Chapter 2: Cursed School
Takuto, Maki, Yuta and Gojo walked through the gates of an Elementary School. Takuto was at the back of the group, reading his book. Maki was a few paces behind Gojo while occasionally giving Takuto furtive glances. Yuta was looking around, observing the school and environment.
Yuta: Where are we?
Gojo: It's just an Elementary School.
Gojo stops crossing his arms behind his back and glances at Yuta.
Yuta: Huh?
Gojo: Just an Elementary School where some children went missing.
Yuta: Missing?!
Yuta exclaims in shock. Gojo turns around facing his three students.
Gojo: It happens in places like this. It's probably the work of a naturally occurring curse.
Yuta frowns confused, not really understanding.
Yuta: You're saying the kids were kidnapped by a curse?
Gojo grinned ruefully, glancing at the school building.
Gojo: Yup. Two so far.
Maki continues explaining the situation in a serious tone of voice.
Maki: Curses tend to settle in spots that many people have memories of. Schools, hospitals... Places often remembered with negative emotions are a receptacle for them. As those emotions build up they cause a curse to be born like it was here.
Gojo gives a nod of approval to Maki for her explanation and takes over.
Gojo: We're here to exorcise the curse and save the children...
Gojo is cut off by Takuto who joins the conversation with a yawn as he tucks away his book.
Takuto: Or if they're dead, retrieve them.
Yuta turns pale at the possibility that the children may be dead. Gojo turns and walks past Yuta giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.
Gojo: Welp that's my cue, I'll let you handle the rest.
Gojo chirps as he walks away but motions for Takuto to follow him.
Gojo: You know you don't always have to be so cold.
Gojo teases him as they stop by the gate. Takuto's left eye twitches slightly but gives no response.
Gojo: When I first met your brother, he was just as cold and distant as you towards his classmates and fellow Jujutsu Sorcerers...
Gojo smiles with a faraway look as if reminiscing. He then grins mischievously.
Gojo: Until I bulldozed down all his walls and we became the best of friends...
Takuto's lip twitches in a slight smile, causing Gojo to grin in triumph.
Gojo: Anyways even a Jujutsu Sorcerer as powerful as your brother realised that you need friends that will have your back. That will push and support you when you need it the most.
Takuto stares at him impassively for a moment then sighs in defeat with a nod.
Takuto: Fine...
Gojo pats him on the back.
Gojo: That's the spirit Taku...
He chuckles in amusement at the glare Takuto gives him for using the nickname he dislikes. Gojo holds his hands up in mock surrender to placate him.
Gojo: Anyway, give them a chance they might just surprise you.
Takuto nods and turns to go back to where Maki and Yuta are watching them from.
Gojo: Oh, and go easy on Yuta will you? He's been through a lot.
Takuto glances back at Gojo and scoffs, asking drily.
Takuto: Who hasn't?
Gojo smiles sadly as he leans back against the car they arrived in. Takuto walks past Maki and Yuta. He stops in front of them and puts up two fingers, casting a veil.
Takuto: Emerge from darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure.
Maki: Just how powerful is he to be able to cast a veil?!
Maki thinks in shock at Takuto being able to cast a veil even though only a handful of skilled Jujutsu Sorcerers have the power to cast a veil. Yuta gasps in wonder and a bit of unease as the veil surrounds the entire school, making it seem as if it's nighttime.
Yuta: It's turning into night?
Takuto glances back at Yuta.
Takuto: It's a veil. It's a barrier that will smoke out the curse and keep us all from being seen by those outside.
Takuto turns to the entrance of the school building and spots three identical curses. They have a single eye on top of their bag-like bodies with what seems like vertical stitches by the front.
Takuto: Oi, Okkotsu. Focus.
Takuto scolds getting Yuta's attention. Yuta pales and looks in wide-eyed terror at the three curses, making him take a step back.
Cyclops Curses: Put...Me...On?
Maki gets in a fighting position with a fierce glare and her polearm at the ready. Takuto stares impassively at the curses with his hands in his pockets. Yuta looks nervously between the two and the three curses. Yuta starts panicking jumping up and down when the curses start running towards them.
Yuta: I-it's coming this way! Wh-Wh-What do we do?!
Maki: Don't scream.
Maki chides as she engages the curses.
Maki: Remember this.
She easily dodges out of the way from a strike by one of the curses and jumps in the middle of them.
Maki: The weaker curses are, the more they group together.
She does a pirouette, slashing cleanly through the curses effortlessly and killing them in one graceful strike. She lands as the curses explode in a cloud of purple dust.
Maki: Of course, the same could be said for humans.
Yuta: Incredible... Just one blow...
Yuta thinks in awe looking at Maki. Takuto rolls his eyes at him and pats him on the back getting his attention as he walks by him, heading to the entrance of the building.
Takuto: Let's go Okkotsu.
Yuta: Huh? Where to?
Maki: Inside, obviously.
Maki huffs rolling her eyes at Yuta. Takuto walks by Maki and gives her a light squeeze on the back of her neck as he passes her, entering the school building.
Takuto: Good job.
Maki blushes lightly at his praise and the slight contact at her nape but tries to hide it.
Maki: Thanks.
**Time Skip**
The three walk through the halls of the school, searching for the kidnapped children and any curses that need to be exorcised. Takuto is at the back of the group, hands in his pockets and with a bored expression on his face. Maki is at the front taking the lead with her polearm resting on her shoulder looking around impassively. Yuta is in the middle of the two, looking around anxiously and fidgeting.
Yuta: Zenin-san, Takanashi-san aren't you scared?
Takuto: No.
Maki: Don't use my last name.
Yuta: S-sorry...
Takuto's lip twitches at Maki's annoyance at Yuta. He smoothes his face back to his bored mask when he notices glancing back at him. Takuto stares at Yuta, causing him to flinch slightly and look away from him.
Yuta: But it really seems like ghosts would be here. Though we've already seen some.
Yuta flinches away from a very weak curse that's watching them from one of the classroom doors. Maki looks around noticing other weaker curses just observing them and not attacking.
Maki: There aren't many curses here, even though the veils been drawn.
She glances into one of the classes and sees a whole bunch of curses just staring at them.
Maki: No, they're here just not attacking. Or is it because he's here?
Maki glances back at Takuto who is watching Yuta. She notices a barely concealed sadistic smirk on his face at Yuta's uneasiness. She watches in amazement as Takuto disappears and reappears, so fast she would have missed it if she hadn't been paying attention to him.
Yuta: Ah! something just whispered in my ear.
Yuta yelps in fright, rubbing his ears and looking around himself wildly in distress. Maki looks at Yuta and then to Takuto who is staring at him in barely concealed amusement. Takuto turns his gaze to Maki and winks at her, causing her to snort a laugh realising what he did. She quickly clears her throat to try to conceal her laugh and turns to Yuta.
Maki: Hey, Yuta.
Yuta: Yes?!
Maki: What grade are you?
Yuta tilts his head in confusion not understanding what she means by that.
Yuta: Huh? In English proficiency?
Maki's eye twitches and she scowls at him in irritation. Takuto watches in amusement at her slowly growing frustration with Yuta.
Takuto: She's cute when she's annoyed.
Takuto blinks caught off guard by the stray thought. He focuses back on the conversation between Maki and Yuta.
Maki: Jujutsu Sorcerers are ranked in grades from 4 to 1.
Yuta: But I only just came to Jujutsu High.
Yuta reasons weakly with a nervous smile. He scratches the back of his neck sheepishly.
Yuta: I don't think I have that.
Maki stares at him blankly then groans in frustration. She hears a snort of laughter from Takuto and gives him a quick glare, to which he just tilts his head innocently at her. She huffs and turns back to Yuta, holding out her hand.
Maki: Forget it. Just show me your student ID. You got one from that blindfolded idiot, right?
Yuta: Dumb blindfolded guy?
Yuta thinks to himself incredulously as he pulls out his student ID from his jacket pocket.
Yuta: Yes, here you go.
Maki snatches the student ID from his hand, giving him a glare before inspecting it.
Maki: Well, if you just joined with no prior history, you're probably Grade 4...
Maki: Special-Grade?!
Maki thinks in shock and disbelief at his rank but doesn't show it on her face.
Maki: Special-Grade is above even grade 1, isn't it? This must be some kind of joke!
She glances up from Yuta's student ID to Takuto who is standing at the back busy poking a curse with a pencil.
Maki: I wonder wh--
Yuta: Zenin-san! Behind you!
Yuta shouts getting Maki's attention, who turns around and immediately gets in a fighting pose with her polearm. They both watch a giant blue curse trying to force its way into the hallway. It finally burst through destroying a section of the right through the building. It launches through the roof sending Maki and Yuta flying through the air.
Maki: Shit! You're way too fucking big.
Maki does a flourish with her polearm and leans forward to descend faster while holding her polearm in a thrusting position to stab the curse as she falls toward it.
Maki: You bastard!
She gets ready to stab the curse as she nears it but her balance is disrupted by Yuta hitting her on the back with his senseless flailing. She misses the curse, hitting it on the teeth and losing her polearm as she falls into its mouth, and slices her thigh on its razor-sharp teeth. Yuta follows in behind her screaming and flailing all the way.
Giant Curse: Tha-Tha- Thank you for the meal!
Takuto watches all this transpire from the side of the roof that is still intact. He sits on the railing and takes out his book and starts reading as if nothing happened.
Takuto: You have five minutes to show me your worth Okkotsu.
He murmurs to himself as he starts to get engrossed in his book. The giant curse turns to him to attack but immediately stops in fear when Takuto gives it an unimpressed side eye with his Heaven's Eyes activated. Replacing his usual dark brown eyes with an intense crimson hue. An otherworldly, supernatural light emanating from the centre of the eye.
Takuto: Move And You're Dead.
Takuto watches as the compulsion takes hold and the curse freezes in place not moving an inch. He groans in discomfort at the slight pain behind his eyes from using a cursed technique he's not really proficient in.
Takuto: You really were amazing Takuya. Being able to use such a taxing ability from our innate technique with ease. Well, at least that's what Satoru told me when I asked about your time as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Takuto whispers to himself as he deactivates his Heaven's Eyes and continues reading his book.
**Inside The Giant Curse**
Maki: Fuck! Shit! I dropped my cursed weapon! Let us out damn it!
Maki shouts in anger stomping her foot. Yuta groans as he wakes from unconsciousness and looks around dazedly.
Yuta: Where are we?
Maki: We're in that dumb curses stomach!
She places her hands on her hips and scowls at him annoyed.
Maki: You shouldn't be passing out over this.
Yuta: You mean it ate us?!
Yuta asks panicked as he looks around. Maki's glare intensifies and shouts at him.
Maki: That's right! I thought you were being protected by your curse?!
Yuta holds his hands up in protest.
Yuta: Even I don't know what makes Rika come out!
Yuta then notices that Takuto isn't with them and looks worried.
Yuta: More importantly, where is Takanashi-san?!
Maki frowns and looks around also now noticing Takuto isn't with them.
Maki: He must've teleported out of the way when the curse attacked us.
Yuta: Wait?! He can te-
Maki: Not the time!
Maki scolds, glaring sternly at Yuta, who smiles sheepishly avoiding her glare.
Maki: What's his deal? He's strong enough to cast a veil. So it should be easy to take care of this curse.
Maki groans in frustration and stomps her foot angrily again with an indignant shout.
Maki: What the hell is his problem?! He should just exorcise the curse already and be done with it! Fuck! This is embarrassing!
??: Help
Maki frowns and turns to the sound of the small voice calling out for help. They see two kids off to the side of them. The older boy's eye is a grotesque purple colour, with a red rash down the side of his face. The younger boy's head is lying on the older boy's lap, and he seems to be having trouble breathing, he also has a trickle of blood trailing from the side of his mouth.
??: Please! He's about to die!
The older kid pleads, imploringly at the two Jujutsu Sorcerers. Yuta breathes a sigh of relief seeing the two kids, grateful to find the two children that went missing. Maki inspects the kids' appearance with a hardened expression of pity.
Yuta: Thank goodness they're alive.
Maki: No it's not good.
Yuta turns to her in confusion. She just nods her head in the direction of the boys.
Maki: Look closer. The big one's obviously been affected by the curse, too.
Maki sighs with a grimace. Yuta's eyes slowly widen in horrified realisation.
Maki: Both of them could die at any minute.
Yuta: Oh no...
Yuta scrambles to his feet and looks at Maki.
Yuta: Wh-what do we do?!
Maki: There's nothing we can do!
Maki exclaims, gritting her teeth in indignation at the situation they found themselves in.
Maki: We can only wait until that bastard stops messing around and exorcise this curse already.
Maki starts sweating, swaying on her feet slightly and her breath starts coming out ragged as if she's run a marathon.
Maki: Not everyone has a resistance to curses like you do!
Maki sways more and then falls to her side seemingly unconscious. Yuta gasps in shock and kneels at her side looking her over.
Yuta: Zenin-san?!
As he is looking her over for any signs of injury. He spots a cut on her sigh that is bleeding and small little eyes surrounding the wound. He gasps in horror.
Yuta: What is this wound? Are you cursed?
??: Is she going to die?
The older kid asks Yuta in a trembling voice, having watched Maki faint.
??: Please, save us, mister! Please!
The older kid begs Yuta, tears streaming down his cursed eye. Yuta sits frozen not knowing what to say. He slowly tucks his head between his shoulders.
Yuta: You keep asking, but I can't--
He is cut off by Maki sitting up and grabbing him by his collar, glaring at him through her fogged-rimmed glasses.
Maki: Okkostu! Seriously why did you come to Jujutsu High?!
Yuta stares at her wide-eyed. Maki grits her teeth through the pain of the curse and shakes Yuta roughly by his collar.
Maki: What do you want to do?! What do you want to have?! What do you want to achieve?!
Yuta stares at her not responding for a moment and then starts in a small trembling voice.
Yuta: I... don't want anyone to get hurt anymore. I tried to lock myself away and disappear. But I was told it's lonely being all by myself, and I couldn't argue.
Yuta pauses for a moment and continues. His voice raised with newfound conviction and determination.
Yuta: I want to interact with someone! I want to be needed by someone!
He clenches his fist at his side trying to stave off the tears welling in his eyes.
Yuta: I want the confidence to say it's okay that I'm alive!
He choked out the last words with a sob. Maki looks down for a beat and then glares up at him with fire in her eyes.
Maki: Then exorcise them.
Yuta gasps lightly holding her gaze. Maki tightens her grip on his collar and continues, voice growing more determined and resolute.
Maki: Exorcise curses, exorcise them, exorcise them over and over! Confidence and friends will all come to you after that! That's the kind of place Jujutsu High is!
She stares at him one last time before falling unconscious again, having exerted herself to her limits. Yuta stares blankly at her unconscious figure.
Takuto: You heard the lady Okkotsu.
Takuto materialises in front of Yuta who is still stunned by Maki's speech. Takuto crouches in front of Yuta and stares him dead in the eye with his Heaven's Eyes activated.
Takuto: So... Are you going to remain passive...
Takuto's eyes start glowing, like the blaze of an inferno.
Takuto:... Or are you going to Fight
Takuto's eyes slowly start leaking blood, but he stares unwaveringly at Yuta. Yuta's eyes glaze over for a moment then are replaced by a determined and resolved look. He grabs onto the ring on his chain necklace.
Yuta: Rika.
Rika: What?
Yuta rips the ring of the chain and slowly puts it on his ring finger.
Yuta: Lend me your strength.
Takuto watches all this with a slight smirk on his lips, the trickle of blood from his eyes trailing down his face.
**Outside Giant Curse**
The Giant curse is still frozen from Takuto's cursed technique. Ripples start forming like a wave from the bottom to the top of the curse at a rapid rate. Rika burst through the Giant curses torso with a piercing roar.
Giant Curse: Who are you?
Rika turns around glaring at the curse and grabs onto its head, squeezing so hard it explodes. Rika rips off the remains of its head and tosses it away carelessly.
Rika: Be quiet!
Gojo is standing outside the veil watching in amazement at Rika's carnage.
Gojo: Now that's terrifying. So this is the full picture of Orimoto Rika, the Special-Grade cursed spirit?
Gojo laughs to himself with a slight shiver of excitement.
Gojo: Women are so scary.
Back inside the veil, Rika is busy massacring the curse. Yuta walks out of the school building with Maki strapped to his back with his white jacket and carrying the two kids in each of his arms.
Yuta: I need to get to Sensei to check them out, while Rika's distracting the curse!
He almost stumbles but rights himself and stands in place. His entire body shakes from the overexertion of his muscles from carrying three people.
Yuta: I can't collapse yet.
Yuta grits his teeth pushing his muscles and body beyond their limit and takes a step forward.
Yuta: Not yet!
He starts walking towards the gate, slowly but surely. Sweat dripped down his forehead, teeth clenched tight.
Yuta: I just decided I was going to change, here and now!
Just as he falters yet again he hears two distinctly different voices in his head.
??: Fight
??: You can do it, Yuta.
Yuta: Yeah, I will!
Yuta yells as he continues his journey towards the school gate. Takuto sits on the roof watching Rika disappear as he lowers the veil for Yuta. He takes out a handkerchief and wipes the blood from his eyes as he deactivates his Heaven's Eyes.
Takuto: Looks like you're not trash after all... Yuta.
**Time Skip**
Takuto bends down and retrieves his canned instant coffee from the vending machine. He cracks it open, takes a sip and sighs in delight. He starts wandering back to where he last saw Gojo and Yuta in the Hospital. His phone starts ringing, making him groan in annoyance already guessing who it is, but still answers.
??: So? How was your first day as a Jujutsu Sorcerer?
Takuto: Boring. Didn't get to do anything interesting.
??: What about the new transfer student, who's apparently cursed?
Takuto: He's pathetic, weak-willed. He'll end up getting himself or someone killed sooner rather than later.
??: Harsh. What about your other classmates?
Takuto: Panda is cool because he's a talking Panda. Inumaki... I can't understand at all, so yeah. And Maki well... she's something.
??: Oh?? Do I smell romance?
Takuto: I think that's the disinfectant you're smelling Shoko.
Takuto stops at the trash bin throwing away his finished coffee.
Shoko: You're no fun.
Takuto: I know...Anyway, I have to go. Bye.
Shoko: Bye and say hi to that trash Gojo for me.
Takuto chuckles ending the call and pocketing his phone. He leans against the wall lazily and listens in on Gojo and Yuta's conversation going on around the corner.
Yuta: I think I might have cursed Rika.
Gojo: This is my personal theory, but there's no curse more twisted than love.
There is a beat of silence for a moment that Yuta starts talking his voice thick with emotion.
Yuta: Sensei. While I'm at Jujutsu High, I'll break Rika's curse.
Takuto leans his head against the wall a smile tugging at his lips hearing the conviction in Yuta's words. He shakes his head and teleports to the hospital room Maki is being kept in, appearing a few feet away from her hospital bed. He stares for a moment at Maki covered by a blanket up to her neck with her head of green hair poking out. She seems to be lost in thought with a scowl on her face.
Takuto: Quite the scowl you got there Zenin.
Maki startles at hearing Takuto's voice so lost in thought not noticing his presence in the room. She glares over her shoulder at him and goes back to staring out the window.
Maki: Don't call me that you bastard.
Takuto: Someone's pissed.
Takuto moves closer to her hospital bed, lowering the railings and taking a seat at the edge of the bed. Maki turns over in bed and gives him an annoyed glare.
Maki: What do you want?
Takuto shrugs and stares at her with an intrigued expression. He reaches out, softly raking his fingers through her hair that's loose from her usual ponytail. She frowns at his gesture, a light blush colouring her cheeks.
Takuto:... Just came to make sure you're alright.
Takuto says softly retracting his hand to his sides. Maki huffs a breath and averts her gaze from his.
Maki: I'm fine.
Takuto stares at her for a moment with an almost soft look, before his expression returns to his usual bored mask. He stands up, hands in his pockets and nods.
Takuto: Goodnight Maki.
He gives her one last glance before teleporting away. Maki stares at where he stood in confusion, puzzled by his behaviour. She shakes her head and turns back to her previous position.
Maki: Idiot.
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