It is not weakness to be born weak or cursed.
It's weakness to remain as such.
It's weakness to remain as such.
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Cursed Shards (JJK/Worm)
- Thread starter Crandorn
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Prologue: Second Awakening
New
Crandorn
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This is IKnowNothing's story, for which Zaru and I are betas helping with the writing. I started helping out on chapter 2, and I am reposting it here now with permission. You can (and should) read it on Spacebattles, where they can get the dopamine chemicals from interactions there since they don't use this website. If you don't want to for some reason, I'll keep things updated here. With that said, I hope you enjoy PEAK FICTION.
Brockton Bay, New Hampshire.
A former shipping hub along the eastern seaboard for those not wanting to deal with the bustle of Baltimore and Florida, it is now a corpse of its former glory.
When there is a giant sea monster going around sinking ships for fun, the economy can be like that at times.
It was humid, but nothing that Yuta Okkotsu wasn't used to as he got off the train. The tall young man of Japanese descent had a white sweater with black jeans on as he put on his sunglasses. From what he recalled, many of the Asian demographics in this part of town were under the thrall of some Villain gang called the Azn Bad Boyz. Or ABB for short.
If Gojo-sensei were here, he'd probably mock them for cultural appropriation. In Mr. Miguel's name in all likelihood. Though given that his sensei was in town, there probably wasn't going to be too much craziness from the villains while he's around.
For now though, Yuta's phone buzzed, and he flipped it open.
"Gojo-sensei, what can I do for you?" The black haired man said.
"Awwww still being so formal to me Yuta~. I'm touched~. Just checkin' in on my favorite student!" Satoru Gojo replied on the other side. "Soooo, how was the train ride up from NYC?"
"Fine. Ticket was cheap."
"Good, now, I know this isn't your first rodeo in hunting Cursed Objects." Gojo said. "But, this is a whole different beast you're gonna be tackling." Yuta closed his eyes, recounting the mission that sent him to this city in the first place.
"A cursed finger." Yuta mused.
"Yeah, one of the sellers we have been tracking sold it to some collector in Brockton Bay. You just go find the buyer and, well, buy it from him. Problem is, the buyer may have connection with one of the Villain gangs in the Merchants this, Anthony Reali fellow." Gojo mused, going off the top of his head. "So find Reali, find the Finger. Assuming the Finger hasn't been found by the Heroes first. If it has, then well, have a nice chat while the talks are happening, you know everyone hates to have something explode while they're doing paperwork!"
"And if Reali isn't willing to cooperate?" Yuta asked.
"Well, we are Sorcerer's for a reason. I trust you can be… persuasive. Flex your muscle. Besides, the Bay has a huge amount of crime in it." Yuta looked around as he departed the station, seeing the squalor on the sidewalks as people kept to themselves. He could make out the sight of some gangster down the street, bunch of tattooed Caucasians with, nazi imagery. The third of Brockton's Villain gangs, the Empire 88.
"I can tell." Yuta said as he looked at his watch. 3 in the afternoon. "And if the Finger winds up with one of the Gangs?"
"You'd have all the permission in the world to bust heads my guy, considering the conferences with the Protectorate branch. After all, the Sorcerer Foundation wasn't established just for us to hide in the shadows like the wizards from Harry Potter." Gojo said, smirking like a cat. "Oh! Broadway show's gonna be starting soon, gotta get in line. You get that finger back soon, and maybe I can let Maki off of a mission early~"
Yuta blushed, and he felt the ring he had in his pocket stir. While her spirit maybe gone… Rika's shade wasn't exactly pleased to hear of his teacher's teasing.
"Gojo-Sensei…" Yuta sighed.
"What!? She's been working hard."
The ring twitched in his pocket.
"You're a cruel man, Gojo-sensei." Yuta toned.
"Hehehehehe~"
"I'm going to go hunt for the Finger now." Yuta went into an alleyway to the side, and channeling Cursed Energy, leapt up a Fire escape and parkoured his way to the top, one hand on his phone, the other pulling himself up the steel grader.
"Alrighty, have fun." Gojo said. "Be my guest, be my guest, put our service to the test~" He sang as Yuta rolled his eyes and hung up.
"Alright." Yuta closed his eyes, pulling out his ring from his pocket. "Rika, help me find what I'm looking for." He donned it, and using Copy, he drew upon a Cursed Technique he had encountered while partnered with Miguel in Cabo.
"Radar." He closed his eyes, feeling Rika's embrace from behind as the invisible beast surrounded him, her strong gangly white arms enclosing around.
"Yutaaaa~, those people down there were looking scary at youuuuuu~" Rika, the Queen of Curses, whined. "We should kill theeeem~"
Her spirit is gone, but her shade remained. And its bloody protective instinct with it.
"I know. But they're not in our jurisdiction." Yuta replied. "The Heroes will handle it." Heroes handle the material world, and Sorcerors the Ethereal world. That is how it is.
He focused, as the Cursed Technique activated, the world going monochrome. And from the city, he sensed it. Small flickering black lights. Minor Curse Spirits roaming about, all due to the negative air this city had.
But he sensed one… and it was starting to blaze as Yuta opened his eyes.
"Found it." He picked up his sword, channeled his Cursed Energy and leapt from the top of the building in but a single bound, Rika flying by his side. He rushed, jumping from roof to roof as he focused on the suburbs.
"I sense it Yutaaaa~ Dangerous! Dangerous!"
"It's fine." Yuta urged. "I have you with me." The monstrous eyeless Cursed Spirit let out a 'squee' and a giggle, and calmed down. In a way she was like a clingy dog; give her attention, and she'd be satisfied.
Though, he wasn't exactly satisfied when he landed in an alleyway close to his target. A target that clearly was the last place that he would've liked to find the finger. He hoped it would be a drug den, or some sleazy bar.
That said, what he had heard about American highschools, it might not be far off.
Yuta glanced at the sign.
Winslow High School.
The place was practically bathed in cursed energy, he'd have to get a call from the Foundation and permission from the city to exercise it as soon as he found the finger. Rika's presence was scaring off minor ones, no bigger than crows or cats.
Walking through the front door, he kept his senses open, trying to find the light that marked the cursed object. It wasn't too late in the day, but most of the students would be in their final classes.
"Hey, who are-"
Yuta turned to the voice, a teacher by the looks of him. Bit on the fraying side but well, Yuta didn't have time. His eyes were wide with apprehension, considering Yuta held his clothed sword. The black haired man reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge.
"It's alright sir. My name is Yuta Okkostu," he said in English, displaying the Sorcerer Foundation license.
His name, picture, and rank as a Special Grade Sorcerer were on full display with such authenticity that even a Tinker would be hard pressed to copy it.
Didn't hurt that it was glowing a bit.
The teacher paled instantly at seeing it.
Not surprising, considering the reputation of the two top Special Grades, and that there were only four in the world.
"Wh-what can I do for you Mr. Okkotsu?" the teacher asked.
"You have a Cursed Object on the premises, I need to find it and-"
"YUTA!!!" Rika screamed in his mind.
He felt Radar ping again, greater, and far brighter this time. Without even waiting, Yuta rushed down the hallway in a blur of cursed energy. He moved through halls, around corners, until he saw it.
A group of three girls, stuffing a fourth into a locker.
One of them, a darker skinned girl saw him, her eyes widening in recognition.
The other two didn't, and finished their work.
Stuffing a finger down the throat of a struggling girl with glasses.
Yuta flashed his ring, and poured as much cursed energy as he could into Rika. She appeared, and the two moved as fast as they could.
Rika grabbed the two that were distracted, Yuta grabbed the girl that noticed him.
They got halfway through the hall before the marks appeared on the final girl.
They were able to run out of the door, bursting out of it.
The school exploded.
Yuta felt the biting cursed energy, Rika's form cut up by the explosion of cursed energy, using herself as a shield from the blast. He felt cuts dig into his back as he used Reversed Curse Technique to heal as he rolled along the ground.
And what a blast it was.
The school, or that section of it, lockers and all were gone, the roof blown off and leaving a small hole where the lockers were.
Standing in their place, was the girl.
Black hair turning darker, her form covered in blood, not hers.
But she wasn't just a girl anymore…
Marking were formed, and Yuta spotted… eyes forming on the black haired girl's cheeks.
"W-Wha…I…"
One of the girls that Rika was protecting, a redhead, looked around in surprise.
"What-?"
Yuta didn't answer her, he had to move before the curse that was the brown haired girl did anymore damage.
Rika got to her first, grabbing hold of her with her hands and flying out of the hole that the curse had made. Yuta followed close behind, sword coming out of it's sheath. He lept from the roof of the school onto the street, just as Rika threw the curse onto the sidewalk hard enough to crack it.
It didn't so much as damage the curse as it did the street.
She got up, stretching her shoulder and looking at Yuta as he landed.
"Oh?" What came wasn't the voice of a girl, but of a man. Rank and oily with sadism. "So both times I wake up, I end up finding more of you sorcerers." The possessed one spoke, all four eyes on him.
Yuta didn't answer, blade held at the ready while Rika got behind the possessed. Inhuman eyes flicked between the two, before she tilted her head.
"Well then, aren't you interesting?"
"DIE! DANGER!" Rika roared as she slammed her claw down, and the possessed dodged, leaping away.
Yuta didn't blink, he simply waited.
"You're practically a babe yet you have so much cursed energy!" And the Possessed turned on Yuta, holding his sword in one hand, the other carrying the stunned red haired girl in his other. "Oh? She's bound to you?"
"Release her. Now." Yuta ordered, and the Possessed smirked.
"How about you die with that girl in your arms first, human!" She leapt, and Yuta raised his blade as the red haired girl screamed
The curse had the chance to take to the streets, and given who said curse was….
Only for a massive Eastern Dragon to slam into the girl, the Possessed screaming in pain as the Dragon slammed him into the ground, Yuta's eyes widening.
"Oh Yuta, there you are, I missed you at the conference."
He knew that dragon… or rather, that cursed spirit.
Yuta's head snapped around, and he saw someone he didn't expect.
A man in black monks robes with a green and yellow overcoat smiled at the other sorcerer. He was eating a thing of Lay's Potato chips casually, looking between the three of them there with a tilted head.
"You making a new friend, Yuta?" He mused. "And carrying around a girl like a superhero? Maki ain't going to be pleased about that."
"W-What…. Is going on…" The red head uttered.
"Geto-sensei!" Yuta exclaimed, "What are-"
"UNHAND ME!" The Possessed roared, Koryu keeping her pinned to the pavement as it buckled. "So Sorceror's in this era are so weak they must enslave Spirits now! How pathetic!"
"D-Don't kill her!" The redhead said. "I-I can't see whats going on but… you're crushing Taylor!"
"Be silent you curr!" The Possessed, this Taylor apparently, yelled. "Once I'm finished with these weak sorcerers, I will eat your hear-BLARGH!"
And an octopus spirit was wedged into Taylor's mouth, gagging the Possessed as Rika flew over. Geto-sensei walked by, munching still.
"Do you mind? I'm meeting my student again, I'm trying to have a conversation." Geto looked down at the frothing mad Possessed as if one looked at a cockroach. "Besides, who are you, if I'm weak?"
The Possessed let out a muffled roar, but Koryu's jaws tightened.
"Geto-sensei!" Yuta called, "The girl, she ate the finger!"
"I could tell," Geto said, casually eating another chip, "She's practically a carbon copy of Gojo's report."
"A report?" Yuta asked.
"Oh yeah it was super recent."
Geto nudged the Possessed with his traditional Japanese sandal-covered shoe to the head. If looks could kill, Geto-sensei would have been dead a hundred times over.
"Sleep." He ordered, and Taylor's eyes widened… before she slumped, her hair returning back to its normal chocolate sheen and the marks and eyes on her face vanishing. Relaxing as Koryu and the octopus spirit vanished.
In the crater a brown haired girl blinked and sat up in the crater.
"W-What… where am I? I-" She turned around, seeing the sight of the burning school…
"W-Winslow…I-" She turned, and saw the monk and scampered away.
"Easy," the monk said, hands raised, a warm smile at ease as he offered his hand, "I'm not going to hurt you."
The girl's head snapped around, looking around, her entire form was shaking.
"I… I was in a locker… then… then I…"
She hugged herself tight, and Geto leaned down gently placing a hand on her head and she stilled. Yuta set the redhead down, as she looked at Taylor with fear.
"Don't worry, you're safe now. Nothing bad will happen to you." Geto said in perfect English, offering his hand to her. "I am here after all."
He smiled, and Yuta saw that familiar smirk.
"And I am the strongest."
(X)
(AN on Spacebattles):
Bit of a brain thing that's been in my head for a while, now off the back burner, but here we are!
Me and @Zaru have been talking about this for a while, so here it is, another worm fic from the two of us, but well, another fun story moving forward.
Obviously, not exactly what some might expect, but hope everyone gives it a chance! Worldbuilding and other changes are going to be explained in chapters to follow, but soon enough that'll come around.
Hope y'all enjoy, and if you got questions, more than willing to answer.
(My crossposting note):
If you ask questions here I'll do my best to answer them, but this is IKN's brainchild so I won't have all the answers. I'll try and pass them along and get back to you though!
Brockton Bay, New Hampshire.
A former shipping hub along the eastern seaboard for those not wanting to deal with the bustle of Baltimore and Florida, it is now a corpse of its former glory.
When there is a giant sea monster going around sinking ships for fun, the economy can be like that at times.
It was humid, but nothing that Yuta Okkotsu wasn't used to as he got off the train. The tall young man of Japanese descent had a white sweater with black jeans on as he put on his sunglasses. From what he recalled, many of the Asian demographics in this part of town were under the thrall of some Villain gang called the Azn Bad Boyz. Or ABB for short.
If Gojo-sensei were here, he'd probably mock them for cultural appropriation. In Mr. Miguel's name in all likelihood. Though given that his sensei was in town, there probably wasn't going to be too much craziness from the villains while he's around.
For now though, Yuta's phone buzzed, and he flipped it open.
"Gojo-sensei, what can I do for you?" The black haired man said.
"Awwww still being so formal to me Yuta~. I'm touched~. Just checkin' in on my favorite student!" Satoru Gojo replied on the other side. "Soooo, how was the train ride up from NYC?"
"Fine. Ticket was cheap."
"Good, now, I know this isn't your first rodeo in hunting Cursed Objects." Gojo said. "But, this is a whole different beast you're gonna be tackling." Yuta closed his eyes, recounting the mission that sent him to this city in the first place.
"A cursed finger." Yuta mused.
"Yeah, one of the sellers we have been tracking sold it to some collector in Brockton Bay. You just go find the buyer and, well, buy it from him. Problem is, the buyer may have connection with one of the Villain gangs in the Merchants this, Anthony Reali fellow." Gojo mused, going off the top of his head. "So find Reali, find the Finger. Assuming the Finger hasn't been found by the Heroes first. If it has, then well, have a nice chat while the talks are happening, you know everyone hates to have something explode while they're doing paperwork!"
"And if Reali isn't willing to cooperate?" Yuta asked.
"Well, we are Sorcerer's for a reason. I trust you can be… persuasive. Flex your muscle. Besides, the Bay has a huge amount of crime in it." Yuta looked around as he departed the station, seeing the squalor on the sidewalks as people kept to themselves. He could make out the sight of some gangster down the street, bunch of tattooed Caucasians with, nazi imagery. The third of Brockton's Villain gangs, the Empire 88.
"I can tell." Yuta said as he looked at his watch. 3 in the afternoon. "And if the Finger winds up with one of the Gangs?"
"You'd have all the permission in the world to bust heads my guy, considering the conferences with the Protectorate branch. After all, the Sorcerer Foundation wasn't established just for us to hide in the shadows like the wizards from Harry Potter." Gojo said, smirking like a cat. "Oh! Broadway show's gonna be starting soon, gotta get in line. You get that finger back soon, and maybe I can let Maki off of a mission early~"
Yuta blushed, and he felt the ring he had in his pocket stir. While her spirit maybe gone… Rika's shade wasn't exactly pleased to hear of his teacher's teasing.
"Gojo-Sensei…" Yuta sighed.
"What!? She's been working hard."
The ring twitched in his pocket.
"You're a cruel man, Gojo-sensei." Yuta toned.
"Hehehehehe~"
"I'm going to go hunt for the Finger now." Yuta went into an alleyway to the side, and channeling Cursed Energy, leapt up a Fire escape and parkoured his way to the top, one hand on his phone, the other pulling himself up the steel grader.
"Alrighty, have fun." Gojo said. "Be my guest, be my guest, put our service to the test~" He sang as Yuta rolled his eyes and hung up.
"Alright." Yuta closed his eyes, pulling out his ring from his pocket. "Rika, help me find what I'm looking for." He donned it, and using Copy, he drew upon a Cursed Technique he had encountered while partnered with Miguel in Cabo.
"Radar." He closed his eyes, feeling Rika's embrace from behind as the invisible beast surrounded him, her strong gangly white arms enclosing around.
"Yutaaaa~, those people down there were looking scary at youuuuuu~" Rika, the Queen of Curses, whined. "We should kill theeeem~"
Her spirit is gone, but her shade remained. And its bloody protective instinct with it.
"I know. But they're not in our jurisdiction." Yuta replied. "The Heroes will handle it." Heroes handle the material world, and Sorcerors the Ethereal world. That is how it is.
He focused, as the Cursed Technique activated, the world going monochrome. And from the city, he sensed it. Small flickering black lights. Minor Curse Spirits roaming about, all due to the negative air this city had.
But he sensed one… and it was starting to blaze as Yuta opened his eyes.
"Found it." He picked up his sword, channeled his Cursed Energy and leapt from the top of the building in but a single bound, Rika flying by his side. He rushed, jumping from roof to roof as he focused on the suburbs.
"I sense it Yutaaaa~ Dangerous! Dangerous!"
"It's fine." Yuta urged. "I have you with me." The monstrous eyeless Cursed Spirit let out a 'squee' and a giggle, and calmed down. In a way she was like a clingy dog; give her attention, and she'd be satisfied.
Though, he wasn't exactly satisfied when he landed in an alleyway close to his target. A target that clearly was the last place that he would've liked to find the finger. He hoped it would be a drug den, or some sleazy bar.
That said, what he had heard about American highschools, it might not be far off.
Yuta glanced at the sign.
Winslow High School.
The place was practically bathed in cursed energy, he'd have to get a call from the Foundation and permission from the city to exercise it as soon as he found the finger. Rika's presence was scaring off minor ones, no bigger than crows or cats.
Walking through the front door, he kept his senses open, trying to find the light that marked the cursed object. It wasn't too late in the day, but most of the students would be in their final classes.
"Hey, who are-"
Yuta turned to the voice, a teacher by the looks of him. Bit on the fraying side but well, Yuta didn't have time. His eyes were wide with apprehension, considering Yuta held his clothed sword. The black haired man reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge.
"It's alright sir. My name is Yuta Okkostu," he said in English, displaying the Sorcerer Foundation license.
His name, picture, and rank as a Special Grade Sorcerer were on full display with such authenticity that even a Tinker would be hard pressed to copy it.
Didn't hurt that it was glowing a bit.
The teacher paled instantly at seeing it.
Not surprising, considering the reputation of the two top Special Grades, and that there were only four in the world.
"Wh-what can I do for you Mr. Okkotsu?" the teacher asked.
"You have a Cursed Object on the premises, I need to find it and-"
"YUTA!!!" Rika screamed in his mind.
He felt Radar ping again, greater, and far brighter this time. Without even waiting, Yuta rushed down the hallway in a blur of cursed energy. He moved through halls, around corners, until he saw it.
A group of three girls, stuffing a fourth into a locker.
One of them, a darker skinned girl saw him, her eyes widening in recognition.
The other two didn't, and finished their work.
Stuffing a finger down the throat of a struggling girl with glasses.
Yuta flashed his ring, and poured as much cursed energy as he could into Rika. She appeared, and the two moved as fast as they could.
Rika grabbed the two that were distracted, Yuta grabbed the girl that noticed him.
They got halfway through the hall before the marks appeared on the final girl.
They were able to run out of the door, bursting out of it.
The school exploded.
Yuta felt the biting cursed energy, Rika's form cut up by the explosion of cursed energy, using herself as a shield from the blast. He felt cuts dig into his back as he used Reversed Curse Technique to heal as he rolled along the ground.
And what a blast it was.
The school, or that section of it, lockers and all were gone, the roof blown off and leaving a small hole where the lockers were.
Standing in their place, was the girl.
Black hair turning darker, her form covered in blood, not hers.
But she wasn't just a girl anymore…
Marking were formed, and Yuta spotted… eyes forming on the black haired girl's cheeks.
"W-Wha…I…"
One of the girls that Rika was protecting, a redhead, looked around in surprise.
"What-?"
Yuta didn't answer her, he had to move before the curse that was the brown haired girl did anymore damage.
Rika got to her first, grabbing hold of her with her hands and flying out of the hole that the curse had made. Yuta followed close behind, sword coming out of it's sheath. He lept from the roof of the school onto the street, just as Rika threw the curse onto the sidewalk hard enough to crack it.
It didn't so much as damage the curse as it did the street.
She got up, stretching her shoulder and looking at Yuta as he landed.
"Oh?" What came wasn't the voice of a girl, but of a man. Rank and oily with sadism. "So both times I wake up, I end up finding more of you sorcerers." The possessed one spoke, all four eyes on him.
Yuta didn't answer, blade held at the ready while Rika got behind the possessed. Inhuman eyes flicked between the two, before she tilted her head.
"Well then, aren't you interesting?"
"DIE! DANGER!" Rika roared as she slammed her claw down, and the possessed dodged, leaping away.
Yuta didn't blink, he simply waited.
"You're practically a babe yet you have so much cursed energy!" And the Possessed turned on Yuta, holding his sword in one hand, the other carrying the stunned red haired girl in his other. "Oh? She's bound to you?"
"Release her. Now." Yuta ordered, and the Possessed smirked.
"How about you die with that girl in your arms first, human!" She leapt, and Yuta raised his blade as the red haired girl screamed
The curse had the chance to take to the streets, and given who said curse was….
Only for a massive Eastern Dragon to slam into the girl, the Possessed screaming in pain as the Dragon slammed him into the ground, Yuta's eyes widening.
"Oh Yuta, there you are, I missed you at the conference."
He knew that dragon… or rather, that cursed spirit.
Yuta's head snapped around, and he saw someone he didn't expect.
A man in black monks robes with a green and yellow overcoat smiled at the other sorcerer. He was eating a thing of Lay's Potato chips casually, looking between the three of them there with a tilted head.
"You making a new friend, Yuta?" He mused. "And carrying around a girl like a superhero? Maki ain't going to be pleased about that."
"W-What…. Is going on…" The red head uttered.
"Geto-sensei!" Yuta exclaimed, "What are-"
"UNHAND ME!" The Possessed roared, Koryu keeping her pinned to the pavement as it buckled. "So Sorceror's in this era are so weak they must enslave Spirits now! How pathetic!"
"D-Don't kill her!" The redhead said. "I-I can't see whats going on but… you're crushing Taylor!"
"Be silent you curr!" The Possessed, this Taylor apparently, yelled. "Once I'm finished with these weak sorcerers, I will eat your hear-BLARGH!"
And an octopus spirit was wedged into Taylor's mouth, gagging the Possessed as Rika flew over. Geto-sensei walked by, munching still.
"Do you mind? I'm meeting my student again, I'm trying to have a conversation." Geto looked down at the frothing mad Possessed as if one looked at a cockroach. "Besides, who are you, if I'm weak?"
The Possessed let out a muffled roar, but Koryu's jaws tightened.
"Geto-sensei!" Yuta called, "The girl, she ate the finger!"
"I could tell," Geto said, casually eating another chip, "She's practically a carbon copy of Gojo's report."
"A report?" Yuta asked.
"Oh yeah it was super recent."
Geto nudged the Possessed with his traditional Japanese sandal-covered shoe to the head. If looks could kill, Geto-sensei would have been dead a hundred times over.
"Sleep." He ordered, and Taylor's eyes widened… before she slumped, her hair returning back to its normal chocolate sheen and the marks and eyes on her face vanishing. Relaxing as Koryu and the octopus spirit vanished.
In the crater a brown haired girl blinked and sat up in the crater.
"W-What… where am I? I-" She turned around, seeing the sight of the burning school…
"W-Winslow…I-" She turned, and saw the monk and scampered away.
"Easy," the monk said, hands raised, a warm smile at ease as he offered his hand, "I'm not going to hurt you."
The girl's head snapped around, looking around, her entire form was shaking.
"I… I was in a locker… then… then I…"
She hugged herself tight, and Geto leaned down gently placing a hand on her head and she stilled. Yuta set the redhead down, as she looked at Taylor with fear.
"Don't worry, you're safe now. Nothing bad will happen to you." Geto said in perfect English, offering his hand to her. "I am here after all."
He smiled, and Yuta saw that familiar smirk.
"And I am the strongest."
(X)
(AN on Spacebattles):
Bit of a brain thing that's been in my head for a while, now off the back burner, but here we are!
Me and @Zaru have been talking about this for a while, so here it is, another worm fic from the two of us, but well, another fun story moving forward.
Obviously, not exactly what some might expect, but hope everyone gives it a chance! Worldbuilding and other changes are going to be explained in chapters to follow, but soon enough that'll come around.
Hope y'all enjoy, and if you got questions, more than willing to answer.
(My crossposting note):
If you ask questions here I'll do my best to answer them, but this is IKN's brainchild so I won't have all the answers. I'll try and pass them along and get back to you though!
Last edited:
Chapter 1: The Offer
New
Crandorn
Unprofessional Writer
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Hospitals were an annoyance.
They were the perfect breeding ground for Curses. Them, High Schools, office buildings, jails. Anywhere that produced tons of negative emotions became the perfect breeding ground for spirits to grow and thrive.
That being said, they provided great training grounds for amateur sorcerers. The negative emotions in those places were indistinct and unfocused, giving birth to curses of insubstantial power.
However, the issue never came with the demand, it always came with the supply.
Despite having a greater number of sorcerers in the world than almost ever before, there weren't enough to go around. Sorcerers were called by the Foundation everyday for everything between their expertise in stopping curses to helping everyone understand certain master/stranger protocols.
Yuta had seen more dangerous and lethal curses than the little bug and rat sized ones that scurried around in the corner of his eye. Brockton General Hospital had plenty of curses writhing about, and seeing them was irritating. If he had the time he'd exorcise them, but for now he had a job to do.
He sat outside of Taylor Hebert's room where the girl was resting on Geto-Sensei's orders to the doctors. She needed it to calm herself lest the spirit she had consumed go rampant.
The most dangerous Cursed Spirit of all. The King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna.
Normally this would be cause to lock Taylor into a room covered in sealing tags awaiting execution. That's how it was for Yuta when he first manifested his curse, but Brockton had no sealing room to use. Which, frankly, was a good thing.
The last thing that she needed was to be subjected to something like that.
So here she was, sitting in a hospital, waiting for her future to be decided. This would ordinarily be a cause for concern from the Foundation, but given the Vice Administrator and an additional Special Grade Sorcerer were there, only a fool would have tried to press the issue.
Which left time to ask some questions…
"How did that girl ever get that finger?" Yuta mused. "Our sources said Reali still had his hands on it."
Geto-Sensei was on his phone, looking through various messages. The man stood out like he always did with his monk outfit, to say nothing of the dragon spirit circling the building. It had caused more than one intern to scream when they first put on their Cursed Glasses for the day. While Geto-sensei's technique allowed him to gather and store cursed spirits, they still caused quite a stir to anyone not in the know.
"It was supposed to be, but Reali was arrested two days ago according to an updated police report." Geto handed his phone to the younger man.
The man had been arrested and wounded in some irreputable part of Brockton Bay. The report listed puncture wounds characteristic of sharp knives and ranged projectiles, alongside a generous helping of blunt trauma.
"How come the Police didn't notify…us…" Yuta muttered, before it clicked in his head and he took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose.
God damn it sensei…
"And here I was thinking that your containment of the Special Grade Cursed Object would go swimmingly while I handled my meetings," Geto chuckled. "Guess I was wrong."
"Did you make a bet with Gojo-Sensei?"
"He wanted to bet, I refused." Geto commented dryly as Yuta rolled his eyes.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," the younger sorcerer said deadpanned.
"Always," Geto said, smiling sickly sweet.
They heard footsteps from down the hallway and Yuta turned to see a frantic looking man in his forties rushing towards them. He had a lanky frame, and was starting to go bald, and wore glasses too big for his face. He stopped, glancing between the two sorcerers.
"Who are you two? This is my daughter's room, isn't it?" He asked, tone taut.
"You must be Taylor Hebert's father." Geto replied as he stood up, smiling much more diplomatically. "I'm Suguru Geto, the Vice Administrator of the Sorcerer Foundation. And this is my understudy, Yuta Okkotsu." He gestured to Yuta, who bowed. "We have been watching over your daughter since the incident."
If the man was thankful he didn't show it, though he was pale with worry, to his credit.
"The Sorcerer Foundation?" Mr. Hebert asked before going even paler. "Is Taylor okay? Was she hurt by-!?"
"She's alright, physically at least." Geto said. "But there is a curse involved, unfortunately." He frowned. "Mr…" He droned, hoping to get a name as he offered his hand.
"Hebert. Daniel Hebert." Daniel shook it, and Geto nodded.
"Well Daniel, I won't mince words. Your daughter was force fed a Cursed Object, one belonging to an exceptionally old and dangerous curse." Geto said. "She was-is- possessed, but my understudy and I were able to quell the Cursed Spirit inside her without killing her, which was honestly a first for us. Your daughter was a lucky girl to survive that."
Geto paused, glancing to the side in thought. "Though living with a curse wouldn't be the best way to survive, but we all take what we can get I suppose."
Daniel's jaw was agog, and Yuta winced and looked away. "She was force… fed? HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT SO-"
Geto-sensei held up a single finger and Daniel shut his mouth instantly. "I'm speaking like this because I am one of few people in the world truly capable of helping her," he said calmly, "And because for now, she is safe and healthy, a far cry from most who encounter a curse. Were this like the overwhelming majority of cases we normally deal with, you would be identifying your daughter from her dental records right now."
Daniel swallowed hard, and Geto clasped his hands together, his smile never having left his face. "Now, I know you must have many questions such as how and why this all happened. For that, we have an eye witness."
Geto held out his hand, and Yuta handed him back his phone. "They already identified the ones responsible. The perpetrators, one Sophia Hess, one Madison Clemants, and one Emma Barnes are currently being held in the police station."
Daniel's eyes widened, and Geto cocked a brow. "E-Emma Barnes…?"
"Oh? You know of them?" The monk asked with a tilt of his head.
"Emma mostly," Daniel said, his voice far away, "She and Taylor were good friends, and I work with her father but…"
"Then my apologies for being the bearer of bad news," Geto said, "But worry not, everything is already taken care of. Yuta, if you would?"
Yuta reached into his pocket, grabbing his ring and sliding it on as Daniel blinked. "Memograph." Yuta uttered, Copy coming into play as the Cursed Technique he took from a voyeur Sorcerer in Miami during his days as a Grade 2 Sorceror took effect, a protrusion forming on the side of his head as he recalled from memory of what he saw. Daniel could only watch in abject amazement. The man probably had never seen a cursed technique before, let alone one like this.
Like a camera, a photo began to form from it as Daniel looked on in horror as it came out bit by bit. Once printed, Geto took it in hand, looking it over before giving a nod, letting the protrusion fade away. Yuta rubbed his head, wincing a little from the use of the power.
It always came with a little headache at the end, a trade off for a technique that, while useless in combat, was far more practical outside of it.
"I will ensure this matter reaches the right people," Geto explained, "And we will proceed accordingly with criminal charges."
"You? But, why?" Daniel asked. "I get a Curse is involved but this- my daughter was hurt! I should be the one to press charges."
Geto put the photo in his robes. "This was a violation of the Treaty. Take from that what you will." Daniel's eyes widened.
"A hero… was involved?!" He uttered. "But Emma isn't a cape! Then…" he looked to the side, eyes wide.
The Protectorate-Foundation Treaty, often simply called the PF Treaty, was well known as a treatise of allegiance and cooperation between the Sorcerer Foundation and the Protectorate and its affiliate groups like the Parahuman Response Team.
The rules and consequences were strict and for good reason.
"Unfortunately yes," Geto said, "Rest assured Mr. Hebert, we will be taking this matter seriously. I've scheduled a meeting to address this personally, which is rare. so I'll do what I can to enjoy the bureaucracy in your stead."
He gestured towards Yuta."Yuta here will remain by your daughter's side, in case the Cursed Spirit awakens inside her once again."
Daniel looked sick as he slumped into his chair.
"It will be alright. Trust me." Yuta spoke up. "Your daughter will be safe, and we'll do what we can about the Cursed spirit inside her."
"Can't you just exorcise it? I mean, you clear our spirits all over the country and…"
"If we could we would, but this Curse Spirit attached to her soul," Geto said, his tone hard. "It's unique. Old. Powerful. And without a shadow of a doubt, evil beyond compare."
Daniel cupped his mouth, suppressing his despair as Yuta saw the Curse Spirit wiggling on his shoulder. A disgusting, slug-like thing with too many eyes all over its body.
Yuta reached out, and with a simple chop, exorcised the spirit.
"We'll do what we can to protect her to the best of our ability." Yuta assured. "We are strong after all." He said with a little pump of his fist.
'Yuta's so kiiiiind.' Rika chirped in his ear. 'You're so sweet Yutaaaa~'
Geto chuckled, and Yuta felt his hair get ruffled."As my pupil says. We are on your side, Mr. Hebert. Let me fight this battle in your stead." Geto said, a warm smile of assurance on his features as Daniel looked up. "And I will come out the victor, I assure you."
Daniel wiped his eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "Thank you… I've heard rumors that you Sorcerers are a callous bunch… I didn't think…"
"It is as you said Mr. Hebert. Those are only rumors." Geto nodded as he stood up suddenly, bringing his sleeves together. "Now if you'll excuse me, bureaucracy calls and I must present myself. I will be back shortly." He walked off, nodding towards Yuta's way who responded in kind.
Yuta sat by Daniel's side, and he looked at the hospital door, sensing Taylor within as she slumbered.
A girl whose life had changed forever. Just like Gojo-Sensei's new pupil.
There would be many in the upper echelons of the Foundation calling for her head.
Just like they did for Yuji Itadori's in San Francisco.
Just as they did for Yuta Okkotsu.
But then, that's why sorcerers like him existed. To protect others, and train others to handle the life of curses and spirits they were thrust into.
She'd be fine. She had to.
(X)
The ride to Protectorate Headquarters East-North-East was rough. The city streets had a horrifying number of bumps and potholes. At least the inside of the base was better paved.
Then again, when three of the most dangerous Villain gangs on the Eastern seaboard are nestled in the city, public funds had to go somewhere.
Truly government spending was the greatest and most invincible curse out there.
Geto maintained that if he found the Tax Curse and absorbed it, his power would be beyond compare.
Regardless, looking at the city Suguru found himself disappointed. It was normal for larger cities to struggle with crime, but Brockton Bay was a case study of how bad it could get before the Heroes decided that it was a lost cause, no longer worth continuing their giant charade of cops and robbers. It was all just so… tiresome to even look at. Then again, things like the Endbringers did exist, as did the Slaughterhouse Nine.
Suguru understood the necessity of it all, but he could never feel the logic. Criminals should be punished, not given quarter simply because they were strong when heroes like the triumvirate were stronger. It was- mostly- fine elsewhere, but here it was just a mess.
"We're here sir." His driver said, breaking the black haired man from his thoughts as he exited the van, having entered with ease when his credentials were shown to the gate. Suguru walked towards the door with a measured gait, looking out of place and out of time. A garbed buddhist monk, sandals and all entering a high tech Hero Base. As the doors opened, every eye was on him and for good reason.
For they were in the presence of the Strongest.
"Mr. Geto!" Waved a man jogging through the lobby around the many officials, officers and interns whispering at his entrance. "Welcome to PRT ENE! I'm Deputy Director Thomas Calvert." He offered a hand and a wide smile, which Suguru took with a small smirk.
"Mr. Calvert, it's a pleasure to meet you." He said, before releasing the hand and bowing slightly. "I was hoping to speak to Director… Biggot I believe?"
"Piggot actually."
Oh that poor woman. Her days in high school must have been hell.
"Ah, my mistake," Suguru said with a smile, "English is my third language, and french surnames are even harder for me."
Calvert chuckled awkwardly before coughing into his hand.
"Well, she's in a meeting at the moment, but considering you're here I'm sure she'll be done in a moment." Calvert said, guiding him along.
"You greeted me rather promptly on my arrival," Suguru mused while observing his surroundings. The place had scant few spirits, and the ones there were rarely much bigger than earthworms. He did notice a Curse upon Calvert's hand that looked like a starfish, with many mouths and dangling tongues sticking onto the skin. The security there let him through without issue, and the people in the halls cleared quickly to let him and Calvert through.
"My office is above the lobby and has a convenient window looking out onto the grounds." Calvert replied by way of explanation. "And having heard an esteemed member of the Foundation was present from the gate staff, I felt it improper to give you anything less than a proper welcome."
"My thanks," said Suguru, smile hardly shifting as they entered an elevator and began to ascend.
"Pardon the question, but do I have any well, Curses on me?" Calvert asked. "I heard many people do and…" he trailed off.
"Hold out your hand." Suguru commanded, which Calvert obeyed, placing his palm in Suguru's open palm. He flexed his cursed technique and the spirit shrieked as he rendered the Curse into a small pearl that he let dissipate a moment later. Calvert flexed his arm, staring.
"Wow, I'd been wondering why my hand had been aching for days… The rumors are true, then. Thank you."
"Sorcerers who eschew a life of combat often become rather successful masseuses," Suguru remarked with a sly smirk as Calvet looked at his hand.
"I imagine so. I had no idea that was there, they don't let us have goggles unless you're on a mission, and well, I'm no fighter. Haven't been for a while." Calvert commented as they arrived and they marched on ahead. Calvert stepped on ahead of him, a ghost of a smug smirk on his visage.
"Allow me."
Calvert opened the door, and Suguru glanced about the room. The office was rather austere, but little things here and there tried to make it more homely, like the bowl of mints on her desk nestled between more phones than most would ever use with enough paperwork to kill a man with the weight alone. But then again, directors needed to be on call for almost anything, and often many things at the same time.
"We can't afford to lose her, I'm working with a fraction of the force I should have as is!" Hissed a plump middle aged woman as she looked up, eyes glaring daggers at Calvert before her gaze settled on Suguru, and her eyes widened before hardening. "We'll be talking about this later." She shut off the call with an annoyed huff. Geto had a good idea of what exactly was going on there…
"Vice Administrator Suguru Geto." said one Emily Piggot, according to the name plate on the desk. Suguru noticed the immense bloated caterpillar of a Curse coiling around her shoulders and near her sides as she adjusted her glasses. "To what do I owe the pleasure? I wasn't told you would be coming." Her glare shifted to Calvert, who shrugged.
"I found myself in the area, for reasons you're already aware of." Suguru said as he walked in. "Given the nature of what I just heard, after all."
He kept his smile perfectly diplomatic, which did little to blunt the spike of negativity he sensed from her. Though it was certainly more helpful than the cocky grin that Satoru would be giving her right now. Suguru was far better at playing politics than him, whether he was dealing with normal humans, parahumans, or Curse Users. Fighting was always something of a last resort in his eyes. It's what set him apart from Satoru and Yuki.
He was very glad Yuta was taking more after him than his colleagues in that regard.
Lord knows he got enough headaches from the Foundation about his fellows' consistent property damage.
"Is this about the incident at Winslow earlier today?" Calvert inquired as he pulled out a chair for Suguru.
Suguru took the chair, resting his hands on his lap with his robe's sleeves still interlocked.
"One of your Wards broke the Treaty." He wasn't going to bother with politeness here- they both knew he was in the right. "I'm just grateful she was kind enough to do so during the week, when we have more hands on deck to help fix things without having to deal with tons of extra overtime."
Piggot's eyes narrowed. "And which part of the treaty would this ward be breaking?" she asked. She knew already, of course, but she was hoping he would make a mistake.
"Article three, subsection two." Suguru remarked, reaching over and helping himself to the unused mints. Her eye twitched as she watched him, but she didn't stop him. "If a Hero under Protectorate or PRT supervision comes across a Cursed Object, they are supposed to report it to a Foundation Sorcerer immediately for exorcism, containment, or destruction. But that's not what happened."
Piggot took a deep breath, the curse spirit on her shoulder bulging lightly as it warbled a bit, feeding off of her stress. "Do you have proof?"
Suguru nodded. "Would you be satisfied with a photo and an eyewitness testimony from a Special Grade Sorcerer, or do I need to refer you to the hole where the greater part of a local highschool used to be? I always endeavor to be accommodating."
"There's another Special Grade here? Who?" Calvert asked, surprised.
"My pupil." Calvert looked to the side, giving a low whistle.
Piggot's eyes narrowed further."Your lack of professionalism isn't appreciated, Vice Administrator."
The two of them stared at one another for a moment, giving Suguru time to crunch through his mint.
"The Foundation was tracking a collector and smuggler by the name of Anthony Reali. He purchased a Cursed Object that belonged to a Heian Era Sorcerer from a bazaar in Toronto recently. Unaware it was a Cursed Object, he returned to his home here in Brockton Bay. Reali, as I hope you're aware, was arrested two days ago by a hero. If my recollection of Brockton Bay's Protectorate roster is correct, it was the work of a Ward by the name of Shadow Stalker."
Piggot exhaled through her nose, leaning back in her chair. It looked like an uncomfortable motion, for someone of her bulk.
"The Sorcerer who we had sent out to retrieve this Cursed Object," Suguru pulled out the photograph and set it on her desk. Piggot's jaw was tight. "Found it being force fed to a Winslow High School student."
Calvert averted his gaze, choosing to carefully study the books on the shelf as the Curse spirit on Piggot's shoulder gurgled, bathing in the wash of negativity the woman was giving off. She really could use an exorcism, but he wasn't inclined to be helpful right now.
Some people deserve some negativity after all.
"You realize outing a Ward is a crime?" She hissed, trying for intimidation.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, smiling. It dropped a second later.
"As much as it amuses me to beat around the bush, let us be frank. Your Ward was harassing a young girl in a startling bullying campaign that escalated until she force fed said girl a Cursed Object. That's an attempted murder charge at best, as it's a miracle that the young girl survived the experience and an even greater miracle that my student was able to save your ward and bystanders before they all reaped the consequences of what she did. It is in spite of all odds that those young women avoided death today. We can quibble about the particulars all you want, but the fact of the matter is that I have all the evidence in the world necessary to bury you and your administration."
Satoru would likely be sniggering like a gremlin if he were here, watching the pudgy woman stew in fury. Piggot took off her glasses, setting them down as she ran her hands up and down her temples. "What do you want Geto?"
"Accountability would be a good start." Suguru remarked, "Stalker and her pack are to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, but that was going to happen anyways without your interference."
She was fuming, but fighting to stay in the moment and 'reason' with him. "I can't afford to lose her. She's one of our best potential counters to Brutes like Lung." She was at the end of her rope it seems, trying to appeal to someone like him. Especially given Lung's history and who he targets to bolster his gang.
"That's not my problem. As per the treaty." Suguru smiled as he leaned back. Calvert got up to a nearby water cooler, pulling himself a cup and getting something to drink. Piggot looked ready to explode as the spirit warbled again.
"Must be nice to not have to care about throwing people to the wolves with no help." Piggot snapped. Calvert sipped from his water, as he hid a tiny smile at the sight of his boss being knocked down a peg.
He wanted her job, if he had to guess.
"Again, not my problem. She broke the treaty, and I think both of us can agree we have enough of our own problems going around that we don't need to add to them with a loose cannon running around mucking things up." Suguru replied as Piggot signed. "You can keep your job, throw Stalker, deservedly, to the wolves, and we can move on. Or this can get ugly, and you'll be flipping burgers by year's end." He smiled. "Your choice." She ran a hand over her face, sighing loudly. When she didn't respond he smiled. "And one last thing about today's victim…"
(X)
Taylor woke up screaming.
She didn't know where she was, but she could hear the electrical beeping of machines, white walls covered in tags bearing characters in some foreign language and enough candles to light the place up and choke the room in incense.
It was then that she noticed where she was.
She was in a hospital bed, and there was an Asian man with long black hair that she didn't recognize sitting across from her.
He was dressed in monk robes with bangs over his face and with a happy little smile on his face. He had broad shoulders and was visibly well muscled even through his strange robes. He rose.
"Oh! Hello there Taylor! Did you sleep well?" He asked with sleeves together.
Taylor blinked, lifting up her arm to find the tubes leading into her body.
"I…" she started, only to look back at the man, and her mind filled in the blanks.
"You're that man with the bangs that saved me. Before I passed out."
He shook his head, muttering as his hands touched his hair. "Why do they always notice the bangs? It's enough to make me self conscious."
"I'm… sorry?" Taylor said, and the Japanese man looked back and chuckled.
"Oh it's nothing," the man said, waving her concerns off, "But again, how are you feeling?"
Taylor shrugged, noticing a surprising lack of pain. "Well as I can be… after…" she looked off, remembering the dark giggling from Madison. Sophia holding her down as Emma's dark expression as she was fed… that. Whatever it was had tasted like death.
"Oh yes, well on the plus side they're all going to juvie." he said, "The evidence stacked against them is overwhelming."
"...what?"
"Lawyers got involved, and their charges are looking like they'll be hard to beat. Photographic evidence can be a pain like that." The man mentioned. "One of them was white belligerent until the photo was presented. He deflated like a balloon."
Taylor didn't know what she was hearing .But she got the basics. The trio, Emma, Sophia, and Madison were gone.
"Who- who are you?"
The man's smile widened. "I am the Vice Administrator of the Sorcerer Foundation, the Special Grade Sorcerer Suguru Geto." He leaned forward in his chair. "And I would like to make you an offer. Tell me, Taylor Hebert, have you ever dreamed of being a sorcerer?"
(X)
(AN on Spacebattles):
Got another one for you.
Was going to post this earlier but power outages and all that good stuff.
Anyway, one more for you to get things moving, hope everyone likes.
Big thanks to @Zaru and @Crandorn for their help, much smoother now.
This is just a tiny little start up for things, but we're going to be stepping closer to the meat of things soon enough. If you got questions, concerns, memes, feel free to post, love reading them all and it's always a pleasure to see this getting any sort of traction.
Now, I am back to the mines for writing things like the next chapter and Shattering, still need to get that fixed up lol.
They were the perfect breeding ground for Curses. Them, High Schools, office buildings, jails. Anywhere that produced tons of negative emotions became the perfect breeding ground for spirits to grow and thrive.
That being said, they provided great training grounds for amateur sorcerers. The negative emotions in those places were indistinct and unfocused, giving birth to curses of insubstantial power.
However, the issue never came with the demand, it always came with the supply.
Despite having a greater number of sorcerers in the world than almost ever before, there weren't enough to go around. Sorcerers were called by the Foundation everyday for everything between their expertise in stopping curses to helping everyone understand certain master/stranger protocols.
Yuta had seen more dangerous and lethal curses than the little bug and rat sized ones that scurried around in the corner of his eye. Brockton General Hospital had plenty of curses writhing about, and seeing them was irritating. If he had the time he'd exorcise them, but for now he had a job to do.
He sat outside of Taylor Hebert's room where the girl was resting on Geto-Sensei's orders to the doctors. She needed it to calm herself lest the spirit she had consumed go rampant.
The most dangerous Cursed Spirit of all. The King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna.
Normally this would be cause to lock Taylor into a room covered in sealing tags awaiting execution. That's how it was for Yuta when he first manifested his curse, but Brockton had no sealing room to use. Which, frankly, was a good thing.
The last thing that she needed was to be subjected to something like that.
So here she was, sitting in a hospital, waiting for her future to be decided. This would ordinarily be a cause for concern from the Foundation, but given the Vice Administrator and an additional Special Grade Sorcerer were there, only a fool would have tried to press the issue.
Which left time to ask some questions…
"How did that girl ever get that finger?" Yuta mused. "Our sources said Reali still had his hands on it."
Geto-Sensei was on his phone, looking through various messages. The man stood out like he always did with his monk outfit, to say nothing of the dragon spirit circling the building. It had caused more than one intern to scream when they first put on their Cursed Glasses for the day. While Geto-sensei's technique allowed him to gather and store cursed spirits, they still caused quite a stir to anyone not in the know.
"It was supposed to be, but Reali was arrested two days ago according to an updated police report." Geto handed his phone to the younger man.
The man had been arrested and wounded in some irreputable part of Brockton Bay. The report listed puncture wounds characteristic of sharp knives and ranged projectiles, alongside a generous helping of blunt trauma.
"How come the Police didn't notify…us…" Yuta muttered, before it clicked in his head and he took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose.
God damn it sensei…
"And here I was thinking that your containment of the Special Grade Cursed Object would go swimmingly while I handled my meetings," Geto chuckled. "Guess I was wrong."
"Did you make a bet with Gojo-Sensei?"
"He wanted to bet, I refused." Geto commented dryly as Yuta rolled his eyes.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," the younger sorcerer said deadpanned.
"Always," Geto said, smiling sickly sweet.
They heard footsteps from down the hallway and Yuta turned to see a frantic looking man in his forties rushing towards them. He had a lanky frame, and was starting to go bald, and wore glasses too big for his face. He stopped, glancing between the two sorcerers.
"Who are you two? This is my daughter's room, isn't it?" He asked, tone taut.
"You must be Taylor Hebert's father." Geto replied as he stood up, smiling much more diplomatically. "I'm Suguru Geto, the Vice Administrator of the Sorcerer Foundation. And this is my understudy, Yuta Okkotsu." He gestured to Yuta, who bowed. "We have been watching over your daughter since the incident."
If the man was thankful he didn't show it, though he was pale with worry, to his credit.
"The Sorcerer Foundation?" Mr. Hebert asked before going even paler. "Is Taylor okay? Was she hurt by-!?"
"She's alright, physically at least." Geto said. "But there is a curse involved, unfortunately." He frowned. "Mr…" He droned, hoping to get a name as he offered his hand.
"Hebert. Daniel Hebert." Daniel shook it, and Geto nodded.
"Well Daniel, I won't mince words. Your daughter was force fed a Cursed Object, one belonging to an exceptionally old and dangerous curse." Geto said. "She was-is- possessed, but my understudy and I were able to quell the Cursed Spirit inside her without killing her, which was honestly a first for us. Your daughter was a lucky girl to survive that."
Geto paused, glancing to the side in thought. "Though living with a curse wouldn't be the best way to survive, but we all take what we can get I suppose."
Daniel's jaw was agog, and Yuta winced and looked away. "She was force… fed? HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT SO-"
Geto-sensei held up a single finger and Daniel shut his mouth instantly. "I'm speaking like this because I am one of few people in the world truly capable of helping her," he said calmly, "And because for now, she is safe and healthy, a far cry from most who encounter a curse. Were this like the overwhelming majority of cases we normally deal with, you would be identifying your daughter from her dental records right now."
Daniel swallowed hard, and Geto clasped his hands together, his smile never having left his face. "Now, I know you must have many questions such as how and why this all happened. For that, we have an eye witness."
Geto held out his hand, and Yuta handed him back his phone. "They already identified the ones responsible. The perpetrators, one Sophia Hess, one Madison Clemants, and one Emma Barnes are currently being held in the police station."
Daniel's eyes widened, and Geto cocked a brow. "E-Emma Barnes…?"
"Oh? You know of them?" The monk asked with a tilt of his head.
"Emma mostly," Daniel said, his voice far away, "She and Taylor were good friends, and I work with her father but…"
"Then my apologies for being the bearer of bad news," Geto said, "But worry not, everything is already taken care of. Yuta, if you would?"
Yuta reached into his pocket, grabbing his ring and sliding it on as Daniel blinked. "Memograph." Yuta uttered, Copy coming into play as the Cursed Technique he took from a voyeur Sorcerer in Miami during his days as a Grade 2 Sorceror took effect, a protrusion forming on the side of his head as he recalled from memory of what he saw. Daniel could only watch in abject amazement. The man probably had never seen a cursed technique before, let alone one like this.
Like a camera, a photo began to form from it as Daniel looked on in horror as it came out bit by bit. Once printed, Geto took it in hand, looking it over before giving a nod, letting the protrusion fade away. Yuta rubbed his head, wincing a little from the use of the power.
It always came with a little headache at the end, a trade off for a technique that, while useless in combat, was far more practical outside of it.
"I will ensure this matter reaches the right people," Geto explained, "And we will proceed accordingly with criminal charges."
"You? But, why?" Daniel asked. "I get a Curse is involved but this- my daughter was hurt! I should be the one to press charges."
Geto put the photo in his robes. "This was a violation of the Treaty. Take from that what you will." Daniel's eyes widened.
"A hero… was involved?!" He uttered. "But Emma isn't a cape! Then…" he looked to the side, eyes wide.
The Protectorate-Foundation Treaty, often simply called the PF Treaty, was well known as a treatise of allegiance and cooperation between the Sorcerer Foundation and the Protectorate and its affiliate groups like the Parahuman Response Team.
The rules and consequences were strict and for good reason.
"Unfortunately yes," Geto said, "Rest assured Mr. Hebert, we will be taking this matter seriously. I've scheduled a meeting to address this personally, which is rare. so I'll do what I can to enjoy the bureaucracy in your stead."
He gestured towards Yuta."Yuta here will remain by your daughter's side, in case the Cursed Spirit awakens inside her once again."
Daniel looked sick as he slumped into his chair.
"It will be alright. Trust me." Yuta spoke up. "Your daughter will be safe, and we'll do what we can about the Cursed spirit inside her."
"Can't you just exorcise it? I mean, you clear our spirits all over the country and…"
"If we could we would, but this Curse Spirit attached to her soul," Geto said, his tone hard. "It's unique. Old. Powerful. And without a shadow of a doubt, evil beyond compare."
Daniel cupped his mouth, suppressing his despair as Yuta saw the Curse Spirit wiggling on his shoulder. A disgusting, slug-like thing with too many eyes all over its body.
Yuta reached out, and with a simple chop, exorcised the spirit.
"We'll do what we can to protect her to the best of our ability." Yuta assured. "We are strong after all." He said with a little pump of his fist.
'Yuta's so kiiiiind.' Rika chirped in his ear. 'You're so sweet Yutaaaa~'
Geto chuckled, and Yuta felt his hair get ruffled."As my pupil says. We are on your side, Mr. Hebert. Let me fight this battle in your stead." Geto said, a warm smile of assurance on his features as Daniel looked up. "And I will come out the victor, I assure you."
Daniel wiped his eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "Thank you… I've heard rumors that you Sorcerers are a callous bunch… I didn't think…"
"It is as you said Mr. Hebert. Those are only rumors." Geto nodded as he stood up suddenly, bringing his sleeves together. "Now if you'll excuse me, bureaucracy calls and I must present myself. I will be back shortly." He walked off, nodding towards Yuta's way who responded in kind.
Yuta sat by Daniel's side, and he looked at the hospital door, sensing Taylor within as she slumbered.
A girl whose life had changed forever. Just like Gojo-Sensei's new pupil.
There would be many in the upper echelons of the Foundation calling for her head.
Just like they did for Yuji Itadori's in San Francisco.
Just as they did for Yuta Okkotsu.
But then, that's why sorcerers like him existed. To protect others, and train others to handle the life of curses and spirits they were thrust into.
She'd be fine. She had to.
(X)
The ride to Protectorate Headquarters East-North-East was rough. The city streets had a horrifying number of bumps and potholes. At least the inside of the base was better paved.
Then again, when three of the most dangerous Villain gangs on the Eastern seaboard are nestled in the city, public funds had to go somewhere.
Truly government spending was the greatest and most invincible curse out there.
Geto maintained that if he found the Tax Curse and absorbed it, his power would be beyond compare.
Regardless, looking at the city Suguru found himself disappointed. It was normal for larger cities to struggle with crime, but Brockton Bay was a case study of how bad it could get before the Heroes decided that it was a lost cause, no longer worth continuing their giant charade of cops and robbers. It was all just so… tiresome to even look at. Then again, things like the Endbringers did exist, as did the Slaughterhouse Nine.
Suguru understood the necessity of it all, but he could never feel the logic. Criminals should be punished, not given quarter simply because they were strong when heroes like the triumvirate were stronger. It was- mostly- fine elsewhere, but here it was just a mess.
"We're here sir." His driver said, breaking the black haired man from his thoughts as he exited the van, having entered with ease when his credentials were shown to the gate. Suguru walked towards the door with a measured gait, looking out of place and out of time. A garbed buddhist monk, sandals and all entering a high tech Hero Base. As the doors opened, every eye was on him and for good reason.
For they were in the presence of the Strongest.
"Mr. Geto!" Waved a man jogging through the lobby around the many officials, officers and interns whispering at his entrance. "Welcome to PRT ENE! I'm Deputy Director Thomas Calvert." He offered a hand and a wide smile, which Suguru took with a small smirk.
"Mr. Calvert, it's a pleasure to meet you." He said, before releasing the hand and bowing slightly. "I was hoping to speak to Director… Biggot I believe?"
"Piggot actually."
Oh that poor woman. Her days in high school must have been hell.
"Ah, my mistake," Suguru said with a smile, "English is my third language, and french surnames are even harder for me."
Calvert chuckled awkwardly before coughing into his hand.
"Well, she's in a meeting at the moment, but considering you're here I'm sure she'll be done in a moment." Calvert said, guiding him along.
"You greeted me rather promptly on my arrival," Suguru mused while observing his surroundings. The place had scant few spirits, and the ones there were rarely much bigger than earthworms. He did notice a Curse upon Calvert's hand that looked like a starfish, with many mouths and dangling tongues sticking onto the skin. The security there let him through without issue, and the people in the halls cleared quickly to let him and Calvert through.
"My office is above the lobby and has a convenient window looking out onto the grounds." Calvert replied by way of explanation. "And having heard an esteemed member of the Foundation was present from the gate staff, I felt it improper to give you anything less than a proper welcome."
"My thanks," said Suguru, smile hardly shifting as they entered an elevator and began to ascend.
"Pardon the question, but do I have any well, Curses on me?" Calvert asked. "I heard many people do and…" he trailed off.
"Hold out your hand." Suguru commanded, which Calvert obeyed, placing his palm in Suguru's open palm. He flexed his cursed technique and the spirit shrieked as he rendered the Curse into a small pearl that he let dissipate a moment later. Calvert flexed his arm, staring.
"Wow, I'd been wondering why my hand had been aching for days… The rumors are true, then. Thank you."
"Sorcerers who eschew a life of combat often become rather successful masseuses," Suguru remarked with a sly smirk as Calvet looked at his hand.
"I imagine so. I had no idea that was there, they don't let us have goggles unless you're on a mission, and well, I'm no fighter. Haven't been for a while." Calvert commented as they arrived and they marched on ahead. Calvert stepped on ahead of him, a ghost of a smug smirk on his visage.
"Allow me."
Calvert opened the door, and Suguru glanced about the room. The office was rather austere, but little things here and there tried to make it more homely, like the bowl of mints on her desk nestled between more phones than most would ever use with enough paperwork to kill a man with the weight alone. But then again, directors needed to be on call for almost anything, and often many things at the same time.
"We can't afford to lose her, I'm working with a fraction of the force I should have as is!" Hissed a plump middle aged woman as she looked up, eyes glaring daggers at Calvert before her gaze settled on Suguru, and her eyes widened before hardening. "We'll be talking about this later." She shut off the call with an annoyed huff. Geto had a good idea of what exactly was going on there…
"Vice Administrator Suguru Geto." said one Emily Piggot, according to the name plate on the desk. Suguru noticed the immense bloated caterpillar of a Curse coiling around her shoulders and near her sides as she adjusted her glasses. "To what do I owe the pleasure? I wasn't told you would be coming." Her glare shifted to Calvert, who shrugged.
"I found myself in the area, for reasons you're already aware of." Suguru said as he walked in. "Given the nature of what I just heard, after all."
He kept his smile perfectly diplomatic, which did little to blunt the spike of negativity he sensed from her. Though it was certainly more helpful than the cocky grin that Satoru would be giving her right now. Suguru was far better at playing politics than him, whether he was dealing with normal humans, parahumans, or Curse Users. Fighting was always something of a last resort in his eyes. It's what set him apart from Satoru and Yuki.
He was very glad Yuta was taking more after him than his colleagues in that regard.
Lord knows he got enough headaches from the Foundation about his fellows' consistent property damage.
"Is this about the incident at Winslow earlier today?" Calvert inquired as he pulled out a chair for Suguru.
Suguru took the chair, resting his hands on his lap with his robe's sleeves still interlocked.
"One of your Wards broke the Treaty." He wasn't going to bother with politeness here- they both knew he was in the right. "I'm just grateful she was kind enough to do so during the week, when we have more hands on deck to help fix things without having to deal with tons of extra overtime."
Piggot's eyes narrowed. "And which part of the treaty would this ward be breaking?" she asked. She knew already, of course, but she was hoping he would make a mistake.
"Article three, subsection two." Suguru remarked, reaching over and helping himself to the unused mints. Her eye twitched as she watched him, but she didn't stop him. "If a Hero under Protectorate or PRT supervision comes across a Cursed Object, they are supposed to report it to a Foundation Sorcerer immediately for exorcism, containment, or destruction. But that's not what happened."
Piggot took a deep breath, the curse spirit on her shoulder bulging lightly as it warbled a bit, feeding off of her stress. "Do you have proof?"
Suguru nodded. "Would you be satisfied with a photo and an eyewitness testimony from a Special Grade Sorcerer, or do I need to refer you to the hole where the greater part of a local highschool used to be? I always endeavor to be accommodating."
"There's another Special Grade here? Who?" Calvert asked, surprised.
"My pupil." Calvert looked to the side, giving a low whistle.
Piggot's eyes narrowed further."Your lack of professionalism isn't appreciated, Vice Administrator."
The two of them stared at one another for a moment, giving Suguru time to crunch through his mint.
"The Foundation was tracking a collector and smuggler by the name of Anthony Reali. He purchased a Cursed Object that belonged to a Heian Era Sorcerer from a bazaar in Toronto recently. Unaware it was a Cursed Object, he returned to his home here in Brockton Bay. Reali, as I hope you're aware, was arrested two days ago by a hero. If my recollection of Brockton Bay's Protectorate roster is correct, it was the work of a Ward by the name of Shadow Stalker."
Piggot exhaled through her nose, leaning back in her chair. It looked like an uncomfortable motion, for someone of her bulk.
"The Sorcerer who we had sent out to retrieve this Cursed Object," Suguru pulled out the photograph and set it on her desk. Piggot's jaw was tight. "Found it being force fed to a Winslow High School student."
Calvert averted his gaze, choosing to carefully study the books on the shelf as the Curse spirit on Piggot's shoulder gurgled, bathing in the wash of negativity the woman was giving off. She really could use an exorcism, but he wasn't inclined to be helpful right now.
Some people deserve some negativity after all.
"You realize outing a Ward is a crime?" She hissed, trying for intimidation.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, smiling. It dropped a second later.
"As much as it amuses me to beat around the bush, let us be frank. Your Ward was harassing a young girl in a startling bullying campaign that escalated until she force fed said girl a Cursed Object. That's an attempted murder charge at best, as it's a miracle that the young girl survived the experience and an even greater miracle that my student was able to save your ward and bystanders before they all reaped the consequences of what she did. It is in spite of all odds that those young women avoided death today. We can quibble about the particulars all you want, but the fact of the matter is that I have all the evidence in the world necessary to bury you and your administration."
Satoru would likely be sniggering like a gremlin if he were here, watching the pudgy woman stew in fury. Piggot took off her glasses, setting them down as she ran her hands up and down her temples. "What do you want Geto?"
"Accountability would be a good start." Suguru remarked, "Stalker and her pack are to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, but that was going to happen anyways without your interference."
She was fuming, but fighting to stay in the moment and 'reason' with him. "I can't afford to lose her. She's one of our best potential counters to Brutes like Lung." She was at the end of her rope it seems, trying to appeal to someone like him. Especially given Lung's history and who he targets to bolster his gang.
"That's not my problem. As per the treaty." Suguru smiled as he leaned back. Calvert got up to a nearby water cooler, pulling himself a cup and getting something to drink. Piggot looked ready to explode as the spirit warbled again.
"Must be nice to not have to care about throwing people to the wolves with no help." Piggot snapped. Calvert sipped from his water, as he hid a tiny smile at the sight of his boss being knocked down a peg.
He wanted her job, if he had to guess.
"Again, not my problem. She broke the treaty, and I think both of us can agree we have enough of our own problems going around that we don't need to add to them with a loose cannon running around mucking things up." Suguru replied as Piggot signed. "You can keep your job, throw Stalker, deservedly, to the wolves, and we can move on. Or this can get ugly, and you'll be flipping burgers by year's end." He smiled. "Your choice." She ran a hand over her face, sighing loudly. When she didn't respond he smiled. "And one last thing about today's victim…"
(X)
Taylor woke up screaming.
She didn't know where she was, but she could hear the electrical beeping of machines, white walls covered in tags bearing characters in some foreign language and enough candles to light the place up and choke the room in incense.
It was then that she noticed where she was.
She was in a hospital bed, and there was an Asian man with long black hair that she didn't recognize sitting across from her.
He was dressed in monk robes with bangs over his face and with a happy little smile on his face. He had broad shoulders and was visibly well muscled even through his strange robes. He rose.
"Oh! Hello there Taylor! Did you sleep well?" He asked with sleeves together.
Taylor blinked, lifting up her arm to find the tubes leading into her body.
"I…" she started, only to look back at the man, and her mind filled in the blanks.
"You're that man with the bangs that saved me. Before I passed out."
He shook his head, muttering as his hands touched his hair. "Why do they always notice the bangs? It's enough to make me self conscious."
"I'm… sorry?" Taylor said, and the Japanese man looked back and chuckled.
"Oh it's nothing," the man said, waving her concerns off, "But again, how are you feeling?"
Taylor shrugged, noticing a surprising lack of pain. "Well as I can be… after…" she looked off, remembering the dark giggling from Madison. Sophia holding her down as Emma's dark expression as she was fed… that. Whatever it was had tasted like death.
"Oh yes, well on the plus side they're all going to juvie." he said, "The evidence stacked against them is overwhelming."
"...what?"
"Lawyers got involved, and their charges are looking like they'll be hard to beat. Photographic evidence can be a pain like that." The man mentioned. "One of them was white belligerent until the photo was presented. He deflated like a balloon."
Taylor didn't know what she was hearing .But she got the basics. The trio, Emma, Sophia, and Madison were gone.
"Who- who are you?"
The man's smile widened. "I am the Vice Administrator of the Sorcerer Foundation, the Special Grade Sorcerer Suguru Geto." He leaned forward in his chair. "And I would like to make you an offer. Tell me, Taylor Hebert, have you ever dreamed of being a sorcerer?"
(X)
(AN on Spacebattles):
Got another one for you.
Was going to post this earlier but power outages and all that good stuff.
Anyway, one more for you to get things moving, hope everyone likes.
Big thanks to @Zaru and @Crandorn for their help, much smoother now.
This is just a tiny little start up for things, but we're going to be stepping closer to the meat of things soon enough. If you got questions, concerns, memes, feel free to post, love reading them all and it's always a pleasure to see this getting any sort of traction.
Now, I am back to the mines for writing things like the next chapter and Shattering, still need to get that fixed up lol.
Alucard925
Hex
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Interesting to see the effect Leviathan had on the rest of the world, since I assume you attributed the sinking of Kyushu with Tengen dying and thus Cursed energy is a lot more widespread as a result.
So Geto is a good guy now, Yuji is still around and now Taylor is a secondary vessel for Sukuna. Guess Kenjaku took back shots for nothing then, unless he (she/they/whatever) ALSO possessed Annette either before or after Kaori. Choso may just have a new little sister as well.
Now I'm curious about what you may have planned for Riko and Toji, since Toji wouldn't have needed to kill her to prevent Tengen staying alive as part of his contract with Kenjaki, so that Geto didn't turn evil. Who knows, Megumi may still have his dad around.
So Geto is a good guy now, Yuji is still around and now Taylor is a secondary vessel for Sukuna. Guess Kenjaku took back shots for nothing then, unless he (she/they/whatever) ALSO possessed Annette either before or after Kaori. Choso may just have a new little sister as well.
Now I'm curious about what you may have planned for Riko and Toji, since Toji wouldn't have needed to kill her to prevent Tengen staying alive as part of his contract with Kenjaki, so that Geto didn't turn evil. Who knows, Megumi may still have his dad around.
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Crandorn
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I can't answer all of those points because I don't know all of this. Again, I'm just crossposting.
I do know the answers to the last paragraph's questions though, but IKN called them spoilers in the other thread so sorry.
Alucard925
Hex
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Thank you for letting me know, I really should pay more attention to the ANs available, I'll check it out.