()= Thinking/ Replacing
*= Actions
""= Phone
/= Whispers
--= Narrator
~~= Timeskip
Darren POV:
I slowly woke up from the explosion, all I could see was an empty room with Tohka resting next to me.
Darren: Tohka?
I slowly hugged her before she disappeared into the air when I was dropped into a pit of pure darkness. I slowly looked around only to find Kiriya on his throne, yawning.
Kiriya: Seriously, that brat was such a huge ordeal, you even used your army and you can't even beat him.
Darren: I won in the end, didn't I?
Kiriya just cackled at me before covering his eyes with his hand while walking to me and grabbing me by the collar.
Kiriya: You haven't forgotten, right? You promised me to kill all of the Monarchs that wronged me. Well, my other binding vow is that when you fall into a darkness so deep that your soul can't even live anymore, you have to let me take over your body. My second condition is that you forget about this agreement. Why don't we battle to the death for it?
He released my collar as I grinned and tried to kick him before he blocked it.
Kiriya: How boring.
I tried to kick him again before he dodged it. He quickly sat on my back, while sighing.
Kiriya: I thought by imbuing that stupid king of curses' powers inside you, you would be able to beat that brat. I placed too many expectations on you, Einherjar, personally, I'm not disappointed. Just a bit tired from the amount of losses you took against that brat.
Darren: It was fine if I won in the end, right? I won against Az, not like you did and get off me!
I slowly got up and pushed him off me.
Darren: Just fight me fair and square.
Kiriya: Interesting~
He flicked his thumb at me and I could feel myself split in half before I suddenly awoke. I quickly held my head as I stared at the Ratatoskr's medical room.
Darren: Tohka... where's Tohka...? Tohka!!!
I stared at Tohka who was resting her head on the side of my bed before I sighed with relief as I got out of the and looked at myself in the mirror.
Darren: (No burn marks, it seems like they worked their magic.)
I was suddenly hugged from behind as I looked at Akane nuzzling my back.
Akane: Are you alright?
I rubbed my cheek where I knew the explosion hit me to find no burn marks.
Darren: Face feels fine, they healed me up fine I think. You alright?
Akane: They fixed me up fine, just a normal stab to the stomach trying to protect my boyfriend anyway.
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed.
Darren: You know, I'm surprised that they can heal burn marks.
Akane: Even with a few marks, you'll be handsome either way.
I nuzzled her before a shiver went down my spine.
Darren: (Why the hell do I get the feeling that something bad's about to happen?)
-Shido POV-
I headed into school and sat down next to Origami who just sighed.
Origami: Is Darren not here today?
Shido: After yesterday's events, it was decided that he should rest for a bit. He had taken a toll mentally and physically after all.
Origami: I see...
Tonomachi suddenly walked towards me and hooked an arm around my neck.
Tonomachi: Itsuka-Kun, hear this out, something strange is happening all around the school, you know. Something is that there's an old antique that's cursed.
I stared at him before thinking to myself.
Shido: (Wait, an old antique? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Could it be related to Darren? Or what the hell is it?)
Tonomachi: Anyhow, that's just what I heard from the students lately and hear this out, Itsuka-Kun, don't go to the rugby field, it is said that a dead body was buried there or the kind. Man, I need to protect my girlfriend, it's so tragic that there is stuff like this happening around the school.
Tonomachi showed me his phone with his virtual girlfriend and I gave off a sigh.
Shido: (I need to get this dude some social life... besides, I had to study, I wonder how Darren and Azazel are doing. They're supposed to be resting with Tohka and the others...)
I was suddenly presented with a huge amount of aura that I shook off.
Shido: (What the hell was that?)
Origami: Itsuka Shido, do you feel that too?
Shido: Yeah, I felt it, but I don't know what it is...
Tonomachi suddenly placed a box in front of me that was spilling out the aura.
Tonomachi: Oh yeah, this is the thing I was talking about, it was given to me by someone with a white hair but I don't really know what to do with it, so I'll leave it to you, Itsuka-Kun!
Shido: Hey wait-
Tonomachi suddenly walked off and I just stared at the box.
Shido: The hell is this thing?
Origami: Whatever it is, it's probably the thing that's plaguing the classroom.
Shido: I'll probably just get rid of it or something.
I was about to throw it away before a hand took the box from me. I stared at the trio before giving them a bruh face.
Ai: Itsuka-Kun, what's this?
Mai: Do you know why Satoru and Alaistair-Kun aren't at school today? Did they perhaps fight?
Mii: That'd be so lame.
Shido: (You're right on the money, except that both of them are currently injured and need a break.)
-At Darren-
I was washing my face in the mirror before I stared at myself and covered the eye that suffered the burn mark from Azazel.
Darren: What the hell am I doing? Az was just controlled, really, I shouldn't put much of the blame on him...
Suddenly a voice rang behind me.
???: Even if he is being controlled, he still harmed the ones you loved, didn't he?
I quickly turned around to see a red-haired woman standing behind me as I charged up my cursed technique.
???: Don't worry, love, my name is Makima, don't have to act like you're about to attack me.
I stood on guard but I still covered my eyes as Makima walked towards me.
Makima: Haven't you always thought of hating and being jealous of Azazel Alaistair? Instead of needing a partner, you were your person.
I kept hiding my eye as I started to breathe harder and harder before Makima placed her hand on mine and removed the hand that covered the eye.
Makima: That's the way, see? You are lonely, I can see it in your eyes, a loneliness that no one can understand. That's how you felt all the time. You wanted to not be lonely, that's why you sought out Azazel, but deep down inside, there was an empty gap that was never filled. You're a jester, a prisoner, that holds yourself.
Makima slowly held me close to her before I cried on her shoulder.
Makima: Calm down, I won't hurt you. Love and friendship are just like that, they grow before they wither and are tricked. You're a jester, a prisoner and they broke you, you poor prisoner. I'll never treat you like a prisoner, my dear Darren, all you have to do, is to do me a favor.
I stared at her before stopping my crying.
Darren: What is it?
Makima: Swear on a binding vow with me, to swear.
Makima whispered something in my ear before I nodded and Makima smiled.
Makima: Nice to work with you, DEM's Super genius. But for now, please play the good boy and stay by Ratatoskr's love.
She suddenly disappeared before I could feel myself return to normal and I took my hand off my eye.
Darren: (The hell was that about?)
My phone suddenly started to ring as I got out of the toilet after washing my face. I slowly picked up the phone only for Kotori to blast my ears out.
Kotori: "OI! DARREN!!! PICK UP FASTER!!!"
Darren: "Alright, alright, I thought you had worked at Ratatoskr today though, what's going on?"
Kotori: "We've detected some high cursed energy at Shido's school, if possible, we would like you and Azazel to check it out later."
Darren: "Got it, I just got my rest though, so maybe tonight is good?"
Kotori: "Yeah, go for it. But no cuddles with Tohka until you get it."
Darren: (I seriously want to punch her now.)
Shido POV:
I returned home and closed the door behind me.
Shido: I'm home!
I watched Darren just sit on the couch and watch TV before he turned it off and walked towards me.
Darren: Shido, do you have the cursed object that Kotori told me about?
Shido: Huh? What object?
Darren threw me his phone as I stared at the picture he had taken.
Darren: Basically that, do you have it or nah?
Shido: Oh yeah, I do have it, Tonomachi gave it to me, but what about it?
Darren: Basically it's a cursed object, it has a seal on it. The one that Tonomachi gave you is a special-graded cursed item you know, one that could destroy the country and stuff. Can we just hand it to Kotori or something?
I threw him the box before sighing.
Shido: There you go.
Darren caught the box before opening it and seeing that it was empty. He just stared at me with an awkward face.
Darren: Um... where are the contents?
Shido: Ah, yeah, Ai, Mai and Mii just said that they wanted the contents and gave me back the box.
Darren: Do you know where they are?
Shido: No, but... they said something about... peeling off the seal tonight at school. Um... is that supposed to be bad?
Darren: You know... that's not just bad... they'll die.
I quickly dropped my bag and ran towards the school.
Darren: OI!!! SHIDO!!!
I encountered Origami who was running with me towards the school before we stopped for a while.
Origami: Itsuka Shido?
Shido: Tobiichi?
My phone started to ring as I picked up.
Shido: "Darren?"
Origami: Darren?
Shido: "Oi, Darren, explain what the hell is going on! Do seals come off that easily?"
Darren: "Nah, if you don't have cursed energy like me, it's impossible to remove it. But if I have to guess, the content is so old and because of the strength of the object, that it might as well be normal paper at that rate."
Shido: "I still don't get this stuff about curses, but like..."
My foot suddenly stopped in its tracks before I stared at the school that released so much aura.
Shido: (What the hell is this aura?)
Origami tapped me on the shoulder before walking towards the school.
Origami: You stay here, from what I heard, this could be dangerous.
Shido: What about you? You don't even have your AST suit!
Origami: I'll be fine, don't worry about it. I'm more trained than you. Stay here.
Origami jumped inside the school, just leaving me to watch her.
Origami POV:
I rushed inside the school and looked around.
Origami: The presence is everywhere!
I noticed a creature standing in front of me as I got ready to punch it in the face.
Origami: Out of the way.
Shido POV:
I just stood outside the school while sighing.
Shido: (Come on, what am I so afraid of? Is it death? No, I already experienced death... that's not the truth... yeah, I'm afraid of death... the death that I'm going to face now... against the deaths that Darren and Azazel saw, how was it any different?)
Origami POV:
I kept on running and kicked away the curses before I stopped in the hallway to just stare at the curse ready to devour two students.
Origami: (Found them.)
Origami: (Is it trying to eat both the cursed item and the students at the same time? I'm too late!)
I suddenly heard the window shatter and Shido jumped in before kicking the curse in the face.
Origami: Itsuka Shido? This is the fourth floor, you know.
Shido: I jumped from the third floor, don't worry.
Shido POV:
I punched the curse again before kicking it away while carrying Ai and Mai away from the curse.
Shido: (Is Mii just hiding somewhere?)
I stared at the curse before walking towards Origami.
Shido: So this is what Darren told us about?
I watched Origami kick away the curse before walking towards me.
Origami: I want to ask about what you are doing here, but good job.
I slowly stood up as something fell out of Ai's pocket.
Shido: Woah, this it?
Origami: That should be it, Special Graded Curse Item, Ryomen Sukuna's finger, or at least one of them. It's a miracle it didn't get swallowed.
Shido: Why would anything want to eat it? Does it taste good or something?
Origami: Don't be ridiculous, Darren said that you'd only eat it to gain cursed energy or whatever, he ate it for a reason. It's dangerous, so we should hand it to someone-
I slowly looked up to see a hand in the roof about to grab onto me as Origami pushed me away.
Origami: Run!
I stared at the curse who attacked us which had a wide mouth.
Shido: Tobiichi!
The curse suddenly threw Origami into a wall as she coughed up blood. Then it headbutted her outside on the rooftop. I quickly placed Ai and Mai down on the ground before the curse started to rush towards her and I jumped towards the curse and punched it with my fists.
Origami: Itsuka! Why can't you understand to just take those two and run?
I started to dodge the curse's attack and landed on its arm before it scrapped me all across the floor.
Shido: You're in big trouble yourself! IF I LEFT YOU HERE TO DIE THEN DARREN WOULD NEVER LET ME HEAR THE END OF IT!
Origami: Don't you know that only curses can exorcise other curses?! Idiot. You can't beat it!
I dodged another attack from the curse.
Shido: Does that really matter? You're going to die at this rate! It's a good thing, that I have martial arts lessons from Darren and Azazel!
I grabbed onto the curse's hand and kicked it in the eye.
Shido: Besides, if I went home now, Darren would never let me have the end of it!
The curse suddenly punched me in the gut and its grasp caught me before I threw the Sukuna finger in the air. I quickly caught the bottom of the finger by biting on it.
Origami: You idiot! hand it to me before you get eaten as well!
I stepped on the curse's teeth before I threw the finger in the air using my teeth.
Shido: There's a way to save everyone! I just need some cursed energy, right, Tobiichi?!
Origami: No! DON'T DO IT!!!
I bit and swallowed on the finger before I passed out.
Origami POV:
I stared at Shido who was unconscious at the curse's hands.
Origami: (Ryoumen Sukuna's finger, it's a deadly poison, he'll die for sure, but if there's a one in a million chance, just a one in a million-)
Shido suddenly busted the curse's hands before grinning maniacally to himself with tattoos appearing on his face.
(Edit belongs to @random_anime_addict)
The curse suddenly rushed towards Shido before he slashed him into bits just using a swipe of his hand.
Sukuna: Ahahahaha!!! I KNEW IT!!! THE LIGHT FEELS BEST IN THE FLESH!!! FINALLY!!!
Origami: (This is the worst! A 1-in-a-million chance worst-case scenario outcome!)
Sukuna: Where are the people? The women? The child? What a wonderful era to be in again! Women and children are crawling everywhere like maggots! Marvellous! IT WILL BE A MASSACRE!
Sukuna's hand suddenly grabbed his face.
Shido: What do you think you're doing to my body? Give it back.
Sukuna: Brat, how can you move?
Shido: I mean, it's my body.
Origami: Don't move!
I readied a battle stance at Shido who was just standing there, not knowing if he was Sukuna or Shido Itsuka.
Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me.
Darren: What's the situation?
I quickly looked to the side as Darren and Azazel just stood there.
(What Darren is wearing)
Origami: Darren, Azazel!
Darren: Yo. Originally, I wasn't planning to come, but man, you're all roughed up! I should send it to all the AST members!
Darren POV:
I started taking photos of Origami before she clicked her tongue at me.
Darren: Just kidding!
I pocketed my phone before grinning.
Darren: But, man, Kotori just wouldn't shut up about the missing Special Graded Curse Item. So she paired me up with this man, and after punching him in the face as well as suiting up for throwing that bomb at me, we came here. I agreed to go as long as she gave me some money to buy kikufuku later. So, did you find it, Shido?
I looked at Shido before he slowly raised his hand.
Shido: Um... sorry, but I ate it.
I gave him that face which made Shido just look away.
Darren: For real?
Shido/Origami: For real!
I slowly walked towards Shido and gave off a grin.
Darren: Damn, it really did combine with you, Shido. That's hilarious. Anything off with your body?
Shido: Not particularly.
Darren: Can you swap out with Sukuna?
Shido: Sukuna?
Darren: The curse that you ate.
Shido: Oh... yeah, I think can do that.
I started to stretch my legs as Azazel started to stretch his arms.
Darren: Ten seconds.
Shido: Huh?
Azazel: Just give us ten seconds to deal with that guy.
Darren: Basically what he's saying is that all I need is ten seconds. Just take control again later. I'll do something about it if you can't.
Shido: But...
Darren: What did we say?
Azazel: We are...
Darren/Azazel: The Strongest.
I suddenly got an idea and threw Azazel a bag.
Darren: Azazel, hold this.
Azazel: The hell's inside?
Darren: Kikufuku from Kikusuian.
I stretched my arms a bit before staring at Az.
Azazel: Can I have some? I mean, you did go buy snacks after all.
Darren: You bought your own already, besides, that's my favourite flavour, the cream and Zunda flavour. Also, it's not a souvenir, they're for me to eat on the ship ride home.
I just kept on talking before Origami yelled at me.
Origami: BEHIND YOU!
Darren: By the way, Kikufuku is not like other snacks.
Suddenly, Sukuna crashed into the three of us before I teleported behind him to sit on his back.
Darren: And the whipped cream inside it is simply exquisite...
I dodged another attack from Sukuna as I just kept on dodging his attack before I warped behind him and whispered.
Darren: My girlfriend is watching, so I'm going to show off a little~
I blocked an incoming punch from Sukuna before grabbing his arm and backhanding him in the face. I quickly punched him away, making him fly back across the rooftop.
Sukuna: For crying out loud... even if you're the last remaining, you Gojo Clan people are always trouble, no matter the era!
I smirked as I just stood there tanking Sukuna's attack.
Sukuna: Though that doesn't mean much to me since this brat is quite alright.
I pushed him away using infinity before smirking.
Sukuna: So you have that too...
Darren: Seven... eight... nine... should be time.
I quickly looked at Az eating his kikufuku as Sukuna suddenly stopped moving.
Sukuna: So the finger presence... it was you... you ate one of my fingers, huh...
Sukuna's tattoos suddenly disappeared as Shido just stared at me.
Shido: Oh, was everything alright?
Darren: Wow, so surprising! You can actually control it but can't get any girls to look your way!
Azazel almost busted out laughing as the rubble that was gonna hit Origami was stopped by my infinity.
Shido: Haha, very funny. But he's kind of annoying though.
Shido started hitting his head as I walked towards him.
Shido: I can hear his voice.
Darren: It's a miracle that is all he is doing, well, I ate the same thing but I was saved due to Kiriya.
I hit Shido on the forehead with two fingers which knocked him out and threw him to Az who caught him using his leg.
Darren: So this is the current Sukuna vessel huh? So close to us too.
Origami: Darren...
Darren: Before we begin, why aren't you in an AST suit? You just rushed here with your school uniform? Kind of impressive.
I swiftly looked around before sighing.
Darren: Anyways, let's get you home first, Az, can you take Shido home?
Azazel: Sure, don't really care about him though, Ima just dump him on the floor.
Az kicked Shido towards the floor and he hit it with a thud as Fraxinus transported both of them using a beam.
Darren: Anyhow, how did you know that a cursed item was here?
Origami walked alongside me out of the school and I sighed.
Origami: I'm unable to tell you.
Darren: If you're unable to tell me then it's fine. Not that I care much about it anyway.
I walked Origami back to her apartment before sighing.
Darren: Man, I wish we could talk somewhere more private, but-
Origami grabbed my arm and dragged me inside her apartment before I gave her a huh face. She dragged me into her room and sat down next to me while she sat on my lap.
Darren: What are you doing?
Origami: Why did you bring me here?
Darren: You were the one who brought me here...
I almost hung my head before sighing.
Darren: Well, never mind, what are you doing without your AST suit anyway?
Origami: I was issued a two-month suspension.
Darren: I see...
I scratched the back of my head before I stood up and removed Origami from my lap.
Darren: I'll have to go now, see you tomorrow?
Origami: Fine... see you...
I slowly walked out of her apartment before thinking to myself.
Darren: (But on a scale that large, there's no way it would've been just a two-month suspension. I need to figure out who the hell is the guy that gave Origami the two-month suspension.)