Chapter Text
The plan has already been set; the pieces are already moving on the table. Megumi Fushiguro and Yuji Itadori are on their way to find the only person that might be able to free Gojo sensei and maybe the only person able to stop Sukuna. As the two young sorcerers stare at the black barrier, they both feel an emptiness in their hearts. Yuji can’t internalize this feeling, thinking it’s just the absence of his teacher, Satoru Gojo, but Megumi knows that this feeling in their hearts is a consequence of their number being reduced from three to two.
Yuji and Megumi are about to enter inside the barrier when Kogane makes a final question to Megumi.
“It’s safe for me to assume both of your friends also don’t wish to consult the rules?”
Confused, Megumi replies to the Shikigami.
“What do you mean?! The only people here are me and….”
Down from the sky, a person falls between the two friends, hitting the ground with inhuman strength, making dust rise like as a tsunami wave, separating Yuji and Megumi. As the dust settles, the spirit says.
“Nobara Kugisaki has entered the culling games, would you like to consult the rules?”
The figure simply replies.
“No. I already know the rules.”
Megumi was in front of the figure who just arrived, shocked and with a frozen posture he said surprised.
“It’s not possible!”
Yuji was behind her and was still processing what just happened, it was just so much to take in. He was ready to enter the games, knowing he might never talk with Kugisaki again, and now she was there awakened, ready to join them again. Like that night never happened.
“Kugisaki…”
It was Nobara, he couldn’t see her eyes yet, but he didn’t wait for the smoke to go down or for her to turn to him. He ran in her direction as if his life depended on it.
“Kugisaki !!!”
The figure turned her back to Megumi who still had not moved a single muscle; tears already rolled out from Yuji eyes, making his vision even more blurry, and before the figure could say anything, Yuji opened his arm and gave her a tight and desperate hug.
Yuji sobs and closes his arms with even strength around her. Tears start to fall down. His eyes remain fixed on the wet spots on the ground, incomprehensible words escape his mouth between cries, and the figure remains still, arms open and silent. Finally, after some seconds, Yuji finally able to put his feelings into proper words.
“I’m sorry, Kugisaki!”
More tears fall as he continues.
“I am so sorry… I should have been stronger. I should…”
The figure gently moves her arms up and hugs Yuji back, leaning over to comfort Yuji and whispering into his ear.
“Stop with that, Yuji. You did nothing wrong.”
The smoke finally disperses, the figure moves her arm up to pet Yuji head as he closes his eyes shut and Megumi remains in the same position.
“You are such a young sorcerous, to defeat a cursed spirit like Mahito is something remarkable, you shouldn’t blame yourself just because everything didn’t go as planned.”
Yuji clenched his fist, pulling the fabric of her uniform as he cries.
“No! I should have been faster. If I was, Nanami would still be alive… you would…”
The figure gently moves her long, point nails on Yuji hair, calming him down.
“Shhhh! I know you are sad about what happened, but you can’t blame yourself for everything. Life isn’t fair. You can train and prepare yourself for what is to come but can’t predict everything that life will throw at you…”
The figure kind words made Yuji, for the first time in many days, calm and relaxed. With a smile and knowing Nobara was finally reunited with them, he finally opens his teary eyes. His first vision was of Megumi. He was expecting Megumi to be waiting for him with a smirk or ready to joke about how a crybaby he was. But instead, he is faced once again with the cold reality. Fushiguro was frozen, his eyes terrified, his legs trembled as someone who wishes to run but is paralyzed by fear. Cold sweet runs down his cheek as his fists remain closed and arms crossed. He was ready to summon Mahoraga, but why?! Yuji didn’t notice anyone there besides them. The figure continues to pet him like a precious dog, and hug him while her nails slowly tear into the fabric of his clothes. She continues.
“ …Nanami death wasn’t your fault; you could never have foreseen what Mahito was going to do to him…”
Yuji eyes are drawn again to Megumi as he stutters a word “It-It-It…” trying to warn him of something.
Yuji fells the fingers going deeper inside his hair as the sharp and pointy nails scrape his scalp.
“…and neither could you have stop Nobara demise.”
With that final word, Yuji finally realized the mysterious figure's true identity. Megumi is able to muster the strength to give a warning to Yuji.
“THAT’S NOT KUGISAKI !”
Sukuna inhabiting Nobara body continues to hug Yuji, with genuine affection, but also with a twisted satisfaction into making Megumi so scared. As the timid smile he so forgot he even once had is turned into dread. Sukuna in her own twisted affection way, says.
“Oh Yuji… You are such a sweety little Brat.”
