fics I read

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Satoru-niichan seems to be terribly amused by Shiki and her classmates. "Aww, look at you guys getting along so well with each other."

He reaches a hand out towards her. For a moment, Shiki resigns herself to getting her hair messed up again, but all her cousin does is adjust her hairpin–

Oh. It's still lopsided, isn't it?

"There we go," Satoru-niichan loosely brushes his fingers through her hair and leans back, evidently satisfied by his handiwork. "That looks better, doesn't it?"

… Probably. At the same time, however, "You're the reason why it's messy in the first place!"

"Details, details," her cousin waves off with an airy laugh, utterly unrepentant. Then, he turns his gaze towards her classmates speculatively. "So. Hoshi Kirara and Hakari Kinji, hm?"

Hoshi-san stiffens a little bit under the sudden scrutiny, while Hakari-san casually steps forward, interposing himself in front of Hoshi-san with a grin that's –ah. Wait. It's 'Kirara' and 'Kinji,' now. Shiki needs to remember that.

"Good to see you again, Gojo-san," Kinji says, lifting his chin in a way that makes him seem taller as he purposely draws attention to himself.

Satoru-niichan laughs, "I suppose it is! How are you feeling about the school?"

Oh, that's right. Satoru-niichan had been the one to officially visit and 'recruit' Haka–

… Kinji. Her older cousin had been the one to recruit Kinji as a new first year student of the Tokyo jujutsu school. As far as Shiki is aware, they'd only met each other the one time… but it seems that Satoru-niichan has certainly left an impression on her classmate, if this is the way that Kinji reacts towards seeing him again.

Kirara, on the other hand, is… being shy?… Of Satoru-niichan? That's quite unnecessary, but Shiki supposes that the boy wouldn't know that.

Luckily, Kirara seems to shake it off after a moment. He pulls himself together again swiftly enough, and follows Kinji in exchanging a few words with Satoru-niichan. ("So how are you liking jujutsu school? How do you think it compares to regular public school?" "I… I don't even know where to start unpacking that…")

"Alright. Now, not that this hasn't been lovely and all," Satoru-niichan eventually says, glancing down at his wrist to check a non-existent watch, "But I should probably get going, unless you guys also want to get ambushed by cranky elders along with me sometime within the next few minutes. Any takers? No? Yeah, I didn't think so, either."

Shiki stills briefly, then reaches out and tugs at her cousin's sleeve. "… Would it be better if I attended the meeting with you?"

Satoru-niichan glances down at her, the lines of the exaggerated smile currently stretched over his lips softening into more genuine instead.

"No," he tells her, voice fond. "I appreciate the thought, but don't worry about it. This is supposed to be a break for you, too. Go show your classmates around, or spend more time with the Fushiguros. I'll see you again at dinner."

"… Dinner, then," Shiki agrees. If Satoru-niichan is confident that his discussions with the elders would be finished by dinnertime, then it means that the meeting shouldn't be too time-consuming or tedious to deal with.

Satoru-niichan gives her one last pat on the head, then turns around and saunters off with a wave of his hand.

…

"So… that's your cousin, huh?" Hoshi-san –Kirara– is the one who's the first to speak after Satoru-niichan's departure. There's a faint note in his voice that hints at something… surprised, almost. Why the surprise, though? Had he been expecting Satoru-niichan to be more severe? Satoru-niichan might be the clan head, but Shiki certainly can't imagine him acting like any of the elders…

Kirara has never encountered Satoru-niichan before, though, so it makes sense that he wouldn't have known this.

"Okay, I know you've said that you're cousins, but you guys seem to be as close as siblings," Kinji remarks, and flashes a quick grin at her, "Never thought I'd see you like this, honestly. It's kind of refreshing."

Shiki is left feeling a little confused by those words, "Like what?"

"Hugging your friend, letting your cousin mess up your hair like this…" Kinji shrugs. "Stuff like that, y'know? Makes you seem a little more relatable."

Shiki tilts her head.

"Never mind that, though," Kinji suddenly reaches over and slings an arm around her shoulders. It's an unexpected motion, one that comes as a surprise. Hakari Kinji is friendly, but he isn't exactly what Shiki would describe as a tactile person. The most physical contact that happens between them is when they spar during training sessions at school.

It's a little rough, but the motion itself does not appear to contain any ill intent. Shiki studies the limb for a moment, then mentally shrugs and decides to allow the motion. There's no harm in doing so.

In the meantime, Kinji also throws out his other arm, and proceeds to pull Kirara in close as well. "So. Not that this place isn't nice and all, but we're finally here in Kyoto now! Shiki, is there anywhere that you would recommend checking out as the one most familiar with this place?"

"I suppose… there are the mountains…" More specifically, the nearby mountains surrounding Kyoto where the Gozan no Okuribi will be taking place. Shiki is well-familiar with the mountain trails, including the hidden location of the final, secret okuribi set to take place among sorcerers."… Except, right now wouldn't be good for sightseeing, I think. They'll be busy preparing for the rituals, so they probably wouldn't want outsiders trespassing."

"Then what about inside the city itself?"

Shiki isn't quite as familiar with the city as she is with the nearby mountain landscape, but, "I believe that I should be passable as a guide for the Fushimi Inari-taisha. Iori-sensei brought me to the shrine a few times when I was younger to observe its priests and miko."

There's a beat of silence that hangs in the air between Shiki and her classmates.

"… Okay. Okay!" Kirara suddenly declares in a loud voice, "How about we all go exploring in Kyoto together? Let's also call your friends –Fushiguro Tsumiki and Fushiguro Megumi, right? Are they familiar with the city?"

Tsumiki and Megumi… might be more familiar with the city compared to Shiki, actually. In previous years that they've visited Kyoto, Shiki usually always ends up mired in Obon preparations or dealing with clan elders. There are also times when she's expected to make an appearance as a member of the Gojo Clan even before the okuribi on the final day. Obon lasts for three days in its entirety, and there are always many things that keep her busy for the duration, whether or not the Gojo Clan is the one officially in charge of the preparations that year.

The Fushiguro siblings, on the other hand, are not expected to take on such duties, since they are not considered to be members of the Gojo Clan the same way that Shiki is. There have been occasions when they'd used their additional free time to explore Kyoto, while Shiki was otherwise preoccupied. Hadn't Tsumiki said something about a cozy tea shop that she'd found in Kyoto with her brother last year?

Let's go there together sometime, Shiki!

… Except, they'd never gotten around to it. The Gojo Clan had been in charge of the ceremony last year, and Shiki had been kept busy the full entirety of the time they'd been in Kyoto. By the time the festivities finally ended, there had also been a new mission that came up, and a sorcerer's assignments always took priority over personal matters–

Tsumiki had smiled, then. Kind, understanding. They'd ended up finding a different tea shop together, after returning home in Saitama, but…

"If we're heading into the city," Shiki says, "Let's get tea."

"Tea?" Kinji's tone is filled with complaints. "Why is it always tea with you? I'm telling you, melon soda is better. Or… hey, maybe we could also take this time to hit up a–"

Kirara stomps on Kinji's foot, which shuts the boy up immediately. "Tea sounds great, Go– … um, Shiki."

Kinji makes a wounded sound, hopping on one leg. "But tea is boring! Look, has she even had melon soda before?"

"What do you mean? Who hasn't had–" Kirara abruptly stops mid-sentence, falling silent.

In perfect tandem, both of her classmates turn towards her. Shiki blinks placidly beneath the sudden scrutiny.

… Oh. That's a question for her, isn't it? They're asking her if she's tasted melon soda before, right?

"I've drank it before." It was a few years ago, but Shiki still remembers the taste, vaguely. The texture was a little strange, but what stood out the most to her was how overwhelmingly sweet the drink in question was, to the point that Shiki was left coughing harshly after a single sip. The way that Satoru-niichan had laughed at her for her reaction…

"Oh," Kirara's expression relaxes slightly. "That's good, then. Did you like it?"

"No," Shiki answers succinctly.

"… You don't like sweets?"

"Not particularly." Shiki isn't too fond of sweet foods, but she doesn't actively dislike them, as long as they're not overly, sickeningly sweet. In this, her tastes differ vastly from that of Satoru-niichan's. "… But if melon soda is something that either of you enjoy, then I'm sure that we could also find shops where it's served."

Another bout of silence ensues between Shiki and her classmates. Had she said something wrong again…?

"I can't believe this," Kinji says flatly. "Alright! Our first stop is going to be the closest conbini."

.

.

The closest conbini, as it turns out, is not particularly close to the Gojo Clan's Kyoto estate.

Unsurprising. As a sorcery clan, it only makes sense that the location of the estate would be chosen in a secluded area for much-needed privacy, accounting for the added buffer of distance from regular non-sorcerers.

Practically speaking, this means that there's a fair distance between the estate and the city proper. Back when Shiki had snuck out with the Fushiguro siblings, it had been with the tacit assistance of Botan that they'd accomplished the endeavor. Suzurigi Botan, one of the servants who'd attended Shiki at the time. The young man had not been enthused by the request, but in the end, he'd bowed his head and conceded to driving them down to the festivities.

Nowadays, Botan regularly served at Kiyohira-sensei's side. Assuming that Kiyohira-sensei had not changed his personal staff recently, she'd probably see Botan again sometime during Obon this year when her old teacher finally made his way here.

"Have you made up your mind on what you're getting?"

There are… a lot of items stocked inside the conbini that she'd been enthusiastically bustled into. Colorful boxes and shelves upon shelves of all manner of goods. There's also a corner of the shop with fried foods displayed behind a thick layer of glass, and…

Standing in the middle of all of this makes Shiki feel a little out of place, still.

… Is that strange? When she was younger, her material needs had consistently all been met by the Gojo Clan. It was rare that Shiki even had to request anything of her own volition. There was no one who would bring her shopping or the like, for there was absolutely no need to. Moreover, there had also been an active order for Shiki's movements to be restricted to clan grounds.

Things became slightly different after she'd moved out of the clan compound later on. Unlike when she lived with the Gojo Clan, there was no longer a full household staff who took care of all daily necessities. Shiki found herself learning about various household chores from Tsumiki. She'd even gone grocery shopping with Ken-jichan for the first of several times.

Standing in a store like this is no longer a novel experience for Shiki, but… it's still not something that she's very used to. Her busy schedule means that there is not much time allocated towards mundane activities. Much like most sorcerers, she supposes.

"Shiki?"

… Right. Tsumiki had just asked her what she was intending to purchase earlier, and Shiki still has yet to provide a response to her friend's question.

Gingerly, Shiki picks up a small can of green tea. Tea that's contained inside a can, instead of a proper cup…

"Oh, are you sure about that?" Tsumiki peers at what she's holding from over her shoulder. "That's sweetened green tea you're holding there. Extra sugar."

Extra sugar? … In tea? Why would anyone ruin perfectly good tea like that?

… Besides Satoru-niichan, that is.

Shiki isn't exactly sure what kind of expression she makes in that moment, but Tsumiki takes one look at her and bursts out laughing. But she also helps pick out a sugarless, unsweetened tea instead, so Shiki decides that she'll forgive her.

"Just tea?" Kinji raises an eyebrow at her when they make their way over to reconvene with the others in the store. "That's all you're getting?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure don't you want anything else?" Kirara also waves a hand, gesturing towards the store at large.

Shiki shakes her head.

… The Gojo Clan is happy to accommodate her material needs and desires, and Shiki acknowledges that this probably means that she's spoiled in many respects, growing up the way she did. But at the same time… Shiki doesn't really find herself wanting things all that often. Is this a good sign, since it means that she clearly doesn't lack anything? Or is this a bad sign? Yet another indication that there's something wrong with her?

Wanting things is hard. It doesn't help that most of the things that Shiki has ever wanted are not material possessions that can be bought with money.

Kinji eyes the single can of green tea that she's holding, "You're kind of cheap for an ojou-sama, aren't you?"

Shiki gives her classmate an unimpressed look.

"I'm paying," she reminds him.

"A generous ojou-sama! An ojou-sama whose generosity knows no bounds!" the ridiculous boy promptly declares.

Tsumiki giggles, "Your classmates are funnier than you described them to be, Shiki."

Shiki doesn't recall describing either of the two of them as funny; she doesn't know why Tsumiki has that impression. "… Is that good or bad?"

"I think they're good for you," the other girl responds lightly with a small smile, and does not elaborate.

"So… I'm actually kind of curious about this," Kinji starts, once they're standing outside the conbini with newly-acquired food and drinks in hand. Shiki nods slightly to indicate to her classmate that she's listening while she tucks a silken pouch back into the sleeve of her yukata, now several yen lighter. "How much money do you have, anyways? Sorcerers make really good money and you've been doing this since, like, what. Childhood, basically?"

Shiki pauses, "… I'm not sure, actually."

Kinji gapes at her. "Seriously?"

… Shiki probably has a considerable sum that belongs to her by this point? She had been fairly young when she'd first started taking missions to exorcise curses. Back then, Kiyohira-sensei was the one who'd stepped forward to take care of banking details. Shiki herself had never been particularly involved with it, nor was it something that actively concerned her, given that any regular expenses had always been dealt with by others around her.

Even after moving out from the clan compound, Shiki still hadn't been actively involved with their finances. So it has never really occurred to her to check on the money in her own accounts, which has remained untouched all this time.

Well… not completely untouched, probably. Shiki vaguely remembers Jihei-san saying something about clan investments several years back, and Kiyohira-sensei agreeing with those words. Some of her money had gone into that as well, if she recalls correctly.

"Spoken like such a true ojou-sama, oh my god," Kinji's hands come up and cover his own face. "Even if you're delegating to someone else, you should at least have some idea of how much money you actually have! As well as where any funds are being invested in! I can't believe this girl…"

Kirara reaches over and pats Kinji on the shoulder, with an expression on his face that says he's currently doing his best to hold back laughter at the two of them. "There, there. Different circumstances, and all that. And she knows better now that you've pointed things out like this, right?"

Shiki hopes that Mei-san will be around in Kyoto this year. Kinji would definitely get along with the older woman.

She turns her attention towards the tea in her hands while Kinji continues bemoaning her horrendous lack of financial sensibilities. The can of tea is cool, faintly chilled. Part of her still has trouble getting over this. Tea in a can, of all things… but she pushes down her doubts regardless and takes a cautious sip of the beverage.

…

… Is this actually even tea that she's drinking?

"Not what you expected, I take it?" Tsumiki leans over and nudges her with a small laugh when she notices Shiki staring down at her canned tea in consternation. "If you really don't like it, then don't force yourself. We can still get proper tea together at some point. Remember that tea house I told you about before? Let's head there next time! Even Megumi liked it, and he's nearly as picky about his tea as you are."

"In that case, then I look forward to it."

Ahead of them, Megumi glances back at the mention of his name. Tsumiki shakes her head to let him know that there's nothing wrong, and Megumi turns back again to where Kinji and Kirara are currently engrossed in a game of balancing their purchased foods in a precarious tower atop Kuro's snout. The black-furred Divine Dog sits amenably on the ground with infinite patience –a patience that had undoubtedly been born of being repeatedly and consistently used as a napping cushion and playground all in one by a certain spoiled, yukata-shredding cat.

"Are you guys done yet?" Megumi deadpans.

"Hang on a sec, there's still one more piece–" As soon as the words are spoken aloud, the entire tower goes tumbling down. Kinji and Kirara make identical sounds of disappointment, while Kuro takes the opportunity to snap up a piece of fried chicken with hungry jaws.

Megumi rolls his eyes, while Tsumiki giggles at the display.

Shiki pats the sneaky shikigami on the head when it pads over to her with a friendly bark. Greetings exchanged, the Divine Dog returns to its master, tail wagging.

"Y'know," Kinji says, once he's recovered from his bout of sorrow and moved on to eyeing the shikigami speculatively. "That's a pretty cool cursed technique. You basically have real-life Pokemon!"

Megumi stumbles and nearly trips over thin air.

"I'm sorry?" he coughs incredulously.

"I mean. That's basically what it is, right?" Kinji continues, undeterred by his reaction. "You summon animals–"

"They're called shikigami–"

"–with magic powers–"

"–and their techniques are just part of the–"

"–that let them fight with you in battle!" Kinji finishes triumphantly.

Megumi slaps a hand over his forehead. "… The Ten Shadows technique involves summoning ten shikigami with different abilities. Once a shikigami has been subdued by the sorcerer, they will then fight at the command of the sorcerer hereafter."

"Yeah, see? You even need to beat them up first if you want to catch them and add them to your team!" Kinji pauses, then rubs his chin thoughtfully, "Although I guess you don't need a pokeball…"

Megumi groans. "They're shikigami!"

"Like I said," Kinji looks the younger boy directly in the eyes, completely serious despite the slow, wide smile that's gradually creeping across his face. "Pokemon."

Shiki turns towards Tsumiki. "What's 'Pokemon?'"

"It's similar to Digimon," her friend explains.

"Ah," Shiki nods in understanding.

"Wait, wait," Kinji abruptly breaks away from his stare-down with Megumi as he whirls on her. "How do you know what Digimon is but not Pokemon? That doesn't even make any sense!"

She knows it because Satoru-niichan had introduced her to it. Her cousin had cited Digimon as a popular media franchise that he'd liked when he was younger. To be honest, Shiki hadn't seen the appeal at the time. She still doesn't see it, but… it's nice to spend time with Satoru-niichan for matters unrelated to sorcery–

A low growl suddenly sounds through the air, an unexpected disturbance.

Then there's a flash of white, accompanied by a soft thud.

"What's wrong?" Megumi straightens. Kuro slinks forward, sniffing at his counterpart who'd just leaped down in front of them –Shiro, the white-colored dog shikigami that forms the other half of the Ten Shadow technique's Divine Dog pair.

Shiro makes another growling sound, shaking its head, and drops the peculiarly-shaped object in its jaws onto the ground.

The object that it drops resembles… a rodent of some sort. But there's no mistaking it as a regular animal, not with the six beady eyes embedded in its skull and ink-black sealing script stretched over the coat of its body. And, judging from its relatively unobtrusive size and the marked hostility that both Divine Dogs were showing towards it…

"A surveillance shikigami?" Shiki murmurs quietly. It's not exactly surprising, but it is rather… rude. "How nosy."

"Whoa, what did you just say this was?" Kirara's eyes widen in alarm. "Surveillance? But who would–?"

"It's unlikely that there are those who deliberately seek to stir up trouble with Obon so close upon us," Shiki starts, then stops. Hesitates, as she rethinks the words that she'd just been about to say. Because if she considers how the Kamo Clan is in charge of the proceedings this year, and if she reflects upon the conversation she'd had with Satoru-niichan…

Megumi's eyes narrow, clearly having intuited the general direction that her thoughts have taken. "How certain are you about that?"

"Less certain than I would like to be," Shiki sighs.

Kirara sputters, "I'm sorry, but is no one going to explain what's going on with surveillance shikigami?"

Tsumiki pats the boy on the shoulder, sympathetic. "It's because there are so many sorcery families gathered in Kyoto, so this sort of thing is, unfortunately, normal and expected. The Gojo Clan has their own shikigami scattered around Kyoto, too."

"… What the fu–"

Kirara's words break off with a startled yelp. The captive shikigami had attempted to escape –only to be promptly caught by the Divine Dogs, whose claws pin it down easily. But it seems that they might've used a little too much force in their efforts this time; there are distinct cracks that promptly spiderweb across the small shikigami's body. Black smoke curls from the newly-formed crevices, as the damaged shikigami begins dissipating into wisps of dark smoke upon breaking down.

Shiki reaches out and grasps the crumbling shikigami in her hand, willing cursed energy to rise beneath her fingertips.

"White."

Upon the activation of the technique, the previously-formed cracks on the shikigami do not disappear, but neither they do not continue worsening.

This will suffice for now.

Yes. It's better to have irrefutable proof on their hands, when it comes to matters like this.

"Can you show us where you found this shikigami?" Megumi crouches down and runs a hand through the thick fur of Shiro's collar. The white-furred Divine Dog barks once, then takes off at a run, followed closely by its black twin.

Megumi chases after his shikigami immediately, while Shiki's classmates follow closely on his heels. Shiki pauses after them, however, turning towards Choki instead. Choki has been patiently waiting for them by the car all this time, and his brows are currently furrowed in concern from the unexpected situation that had just arisen.

"Ojou-sama, shall I report this to the honorable clan head?"

"There's no need to involve Satoru-niichan just yet." Her cousin doesn't need to be bothered for every little thing involving her. Although… "If you don't hear from me within… ten minutes, let's say? Ten minutes should be enough to resolve this. If you don't hear from me after ten minutes, then you may report to Satoru-niichan."

Choki bows, "As you command, ojou-sama. I presume that you would like me to watch out for the young lady Fushiguro during the meantime as well?"

"Yes. That would be appreciated," Shiki also takes a moment to hand the half-broken shikigami in her possession over to him. She would prefer to keep her hands free, and it would be better for Choki to keep ahold of this, anyways. Because this way, if anything ended up going amiss for the two of them, then Shiki would be able to sense the disturbance in her cursed energy immediately.

The young man lowers his head in deference, and accepts the shikigami caught in Shiki's lapse technique carefully.

Tsumiki bites her lip. There's a moment in which she opens her mouth as if to say something, but no words come out. The hand that's still half-raised towards Shiki falls back down to her side reluctantly, helplessly.

But there's nothing to be done about it. Tsumiki has always been aware of the work that a sorcerer engages in, and what their activities involve. The peril inherent in such a profession, and danger that comes from more than just cursed spirits…

It seems that the distance enforced between them from attending different schools has not changed anything about Tsumiki's incessant worry, nor her compassionate nature.

That's 'good,' isn't it?

…

It doesn't take long for Shiki to catch up with Megumi and her classmates. Megumi's Divine Dog had only been guarding their immediate surroundings earlier, when they'd caught the suspicious shikigami. That means this shikigami had been found close to them. Otherwise, there was no reason for the Divine Dog to react the way it did.

She ends up reconvening with the group in a nearby alleyway, the five of them –three sorcerers and two dog shikigami– surrounding a strange boy in their midst. Dark hair, narrowed eyes. The stranger is outfitted in a set of traditional clothing that compliments the equally-traditional hairstyle that he sports.

"What is the meaning of…" Gray eyes widen as they cut towards her, astonishment clear. "… Gojo Shiki? You, as well?"

Kinji startles and turns towards Shiki with a raised brow. "Hold up, you actually know this guy?"

"I do not." But if he recognizes her on sight, then there's no doubt that the boy is involved with the jujutsu world and its sorcery clans in some manner. He likely belongs to a clan himself too, if his appearance and mannerisms are anything to go by.

"I…" The boy falters briefly, but swiftly recomposes himself and dips his head in a respectful greeting, "My name is Kamo Noritoshi. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Gojo-san."

"Kamo Noritoshi?" Megumi regards the other boy suspiciously, making no attempt to mask his wariness. Whether that was because of the Kamo name or because of the claim of being the former Kamo heir…

In response, the boy procures a small needle and pricks his fingertip. A dark red bead of blood wells up, floating into the air and spinning around his finger in a few circles.

Blood Manipulation. There's no mistake about it, then.

Shiki vaguely remembers meeting Kamo Noritoshi from her first visit to the Kamo clan compound, but that had been years and years ago. Yes, the current Kamo Noritoshi who stands before her bears a certain resemblance to the young Kamo Noritoshi that she had met back then, but… it's not a connection that Shiki would've instantly realized on her own. Not as Kamo Noritoshi so clearly recognized her.

… Which might have something to do with how the boy had been missing from jujutsu society all this time, in addition to Shiki herself having a rather distinctive appearance. Black hair is quite common among most people in the country; white hair like Shiki and Satoru-niichan, not so much.

"I am Kamo Noritoshi," the boy repeats his self-introduction, "I… I do not know what the reason for this unwarranted hostility is, but I suspect that there must be some misunderstanding."

"So you're still claiming that you don't know anything about that shikigami we found?" Kinji asks pointedly, and gestures towards Shiki… then squints at her. "Wait, weren't you the one holding that weird mouse-thing?"

"I left it with Choki," she responds serenely.

"Eh? Why?"

In contrast to her classmates' confusion, Megumi seems to realize why Shiki had chosen to leave the shikigami they'd discovered with Choki and Tsumiki. The younger boy gives her a small nod, and turns back towards the Kamo sorcerer.

"If you claim that you had nothing to do with the shikigami, then why are you here?" he asks bluntly. The Divine Dogs circle around Megumi protectively, eyes locked onto Kamo Noritoshi just like their master's.

"I was asked to meet here by one of my clansmen. My old sensei," the older boy explains. His arms come up and fold across his chest, and a hand reaches up to cover the frown on his mouth. "Although, he did not mention that–"

A pulse of cursed energy ripples above them.

Shiki's head snaps up.

Above them, there's something circling overhead– a four-winged bird–?

She's barely able to make out the shape before the creature collapses in on itself and suddenly rains down upon them in a storm of spikes.

Startled shouts spring up around her–

Kamo is none of her concern. Megumi can take care of himself, and has even sent Kuro to cover for Kinji, who's standing right next to him. But Kirara–

Shiki grabs her classmate's wrist, pulling him beside her, and lifts the knife that she'd instinctively slipped into her hand.

For all that the sharp projectiles come as a sudden surprise attack out of nowhere… it's not particularly powerful. Shiki is able to knock down the pieces easily with her knife, making sure to keep Kirara close to her as she does so. His reactions are a little slow –Shiki makes a mental note to mention this to Takagi-sensei at some point.

"… Where do you keep pulling your knives from?!" Kirara's voice is dazed from shock, but there's also a faint tremble in it. From fear or distress, presumably?

… Well, Shiki supposes that hunting down and fighting a cursed spirit is rather different from being ambushed out of the blue, especially where one hadn't been expecting to meet any danger at all.

Kirara closes his eyes and sucks in a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. The hand that's grabbing onto Shiki's wrist tightens slightly–

–oh. Hmm. Is this a tacit way of expressing thanks?

"You're welcome," Shiki says politely.

Kirara abruptly huffs out a small laugh, shaking his head. Does that mean she'd guessed correctly, or incorrectly?

Although, more importantly…

"Are you still claiming that this is all just a coincidence?!"

"I am just as confused as you are!" Kamo Noritoshi protests, frustrated and bewildered. "I genuinely don't know why we've been… wait. This is…?"

Of the many shard-like projectiles now littering the alleyway, most are already dispersing into flecks of black dust, but there is one that does not fade. Instead, it appears to be embedded with some sort of message, going by the distinct characters written across its surface. Kamo Noritoshi crouches down, pulling it out of the ground and lifting it up to read silently.

"… no. No, this can't…" A stricken look flashes across his face as his voice wavers perceptibly, "Shiroshichi-sensei…?"

Shiki tilts her head, trying to make sense of the current situation. If the attack just now had been targeting Kamo Noritoshi… would the perpetrators be one of the Kamo Clan's enemies? … Or perhaps even the Kamo Clan themselves? After all, the current clan head and his supporters certainly had not been pleased by Kamo Noritoshi's reappearance in the jujutsu world earlier this year.

But as for Shiki and her friends… was it really just coincidence that they'd been led here, and with such convenient timing?

Who was responsible for this setup that they found themselves in? … And why?

"Um," Kirara finally lets go of her wrist with a small start. "… Sorry about that. And really, thanks for saving me again just now. I… I'm also sorry about your yukata."

Her yukata?

Kirara gestures towards her right sleeve, and Shiki glances down. There's a slight tear in the fabric, no doubt due to having been grazed by one of the jagged shards just now. It seems that she'll have to step up her own training, too. Having access to a technique like White is no reason to become complacent. Especially not when it's impossible for her to keep it active in a perpetual barrier like Satoru-niichan.

"It's alright," she tells Kirara, who looks rather guilty from her prolonged silence. "Mi-chan has done worse before."

Kirara blinks. "… Who's Mi-chan?"

.

.

…

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