Welcome back to another edition.

This chapter is different from the others, and you'll understand what I mean soon enough.

Nothing else to say, so let's get into it.

BetaReaders: Angra Mainyu, BFTyrant, Chris, Daki, Rockmean, Luxutor, ReallyRey, Hackerman27, Chepatard, Jasonzzldude, Tupjunk, and Megadumbo.

...

During the fight against Ironwood

Yuji felt a pulse travel through his head, the cityscape around him going dark, closing his eyes for just a moment, reopening them to see-

The vessel grunted, feeling his face resting against solid oak, a layer of drool pooling on the surface, "The picnic table?-"

Itadori pushed himself upright, wiping his face with a sleeve, looking around to see that familiar yet utterly ethereal forest surrounding their shared space, "What in the world?"

A voice rang out, "Yuji."

The teen looked around, seeing nothing, "Eh?"

He blinked, and Eso suddenly sat across from him, hands neatly folded. "We need to talk."

"T...Talk?"

Yuji pinched between his eyes, patting the side of his head, "No, we...we don't have time for that! I need to get back and handle the situation!"

The tan man shook his head, "No, you don't."

He shot to his feet, slamming his palms on the table with a thud, "The hell I don't! Blake and all those people are there! Why am I even here!?"

"Because I brought you here."

"W-why!?"

Eso raised a hand, "Just relax. We have time. Right now, your body is lying on the ground, and those soldiers you're fighting are amassing to kidnap or kill you. It's looking serious."

"Then I should be out there! I need to-"

"Yuji."

"What!?"

"What exactly are you going to do?"

"I..."

The vessel clenched his hands, his fingers cracking through solid wood, "I don't know! I'll figure it out! I can grab Blake and run, or-!"

Eso crossed his arms, "They'll just shoot you down again."

"If I run at top speed, then they...then they-"

...

...

Yuji's head dropped, "...Every blast they miss will just end up killing more people, but...what do I do!?"

Eso bit his cheek, "I'd love to give you a beautiful lie, little brother, but you'd just get mad at me. Your morals are making this far harder than it needs to be."

"M-morals?"

"Honesty is an ugly thing, Yuji-"

Itadori let out a breath, slumping forward, "Just give me the truth, Eso. Please."

"You wanted to protect those people, and now, you're wounded and backed into a corner. You can't let yourself get captured. You said it yourself, but that General doesn't seem keen on letting you go. Your beliefs and intentions are mixing like oil and water, and now, you're trapped."

...

...

Eso leaned forward, "The men attacking you need to die."

Yuji gawked, "What!?"

"You did it before during that attack-"

"That was different! Those people worship...they worship-"

"You can make it quick. You're stronger than them. Bring your hands together, fire your domain, and-"

*BANG

Itadori's fists crashed down, "THOSE CULTISTS WORSHIP SUKUNA! SU-KU-NA!"

Itadori swiped a hand over the air, "These soldiers are just doing what they're told! IT'S NOT THE SAME THING, ESO!"

The half-curse closed his eyes, "They're trying to hurt you."

"They're afraid of me-"

"They're trying to kill you."

"THEY SHOULD! Do you have any idea what I must look like to them!? A monster with an even worse one trapped inside of him! THAT'S WHAT I AM! I'M THE PROBLEM, NOT THEM!"

Eso's eyes softened, "Yuji-"

The vessel panted, his hands trembling, "Why are you like this? Why can't you understand that people matter?"

"Why can't you understand that you matter too?"

"Because I had a use and now, I can't do it anymore! I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE!"

"Do what!?"

"My role!"

Yuji pushed the table, walking around the grass and flowers, "After Mahito, I had to change...I needed to tell myself that so long as I could keep living and killing Curses, then my life would make sense. I didn't care if there was a meaning behind doing any of it. I could just turn my brain off and do it!"

Itadori grabbed his chest, saying, "I didn't want to know how I felt about all this. Every time I think about it, it's like there's knives sticking into my brain, telling me that no matter what I do, it's wrong because I don't want this!"

His eyes watered, "I don't want this."

...

...

Yuji kicked up a mount of dirt, watching it fly, "I just wanna be normal. Even after everything, that's the only thing I can think of. I keep chasing it like some good life is waiting for me around the corner, and deep down...I'm afraid that-"

"I'm afraid if I cross that line...I won't just be like Sukuna or Kenjaku or whoever else...I won't be myself anymore, and my friends would have died for nothing."

"They died for the person I was back then. I gave myself a purpose from that, and I'm not doing it right anymore. So, I need to leave before I ruin everything."

Eso tilted his head, "Change isn't a bad thing, Yuji, I-"

...

...

"Do you think I love Choso any less after he decided to live as a human?"

Itadori hummed, "Huh?"

Eso got out of his seat, "The Choso I knew killed plenty of humans and lived like a Curse, just the same as me and Kechizu. The only thing that mattered to us was each other...He changed so radically after we were gone that I almost couldn't believe it. Can you imagine how I felt when I saw him interacting with those sorcerers through your eyes, or-"

The giant grimaced, "That blonde woman?

The vessel raised a brow, "Yuki?"

The older sibling approached, looking down at the sorcerer, "Yeah. She wasn't part of our family, but I could just tell Choso had a connection with her-"

"Well...he kinda had a thing for her-"

"Obviously, I'm not stupid, ya know?"

Yuji pouted, "Sorry, I just...don't know a lot about you guys is all. It's hard to tell what emotions you get and don't get."

Eso huffed, "You can always ask. For your information, I have my own tastes."

"Is...is it tall girls?"

Eso made a face, looking down at his outfit, wondering how this wasn't an easy answer, "Not...exactly...but we're getting off-topic, so listen."

The older brother dropped a hand on Yuji's head, "My point is that I never held it against Choso for trying to live without us in his life anymore. He changed so he could be part of yours and found new things to value. Change isn't always a bad thing-"

Itadori closed his eyes, "You're wrong. This is different. Choso changed for the better, but this would just make me worse! I've already done too much, Eso, I can't...I can't hurt these people."

...

...

Eso sighed, "Choso was always so much better at this."

Yuji waved a hand, "I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to discount what you said, but-"

"Look. I can't give you perfect answers...but what I can do is take the burden off your hands."

"What are you-"

"Let your big brothers handle this."

...

...

Yuji sputtered, looking around in disbelief, "That's not happening."

Eso shook his head, "What other choice is there?"

"There's always a choice!"

"And I'm choosing to do it for you. Call yourself a monster all you like, but deep down, I know you don't want this."

"...And you do?"

"Truth be told, I don't care either way. Humans have done me no favors, and while I might've been wrong in thinking I couldn't find someone to accept us, most will always hate us. Look at what they're doing to you and tell me otherwise-"

"They're scared and lashing out! It's what what people do! It's what you do! Stop trying to pretend you aren't a person!"

"I just see things for what they are. It's a contest of species, humans versus Curses. The former might lock away the latter, but they'll fight those negative feelings of theirs for an eternity. Cursed Spirits will never truly disappear. One day, they will come back, but whether that's today or thousands of years from now, it doesn't matter. Either would destroy us in a heartbeat. It's in their nature."

Eso scoffed, "There's an endless stalemate between two apex predators. We're an unwanted third party that can be driven to extinction. Neither side wants the competition. It's us and them."

"I don't want you to suffer, Yuji. You value human life, and while I don't care for it, I care about you. So, let your brothers do what we can."

Itadori shook, "I can't just sit here and do nothing while you handle it! Even if it comes to that, I won't...I won't be helpless."

"You're not helpless. You're just confused...but there's something you can do...something that will help all of us get our act together."

"What is it?"

"I need you to find Choso."

The vessel deadpanned, "Are you being serious? I just told you I don't know what happened to him."

Eso pinched between his eyes, "I know...Honestly, big brother, what the hell did you teach this kid?"

The giant man beckoned to the forest around them, "Haven't you ever wondered what this place is?"

Yuji tilted his head, "Not really."

"You are...the least curious person I have ever met."

Itadori deadpanned, "Man...I got other things on my mind."

"Yeah-yeah, you've got time for women and nonsense, but not enough to question the world around you-"

"Do you think I'm Greek or somethin'? Why would I get all philosophical?"

"This isn't even philosophy, you peanut-brain! We're not talking about hypotheticals! You are here!"

"Where?"

"You're in the Cursed Realm!"

Yuji's eyes widened a bit, looking around as if something had changed, "We are?... But-"

He looked down at his hands, "We aren't dead."

Eso hummed in agreement, "True, but we aren't really alive in the traditional sense either. We can talk about how we don't age or our ability to make Cursed Energy into blood, but that all comes from the same thing. We're an impossibility."

The older brother held out his arms, "Humans and Curses live and die, but what happens after is very distinct. A Curse ceases to exist, but another will form based on the same fear as the original, but it'll look and act very different. A human can be reborn as another of their kind or, under the right circumstances, become a Curse themselves, but where do we fit into that? We aren't true Curses or fully human, so what happens between us and the Cursed Realm?"

Yuji squinted, "But...does that even matter? When you're dead...you're dead."

"I'm talking about when you're alive."

"That matters?"

"It's all about where you're born, little brother. Human life starts when you come into this world, but Cursed Spirits form in the Cursed Realm, accumulating negative energy until they're ready to appear in the living world. There's a gap between the two that shouldn't be crossed, but we do, and it's exactly why we're here."

Yuji tapped the ground with his foot, "Like...in this place?"

"Not physically. Bringing your body here is possible but very, very hard. You'd need to understand Cursed Energy and souls on Kenjaku's level to even try, but you don't need to worry about that-"

Eso snapped a finger, and a pair of glasses materialized on his face, giving a smug smile, "We cheat like crazy."

"Think of it like this. We were born in the real world like humans, but we skipped a step instead of Cursed Energy pooling together for a Curse to materialize. Our souls were already out of the Cursed Realm and tied to flesh, but the concepts we represent didn't magically disappear. No, they're still here, and because of our connection, they naturally gravitated together, forming this shared space for our family. You appearing here is just opening a connection between your two halves."

"We carved a chunk of the Cursed Realm out for ourselves, just like the dead do when they head north and refuse to go south, their lifetime of emotions pooling together, making a space you would call an afterlife, but unlike the dead. A living half-curse isn't tied to it."

"Yuji."

"You can leave and explore the Cursed Realm."

"You can find our brother."

...

...

Itadori just stared at him, "Explore...the Cursed Realm?"

The sorcerer pulled back, looking up to the fake sun above, "But...I don't-"

Eso flicked his glasses into place, "Is something wrong?"

"No...well, I-"

Yuji sighed, "If Choso was out there...if he was dead, wouldn't he be here? Better yet, why weren't you and Kechizu here?"

He pointed a finger at his older sibling, "Me and Choso came here a few times after Shibuya happened...and you weren't-"

Eso's expression lightened in realization, "Ah, well...It's just the nature of the Cursed Realm, Yuji. Things seem to constantly shift and move around without rhyme or reason. It's a space built on human emotion, so whatever you and Choso felt when coming here kept it cruising along and without living bodies to manipulate Cursed Energy-"

The tan man sadly smiled, "We got left behind."

The sorcerer's expression softened, "...Oh."

"Don't look so sad. It's said and done...and at least we got to watch things play out from your eyes."

"Spectatin'?"

"Yeah, we'll call it that. Not perfect, but something is better than nothing."

...

...

Yuji pointed out towards the forest, "So...he's out there?"

Eso shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not."

"...Huh? The heck do you mean, 'maybe?' Is he dead or not?"

"I dunno."

"...You are just as bad as Choso."

"That is a lie."

"How?"

"I'm the pretty one."

"What does that have to do with anything!?"

Eso put a finger on his chin, striking a pose, "Beauty has something to do with everything."

"...Whatever you say, man."

"Don't worry, I'll teach you the value of it someday...Oooo, maybe I'll make you a new outfit while you're gone...replace those tattered rags you're wearing. You like black and red, right?"

"They're alright, I guess? But...Wait-wait-wait. Where am I even going!? What am I doing!?"

"Huh? Oh, right. I forgot that part-"

Not a single person in this family had any brain cells.

Eso dropped a fist into his open palm, "The Cursed Realm functions off emotions and intentions, so if you know what you want and keep a clear mind, it'll lead you in the right direction-"

Yuji raised a hand, "To Choso?"

"Or at least some kind of answer...I wouldn't normally suggest this if there were other options, but it's not like we'll find clues wandering around the planet at this point."

"Why? Is it the Curses?"

"No-no-no, nothing like that. Even with the place sealed, Curses can't do much besides slither around in the dark, waiting for their chance to appear in the real world. You probably won't even see one. The danger comes from the Cursed Realm itself...if your thoughts are muddled, it'll bring you to who knows where, and the more you panic, the worse it gets, blah-blah, go insane, you know the drill, but you don't need to worry about that."

"I...for real?"

Eso smirked, "I said we cheat like crazy, didn't I? Haven't you ever wondered why we can't enter this place by ourselves?... No...I know you didn't...but the bottom line is that by our nature as half-curses, our souls instinctively know the risks of getting lost, so we tether ourselves to each other when we enter. So long as one stays, the other can wander and find their way back."

"And Sukuna won't-"

"He can't get out. I promise. He probably doesn't even know you're here...not unless he's found the Cursed Realm himself, and even then, a tiny piece of your soul is here while the rest is back in the real world, keeping him down."

...

...

Yuji stared off into the sheer wilderness, not knowing what was waiting for him on the other side, "...Alright. I'll...I'll leave the rest to you, I guess."

Eso gave a thumbs up, "You've got this. Just...be willing to accept whatever you see, okay?"

Itadori had no idea what he meant by that, but with a nod, he slowly walked off into the brush, disappearing from sight.

...

Back in reality, on the outskirts of Mistral

A young woman crouched in a field of snow, wrapping a figure's arm in bandages, "Now, does it hurt when I do-"

Cinder scoffed, spitting a wad of blood to the ground, "Do you really think so little of me, Emerald?"

The green-haired girl stuttered, "N...No! I just...with everything that happened, I-"

Off to the side, Mercury sat on a boulder overlooking a cliffside, "She's saying you got your shit rocked."

Cinder stared at him, making the grey-colored teen defensively raise a palm, "Get it? Rocked? I'm sittin' on a rock?"

No one responded, making him flick his hair in annoyance, "I thought it was funny."

Cinder rolled her eyes, "You're lucky I'm in a good mood with you, or I'd melt your legs into a puddle and let you freeze to death out here."

He put a palm to his chin, giving a fake smile, "Aw, I knew you liked me."

"Hmph. You have a use, so I keep you around. I'd let the annoying parts rot in a hole if I could."

The half-Maiden smirked, dropping a hand on the green-haired girl's head, "If only you were more like dear Emerald here. Such a sweet girl."

The dark-skinned girl smiled like a happy child, "I...didn't do that much."

"Don't discount yourselves. Thanks to our efforts, we're that much closer to what we all want. A world where no one can ever hurt us again."

Cinder's manic gaze crossed over them one by one, "Emerald, you were a hungry girl on the streets, overlooked by everyone, but I know you're much more than that...and Mercury, your father might be dead, but I understand more than anyone that fact doesn't fix what's been done to you."

The killer let out a content sigh, "Raven Branwen was a stepping stone toward our goal, and I've wanted to wring that hag's neck since the moment I heard about her."

Mercury closed his eyes, giving a nod, "So, what's next? Kill Watts for fucking us over? Or are we gonna hunt that Branwen chick down and take the Maiden, or-"

"They'll get what they deserve in time, but right now, I have my sights set on a much bigger prize. You see, I had a brief encounter with Ryomen himself...you wouldn't believe it, but he's still alive. Another part of his soul is trapped in that Itadori boy-"

Emerald tilted her head, "Trapped?"

"I don't know or care how it works, but the Maidens are apparently the key to letting him out. He asked me to release his other host, the one beneath Mountain Glenn, and I intend to do just that."

Mercury kicked a metallic leg against the boulder, sending fragments raining off the cliff, "Giving Salem what she wants then? I thought we were gonna do our own thing?"

She laughed, "Well, given how much he seems to hate that boy, I'm hoping they end up killing each other once he's free...I'm only doing this because of the reward waiting for me."

"Doubt that dude has cash...or a maiden."

"He just might...Branwen seemed wrapped around his finger for some reason or other...and given the kind of person she is, I can only guess he's the cause for those new abilities of hers...and it's only right I get paid for my efforts in the same way, no?"

Cinder laughed, gently dragging a hand over her face, an unknown emotion crossing her features, "I think he has a fondness for me...and how could I blame him? It must be a test to see if I can live up to my potential~"

Mercury huffed, "And how exactly are we gonna get to Mountain Glenn? That place has been a no-go zone for as long as I can remember. The Atlesians keep an entire part of their fleet there, not even getting into how many troops they station there."

The half-Maiden raised her scroll, "Child's play. Before I so diligently rescued you from his clutches, I may have stopped in Watt's office, and while he was already long gone, the fool forgot to scrub today's camera footage from his system."

Her smile deepened, "I'd imagine those animals on Manegerie would be... incentivized to help us once they see what's at stake. They worship Ryomen as a God, and we'll dangle his return in their faces like a nice little treat."

"They'd practically beg to form a horde and charge headfirst into Atlesian hellfire...and in that chaos, we'll slip through the cracks and do what needs to be done."

Emerald squinted, "Y...you know...a lot of people would die if we did that."

"Your point?"

"Well...we're trying to make a better world, right? So why-"

Cinder gently grabbed the girl's hand, "Can't you see, Emerald? I am trying to make a better world for you and our little family. Why should you care what happens to the filth that ignored you all those years ago?"

"I...I don't-"

"Where were they when you were thrown to the streets? Where were they when you were a child, crying in the road?... Because I'll tell you, they were right there; they saw you suffering, and they didn't care...so why should you fret about them?"

Cinder tapped the girl's forehead, "Be smart, Emerald...live up to what I know you're capable of...don't you trust me?"

...

...

The red-eyed girl quickly wrapped the older woman up in a hug, leaning her chin on her shoulder, "Y...You're right, I'm sorry, Cinder. I don't know what I was thinking."

The manic woman patted her on the back, gently smiling, "Don't you worry about a thing...I'll always be here for you."

Her unseen grin turned savage, "I'll handle everything."

...

In the Cursed Realm

Yuji pushed his way through the brush, "I swear if I see that table one more time, I'm gonna-"

He broke into a clearing, his eye twitching as he saw a familiar wooden object covered in random steaming plates of food, "Oh my-"

The vessel threw his hands into the air, "How!? That's gotta be the thirtieth time! I'm not that bad with directions! Am I going in circles or what!?"

Itadori sighed, pinching between his eyes, "God...Why am I getting so mad about this? Think...think...what did Eso tell you?"

The sorcerer paced around, hands on the back of his head as he walked toward the table, "Mind on the prize. Find Choso. He'll know what to do...he always does, right? You only knew each other for a few months, but that didn't matter. Choso always pulled through when you needed him."

"He needs your help...you gotta get him back to his brothers. He needs them. They need him...You...I need-"

...

...

The vessel closed his eyes, a sudden gravity pulling him as the weight of everything in his life came roaring into his thoughts like a tidal wave, "I need-"

Itadori pulled out one of the end chairs, dropping down, his head hanging low, "...I don't know what I need."

He blinked, and everything went dark.

...

...

Suddenly, the ground was rumbling.

Yuji opened his eyes as if he had come out of a long sleep, looking down to see a flash of fading red markings along his torso before-

"Water?"

The vessel blankly watched as a pond of water bounced along, splashing against his knees, a tiny blue fish swimming between his legs, coming near his clasped hands before slinking away.

Itadori raised his head, looking out to his right, realizing he was somewhere entirely different yet...familiar.

He was utterly alone on a moving train car, with high-rise buildings passing by as it soared across the skies, guided along by a network of railways.

The sorcerer blinked, jumping to his feet in a panic. He ran through liquid water, expecting to face some resistance, yet feeling none, nearly stumbling over in the process, "Woah-woah-woah!"

Yuji grabbed a nearby metal pole, catching himself. Soon, he drifted a hand through the water, expecting a wet sensation yet only feeling air. "What in the world?"

The teen soon shook his head and made his way toward the exit doors, looking out the window, seeing no end in sight, just the same tracks and urban landscape going on for what felt like forever.

Itadori grimaced, shoving his hands into the space between the door and the compartment, prying it open with nothing but his own strength, taking a leap down below, only to blink and-

...

...

He was back in his seat, staring across at his reflection, "The hell is goin' on with this place? Why can't I-"

The train suddenly entered a tunnel, plunging the compartment into darkness, leaving the vessel alone with his reflection, now covered in Sukuna's distinctive markings, smiling right at him.

Yuji lunged, his right foot cracking through the metal floor as he threw a left straight through the glass, shattering it to pieces, watching as they drifted away into the void, each with that same face looking back at him.

The wind blasted through his hair, and all the vessel could do was lean his head out the window, "I don't want to see him...I don't EVER want to see him! Just bring me to Choso!"

Nothing happened, and he thought for a moment, "This...this is a train, right? Maybe...maybe if I play along, I can-"

He looked to his right, seeing a digital screen that usually displayed the next stop, "Choso isn't just my brother. He's...my home. Bring me home."

Nothing happened again.

Yuji's expression dropped, "...Do I even have a home anymore? I haven't really had anyone to come back to since-"

The world began to fade, but before it did-

The display changed to 'Sendai.'

...

...

Itadori blinked and stood on a wooden floor, with a neatly stacked array of shoes a few inches in front of him, "This is...a Genkan?"

A feature of nearly every Japanese home, a Genkan is an area right after the front door where you take off your shoes and coat before entering the living area.

He took a sharp breathe, "No...this can't be, it's-"

The sorcerer started to walk but quickly took his shoes off, stacking them with the others before approaching a nearby wall and seeing a tower of slowly rising lines drawn against the paper-like material.

The vessel put a finger on one, "...I remember these. My grandfather drew them every time I-"

An image flashed before his eyes.

...

...

A much shorter Yuji was excitedly looking up at a grumbling old man with a ruler in his hand, squinting down at the numbers, "Well! What does it say!?"

Wasuke poked him on the forehead, "Stand still, ya impatient kid."

Itadori pouted, "Okaaay."

The elderly figure smirked a little, "Don't think I didn't see you spiking up your hair to trick me. I know your games."

"Can hair count? Please?"

"How's that fair? I'm going grey over here!"

Yuji laughed, "Oh, alright. I'll be fair to you, Grandpa..."

Wasuke dropped a hand on Yuji's head, marking the wall, "Atta boy. Now, let's see...You grew...a whole seven centimeters this year... at this rate, you'll be taller than me in no time...and I'm just getting shorter."

The young boy pumped his arms up, "Don't worry! Ima get real big and strong and take care of both of us!"

"Really? Got some big plans I don't know about?"

"No...not really."

Wasuke let out a cough, clearing his throat, "Hmph... at least you mean well."

...

...

Itadori looked away, the image fading as he passed through a small kitchen, entering an unremarkable living room without any sort of decoration.

Money issues aside, Wasuke Itadori was a simple man who kept as few things as humanly possible, but that wasn't always the case.

For his first few years, Yuji slept in his grandfather's room, and what became his bedroom used to be his dad's study, filled with hundreds of books and scattered research papers. He never bothered to read any of them, but that, combined with all those old photos of him wearing glasses, made him call his father a 'smart guy.'

For a while, his grandfather kept Jin's things as they were, but...Yuji got older, and they needed the space, so those possessions disappeared and got replaced by the sorcerer's belongings, but sometimes, for reasons the vessel couldn't understand-

He'd stare at the corner where his dad's desk used to be and wonder what it would be like to meet him...not because he missed him.

Jin had died when Yuji was so young. There weren't any memories to cling to, no emotional ties to cry over...just a passing curiosity on what they'd talk about if given the chance.

There was really only one person Itadori ever cared for back then, and it was-

...

...

A memory flickered by.

The front door clicked open, followed by a backpack being tossed to the floor and a thirteen-year-old Yuji calling out, "I'm home!"

No one responded, making him tilt his head, "Hello?"

The pink-haired boy walked into the living room, seeing his ward standing there with a few sheets of paper in his hand. "Grandpa? Is...something wrong?"

Wasuke tried to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, he gestured toward the couch with a hand, "Sit down, Yuji. There's...something we need to talk about."

"O...okay?"

The boy dropped down, "If this is about school, nothin' happened. I didn't even get in any fights today. Promise!"

The elderly man lightly smiled, "Well, I'd hope so. It was your first day of mi-

*ACK-Ack-ack

Wasuke coughed into his hand, "Middle School."

Yuji tried to stand up, "Is your cough back again? Here, lemme go call your doctor-"

His grandfather gently pushed him back down, "I...just got back from seeing him, actually...my test results came in-

...

...

Wasuke sighed, gently raising his papers, "I have cancer, Yuji...without treatment, they don't think I'll live more than a few years."

Yuji clasped his hands together, looking down at his legs, "...Oh."

"I'm sorry, kiddo."

"Then...get treated."

"Hm?"

"Get treated so you can get better."

"Yuji-"

"Why are you acting so weird about this? Don't you wanna get better? Don't you...wanna keep living?"

...

...

Wasuke flinched, slowly crouching to his eye level, "I'm old, Yuji. Eighty-one is a life long-lived...and those treatments may buy me a few more years, but I'd get weak...and if I lived through it, you'd spend whatever time I have left taking care of me. I don't want that for either of us."

The old man slowly took a breath, "I've made up my mind. I'm refusing treatment."

The pink-haired boy shook his head, "...I wouldn't mind taking care of you."

"I know you wouldn't. That soft part of you is what reminds me of your dad. You've got a big heart, kid, and it's exactly why I can't go through with this."

Yuji balled his hands, "Don't you wanna live? There's no reason for you to just let it end without a fight."

"It's okay to be angry-"

"I'm not angry..."

Wasuke sighed, "You don't understand it right now, but someday...you might have kids or even grandkids of your own, and you'll know where I'm coming from. You've got a long life ahead of you to figure these things out, so be strong like I know you are, alright?"

Yuji quickly rubbed a sleeve against his eyes, "...Okay."

The elderly man stood upright, "Now, come on. We've still got some memories to make, so let's make dinner, huh? How about we make your favorite rice?"

"...Can it have food on it?"

"I...I swear you never change."

...

...

The memory faded, and Yuji was left standing alone in their old apartment, "I got it a lot faster than you thought I would, huh, Grandpa?"

He leaned against the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling, "You took care of me, doing the best you could with what you had, and when you thought you were being a burden...you checked out."

"I just wish I could go out like you did...quiet and not leaving problems behind. I don't know how you did it."

A nearby door slowly swung open, revealing a hospital room instead of a storage closet.

Yuji took one last look at the place where he grew up before making his way through, quickly running back to grab his shoes before exiting for good and closing the door behind him.

...

...

The vessel found himself in the same place his grandfather had passed away in. The bed still had his imprint, and the heart rate monitor was frozen mid-beep, detecting a presence that wasn't there anymore.

Through the window stood row after row of identical rooms instead of a view going outside.

Yuji sadly smiled down at the empty bed, "Sorry, Grandpa. I know you wouldn't like me thinking bummy thoughts like this. You told me not to end up like you, but all I can do is think it's the best way things could've gone."

"When did things get so out of control? Growing up, I wanted nothing to do with those adults who wanted to recruit me for sports and whatever else, but now-"

"I dunno. I've never liked thinking about myself much, so doing stuff for my friends was my way of ignoring my own problems. It's like all I do is chase other people, even after they're gone, trying to live up to what they thought I could be, but...I really don't get what they saw."

"I try...and I try...and I try more, but nothing I do ends up going right. Stuff that was second nature to you and all the others is so confusing to me. I don't know how to keep people safe. I don't know how to take the lead. I-"

"I don't know if I can help anymore."

"I don't know if I ever could."

Yuji sighed, closing his eyes, "God...what would they all think of me now?"

Things went dark again-

And Yuji woke up in a familiar city.

...

At Haven Academy

Reality blasted into place as Ozpin watched Jinn fly back, crashing against a medical table and knocking over an assortment of tools.

The immortal took ragged breaths, his hands grabbing at the sheets as if he wasn't sure what was true anymore, "What...?"

That stitched-up man, Yuji's... mother...had...they spoke and-

A primal tremor wracked his person as if he were exposed to poison, "That was-"

"He...that thing...

He glared down at the blue construct as she curled into herself on the floor, "Jinn-"

"I don't know."

"How-"

She raised a hand, "Don't!"

Beads of ethereal sweat trickled off her face, dispersing into Cursed Energy, "Don't you dare...ask me...to go near that...that THING ever again!"

Ozpin forced himself to his feet, "No. You don't have the right to ignore me on this! Do you have any idea what kind of damage you've just done!?"

He slammed his cane down, "Time is a fickle thing! That Kenjaku...You fed one of the worst beings I have ever encountered information he had no right knowing! The Cursed Realm...his own unborn child's name! These are things we can't take back!"

Jinn slowly leaned back, unable to float, glaring up at him with those dark blue eyes of hers, "I...didn't know. That has never happened before in all my existence. I didn't think living beings COULD enter the Cursed Realm, let alone perceive it."

She grimaced, pushing her hair back into place, "But I wouldn't go so far as to say we've done damage...quite the contrary. We set things in motion."

The Headmaster could only scoff, "You must be joking."

"We didn't travel through time. We moved through the Cursed Realm. There's no paradox to worry about...if anything, we were supposed to do that."

"The gods never asked anything even close to that. Stop making excuses!"

"I'm talking about something far greater than any god, you old fool. Cursed Energy has the potential to do things the likes of which you can't even fathom. It's child's play to rectify errors after the fact when time and space are but a mere suggestion."

The construct pointed a finger at him, "Humans change history on whims, driven by nothing but their own emotions. Who's to say those feelings can't do more than rewrite a few words?"

Ozma slowly approached, crouching down to her level, "I'd prefer you stop with the holier-than-though behavior, especially after what happened."

"I told you, I don't know everything. I can only look for what's asked of me."

"And you still haven't answered my question."

"And I showed you why you can't defeat him.."

"I asked for a way to win, not if I could."

"...You really are a fool, aren't you?"

"For someone who praises the power of human emotion, you seem convinced I'm in the wrong for having them. Get on with it."

"If you do this. You will die."

"I've died many times before."

"This is different, Ozma. Your immortality is held up by a series of vows made by the gods. Breaking even one of them will jeopardize that fragile dynamic."

Jinn slowly rose, floating right in front of him, "Listen to me well. You. Won't. Be. Immortal. Anymore."

"Your soul will be cast into the Cursed Realm, and Salem will be left to roam free. Are you really prepared for that kind of risk?"

The old man tilted his head, "I never took you as the type to care-"

"I don't...our centennial meetings are the only times I can exist in the world. You're punctual, and Salem wants to destroy humanity. Who will let me out if they're gone?"

"Hm...I assumed it was something like that...but you really have nothing to worry about."

"And what makes you so willing to say that?"

"...Yuji promised he'd help me defeat her, and I trust that he will, even if I'm no longer there."

Ozpin smiled, "That's just the kind of person he is...and if I have even a fraction of a chance to help rid him of that awful burden...I'll do it with my one last life."

...

...

Jinn sighed, "...I miss when you were just a depressed little golem left behind by the gods. Motivation like this doesn't suit you."

The relic conjured a map of Remnant, pointing north, "Go to the vault buried beneath Atlas Academy. You'll need a Maiden, but if you plan to use the one inside of you, it needs to go back to-"

Ozpin shook his head, "This will be done without Ironwood knowing."

"...Well, have fun taking a young woman's life to do this."

The Director nodded, "I...have a candidate in mind."

"I'm sure they'll make do with half a Maiden...now, once inside the vault, take the relic of creation and make sure you're specific when asking it to do something. It cannot take, and it cannot create life, only modify what already exists."

"I understand...I don't believe either of us are up for another question, so you're dismi-"

"One last thing."

"Hm?"

Jinn smiled, rising up as her form began to dissipate, "If things are desperate, get the relic to the girl with the silver eyes."

Ozpin's eyes widened, "...Wait. That time, you only had two questions-"

"Are you asking another?"

...

...

Jinn smirked, "Someone did, in fact, ask about the silver-eyes. He wanted to know their family names, so I snooped a little."

She laughed, "Consider that answer a freebie, not because I like you, but because I thought the mark on his face was cute...bye-bye now."

The construct faded away, her apparition sparkling off as fragments of Cursed Energy, leaving Ozma alone in the dark.

...

In the Cursed Realm

Yuji stared down at a puddle along a roadway, a distant light above illuminating his reflection. He slowly looked up, seeing an upside-down city where the sky should be, a mirror of the one he found himself walking through.

The sorcerer stood there, looking so very tired, recognizing every last piece of that urban puzzle, from the melted buildings to the obliterated streets littered with destroyed cars without a soul in sight.

A burning plane hovered between the two cities, its flaming pieces unmoving and utterly unaffected by gravity on either side.

This was Shibuya, or at the least, a distorted version of it, polluted by human memory and emotion.

Yuji didn't move. His attention focused on that barren circle of land at the center, remembering all too well what Sukuna had done that day, but where a wasteland should be-

There was a giant metal cube, so large it nearly dwarfed the surrounding skyscrapers, its many unblinking, sky-blue eyes staring out, frozen in time.

...

...

Yuji moved without a word, the street fading away with a step, an unseen force transporting him to a familiar hallway beneath the streets as metro signs flickering along the walls, with memories of what happened here burned into his head for the rest of his life.

He remembered reaching his hand out to her, screaming, begging, pleading for her to run, and then-

Nobara Kugisaki was gone.

Yuji started at the stairway, counting his steps, stopping at a precise forty-seven, staring down at a dark patch of floor, knowing this was where it happened.

This was where he lost one of his closest friends.

Yuji crouched, putting a hand to the tiles, trying his best to give a smile to no one in particular, "Hey...it's...it's been a little while, huh, Kugisaki?"

...

...

He cleared his throat, a sudden dryness overcoming it, "Ya know...it's funny. I, uh...I know you wouldn't want me thinkin' about you, but...I do-"

"I think about you all the time...but...I've got a feelin' you'd be mad at me one way or the other. If you were here, I bet you'd say I waste too much time on stuff that doesn't matter, but if I didn't...you'd punch me and ask why you're not good enough to remember."

"You sure are stubborn, you know that? Since we met, you've always been that headstrong girl who wanted to be tough and pretty at the same time, and I was just an idiot trying to make myself useful. We really were the worst people to get put on a team together if you think about it...all that stupid stuff we got into."

"That's what I think about most. Not the fighting and sorcerer stuff, but...how much fun I had with you and Fushiguro. Back then, I wasn't even sure if we were friends until I saw you all upset when I came back, and you thought I was dead-"

"Yeah...I dunno what Gojo was thinking with that, but...sorry again."

...

...

He took a long breath, "I don't know if I could've beaten Mahito on my own, but that thought never crossed your mind...I just know it didn't. You wanted to be there for me and help however you could, and-"

Itadori grabbed at his chest, "During the Culling Games...we...me and Fushigiro talked about you...he kept saying how different things would've been with your technique involved against all those incarnated sorcerers, but...you know how he is-"

"The guy can't be honest with himself for a minute...but I could tell we both thought the same thing."

"We just wanted you back."

...

...

Yuji forced himself to stand, tapping the spot one last time, "Sorry for cutting this short. I gotta keep moving, but...I wanted to talk when I had the chance...and...look, I know I can't ever visit your grave, but...I'll keep thinking about you, alright?"

Reality seemed to distort around the vessel as he walked out of the metro system and onto the streets, the roadway of Shibuya fading to a sea of black with beams of white light coming in from above.

...

...

To think Megumi had been trapped in a place like this for weeks on end, beneath the evil of Sukuna's soul.

This happened during Shinjuku, yet the Cursed Realm made it appear in this distorted Shibuya, but who could say whether this was from Itadori's emotions or something else?

Yuji remembered it as clear as day, targeting the space between their souls, breaking through and sinking down beneath the muck, coming face to face with his lost friend.

This moment defined everything that came after, but for some reason...it felt like it wasn't supposed to go down the way it did.

Fushiguro was curled into himself, with Itadori standing before him, those fateful words echoing out-

"I've had enough."

Within Megumi Fushiguro's soul-

Any will to live had already been extinguished.

Yuji Itadori was supposed to fail here and continue his fight with Ryomen Sukuna, eventually defeating him with the help of his fellow sorcerers, but that did not happen here.

In this timeline-

Yuji blankly looked down at him, soon putting on a calm smile, "I get it, Fushiguro, I really do."

The sorcerer looked off into the eternal, nothing around them, "You know, I almost said the same thing the day my grandfather died...I had nothing and no one left to live for, and it felt like there was this giant hole in my chest that wouldn't go away. I tried to play it off, but-"

"Losing him-"

"Having to collect his remains by myself-"

"That might've been the worst time of my life."

"I never cared about my parents. I had extended family, but we never met. As far as I felt, it was just me and my grandfather, and then...he was gone. The one person in the whole world that really mattered to me was dead, and I could never replace him...but can you guess what made me wanna keep living?"

"There's nothin' deep about it, I promise. You know me, I'm a simple guy, right?"

Megumi curled up more, "...Just go. There's nothing more to discuss."

Yuji chuckled, crouching, dropping a hand on the raven-haired teen's side, "I dunno, man. I can yap for a long while if I want."

Itadori didn't move, "Say what you want, but I think you might be the first real friend I ever had. Pretty sad, huh?... But, what can ya do? It's the truth."

"I drifted through my childhood not really caring about anything. I'd see kids gettin' picked on, pummel whoever did it, and be on my way, but no one interested me enough to talk to for more than a few minutes...I didn't hate people or anything, but...I guess that's my way of being selfish."

Megumi dully stared at the ground, "I know what you're trying to do, Itadori...but you need to get it through your head that I'm not like you. I can't just...I can't-"

The shadow-user hissed, "I can't keep going without her...without Tsumiki. Everything I ever did was for her. I became a sorcerer for her. I agreed to lead the clan for her...I just-"

"I don't know what point there is in anything without her."

"I wanted to be there for her-"

"I wanted to protect her from anything that could hurt her-"

"I wanted to watch her find someone special, see her go off on her own and do the same for her own family-"

"I wanted to know that everything I did brought something good into the world and kept it there-

"I wanted my sister to be happy...and now she's dead."

"Our family was always flawed. Our parents abandoned us, and we only had the clan and that annoying teacher who never knew when to leave us alone-"

Megumi's hands clawed against the ground, a few loose tears splattering down, "...Why didn't you know when to leave us alone?"

"God...damn you, Gojo."

"Everything that man said came true."

Yuji tilted his head, "Man?"

Fushiguro ignored him, "'Let fate toy with you. Become a clown, then die'...and nothing makes that more true than killing your own family."

...

...

Itadori sat there, hand on his friend's side, "I really don't have any answers for you, Fushiguro. I could tell you I understand the feeling, but that wouldn't help much, but-"

The sorcerer faintly smiled, "Every time I came near the brink of that abyss, that moment where you just stop caring and give up on everyone and everything, someone would pull me back...but the first person to ever do that-

"Was you."

"You didn't care about my potential or the risks or what I could do for jujutsu society. You called me a good person and decided to help me just off of that-"

"I don't really think I'm a good person, but...that stuck with me."

"Nanami would always say that sorcerers are shit, and I agreed, but I never put my whole back behind that idea, not the entire thing at least, 'cause, yeah, there's definitely a lot of crappy ones out there, but-"

"I'd always say-"

"But then there's Fushiguro."

...

...

Yuji sighed, "Look, there's nothing I can do that'll fix that hole in your chest. I've had the same one since Shibuya and no matter what I do, it never stops hurting. That guilt is gonna sit in our stomachs for the rest of our lives."

"But...even when things hurt this much, I can't help but wonder what good things might be around the corner. That's what I cling to. It's what keeps me going through all of this."

"It doesn't have to be much. You can get excited to talk to someone you haven't seen in a while...maybe treat yourself and get your favorite food...get a pet, meet someone new, there's always something to look forward to...but for me-"

"You're one of those good things, Fushiguro, my best friend in the whole world... so even if it's said and done, I still gotta try to help you like you helped me."

Itadori sadly smiled down at the teen, "I think life would be awful lonely without you in it."

Yuji reached out a hand, "Right now, it's bad, but we can always try again tomorrow, right?"

...

...

Megumi slowly looked up, staring at the vessel's hand and his scarred face, knowing what both of them had been through.

He didn't understand it.

How could Yuji believe in anything after everything that had happened?

He'd seen people crack under so much less-

But the fact someone like Yuji Itadori could still see value in a failure like him-

Even if it was a tiny spark, almost nonexistent-

It made him feel a bit better.

Megumi reached out and took Yuji's hand.

The rest was history.

Through their combined efforts, Yuji Itadori pulled Ryomen Sukuna's soul back into himself and, after a fight for control, chose to end his life for the sake of his friends.

After Yuji was gone, Fushiguro promised to find purpose in his life again, but the former would never know. Both would live their lives, never meeting again.

...

...

Yuji closed his eyes, struggling to speak, "I...I know you're long gone, Fushiguro. I always knew, but I...just didn't wanna admit it to myself-"

"I hope you had a long life, one that...wasn't too hard-"

"Hana really liked you, I...hope she had it in her to tell you how she felt-"

"Maybe you got old-"

"Maybe you had kids-"

"Maybe you became a grandpa...I think you'd be good at that for some reason."

He grimaced, "I'll probably never know one way or another, but...I'll keep thinkin' everything worked out for you, and if I'm wrong...well, I'll let you punch me when it's my turn to kick the bucket, alright?"

Yuji waved, starting to move once more, "Sorry I never got to have another day with you, buddy."

The vessel's mind was fogged, his goal long since lost to the restless emotions in his head, dragged down by grief and regret.

...

...

Yuji walked for a long while, leaving the ocean of muck, and soon saw the giant replica of the prison realm sitting in the heart of Shibuya.

Itadori stopped at the border between the city and the effects of Sukuna's domain, his body remembering the motion as the King of Curses put the teen's fingers into place, but-

The sorcerer just stared at those blue eyes in the distance, "...I still can't believe how small the real prison realm was when you got trapped, Gojo-Sensei...you always seemed so-"

Yuji raised a hand, unable to block the massive cube from sight, "Everyone always said you were larger than life...that you were the strongest, and I definitely felt that vibe when we met, but...I didn't like the way they talked about you."

A passing memory came to mind back during their school days.

Yuji had been in town getting some things for his new room and got back later than he thought.

The sorcerer sprinted through campus, but a flash of motion to his side caught his attention.

Yuji skidded to a stop, turning to see a figure right beside him, his stare meeting the black void of his mentor's blindfold, "Eh? Gojo-Sensei? What're you doin' out here?"

The Honored One didn't respond, just giving his usual confident smile, gesturing toward his chest, a piece of taped-on paper reading 'free hug.'

Yuji looked at the note, then up at him, and without so much as a shrug, walked up and opened his arms, "Like this?"

Gojo's smile widened, giving his student a hug.

Yuji perched his head on the sorcerer's shoulder as he patted him on the back.

Gojo never said a word, but Yuji could just tell from how he was acting that no one else had accepted the offer.

...

...

Yuji put his hands away in his pockets, the blue glare reflecting off of him, "You made me wanna be a better person...the sort that can make things better just by being there."

"The Strongest."

"But...what I admired most was that despite all that...regardless of how far off you were from everyone else... You still wanted to help people, even if you expressed it in your own weird ways. You weren't like Sukuna. You endured all that loneliness and did something with it instead of taking it out on people who didn't deserve it."

"You brought people together. You kept things from falling apart. You moved mountains trying to change Jujutsu society. You even took a chance on an idiot like me when I had the King of Curses himself sitting in my gut. You just told me you'd win, and I believed it."

"I knew I wanted to help people, but you're the one who shaped it into something real-"

He looked up at the city in the sky, "How could anyone call someone like you a 'tool,' Sensei?"

The world around the vessel seemed to constrict, the city growing dark, but Itadori didn't seem to notice, taking a step forward, "I tried to be like you, ya know?...and it all blew up in my face so fast, I have no idea how you did it for all those years."

"I-"

...

...

Yuji stopped in his tracks as if something was blocking him, that cube coated in bright blue eyes eternally out of reach, "I'm not you...and every day, I wonder why you thought I could ever inherit your will...fix jujutsu society...create a place where sorcerers are more than fodder to throw at whatever problem pops up, but-"

"What do I do now?... They're all gone, and so are you, but I'm still here..I just-"

"I feel like I do nothing but cause problems for these people. They think 'cause I'm strong that I have answers to their problems, but I don't! I don't know what to do, and every time I try-"

"...So many people die, and now-"

"There's this woman on her way to let Sukuna out, and I don't know if I should chase her down before it happens or just...let her."

Itadori put his palms over his face, "I know it sounds bad, but...most of him is trapped in my soul, and whatever part of him is out there must be weak...maybe weak enough for me to have a chance, and then-"

"Maybe-"

"Maybe that can be where it ends for me."

"I do the one thing I'm good at, and then...I just go."

"It's not like I wanna die or something, but-"

"I hate being a burden."

"The Strongest isn't supposed to be a burden-"

"I'm supposed to carry it all for them so they can live good lives-"

"That's what you did-"

"Why can't I do it too?"

Yuji sat on the ground, the rocks shifting around him, "I try to follow what you did, and my head just goes in circles, remembering you and everyone else...it's like I'm living in a daze. I try new things, and I go through every day trying my best, but I'm not cut out to be you."

"I know trying to find meaning behind someone else's death is wrong, that as a sorcerer, my job is to take that pain and endure it until someone else takes my place...but why-"

"Why do I always circle back to you?"

"Why can't I let go?"

"What am I looking for that hasn't been said?"

...

...

The world shifted around the vessel once more, bringing him to an unremarkable hilltop, sitting on a rock, a large shadow cast over him-

It was a sleek white statue of the Buddha himself atop Otokoyama Hill, Asahikawa in Hokkaido, a place Yuji had visited as a young boy with his grandfather.

Yuji was so lost in his thoughts that he hardly noticed or even cared for the shift, just staring up at the statue's face, "Why do I always go to someone else for answers? Am I really that helpless?..Or-"

...

...

"Maybe it's not just because I miss them."

"Maybe-"

"Just maybe-"

"I keep asking what they would do-

"Because I can't do anything on my own."

"I'm not meant to lead anyone-"

"I'm supposed to be a cog in a machine."

"I'm meant to kill Curses without a thought. The reason shouldn't matter, leave that to someone else to figure out...but if that's how it is, why am I so hung up on it?"

"What do I do when that isn't enough? I can't just drop it...it's-"

"It's the only thing holding me together at this point, and I'm afraid if I let go, I'll fall off the deep end for good."

"I don't want to be a Curse."

"I don't want to be like Sukuna, Kenjaku, or any of them, but it feels like I'm heading down that path no matter what, and one slip-up is gonna change me forever."

"I just-"

"I need someone to understand-.

"Every time I stumbled, someone was there to pick me up and set me back on my feet-"

"Choso, Fushiguro, Gojo, Kamo, Kugisaki, Kusakabe, Nanami, Okkotsu, Todo. They're all gone, and right now-"

Yuji closed his eyes, "I need someone to tell me what to do."

The Buddha statue loomed above, unmoving, its eternal smile looking out over a serene bit of countryside.

...

...

*Fwooosh...Fwooosh

The sounds of gently crashing waves filled the vessel's ears, a trickle of sunlight glowing through his closed eyes.

Itadori hummed, feeling a warm breeze cross over him. He looked up to see he was on a long boardwalk heading out from a perfect little beach to a platform over the sea.

He clenched a hand, "I...I've never been to this place, but-"

The sorcerer slowly stood, watching the orange sun hang over the waters, "Why does it feel so familiar?"

*Clink-Clink

Yuji's head shot to the side, his inhuman hearing catching the noise of icecubes moving around in a glass, seeing a shadowed figure reclining on a chair, their hand retracting from their drink.

The vessel blinked, rubbing his eyes like he was going crazy, but the figure was still there.

Itadori walked toward them, hearing old wooden boards gently creak beneath him, not saying a word, nearly stumbling over his own feet.

...

...

Yuji stopped a few feet behind them, "H-Hey. I'm, uh...sorry to bother ya, but I'm...sorta lost."

He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, "Do you think you can give me some directions? See, I'm lookin' for my...my brother and-"

A deep voice let out a sigh, an arm reaching out to the side, a watch glimmering in the sunlight, "It's half past eight."

Yuji's eyes widened, "Y-you-"

The chair creaked as the figure shifted, a blonde mop of hair flowing in the breeze, "I thought I told you I clock out by six, no matter what."

A man stood, his blonde hair neatly trimmed, wearing a blue button-up and a pair of plain khakis and polished brown shoes, his pale skin in stark contrast to the surrounding light.

Nanami gently smiled, "It's been some time, Itadori."

...

I hope you enjoyed what's probably the most esoteric thing I've ever written.

Take it easy and look forward to a heartfelt reunion in the next chapter; cheers.

Discord:

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