runs her hand over Nobara's back. "It's going to be okay. Sukuna went after you all because you weren't expecting it. He can't get in here," Kagome-san says with so much confidence that Nobara wants to believe her. Wants to believe in her strength, but she believed in Yuki-san's strength and now she's gone.

Jaken nods. "Sesshomaru-sama's estate is well guarded. Even if Sukuna could get through the barrier, I doubt even he could brute force his way into Kagome's creation."

Nobara pulls back. Her brows furrow together. What? Kagome's creation?

"We're working on strengthening the barrier," Kagome adds. "You missed the chaos of the baby shikigami." She grabs Nobara's hand. "Jaken, check in with Sesshomaru. I…I need to help Nobara."

"I'm fine," she sniffles. "I'm a sorcerer. I've seen worse." She needs to get it together. Pull herself together right now. What kind of sorcerer loses their head because of a little death?

"You're still a child. There's nothing wrong with that." Kagome hums, as she tugs Nobara's hand. "Children shouldn't be fighting these battles. If I had my way, you wouldn't have to."

Nobara blinks. For a moment there, it felt like Gojo-sensei was here. They must be doing that thing where couples start to look like. That's something Gojo-sensei would say. He's always going on about the youth.

Jaken runs, yelling for Sesshomaru at the top of his lungs. Nobara winces. Jaken's voice is so…not pleasant when he's screeching like that, but she can appreciate his urgency.

"I don't know where anyone else is," she admits. "Yaga-sensei and Panda weren't there. Neither were Maki nor Inumaki." Everyone else is spread out, trying to play these culling games. Nobara sucks in a breath. The culling games. More like a massacre now.

"We'll figure it out. Do what we can from here," Kagome-san says as she leads down the halls and to her room.

Nobara blinks. She can't get over just how massive Kagome-san's room is.

Kagome-san grabs her phone off the table and calls someone. She flashes Nobara a smile, but Nobara is too upset to be confirmed.

This is a huge problem. And she allowed herself to be pulled away without fighting back. How weak she is. Nobara clenches her fists. Yuji and Megumi are advancing much more quickly than her. Yuji wouldn't hesitate, but her? She clamped up at the oppressiveness of Sukuna's aura. His aura alone had her hair standing and her heart trying to run down the halls.

"Oh no," she whispers, covering her mouth with her hands. Kagome-san raises a brow as she ends the call. "We forgot about Tengen-sama." At Kagome-san's blank expression, Nobara continues, "Tengen-sama is responsible for keeping the barriers around Japan intact. They make sure that curses don't get too powerful…or at least that's what the barriers used to do, so that civilians would have a chance at survival. Without those barriers, we could have a world where the power scale is way above special grade."

Kagome-san frowns. "So, like demons and humans coexisting without glamours?"

"Uhh…" Nobara sniffs. "I don't know," she admits. "But protecting Tengen-sama is a priority."

The door slams open. Nobara steels her muscles. She is not going to jump like some scaredy cat. Speaking of cats…what is that on Kagome-san's bed? Does it have wings?

"Does no one knock around here?" Kagome huffs.

"The wolf is tracking the other child's scent," Sesshomaru-sama says. "He has been informed of the recent developments."

"Tsumiki," Kagome-san says. "I got in contact with Megumi-kun since no one else was answering. He said they are fine for the most part and they'll be coming back here after they calm Maki down."

Nobara blows out a breath. Phew. Okay, they are okay. If anyone was dead, they would say so. She pulls out her phone. She should warn the others, though. They have no idea what is going on. Nobara bites her lip as she puts everyone into a group chat. The black cat, if it can be considered a cat, stretches, and jumps off the bed. It brushes against her legs.

Her blood goes hot.

Like she's been running for days.

Nobara looks down at the cat. It blinks up at her. "You are not Buyo Jr. You don't even look like him."

"She's a shikigami, but I haven't decided on a name yet. I'm hoping she'll be able to talk and just tell me what she wants to be called."

Nobara's thumbs hover over the phone. Talk? It's a shikigami, not a child or a demon. The cat shikigami brushes against her leg again and her blood runs hot.

Wait.

Is it taking her fear away?

Is she going crazy?

"We need to go back for Tengen-sama," Nobara says, sliding her phone into her pocket.

"No," Sesshomaru-sama cooly, "This Sesshomaru is not wasting time and effort on something that should have died centuries ago."

Nobara splutters. She turns to look at Kagome-san for support, but Kagome-san doesn't seem at all phased by Sesshomaru-sama's words. "But the barriers," Nobara says weakly.

"The priestess could do a better job if it comes down to it," Sesshomaru says, flicking his hair back. "Where is your fox?"

"Yakeru?"

Sesshomaru-sama doesn't blink. "Call him here. I have need of the foxes."

"…Okay, I can do that. What's wrong with Shippo, though?"

"He doesn't get along with the other foxes."

Kagome sighs. "He is more like a dog sometimes." She reaches for her phone again. "Nobara, do you need to be checked out by Shoko? I forgot to ask."

"Ieiri-san is here?"

"Mhmm, Sesshomaru had her called here. She's working with the other healers."

Nobara frowns. When did that happen? Come to think of it, she didn't see Ieiri-san at the school. But how did they sneak her in when she's been here nearly this whole time?

Kagome-san pulls out a chair and sits down. She blows out a breath as she presses the phone closer to her ear.

There's a knock at the door and Kagome-san beams. "Come in," she calls, before turning her attention back to the phone.

Nobara blinks. Her body is physically in the room, but it feels like her mind is a thousand miles away. What is happening right now? Sukuna is out and Kagome-san is so…uncaring about it? She peeks at Sesshomaru-sama. No expression.

Is this why Gojo-sensei loves Kagome-san so much? She's so calm, even though it feels like the world is on fire.

"Hey!" Yuta-san calls, "I just got the update from Yuji."

"Stay here," Sesshomaru-sama says. "They should be on their way back."

"Yeah, but they said they were having a hard time calming Maki down. I should head there and try to get through to her."

"InuYasha knows to knock her out if it comes to that," Sesshomaru-sama says. "He should and stop wasting time."

"Yakeru will be here as soon as he can," Kagome says. "What do you need the foxes for?"

Sesshomaru-sama inspects his claws. "Even a fox can be of use."

"But Sukuna took over this Naraku's body. That's a problem," Yuta-san points out.

Nobara nods her head. Finally! Someone who is taking this seriously. "And Tengen-sama," she reminds them. "Tengen-sama is defenseless. He may have already gotten to them."

Yuta sucks in a breath.

"He took over the body of a half-breed," Sesshomaru-sama says, "A half-breed that was once human and invited demons to feast on his body and soul to become the vermin called Naraku. Naraku's body is weak."

Nobara splutters. "He took out Yuki-san! A special grade. One of the strongest."

Sesshomaru-sama snorts. "If you wish to save Tengen, then go. But this Sesshomaru will not assist you in a fool's errand."

Yuta frowns as he clenches his fists, but he makes no move to leave. Nobara swallows. If Yuta thinks it's a fool's errand, then should she just stay here? The cat shikigami brushes against her leg again, and this time her blood feels slightly warm.

Her whole body is warm.

Weightless.

Like she's losing her resolve.

"Nobara, why don't you lie down for a bit?" Kagome-san says, getting up from her seat. She walks over to her and guides her to the bed.

"But…he absorbed Yuki-san…" Her head is fuzzy. Is everything catching up to her? She sits down on the bed and slides her shoes off. The bed is soft. Really soft. The cat shikigami jumps up on the bed and climbs into her lap. "We should hunt him down before he gets all the fingers…or absorbs anyone else." Her eyelids are heavy.

Kagome-san smiles. "Don't worry about it right now. We'll come up with a plan."

A plan?

Yeah…It's as though someone placed a weighted blanket on her. She's so tired.

A plan sounds nice.

Her eyes flutter as she lies back on the bed. The cat shikigami blinks its blue eyes at her. It purrs.

"You…" she says, as her eyes slide shut.


A/N: Had to drop this Nobara chapter on Women's Day. I promise to answer questions next update. I'm sure you are all aware by now that Toriyama (Dragon Ball) has passed away. My hope for all of you is that you are do something that brings you joy. That you are surrounding yourself with people who want to see you win. Be gentle with yourself this weekend. Get plenty of rest and make sure you are refilling your well.

Here's a sneak peek at a future Nanami chapter for Thousand Days:

"I like it," he says, looking at his shoes. "The thought of them together."

"Wait. Pause." Shoko rubs her temple. "Do you want to watch them?"

Kento opens his mouth but the words fight with one another. There's so much he wants to say, but he doesn't know where to begin. "Yes," he chokes out. "I can't stop imagining them or how he would take her."

"Oh…this is a problem." Shoko exhales and then stands. She crosses her arms. "I understand that this is not ideal for you, but there's nothing wrong with being attracted to Kagome or Satoru."

"I'm not attracted to Satoru," he spits out. "It's more about Kagome."

"…Okay, but when you picture someone other than Satoru how does that make you feel?"

Kento blinks. He readjusts his glasses. "I hate it."

"But not if it's Kagome AND Satoru?"

"I think I'm going to vomit."

"If you do, do it outside my office. There's no windows in here to air it out."

Kento sighs. "Is there no cure for me?"

Shoko laughs. "Sure there is. It's called making a move."