Chapter 15: Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

I shut my eyes, shaking my head vigorously at the thought of Zyler. He has been gone for two years now but, it feels like he never truly left.

"We should join up with Satoru and Sakura." I watch the ground as Suguru follows behind me.

"I bet it is fun living with...nice of you to join us," Satoru shouts.

Sakura tucks her arm underneath mine and gently smiles at me. I try to smile back but, flash half my teeth instead. An orange-yellow glow bathes the concrete as we walk away from the apartment complex.

"Any idea why a curse manifested at your apartment?"

"Nope." I take a swig from my coffee, burning my mouth in the process. "...and I am looking forward to investigating per the Higher Up's demands." I roll my eyes while placing my cup on the table.

"You are funny. Now tell me about yourselves." Sakura props her chin on her knuckles. Her amber eyes glow while talking with my classmates. I clasp my elbows, leaning into the middle of the table, keeping up with the conversation.

My head nods up and down, allowing Suguru to invite me into the conversation.

"And how are you adapting to Jujutsu Tech?"

My head stops moving and my eyes dilate slightly.

"The adjustment is going well." I look at my coffee cup, trying to find what I should say next. "Thank you for the support during our mission last month."

I notice Sakura's eyes lose their glow when I bring up last month's mission. When her mouth turns into a hard line, I bite my lower lip. The shop owner starts closing out the register.

"Well, I am open to getting dinner and hanging out some more. Sakura and Blaise, are you interested?"

"Not tonight, Satoru. We need to find a place to sleep until things clear up at the apartment."

Sakura says nothing.

"You can stay on campus. We have dormitories and can arrange a room for Sakura as well."

Sakura clings to my arm for support.

"We will think about it Suguru. Take care!" I am staying calm and can tell it is feeding time for Sakura.

Sakura and I walk around a corner. Sakura leans her body weight onto me causing me to push back on her.

"Just a few more steps, then we can feed you. Hang in there."

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"Are you thinking what I am thinking, Suguru?"

"Following Sakura and Blaise to see what they are up to."

Both of my classmates smile at each other.

"To think vampires are rare in Japan. But here is our newest, Jujutsu Tech edition, playing house with one. And the one we have in custody at the school…is a bit much" There is a playfulness in Satoru's voice.

"Try not to overthink what is happening. Sakura will not take more blood than necessary, and Blaise is capable of eliminating a vampire."

"I am not the one to worry about Blaise. That is your line of duty. I am more concerned with the Elders and Higher-Ups."

"You are just as concerned with her too. It may be for a different reason, but it is still there." A smug, yet gentle smile crosses Suguru's face.

Satoru's eyes look forward as he puts his hands in his pockets.

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"Is my brother aware that I have been found?"

I start unrolling my right sleeve cuff and rubbing my wrist.

"Blaise!"

"On our official report, it is stated you ran away and were never recovered."

"Why has not my brother been informed that I am alive?"

I suck cold air through my teeth, shivering in the process.

"I don't know what to tell him."

"But you have a way to reunite us." Sakura's voice is cheerful yet stern.

I continue rubbing my wrist and avoiding eye contact. After a minute passes, I look over my shoulder.

"I am working on it, yes. Now come here." I hold my wrist out for Sakura; when her teeth come out, I gulp softly.

While walking out of the parking lot, I put my hand out, stopping Sakura in her tracks. Before the figures turn around, I wipe the red stripe from my flesh. Satoru smiles and gestures for us to follow him.

With Sakura and Satoru leading the way, Suguru looks over at me and whispers, "Your secret is safe with us." I shift my eyes toward him for a split second and smile.

By the time we arrive on campus, it feels a lot later than six. And to make things even better…

"There you three are. And who is the hooded individual behind you?"

"She is…."

"My question was directed to Gojo and Geto. And what happened to our wrist, Santa-Clara? Come over here person with their hood up." Gakuganji gestures for Sakura to walk toward him.

She looks at me, refusing to let go of my arm. I nod my head and pull her to my side. Suguru steps in between Gakuganji and me while Satoru stands behind Sakura.

"My roommate is shy. We will see you later…" I step to the left and walk away.

"Get back here, young lady. We have a meeting to attend and your…roommate can wait for you at the dorms. Some of your personal belongings have been brought to campus."

"Why don't you make me?" I glare at the Kyoto Principal while squinting my eyes. The veil between my heart and stomach slowly peels away.

"Do not cause a scene. This is not Abitha School for Young Minds. Things run differently here at Jujutsu Tech."

"Is that a threat?" I push Sakura behind me and face Gakuganji head-on. Satoru steps between us, putting his hands out.

"We are all a bit emotional right now. Suguru escort Sakura to the dorms. The kid and I will attend this... meeting together."

The way Satoru says meeting makes my skin crawl. And him staring at the principal does not help either.

"Very well. We are meeting in the same place as before."

Once Gakuganji walks off, I let go of Sakura's hand. My heart rate slows down to a normal rhythm, making the veil go up.

"Sakura, who would you prefer to hang out with?"

My question causes her to latch onto my arms. I catch my balance without falling to the ground.

"I want to come with you, Blaise. Being on this campus makes me uncomfortable. "

"I don't feel that is a wise idea. And if you are worried about the other vampire that is here, he is behind bars. The probability of him breaking out is low."

I let out a quick sigh. "Besides, I trust Suguru and Satoru."

We make direct eye contact, her eyes glistening under the pale moonlight.

"Fine, I will stay with Satoru," she lets me go and smiles. "Just don't do anything dumb."

I give her a thumbs up and a slight smile before walking off with Suguru.

Once outside the door, I take a deep breath and relax my shoulders.

"Hmph. We were worried you would run late. Why is the curse user with you?"

"Geto volunteered to accompany me. Should I expect your offspring to join us, or is he harassing someone else?"

"Watch your mouth young lady! You're in the presence of two clan leaders and two Jujutsu Tech higher-ups."

"Then should I expect the Gojo clan leader to join us?"

I gesture toward Zenin while sitting down. My right leg automatically crosses over my left thigh as I place my hands on my lap. Suguru places himself between Zenin and me. The moonlight pours through the window, creating an ominous setting. Four candles light up, casting shadows across my lilac orbs.

"Is this how you treated my parents when they were students? Bring them in for late-night interviews? Attempting to separate them at all costs, and causing havoc on their personal lives."

I brush Suguru's hand away without a second thought. The silence rings loudly in my ears...making me shift my eyes from person to person.

"We are not here to discuss your parents' exhibitions as Jujutsu Tech students. We are here to discuss your mission from last month."

I grit my teeth.

"Gojo, Geto, Haibara, Ijichi, and Nanami received high accolades for their teamwork. You received multiple complaints from Sir Shingo." As the words leave Gakuganji's mouth, I squint my eyes, leaning back in my seat for support. "Destruction of property, using lethal force, and allowing a curse to escape are the tip of Sir Shingo's complaints."

I fold my arms across my chest and stare at the wall behind Gakunganji's head. A black circle forms in my line of sight. This makes my pupils turn a pale yellow.

"And it was necessary to bring the clan heads in to scold me for my performance on a mission?"

A laugh escapes my lips, making me shift positions in the chair. My eyes slowly turn from lilac to plum. I gradually release the veil between my brain, heart, and stomach. Each passing second makes my adrenaline escalate.

"How about you take our conversation seriously? Why did you kill the vampire and let the curse escape?"

"Had I not used lethal force, Jujutsu Tech would have six corpses to deal with. Eight if you include Sir and Madame Shingo."

Now all eyes are on me. I lean in towards the table, putting my fingers in a steeple pose. Just a few minutes until everyone's soul is visible.

"With regards to the curse, why were you unable to exorcise it? And what happened to the sixth civilian."

I look over at Kamo and shrug my shoulders. Trying to quiet the swish-swash sounds in my ears is futile.

"Curses escape. Curses get exorcised. Don't worry, I am sure the Special Grade object will show up again."

Zenin, Kamo, and the Higher-Ups sit a little taller in their seats. Suguru grits his teeth and shuts his eyes. Half of my face reaches for the ceiling, helping ease the tension in my shoulders.

"You can wipe the smirk off your face. What makes you think a Special Grade object was involved?"

"From our last conversation, you all asked what I did with the object from Abitha." I hold my palms to the ceiling, uncrossing my legs in the process. Everyone's bodies are outlined in lights of different colors.

"And here we are a month later discussing..."

"If I may interrupt, please. With all due respect, Kamo, it's exhausting having Special Grade sorcerers exorcise everything under the sun."

"My comment was not directed at you, Geto. Kindly stay out of the conversation."

"Thanks for the invitation!"

All eyes turn to a salt-and-peppered hair person who is the spitting image of Satoru. He nods his head at me before sitting down.

"Nice to meet you, Santa-Clara. I am Haruren, Gojo." I flash a smile before Haruren continues talking. "How about we let the jujutsu technical students act like, I don't know, students!"

Zenin crosses his arms and pushes his nose into the air. His soul glows light-red and purple. I turn my eyes to Gojo, noticing his aura matches Satoru's eyes.

"Going back to the Special Grade object, it is against Jujutsu regulations to harbor or to steal items regulated by the college," Gakuganji states.

"Do you include sorcerers under your harboring regulation? How about vampires?" A sudden spark of red flashes across my eyes. My present company shrinks back into their seats.

"If you are insinuating we had anything to do with your parents' untimely...deaths..." Kamo looks past my head without finishing his sentence. I keep my voice steady and clear.

"If you think I am going to sit around and let you all control my life, think again. I have kept myself alive and thriving for eight years now." I look directly at Gakungaji, my eyes slowly revert to lilac.

As the veil between my heart and stomach finishes its descent, chills crawl down my spine.

"What a shame you will never live up to their reputations." Zenin mumbles.

I blink my eyes, making the black hole and colored outlines disappear. My shoulders involuntarily shrug as I catch my breath. Standing up makes my legs shake a little. I place my hand over my abdomen and grunt.

"As my report states, the civilian ran away from the park. Sometimes when people run away, they don't want to be found."

"It sounds like you are speaking from personal experience."

Satoru stands up too, raising his eyebrows to Kamo.

"Should you lot have lingering questions regarding my techniques and exploiting them, Head Quarters can assist you. After all, prying into someone's personal life is how Jujutsu Tech runs."

My face heats the moment I close the door. Drops of water prick the corners of my eyes.

"Blaise?"

I have my back turned to whoever is addressing me. The moonlight is beautiful, and I am basking in its warmth.

"Look it is not my place to pry but..."

"Good, you have not gone far Santa-Clara. Geto, I see you are still around, how about the three of us catch up with my grandson?"

"They are in the morgue, you two go on ahead. I am running a personal errand."

"Whatever it is you want to do, I advise you to wait until the Elders and clan leaders leave. Doing anything rash might backfire."