Gojo sat alone outside a coffee shop, sipping a coffee with one hand and looking out. He had been lost in thought for some time over many things, and the last few weeks had left him with a lot to think about, especially what to do next. He glanced at his phone, checking the time with a small sigh, gulping his drink down.
"I suppose you Devil Hunters were never taught to be here on time, huh?"
Makima sat down with a firm smile. "It is you who was late, Satoru Gojo, twenty minutes in fact; I grew tired of waiting, so I went for a walk."
Gojo glanced at Makima across the table, putting his cup down and shaking his head. "Let's cut to the chase. The Council still isn't happy about how events played out between you and DK. They want answers, ones I couldn't care less to get. But I'll ask one thing: how did you infiltrate Jujutsu High and steal Y/N from under our noses?"
"Come now, Satoru, do you really need to ask something as obvious as that? It seems you're struggling under sudden pressure from all parties. You're babysitting two Special Grade Spirits like it's a nursery. Your Council is becoming impatient, and now more Special Grades have gotten bold enough to attack your school and kill one of your students. If I recall correctly, Kyoto had a similar incident a year ago; anyone looking in can see you're beginning to crumble."
Gojo returned a similar smile, wagging his finger. "And might I ask how did all those situations go for us? We won every single time. I appreciate your concern, Miss Makima, but the Jujutsu Sorcerers are doing just fine."
"We would be willing to help you with your Special Grade problems. Three are running around, making your life a misery. Two have already come into contact with Sukuna's Vessel, and the third attacked you."
"And it was fine; he was weak." Gojo brushed off, leaning back and sipping his coffee. "Even if I, for whatever reason, decided to take you up on the offer, there's always a catch with your deals, Makima; it's always been that way. Why would no be any different."
Makima poured herself a coffee, adding four sugars. "I still cannot convince you to join the Devil Hunters. You'd be doing the same with your group but on a much larger scale, and I would ensure the pay is very good also."
"I get paid enough working where I am, thank you very much," he pointed out, frowning. You know why I won't work for you, Makima? I really don't like being told what to do."
"And your Council doesn't do that itself? No, you needn't answer that; I already know your Council has no control over the likes of you."
Gojo put his cup down, smirking. "Something we can both agree on, come out with it then; you didn't invite me out just to catch up on times I'd rather not remember. What do you want?"
Makima, seemingly dodging the question, leaned forward, keeping her low tone going with another smile. "The Jujustsu Sorcerers and Devil Hunters have tolerated and allowed each other's existence to go on for quite some time now. I am hoping the little hiccup caused by your student isn't going to burn any bridges. It is in my best interest that we keep this alliance going for as long as possible. The last thing we need is a war between us."
"Of course you don't; that would be problematic for you if I were ordered to kill you."
"I would agree, but as you said, you're not the type to follow orders." Makima returned, only getting another chuckle from Gojo. "Which is why I came to apologise and part you with a gift of our own."
Makima took out a small box and opened it, making Gojo flinch ever so slightly as he saw one of Sukuna's fingers. "Why do you have one of these?"
"It shouldn't surprise you that our Department is also concerned about the King of Curses. Hence, we've done our research on one of the fingers. We didn't find much, not any more than you have. Therefore, there is no reason to keep holding onto it; I'm sure Sukuna's vessel would find much more use than us."
Gojo closed the box and put it away, still concerned that the Devil Hunters were interested in Itadori and Sukuna. "You know this will only make the Council more suspicious of your intentions now you're keeping such a cursed object in your ranks."
"Yes, it would. But you have no reason to tell me no?"
"Touche," he responded, finishing his drink. "Are we done here? I'd quite like to leave."
"Just one more thing, if you don't mind." She echoed, taking out a letter from her pocket. "On the death of Doran Skee, we found this on him. It's a letter addressed to the heir of the Kronos Family, more specifically Y/N himself."
Gojo took the letter confused; it was dated and addressed to Y/N as suggested, but the date was two months ago, confusing him. "That can't be right; in all sense and purpose, the world was led to believe Y/N died four years ago in a car crash. He's avoided any family matters since then. The Kronos Family doesn't exist anymore, and the estate was sold off."
"That is correct, but now this letter appears dated two months ago. Wouldn't that be the date you brought him to Japan, Satoru?"
Gojo inspected the date again, confirming the truth, and is now more interested. "Hmm, who is it from?"
"I haven't read it, even though I do have some standards, you know. Did you also know that during the great Curse Purge of Europe 500 years ago, the Kronos Family were the top Sorcerer group in Europe? Only second to the Gojo clan. Surely, that cannot be a coincidence. But of course, you knew that, right?"
Gojo did, in fact, not know that.
"Pfft, of course I did, it's why I took such an interest in Y/N."
Gojo lied. At the time, he was only interested in Y/N because of DK; he had no idea.
Makima stood up, putting her jacket back on and stretching. "If that's everything, Satoru, I will be off."
"Wait, let me ask you one more thing... Why did you take such an interest in DK? What did you get out of trying to control her?"
Makima paused, already facing away from Gojo; she looked over her shoulder, speaking. "What made you believe it was Bloody Mary I was after? Be careful of your students, Satoru; you don't know what box of secrets they're hiding."
Makima left as Gojo slumped back in his chair, looking at the letter with a dumbfounded sigh. Turning it around, he was about to open it before stopping. Debating for a moment, he dropped the letter on the table. "What are you hiding, Y/N?"
****
"Strike Two!"
I turned around, holding the bat down by my side, confused, hoping for an answer. "Like, why are we playing baseball again?"
Panda sighed as the catcher behind me mumbled. "Gojo said it would be good for us and a way to continue the Exchange Event."
Turning directly to Panda, I raised an eyebrow, more confused. "Huh? How did we go from fighting each other to playing Baseball? Actually, more importantly, why were you guys fighting each other again? What good do we get fighting each other?"
Miwa threw the ball at me as I kept rambling, feeling a little frustrated that this was where my time was being used up. I swung the bat without care, hitting the ball and sending it flying as I kept talking to Panda. "Several Cursed Spirits attacked the school in a staged attack, and instead of taking precautions, we're playing games? Is Gojo going to gloss over the fact I outright died?"
"Umm... Y/N, you're meant t-." Panda muttered, trying to talk as I kept my rant going.
"I'm damn lucky I had an ace up my sleeve, or I'd be dead and buried; if I was dead dead, would you guys seriously just play Baseball like nothing happened? I'm really starting to question the logic of this school programme and the authenticity of the teachers. What's next? Is our final year exam going to be a game of dodgeball?"
"You're out!" Noritoshi Kamo exclaimed as I turned around, realising I didn't run.
"W-What? Crap, Panda, why didn't you tell me, buddy!?"
Panda lowered his head with a sigh, giving up. "You wouldn't let me."
I threw the bat on the floor, walked away, and grumbled to myself, "Stupid game, stupid school, stupid Gojo."
"You did great Y/N!" DK shouted, cheering; she was the only one out of our team who was doing such a thing. Everyone else refused to look at me, sighing. "The way you just stood there and refused to run really moved me. It was like a metaphor for the world we live in. Society today is like a baseball team where everyone's trying to play without realising they're all on the same side. Instead of scoring runs, they keep getting tagged out because they're too busy arguing over which base to run to next."
"What?"
"What?"
"Umm, where on earth did you hear something like that?" I echo, blinking several more times.
DK smiled, holding a phone up. "I'm on this wonderful website known as Twitter; it is truly the greatest place on earth. You get to talk to anyone around the world, and whenever they state their opinion that's wrong, you get to dox them until they delete their account, admitting defeat!"
"I... I think we need to have a lesson on internet safety..."
"Internet safety? But no one can fight me online; I am immune to all consequences. Plus, I've gotten so many messages from different accounts offering me free iPhones and Playstations; I was going to keep it a surprise, but I might as well tell you that I put in all my personal information and used Gojo's Credit Card to pay for all the shipping, I'm so excited!"
I choked on my breath, my eyes twitching. "DK, dear, hunny... Can I please have your phone?"
"Of course, I've been playing a lot of mobile games, too. I just tripled S Ranked Herrscher of Truth!" She boasted, striking a pose. "Throughout heaven and earth, I alone am the whaled one."
I took the phone, still smiling, trying to hold in the pain... It could have been worse; at least it was only Gojo's card. I put the phone in my pocket, laughing nervously. "I'll be sure to take a look later..."
We stepped away from the baseball game as I prepared to go through her phone.
"Ahh, there you are, Y/N; how are you?"
"DK didn't use your Credit Card to play Honkai Impact 3rd!"
Gojo paused, looking at me confused. "Okay... Are you enjoying the Exchange Event?"
"H-Huh, oh yes, indeed, a riveting experience. Where have you been, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I had the unfortunate experience of having a coffee with Makima."
"Oh, like a date?" DK said with a smug nature. "Very cool."
Gojo looked to DK, eyebrow raised, lost. "Huh, when did your girlfriend separate from your body, Y/N?"
"You mean you've only just noticed!?" I shout, dumbfounded; he must have been joking; he must have.
Gojo was not joking; he actually didn't notice DK being separate from Y/N this whole time.
"You two are, like, not sharing the same room, right?"
"Of course we are!" DK expressed arms crossed. "I refuse to sleep anywhere else without Y/N by my side!"
Gojo looked at me with a childish grin, and I cringed as he kept giggling. "Look at you, Y/N, hehe, I bet she can't."
"W- What reason did Makima call you out for?" I shout, trying to change the topic quickly. "She isn't upset over me breaking our deal, is she?"
"Not at all; I believe she's gotten over it. The matters we discussed actually are tied to this." Gojo held out a letter addressed to me, and I was dazed for a moment while taking it. "It seems someone out there knows you are still alive, Y/N."
"This can't be... How?" I tore open the letter, glossing over it, feeling sick even more. "This is absurd... This can't be real..."
"What does it say?" DK questions, looking at me with a slight echo of concern.
"I'm being summoned back home... I'm wanted to return to my duties as heir to the Kronos Family... My Mother signed it..."
DK now had a look of dread and anger as she glared at me, whispering. "Are you sure that's what it says? Are you certain?"
"I am... I recognise her handwriting as bright as day. It's not an old letter either, it address my time in Japan, it mentions the Jujustsu Sorcerers of Tokyo..."
"I don't follow. Why is your Mother sending you a letter? Is that a bad thing?"
"Gojo... My Mother has been dead for four years."
To be continued...