Happy One-year Anniversary to Cursebreaker and a Happy Birthday to Tupjunk, one of the OG Beta-Readers!
Show him some love. He does a lot to make this fic work.
You've all seen me do rants before, but yeah, it's been a fun year, and I appreciate all of you tuning in to read my yapping.
Here's to however long it takes to make the story I have planned.
Also, someone recognized me on a random Reddit post in rwbycritics, and I felt like a deer in headlights.
Anywho, let's get into this.
BetaReaders: BFTyrant, Chris, Daki, Rockmean, Luxutor, ReallyRey, Hackerman27, Chepatard, Jasonzzldude, Tupjunk, and Megadumbo.
...
A fire crackled in the night, illuminating the fabric walls of a massive tent, setting a glow to the outside world amidst a sea of smaller encampments surrounded by a wall of sharpened wooden spikes.
A single red eye glared down at a clenched pale fist, opening and closing its digits as sicky blue energy erupted outward. With a satisfied sneer, the other gripped a glass of dark brown liquid, raising it to take a swig.
The woman suppressed a gag, forcing it down through sheer force of will, refusing to admit she was second best at anything, even something as trivial as punishing her own liver.
Qrow could go to hell if he thought she'd take that sitting down.
Though, that's not what left a sour taste in her mouth.
There was a pit in the chieftain's stomach, one that lingered since that fateful day on those mountains.
The mere thought of bowing her head so easily, as if she were nothing but a child-
The leader of the Branwen tribe-
The most wanted person on Remnant-
The woman who abandoned everything and slaughtered anyone at the slightest hint of disrespect-
She was Raven Branwen.
One single act, a mere chance encounter she had planned so thoroughly, had gone so wrong that it destroyed her dignity and pride as a warrior.
She was pushed to her knees with a glance, and an act of defiance cost her the sight of one of her eyes, acting like an eternal reminder of how inferior she was-
To something unholy, sealed inside a mere child, one that she knew interacted with her daughter.
...
...
The damn smile that man-
No-
The smile that Thing wore, as if she were a pebble along a gravel road, terrified her down to her very core, and that feeling refused to leave since their pact, forcibly opening a connection between what was once her semblance and...It.
The bandit had learned so much in so little time. She knew she could break it, end this agreement herself, but-
It could cost everything she gained, and what was she without power?
A helpless child.
There was no choice but to live like this, waiting for the devil himself to call in his debts.
*CRACK
Raven was stuck, and she hated it.
Sitting nearby, on standby, like she always did, Vernal tilted her head, watching as glass clattered to the ground, springing to her feet to clean up the mess, "Was the drink really that bad?"
Raven stared at her for a long moment, then spat on the floor, her entire demeanor shifting in the blink of an eye, "Would it kill them to make something that didn't reek like gasoline?"
"Want me to find a different brand? You only ever order the one-"
"No. Get me another."
Raven scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest, "If my father can handle this bile, so can I."
Vernal nodded, crossing the tent to fetch and pour another glass, "With all respect, ma'am...you've done more for our tribe than your predecessors ever have."
Her blue eyes shimmered with profound respect, "Our numbers have grown, our raids have increased...I'd say we're living better than most people in the Kingdoms do...why do you always bring them up instead of taking pride in what you've done for us?"
The chieftain huffed, "You should know that lesson by now. Satisfaction is just the first step in becoming complacent."
The glass crunched beneath her heel as the bandit met her follower's stare, "Drink it for yourself and see...though I suppose taste would be a better way of putting it."
The young woman flinched a bit but, with a nod of confirmation from her leader, took the tiniest of sips before-
"ARGH!"
Vernal struggled to even put the glass on a table before coughing up a lung.
Raven gave the smallest of smiles, "Awful, isn't it? My first reaction was even worse than that...sitting in my father's lap as a young girl, he offered me a sip, and I spat it over an open flame...nearly burning our entire camp down in the process. Every day afterward? He'd make me take a swig before every operation, every training session, even something as simple as getting a sip of water."
The look across the leader's face was a mixture of fondness and hatred, one of her many hypocrisies, "He didn't care if I swallowed it or spat it out, and for the longest time, I couldn't understand why he did it, I even hated him for it...but after he was dead and gone, his ashes scattered to the winds, I kept doing it, though I couldn't say why. Though, I've grown to understand it in recent years."
The Branwen took slow, confident strides toward her underling, dropping a hand onto her back as she coughed, "There is such a thing as too much good, and if you don't remind yourself of the bitterness that might befall you at any second, you just might get swept up by the current and dragged away, and in doing that, you'll stop striving for more and end up weaker because of it."
She leaned closer, whispering, "So I tell myself, every time I get used to the flavor, to that disgusting sensation burning my tastebuds, making me want to vomit onto the floor...I order the stronger one next time, and bit by bit, you'll get used to doing the worst of things, knowing there's always something worse waiting for you the next day. Does that make sense?"
Vernal spat a mixture of alcohol and mucus onto the floor, trying not to empty her stomach, "Can...Argh-argh!...Can I-"
She coughed again, struggling to keep an eye open, "Can I join up on that?"
Raven chuckled, patting her back a bit, "We'll start you on something lighter and work your way up. I can't have you dying on me quite ye-"
*Bzzzzz-Bzzzzz
Across the room, a vibration echoed out, and soon, Vernal tried to move toward it, but Raven waved her off, pulling a scroll out of a pile of haphazardly stacked blades, reading an all too familiar monicker-
Unknown caller.
*Click
She was silent for a few moments, then-
A vaguely familiar, feminine voice echoed out, "Hello."
The leader hummed, remaining silent, clicking her tongue, "Why are you calling so late? Do you have any idea what time it is?"
A typical question, but one loaded with more meaning than most unwanted spectators would know of-
"Late, but the door's still open, isn't it?"
"...That it is. Have you seen anything interesting today?"
"I saw a chameleon, but it hid itself away."
Raven sighed, "Is this line secure?"
"As strong as ever."
The chieftain idly moved through her weapons, holding a blade skyward, "That's hardly worth a thing these days, and I think we both know that...I'll assume my usual contacts are either dead or-"
"Underground. Since the attack, most of the leadership dispersed and went dark, waiting for the sirens to start."
"Typical...you...' Chameleon,' we met once before, right? Remind me, you were that tiny little girl with the patchy-"
"Yes, that was-"
"Ilia, correct?"
There was a noticeable shift on the other end of the line, "I'm...surprised you remember that."
Raven scoffed, "Please. I keep tabs on anyone worth more than being White Fang cannon fodder. In this business, you don't live as long as I have without watching your corners. Now, if you're risking your skin and mine with a call like this, what the hell do you want?"
"I...I...we have a contract we'd like you to fulfill."
"Payment?"
"Upfront, like usual. Lien or-"
"Valuables and dust will do...they've started putting trackers on Lien cards a few years back. Be sure to burn yours before our next meeting, or there won't be one."
"I understand, miss-"
"...Miss?"
The Branwen sighed as she grabbed a sheet of parchment and began to scribble with a pen, "My God, you are green...whatever, not my problem. What's the job? Names, locations, descriptions, in that order."
Ilia stuttered, clearly shuffling her notes, "R-right...well, the...um, job is in Mistral...some of our people are cornered by patrols and are trying to get out to Menagerie, so we need you to-"
Raven nodded, "Be a bigger problem than they are? Any targets, or am I going in-"
"Do whatever is necessary. No limits."
"...None?"
"Look, things look bad for us, and they won't look any better if we do a light attack anyway. Just...make a lot of noise, alright?"
The bandit gave an amused chuckle, "You really are on your last legs, aren't you?..."
"I-"
"I'll be there by tomorrow. Have my payment ready, or it's your head."
"T-Tomorrow!? I don't...how could you even get here that fast!?"
She simply smiled, her hand igniting in Cursed Energy, "Trade secret. Be seeing you."
*CRUNCH
The line went dead.
...
...
In Mistral
A hand delicately lowered a scroll, clicking the disconnect button before casually tossing it in the air, only for the object to be incinerated into ash.
Watts leaned back in his seat, enjoying the creak of metal as he clasped his hands, "I think that went quite well."
The scientist smiled at the figure sitting across from him, "I must say, you gave me a fabulous amount of audio to work with for my recreation of Miss Amitola's voice, my dear girl."
Cinder shrugged, closing her eyes in thought, "Please. As if I'd stoop to doing your dirty work. I had Emerald and Mercury take care of it for me."
"Oh? And what sort of torture did they decide on?"
"Who knows? One of them did some digging and found out she was close with...fuck, what was that cow's name again?"
"I believe Adam Taurus was a bull, my dear."
"All the same, Emerald just showed her his death on repeat 'til she cracked and started wailing, then Mercury had his fun, sadistic little shit that he is, and now we're here."
"She isn't dead, is she?"
"Do you really care?"
He waved a hand, "About as much as any other slice of meat, but weren't you taught not to waste what's put on your plate?"
Cinder barked out a laugh, pointing toward the two stolen Atlesian knights, kneeling beneath the inventor like a makeshift chair for him to sit on, "And what do you call that?"
Watts hummed, kicking a heel off one's helmet, giving an audible thunk, "It's not wasteful to play around a bit...though, I'd have liked it to be made of something more...grandiose...might I ask, what does Salem decorate her estate with these days?"
The half-maiden yawned, "Same as always. Whatever's left of whoever the Grimm drag back."
"You sound disappointed."
"It's a waste of time is what it is."
He clicked his tongue like a saddened father, "You see, this is why you were assigned to me. You don't appreciate the finer things in life, young lady."
Her yellow eyes narrowed, "I was sent here because you pitched a fit about needing help with your experiments, and from what I've seen, you're just screwing around."
"Semantics."
"Oh, fuck off. That's the kind of shit Salem pulls whenever I prove her wrong. Your kind drag your feet instead of getting some actual work done. If I was in charge of whatever you're doing here, I'd have it done in five minutes."
Watts raised a brow, "Oh?... If it's immediate action you want, then I suppose you won't want-"
The inventor leaned closer, "Another maiden?"
...
...
Cinder pushed a hand through her silken black hair, giving him a full stare, "I'm listening."
The scientist shook his head, "Mmm-mmm-mmm, you need to give me something first."
...
...
"What?"
He smiled, "What kind of chair should I make?"
"...Are you being serious?"
"As serious as I've ever been-"
Cinder deadpanned as he waved his hands like an excited child, "I want something that when people see it, they both gawk and gag...beautiful and disgusting...made of bones! We could 'borrow' a few cadavers from local morgues and-"
The Maiden groaned, "Don't be basic. At least make it mean something."
Watts tilted his head, curious about her sudden interest, "Basic, you say?"
The manic woman leaned closer, "Yeah. Everything you do should be an achievement. Burn a fucking town down, destroy everyone trying to escape, and every time you come back and smell those ashes, you get to relive that moment again and again."
Her eye ignited in yellow flame as she grinned, "It should make you smile just looking at it...don't just make it out of bones, make out of people you ended yourself. That lab of yours might be a good start."
...
...
Watts chucked, quickly turning into a bellowing uproar, "Hahahah! Fantastic! THAT! That's the attitude I like to see! A vile little woman instead of that aloof act you put on!"
He snapped a finger, causing another drone to blip online, carrying over a tray of tea as another emerged with a metallic case.
The inventor reached out to grab a steaming cup, "Do you prefer milk and sugar or just black?"
Cinder's smile remained static, "Do you really think I'm dumb enough to trust a drink from you?"
"A few shots from my metallic assistants and a needle of sodium hypochlorite to your jugular would do the job far better than any ingestable poison, my dear. Maiden or not, you are only human."
...
...
Cinder looked around, counting the dozens of inactive war machines just waiting for an order-
She begrudgingly took her own glass.
Watts took a gentlemanly sip, soon slapping a gloved hand onto his knee, "Righto...now, in our current state, I'm prepared to give you everything you need to defeat Raven Branwen, though you'll be in for the fight of your life, for you see-"
He snapped a finger, and a digital screen lowered, revealing images of that foreign energy erupting across the chieftain's form as she zipped across a makeshift battlefield.
He happily grinned, "These images were taken nanoseconds apart from my drones, and a lesser mind would believe that Maiden you crave so desperately had found a way to achieve teleportation...well, aside from the means she previously possessed, but they seem to have...evolved."
Cinder raised a brow, "Evolved? What are you on about?"
Watts slowly rose to his feet, taking long, confident strides, his hands behind his back, "Why...the purpose of my research, of course. The very thing that nearly ended in my execution in Atlas during my tenure as their resident expert on... 'hypothetical energies,' mostly working with so-called 'relics of an ancient past, with a peculiar signature etched into their very atoms."
He ran a hand through his dark hair, "Suffice to say, where I found success, they only cared for the number of corpses...the one and only time an Atlesian cares about them is when it's one of their own. Kill a thousand Faunus? They don't bat an eye. However, if one of theirs perishes in some unforeseen event? Well, it's high time for treason trials, isn't it? I digress."
The inventor slowly circled back around, meeting Cinder's stare, "Although I thought it impossible. Raven Branwen seems to have achieved an elevated state to access these energies of her own volition, and in exchange for you killing her to steal the Spring Maiden within her, I only ask that you bring me the body. Not only will I provide you with the rough outlines of her powers, alongside additional firepower, but I'll also give you one of my favorite toys, one that will overcome anything she now has at her disposal."
...
...
With a click, the case opened.
Cinder would look down at the unassuming piece of metal but, by now, knew how to judge Watts' ramblings from his moments of clarity.
She reached down, clenching a hand over a black handle, feeling a surge of unfamiliar power within its confines.
The half-Maiden would smile, "...Now you're speaking my language."
...
A very long time ago.
*Tick-tock...tick-tock...tick...tock
A clock would strike, its offbeat chime breaching the ethereal silence in an otherwise silent place devoid of meaning, its purpose long since abandoned, and its occupants nothing more than still containers holding pieces of a bygone era-
Until now.
A pair of brown eyes slowly scanned the cold stone walls, "You...really lived here?"
He turned, meeting yet another of coal-black orbs, and with a nod, the man's tied-up hair shifted around just a bit-
That pale skin-
The clumsy way he held himself-
The Huntsmen in training knew who this was-
Choso...Itadori's older brother, the one he never stopped talking about, as if he were the greatest person in the world, but...it didn't make sense-
They had just seen him fighting with Itadori in some underground train station, and now they were here-
When did this even happen?
It was all so confusing.
Going through memories was a strange sensation, where eternal concepts like time and space had about as much meaning as a chicken scratch on a piece of paper...utterly worthless to an outsider, but to the person whose perspective they happened to be witnessing-
Maybe there was something more to it...or not...who could say?
The half-curse stared at him from across a rickety old table, his hand resting on an empty jar, his own name strewn across its surface in faded ink.
Choso sighed, "It wasn't living as you would know, but...these walls were all we knew for those long years, all one-hundred-and-fifty of them."
Yuji squinted, "Whaddya mean?"
"We couldn't see or hear. We were just...too undeveloped for that sort of thing. The world might as well have been a dark void without meaning, but we had enough sense to know we were alive...at least in some capacity, and of course, we could feel each other."
...
...
Itadori swallowed a breath, "All you had were each other?...I-"
The vessel visibly flinched, his hands slowly gripping the edge of the table, "I...I'm sorry."
Choso shook his head, "You aren't responsible for what our mother did-"
"You know that's not what I mean. Stop mentioning Kenjaku for five seconds and talk about what I did!"
"You didn't know."
"I should have!"
"Would knowing have changed anything?"
...
...
"I don't know...I-"
Yuji took a sharp breath as information flooded their minds-
Memories of two disgusting monsters, one a green abomination, the other almost human, but the massive jaws along their torsos, front and back, spoke otherwise-
Eso and Kechizu.
They were his brothers-
And Itadori had killed them, thinking they were nothing more than curses, unaware of their connection.
The sheer guilt he felt when looking at his oldest brother's face was unimaginable.
The sorcerer exhaled, "I didn't know I had family out there."
Choso kept his stare, "We didn't know about you, either. Yuji, you weren't born the same way as us. You were raised as a human, and we thought we had no chance of being accepted by them, so we chose to live as curses. It's only natural we'd come into conflict with sorcerers."
...
...
"I don't want you to be alone because of me."
"I'm not alone."
"What?"
The half-curse gave an awkward smile, "I still have you, don't I, little brother?"
...
...
Itadori's brow furrowed, "I-"
His head dropped, "I don't know what to do here. I've...never had a big brother before."
Choso circled the table, standing beside him, "Well, what do you think we should do?"
Yuji's head thunked against the hardwood, "Well, we aren't tryna kill each other anymore. That's a start. I think there's been enough of that with this screwed-up family, huh?"
Choso glumly nodded, "It seems to be a recurring theme with humanity. Children inherit their parents' issues and spend their lives trying to rectify their mistakes, only to make more in their wake, making a cycle of burdens that never seems to end."
The sorcerer made a face, "What?"
The half-curse stuttered, "Uh...sorry. I don't really know what people talk about...I tend to ramble...sorry."
Yuji gave a small smile, "All good. Talkin' about somethin' is definitely better than sitting here all quiet, right?"
...
...
It got quiet immediately after he said that, making both of them feel awkward.
Yuji perked up, pushing through the veil of silence, "So, why'd you bring me here?"
The death painting's eyes widened as he ran a hand through his dark hair, "I...wanted you to meet your family."
"Really?"
Itadori looked around, "Are they...somewhere else or-"
"They're right here."
Choso turned around and grabbed a tray covered in a dusty cloth then walked around the table, putting it between them before pulling it off-
...
...
Yuji just stared, his emotions completely blank.
They were-
Monstrous little infants...no-
Fetuses-
Each floating in a jar of preservative liquid.
Choso smiled a bit more, patting a finger on each jar one by one. "Noranso, Sho-oso, Tanso, Sanso, Kotsuso, Shoso...your little brother, Yuji, is here to meet you. Aren't you glad?"
None of them moved, but-
*Bump-Bump
Yuji lurched forward as a pulse went through his head, briefly seeing visions of somewhere entirely different-
A picnic table, with all of them there, even Eso and Kechoizu, but how-
It didn't make sense, but-
The atmosphere was so pleasant, like a warm bath you could just sink into and forget all of life's problems.
For that moment, Itadori felt safe, but it was fleeting, like all things in life.
He gasped, nearly slamming his face on the table, "The heck was that!?"
Choso only smiled more, "Did you feel it?"
"Feel?"
"Not how you felt, but how they experienced it."
...
...
Yuji put a palm over his forehead, pulling on faint emotions, like glimmers in the night, "Were they...excited?"
Choso proudly nodded, "To meet you? Of course, they were. It's not every day your family gets a bit bigger, you know?"
"R-right...Hey, Choso-"
He raised a finger, "Big Brother."
"Chos-"
"Call me 'Big Brother."
"Chos-"
"Big-"
He leaned closer, his smile becoming terrifying, "Brother."
Yuji sweatdropped, "B...Big bro?"
Sparkles flickered off the half-curse as he experienced euphoria, "Yes?"
"I get what you're tryna do, but...why are we really here? You don't seem the type to do stuff for no reason."
...
...
The peaceful mood seemed to drop, and Choso's smile dimmed just a bit, "I'm really no good at this, am I?"
Yuji waved his hands in a panic, "No-no-no! You're great! Really!"
Choso put his hands together and, to the sorcerer's shock, bowed, "I need your help."
"Alright-alright! You don't gotta bow to me, man! You're the older one here!"
Yuji bowed-
Choso bowed deeper-
They went until the vessel tumbled to the floor in a heap.
...
...
Minutes later
With Yuji on the ground, Choso joined him, with both brothers leaning against a wall, staring up at a dark ceiling above.
The blood user's hands twitched, "Do you know how we incarnate? The Death Paintings?-"
He didn't wait for an answer, "We're born as Cursed Objects, appearing like mutated, stillborn infants, unable to do anything of our own will, but if we were ever ingested by a regular human being? We'd incarnate and be as alive as any other being."
His face scrunched up, "Eso, Kechizu, and myself...we were forced into this world that way, shoved down someone's throat by that Curse, Mahito, and-"
Yuji put a hand on his shoulder, putting an end to his shaking, "I know the sort of things he did. You don't gotta explain it."
Choso nodded, "I've never cared what happens to me, but I can't live, knowing that my younger siblings are stuck in that limbo for the rest of their existence. It isn't right."
"You're not saying we-"
"No, they don't want that."
Choso stared up at the jars above, his eyes watering, "They haven't experienced much of life. There isn't much that they actually know, but...I can tell you without a doubt that your siblings don't want to hurt anyone by incarnating."
Yuji stared at him for a second, "They wanna live, don't they?"
"Just like anyone else."
...
...
Choso pulled his knees closer, "What I'm about to ask isn't something I'd do lightly, not for my sake, but for theirs. Yuji, we both know what they have is no way to live-"
"What do you need? Just ask."
"You're different than a average human. Kenjaku made you to be different."
...
...
"Big bro, you gotta tell me what to do."
Choso closed his eyes, "If you take them in, you won't lose yourself like a normal person would."
Yuji was silent, but the half-curse continued.
"If you do this for them, then...they won't hurt anyone, and they'll get to live an actual life, or at least something close to the real thing. You'd never be alone again. They'd experience everything with you...the sights, the smells, the sounds...all as part of you, Yuji...I know it's asking for a lot, and after what we went through, it must seem-
"Hm?"
Yuji's grip over his shoulder gently tightened as he gave a recurring smile, "I'll do it."
"...You will?"
"Who else can? I mean-"
The vessel forced a chuckle, "I'd be a pretty bad brother if I just left my siblings hanging, ya know?"
Choso's eyes watered a bit more, "You should know, you'll never be the same again if you do this. Taking them in...it might make you one of us, something between human and Curse. You'll irreversibly become a Death Painting Womb."
Yuji shrugged, "If it means getting them outa this place, then that's just how it goes."
"You'd-"
The half-curse swallowed, "You'd really do that for people you just met?"
"You cared about me, even after what happened."
Itadori pulled his brother in for an awkward side hug, "If they matter to you, then they matter to me."
"Do you think-"
Choso looked off to the side, "You could do the same for Eso and Kechizu?"
Yuji paled, "...they've been dead a while, man."
"We don't rot...I just want to make sure they can rest well and be part of something better than the existence they had. Maybe they'll find peace knowing what it's like to live as a human being."
"...Fine."
Yuji slowly rose to his feet, reaching out to grab one of the jars, and for a brief moment, held it against his chest until he was all but certain this was what it wanted.
He twisted the lid open.
After all-
He had shared a body before-
This couldn't be any worse, right?
...
The world distorted
His perspective shifted to a different time and place, to a darkened section of subway terminals beneath a bustling city.
Up above, words blipped across a digital screen-
'Shibuya Station...due to a sudden emergency, please head to the nearest-'
*CRACK
An unseen slash bisected the display, sending an array of sparks to the ground as the last spurts of life faded from its screen.
The sorcerer let out a laugh, though-
He sounded so different.
Yuji looked down, putting his hands into his jacket pockets...and they were covered in those tattoos that seemed to come and go.
The vessel looked up, staring down an abomination the likes of which the Huntsmen could hardly fathom-
It stood like a human, and if they were blind, they'd think of him as just an old man...a short little hunchback with pale skin, except a gradual browning the closer they looked toward the top of his head, but where flesh and hair should stand-
There was a simmering volcano with bugs crawling out of it-
And, of course, he only had one eye, a massive, protruding thing.
This was...Jogo, the disaster is based on the fear of the earth. If you wanted to get specific, volcanoes and fire did the job.
A foreign voice escaped Itadori's throat as feelings of excitement, malice, and utter supremacy flooded their minds, "This is your reward for the fingers. Come at me."
They could see the anxiety on the Curse's face, though that didn't stop the sorcerer, "If you manage to land even a single blow on me, I'll work under you all. For starters-"
His smile deepened, "How about I slaughter every human in Shibuya?"
What did he just say?
"Except for one."
...
...
Things moved fast from there, unbelievably so-
A massive city passed below as they soared through the skies at incomprehensible speeds.
They saw it all.
'Itadori' systematically decimated the Curse as if he were nothing.
It wasn't just blow-for-blow-
Jogo couldn't so much as scratch him-
Not in hand to hand...even losing his own when he tried.
Not through flames-
Not through oceans of magma that burned so hot it melted the very city to its foundations.
Jogo might as well have been an ant.
Things blipped around so much, with entire sections being nothing more than a fuzzy mess of sounds and sights.
The next thing they knew, the cursed spirit was dead, burning away in a sea of flames atop what could only be described as a...Meteor.
...
...
There was a brief image of a white monster...muscular and utterly alien, without eyes, one could only wonder how it could see or how that massive wheel seemed to float above its head.
Itadori felt like he was having the time of his life as if this was the most exciting thing that could happen-
But-
He always said he hated fighting-
Didn't he?
...
...
They blinked, and there was-
...
...
Nothing.
Just-
A barren hole in the center of town, surrounded by silence and the darkness of a world without electricity to turn on the lights.
It was as if everything that had existed there was ripped or...shredded out of existence.
The feeling coming from the sorcerer wasn't joy-
It wasn't excitement-
It was-
Yuji raised his hands, slapping them against the sides of his face, as if this were a nightmare from the worst place imaginable, his eyes so wide, they could feel the skin around them pulling apart.
He couldn't breathe.
He-
Itadori fell to his knees, feeling the weight of the world pushing down on him as numbers ran through his thoughts-
Wondering how many had-
The sorcerer vomited bile onto the street the moment the question came into his head.
...
...
*Crrrr
His nails dragged along asphalt-
Smearing blood onto the surface.
"Die.."
A tear splattered against the ground.
He dragged his arm again, feeling his skin tearing apart, "Only I should die...!"
The vessel started thrashing, slamming both hands into the hardened ground over and over as tears poured from his eyes, staring down as he screamed into the night-
At no one but himself-
"Only I should die!"
"Die!"
"Die now!"
This was the emotion they had felt the moment their connection began.
Overwhelming guilt.
Thousands of people had died here, and Yuji blamed it on himself-
How long had he lived with this in the back of his head?"
A massive clock came crashing down off the broken husk of what was once a skyscraper.
11:14 P.M..
...
The world distorted again, and now-
*Clink
There was a warm light, and an array of pleasant smells as pastries, teas, and coffees fluttered about on trays as baristas delivered orders across a cozy little cafe.
Yuji grinned as a muffin and hot chocolate were put right in front of him, "Thanks, miss!"
The woman looked at the vessel, then at the man sitting across from him-
With kempt blonde hair, goggle-like glasses, and a formal business suit, with a blue undershirt below a tan blazer, with similar slacks and lighter shoes.
She smiled, "Awww, is this a little father-son time?"
Yuji's face went blank, pointing a finger between them, "Eh? Nanami, my dad? You really thin-"
The businessman deadpanned, pointing a finger at the vessel, "This idiot is not my son."
Itadori's head thunked against the table as the woman mumbled an apology before shuffling off.
The moment didn't last long before the instructor let off a huff, grabbing him by his shoulder, pushing him upright, "Fix your posture. You're in public."
The sorcerer quickly nodded, shooting straight up, "R-right!"
The older man sighed, taking a sip of his black coffee, "You represent the new generation of jujutsu sorcerers. You need to take yourself and your role seriously."
Yuji hummed, "Gojo-Sensei always tells me to just do what feels right."
"Of course he does, but the word 'right' doesn't mean a thing with that deadbeat. When he says that, the intention is simple: living right is just going by whatever whims you have at a given moment."
"Isn't that what all sorcerers do?"
"It's bullshit all sorcerers do, and it's why I left for so long. I couldn't stand dealing with them for another minute."
Nanami pointed the finger at the vessel, "They were all born into the world of sorcery. They're either incapable or unwilling to see the rot. You're an outsider, Itadori. So, tell me, what's wrong with Jujutsu Society?"
Yuji's eyes went wide, "Eh?... Well-"
The sorcerer scratched the side of his head, "I dunno if its just me, but...isn't our role in things to kill Cursed Spirits and help people?"
The businessman scoffed, "If things were more efficient, those factors would be one and the same, but it's the sorcerers themselves that are the problem. They don't see their innate or especially their inherited techniques as an obligation and a responsibility. Instead, they're selfish, cruel, and apathetic. Ultimately, they don't care about anyone but themselves."
Nanami stared him down from behind his shades, "They're super-powered children, born thinking they deserve praise by their mere existence. I'll never respect anyone like that."
Yuji watched him for a moment, "Well, respect's gotta be earned, but that doesn't mean you can't be decent to 'em, does it?"
"It's a waste of time, so I refuse to do it."
"Then-"
The vessel tilted his head, "Why'd you come back?"
...
...
Nanami sipped his bitter drink. "Listen, because you know that I won't repeat myself. All people are selfish, but good can still come from those feelings. That satisfaction you get from easing someone's burdens? It's a reward that ultimately benefits both parties. The victim lives, and you leave better than you started, ensuring mutual gain. It's simple logic that sorcerers tend to ignore."
He deadpanned, "It pisses me off, but it wouldn't stop regardless of my absence. So, I came out of retirement for my own reasons, just like you chose to take me up on my offer today."
Yuji awkwardly chuckled, "Well, I'm not just here for the tutorin'. I just like hanging out with ya, Nanami."
The vessel smiled, "You're the only person that seems to care about people...it makes me wanna do better so I can be that way someday."
The businessman indifferently stared back, "Taking initiative is the first step, but reaching your potential is up to you and no one else."
"Hm?"
"If I were to agree with Satoru Gojo on anything, it would be what he said...that people like you only appear every one thousand years, but I won't put you on a pedestal for it. An uncut gem is shit until someone polishes it to make it worth something, and that someone is you."
Nanami swiped a hand over his jacket sleeve, "Live up to your own potential, Itadori. You're the deciding factor in whether you'll make a difference and fix the wrongs you see in the world around you or become part of the problem. Climbing the ranks of sorcery isn't something to cheer. It's a mantle you'll need to take on with every step, and it will continue to test your resolve and weigh you down with each passing day."
He flicked his glasses upward, "My role is to ensure you're given this opportunity. I'm expecting you to follow through with it, regardless of how hard it gets. Someday, it'll become your responsibility."
...
...
Yuji laughed, "Hahahaha! You're always so serious, Nanami, but-"
The teen gave a thumbs up, "I'll support ya all I can till I'm strong enough to stand up there with you!"
The businessman huffed, looking off to the side, a hand covering his mouth, "Do as you please."
Itadori could only smile more.
He felt nothing but admiration for this man.
Kento Nanami was a point of inspiration for the teen-
Going against the currents of corruption and apathy in Jujutsu Society to carve his own small path, doing what good he could for people in need.
In a way, Yuji had found his first true role model in a man most considered a stick in the mud.
...
Things shifted again-
And the site before them was nothing short of absolute horror.
Nanami was standing there, with over half of his skin burned off, and all that remained stared at the vessel, giving a gentle smile, one the sorcerer had never seen the businessman wear before.
"Itadori."
In a tone of both pride and pity, Kento Nanami ignored the pain coursing through him, all for the sake of one of his precious students.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
His flesh boiled and burst, rapidly expanding before blasting outward in a burst of gore.
And just like that-
He was gone, having died as he lived, always considering the wellbeing of others.
That was the kind of man he was.
A selfless person forced into a selfish world-
And it took everything from him.
Through the haze of falling blood, Mahito stood there, smiling as though this were the greatest pleasure in his existence.
The clock read 11:19 P.M.
...
Things moved around once more, and-
Yuji yawned, his vision blocked by a tower of boxes, "Ahhhh, how much of this stuff do I gotta carry for you?"
A feminine voice barked out ahead, "Shut up! You ain't got nothing going on anyway!"
"Duh, I'm hangin' out with you, stupid!"
*BOOM
A box imploded, and a head shot through the open gap as a pair of orange eyes glared into his from mere inches away-
"HUH!?"
Yuji pushed his forehead into hers, "AHUH!"
"HUH!?"
"AHUH!"
HU-AAAAH!"
*CRASH
She pushed too hard, sending them tumbling through a display of mannequins and getting them kicked out of the store in the process.
...
...
Minutes later
*CRACK
A boot slammed into the back of Yuji's leg, making him hop around in pain, "Ow-ow-ow! Gah, you're always so quick to kickin', Kugisaki!"
The sorcerer turned around to see a young woman around his age, wearing a girl's version of that outfit he always seemed to have on. She had short brown hair with noticeable bangs on the right side, bright eyes, and long lashes-
She was very pretty-
And very angry.
This was Kugisaki Nobara.
The sorceress stuck out her tongue, "Then don't gimme so many reasons to be pissed, ya walkin' headache!"
"You invited me to hang out!"
"Yeah! And the price to pay for my presence is carryin' mah stuff! I can't just be tough! I gotta look cute, too! You know that!"
She started chasing him around, trying to kick the vessel who was way too fast for her to catch.
It ended in Yuji's defeat, with the vessel needing to buy her mochi to stop her endless rampage.
Soon, they were sitting on a park bench, watching the crowds pass by.
Nobara gently raised a spoon to her mouth and with an anticipated, "Ahhh~"
*Nom
She moaned in delight, "So good!"
Soon, she nudged the vessel with an elbow, and he turned to see her holding one between her fingers like she was about to flip a coin, "Here."
Yuji excitedly grinned, hopping to his feet and rapidly backpedaling with his mouth open, trying to talk at the same time, "Sho-ooo-ot!"
With a flick, it shot into his mouth, and both of them pumped a fist in excitement, using that singular brain cell they shared to its maximum effect.
Soon, Itadori was by her side again, staring up at the clouds, "Hey, can I ask-"
She deadpanned, "I told ya, I ain't watching that shitty movie about robots again. Five times and it's still shit!"
He waved a hand, not even looking at her, "Nah-nah-nah, not that...well, maybe-"
Her glare made him shiver.
The sorcerer cleared his throat, "I was gonna ask...what's your grandma like?"
Kugisaki paused, giving him a stare, "What's with the weird question?"
"I dunno, it's just...both of us were raised by our grandparents, so I was just wonderin' if you had it any different than me."
She blew a raspberry, "Was your gramps strict as hell?"
"Kinda, but only for stuff that mattered."
Yuji shrugged, "He always told me to not end up like my mom."
Nobara tilted her head, "Was she a bad person or somethin'?"
"Don't know. He never really talked about my parents...I mean, I can kinda get why with my dad. Losin' your son and having to raise your grandson was probably real hard on him, but-"
...
...
"He always got weird whenever mom got brought up. So, the one time he tried to talk to me about it, I told him I didn't wanna hear it."
Kugisaki deadpanned, "You wasted the one chance to know anything about your family, you know that, right?"
Yuji shook his head, "Just 'cause they're my parents doesn't mean they're my family... as far as I cared, my grandfather was the one who fed me and bought me clothes...he even went to parent-teacher conferences to make sure I was passing."
Itadori smiled, "He was more of a parent than mine ever were for me. If he thought my mom was bad news, then...I wouldn't even wanna know about her. My grandfather was people-smart like that."
Nobara put a palm to her cheek as she watched people go by. "Being old doesn't mean someone's smart. It just means they lived long enough to regret their own life, so they stick their noses in other people's business."
"You think?"
She hissed, "Just look at the geezers who run Jujutsu Society and tell me they aren't a bunch of baldies that bring nothin' but trouble. They're all too old to fight themselves, so they start shit and make us deal with it. Things would be a lot better if we just took some initiative ourselves-"
The sorceress raised a fist and slugged the vessel on the shoulder, "I'm still pissed at you for makin' me think you were dead by the way."
Yuji's head dropped, "Sorry."
Kugisaki crossed her arms over her chest in a huff, "Honestly. Why'd I have to make friends with an idiot like you?"
...
...
"Hey-"
Yuji looked up, only to-
*BONK
Her finger poked his forehead as she stared into his eyes-
"Don't die again, or I'll kick your ass for makin' me sad."
...
...
Nobara looked away with an angry grimace on her face, never willing to show her feelings directly.
That's just how she was.
...
...
Kugisaki sighed, "...My grandma is a pain. That's what she is."
Moments passed before she spoke again, "Every time I try and do anything on my own, she pitches a fit and says I'm gonna get hurt as if it's any of her business."
Yuji slouched onto the bench, "She's probably just worried."
"I can take care of myself."
"That's not the point. I mean, I know how tough you are, Kugisaki, but I still worry about you-"
She side-eyed him, but he kept going.
"I just don't want something bad to happen to you 'cause life wouldn't be as fun if you weren't part of mine, so just-"
Yuji tapped her shoulder with a knuckle, "Don't die, alright?"
Nobara scoffed, "Tch, as if I'd let somethin' like that happen. I haven't gotten to do the things I want first...things I couldn't do with my grandma in the way."
"Oh? Like what?"
She stiffened up but soon shook it off with a confident grin, "One, I gotta prove how strong I am so no one messes with me. Two, I gotta look pretty doin' it, and three, I gotta get me a cute boyfriend! In that order!"
It felt like she was lying about something, but-
Yuji deadpanned, remembering all the times she blew up and acted crazy over minor things, "I wonder why the third one hasn't happened y-KLPFAFAFA!"
She decked him for that.
...
...
October 31st, 2018
11:25 P.M.
Itadori helplessly reached out a hand, unable to stop the Curse ahead of him from reaching his friend, "Run, Kugisaki!"
He could only watch as Mahito's palm clasped around her face, and that brief moment of contact was enough to seal her fate.
All it took was a touch-
And Mahito could irreversibly mutate and disfigure a living being's soul-
Once more, Yuji Itadori had failed.
The cursed spirit gave a satisfied sneer as he lept away, "Nice sho-"
Yuji's fist crashed against his temple, bending his nose inward as blood blasted out of every orifice, his skull denting inward before rocketing into a concrete wall, forming a crater on impact.
...
...
Seconds ticked by like hours, with him and her watching one another.
Kugisaki Nobara, a stubborn, bashful girl who liked to look down on everyone, always keeping a distance, even from those closest to her, but-
Yuji Itadori knew, deep down, that she cared more than anyone.
He never thought anyone would cry over his death-
But she did.
He couldn't help but think of the little things in that moment-
They always took turns waking each other up to get breakfast together, then did rock-paper-scissors to see who got to kick Megumi's door down to piss him off.
They hung out after every mission, just doing whatever-
Kugisaki Nobara had become a piece of the family he had built for himself after losing his grandfather.
He needed her to be okay, to see her living her best life.
Once again, Yuji was subject to forces outside of his control and would pay a price for his weakness.
...
...
These were their last moments together. Both of them knew that.
Itadori couldn't speak, but-
Nobara was always the first one to put a foot through the door.
She lowered her arms, giving him a calm, reassuring smile as the flickering lights above illuminated her pale face, "Itadori, tell everyone this for me."
"I've had a pretty good life."
...
...
Red lines spread over her face like a plague.
There was a horrific burst-
And Kugisaki Nobara fell to her knees before slumping over, unmoving.
She died that day, having fought to provide support to someone she cared for and paid the ultimate price for it.
...
...
There are certain fundamental differences between humans, animals, and Cursed Spirits.
People like to think of themselves as different from the world around them, that they're more intelligent, more rational, more civilized, more-
Human.
Ultimately, we are still subject to our instincts.
We attach ourselves to people who provide us with something, whether material or emotional and push away from the 'other,' someone who we perceive as a threat to what we currently have.
Back someone into a corner and put their life on the line, and all pretext of right and wrong goes out the window, but that gain or loss of rationality isn't what makes us different from animals.
Hate is not natural. It's learned.
A wolf doesn't kill a rabbit because of anger. It's simply trying to live.
An animal wouldn't look over the horizon and consider the actions of another too far to ever meet for itself-
But we do.
Humans put an ideological lens on things that animals simply aren't capable of, and it drives actions that make little sense-
Hate is not our baseline, but it's something we're capable of, and it often brings about the worst results.
Cursed Spirits are born from these feelings; like a cycle, the hatred that made them goes back to the source.
They hunt and kill humans. Some are intelligent, some aren't, but that makes no difference.
They are instinctive creatures, much like animals, whose base nature is to kill, and so they do, to perpetuate their own survival.
They don't need a reason to do the things they do.
Causing chaos is as simple for them as breathing is to us.
A human can never understand a Cursed Spirit, and the same could be said the other way around. It would be like explaining color to someone who was blind.
Utterly alien.
Mahito was unique.
He understood humanity but chose to hunt them regardless because doing so brought him pleasure. He didn't need any other reason, an intelligent being who functioned only on his baseline-
Hate.
When combined with his innate abilities, Mahito stood as one of the greatest threats to an entire species, with seemingly limitless potential.
He had chosen Yuji Itadori as his object of fascination because their beliefs couldn't contrast more, and like a child, he would play with his toy until it was broken before moving on to the next, although-
One fundamental mistake would cost him.
A simple saying.
'Even a worm will turn.'
...
...
Watching Mahito pummel the vessel was a painful thing to witness.
Yuji had always seemed like an unstoppable force of nature, but at this moment, he was utterly defeated.
Moments after losing so much, he was forced into a fight for his life, hardly having the will to live, having to endure the insanity of a being that wanted him at his lowest before finally ending his life.
Regardless of his obsession, Mahito would have forgotten him in time, such was the fickle nature of curses.
Of course, it didn't end this way.
Yuji was saved from both himself and the Curse by none other than one of his brothers, Aoi Todo, his words igniting a fire within the vessel once more.
'The sound of Gion Shoja bells echoes the impermanence of all things. The color of the sala flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline. However!-
'We are the exception.'
To outsiders, these words were nonsense, but through Itadori's eyes, they understood their meaning: the tale of the heike dating back to the feudal era of Japan with two warring clans.
The meaning was simple: Nothing can last forever, and one day, even those at the top will fall down, but still.
They were defiant.
They were the exception.
To do anything less than persevere and continue onward, holding the ideals of those who fell, and just the same, trying to find meaning in what had happened would do a disservice to their deaths and the lives they lived.
To be a Jujutsu Sorcerer is to suffer until it's your turn to die in an endless cycle that churns people in and out with little rhyme or reason.
Even as their fight beyond comprehension took a turn, with Mahito's transformation and the loss of Todo's hand, Itadori would inevitably come out on top after accepting his place in the world.
His words were simple yet profound-
'You are right, Mahito. I am you. I wanted to reject you. Convince myself that you were wrong. But that doesn't matter now. 'I'm gonna kill you. Even if you come back as another curse, I will kill you. Change your name. Change your form. I will kill you again. I don't need to find meaning or a reason. Maybe a hundred years after my death, the meaning behind my actions will become apparent. In the grand scheme of things, I'm probably nothing more than a cog. But I will keep killing curses for as long as I can. That is my role in all this.
Mahito wouldn't meet his end at the hands of Yuji Itadori, but as a tool for someone else's ploys, but-
As Yuji stared at that horrifyingly blank stare coming from that man's beady black eyes-
Why did he think of him as his mother?
...
Back in the present
Ren forcibly closed his semblance with a gasp, holding a hand over one of his eyes, pulling it back to realize-
He was trembling.
It took more than a few seconds for everyone present to even acknowledge they were in reality once more, but-
Itadori was the first to speak, his voice utterly dull as he continued to stare off into that empty section of space, devoid of anything of note-
But they knew what he was seeing.
"I started to see him about a week after it happened, just...standing there."
...
...
The vessel let out a forced laugh, "It feels like some kind of sick irony, doesn't it? That Mahito didn't think I was worth remembering, but-"
"He left his mark on me, and not a day goes by where I don't see him somewhere."
...
...
Yuji refused to blink, "I know he's dead and that what I'm seeing is just some messed up part of my head that can't let him go...maybe it's because he's a Disaster Curse, they're different than normal ones-"
His fist instinctively tightened as that cold smile refused to leave the apparition's face, "They're timeless, in a way...representing the worst fears people have had since we started existing. Even if you kill them, they'll always come back, maybe with a different name, maybe with a different face, but you can't get rid of 'em because there's some things-"
"That people will always be scared of."
"And that's why-"
"Even if he's gone-"
"Even after I saw him die-"
"I know, deep down, that someday-"
"He'll come back."
"So, even if it's just a fluke, I have to keep an eye on him-"
"Just in case."
...
...
The fire crackled.
*Click-Click-Click-
*CRUNCH
A boot slammed down onto the dying flames as a figure materialized out of seemingly nowhere, swiping a hand through the roaring ashes-
Qrow confidently smiled, "Sorry, kids...fun's over. Time to get to work-"
He paused, seeing the looks of abject horror and shock across each and every one of their faces, "What the fuck happened here?"
...
...
He looked at Ruby, "Kid? Ain't you gonna tell me to stop sweari-"
The Huntress broke down and started crying, and things descended from there.
It took a long while for Qrow to calm things down, and it didn't go far.
An alcoholic didn't have many options for underage teens going through something he didn't have the context for.
All he could do was take Ruby away, seeing that she was still too young to handle these things on her own.
...
Sometime later
Everyone had shuffled about since that revelation came to an end, except for one.
Itadori hadn't moved from his seat, still blankly staring off at that one spot.
No one quite knew what to say, and how could they?
One might have known, but Neo had strangely disappeared after it happened, with no one quite sure where she wandered off to, but still-
They were teenagers who didn't know a thing about the world around them, emotions were running high, and there was so much to unravel-
Sadness, anger, disgust, the list went on, but-
But if one feeling was shared among them-
It was absolute pity.
From what they had seen, Yuji Itadori had been through living hell, one he did nothing to deserve. They wanted to reach out and help now that some of his past was finally open for them to see, but-
How do you express that?
Weiss held one of his hands, though the sorcerer never reacted to it.
Nora had latched onto him in a rib-crushing hug, and the vessel kept staring from his perch on her shoulder, even after Ren awkwardly joined in.
Pyrrha stood to the side for a moment, tearfully clenching her fists before shaking her head and storming in front of him, "Why?"
...
...
Her throat tensed as if she were struggling to breathe, "Why didn't you tell us?"
The sorcerer didn't move, "There would've been no point in that."
"What!?"
The redhead stomped a foot, "I could've...WE could've helped you! I don't-"
A new voice cut in, "No, you couldn't."
The invincible girl turned, seeing-
"Blake?"
The Faunus was standing there with a hand on her hip and a calm look on her face, "Don't lie to yourself and act like there's an answer to this. I know you want to help, but good intentions don't fix things like this-"
"Fix what!?"
"See? That's what I'm talking about. You're ignorant of how things work. Every day of your life has been sparring matches and la-la-land. You haven't almost died. You haven't seen people you care for get obliterated like he has."
The cat-girl waved a hand, "You can't just magically fix someone's head after something like that. It's PTSD, and I've seen it more than enough times to know it never goes away. It's for life, so for once in yours, act your fucking age."
The redhead winced before storming off.
Yuji watched her go, "You shouldn't have said that."
Blake scoffed, "They all need to hear it."
...
...
Ren stood to the side, awkwardly staring at the vessel, "How do you function?...After all that, I just don't-"
Yuji didn't react, "You already know the answer yourself-"
In a rare sign of emotion, Lie slammed a hand against his chest, "My life wasn't half as bad as yours!"
The sorcerer side-eyed him, "Don't compare suffering like it's some competition, or I'll kick your ass. You've had it bad, too."
Ren dropped to the sand, his head hanging low, "I just...fuck, I don't know, man. I-"
"I'm sorry."
The sorcerer indifferently waved a hand, "It's fine."
Weiss pulled his arm harder than she intended, nearly yanking him out of his seat, "No, it isn't! Why are you always fine with people doing these things!? Get angry! I-"
Tears were bubbling in her blue eyes, "I keep doing these stupid things, and you're never upset about it! I made you show us all those awful things, and you're acting like it's not an issue! It's not normal!"
Yuji shrugged, "I don't know what you want me to say. I'm not good at hating people for things they didn't do."
He tilted his head to look up at the dark sky above, "My brothers are dead because of me...my friends are dead because of me. I'm the idiot who kept letting these things happen. You have every right to wanna know-"
Nora shoved his chest, "Don't give us that! I could feel how bad you feel!"
"A cog like me deserves it."
Weiss leaned closer, "Then quit! You're just going to get yourself killed or worse! I don't...We don't want that for-"
"That's never gonna happen."
Yuji's eyes seemed to glow yellow in the moonlight, "If I gave up and quit, then the lives and deaths of my friends would've meant nothing, and I'd rather someone kill me right now than ever let that happen."
With that, the sorcerer pushed himself to his feet, blinking away the apparition of his long-dead opponent, stopping for a brief moment, "I told you all that I was nothing but trouble and that by knowing me, you'll end up getting hurt."
"I'm not gonna live to be old."
"I don't know when I'll die-"
"Or if there will ever be a reason behind anything I've done."
"But-"
"I'll keep fighting Curses until one puts me down, and I pass alone in some gutter and end up forgotten."
"It's what a monster like me deserves after what happened that night in Shibuya."
...
...
"You really shouldn't have met me."
Yang stood off to the side, briefly trying to raise a hand before wincing, feeling nothing but shame at her own actions.
With that, the vessel left them alone for the night, having shattered their entire perception of him for the worse, but to him, it was for the best.
...
Somewhere in the Land of Darkness
A fortress loomed over a hazed and clouded land, appearing as though it were made of crystal, giving off an ethereal purple glow as its spires pierced the skies above.
The surrounding environment was utterly destitute, without a sign of life as far as the eye could see, as if the structure itself was rotting the world around it.
Inside, a tail coated in armored scales swished back and forth, a pincer hovering just above a head of long-braided brown hair as a man kneeled in reverence, his beady eyes facing the floor as he smiled in glee-
"You seem in good spirits today, my lady."
In front of him stood a woman frozen in time, her skin and hair a deathly pale color, wearing a form-fitting black dress that draped over the floor, its elegance only matched by the perpetual aura of death surrounding her-
Salem observed the servant for a moment, her gleaming red eyes surrounded by pools of darkened sclerae, a smile crossing her unaging features, "I suppose I am. Though, why shouldn't I be?"
She lifted her pale arms, with gleaming red veins along her flesh and jet-black nails atop her fingers, contrasting with their colorful surroundings, "We're on the cusp of a new era, one which will finally bring this ceaseless deadlock to a spectacular end...raise your head, Tyrian, and I'll tell you something good in turn."
The man did as he was told, and as she reached out, caressing his hair like a mother would, parting his brown locks to the side-
Revealing a tan face coated in tattooed markings, the same as-
Salem closed her eyes in silent joy, "My beloved will soon return and make quite the mess of things."
Tyrian let out an excited gasp, "Do you truly mean it?"
"Quite exciting, isn't it?"
"Things are falling into place, are they not?"
With the wave of a finger, a Seer slowly floated across the chamber toward them, its sickly tendrils waving about as the sphere at the center of its mass illuminated, showing an overhead view of a derelict city almost laid to waste-
with each and every bit of rubble and debris coated with jagged slashes, cutting through solid steel and concrete like nothing but surrounding the structures-
Were moving blips-
Huntsmen, soldiers, and more automatons than the immortal cared to count.
Salem's smile faded, "Following through with his instructions has proven difficult. The Atlesians have mobilized a noteworthy force to defend Mountain Glenn-"
She silently hissed, "Ozma-"
Tyrian put a hand over his chest, "Send me, my lady...I could have them sorted in all but a day-"
"No, that won't be necessary."
"...May I speak freely?"
"You may."
"With all due respect, if you remain undecided on revealing yourself to the world, then our options are quite limited. Dislodging a force of that size will either require precision or a large-scale assault-"
Salem hardly required an explanation, shaking her head in refusal, "You would have me mobilize an army of my own?"
"As far as the kingdoms are concerned, Grimm hordes are hardly anything uncommon. You just might be able to-"
"No, leaving anything to chance simply isn't an option."
The immortal waved a hand, and the image changed-
Exposing a cavernous area illuminated only by the faint glow-
Of a massive ice crystal-
An unmoving figure within, stuck in time, since the moment he was entombed-
She could still see that mane of his.
The witch sighed, leaning her head onto the image, "Ozma isn't aware of our arrangements. I've made sure of that over the years, but he's no fool.
He'll realize the truth the moment reports of Grimm flooding toward that uninhabited wasteland get to his desk...and there are places in this existence that he could move my beloved that I would have no hope of reaching. The singular reason it hasn't happened is because of our current gridlock. He's afraid to make a move that just might shatter everything, just as I can't do the same."
Tyrian tilted his head, "You mean...the Vaults? But...with Cinder, we could-"
"Accessing one is child's play, given that Ozma foolishly spread the keys out of his sight...it's what they're connected to that brings me concern...the gods made the vaults, yes, but what enables their existence is something beyond even their control."
Salem looked-
Afraid.
She lowered her head, "Sealing away an entire realm has consequences, and when pressure builds, it demands a release somewhere, somehow. The relics themselves absorb much of it, enabling their continued use, but...if a visitor were to make a single misstep-"
"They would find themselves somewhere even I could never return from."
...
...
Salem pushed the thought aside, "Suffice to say, there is no room for error. However, Watts seems to have come up with an alternative means of bringing about Ryomen Sukuna's return."
She smiled, "He's been particularly vague about it."
Tyrian smiled in return, "I believe you've inspired that part of him, my lady."
"It can't be helped. If I'm to destroy everything the gods built, then it should be done in magnificence, for what truly goes against the unstructured nature of life more than a perfect death?"
...
...
Salem lowered her hand, clasping the side of his face, "If he fails...I expect you to make an example of him."
Tyrian bowed his head, "I'm looking forward to it, be it the success or the chance to put that conniving rat in his place."
"See that you do. Take your leave."
With a curt nod, the manic Faunus left her chambers, and with the click of a door closing shut-
Salem would hold that glimmering orb to her chest, staring down at the being who showed her nothing but contempt-
The man who would end the world.
...
That's all for now; take it easy, and I'll see you all in the next chapter; cheers, folks.
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