#And a few for the Shibuya incident Aftermath
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JJK CHAPTER 261 AND MY THOUGHTS:
Soooooo this chapter was not for everyone lmao but if you ask me personally I am enjoying the direction in which the story is finally moving..261 has so many themes that just hit so hard bro, but I would be breaking them down into just 3 parts (because I would yap for another 3k words otherwise):
1. Breaking the cycle (remains unbroken):
Let’s start with the first person who tried to break the cycle: Toji. Toji, a man blessed with no cursed energy, born in a clan that probably abused him for that fact, tried to break the cycle of curse energy = strength mentality by killing Gojo even when he didn’t have to, he did not have to kill Gojo at all his mission was over, money was paid, he could have left he could have run but no he fights because he wants to prove to the world, to himself, and to the zenin clan that hated his very existence that “look a monkey like me with no cursed energy can take down the pinnacle of jujutsu look”…and we all know how it ends and the cycle continues with the zenin clan still being obsessed with the 10 shadows and Maki (and Mai) being treated like shit.
The second person who tried to break the cycle was: Geto. Geto realized after a failed mission, how little value a sorcerer’s life has in the eyes of a non-sorcerer even when those sorcerers dedicate their entire lives to saving them. He envisioned a world without curses where his fellow companions wouldn’t have to sacrifice their lives to save lives of people that don’t give two fucks about them. He realised how fucked up the jujutsu society really is, how fucked up the higher ups are and how they have no qualms about sending young sorcerers to their deaths. He also starts struggling with the ugliness of humanity and non-sorcerers and their ignorance. And so he tried to change that, he tried to make the world a better place for his friends and fellow sorcerers but he lost his ideals, his mortality and his humanity following the path he chose and in the end lost to a person who was soooo similar to him, who just wanted to save his friends too and prove to himself he deserved to live. And so the cycle continues with the higher ups using and abusing the young sorcerers, and the ones in power not giving a shit about what happens as long as they are comfortable (putting a kill order on Yuuji, making binding vow with Yuuta to kill Yuuji, suspending Hakari and Kirara, killing Yaga, etc).
The third person who tries to break the cycle is: Gojo. Gojo who saw his best friend leave him behind, not just physically but in terms of ideology, who saw his best friend become a monster in order to create a world where his friends and companions can live to their fullest and laugh from the bottom of their hearts, follow an idea so insane that even he couldn’t make sense of, he couldn’t catch up to him, couldn’t catch up to his ideas…so what does he do, he becomes a teacher. He guides young minds and fosters strong people that can overturn the way jjk society works and creates a group of people so strong that they can never be left behind, that will never feel what he felt. But all this crumbs when he comes back after his sealing, Gojo knows he still doesn’t possess the power to change the society the way he wants and if he is gone there is a vacuum in the jjk society that the higher ups can easily use to exploit…and so he kills them, kills them so that the Shibuya incident aftermath (read: Yuuji almost dying, Yaga being dead, Gojo getting framed as a traitor) can not be created again looping back to Geto’s departure and the way he killed an entire village (and for me personally it even loops back to when Gojo expressed his desire to kill the cult members clapping for Riko’s death).
2. Exploitation of the strongest:
Nanami, Higuruma, Junpei all of them are few examples that show themes of exploitation in jjk but there is this cycle of exploitation of the strongest that literally just…it’s too delicious okay:
Geto and Kenjaku - Every single Kenjaku victim deserves their own exploitation post but Geto was probably one of his best hosts since firstly, Geto was a special grade sorcerer and in Kenjaku’s own words “Special Grade rank signifies the ability to single-handedly overthrow nations, that obviously true for Gojo Satoru but Suguru Geto can also wield a Grotesque army through his cursed manipulation (ch. 203)”, and secondly his curse technique can literally allow him to claim any unclaimed curse which is just bonkers. But not only that, oh no no no the ultimate trump card that Kenjaku uses Geto for was to exploit Gojo emotionally. He made a six eyes user doubt his own technique and the funny part is: he was right. Gojo’s six eyes told him that it was Geto Suguru but his soul, HIS SOUL knew otherwise. And that emotional trump card was bigger than what any other host could provide.
Megumi and Sukuna- From the very start of his show, we have seen Sukuna obsess about Megumi and his curse technique. He has even admitted that Megumi, as he grows stronger, can literally defeat him and kill him. For more than 200 chapters we have seen Sukuna devise a plan to make Megumi as his vessel, so that he can get the 10 shadows/Mahoraga. He even exploits Megumi’s curse technique after the body possession to kill off Megumi’s sister and totally submerge his soul into the abyss.
Gojo and Yuuta- The chapter was so good that we looped back to the themes of exploiting the strongest but only this time not one, BUT TWO STRONGEST SORCERERS getting exploited at the same time. On one hand we have Gojo Satoru, who has always been seen as a weapon since the day he was born, been used as a tool by the higher ups, been used and seen as nothing but strength incarnate till the day he took his last breath and getting his body used as a tool again even after his death. He even got emotionally exploited by Kenjaku and his mind games during Shibuya. On the other hand we have Okkotsu Yuta, a kid who didn’t even know he comes from a great dynasty of Jujutsu sorcerers until he accidentally cursed his friend, who meets a guy that saved his life and helped him get back onto his feet almost a year ago…sees the loneliness and isolation that man subjects himself to and wants to help him in return too, he wants him to share the burden and not suffer alone but the man is dead now and there is no one to fill the space he left, no one that can be used as a weapon anymore, no one that can be the monster the sorcerers need to win this fight, so he steps up, he becomes the monster for the story, because he can not let it all go to waste now. Ah the tragedy of not seeing yourself as a human but just a means.
3. Love is the greatest curse of them all:
Yuuta’s story started with him cursing his friend, Rika, because he could not accept her death. He loved Rika, he could not let her go because he loved. He fought Geto Suguru, even tried to sacrifice himself in the end so that his friends could live because he loved and cherished his friends. Love, love, love…In this chapter we see him worry about Gojo because isn’t Gojo doing everything all by his own, even going as far as to stain his hands in blood so that when he is not needed (dead) the rest of the cast does not have to suffer, and so he fills in the shoes of his sensei, a man he respected and loved a lot, he sacrifices himself, his humanity and becomes almost a curse for his sensei because in the end, love is the greatest curse of them all.
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The JJK mild au! :D
Because I just want to put the skrunklily through the horrors ™.
Will I have comfort? Will I follow Gege's footsteps and crush any hope of your fave ever catching the light of day in this Au? Welp... Only one way to find out. :3c
Again, if you know jjk, you know the absolute mountain of trigger warnings that will follow this Au. If not, I have a short list with the most proeminent: gore, murder, a lot of unhinged and messed up things... Yep. No one is spared. -3-
And we follow our wittle, tiny Jade this time! Man, I sure hope this one doesn't succumb to the horrors. :3c
So with everything outta the way... You get my pure, unfiltered and unedited thoughts with this Au. It's not like it's a difference from other Au Explanations I have. :'3
Also! I'll have to give u a fair warning: there will be brief spoilers for the anime in here, so I advise you to proceed with caution. I won't tag them, but I will mention certain big events. So when you see a mention of the event you last are up with, it's your cue to click off. :3
There will be also spoilers for book 7 in here so ya know... :3
We start off with bg: Jujutsu sorcerers were all around the world, but Japan had the biggest concentration of curses, hence why the most powerful sorcerers were there along with the elders, main Council organ. To exert some sort of order around, on other continents were instaurated sub-councils with other elders in charge of those matters. Only when very world end-level problems occur do these news reach the main elders and action is throughly taken. There are, ofc, student exchanges and a lot of multicultural trading in those continents as they are big areas who have to concentrate on the place with most curses.
That is your bg for now. This Au takes place in parallel with JJK's plot. Like imagine it starts in between JJK 0's Aftermath and Yuji eating the cursed finger events. Doesn't mean things won't get correlated, so you'll get mentions of the anime events.
We follow Jade. Now Jade was someone who lived quite cozy with his parents, following his local high-school. His brother was given a scholarship to a prestigious school in France and for 2 years Jade didn't see him. He did keep in touch via daily calls. His brother was sending him an abundance of messages and photos, but after his first year, he started to slowly lose contact, to the point Jade had no contact with his brother for some good months. It felt like something was wrong, but Jade assumed that things picked up some pace and his brother was trying to keep it up.
It was the start of school tho, when Jade got the news that his parents were coming home from work, when they got in a car accident. None of them survived, as such the news were given to Jade by his homeroom teach.
He was keeping his calm and he did try to reach his brother, but again, no contact. His teacher informed that his only relatives who could take them in were his aunt and uncle in Japan. Jade still asked for him to not be given a grace period to mourn as he will be fine. What he wants tho, is to get in contact with his brother. He was assured that his brother is likely to be informed as well by his school teachers and he will attend the funeral.
Floyd did not attend the funeral. Instead, an old family friend, Azul, attended. He was from France, but did not mention anything about Floyd. Jade's worries start to skyrocket as something clearly was wrong. Still, he kept his usual Demandour, which gained fear from other students, who couldn't believe Jade was acting like normal when his parents just kicked the bucket. And in a car accident too! So it wasn't something that could be pre-derminated and made peace with that easy.
One day, Jade stood after hours, packing some of his things for his imment move to Japan, when he caught glimpse of someone trespassing. Usually he wouldn't mind it.
But the trespasser looked awfully similar to someone that appeared multiple times in Floyd's photos. The latter did talk about the guy and Jade knew that he was supposed to be in France, not in here, in the east. It was on the whole other side of Europe!
So Jade pursues the guy, finding out he's named Jamil. The guy had with him some small thing that he was frantically trying to wrap in some seal bandage. He was hurrying and as such, Jade took him by surprise.
Jamil almost called out to Floyd, looking as if he saw a ghost, to which Jade took as another red flag. He inquired to know why Jamil was here and what was he doing with whatever that was. The latter was all tensed up and clearly ready to attack Jade, but he suddenly halted and rushed inside the school without any warning.
Jade didn't have any idea what was going on, but all he knew was that the school was getting trashed by an invisible force that Jamil apparently could see and could interact with. He seemed eager to protect whatever that thing was, but he dropped it and Jade picked it up.
It was a finger. Jade had a very bad feeling about it, but apparently whatever that invisible force was knocked him into a wall and thus the finger ended up in Jade's mouth. With the need for air, the latter swallowed the finger in an attempt at clearing his throat and taking a breath. He couldn't spit it because his mouth was holded close by the invisible force.
And slowly, Jade saw the invisible thing gaining a figure. It was a monster, looking more like a bunch of formless flesh moving around, with a big mouth darted with fangs, ready to eat Jade up, but thing suddenly went black.
Meanwhile, for Jamil, imagine his horror when he saw the curse blasted from inside out and Jade there, but with marks lining his body. 4 eyes looked at Jamil, which shaped into an all infamous grin as it wasn't Jade anymore, but someone else, someone who immediately butchered that curse.
And Jamil wanted to fight the new guy, but he gets stopped when the marks and 2nd pair of eyes dissappear and Jade finds himself in the middle of the whole mess, absolutely confused about what happened.
To add salt to the wound, Azul shows up. Jamil looks absolutely done with the latter, who apparently, was his teacher. Jade did inquire to know what the actual fuck is going on, because he thought he would die in here, only to find his jacket and tie ripped to shreds and in the middle of a crater made in the school floor.
Azul only inspects a bit Jade, asking very odd questions such as: do you feel wierd? Do your sides feel crammed? Is your teeth hurting? Do you carve meat? Questions which got all a prompt no from Jade. He only says that he feels a need to sleep, to which Azul reassures that he should succumb to it.
The second Jade closes his eyes, the marks reappear, the eye colors switch, an adițional pair of eyes open and nails grow longer. The new person Azul refers to as Floyd, who didn't look happy the slightest at the sight of the latter, accusing him of being a backstabber.
So Azul holds up his point that he was helpless in that situation, all the while dodging Floyd's attacks. Jamil is watching because Azul forbid him from getting into the fight, rather he watched what exactly was a special grade capable of. Floyd seemed more cautious than before, which allowed Azul to easily knock him out.
When Jade wakes up, he's in a very cold room, littered with seals as his hands are tied heavily. In front of him, Azul was standing and clearly found the situation as amusing as Jade did. The younger one asked what in the world is going on, to which Azul replies that Jade is oddly calm for the situation that he is in.
Then he moves aside, revealing that behind him, there was someone else tied up, facing Jade. Unlike Jade tho, the said person was tied by every limb, with heavy chains, their hands sealed in a metal box, impossible to see from inside. What was more or less wierd were the fins the person had on their body, which were quite big and sharp, almost like knives.
Jade tho, recognised the teal hair and the frame. It was Floyd, his very own twin brother.
Before Jade could even sink in the info, Azul explains that Floyd was here because he discovered a forbidden ritual. He achieved something that was believed to be almost impossible: a complete metamorphosis into a curse. Hence why the inhuman appearance.
Azul adds that the European council of elders deemed Floyd as 'the next sukuna' and in fear of him betraying them, they sealed him away and cut his fingers, in hopes they could use them as cursed artefacts and thus use them to keep curses around a bit more tamed, just how Japan used Sukuna's fingers for the exact purpose. So far, Floyd's situation is one of a sealed curse, thus he shouldn't be a problem anymore.
What the council disregarded tho, was Azul, who wanted to know how exactly his student achieved such thing. And Jade was the answer. He tells Jade that now Floyd's consciousness moved into Jade and he could take control any time he deems fit. Jade didn't have enough cursed energy before so Floyd's sudden overtake spiked it up, hence he could see his brother now.
Jade only demands to be freed. For him and his brother to be freed, but Azul denies him of that. He says that if the council finds out that Jade ate a cursed finger and currently is a vessel for Floyd, they will execute him. But, Azul promises that he will free Jade on one condition: Comply with his terms, keep this whole ordeal a secret and help him find out how this metamorphosis was achieved. It was something revolutionary after all. It wasn't a reincarnation, rather something else. And Azul wanted to find out what.
Jade has to accept, but he puts his own condition: that Azul will do anything in his power to free his brother. With these, the deal is made and Azul frees Jade from his imprisonment. Not before knocking him out first. :3
And while knocked out, Jade finds himself on soft sand, in a sort of underwater like place. Everything felt lighter and even fishes and other sea creatures swam around, some even passing through Jade.
And that's also when he hears and sees Floyd again.
The latter had the same marks on his body, but only his ear fins and claws were present. He mentions how this is not what he had in mind for a reunion, but is taken aback when Jade hugs him and tells him that he missed the funeral. That their parents died and now both were supposed to be under their aunt's custody.
Floyd, unlike how Azul warned that curses are quite unfazed by death, tears up at the news and at first tries to play it off as just a very lame joke from his brother. But it was real. And when the confirmation is made, Jade could see how the place darkened and fishes around fleed. Floyd bursted into tears and Jade could do oh so much but to hug him and pat his back. The latter begged for Jade to do anything but get in trouble, but it was too late.
Both were aware of the deal Jade had with Azul and as such, both knew that if they wanted to be back together and safe, they would have to fight against the system.
So while at that, Floyd decides to fill Jade in with everything. He was currently in Floyd's domain: Eden's Abyss. Floyd explains the basics of jujutsu and gives to Jade an insight on what he should expect.
But what Floyd adds is the way the council works here, in Europe. In Japan things were far more straightforward, with bloodlines being preserved for their jujutsu techniques. In here it was a whole amalgam of who has and who doesn't. Since jujutsu is a hereditary trait, Floyd clears out that there one of their ancestors was a jujutsu sorcerer. The gene just wasn't awakened in anyone until Floyd himself.
What Floyd makes clear was that in Europe, the council was made out of the most whealty jujutsu sorcerers. They primarily used their money to establish their own monopoles and as such use them to hide the actual activities of jujutsu sorcerers.
Right now, Floyd gave to Jade 3 important names: The Asims, the Shrouds and Crowley. He adds that unfortunately, the strongest European sorcerer is Malleus Draconia, whose grandma was kicked out of the council, following her daughter's actions years ago.
Floyd made it clear that he hates Crowley especially, since he was the one who gave the decree of sealing him away.
Jade asks what he's supposed to do to free his brother. Floyd admits that it's not that simple, since without his cursed power, which was sealed in the fingers, he would be as good as dead meat the second he's freed from those chains. He doesn't know where fingers are scattered, but if Jade has one, he should search for the rest. Once he gets all of them, Floyd promises he'll 'handle it from there'. He should nudge Azul into searching for the fingers, since he would know most likely where most of them were.
After that plan is devised, the 2 actually do chat and catch up with one another. Until Floyd deems that enough time passed and Jade should wake up. As such Jade is kicked out of the domain and back into consciousness.
Jade wakes up on a couch, in a notably very large living room. Azul notes how he woke up and that his husbands are gone to work now, so Jade will have time to get filled with his chores.
Azul made some mending so that Jade is unofficially participating under his courses as a jujutsu teacher. He is not allowed to go on campus ground, nor is he allowed to have a dorm room, so in the mean time, Jade will be a guest in Azul's penthouse and do chores when the latter has work on the school campus.
For now, Azul presents around and gets Jade to understand that at the moment he's in fricking Paris and since he doesn't know French, it would be a bit of a hard time to do errands outside. Azul was, ofc, prepared for this, saying that he always had his students who don't know French use sum flashcards at first. They were some pretty simple ones, with translation on the back of them.
Jade notes how he talked with Floyd while he was unconscious. At that, Azul perks up, asking if by chance, Floyd could hear them. Jade indeed confirms that his twin can hear what he hears and see what Jade sees. Floyd just chooses not to bother with the latter.
Azul exhales and starts by saying that if Floyd is wondering about the fingers, that is the problem: Azul was denied of knowing anything about the fingers. Jamil, his student, was sly enough to get sum Intel about one and hence his meeting with Jade. Currently the fingers are used to draw in one place curses before they would be properly turned into seals.
But, for the meantime, this is everything Jade shall know about.
That night, Jade caught Azul talking over the phone with his husbands, seemingly being upset over something. Jade doesn't pry as the latter only serves him dinner, opting to not eat too before going to bed. Floyd also seems to not know what's going on with Azul and his love life, but he assumes something was up.
First days were Azul teaching Jade basics in jujutsu control, all the while Jade gets to know Azul's other 2 students: Kalim and Jamil. Kalim is a sunshine and Jamil is just a resting bitch face on main. :'3
Jamil tries to 'educate' Jade on Azul, saying that this guy makes place for owning a restaurant, teaching jujutsu sorcery and also being overly flamboyant and dramatic. He absolutely hates Azul's guts and would rather have been teacher by the other teach at the school: Lilia Vanrogue. Unfortunately that old guy has already 2 pupils under him. And Jamil wholeheartedly believed that he could beat both of the 'elite' students and impress Vanrogue, but Azul still won't give him an opportunity to meet a sorcerer who could promote him to a grade 2 or more.
Kalim tho seemed pretty happy with his grade 3.
At first Jade his hand in trying out to fight curses around. To ensure that Floyd won't go apeshit every fucking time Jade's on a mission, Azul gave to the latter a grade 3 cursed weapon, to have everyone on the same foot somewhat. He would stay with them and always be in a close proximity in case of anything. Afterwards, if they did a good job, the latter would treat them to something nice from his restaurant menu.
One day, Jade is sent to do errands when he stumbles upon a bakery. The guy at the cashier was one year older than Jade, who introduced himself as Trey. He was pretty nice and even gave to Jade a croissant on the house part, saying that he looks awfully similar to a buddy of his friend.
Unfortunately, a curse also was in proximity. And unfortunately, Jade thought it would be short work since it looked weak. It didn't do anything, only move around in the ground and avoiding being stepped on by unsuspecting people.
Jade followed it, getting himself to meet much more stronger curses. Of course, trying to retreat proved futile and Floyd deemed it necessary to take over and finish off the curses in question. Still the fact that he was only at 1 finger power and overnumbered meant he didn't get out unscratched, hence Jade found himself with a much longer stay in the Eden's Abyss.
When Jade wakes up, the first person he sees is a very annoyed Azul, who nags him about getting into danger. The good part was that Floyd took over and stumbled upon another special grade who could heal the body itself.
The good news: they found a finger and the condition they could use to track the others.
Bad news: Riddle found out. And boy is he NOT happy of the whole ordeal.
Jade does inquire to know who tf is Riddle, to which it comes the response: Riddle is the special grade curse who can take on a human form. His job is to act like a healer for the European jujutsu society and in return he's not immediately killed.
Riddle himself was also there and immediately gives a forehead flick to Jade, nagging him for drawing curses near the bakery. The bakery is a place Riddle usually frequents as Trey is his friend as such is a ground 0, where curses rarely gather up. With the lately spike in them, Riddle was more around the place. But Jade's presence itself made the finger to react and thus act like a sort of caller for curses around.
Azul brings up that he will have to bribe some other sorcerers around the aera to not say a thing about the finger missing. He had calls non-stop and he blames Jade for wondering aimlessly after curses.
After that thing, Azul gets an order from the higher-ups to investigate a 'grade 2' curse with his students, which was roaming through the catacombs.
Surprise, surprise, it's a special grade. Now Azul would've been fine if it was just one, but no. There were multiple, all spread through the catacombs. Floyd insisted, multiple times, for his brother to let him take over, but Jade was stubborn, his recent nagging still pushing him to prove that he could deal with things without his brother needing to take over.
Jade almost dies so Floyd forcefully takes over in order to try and preserve what little life was left in the body.
It ends again, with Riddle whining about Jade being even more stubborn than his brother, while Azul clearly paces around and Kalim with Jamil try to calm tf down their teacher.
Meanwhile, Floyd confronts his brother his domain. Really both of them could've been gone for, to which Jade replies that Floyd still had 8 other fingers to use to get free.
Floyd says that he doesn't want to be free if he knows his one and only brother died because of him.
And this is what apparently breaks Jade down enough to sob aloud and cry about the fact that he almost died in there. He didn't want to die. He didn't want Floyd to die. He didn't want anyone in his family to die anymore. Why was that such a hard task?
Floyd really didn't know what to say to comfort his twin. He was blunt: Jade is though, but he shouldn't push to the very end. Leave things to him when it gets overwhelming.
A thing to note about Floyd, now that Jade had 3 out of 10 fingers, was that he was a bit more closer to the form Jade first saw chained up. It was a sign that the latter was growing in power.
And it showed also through other things, such as sometimes popping up on Jade's cheek as an eye with a mouth to speak outloud or sometimes controlling one of Jade's hands to show a sign or smth. It wasn't that drastic, but it was smth.
Meanwhile, Azul got a concerning call, which put him in a quite foul mood for the whole week. It showed in a much harsher training and overall not being his usual dramatic self.
What was the reason? His husbands came back. Jade initially thought it was something to be happy about, since those were his husbands after all. He never saw the 2 up until now.
No, Azul was mad because of WHY these 2 came back.
And it's painfully obvious when Jade sees for the first time Idia and Malleus, both looking quite apologetic. Alas, despite his raging need to scream and let his frustrations loose, Azul forgave them, which was surprising to Jade. Being an old family friend, Jade had his fair share of times where Azul got angry and boy does he not forgive that easy.
Idia was a grade one with his cursed weapon which housed inside Ortho. Malleus was a special grade due to his jujutsu technique and his domain expansion: Fae of Maleficene.
The latter insists on why Jade is here and Azul admits that Jade is Floyd's twin and thus he is taking care of him. Idia does raise a brow at that, but doesn't question, saying that the council found out that he was with Yuuta and helping him with working with Rika. Yuuta had to prepare for a leave when news about Sukuna reincarnating reached around, along with the Shibuya incident. Hence they decided to have Idia train some first years, while Malleus is entrusted with exterminating the 'curses hospots' caused by the fingers. It was supposed to be a secret mission, but clearly Malleus couldn't lie to anyone to save his ass.
As such, for starters, Azul insists for Jade to tag along with Malleus. He isn't actually repartised as any kind of student so him laying off the radar, under Malleus, will be a perfect way to keep at least a worry off.
As for Idia, Azul brought up how he didn't really know about the first years given to the latter. Idia admits that maybe their son did turn over a new leaf and things would be better.
Jade had no fricking idea Azul had a kid to start with.
Entering the first years coming to Paris. Unlike Jade's expectation to be 2 or 3, these mfs were 5 in number. And all were quite a bunch. From the discussion about them, Jade expected that the lavender haired one or the ginger to be the son in question, since they were more rowdy.
No, it was Deuce, the quiet bluenette, who seemed very happy to see again his parents.
Idia did take the first years with him, since they would stay at the dorms and Azul had to bid farewell to Jade for a while as now he had to follow Malleus around.
And it was awkward af. The latter was painfully blunt in everything. The pure truth was always given. As such, Jade took a leap of fate and asked about Deuce.
Malleus admits that Deuce is not a biological child, rather Deuce was found after an incident with a curse. He was small, around 2 or 3 and Azul was the one that found him. His mother was killed by said curse and the child unknowingly thought she fell asleep, so he was trying to wake her up because he was scared of the 'monster' in his room.
Malleus admits that maybe it was his and Idia's skepticism of the situation at start that may have nudged Deuce to grow into a delinquent and thus be sent to a boarding school as a last resort. But Azul missed him dearly and was heartbroken to know that the council was expecting for Deuce to become a jujutsu sorcerer hence why they made the papers in secret to transfer Deuce from the said school. No one is very proud of their status as a sorcerer in here. If you don't have money or the immense luck to be born in a family of the council, any mistake can be fatal.
With that out of the way, Jade is assisting Malleus with dealing with the curses hotspots, but they find no fingers. Something clearly was amiss.
Even Floyd was restless, telling his brother that he is sensing something wrong. He doesn't know what, but his gut is rarely wrong, so he asks of Jade to be on his toes in case of anything.
Things clearly were becoming more weirder. Azul apparently reported an increase in grade 1 curses and so far, the council dispatched Azul's team to all of them, as if expecting 2 grade 3 sorcerers to deal with that. He tried to take it with Lilia, but the latter admits that his students were given awfully simple missions. They were working lately with grade 4s and it was clear with each day that his students had to train separately to keep their skills sharp.
Then Idia comes, with his own report. His students were on a mission with a supposed grade 1. I say supposed, because Idia himself returned with a huge wound across his torso and the rest thankfully escaped with smaller ones, only because Ortho was aiding. Idia concludes that something is amiss with the curses labeling since what they exorcised there was a special grade.
Riddle also had his plate full, as being the only one who could use reverse cursed technique and heal others. He was a curse himself, but he has his limits too, you know?
Now when Jade talked with Jamil and Kalim, the 2 admit that now they know why Azul was so skeptical on a promotion. Jamil remembered that Floyd got himself a promotion to semi-grade 1 back before he became a curse and they were suddenly having a less of a spike in difficulty. It was Azul's scheme of training them without the council intervening too much. Silver and Ruggie, Lilia's students, were currently semi-grade 1 and grade 2 respectively.
It also implies that, for some reason, the council aims to exterminate the lower grades.
And for this, we suddenly get an announcement from the council: the one who kills Jade Leech will get promoted to grade 1 sorcerer and gain a seat in the council itself.
You can imagine Jade's absolute shock upon finding out this. It was a hunt for him of all people and to make matters worse, it was mentioned that currently he has no cursed technique or enough cursed energy to even see curses. The others would see Jade as already dead, a short work of you will.
The problem, clearly was Azul, who was protecting Jade.
And this is made painfully clear when Azul suddenly decides that they have to flee to Italy. They still had 6 fingers to find as Jade and Malleus uncovered 1 during their expeditions together. Idia offered to take Kalim and Jamil under his wing for as long as Azul needs to be gone.
Jade insists tho, that he can manage. He has Floyd by his side and he could deal with those sorcerers who desperately want that place in the council. Azul denies him of going alone, knowing that they are talking about multiple people who chase after the spot. From grade 3 to 1, everyone wants a spot in the council. It's the only way to assure one's future for the rest of their life.
But, they don't even get to leave Paris, that already chaos unleashed. Many sorcerers were simply hunting for each other in order to eliminate competition, which in turn got non-sorcerers to run around in panic and try to flee the sudden wierd disasters. Paris was big and crowded, which only allowed for more calamities to happen and thus more injured.
And that's also when the new decree is made: that Azul is a traitor for protecting Jade and thus he is also on the list for ramson.
It was all an elaborate plan to pin the blame on Azul and get rid of him once and for all.
Up until now, Jade never saw Azul's cursed technique. He only used a special grade weapon: Neptune's wrath, which seemed to do the job. But now, Jade gets to see upclose Azul's actual cursed technique: Replica, a technique which allows Azul to replicate to perfection other cursed techniques he sees. He replicated Riddle's Reverse cursed technique to heal himself and Jade mid battle, along with a bunch of others from different sorcerers.
This is also why Azul was a special grade. If only he sees a technique, he could immediately replicate it. It's an absolute broken ability and Jade wondered why Azul didn't use it so often.
But, with every sorcerer that comes their way, Jade is painfully made aware on why. It's either kill or be killed. Either they finish off the said sorcerer or manage to permanently immobilise them, or they will both die at the hand of the enemy.
Azul insisted for them to head to Italy, because in Rome is situated the council meeting place. They needed to get there and make justice with their own hands.
Unfortunately, people start allying together, which only makes more difficulty to flee the city. The airport was closed off due to the chaos and Paris itself was bordered around to 'keep the supranatural circumstances confined'.
At one moment, the 2 run into Vil, a grade 1 sorcerer with a unique cursed technique: Condition of beauty. He can put a condition on anything in his touch range and if the condition isn't met, Vil entraps the enemy who touched the object into a small charm prison. He can release them at will too, so one knows that Vil has at his disposal some effects, curses and even sorcerers he could summon in battle.
And Vil manages to catch Azul with his technique. Now, Jade expected wholeheartedly to be killed the second he saw Azul gone.
But Vil notes how Jade was able to see his technique. He saw the charms and the curses he released. And this goes against the council's claim that Jade is a normal guy.
As such, Vil gives to Jade, by force, 4 cursed fingers that he was initially told to dispatch. Vil used those to lure out curses, but now he had a pretty good idea that Azul protected Jade because of the finger that went missing in Jade's aera at first. He mentions how the staged accident surely got rid of half the problem for the council.
And something snaps in both of the twins. When Floyd takes over, he's downright rabid over the news that their parents's accident was staged. Why tf didn't Azul tell them that?!
Vil says that Azul is blacklisted from a lot of things. His husbands, students and the bribes he gives around are the only way he gets news of things. If he doesn't suspect something, he doesn't take action to find out.
Floyd does end up pinning Vil to the ground and inquiring why he should even think of sparing his life. The answer is simple: Vil has Azul and if Floyd kills him, all of the living things that were holded hostages in the charms will die.
Floyd does comply and gives the control back to Jade, who asks what does Vil gain out of it. The model says that he is sick and tired of the council and wants to get rid of them. And the only way that is assured, is if they awaken what they feared the most: Floyd. Floyd's main cursed technique: bounce off, is a technique which allows for any attack to ricochet off Floyd himself or something else he places his technique on. Since he became a curse, Floyd developed much more volatile attacks, whom became an actual threat to the council.
As such, Vil promises to only free Azul after Floyd will finish off the council.
Unfortunately, for them, they run into Deuce, who is more than mad over Azul being sealed. Add with the chaos that holds up Idia and others, it's clear that reasoning was hard to reach the latter.
In the end, Deuce dies... Not by Vil, Jade or Floyd, but because Vil unsealed Azul temporarily once an enemy ambushed them and took Deuce hostage. Seeing the special grade, the enemy immediately killed Deuce, using that as an attempt at a distraction, knowing that Azul would mourn his son. And he did do exactly that.
Except that Jade was the one who actually kills the enemy, as to not let them get away. Azul is absolutely devastated and Vil offers to seal him in a charm again, to not witness this. Azul wanted to deny, but Jade accepted for him, reasoning that if the sorcerers see only Jade and Vil keeps sum distance, they would assume Azul was taken care of and thus leave him in an advantage.
When asked where did Vil even bring them, the model says that he will bring them to the execution room, where Floyd's material body is kept. They had 8 fingers already. Vil deemed it enough to free Floyd.
Unfortunately, on the way, we have many others who kicked the bucket: Kalim(he tried to protect Jamil), Ruggie(he used himself as a distraction so the group could proceed), Sebek (sacrificed himself for Silver and Lilia), Ace(died when he fought a grade 1 sorcerer in an attempt at taking them away from the civilians). There were others such as Cater and Rook, whom Jade bearly meet, yet still they died for Vil.
Reaching, finally, the said room, Vil was the one who unsealed Floyd, the latter gaining slowly consciousness, yet he needed much more than that.
Imagine Jade's shock when his own brother stabbed him in order to get back his power. He still missed 2 fingers, thus he wasn't at his full potential, but he knew a bit of reverse curse technique to heal Jade back up.
Unfortunately, this is where Jade's supposed adventure should end. Floyd deemed that his brother did enough and this is now in between him and the council that sealed him away and planned to kill their parents. Jade, tho, denies of this, saying that he wants to avenge his parents too. That he wants to protect Floyd, that he didn't go through all this just to be told to sit back now, when it was clear it's needed any kind of help they could get.
What doesn't help them is that, this time, more sorcerers, the elite ones, were going around for them. Vil was killed, not before releasing everything in his charms with his last breath, thus unleashing a chaos of rampant curses. At least Azul was free, but at the cost of a lot of special grade curses reeking havoc around.
One of those curses was Floyd tho, who still was looking for his last 2 fingers. He felt their presence and demanded that he couldn't hunt down the council is he doesn't get the last 1.
One was hidden among the catacombs, which was an easy grab.
The other was at Lilia. :'3
And Lilia, clearly takes a jab at Azul for helping out the curse. He was always wary of Riddle, for curses have in their nature to feast upon one's suffering. Riddle was a curse on expectations. He thrived in here and he healed people just so he could thrive off their unfulfilled expectations. But Floyd? No one knew what kind of curse Floyd was. He used to be a human, but now he is a curse. A curse on what? What deep negative emotions could possibly Floyd be thriving from?
Unfortunately, Lilia was much more experienced than Azul, a fellow special grade with 1 technique: return to nature. Using that on Azul before he could copy it, immediately made the latter an easy kill.
Which, again, seemed to snap something in Jade. Floyd was leading the attack, but Jade was actually fighting and finishing off Lilia, via a stab in the throat.
Yet, despite their need to move on quick, Floyd allowed for them to stay a few minutes, once he saw Jade's tear full face. Floyd could only offer a hug and summon his domain, knowing that they are overwhelmed in this situation. He was back to his full power, but that was also with a price.
Jade does ask his brother, why did he become a curse in the first place? To look where they are now and tell him why did Floyd to that? Why did he give up on his humanity?
Floyd replies that he became a curse, that is meant to condamn all curses. His hatred of curses took roots and feed on other sorcerers's hatred. Already it was complicated and it only allowed for the whole process to be faster.
And now, Floyd tried feeding off his brother's hatred for this whole situation. He didn't find any hatred for curses, to which came the response: Jade could never hate his brother. He didn't hate curses, rather he hated the council, for the council was responsible for all of this.
And Floyd promises, while still in the hug, that he will do anything in his power to help Jade reach his goal.
And thus, it is born a binding vow in between the 2.
And here we finish off for now :3
With a cliffhanger, for all your hanging needs. :3
At the start, there were a lot of subplots: Azul's restaurant, Jamil wanting a promotion, Trey shenanigans... Then you slowly get even more once other students get introduced, only to have them end up with a halt when the hunt for Jade starts.
Theoretically, the twins doing their binding vow would happen around the time of the culling games arc in cannon JJK, so imagine that it's around that if you wonder what Yuji was up to during that time. :3
Welp... That would be all for now!
Until next time! Buh bye! :3
#twisted wonderland#jjk au#Damn everyone is starting nice and slow#And then half the cast hits the bucket -3-#There are book 7 spoilers#And a few for the Shibuya incident Aftermath#So that's everything to note#Also Jade's an interesting protagonist... :3#It's fun to throw him through the horrors :3#He broke down like 2 times in this whole thing
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Aftermath - Kento Nanami
WORD COUNT: ~4.2K
WARNINGS: Some minor & major alterations to Shibuya Arc! No Culling Games in this fic. Otherwise no serious warnings. F!Reader
SUMMARY: Three days after the Shibuya Incident in the midst of the aftermath Y/N is trying to sort out her emotions and deal with what happened.
A/N: Feedback is always appreciated!
If you want to be tagged in upcoming fics/drabbles, please let me know!!! Thank you, and enjoy <3
Considering there are alterations to Shibuya:
PLEASE, keep your replies/comments spoiler free, to ensure the unaltered enjoyment of other readers. Thank you!
Curses had claimed Shibuya. Half the district was gone, reduced to ashes and debris. Thousands of human lives were eradicated, leaving nothing but pain and emptiness in the hearts of those who miraculously survived the tragedy.
The remaining sorcerers tried their best to evacuate those who lived too close to the newly created wastelands of Tokyo. There was no telling how long it would take to get rid of all the curses, if that was even possible. Therefore saving and protecting all non-sorcerers had priority.
Within record time Y/N had scouted through the rackages in search of any survivors and brought them to Shoko for treatment. It was a tiring task, not only physically but mentally. Seeing the devastating destruction caused by Sukuna, Kenjaku and the countless curses truly took a toll on everyone.
All it took was a few hours to save all the survivors. But this small win was overshadowed by the carnage left behind. Every sorcerer had returned to the Tokyo Jujutsu High grounds, even the ones from Kyoto decided to stay. Considering the immediate threat posed by the countless curses roaming the streets it was the most logical decision for everyone to stay and aid the Tokyo sorcerers.
Many of the sorcerers made it their daily mission to eradicate as many curses as they possibly could, it was their way of dealing with the losses. Among those was Y/N. After the incident she focused all her attention on the vile creatures, spending every minute on the battlefield. As one of the teachers at Jujutsu High she had always made it her priority to keep everyone safe. If going on a rampage and killing curses left and right was the only way for her to ensure no one else would be hurt, so be it.
Just after killing the last of the evil spirits in front of her she fell to her knees. The exhaustion of the past few days took over her body, but she fought against it.
“You can’t keep going like this, Y/N.” Nanami Kento’s voice sounded from a bit further away, as his feet slowly carried him closer to her kneeling form. The blonde sorcerer seemed exhausted as well, carrying scars and injuries from the massacre days ago.
“Sure I can. I have to.” She responded, but her words didn’t hold as much strength as she had intended. And when she stood up she realised how much her body trembled.
“When was the last time you slept?” He inquired with this slightly disappointing tone that made her feel aggravated all too quickly.
“For your information I slept last night.” By now he was standing before her, watching with eagle eyes as she brushed the dirt off her clothes.
“How many hours?” His question earned him an eye-roll in response. Why did he feel the need to act like this right now when he knew the current situation better than anyone.
She refrained from answering, knowing fully well that in her agitated state she might say something spiteful or mean that she’d regret later on.
“You cannot keep this up.” His voice now held a more stern tone as he tried desperately to get through to her. However, the more he tried to reason with her the more she resisted.
“I’m not a child, Kento, I can take care of myself. Thank you.” She had never raised her voice at him like this before, but his nagging really was not what she needed right now. While she knew that it came from a good place, it fell on deaf ears. She had lost too many people, had watched close friends be slaughtered like pigs in front of her.
“Obviously you can’t!” He yelled back at her when she had already turned on her heel.
“You’re a teacher, don’t you think you should be a role model to your students?” Y/N couldn’t see it but she knew that he wore a pleading expression on his face, simply with the way his voice sounded almost desperate to get through to her.
“I am!” Was all she shouted back at him before walking further away, out of his field of vision. She had to get away from him right now even if she knew that he only meant well.
Didn’t he understand that she needed this? That she needed to exorcize as many curses as she could? That she needed to make these streets safer for everyone?
Nanami knew her better than anyone. And he knew that she needed this, but not ‘to make the streets safer’. Not because Exorcizing curses was the simple job of a sorcerer.
No. Y/N needed this for herself more than anything.
Once she had walked further away, when she was out of earshot, she once more collapsed, physically and mentally. She dropped to her knees, not caring that the tiny stones on the ground would leave marks on her knees even through her pants, and balled her hands into fists. She made no attempts in stopping the tears that started filling her eyes, eventually rolling down her cheeks and dropping onto the ruined ground, which once was a bustling street filled with life.
Minutes passed in which Y/N cried without a care in the word if anyone saw her. The overwhelming guilt she felt caused her chest to tighten and burn as if it was on fire.
“Survivor’s Guilt”, is what Shoko had called it when she patched up Y/N’s injuries. “It’s the belief that you did something wrong by surviving when others didn’t.”, she explained it further. Y/N knew that it wasn’t rational to feel like this, but what did that help when she was convinced on a deeply emotional level that by surviving she truly did do something wrong.
“It’s not fair. So many talented and skilled people died, but I survived. Why? It’s just not fair…” She had argumented, but Shoko was quick to smack the back of her head, effectively capturing her full attention. The healer had made it clear to her that she didn’t survive for nothing, that people still needed her. It was enough to give Y/N at least some mental strength, but as soon as she had left Shoko’s infirmary she fell into the habit of not eating, not sleeping and using all her time to hunt down every cursed spirit she could find.
Y/N wasn’t sure how much time had passed, it couldn’t have been more than half an hour, considering the sun was pretty much still at the same spot in the sky. She frankly didn’t care all too much about it either way.
After wiping lazily over her face she finally stood up, skillfully ignoring that her knees felt like dough and her legs trembled. It simply did not matter, she felt as if nothing mattered. At the same time everything mattered.
By now she deeply regretted snapping at Nanami, he was the least person to deserve that. He had always been some sort of role model to Y/N. His moral code in keeping children safe and not letting the youth experience any misery greatly inspired her to become a teacher at Jujutsu High.
She decided to apologise when she saw him next. He’d understand her, she was sure of it. For now she just wanted to get out of here. Her strength was decreasing due to lack of sleep and nutrition. As skilled and talented as she was, she wasn’t arrogant enough to believe she could take on multiple high grade curses in her current status.
Her walk back to the next operating public transportation wasn’t short, giving her plenty of time to think of the exact words she wanted to tell Nanami during her apology and how she’d explain herself. Even though she knew that his maturity wouldn’t expect her to explain anything. He surely knew how she felt. She guessed that he was ridden with the same form of guilt that plagued her mind and heart.
Y/N paid it no mind to the unamused glares and frowns of disapproval she received from strangers on the train. She knew that the blood stains and tears in her clothes were bound to attract the attention of non-sorcerers. Sometimes she’d even jump at the chance to horrify some particularly judgmental bystanders.
“Don’t worry, it’s not my blood.” She’d muse in an assuring tone of voice while showing a smile that seemed far too friendly. Every time, without exception, it would earn a wide-eyed stare.
However, today she was not in the mood to provoke anyone. She settled for mindlessly watching the passing landscape, it was all a blur to her unfocused eyes. Only when the mechanical voice announced the next stop was she ripped out of her thoughts. Due to a quick message she had sent when she stepped into the wagon she was greeted with Ijichi’s soft smile.
The tone between the two had always been kind and casual, almost friendly, which was something Y/N deeply appreciated. Other assistants sometimes didn’t dare to pursue a friendship with sorcerers, especially higher grades. They claimed it was due to professionalism, but the truth was that the assistants didn’t want to get attached to someone who’d end up dying well before their time.
Ijichi, in his gentlemanly behaviour, held open the car door for Y/N. Behind his nervous smile was a wave of worry when he glanced at the countless cuts and bruises that littered her body. The dried up blood as well as the torn clothes only added to his inner turmoil. Yet, every time he brought up his concerns for her wellbeing she shot him down with a lazy attempt at reassurance. It never worked.
“Has Yuji-kun already talked to you?” He asked with an almost cautious tone after he slipped into the driver’s seat and ignited the engine. Through the rear view mirror he could see how she furrowed her brows in confusion. It was enough of an answer for him.
“He mentioned that he was looking for you.” Ijichi explained further but Y/N only shook her head.
“I’ll find him when I’m at Jujutsu Tech. Thanks for telling me.”
After these words the remainder of the drive was spent in silence. It wasn’t unusual for rides with assistants to be quiet. Most trips with Ijichi however, were spent chatting about missions and the current state of affairs.
This time the assistant kept quiet. Perhaps because he wasn’t fully well yet either. Shoko had only allowed him to operate the car he was currently driving. Everything else was strictly off limits to prevent him from overworking. A trait shared by seemingly everyone and their mother in the sorcerer society.
The two of them reached the school grounds quickly and while absent-mindedly muttering a “Thank you.” Y/N stepped out of the car, heading straight towards Shoko’s infirmary to get her wounds treated.
The eerie silence in her mind, surrounded by the noise of nature in the form of birds chirping and leaves rustling, were all that filled the air, but not for long. Before she even made it halfway to her destination she was suddenly stopped by a voice yelling her name from a bit further away. It was a voice she had come to know well.
“What’s up, Yuji?” She asked as she turned towards him. The boy stopped a few feet away, despite seemingly running he was barely out of breath.
“Y/L/N-Sensei, you’re not forgetting about later right?” The pink haired boy almost seemed timid and hesitant but Y/N didn’t read into it. There was no reason for something like that at a time like this.
“About the little get-together later? I won’t forget, Yuji.” She had to force a little smile onto her lips as she reassured him. It seemed to be all the young student wanted to talk about as he quickly nodded and shot her a smile, that seemed far too out of place for the mindset she surrounded herself with at the moment, before he turned around and disappeared into the direction he came from.
Y/N didn’t like that Gojo was throwing a get-together at a time like this, just days after a devastating tragedy that caused pain and loss to so many people. Yet, another part of her could understand it somehow. Even though he acted like an idiot at times, she knew his heart was at the right place. She figured quickly that he wanted to bring them all together to strengthen the bond of the remaining sorcerers, ultimately making it easier to rely on each other. Perchance he even had a plan to deal with the curses, and most of all, the curse user formerly known as Geto Suguru.
With all this in her mind she finally made her way to Shoko. The breeze, that was far too warm for this time of the year, went by her without any recognition. All she could do was try not to get lost in her thoughts, her planned apology to Nanami still lingering in the back of her mind.
“You’re looking great again…” Shoko’s voice was filled to the brim with sarcasm.
“Thanks, always a pleasure to see you.” Y/N attempted to respond with the same level of mockery as she rolled her eyes, but her tone sounded more annoyed than anything else.
“Is that why you’re making it a habit to visit every day with new injuries? Y/N, you can’t keep doing that.” It was uncommon for the (now again) heavy smoker to show this level of concern for others. She was well aware that her fellow sorcerers could handle themselves well.
“Damn, I heard that before.” This time Y/N’s words were dripping with sarcasm. There was no ill-will in her voice, but Shoko immediately realised that she had more luck getting through a wall than her patient’s thick skull. With a sigh she simply decided to drop the subject.
Only mere minutes later all of Y/N’s injuries were healed, or at least taken care of and she left Shoko’s infirmary after voicing her gratitude.
“Should I pick you up later, or..?” Y/N didn’t answer the question that was yelled after. She heard it, but she wouldn’t acknowledge it. Why would it matter if Shoko picked her up for the stupid get-together? It came as a surprise that Shoko even cared about one of Gojo’s plans.
The sky had cleared up within the past minutes, allowing the sun to shine down on the scenery and dipping the landscape in a plethora of orange hues. However, the colour spectacle went unnoticed by Y/N, whose feet carried her to her assigned room. Out of courtesy, or rather practicality, the higher-ups had decided to offer the empty dormitories to the remaining few sorcerers. Considering the school was protected by barriers, this served as a means to keep them safe more so than goodwill.
Time passed by quickly, or maybe it didn’t, but Y/N was simply too caught up in her own thoughts. She could feel herself being dragged down once more, spiralling into the depths of her sorrow. She thought that maybe as soon as she reached the room the thoughts would dissipate, but nothing of that sort happened.
Seemingly like a zombie trapped in her own mind she undressed herself, showered, dried herself off and changed into a set of clean clothes. She settled for the only black dress she wore. Taking into account the circumstances it felt fitting to wear black, even if Gojo would possibly find a way to bring colour into everything.
Maybe this get-together was exactly what everyone needed right now. Maybe this was a chance to reconnect and move on. Maybe, just maybe, Gojo’s idea wasn’t too bad.
After checking the clock on her phone for the nth time Y/N to get going. Arriving early was always fashionable, wasn’t it? Besides, she knew that Nanami, as much as he disliked these gatherings, would most probably be there early as well. She’d simply take the time to talk to him and apologise. This way she had a chance of enjoying the rest of the late afternoon, possibly even with Nanami next to her.
And wouldn’t you know it, just like she had predicted, the blonde sorcerer stood outside the venue, glancing at the watch on his wrist. To no one’s surprise he wore the same white suit as always. He likely owned it multiple times to make dressing up in the morning easier, a simple fact she had never cared to think about before. Now it almost seemed hilarious to her. Nonetheless there was a frown on her lips. Knowing that she had to act like a responsible grown up and apologise for her earlier outburst left a bitter taste in her mouth.
“Kento! Hey.” She greeted him almost hesitantly, if he noticed the nervousness in her voice he didn’t show it. He simply greeted her back while turning towards her.
“Can I talk to you about earlier this morning?” What a stupid way to have phrased it. Of course she could, she evidently had the ability to do so. Internally she scolded herself instantly over her choice of words.
“If you want to apologise, there’s no need for it, Y/N.” Here he went again, being the ever considerate and thoughtful person she knew him as. The expression on his face was almost soft, something he only showed around a small number of people, which she considered herself lucky to be a part of.
Before she even had the chance to respond to him he spoke up once more, prompted by the uncertainty shown on her features.
“I’m serious. It’s a difficult time for everyone, we’re all on edge. It’s alright.” Nanami uttered with a tone so full of understanding that it almost blew her away. Then again, despite him being the youngest of the adult sorcerers, he had always been the most mature one and the voice of reason.
For a few short minutes a comfortable silence was shared between the two, until Y/N glanced over his white suit and remembered her train of thought from before.
“You decided to keep wearing that same white suit? Don’t you have anything different to wear?” Y/N’s almost playful glance revealed the nature of her words, there was no malice or ill-intent. She prided herself on being the only one who could get him to engage in conversations in a light-hearted manner.
“Why? Don’t you think it looks handsome?” Nanami’s response came quickly, eliciting a chuckle from her.
“Oh, it definitely does.” She replied back, unable to help herself from chuckling once more as she saw the slight smile forming on his lips. At this very moment it almost felt like nothing bad had ever happened.
“Y/N, there is one thing you have to do for me.” Nanami spoke up once again. Y/N didn’t pay too much attention to his somewhat more seriously sounding tone, that was simply his nature.
“You can't keep me from getting absolutely shitfaced drunk.” If this get-together was anything like Gojo’s previous festivities there would be an unlimited amount of alcohol provided. Even if the host of these gatherings never drank an ounce of it himself.
When Nanami didn’t respond or smile at her quick remark she straightened her posture and looked at him expectantly.
“You have to forgive yourself for everything that went down the other day.” He continued then, judging by his tone it was clear as day what exactly he was referring to.
Without any sort of warning a wave of guilt washed over Y/N. Her chest tightened at the reminder of how many lives were lost, how many people she couldn’t save. The destruction was terrible. But it wasn’t the source of her pain. Involuntarily her mind wandered to the corpses which had littered the grounds of the Shibuya station. Her lips started to quiver but she was determined not to give in to the tears. No other word was needed, no clarification or elaboration. She knew what he meant.
Nanami didn’t rush her in her response, instead he gave her all the time she needed by waiting patiently. Something she was thankful for, even if he was the only reason she needed time in the first place.
Y/N hardly noticed when the index finger of her right hand started to scrape at her thumb’s cuticle. Her head was turned away, gaze averted from him. A part of her knew that she had to forgive herself. In fact, she knew that there wasn’t anything to forgive herself for since she had done everything in her powers to save as many people as she could. She had done enough. But her heart did not agree with her head. In her heart she had failed the people of Tokyo. She had failed her fellow sorcerers. She had failed herself.
“You can be really annoying sometimes.” She responded after what seemed like forever, allowing a deep sigh to leave her lungs. ‘Mostly when you’re the voice of reason’, she added in her thoughts bitterly while turning her gaze back to him.
“Yes. Maybe.” His words of agreement were simultaneously out of place and so very typical for him, at least when he was with her. It was enough for her to crack an unwanted smile.
She breathed in deeply, once, twice, and another time.
“Okay.” She finally answered his previous request. Both of them knew that Y/N needed more time to actually forgive herself, but it was a step in the right direction. It was an unspoken promise that she’d attempt to do this for him.
Nanami only responded with a proud nod, barely mouthing the word “Good.”
The quick change in atmosphere had almost caused her heart to beat irregularly. A silence hung over them, but this time it was heavier than before.
Y/N needed to shift the mood again, she needed to uplift not only his spirit, but also her own. She knew that otherwise she’d be glum and gloomy during Gojo’s get-together. There had been too much tragedy within a short time, a killjoy was definitely not what any of the sorcerers needed.
“Since you’re forced to attend this get-together, when are you gonna start complaining?” She chuckled, a little forced anyways, as she asked the blonde sorcerer.
“Complaining about what?” It was Shoko’s voice that sounded from behind Y/N, making her turn around and face the healer with a smile. Although Shoko was never full of energy and happiness, she seemed even more dispirited than ever.
Y/N shrugged her shoulders, “You know, about Gojo’s obnoxious attitude, about our tone deaf singing when we get drunk, about music that’s way too loud. The whole thing, really.” It seemed obvious to her that Nanami wouldn’t enjoy any of these things.
Shoko’s brows furrowed, her head tilted ever so lightly and her lips pursed.
“Where do you think we are?” She asked Y/N. A question like this would usually have resulted in the female sorcerer chuckling and replying in an amused tone. However, something about Shoko’s tone made her hesitate.
Y/N turned around towards Nanami once more, ready to smile at him.
Except, he wasn’t there anymore.
In a split second Y/N’s entire world came crashing down on her as the realisation set in that he had never been there in the first place. Images of her fights in Shibuya flashed before her eyes. Imagines consisting of sorcerers dying in front of her because she had been too slow.
A ringing set in her ears, intensifying with each memory that surfaced. The sound became stronger when she remembered finding Nanami again amidst the chaos and rubble of the destroyed Tokyo district. She had watched him fight, she had yelled after him, she had attempted to reach him and aid him.
Y/N swallowed hard, slowly turning towards Shoko again. Her chest tightened enough to leave her breathless. With a bitter smile on her face she lowered her gaze. Reluctantly she forced herself to walk, taking one painful step at a time towards the row of outdoor chairs that were neatly set up in front of the closed casket.
She had saved lives and exorcised many curses in Shibuya. She helped search for survivors and consoled the ones that were left behind after the losses.
Alas, the only thing she would forever remember about that night was how she witnessed Nanami dying right in front of her, when she had been too slow to save him.
Without any form of communication she sat down on one of the chairs in the first row, right in front of Nanami’s picture.
She was soon joined by Shoko who sat down next to her, placing a warm hand on her thigh and rubbing it assuringly. The gesture went unnoticed by Y/N, whose eyes were focused on all the little details she could make out on the picture atop the casket. Details that blurred more and more when her eyes filled with tears upon realising that it was all an illusion.
The arguments, the smiles, the quick light-hearted banter she shared with the blonde man during these last few days. It was nothing more than a beautiful hallucination.
#stef writes#jjk#jjk x you#jjk x reader#jujutsu kaisen fanfiction#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen x you#nanami kento#jujutsu kaisen#kento x reader#nanami x reader#nanami kento brainrot#nanami kento imagine#nanami kento scenario#nanami kento x reader#nanami kento x you
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✨Fic Rec✨ - Divergent Fist 🍙💍
Buckle up, Inuokko enjoyers! It's time to check out Divergent Fist!
If this story doesn't already have you in a chokehold, constantly on the edge of your seat, then it's time to dedicate a whole afternoon getting caught up. Make a tea, grab your weighted blanket, and read the 12 current chapters of this incredible doujinshi.
RATED M. Content Warnings - Canon-typical violence and gore, post-Shibuya incident, sexual content, lots of angst, trauma and related physical and emotional reactions (AKA Toge has no food left in his stomach).
Divergent Fist follows the stories of Toge Inumaki and Yuuta Okkotsu, navigating the world of jujutsu sorcerers, trauma and healing, and budding romance in the aftermath of the Shibuya incident. Expertly balancing the soft moments with the devastating, ArtMop (she/her) is in the midst of crafting a doujin that is sure to stand the test of time and become a classic for any fans of BL in the Jujutsu Kaisen fandom.
To start off, I'd like to be transparent that yes, I do edit ArtMop's chapters and help with the general planning of the series. I have a clear bias. That being said, I genuinely believe that this doujin is not getting the attention it deserves, and I just want to shout my love for it from the top of a mountain. Let me give a hardworking creator some love, okay?
First off, let's talk about the #1 selling point of DF - it is an illustrated fanfic that updates regularly and is accessible entirely for free. What more could you possibly ask for? You wanted more Toge content? More Yuuta content? Well, here you go!
It is worth noting that the art itself, despite being above average to begin with, improves drastically throughout the story. The anatomy, expressions, and details in the last few chapters are breathtaking. With each installment in the DF series, ArtMop improves and improves and improves. I, personally, wait with bated breath for the drop of the next color cover, the next insert art. There doesn't seem to be a ceiling in sight when it comes to ArtMop's swiftly growing skill, and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for her. If she applies a fraction of the same dedication to honing her craft to anything else in her life, she may become the next president... or something far cooler.
Stunning visuals aside, the story itself is magnificent. It integrates canon world building, mixed with original cursed techiques and characters, so seamlessly that it feels as though this is an actual spin-off of Jujutsu Kaisen. Perhaps an alternate universe where underutilized characters are given a bit more depth (shots fired 👈😎👈)?
The character arcs have been set in motion! We have Toge refusing to acknowledge his trauma. We have Yuuta's sexual awakening. We have a deeper look into Maki's friendship with Toge, and a delightful duo of new first years. And best of all? We have a villain with an interesting motive. It's clear that ArtMop has so much planned, more than we can possibly imagine! We are already starting to see how relationships are developing, how each character manages the aftermath of certain choices differently, and the story is only going to build from here.
Chapter 12 has just been posted on Tapas and Tumblr, and if you're craving even more Divergent Fist content, there are even a couple behind the scenes moments found on Archive of Our Own.
Listen, as someone who knows the trajectory of the story, please check out this amazing series. You may be chewing your nails (like Toge) waiting for the next chapter, but I promise you that being along for the ride is part of the journey, and it will all be worth it in the end.
Okay, ramble over! Thank you for listening! Here, have a cute trio pic from the cover of Chapter 8:
Huge thank you to @artmopworks for this incredible work, and for letting me scream about her doujin. 💕
#inuokko#ottoge#inumaki toge#yuuta okkotsu#toge x yuuta#doujinshi#jujutsu kaisen fanfic#jujutsu kaisen fanart#artmopworks#seriously this is so good#please check it out#editor privileges so i know what happens next#and trust me you want to be along for the ride
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𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎
☆ Pairing: Nanami x Fem!reader
☆ Genre: Alternate Reality, Comfort, Fluff
☆ Synopsis: The Shibuya Incident has just ended, and it has taken a toll on civilians and sorcerers alike. FemSorcerer!Reader is Nanami's fighting partner and lover. They are both fatally injured, but FemSorcerer!Reader was hit with a fatal blow to her eye to save both of them in a last effort to win against Mahito. Nanami, on the other hand, has deep scars prominent on the left side of his body that'll take time to heal.
☆ Warnings: Mentions of violence. The plot doesn't follow along with the manga's ending of the shibuya incident.
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The Shibuya incident; a tragic night on the 31st day of October that made an impact on the lives of civilians and sorcerers alike. Lives were lost, injuries were inflicted, but the result was a hard-earned victory.
It was a cold winter morning at Tokyo Hospital. Christmas was about to come in a few weeks, yet everyone was still dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy.
It has been three days since you regained consciousness in the comfort of your hospital room, with bandages wrapped around your body, most specifically, your eyes. The first time you woke up, your lover Nanami was overjoyed even though he himself is still recovering from deep scars. Ever since then, he visited your room everyday to keep you company.
This day, the doctor had given you permission to take the bandages off your eyes after the surgery. Although you wanted to finally escape from the pitch black view you’ve only been able to see for the past few days, anxiety and doubt filled your heart as to how everyone will react to your new appearance. As a result, you requested them to only handle the outer layers of bandaging and leave the inner layer to you, if it’s possible. The medical staff agreed and complied with your request.
The nurses left the room and had a conversation with someone outside. Turns out, it was Nanami, whose voice you’ve recognized the moment he entered the room, bringing food as usual.
“Good Morning, Darling. I heard about the good news from the doctors. I asked them about your condition, and they told me that your eyes were healed already. I also asked them if the bandages may be unwrapped already, but they told me to ask you directly.”
You heard the sound of the stool being pulled from the side, as he sat on it to keep you company.
“I brought you breakfast, but I figured that it'd be more enjoyable to eat it while watching the snowflakes fall.”
You felt his cold hands carefully make their way to hold your right hand and used the other to support your back. When you were sitting in a stable position, Nanami cupped your cheeks and brushed off your hair, tucking them behind your ear.
“Darling, shall we remove your bandages now?”
His voice was gentle, especially his touch. It seemed as if we were dealing with a troubled child–ignoring the fact that he was talking to a woman the same age as him.
“Please don’t.”
The sudden response caught him off guard, causing him to give you a confused hum.
“Hm? Is there something wrong, dear?"
There was definitely something wrong–the purple eyes that your lover complimented the most were now damaged. Those eyes that once shined bright can only gleam from the right side and never on the left. Before, they looked like two gemstones, and now one has lost its light.
“Nanami … can you close your eyes while I unwrap my bandages..? I’ll tell you when to open them.”
“...And please prepare a mirror.”
You intended to cover your left eye first before seeing Nanami. After all, you asked a nurse on duty with you a few nights ago about what had happened to your eyes. She said that one eye was just injured by some debris and could be healed by medication. However, one eye was beyond repair, and the only solution was to get surgery done and to transplant a new one.
It was impossible to find purple eyes like yours; after all, your family lineage was a secluded one, and all of your family members were in healthy conditions. The last thing you’d want to happen is for them to give up their eye to transplant it to yours.
Just a few words in, and your lover understood what you were feeling. It pained him to see you like this, but just as always, he knew how to comfort the woman he so loved.
“Alright darling, I’ll do as you say so. But please, make it quick, I want to see my muse immediately.”
You started taking off the bandages wrapped around your eye, and you finally saw a faint light after weeks of only seeing darkness. When your eyes were completely revealed, everything was blurry. You felt your way through the blurry surroundings to get the mirror you asked for in Nanami’s hands. As soon as you looked at the mirror, you barely saw anything, but it was clear that the right iris was purple and the left iris was black. “It looks weird,” you thought to yourself, not realizing you said that out loud.
“What is weird, darling?”
You were shocked to hear Nanami’s response, so you immediately checked his face up close whether he really was closing his eyes. He indeed kept his promise as his eyes were closed.
You were insecure about how you looked right now–face full of healing scars, swollen left eye just from a surgery, and bandages still covering a third of your face.
“Nanami, I’m sorry but can you leave the room? I’ll hide under my blanket and you can go right after.”
Just after having said the last word, Nanami pulled you into a hug and rested his head on the right side of your neck.
“Darling, I know you’re not feeling well right now, but at least allow me to care for you. If you want, I can keep my eyes closed the whole time. But please, let me stay with you.”
As someone raised to be tough, you had to keep a flawless facade that never faltered. You believed that you should be perfect–in physical strength, appearance, and emotion. Everyone expected for a grade 1 sorcerer like you to remain composed, even through the harshest of times. However, things were different with Nanami. He didn’t bother seeing you vulnerable–heck, he’d even comfort you out of it. As a result, hearing those words made your heart swell with tears, and you finally melted into his embrace.
“It’s alright darling, you can cry on me until you’re feeling good. What is it bothering you? Does your surgery hurt?”
Still crying, you responded to him with a hoarse voice.
“I-it’s just that my eyes aren’t as they used to be–sniffles–M-my left eye is now–”
Hearing you struggling to catch your breath because of crying, he gently patted your back to signal his interruption.
“Shhh darling, I know about it. I’ve heard about it already a few days ago. It’s okay to feel sad about it, but please remember you’ll still be the most beautiful woman in my eyes–no matter how you look…”
You two remained in that position for quite a bit, until finally, you felt comfortable enough to sit straight and face your lover. When you pulled away from the hug, you couldn’t help but realize how he was also bandaged all over his body–significantly more than yours. He was also covered in deeper scars, yet you still thought he was handsome. Suddenly, you thought to yourself, “If I still think he is handsome with these scars, would he still think I’m pretty too?”
Your train of thoughts are disturbed when Nanami asks a question.
“So, can I see my muse now? Is it okay for me to open my eyes?”
You were hesitant to reply at first, but with his affectionate words and his smile, you just couldn't resist him. Finally, you agreed with a soft whisper and said “yes.”
As soon as he opened his eyes, his smile grew wider and he held your hand gently. He used the other to cup your cheeks, before affirming you with his words.
“I think I just fell in love with you all over again. What’s your name, miss? Can I court you?"
You giggled as his smooth-talk went on. He was acting as if you two hadn’t been together for four years and engaged. It didn’t take long until you found yourself swaying with your fiance to the jazz music played in your hospital room, while he whispers sweet nothings to your ear.
“You’re so beautiful, y/n”
“Should I call you darling or sweetheart?”
“Should I ask for your hand in marriage again?”
For the past four years that you’ve been together, he never failed to make your heart skip a beat. Even at this moment, you’re blushing so hard at everything he says, to the point that anyone would say you look like a smiling tomato.
Time has flown by quickly and after all the dancing and cuddling, it is now 9 pm in the evening.
“Nanami, you should get some rest now. You also need to recover, you know.”
“Alright, darling. As long as you wish me a Good Night with sweet dreams first. Also a kiss. Would that be possible?”
This man has many sides to his personality, but this one was the one you liked the most–him just being clingy and cute.
“That goes without saying.”
You give Nanami a kiss and wish him goodnight, as he walks to his room next to yours, about to drift off.
The winter night was cold, but your heart was warm after spending the day in Nanami’s presence.
｡*ﾟ+ The end ~
Notes: This is my first fanfic ever written, and English isn't my first language. Author-san (me) wrote this to cope with the pain of chapter 120 ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ
Please lmk if you're interested in a prequel and sequel ! I already have those in mind.
#jjk#jjk spoilers#nanami x reader#nanami kento#nanami comfort#comfort#fluff#tooth rotting fluff#alternate reality#au#fluff and comfort#jujutsu kaisen
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Forever off anonymous am I. Anyway, I noticed some of the folders have pictures in them, so I'm picking from those. Number 52 I am my mother's child (I'll love you till my breathing stops), or if someone has already asked for that, Number 26 and with every step forward put a little more sword in your heart. Please and thank you <3
The illuminated void welcomes thee ✨
The pictures are generally reference images; whenever I go, "surely I will remember this pose/art/post," I end up regretting it because my memory is kinda fickle.
And you get both! Especially because 52 is gonna be...something of an acquired taste.
26
Title: and every step forward put a little more sword in your heart (from “The Grey” by Bad Omens)
Ship: Nanami/Yuuji, Gojou/Yuuji (both endgame)
CWs: None, for once. Yuuji's over 18 in this.
Premise: Canon divergence where Shibuya doesn't happen because Gojou burned Getou's body (which is my go-to rationale for no-Shibuya AUs) and is considerably more fucked up because of it. The Tokyo trio live to graduate, they celebrate it, and Nanami spends the aftermath playing human handkerchief to an extremely drunk Yuuji, who's sobbing into his neck about his teacher being too pretty. Nanami takes him to his own place to sleep it off, they fuck it off instead, and Nanami's attempt to be all "this can never happen again" about it devolves into an FWB arrangement with absolute shit communication. Yuuji's still in love with Gojou; Gojou is oblivious until he really, really isn't. This is a three-part monster of an idea that will cover Nanami PoV, Yuuji PoV, and Gojou PoV, in that order, assuming I ever write it.
Inspiration: You know how Part 1 of the deaging series leans heavily into platonic Nanami&Yuuji. Well, I wound up liking their relationship so much that it stopped being platonic, leading to this idea. It was also the start of my descent into Yuuji multishipping hell. I've since discovered that nothing—absolutely nothing, no relationship dynamic—is safe from me if I'm invested enough; this will be relevant for #52.
52
Title: i am my mother's child (i'll love you till my breathing stops) (from “Writer in the Dark” by Lorde)
Ship: Kenjaku/Yuuji, Gojou/Yuuji (goyuu endgame)
CWs: Incest, underage, human experimentation, body horror, monsterfucking
Premise: Pre-canon where Kenjaku pays their favorite child a few in-person visits, finds that Yuuji's body is rejecting Sukuna's fingers, and lets their scientific curiosity run a little wilder than usual. The end result is a Yuuji who's more curse than human, nigh indestructible, has a few extra prehensile limbs, and is also furious at his "mother." Since Kenjaku's got important plans of chaos to execute and can't babysit their monsterfied kid, they put Yuuji to sleep, stash him away, and fuck off to arrange the Shibuya Incident (a few years delayed, probably). Gojou finds Yuuji while investigating unusual curse activity. Cue tentacle sex and Gojou acquiring a new "pet."
Inspiration: This was the collision of two separate urges. One, my interest in Kenjaku's connection to Yuuji growing to the point I wanted to write about it, except I can't write genfic to save my life. Two, my desire to write tentacle!goyuu that's not an AU. I've done that for MCU, and it's fun, but it's way more rewarding to find some way to work in freaky sex into canonverse. And Kenjaku is my go-to plot point when I need to put Yuuji through the horrors, but this time, I figured I'd make it a hell of a more hands-on. Two birds with one stone.
Thanks for asking 💝
#otterlycosplay#wip open season#i love my anons#my fic#fic: a little more sword in your heart#fic: i am my mother's child#jjk snippets
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Of Two Worlds (Book 2) Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine: Fireside
Notice from Jujutsu Headquarters:
Geto Suguru’s survival has been confirmed, and he has been sentenced to death again.
Gojo Satoru has been deemed an accomplice in the Shibuya incident and is thus permanently exiled from the Jujutsu World. Furthermore, removing his seal will be considered a criminal act.
Yaga Masamichi shall receive the death penalty for inciting Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru and causing the Shibuya Incident.
The suspension of Itadori Yuuji’s death sentence is revoked, and the execution is to be carried out immediately.
The suspension of the half curse (L/N) (Y/N)’s death sentence is revoked and, and the exorcism is to be carried out immediately.
l
“Two…fish…please!” cried the curse as it fell to (Y/N)’s blade.
She glanced about the area. Around her, the disintegrating bodies of exorcised curses littered the ground. This was the aftermath of the terror in Shibuya, destruction and fear spawned hundreds of curses across the city.
After the Shibuya Incident concluded, (Y/N) had left the group to avoid the inevitable death sentence that would arrive without Gojo there to stop it. She trusted her classmates, but the Kyoto students and the other sorcerers were less friendly towards her. And more importantly, she had left to find Megumi and Nanami, who were last with Ieri. But Ieri was gone, so (Y/N) had taken to wandering Shibuya to find them.
So far, there was nothing was curse after curse for days on end. None were up to Grade 1 since none had been around for long, but there were just so many it was exhausting (and boring) to continue. Though she liked saving the occasional person from curses and could find abandoned stores with food easily enough, she was tired and wanted to find her friends.
(Y/N) just wanted to find the people she cared for. The dark corners of her mind whispered of how she trusted curses to bring her friends to Ieri. For all she knew, they would just kill them… She sighed and rubbed her wrist absently, where a complete set of crescent- to full-moon stained her skin. They ached whenever her fears took over her mind, comforting her in the absence of her friends.
“May…I…take your order?!” A curse emerged from the shadows of debris behind her.
Ready to exorcise it in a simple slash, (Y/N) turned with a bored sigh and lifted her katana. A blur of movement suddenly leapt onto the curse, devouring it in a few bites. It was a wolf. (Y/N)’s eyes brightened with hope as she turned to where it had come from.
“We promised we’d make it back to each other,” said Megumi, healed and looking at her with his hands in his pockets.
A relieved smile spread across (Y/N)’s face. “Always,” she said.
Then, unable to hold herself back, she ran forward and hugged Megumi tightly. He froze for a moment in surprise as her emotional actions but hugged her back. After he had passed out, Megumi had been worried about (Y/N)’s safety. Mahoraga had been fighting, and she had been in danger. But here she stood, alive and strong, in front of him. Megumi never wanted to let her out of his arms, or sight, again.
But he had to let go and step back eventually. However, Megumi remained closer to her than most friends stood. Not that (Y/N) noticed (in fact, she did and really didn’t mind. She liked being close to him) Close enough that he could lean in and— Not the time to think that…Not when she, and everyone else, is still in danger.
“I found Okkotsu,” said Megumi, clearing his throat and controlling the blush on his cheeks. It was better to think of strategy instead of that. “He’s going to meet us at a base he cleared out after he finds Itadori. Then we can all head back to Jujutsu High.”
(Y/N) looked intently at Megumi’s eyes, ignoring his comments. “Are you alright?” She understood it was important to think of the next step, but all she could think about was his wellbeing. And she didn’t want to tell him how impossible it would be for her to return now. (Y/N) hesitantly reached up towards his forehead, where he had been injured so many days ago.
He took her hand and nodded. “Ieri healed me. I’m just glad you’re alright.”
(Y/N) thought of all the pain she’d witnessed, the vow she had made, and the marks she’d earned. “I am.” That was the truth. Here with Megumi, she was alright. She was safe.
Worried, Megumi furrowed his brow. Unthinking in his concern, he cupped her face to look at her. “Are you injured?” He knew her tendency to not say anything was wrong and thought she had left that out. (Y/N), surprised at the touch, froze. Megumi took that as a cue to let go and uncomfortably leaned away from her.
(Y/N) didn’t emote her disappointment at the lack of warmth from her hands, her skin’s natural chill seeping back in. “No, I’m fine.”
Megumi narrowed his eyes, trying to read her expression. There was something just below the surface, but even with his understanding of (Y/N), he couldn’t figure out what it was. “Then let’s go back to Okkotsu.”
l
“Itadori,” said Megumi as they entered the circle of light created by the small fire. He could sense the resignation in his friend, already decided on staying where he was. “It’s time to go. The barrier is loosening, and as long as no one sees you—” Itadori brightened from where he sat dejected at Choso’s side.
“Megumi, you know we can’t,” said (Y/N), looking at him with slight guilt. She hadn’t yet told him that she would not follow him back to Jujutsu High. “They will kill us, even if we get a few sorcerers on our side, everyone we can trust is gone.”
“But—” began Itadori, trying to cling onto some hope.
“Gojo is sealed. Principal Yaga will be punished for allowing ‘Geto’ to continue his plans. Inumaki lost an arm. Ieri is missing. Kugisaki might be dying. Nanami nearly died.” (Y/N) nearly choked on the words. “We’re alone against an enemy we know nothing about.”
Frustrated, she tightened her fists and glared at the fire in front of her. “And yet we’re the bad guys. And the Elders are just going to pin it all on Gojo and Yaga and Itadori and me. When all we did is defend their institution with our lives and hide the parts of ourselves that didn’t line up with their vision.” Her curse marks froze against her skin.
“They won’t care that Sukuna was acting strangely in his fight at Shibuya. They won’t care that Geto isn’t Geto but Kamo Noritoshi.” (Y/N)’s eyes were cold as ice. “All they care about is themselves and controlling everything.” She looked over at Okkotsu, Megumi, Choso, and Itadori. “Well fuck that.”
(Y/N) tore her off gloves, the mask of humanity she had hidden behind her whole life, and tossed them to the flames. Her complete set of curse marks a dark, stark contrast to the golden firelight. Itadori, Choso, and Okkotsu blinked in surprise at the unusually defiant gesture for the collected girl, but Megumi stared in awe at her marks. To him, they were signed of her unending strength that he so admired. And her words were true and powerful. Megumi had grown up beside (Y/N), but he had no problem saying that this newfound confidence and developing sense of self-worth as a half-curse was his favorite evolution.
(Y/N) took a deep breath as she watched the fire eat the gloves. “We need to get beat Kamo’s Culling Game. We need to free Gojo.” In the instance the final scrap of cloth was ash, it was like a burden had lifted from her shoulders. Her words were calm once again, short and to the point.
Megumi stood, the first to speak after her sentiments. “We need to save Tsumiki, as well. She’s been brought into the Culling Game.” He looked at her, almost into her soul, begging for the power she had just displayed. “Please. I’m begging for your strength.”
“We’d never leave her behind,” said (Y/N), a warmth she reserved just for Megumi entering her eyes. “I am always by your side.”
“As I am by yours,” said Megumi.
Itadori nodded emphatically. “We’ll continue saving people!”
“Not because we’re heroes, but because we’re jujutsu sorcerers, and we protect those who cannot protect themselves,” said (Y/N).
Okkotsu smiled and nodded. “Alright then. I suppose we need to consolidate our information to make a plan.”
“For one, Sukuna is planning something involving Fushiguro,” said Itadori. “I caught glimpses of what was happening when he took over my body.”
(Y/N) nodded. “He brought Megumi to Ieri after the fight against Mahoraga.”
Megumi furrowed his brow. Sukuna had seemed strangely interested in his, and (Y/N)’s for that matter, strength during the battle before Itadori “died.” He just wondered what exactly the King of Curses wanted.
Itadori spoke up again. “And I know that since there are only five fingers left it isn’t likely that I’ll be taken over by him again, even if I eat them all at once, but if it happens…” He looked with deadly somberness at Okkotsu. “I need you to kill me. I think you could do that.”
“Understood. I’ll do what I can,” said Okkotsu. “Who else knows anything?”
“My father is alive,” said (Y/N), straight to the point.
Megumi, Choso, and Okkotsu blinked. “Are you going to elaborate or…?” asked Megumi.
“Nox appeared when I found Nanami dying. He brought him to Ieri, made sure he lived,” said (Y/N).
“Was he working with Kamo?” asked Itadori, confused.
(Y/N) just shrugged. She really didn’t know. She wanted to believe Nox wasn’t, especially with his kind words and actions, but she couldn’t be sure of anything. Like Sukuna, he seemed to have something else going on in his mind, but curses were anything but predictable. Sorcerers really didn’t know enough about them to understand what Nox, or any of the cursed spirits who appeared during Shibuya, could be after.
Okkotsu sighed. “We’ll keep an eye out.” (Y/N) nodded.
Itadori looked at Megumi and (Y/N). “So what do we do now?”
“Get into Jujutsu High,” said (Y/N).
Itadori frowned. “I thought you said we couldn’t return.”
“Not permanently,” said Megumi, understanding where she was going. “We need to contact Tengen-sama. We need to figure out how to remove the seal on the Prison Realm. Also, what are Kamo Noritoshi’s concrete objectives and future moves. The Culling Game is Jujutsu Terrorism like never before. To fix this mess, we need to find the answers to these questions, and I think only Tengen-sama knows.”
“Maybe Tsukumo knows?” asked Itadori.
“I already spoke to her. This was her idea,” said Megumi. “She’s hiding in Jujutsu High, too.”
“Hiding?” wondered Itadori.
“She wants to avoid the Higher-Ups like us.”
“The problem is Tengen-sama’s concealing barrier. Over a thousand doors are continuously shuffling, but only one leads to the Tomb of the Star corridor where Tengen-sama resides,” said Okkotsu.
“And we can’t contact Tengen-sama if we don’t pick the right one?” Itadori groaned.
Suddenly leaning into the light and spooking everyone, Choso spoke up, “About that barrier, there may be a way past it.”
“Oh, you were listening!” commented Okkotsu, smiling.
“What do you mean?” asked (Y/N).
“Mahito once stole Sukuna’s fingers and the Death Painting Wombs, right?” he said. “We can do the same thing.”
“Then it’s time to regroup with Tsukumo,” said Megumi.
Okkotsu nodded. “Itadori, Fushiguro, and (L/N) need to split up. With Zenin Naoya out there, he’s going to go after them. Itadori and (L/N) have an execution order; Fushiguro is now the Head of the Zenin Clan. If they aren’t together, it’ll be easier to slip past him. I’ll go with Itadori since Naoya already attacked him, Choso can go with Fushiguro.” Itadori nodded, Choso sulked but accepted it, and Megumi…narrowed his eyes in anger.
“That leaves (Y/N) by herself,” he said. “What if Naoya finds her?”
“I can handle him,” said (Y/N), her words so blunt that it left no room for doubt.
Okkotsu nodded. “Out of you three, she handled her battles in Shibuya the best.” He smiled and chuckled. “Fushiguro, Itadori, you’re both talented and strong, but you both took quite the beating.” The boys looked down sullenly. “(L/N) took injuries, but not quite as bad as yours.”
(Y/N) shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind seeing Ieri.”
Okkotsu glanced at the bruises and cuts across her body. “I’m sure you wouldn’t.” He glanced at where the moon was lowering in the sky. “Now we need to get going.”
Everyone stood up, and Megumi took (Y/N)’s wrist to speak to her. “I know I couldn’t stop you from going on your own if I tried.”
(Y/N) shook her head. “Not if it puts you in danger.”
He sighed and looked at her. “Then please stay safe. Avoid any sign of people. I—We cannot afford to lose you.”
“You won’t lose me,” said (Y/N). There was no expression on her face, but it just made her words more honest.
Megumi opened his mouth to respond, but Itadori spoke up first. “You two ready?”
He swallowed and nodded, eyes dark as he prepared to enter another plot that put him and his friends in danger. This time, if they were found out, it was just curses that they’d be fighting against. It’d be the Elders, too. “Yes.” Megumi looked to (Y/N).
Her eyes were set and looked out into the night as if they could see all the movements within it already. She was prepared to do whatever it took to save the people she cared about. “Yes.”
#of two worlds#jjk fanfic#jjk fic#jjk x reader#jjk#jjk megumi#jjk manga spoilers#jjk manga#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen fushiguro#jujustu kaisen#jujutsu kaisen megumi#fushiguro megumi x reader#megumi fushiguro#megumi x reader#fushiguro megumi#fushiguro#fushiguro x reader#megumi fushiguro x reader
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Bansui Main Verses
YOUR HEART IS DARKNESS (MAIN VERSE)
In the aftermath of the war against the Wandenreich, Bansui has continued to lead the Kido Corps, but now must also contend with being the new head of his family’s noble house, after his brother’s death at the hands of the Sternritter Shaz Domino. Though Bansui is annoyed by the added responsibility, the added power and influence of his new position at the head of his family isn’t without its benefits, and he intends to use every bit of it to advance his goals toward achieving his dream of the Great Ascension. (Takes place Post-Blood War)
HERE COMES THE MADNESS (SECONDARY VERSE)
With the Kido Corps’ former leadership branded traitors and stripped of their rankings, Bansui has recently been appointed as the organizations Commander, and has begun to slowly piece the Kido Corps back together, and grow their power. Being appointed to such a high ranking and influential position has given Bansui the perfect opportunity to explore his dream of the Great Ascension, too, and already, he’s begun to proselytize his subordinates, but his promotion has also forced Bansui to interact more with the outside world, and in effect, it’s become harder for him to stay out of the Soul Society’s and the World of the Living’s affairs… (Takes place anywhere from just after Turn Back The Pendulum to the TYBW)
MAGIC BREATHES IN THE DARK (CROSSOVER VERSE)
Same premise as Bansui's main-verse, only with added cross-over shenanigans thrown into the mix. Bansui (and his other-self, Parca) wanders a little more in this verse, traveling from the Soul Society to other realms in his quest to bring his 'Great Ascension' into reality.
Bansui AU'S
SANCTUM OF ASH (AU - JUJUTSU KAISEN)
It is thought that for as long as Humans have walked the earth, their negative emotions have given birth to Curses, but there are some who believe differently. Throughout Humanity's long history and the history of Curses that have dwelt alongside it, there has existed a secretive cult that have sought to return both groups to their supposed 'primordial' states, to return the World as we know it to a supposed 'true' existence.
Dubbed 'The Illuminated' by those within its ranks, this collective's existence, while never confirmed to either Human or Jujutsu society, has been hinted at through the passing ages, with their hands having been behind, or involved in, some of the world's most important events, but little concrete evidence of The Illuminated has ever been found.
In general, be it within regular society or Jujutsu circles, The Illuminated are often seen as nothing more than a myth or conspiracy theory, but the terrifying truth is that they are indeed very, very real, and at the helm of this shadowy organization is the enigmatic Bansui, an ancient Curse User who long ago, in a freak accident, found themselves merged with a so called 'Primordial Curse'.
In the present day and age, Bansui more openly acts through two lesser organizations that he oversees. Firstly, there is 'The Radiant Abyss', a religious movement that has been steadily growing in the hearts and minds of people everywhere thanks to Bansui's preaching of a so called 'Great Ascension'. Then there is the organization known as 'Q', which Bansui recently revived after their destruction a few years prior-- like before, Q operates as a group of Curse Users seeking to overturn the Jujutsu world, and they often ply their services to other groups or causes that aim to do just that. Other times Q, under the direction of Bansui, will seek out and offer refuge to errant Curses as well. Bansui will sometimes act through Q himself but also at times under the guise of 'Parca', the curse that he merged with long ago.
Thanks to the series of incidents occurring within Japan in the present day, especially in the wake of the Shibuya Incident, Bansui can see his ultimate goal getting closer. Time will tell if Bansui and the Illuminated can make their long sought dream a reality, however.
[Extra JJK Info Here]
CRUEL DARKNESS ( AU - MODERN!FANTASY)
Bansui is an ancient being who heads a religious cult known as "The Illuminated", a shadowy cabal who has been hovering in the background of Human history since Humanity's inception itself. Bansui, and his groups aim is to return existence to its supposed primordial state, wherein true peace and equality for all can be achieved, but it has been a long process, and not one without its obstacles....
In the present day and age, Bansui publicly appears as the leader of a lesser organization, known as "The Radiant Abyss", an apparently new-age religious movement that is steadily growing its numbers in the hearts and minds of people everywhere, from the average joes, to politicians, to criminal elements.
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yuta comforting you after the shibuya incident
MANGA SPOILERS UP TO CHAPTER 159 UNDER THE CUT
a/n~ i started reading the manga and i read up to chapter 159. all my friends are anime-onlys for jjk so i'm suffering alone, thought i'd write this to cope. (ｏ´_｀ｏ)
words~1.6k
tw~hurt/comfort, character death and injury, killing, canon typical violence, depressive habits,
"Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong."
That's what you all told yourselves that night. Perhaps this was an attempt to comfort each other. "Nothing could be worse than this!" or "It's only up from here." Similar to the consolation one has when they know they've reached rock bottom and they can finally start to climb up.
But if you were being honest? Those who survived shouldn't have, and those who didn't were lucky to have a swift end. No one wanted to say it, but there was inherent envy for those who passed on that Halloween night. Because they wouldn't have to wake up the following day to the fallout of this great disaster.
Some would argue that the aftermath of the Shibuya Incident was far worse than the night itself. You wouldn't go that far, but most of your friends would.
In the wake of Halloween night, Maki had suffered permanent burns and lost her twin sister, Panda had lost his only family, Inumaki lost his arm, you had lost your right ring and pinky finger, and the first years lost Nobara. However, on top of all these losses rested the first to occur and the catalysts to this horrific aftermath. The loss of your teacher Satoru Gojo.
You would say that you were just happy to be alive, but living in a world where the strongest was locked away in a box for who knows how long just didn't seem better than death.
Out of all the anger and sadness you shared with one another, one thing remained true across the board. You were tired. Whatever energy you had left in reserve was spent on silent tears that didn't exist because no one witnessed them.
You told yourself that crying wouldn't change anything because it wouldn't be enough to bring anyone back, even if you cried the ocean over. It wouldn't be enough to erase what you saw or heal your broken and battered souls.
These truths didn't stop you from crying, though. However, you were strong enough to hold back the waters long enough to grab something to eat before heading back to your dorm, lit only by the light of your laptop screen.
You had decided on leftover pizza for dinner tonight, mainly because it only took 30 seconds to microwave, and you didn't want to ask anyone if there was anything else. You didn't even bother to grab a drink.
You and the two slices of cheese pizza made your way back to your room and shut the door for what would probably be the last time tonight. You placed your pizza on your desk and decided to use the adrenalin boost from getting up to make your bed despite the fact it was almost 10pm. There was something so comforting about getting into a made bed. Or maybe it was just discomforting to get into a messy one.
You couldn't help but think, "Why does it matter if my bed is made when Nobara is dead?" You started seeing menial everyday tasks as a way of saying, "I don't care that all these people are dead and my friends are hurt; I'm still here." This is true, you are still here, and your life continues. You still have to do things like make your bed, brush your teeth, and eat. You know that, but for some reason, you feel guilty.
Either way, your stomach beckoned you to sit at your desk and eat. So you sat down and pulled up Hell's Kitchen on your laptop and ate without one critical thought going through your head. After a few minutes, you were brought out of your daze by the sound of knocking on your door.
"What is it!?" you shouted towards the door with food still in your mouth. The person took this question as permission to enter. When you hear the door open, you sigh and pause your show while saying, "I said what is-"
You cut yourself off when you saw Yuta standing there with a tired face. To most, he would look emotionless or devoid of personality. But you knew that face was one of pure despair because it was the same one that looked back at you in the mirror. This was someone who had no tears left to cry.
He drops his bag at the door and makes his way over to the bed. You're glad you decided to make it earlier, not that you thought Yuta would judge you. He sits on your bed, and you turn in your desk chair to face him.
"They said you were injured." he broke the silence with a soft, quiet voice. You assume "they" means the assistant manager who told him about the damages over the phone, but you don't bother to ask.
"But not how you were injured..." he adds, trying to get you to respond. You have your hands covered in the sleeves of an oversized sweater so he wouldn't see them, hoping he wouldn't ask. You could tell by his uncharacteristic pushiness that you wouldn't be able to hide this from him any longer.
You sigh and give him a defeated look while pulling out your right hand. Other than his eyebrows slightly lifting in surprise, his face didn't change. He reached out and held what's left of your right hand in both of his. Looking up from your hand, he sends you a look as if he's asking for permission to do something. You are far too tired to object, so you just nod and stare at the floor.
Yuta brings your hand to his chest and holds it tight. You can feel his heart beating, and you close your eyes, wondering what's going on in his head.
You two sit there in each other's presence for a while, with Yuta stroking the seals on the bandages with his thumb. Every once in a while, he brings your hand to his mouth and softly kisses it. This doesn't feel like just a friendly gesture, but both of you are too exhausted to discuss it. That was probably why he chose to do it because he knew you wouldn't have to talk about it now.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there," he says just nearly above a whisper, voice breaking, on the verge of tears. You look up at him, and you can see the guilt in how he looks at you.
You bring your left hand up to cup his face and say, "It was a surprise attack. No one could have known. And besides, even if you were there, you would have just gotten hurt like the rest of us." Both of you knew he wouldn't have physically gotten hurt, but Yuta took things personally, and things would stick with him longer than the rest of you.
Your left-hand drops to take his right hand, and you reverse the position by placing it on your chest so he can feel your heartbeat. "There are so many people who aren't here right now," you say solemnly. "I miss them desperately."
You bring his hand to your lips and kiss it before adding, "But we are still here, and that's got to mean something, Yuta."
You and Yuta sit there a while until Yuta chuckles and says, "I was supposed to be comforting you."
"You did! Really, I feel a lot better now!" you say, giving him a smile. This makes him feel accomplished like his efforts weren't wasted. "Well enough to share?" he says while glancing at the now cold pizza.
"No way." You say firmly, "I ventured out into the common room for this." Now stuffing your face with cold, bad-tasting pizza, an idea comes to mind.
"Do you want to stay the night?" you ask. "You can say no. I know you must be tired from traveling and meeting with the elders," You add a disgusted face at the end when mentioning them.
Yuta smiles and stands up,, making you unconsciously frown. "Sure! Let me go put some nightclothes on," he says before walking over to his bag and shuffling around some clothes.
When Yuta leaves, you throw away what's left of your pizza and get ready for bed yourself. While washing your face, you realize that this is the first time since Shibuya that you haven't felt tired but rather at peace. What was first an unwelcomed visit became a thankful encounter.
Later, when Yuta comes back in sweatpants and a t-shirt, you both get under the covers of your bed and put on a movie. You feel Yuta lean his head on your right shoulder about halfway through the movie.
You smile softly and link your arm with his. He takes this new closeness as an opportunity to grasp your injured hand. His breathing starts to slow, continuing to caress the healing seals on your hand.
"Why don't we go to bed?" you ask looking down at him. "You'de be much more comfortable laying down."
He opens his eyes seemingly pondering his options. "No, I'm fine here." he says definitively and shuts his eyes back. You close your laptop in front of you and shift to laying down while opening your arms, motioning him to join you.
Yuta lets out a groan while shifting his position to laying down facing you. He takes your right hand in his and lets out a yawn before closes his eyes.
"Goodnight, Yuta." you whisper softly.
"mhm" he grumbles in response, bringing your hand up to his lips for a final kiss before dozing off almost instantly.
wow ok, that was a lot... if you ever want to talk about the manga with me my messages are always open! I don't have any friends who read the manga so pls (ｏ´_｀ｏ) feedback appreciated, as this is my first non-headcanon!
requests open!
masterlist
#yuta x reader#yuta okkotsu x reader#yuta imagines#okkotsu x reader#jjk x reader#jjk imagines#yuta okkotsu#yuuta okkotsu x reader#yuta okkotsu fluff#yuuta x reader#yuta okkotsu x you#yuta scenarios#yuuta okkotsu#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen#okkotsu yuuta#okkotsu yuta x reader#okkotsu yuta fluff#okkotsu yuta x you#okkotsu yuta#jjk manga#jjk spoilers#jjk shibuya arc
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hey!! if you wanted jjk fic recs here are a few or nine:
but, for others, i would kill by frazzledazzle
itafushikugi, 2.1k words. set a few years in the future from where the timeline is now, excellent casual banter
(apparently, dramatically, convincingly) You Could Kiss Me by mahadevi
itafushi with background nobamaki, 5.8k words. housemates au, very soft and warm. the note i left on it when i bookmarked it reads “fics that feel like stepping into a warm home on a cold day and being greeted by the sound of someone you love singing along to the radio in the kitchen”
I want to renew you again and again by Shapeshifter99
itafushi, 14.9k words divided into 3 sections. Very Good hurt/comfort
Scars by Lyrebirds
gen, 5.7k words. first years reunion after the shibuya incident!! this one made me tear up
In death and in regret by coudric
satosugu-ish, 5.3k words. REALLY neat and a little unsettling: getou dies and comes back as a curse that clings to gojou
in reflection of you by wellthengetouttathesoupaisle
gen, 3.9k words. canon-compliant, Apply Fresh Garlic To An Open Wound To Immediately Intensify The Pain: getou, through nanako’s eyes.
carve a line out of grief by wellthengetouttathesoupaisle
gen and shokohime, currently 2.7k words but there’s supposed to be another chapter soon. in the aftermath of volume 0, gojou and shouko take some time to breathe
film reel by wellthengetouttathesoupaisle
satosugu, 1.5k. kenjaku getting the titular film reel of getou’s memories when he takes on his body. this one is really cool and a little creepy with some Pain Salt (tm)
if you like satosugu i recommend anything by wellthengetouttathesoupaisle actually dhfksj
VENETIAN VOLCANOES by gravitationals
nobamaki, 1.4k. prose-heavy, nobara’s second-person pov, nobara learning how to love herself and others!!
Anon I owe you my fucking life
#genuinely ty so much#i get soooo overwhelmed when i try to read fic for a new fandom#like i still havent fully cracked into all sk8 ao3 has to offer#so this helps sm!!!#asks#anon#jjk blogging
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Okay so what I was thinking about was the end of the Shibuya Incident: Kintsugi MC has to be called in to help in the aftermath of Shibuya (she already knows what happened to Nanami and is shattered), and that’s what puts her over the edge. She dies from being overworked and comes back as a curse, and Yuji is the first one to find her like that...
Wow, anon. You weren’t kidding when you said you had some angst to share. The idea of Yuuji having to be the one to exorcise her curse is just.... oof what a gut punch 😭 Especially because she feels like Nanami is the only thing holding her together so to lose him would just damage her beyond repair and she would just give up on living altogether.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what the post-Shibuya Incident follow-up is gonna be because it’s something I have to show. I'm dying to have MC and Yuuji interact because he definitely feels so guilty for not saving Nanami and I just imagine him breaking down to MC where he keeps apologizing to her and she comforts him through her own tears. I imagine that she’ll also take a look at his soul and just be devastated by how much more damaged it is compared to how it was when she first checked it and then she’ll repair it for him.
Because I’m an idiot and assumed that everything would be resolved, I was originally thinking that MC would visit Jujutsu Tech to see Yuuji on her own and then she meets with Gojo and breaks down to him. But now we know that that’s not gonna be happening any time soon, so I’ll have to see where the manga goes to figure out what the follow-up is gonna look like. I’m wondering if Yuuji is gonna go on the run or something to regroup? In which case, maybe Yaga or Yuki try to hide him at MC’s while they come up with a plan because they know the higher-ups would never think to check there?
Thankfully, I’m planning on doing some prequel stuff before the Post-Shibuya Incident to explain a lot of the backstory so that’ll give Gege time to write the next few chapters lol
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As the player progresses through Shido’s Palace and each of his confidants, we eventually learn that every previous antagonist in the game was tied, directly or indirectly, to Shido’s conspiracy: Kamoshida’s sudden confession raised suspicions towards Shujin Academy as the origin of the Phantom Thieves and its principal was subsequently tasked with investigating them; Kaneshiro’s Shadow confirms the existence of a criminal using the Metaverse to induce psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns for their own purposes; Wakaba’s research on cognitive psience as well as Wakaba herself were targeted to prevent anyone else from learning about and potentially using the Metaverse; Okumura was a prominent client and several background incidents (e.g. the Wild Duck Burger employee who was “prompted” to take nude selfies at work, harming the reputation of a rival business) took place at his request; Sae was unknowingly used to further turn public opinion against the Phantom Thieves as well as lure them into her Palace as a trap.
But the inclusion of Madarame in this list confused me at first. Specifically, the reveal that both he and Kaneshiro apparently funded Shido’s campaign – the latter I could easily believe, given his Shadow’s testimony and Shido’s other yakuza ties, but the former seemed out of nowhere. While he certainly possessed enough wealth and status (despite his false modesty) to plausibly afford the conspiracy’s services, I couldn’t recall even a hint before this point that Madarame had ever been connected to Shido or even what reason he could’ve had to have been involved with him in the first place.
Upon replaying Madarame’s arc, however, certain details of his story suddenly appeared in a new light.
After Ann exposes him as the con artist he really is, Madarame calls his “private security company” to come and arrest her, but later complains that they weren’t able to catch even a teenage girl; in reality, Ann of course escaped into the Metaverse along with Yusuke. But while that may have been lost on Madarame, there’s reason to believe that a target seemingly vanishing into thin air didn’t go entirely unnoticed by those agents.
My theory, essentially, is this: the private security company summoned by Madarame was in fact a branch of Shido’s conspiracy, and the unusual circumstances of Madarame’s call led to Akechi (as “Black Mask”) being deployed in order to investigate further.
This theory is founded on two main points. The Phantom Thieves first learn about someone else infiltrating the Metaverse from Madarame’s Shadow, but that raises the question of both how and why that person entered Madarame’s Palace to begin with. As we know, a specific name must be verified with the Metaverse Navigator to know that a Palace even exists, followed by providing the correct keywords to enter – which itself requires at least some insight into the ruler’s true character. The endgame reveal that Madarame had in fact been a member of the conspiracy, then, provides both motive and means for Akechi to have entered his Palace.
That’s the how, then. As for why Madarame involved himself with Shido, it’s ultimately left ambiguous. But a plausible explanation, I think, can be derived from something established during the team’s initial investigation of Madarame as a potential target.
Some time after completing their first Mementos request, the Phantom Thieves are contacted by their former target, Natsuhiko Nakanohara. As it turns out, Nakanohara was once a student of Madarame, and his testimony regarding his former mentor is what convinces them that Madarame needs to be brought to justice despite Yusuke’s objections:
I’m… one of Madarame’s former pupils. He gave me lodging at his home, where I thought only about art. I genuinely wanted to be an artist… There was another pupil as well. A very talented man, multiple years my senior. Obviously, Madarame kept tabs on him. Everything he made was claimed as a Madarame original. He wasn’t the only victim though… In response to Madarame’s actions… that senior pupil committed suicide. He must have been unable to bear seeing his work praised under Madarame’s name. That was when I disobeyed Madarame’s pleas and left… But he quickly pressured other parts of the art world, and my life as a painter was destroyed.
In short, Nakanohara’s experiences confirm what the Phantom Thieves already suspected: Madarame is truly “an adult who cultivated his own fame and fortune by sacrificing the livelihood of children.” He keeps his students under strict surveillance and sees them only as expendable tools to further his own career and reputation, and those who disobey him are forever blacklisted from the art world that’s thoroughly under his influence; the player can actually encounter a few of his now homeless former students in Shibuya, one of whom is the street vendor who sells accessories.
How fortunate for Madarame, then, that this senior pupil saved him the trouble and chose to commit suicide without trying to take Madarame’s career and reputation down with him.
In fact, this all starts to sound suspiciously familiar after having completed the game once in its entirety. Namely, the fact that this scenario bears more than a passing resemblance to another backstory-related suicide: the death of Wakaba Isshiki. Not only was her murder staged as a suicide, the narrative constructed by Shido’s agents in the aftermath was so thorough that even Futaba was convinced that the burden of raising her drove her mother to death.
Given how effective it was the first time around, who’s to say that this M.O. couldn’t have been used a second time?
To be clear, I don’t think it’s implausible at all that the prospect of having to choose either subservience or ostracism could drive someone to take their own life. But considering the context in which this character died – the suicide of a dissatisfied student of a deeply corrupt man with ties to a criminal organization and access to an assassin with supernatural powers – I don’t necessarily think Nakanohara’s interpretation of events should be taken completely at face value. If this student’s despair was truly so great that he felt death was his only escape, it seems strange to me that he wouldn’t have at least attempted (as far as we know) to expose Madarame’s crimes when he had nothing left to lose – and to me, this suggests that there may be something more at work.
Moreover, we already know from Madarame’s past murder-by-inaction of Yusuke’s mother that he has no qualms about leaving someone to die if their death would serve his interests. And while deliberately orchestrating someone’s death certainly has different ethical implications than simply failing to intervene when someone’s in danger, I don’t think the jump from depraved indifference to premeditated murder is such an implausible leap for Madarame given everything we know about his true nature. Taking into account what we later learn about him – that he was connected all along to a conspiracy that creates destructive and sometimes deadly situations in exchange for favors from its rich and powerful clients – I think it’s more than possible that, if necessary, Madarame would have ordered this student’s death to protect himself.
In the end, there’s nothing in the text that definitively confirms or denies any of this. But I do think it’s consistent with the portrayal of the other members of the conspiracy and neatly fills the implicit gaps in Madarame’s story created by his involvement with them.
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