章 2: Chapter 2: Execution
Yo! I'm back with another chapter! Kinda short but it leads up to a rather meaty chapter!
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RWBY: Memories of the Future
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"Wakey~ Wakey~ Eggs and Bakey!"
A weirdly cheerful voice cut through the silence of the room, disturbing the rope-bound teenager who was currently passed out on a wooden chair.
"H-Hm?" The high school student moaned as they slowly woke up from their nap.
"Morning sleeping head! Did ja have a nice nappy nap?" Gojo Satoru asked, sitting leisurely on a chair directly in front of the teen.
Yuji stared at the white-haired man, his brain unable to fully process what was happening due to his half-awake state. He shook his head as if that would help the gears in his brain start turning again.
"Wha-at?" Yuji slurred, squinting his eyes at the man as if he were a puzzle to be solved.
Gojo Satoru chuckled, the sound echoing off the concrete walls of the tagged room.
"Had a pleasant dream, I hope?" he asked, his tone light and teasing despite their grim surroundings.
Yuji blinked twice at him before his eyes widened with sudden realization.
"My Senpais! And Megumi! Are they alrigh-" He tried to get up but found himself unable to.
The bindings around his wrists and ankles seemed to tighten in response to his rising panic. He tugged at them experimentally but found that they wouldn't budge.
"W-What the hell?"
"Yes, yes," Gojo clapped his hands together with a smile that didn't quite reach his blindfold. "You're all tied up, aren't you? I wonder why?"
Yuji swallowed hard, fear crawling up his throat. His mind flickered back to every crime drama and horror movie he'd ever seen, none of which ended particularly well for the person in his current position.
"Who are you?" he asked even as he tried to pull apart the weirdly strong rope.
"I'm hurt," Gojo pouted, putting a hand over his heart dramatically. "Did you forget about me already? Me? The great Gojo Satoru?"
His cheerfulness was unnerving given their circumstances. Yuji wrenched at the ropes again but to no avail. His eyes darted around the room looking for anything that could help him escape but all he saw was an empty room with nothing but paper charms covering it.
His hope was dampened at the realization of there being no door to exit.
"Anyways~ While your concern for other people is very commendable! You are in no place to worry about others… Itadori Yuji."
The sudden shift in Gojo's tone sent a shiver down Yuji's spine. The cheerful lilt was replaced by a cold, serious edge that seemed entirely alien from the man who'd just been making light of the situation moments ago.
He leaned forward in his chair, resting his arms on the head of the chair.
"Your execution has been decided."
Dead silence clung to the air, the only sound permeating through was that of Yuji's breaths catching in his throat and Gojo's words echoing ominously in his ears.
"Excuse me? Execution?!" He sputtered, confusion mingling into a chaotic mess in his mind.
His gaze fixated on Gojo, the blatant disbelief written across his face. He'd never thought that he'd hear those words from the jester-like man before him.
The giggle that escaped Gojo's lips was disarmingly chilling.
"Oh, yes. You see... our higher-ups aren't exactly the daring type." Gojo's carefree grin was replaced with a hard line. The frivolous man Yuji knew seemed to disappear within seconds, leaving behind a stranger who looked every bit as intimidating as he sounded.
"They're cowards; scared of what they can't control or understand. And you…" His gaze pierced into Yuji's frightened eyes. "Are both~"
Yuji felt a choking sensation rise up in his throat, fear and uncertainty grasping him tightly by the neck.
"But why?"
Gojo sighed heavily, leaning back into his chair once more and crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's because of Sukuna." He paused dramatically, watching Yuji squirm uncomfortably against the ropes that bound him. "You see, you've become a host for the King of Curses~"
He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"By consuming that cursed finger, you've become a vessel for him - a plight that the higher-ups are too terrified to face head-on. So, what better way than to swiftly dispose of it?"
Gojo jumped up from his chair, pacing the room in a theatrical manner, his every move brimming with an uncanny energy. He stopped suddenly, turning to face Yuji, a bright grin on his face.
"But don't worry!" The words dripping with confidence, "I suspended your execution because I have a plan~"
Yuji's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You see, Yuji." Gojo began again, facing the window now, his back turned away from the bound student. "Sukuna's curse is one that is mighty difficult to get rid of. The higher-ups may believe that by executing you, they can rid themselves of Sukuna permanently. Well, one finger of him anyway~"
He turned back towards Yuji, the earlier grin now replaced with a more serious expression.
"But they're wrong. You're more than just a host to him now that you've consumed his finger…"
The masked sorcerer paused before dramatically shouting the next words that shocked the high schooler to his core.
"YOU ARE NOW THE TOOL THAT CAN ONCE AND FOR ALL KILL THE KING OF CURSES!!!"
Gojo continued ignoring the chilling reality, which sent shivers down Yuji's spine as he listened in horror.
He walked over to Yuji slowly, the tap of his shoes echoing ominously in the silence of the room.
"If you were to consume all of Sukuna's fingers before your execution..."
He crouched down to level with Yuji, a cold glint in his smile that both frightened and intrigued him.
"You'd essentially become Sukuna himself. And upon your execution..."
For a moment Gojo's mask twinkled with a mischievous glint before returning back to its icy seriousness.
"And that's how I got your execution suspended~! Now praise me!"
Before Yuji could even hope to respond to this clearly insane man standing before him.
"Thousands of years have passed and yet some things haven't changed a bit!" The deep rumbling voice growled out, much to the already freaked out teens ever growing bad day.
Yuji flinched as he felt a hand materialize on his shoulder, surprisingly solid and warm, despite its ethereal appearance. He turned slowly to find himself staring at the visage of a fearsomely carved demon, bristling with sinewy muscles and decorated with tattoos that seemed to move and writhe of their own accord.
"S-Sukuna?" he whispered in disbelief, his voice barely audible.
Yet the spirit heard him clearly. A grin split across Sukuna's face, revealing a row of sharp, gleaming teeth.
"Oh, so you recognize me?" Sukuna drawled lazily, seemingly unaffected by the gravity of their situation.
"H-How are you here?" Yuji asked in utter bewilderment, feeling the weight of millions of questions pressing upon his mind.
Sukuna chuckled ominously beneath his breath as he leaned toward Yuji's ear. At such close proximity, it was impossible for Yuji to ignore the wild energy that brimmed from Sukuna, causing a chill to run down his spine.
"It's a technique I haven't used since the Heian era," Sukuna said with a shit-eating grin.
He then withdrew from Yuji, sauntering over to inspect Gojo who had remained silent throughout their exchange.
They stood in front of each other face to face, measuring each other up with wide confident smiles.
The strongest of today.
The strongest in history.
Gojo's ever-present smirk seemed to fade a bit as he took in the full power of Sukuna, or however much he possessed with just one finger. Despite his previous bravado, there was no denying the palpable aura of raw power emanating from the King of Curses despite him not being at full power.
"No hard feelings from taking your food last night, right?" Sukuna finally broke the silence, his smile ever mocking.
That elicited a low chuckle from Gojo.
"Hah! As if I'd hold a grudge against someone who would steal a mere dessert from me."
That was a lie, he totally would.
Though, behind his laughter, Gojo's eyes glinted with an intense scrutiny fixated on Sukuna. He had heard much about this man, often touted as the strongest sorcerer in history. A claim he was more than willing to put to the test.
Gojo raised a brow at the spirit before returning his attention to Yuji.
"Oh well~ I expect this is quite surprising for you, Yuji~"
Sukuna's eerie laugh echoed around the room as he called out to Yuji who was still tied to the chair struggling to comprehend what the hell was happening, "Better get used to me, kid! Because we're going to be stuck together before I figure out how to get my own body!"
Sukuna's words hung heavy in the air, like a dark prophecy that loomed over Yuji's head.
This was his reality now.
"Just what the hell am I supposed to do now?" Yuji muttered more to himself than anyone else in the room. His voice reeked of despair, a stark contrast to the spirited demeanor he usually carried.
Sukuna chuckled at this and walked back towards Yuji. He crouched down in front of the terrified teen, his ethereal form glowing slightly as he met Yuji's gaze head-on.
"That's quite simple, my dear host," Sukuna began, his voice dripping with an eerie confidence. "You're going to eat the rest of my fingers!"
Yuji recoiled at Sukuna's words, feeling sick to his stomach.
"N-No offense, wait no! All the offense! There's no way I'm eating all your nasty ass fingers!" Yuji cried out, much to Sukuna's and Gojo's amusement. "And don't you want the exact opposite to happen?"
"Nah! I got this!" Sukuna said confidently before ruffling Yuji's hair, much to his chagrin as he leaned back far away from his hands.
Gojo chuckled at Sukuna's declaration, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the wall.
"Such an optimist you are, Sukuna," he mused, his voice laced with amusement, "I must say, it's refreshing."
A sardonic smile danced on Sukuna's lips at Gojo's words, his gaze never leaving the trembling Yuji.
Gojo pushed himself off the wall and approached Yuji, his gait exuding an almost regal air as he came to stand in front of the boy. He waved away the king of curses, disrupting his spirit form, and crouched down to meet Yuji's eyes, his thoughtful gaze piercing into the fearful ones of the young boy.
"You're scared," Gojo observed plainly, tilting his head slightly to study Yuji more closely. "But what you should understand is that fear is a powerful tool when used right."
He reached out to gently ruffle Yuji's hair, much like an older brother would do to console a frightened sibling.
"And trust me," Gojo continued in a quiet tone. His gaze never left Yuji's face as if trying to implant every single word deep into the boy's soul. "You will need every tool you can get your hands on."
With that being said, Gojo straightened up and looked squarely at Yuji. "I have a plan, you and me. It might be risky, and not one without pain or sacrifice. But we're going to need you to be strong and trust me."
His words tumbled into the room, filling it with a solemn silence that prickled Yuji's skin.
Yuji shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the ropes digging into his flesh. He looked up at Gojo, his eyes wide with uncertainty. Gojo's revelations were too much to process in the span of a few minutes.
"Can I think about it?" Yuji asked abruptly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Can I visit my friends before I make up my mind?"
Gojo studied Yuji for a moment, his piercing gaze inscrutable under the blindfold that obscured his eyes. The silence in the room was deafening as everyone held their breath, waiting for Gojo's response.
Slowly, Gojo nodded his approval.
"Alright," he said quietly, "but remember Yuji...time is of the essence here."
Sukuna smirked, having been silent all this time, he seemingly found amusement in the situation, as if he was watching a live show.
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Yuji was released from the weird room after a couple of minutes of waiting and was now walking down the streets of the busy city with his mind clouded.
"Hey, kid! You should definitely go over to that Takoyaki stand and buy some food! I'm starving!"
Unfortunately, he couldn't sort through his thoughts due to a certain king of curses yelling his demands beside him.
"Would you shut up, already?" Yuji growled under his breath, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment as if it would help him block out Sukuna's voice. "I'm trying to think here!"
"Tch! Grouchy." Sukuna's petulant tone echoed inside Yuji's mind.
"Can't you just feast on my energy or something? Is that not how it works?"
Sukuna laughed mockingly at his words, a cruel sound that echoed in Yuji's head.
"You're thinking way too hard about this, kid," he replied, amusement clear in his voice. "Besides, if I start draining your energy, you'd probably drop dead on the street with how little energy you got. Not that I could, even if I wanted to it would probably taste like shit."
Ignoring the shiver that statement caused, Yuji sighed and made his way towards the stand Sukuna had pointed out earlier.
"Fuck yeah!"
At least someone was happy about the situation they were in.
He bought several Takoyaki balls and thanked the kind stall owner for the food before once again making his way down the street.
He watched in a weird sort of fascination as a mouth formed on his hand with saliva slightly dripping from its lips.
"Thanks for the food!"
The high schooler felt his hand suddenly move without his control and began to stuff itself with freshly cooked food. The Takoyaki was gone within seconds.
He turned to face the floating spirit next to him and found a very satisfied king of curses.
"Damn, that was good! You do not know the shit I had to go through to get a half-decent meal in the Heian era!"
"Guess convenience is one thing this era has going for it," Yuji mumbled, his mind still a whirlpool of thoughts. The truth was, despite Sukuna's continuous prattle and him being the embodiment of evil, Gojo's words not his.
He was sort of getting used to the king of curses.
Don't get him wrong, he was still suspicious as hell about Sukuna simply acting friendly to get his guard down but the fact that the most he was doing was bugging him for food? Instead of trying to fight for control of his body and cause chaos and suffering?
With all the horror stories he heard about what the king of curses did and the suffering he caused. He at least expected him to be somewhat more… threatening. Yet here they were, strolling around the city like a pair of pals and stuffed with Takoyaki.
His thoughts were a whirlpool of fear, trepidation, and oddly enough, curiosity. What kind of life was he going to lead now with the king of curses trapped in his soul?
"Hey, kid!" Sukuna's voice interrupted his musing. "There's a ramen stand up ahead. Let's go there next!"
As much as Yuji wanted to object, he knew it was pointless seeing as he would bug him until he gave in. With a resigned sigh, he veered in the direction of the ramen stand.
Once seated in front of a steaming bowl of ramen, Yuji glanced at Sukuna who looked rather pleased with himself.
"Enjoying yourself?" Yuji asked dryly. Sukuna grinned widely at him, his ethereal form shimmering slightly from the heat radiating from the bowl of ramen.
"Indubitably!" He exclaimed as another mouth formed on Yuji's palm and began scooping up the warm noodles without waiting for the broth to cool.
The absurdity of it all almost made Yuji laugh. Almost. But the gravity of his situation, the implied danger in Gojo's words… He needed to take this seriously.
With a sigh, he aimed to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"Sukuna," Yuji began, grappling for the right words, "Why are you so eager for me to eat the rest of your fingers? You do know that they're going to use me to kill you right?"
The King of curses turned towards him, still slurping down the noodles while doing so, his face unreadable as he studied Yuji.
"You really think I haven't thought this through?" Sukuna asked, his voice laced with mirth. "I'm not an idiot like you are."
"I'm not an idiot!" Yuji huffed in indignation but didn't say anything else.
Once again, the curse finished eating within seconds while Yuji paid for the meal.
Silence fell over them again as they wandered aimlessly through the city streets. Sukuna looked up at the sky as if entranced by its vastness.
"Life is a gamble," Sukuna finally said out of nowhere. "Sometimes you have to bet on the unlikely odds and hope for the best."
Yuji mulled over Sukuna's words, feeling unease creep up his spine. He wasn't sure what he meant but it sounded ominous.
"I still don't trust you, you know," Yuji said cautiously, breaking the silence that had bloomed between them.
Sukuna simply chuckled, not even turning to face him.
"I would've called you a fool if you did."
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