466Edited by: absolem ! („• ᴗ •„)
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Lilly placed a plate of scones on the dining room table.
Seated at the table was Yūji, Satoru, and the new boy they had taken in; Junpei.
Junpei's shoulders were hunched over. His hands were folded together in front of him, and he fiddled with his thumbs. He irradiated nervous energy; a dark, hollowed look in his eyes.
Yūji was seated beside him; he smiled at Lilly when she sat the scones down.
"Let me make sure I've got this straight," said Satoru. He pointed to Junpei. "You saw a Cursed Spirit murder some of your bullies, and decided, yeah I wanna learn how to do that, and then tried to befriend it?"
Junpei flinched, but nodded.
"At which point the Cursed Spirit tricked you into carrying a Cursed Object back to your home that got your mom killed. And you," Satoru gestured to Yūji, "didn't sense it, why?"
Yūji frowned. "Nanamin said they found bits of sealing paper; it was likely hidden up until the seal broke."
"Okay," said Satoru. He folded his hands together and leaned forward. "After your mother's death, you went to the school to try and kill the bullies?"
"Yes," Junpei whispered.
"But Yūji stopped you?"
"Yes."
"And that's when Stitches came out and–" Satoru waved his hand.
"Yes."
"The bastard got away too," Yūji grumbled. "Escaped into the sewers. Nanamin wouldn't let me chase after him."
"And now," Satoru continued, "you want to join Jujutsu High?"
"Yes," Junpei answered, his voice barely audible.
Satoru leaned back in his chair, a careless grin on his face. "I like it. Most people who go through something traumatic that gets their loved ones killed get all hesitant. You? Nah! Why back out now when you've come so far? Welcome to our little world. I'll get you an introduction to our principal."
Junpei winced at some of the words. "Thank you…?"
"You're welcome." Satoru clapped. "If you're accepted, I assume you want to stay at the dorms–?"
Lilly pointedly cleared her throat.
Satoru glanced at her. He looked back at Junpei. He looked back at Lilly.
Lilly smiled at Junpei. "You don't have to stay at the school–"
"I think it would be best, you know–be around people his own age?" Satoru quickly added.
"He'll see them at school," Lilly dismissed, still smiling at Junpei. "You are welcome to stay here, sweet child. Whatever makes you most comfortable."
"I, um…" Junpei nervously looked between the adults.
"How bribable are you?" Satoru quietly asked.
"What?"
Yūji sighed. "Junpei, if you stay at the dorms you can be hallway buddies with me and my best friend. You'll like Megumi; he's quiet."
Junpei smiled, relieved from Yūji's intervention. "That sounds good. Thank you."
"Perfect," said Satoru, beaming.
"How old are you, Junpei?" Lilly inquired.
Junpei's brow creased. He stumbled over his words as he answered, "I–I'll turn seventeen in August this year."
"Oh, Lilly… un autre?" Satoru's tone was filled with teasing affection, even as he shook his head. Lilly winked at him.
She cleared her throat. "So do you have a legal guardian? A father, perhaps…?"
Junpei shook his head no.
Lilly placed a hand over her heart, softening her smile. "If it's alright with you, I would like to become your legal guardian for the time being. Otherwise, a teacher will be appointed once you enter the school."
"You're… Yūji's mom?" Junpei anxiously squeezed his hands. "Are you… sure…?" He looked between Yūji and Lilly.
"Of course," said Lilly. "I would be happy to."
"She really means that," Yūji echoed with a grin on his face.
"In that case, yes, if you don't mind…"
Lilly was elated. "I'll take care of the whole process."
"Ce n'est pas la première fois, et pour une raison quelconque, je ne pense pas que ce sera la dernière fois," Satoru teased.
"Right?" Yūji echoed.
"Hush you two," said Lilly. "Eat up everyone. I'll make us some fresh tea. Junpei, do you have any allergies…?"
"Um, no."
"Fantastic."
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Megumi stared at his phone. He idly scrolled through social media looking at memes. Yūji was posting a lot on his dummy account. Pretty risky for someone faking his death. Not that Megumi was going to snitch on him, but he did make a mental note; the next time his best friend decided to fake his death, Megumi would confiscate his phone.
"Why is everyone empty-handed?!"
Nobara's voice was uncharacteristically shrill. Megumi learned early on that while Nobara could get passionate, she was more of a growler than a shouter.
Megumi looked up at the same time his upper-classmates did as well. The four–now five with Nobara's arrival–were gathered near the front entrance of Jujutsu High. It was a warm summer day with a consistently pleasant breeze. The campus grounds were always well maintained so the foliage was a vibrant green and the air always smelled clean.
Maki put away her phone and raised an eyebrow at Megumi. Panda cocked his head, "Why do you have luggage?"
It was only then that Megumi noticed that Nobara had a suitcase and bag packed.
"Why? We're going to Kyoto, right?" she asked.
Why does she think we're leaving? Megumi thought to himself. He knew Gojō wasn't the best at explaining things, but he didn't recall any part of the explanation where he told them they'd be leaving. That'd be weird.
"A goodwill event in Kyoto…?" Nobara hesitantly tried out.
"A goodwill event with Kyoto," Panda corrected, "in Tokyo. The event's held at the school of the previous year's winner."
Nobara's face soured. "Ugh. Why'd you go and win? Idiots."
"We didn't participate last year," said Panda. "But Yūta got a chance to compete since there weren't enough people."
"It was a one-sided affair," said Maki.
"Gah!" Nobara fell to her knees. "I won't forgive you, Yūta Suzuran! Even though I've never met you!"
Megumi offered her a hand. "You'll get dirty if you stay on the ground."
Nobara accepted his hand with a sigh.
"Oi. They're here," said Maki.
Megumi straightened up and put his phone away as soon as he noticed them.
Jujutsu High's class, from the Kyoto Campus. There were six members in attendance for the exchange event. Megumi had met most of them already.
The tallest student in the group was Aoi Tōdō. He was a third-year student and a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer. He was the same height as their teacher, Satoru Gojō, but unlike Gojō, Aoi was completely ripped. He had a very defined, heavy muscular build with a large scar down the left side of his face. He kept his black hair in a top-knot bun, and always had a disgruntled look on his face. He grumbled, "I don't see Suzuran."
The next tallest student was Kōkichi Muta, a slim young man with sharp brown eyes. He wore his black hair tied in a top knot with a red ribbon. Megumi had only met the student one other time, and had thought he was a stoic person.
Then there was Noritoshi Kamo, a third year and heir to the Kamo Clan. He wore his long black hair in an odd style where two strands were bandaged in front of his face and the rest was left free. He normally keeps his eyes closed and is coldly polite when addressed.
Mai Zen'in was Maki's twin sister who kept her hair short, and her personality nasty. She sneered. "Is this a welcome party? Gross."
Beside her was the shortest member, a girl with blonde pigtails and deep blue eyes. She carried a broom close to her. She was Momo Nishimiya.
The last member of Kyoto's group was someone Megumi hadn't met in person. He knew her name because Gojō had shown off the roster list and by process of elimination she had to be Kasumi Miwa. She had long, light blue hair with asymmetric bangs. Megumi noticed the katana at her hilt and wondered if it was a Cursed Weapon like what Maki used.
Nobara placed a hand on her hip. "Shut up and hand over the souvenirs. Yatsuhashi sweets, kuzukiri noodles, buckwheat cookies…"
"Salmon," said Toge, but by his tone and flat expression Megumi could tell he meant, Yeah! What she said.
Aoi scoffed. "You hungry?"
Momo's brow furrowed. "What a scary personality."
"Forget Suzuran," Kōkichi said. "Aren't you taking too much of a handicap with two first-years?"
Noritoshi said, "Age is irrelevant with Jujutsu Sorcerers. Especially Fushiguro. He is a Zen'in, after all."
If Megumi cared about Noritoshi's opinion in the slightest, he might have been offended to be called a Zen'in.
Good thing he didn't.
Noritoshi went on, "I'd say he's more reliable than the head of the family."
"Tch," Mai sneered.
"Hm?"
"Nothing," she said.
"Hey now, no fighting," rebuked a calm voice. The Kyoto's teacher was a Semi-Grade 1 Sorcerer named Utahime Iori. She was a young woman in a miko priestess outfit, kept her black hair pulled back, and had a scar across her left cheek and nose. She climbed up the front steps to reach the group. "What will I do with you kids?" She glanced around. "So, where's that idiot?"
"Satoru's late," said Panda.
"No way that idiot is ever on time," said Maki.
Megumi frowned. "She didn't even mention his name–"
"HERE I AM!"
Satoru Gojō came barreling from behind them. He was pushing some kind of boxed cart.
Miss Iori growled, "Satoru Gojō! You're late!"
Gojō didn't miss a beat. "Everyone's here I see. I was actually on a business trip overseas." He handed the Kyoto students some odd items. "Souvenirs. Tribal charms for the Kyoto kids. Utahime, that's not for you."
"Like I care!"
"And for the Tokyo kids!" Satoru spun the cart around.
"Over-excited adults are creepy," Nobara muttered.
Satoru tapped the cart and out popped Yūji and another boy. "It's your dearly departed classmate with a new classmate!"
"Hi!" Yūji shouted happily, waving his arms around. The other boy was shorter and skinnier than Yūji. His black hair was short and styled to cover part of his face. He was stiff, awkward, and oozed social anxiety. He was practically hiding behind Yūji.
"Who's that?" Megumi asked.
"Why are you alive?" Nobara asked.
"Gojō, if you lied to a mother that her son was dead–" Maki growled.
"That's despicable, even for you," said Miss Iori.
Gojō just laughed.
"This is Junpei Yoshino," said Yūji, patting the boy's back. He climbed out of the cart. "Nobara, stop glaring at me."
"You faked your death?!" Nobara was incredulous.
"Yeah, can finally cross that off my bingo card of things I never thought I'd do this year," Yūji sardonically drawled out. He clapped hands with Megumi and the two briefly hugged. "Miss me, buddy?"
"Your nonstop posting of memes helped soothe the ache of your absence," Megumi deadpanned.
"You were still posting?" Gojō clicked his tongue. "Next time you fake die, I'm taking your phone away."
"Not even over my dead body," Yūji disagreed. "Uh… sorry Nobara. Can you please stop glaring at me?"
She kicked his shins. "Share your account with me so I can see your dead memes next time, you asshole!"
"Fair enough," he squeaked out, clutching his poor shins.
"Sukuna's Vessel?" The shocked voice was raspy. Megumi looked over to the owner, and saw it was Kyoto's principal, Yoshinobu Gakuganji. Mr. Gakuganji was a bald, elderly man with elongated ears and many piercings. "What is this…?"
His reaction caused Megumi's eyes to narrow.
Gojō casually strolled over to the principal. "Keheh. Principal Gakuganji, thank goodness. Good thing the shock didn't kill you. I was so worried."
"You brat," Mr. Gakuganji snarled.
"Um…" Junpei hesitantly approached the group.
Yūji straightened up and clapped Junpei's shoulder. "Junpei, this is my best friend Megumi. And this is our teammate, Nobara. She's just a friend, she's not yet at the best friend status."
"It's nice to meet you both," said Junpei.
"Are you joining our year group?" Nobara asked him. She squinted as she looked him up and down. "You look like a downer."
"Um," was all Junpei could say.
"Would you rather have him be like Gojō?" Megumi dryly asked her.
"Good point." Nobara winked at him. "It's okay to cheer up around me, but don't get annoying like our teacher."
Junpei blushed. "Um… okay…?"
"Aww. Group bonding," said Yūji. "We're awesome."
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Translations:
Junpei's brow creased. He stumbled over his words as he answered, "I–I'll turn seventeen in August this year."
"Oh, Lilly… another?" Satoru's tone was filled with teasing affection, even as he shook his head. Lilly winked at him.
.
Lilly was elated. "I'll take care of the whole process."
"Not for the first time, and for some reason I don't think it will be the last time," Satoru teased.
"Right?" Yūji echoed.
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Bonus:
[Lilly texting Yūta]
Lilly: [uploaded a picture of Yūji & Junpei]
Lilly: I have adopted another son. He and Yūji get along well.
Lilly: His mother was eaten by a Cursed Spirit, so he's enrolling into the academy to learn Jujutsu and get revenge.
Lilly: Here's his number if you want to reach out to him.
Lilly: +81 752419795
Yūta: Thanks Mama, I'll introduce myself to him on the next video call with Yūji. (:
Yūta: How's everything going?
Lilly: Well so far. Satoru's going to bring Yūji back in for the exchange program. I'll also be attending.
Yūta: How?
Lilly: [uploaded a shrugging gif]
Lilly: Satoru magic? ;)
Yūta: You mean he's ignoring the rules? For someone who's so adamant about changing the shady society for the better, he's pretty flagrant about the rules.
Lilly: Some rules have to be broken for the better. Can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs.
Yūta: *Some*
Yūta: He picks and chooses whatever suits him at the moment. I:
Lilly: Mm-hmm. And it works.
Yūta: For now. Because he's–as far as they're aware–the "strongest." And when someone stronger comes along? Or if he's put in a vulnerable state?
Yūta: They hate him.
Yūta: All he's doing is burning bridges while preparing the next generation to clean up the mess.
Yūta: I don't understand his plan at all. He wants to make a change for the better, but he's doing it in such a careless way.
Lilly: And what would you do, my child?
Yūta: I'm *not* going to settle for a teaching position. Any changes made have to be at the top.
Lilly: You're right.
Yūta: At this rate *I'll* be there before he even glimpses it.
Lilly: You're right again.
Yūta: Why do I get the feeling you're smiling?
Lilly: My sweet boy. Being the strongest doesn't mean you're the right one to lead. Satoru knows that. But he also knows something has to be done. His desire is not to lead the revolution, but rather to nurture the rebels who will.
Lilly: And judging by how strongly you feel about this, it looks like he's sufficiently motivated you.
Lilly: He doesn't need to be the one making the changes.
Lilly: As long as the change is coming, that's a victory, no?
Lilly: [uploaded smug Anya smile gif]
Yūta: [uploaded disbelief Anya gif]
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As of November 16th, 2022, fanfic has disabled email alerts for new chapters. If you would like to have email alerts, you have to log in & re-enable them. They will be disabled again every 60 days.
I'm making an Interactive Fiction / Choose your own adventure game of Underfell. It's free to play in a browser on itchio under Darkpetal16 if that's anyone's cup of tea.
Answer: I'm learning programming to make twine stories. So that's neat.
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