"I must go. I have to go to Kumamoto... Quite urgently. I don't know for how long, or what exactly will happen there, but I must go."
The announcement dropped like a stone into the water, making Yuji stop dead in his tracks as he took another huge mouthful of steaming ramen, leaving him speechless. The steaming noodles fell back from between his chopsticks to his bowl with a dull splash, dirtying it a little.
"Itadori, you've gotten it all over yourself..." commented Megumi, who raised a doubtful eyebrow, not understanding why the news upset him so much. After all, they'd only known the hybrid for such a short time...
"Ah... shit!" murmured the latter as he sheepishly grabbed a paper napkin lying on the table, awkwardly wiping the thick broth spreading in droplets over his dark uniform.
Kali let out a slight sigh, a little torn apart. She still didn't know if she'd done the right thing inviting the exorcist troupe to lunch to talk about her project... Only the boys had shown up, nobara categorically refusing to join them.
A few days ago, while chatting belatedly with Sukuna, she had received a piece of information that was, admittedly, her first really serious lead concerning her lost half of the demonic orb... For some time now, under the expert guidance of Prasad, a long-time insider, she had been watching for clandestine sales of occult objects around the world. But recently, since the awakening of the King of the Plagues, things seemed to have got out of hand in the obscure world of plague cultists... Relics were suddenly resurfacing like mushrooms, and underground auctions were flourishing in every corner of the globe. The small world of wealthy plague masters was in turmoil, desperate to get their hands on the rarest and most powerful artifacts, in the hope of stumbling across one of the fingers of the partially resurrected master of poisons... Surely in the vain hope of offering it to him in exchange for a favor.
However, this frenetic bustle of international trade did have its advantages... Indeed, according to his protector's contacts, one object in particular had resurfaced and would soon be offered for sale in Japan, the epicenter of all this occult turmoil. The relic was said to be linked to the dark flames, to carry a power lost for centuries, to have come from a demon with a forgotten name who had perished at the dawn of the free era of non-shamans... It all fit.
It was almost too good to believe, the half-demon mused thoughtfully, twirling her chopsticks in her bowl as her thick noodles cooled... These sales were very often a snare for idiots with no power, or gumption, but from illustrious and ancient families with unlimited means, playing the shaman's apprentice by acquiring supposedly ever more powerful relics and attempting to awaken them by various more than questionable means...
She hated it so much... Puerile incantations in cellars, wrapped in dark capes and gibbering meaningless spells... The pointless sacrifices of powerless innocents, of men, women and children, of defenseless scourges... All to fulfill the idiotic fantasies of people with egos terribly larger than their ability.
It was... horrifying.
But it was also... a little hypocritical of her to judge these humans, she knew...
Even if Prasad's family had recovered her 'egg' centuries ago, deciding to erect it as the ultimate treasure of their nomadic dynasty, she suspected that countless rituals as detestable as those she now abominated must have taken place at the feet of her dais in the intervening years. The old Hindu who treated her like the queen of the universe must himself have spilled quantities of useless blood on the impenetrable walls of his prison that she didn't dare to estimate.
However, she couldn't blame Prasad... It was so much easier to turn a blind eye when things were more personal.
Double standards, eh? She only partially appreciated the concept, as she unconsciously tried to perceive this new world of hers in a brutally fair and equitable way, whether on a human or occult level... But then, nobody was perfect...
"Kali-sempai... is everything all right? Why do you have to go to the other end of the archipelago so suddenly?" finally asked Yuji, who had managed to clean himself up, plunging his hazel prunes into those of his opposite number, drawing him out of his thoughts.
This was the first time the hybrid had seen the young man since her discussion with her millennial guest, and it disturbed her just a little, not to help her situation. Until now, she'd never seen Sukuna in anything other than a distant, incongruous materialization of a mocking mouth and a blood-colored eye on the teenager's body. But ever since they'd spoken to each other via Itadori's cell phone... or, rather... flirted with each other... She couldn't quite tell the difference between Yuji and Ryomen in their shared envelope. She was torn between the innocent sweetness of the host and the playful, snide being he harbored within, always on the lookout.
Kali had felt inexorably drawn to the future exorcist ever since she met him, as if magnetized. She sought his physical company or simply his conversation, intoxicated by his distinctive aura like a drug addict. To be honest, she was a little obsessed with him... But ever since she'd spoken with Sukuna, she'd been feeling a little unsettled... He was the first scourge with whom she'd exchanged so naturally, Kyu not being able to count as such given his inability to use articulate language... In one conversation, she had gained an idea of his temperament and the reality of the rumors concerning his immeasurable ego. And yet... She had really enjoyed this clandestine moment... He too was a curse. He, too, knew the bloodlust that ran through her when she removed her seals and let herself go to her true nature. He too was trapped in a horrifying situation... The thousand-year-old king was trapped in Yuji's body, over which he had no control... And she, the shrimp, in a hybrid body that suffered more and more each day from this incomplete state, restricting her in the least of her actions.
Perhaps it was childish of her, but part of her instinctively empathized with the bloodthirsty demon. How ironic when you think about it...
And Yuji... Did he even suspect their conversation?
After hanging up following their nocturnal exchange, the King of Plagues had sent her a few perilous messages asking her to delete the evidence of their discussion, to which she had replied by explaining how to delete the entire digital conversation she'd had with Itadori, as well as how to call him directly in future.
At this idea, the European felt her heart clench just a little, guilty. At this point in the 'discussion' (the demon was still only typing monosyllabic messages that were difficult to understand, obviously having trouble with the numeric keypad) Kali was also on the line with her contact in the underground, completely focused on the idea of finding the rest of her orb. She had answered the millennial demon's question without a second thought, her mind elsewhere, unsuspecting of the repercussions it might have.
Should she have told the lovely young man in front of her what had happened that night? Still too focused on the clandestine sale and lost in her inner debates, she was unable to judge...
Perhaps a little distance wouldn't hurt after all.
"You two," she began, addressing Itadori and Megumi. "You probably don't know it, but there's been a whole subterranean trade in relics around the world for centuries. Japan, God knows why, has always been the epicenter of occult power. The further away you go geographically, the more the occult presence diminishes... As a result, almost all Class 1 and S relics come from your country, and have for centuries."
The young woman took a sip of the beer she had ordered earlier, savoring the slightly bitter fizz of the cold drink on her tongue. She may have been a few months old, but she gave the impression that she was definitely of age in people's eyes, making her life a whole lot easier... She glanced at Gojo, whom she had also invited through her protégé, Sukuna's receptacle, seeing him nod in agreement. Of course, he knew all about it.
"My own relic" resumed Kali in a composed voice, eager to be honest with the three men. "According to Prasad, it comes directly from here and dates back several hundred years. That's why I came to Japan in the first place, since it's obviously where I come from, even if I have no memory of it."
The two teenagers, along with the S-class exorcist, listened attentively to the young hybrid's revelations.
"Prasad's family is wealthy, very old and very influential, he has contacts everywhere, especially in the underground circles of occult auctions. A few days ago, I received information giving me a serious lead on the missing half of my orb. This relic will be put up for auction in a few days' time, somewhere in Kumamoto, and I intend to go there and win it..."
"why did you bring us here to tell us this?" the snowy-haired exorcist finally interjected, leaning back at the table while resting her chin on her clasped hands, a little puzzled.
The young woman sighed, sliding a golden glance towards the double-souled teenager.
"Because, whatever happens to me in the next few days in Kumamoto, I want to keep in touch with Yuji." she finally blurted out, returning her attention to the teacher. At these words, the future exorcist blushed abruptly, touched by her words, while his eldest shamelessly detailed their interlocutor, seeking to pierce her to the core.
"And that I know if I try to do it to you backwards," she continued, letting herself lean back against the back of her chair, crossing her arms under her chest. "You'll get in my way. So I'm putting my cards on the table. I'm going over there. Win this auction. And maybe, if the nature of the relic is what I'm hoping for, complete my transformation. So it's possible that I'll come back here... different. I'd rather go ahead and warn you."
Was she really that honest? Was it possible? Why did she want to stay close to Yuji if she could get her inking circle finalized? Satoru stared at her, slightly doubtful. He could feel that she was missing something...
"What do you want from me in the end, Kali?" finally asked Gojo, in his turn straightforwardly.
"Nothing." She dropped, disconcerting him a little more. "Or if... peace. Do what you will with this information, Gojo, but at least you won't be able to say you weren't warned if I return as a full-fledged scourge... I'm leaving tomorrow night. After that... Come what may."
"And how do you intend to obtain this relic?" blurted Megumi, as intrigued as her 6th-eye-bearing elder.
The young woman turned to him, speechless, before bursting into innocent laughter, catching all three off guard.
"How?" laughed the half-flail as she wiped the corners of her eyes, catching her breath. "But come on, Fushiguro... By the two means that have always governed mankind... Money or violence! "
"You'd kill for that relic?" abruptly interjected Yuji, suddenly feeling an icy sensation run down his back.
The interested party shone her golden gaze into his, daring him to judge her, taking him deeply unawares, electrifying Sukuna just a little as he watched everything, feeling and understanding more than anyone the hybrid's fierce determination to free herself from her fragile, unsatisfactory condition.
"I kill when I think it's right, Yuji." She replied in an implacable voice. "I kill for many reasons. Out of selfishness or anger sometimes. Out of conviction, need or hunger often. But aren't all convictions basically selfish, since they're born of personal, biased judgment? Without the rest of my relic, I'd die. Do you think my survival is worth less than the whim of a millionaire with no occult powers who just wants to play Barbie with a relic he knows nothing about and will never do anything about? Which existence, between his and mine, do you think is more valuable? "
The future exorcist remained silent, unable to respond to this tirade, dipping his gaze to his now cold bowl of ramen. Kali was showing him once again that she was at once terribly young, innocent and adorable, and on the other hand horribly disillusioned and a little cruel, implacable, totally torn apart by her dual nature. How to respond to this? Her problems were different from those he had to deal with...
"It's a guard rail you need, Kali," Gojo finally said, catching the other three at the table off guard.
"I beg your pardon? A guard rail?" repeated the interested party, dubious.
"Exactly. The deal between us was clear. You're not to kill humans. I understand and understand what you're saying, even if you don't believe me... You seem to have been taken in after your awakening by a person of great intelligence...And who has enabled you to obtain an enormous amount of knowledge and concepts in a very short time. Probably too little time... You're still a kid barely a few months old, dealing with the complexity of the world with blinkers that suit you... That's not necessarily a judgment, mind you. Many people with dozens and dozens of years more experience than you continue to operate in this way. But you, my dear, with your potential power, especially if you recover the rest of your relic, I can't let you do it. It's far too dangerous. "
Sukuna listened to his enemy's tirade from atop his throne of skulls, an unconvinced pout on his lips. What was all this gibberish? She could kill if she felt like it, only the immediate fulfillment of needs and desires could momentarily fill and distract from the emptiness of existence, he knew only too well... He was just so eager to kill this Satoru as soon as he had control of his body... The shrimp didn't need a guardian at all... A master to teach him his place, that was for sure...
"So what, Gojo?" resumed Kali in an incredulous tone. "You're going to what? Follow me? To hold my hand and see if I cross at the crosswalks?"
"And why not?" dropped the infinity-eyed man, a broad smile on his lips, immediately exasperating his interlocutor.
"No way! I don't need a chaperone, you big lug! If I told you about the situation, it was just for information, not for you to come and stick it to me!" she exclaimed e, jumping to her feet, seeing her desire for honesty back in her face, irritating her completely.
"If I decide you need it, you need it, little one... I'd rather have my eye on you if you're going to assimilate the rest of your orb. Who knows what you'll become... I've got enough to deal with with Sukuna to allow another bloodthirsty scourge to roam free." whispered Gojo, exasperating her to no end.
But why, WHY, had she wanted to have this lunch in the first place? What a crappy idea she'd had!
"GO TO HELL, GOJO!" she cried, disgruntled, leaving the restaurant like a tornado, mad with rage, leaving Yuji and Megumi stunned by the unexpected turn of events.
"We'll go together, then, Kali-chan!" the S class behind her back humorously replied, finishing up by knocking the wind out of her.
On this one, she'd really screwed up big time...
The exorcism teacher gave his two students an amused smile, picking up his chopsticks to resume his meal where he'd left off, as if nothing had happened.
"The good thing about you youngsters is that there's never a dull moment!" he finally concluded, casually, paying no more attention than that to all the glances of the other customers turned towards them after the hybrid's shattering departure, nor those of his two protégés still visibly in shock.
A short trip to the north of the archipelago now awaited him... What specialties could he find there?
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Word from the author :
M: Helloooooo every Body! It's Thursday, we're approaching WK! Yatta! Hope you're all well, thanks for following along with this story!
A little chapter that puts things in place, so Kali finally has a lead to complete her inking circle! Happy, sweetie?
Kali, still very upset by Gojo's decision, sulks in her corner.
Gojo, subtle as a 36-ton truck, sticks to her: Alleeeeeez, Kali chan! We're going to have so much fun! We're going to become the best friends in the WORLD!
Kali, glaring at him: In your dreams, the big pole...
Gojo, who doesn't let it bother him: And look what I've found for you!
He pulls out a harness that is sometimes put on overly boisterous children to keep them on a leash, immediately making the hair stand up on the hybrid's head.
Kali, leaping away, outraged: Don't do it. Think about it. Even. Think about it.
Gojo: Come on, don't be a sissy, come over here so I can put it on you, it'll look great on you too...
Sukuna who suddenly perks up: Wait... Who's putting on who? I didn't follow...
Kali, who takes a few steps backwards before finding herself backed up against a wall (sorry Kali, I put it there for the sake of the story XD): Stay away from me, freak!
Gojo, who leaps at him in one go: Attack! Come to daddy's arms, Kali chan!
Sukuna, who sends a buffalo skull with all his might straight into Gojo's head, sending him flying: In your dreams, albino. The shrimp's our preserve.
Kali, still glued to the wall, a little divided: Uh... thanks, Sukuna-san... (The latter approaches her, a carnal gleam in his eyes giving her goosebumps) I... suppose?
M, who throws a bucket of ice water over Sukuna, Kali taking the opportunity to hide behind her: Easy, Tigrouna! For the time being, don't touch the shrimp! Or I'll put the harness on you!
Sukuna, offended: Impertinent! Try it on for...
Gojo, who then jumps on Sukuna with the object of the offence, obviously a little worried at having been sent across the room like that: BANZAI!
M: Well, we'll let them play again... Thanks again for reading! I'll see you soon for the next part, where Sukuna will give us a little present.
Sukuna, fighting with Gojo who was still trying to get the harness on: I NEVER GIVE A GIFT!
M: We'll see about that! See you soon!