"Jujutsu Kaisen: The Forgotten Clan"

Chapter 2: Freeze

Saturday, March 13th, 1998: Kyoto Japan

"What is so important that you called us from our tasks?"

"I just got word from my source that the Santa-Clara family has been located."

Dead silence falls between the four men gathered at Gakuganji's residence. Zenin squints his eyes in and clenches his jaw, while Kamo's expression remains stoic.

"Are we sure it is them? It was difficult finding Sharah and Jorgen after they graduated from Jujutsu Technical College" Komo starts, "then they up and left Japan two years ago."

"What proof does your source have?" Zenin barks over Kamo with hunger dancing across his eyes.

"A woman in her thirties with long, curly brown hair, and grey eyes was spotted with two boys who are the spitting image of each other. All three attended a middle-school basketball game three months ago. The same woman, with one of the boys and a man, attended a martial arts exhibition half a year prior."

"What description do we have regarding the man in question?" The Higher-Up asks.

Gakuganji, a man in his early fifties, with graying hair and receding hairline, sits erect. A low grumble leaves his mouth before answering, "buzz-cut brown hair with jade green eyes that are hard to miss. My source suspects he and the woman are Grade-1; a married couple if you will. The boys are civilians."

"Where is Gojo?" Kamo's question forces his company to do double-takes.

"Who cares! We have the resources to handle the Santa-Clara family without THAT clan's interference. Besides, they have their brat to deal with" Zenin scoffs. "Can your source get another visual and send it to us for confirmation?"

Gakuganji produces four pictures: each containing a snapshot of Zink, Zyler, mum, and dad together in some form or another. The only member of the Santa-Clara clan who is missing from the pictures is me.

Saturday: Back in Canada

While wringing my hands together, I block out the noise around me. Noticing my family members are busy conversing with others, I head outside. The sunlight cast shadows on the dojo. Once in place, I get a clear view of what the stalker saw. I hear keys clicking and a siren going off in the distance. After five minutes I walk back into the dojo, unnoticed by the occupants.

Whilst going back to the car, I see a low-level curse out of the corner of my left eye. It is nothing to fuss over, so I let it be. Besides, there are more civilians out and about, enjoying their Saturday evening. Using jujutsu would cause more harm than good. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end.

"Lithuila, what would you like for dinner tonight?" My mother's face is relaxed and bright.

"Huh?"

"Come on kid. What do you want for dinner? Zink and I are in the mood for pizza."

"Pizza then."

I am half-listening to the conversation regarding dinner plans. Seeing a low-level curse and a sorcerer in one day is out of the ordinary. Could they be working together? Who is waiting in the house?

The air in my lungs can't escape while my fists uncurl as the front door opens. My father, back from a three-week mission, looks up. We did not hear from him or his superiors during his absence. The corners of his mouth spread apart, his eyes dart from the floor to the faces in front of him, and he is quiet. An unusual combination for a person whose confidence precedes him.

"Dad! We are glad you are back. Lithuila kicked mum's butt this morning! Right kid?"

"I made progress in my training, yes." My face turns warm, and I give my father a sheepish smile.

"Zink and Zyler, go wash up for dinner. I am glad you made it home safely my dear." Mum walks over to my father and puts her arms around his broad chest. He responds by pulling her close and resting his chin on her head.

"Are you lost in thought, Lith?" My dad asks with smiling green eyes.

"No. Welcome home." I turn round and head out the front door. My family home butts up to a forested area with ample room to practice jujutsu.

I sit on a rickety, launching dock and dangle my feet off the edge. Two curses are four meters behind me. My face breaks out in a gentle sweat that is not caused by the curses. The hair on my arms, neck, and back will not relax. And I have a sudden urge to pee.

The moment my feet touch the beach, I freeze. A sorcerer scans the waterfront, hones in on where I was sitting, and waits.

I bolt for the forest without a second thought and hear rustling in the distance. A low whistle turns my attention back to the curses; they are hot on my tail.

I am familiar with most of the trails in this forest and small enough to scale a tree. I swing my right foot onto the oak tree's trunk, support my weight, and meet the ground in a split second.

My right cheek meets the sorcerer's fist as my heart rate picks up. I put my palms out and grab onto their knuckle while standing up. I twist my opponent's fist away from me, hearing cracking noises in the process. I scan the area in front of me and...

"Gagh! Why you little brat."

While my opponent recovers, I head back towards the water. I pass by the curses and lock eyes with them.

"Curse-Technique, Dispel." My fingers release a flash of yellow light, banishing the curses into another realm. Adrenaline pulsates through my veins, my heart threatens to beat out of my chest, and my lungs struggle to send oxygen through my body.

Suddenly, another figure appears in my path toward the lake. I take a sharp right and notice the figure from earlier exiting the woods.

I spot a second launching spot ten meters from my current position and bolt towards it. A wave of curse energy grazes my back, spinning my body 360-degrees causing me to lose balance. I put my hands out in front of me, rolling onto my wrist in the process but, I get up quickly. Once on my feet, I eat the ground.

The next thing I know, someone grabs my shirt and throws me in the air. I land back first, watching a halo of red dance with the water. While seeing stars, I push myself backward, crawling into the lake.

"Do not let her get away. Grab her by the ankles if you need to!"

"Quit bossing me around, will you."

Whilst the boneheads argue with each other, my vision starts going in and out! All I see in front of me is darkness. All I hear, aside from my opponents, is the low whish-wash sounds of the lake. Within a nanosecond, I reach deeper waters, gulping air before diving under the surface.

"Idiot, grab her feet, grab her feet!"

Too late! My fit connects with someone's palm as I disappear. I beeline towards the lake bottom, keeping myself away from the surface. Adrenaline competes with the icy water, pushing me forward. I break the water's surface after five minutes.

....

"What are we going to do? If we return empty-handed, our bosses will roast us!"

"Why are you asking me this, Jane? You had the kid within your reach and let her slip away! Besides, she will die from hypothermia before dawn."

"Are you suggesting we wait for dawn and retrieve her body, Andy?"

"Unless you want to swim out in the lake and search for her, yes! That is precisely what I am suggesting!"

Eventually, Jane and Andy stop bickering and, remain on the beach.