Kind Words (Toge Inumaki)

Chapter Three

Panda Toge and I accomplished our mission easily, we saved the two women and the child from the old elementary school in only an hour. Apparently Maki and Yuta weren't so lucky. They did save the two kids, and they'd be fine, but both the kids and Maki suffered pretty severe curse injuries that Shoko (the school medic) had to heal with her reverse curse technique. Yuta made it out relatively unscathed thanks to Rika's abilities.

It's officially been three months since Yuta has joined us. This morning we all met up for weapons, and combat training. Dad (Gojo) had a meeting that morning so Yuta grabbed a wooden sword to represent the sword Gojo helped him get a few months ago. I was wearing my usual training/workout clothes; a tight black tank top, and white sweatpants that were rolled at the waist.

I was focused on perfecting my chain scythe swinging so I had a real chain with wooden scythes at the end so I wouldn't hurt myself or the others. Toge was my opponent because Maki was training Yuta. I was using Tengantsu to try and hit him since I had yet to perfect the technique so it wasn't entirely accurate at the moment. We decided to take a break when we noticed dad distracting Yuta, resulting in Maki winning again. We joined Panda on the ground.

"It's been three months since Yuta's joined us huh?" I said, grabbing my water. "Time really does fly huh?"

"He's movin a lot better," Panda said.

"Salmon," Toge said, stealing my water. I tried to get it back but he just held me back by my forehead chugging what was left. I cried crocodile tears at my empty bottle when he handed it to me.

"He's more positive too," Dad said.

"Salmon cod roe," Toge said, ignoring my cries of fake pain.

"Maki also looks happy... I guess it's because there used to be no close-range weapons user before," Panda said. "Eureka!" He then yelled, startling Toge and me. "Yuta! Get over here!" I looked at Panda confused. Yuta, however, came running.

"Yeah Panda?" He asked.

"Listen up! It's something super important! Do you like big boobs like Satsuki's-" I smacked Panda in the head with a blush on my face, "or smaller ones?"

"I don't have a preference, but maybe medium-sized..." Yuta said. I sat facing away from the three hugging my chest, my face still red. My chest was on the larger side for my short stature, but that doesn't mean I'm super proud of them! Stupid Panda, I can't believe that he would bring me into that!

"You don't need to be so embarrassed Satsuki, he was just giving an example," Toge said. I threw my fake scythe at him, bonking him on the head while I glared at him and Maki was yelling at Panda herself.

"Ki, Toge," Dad called, and we walked up to him. "A mission was assigned to you Toge, but I know how my precious daughter gets when her beloved Toge leaves without her so you two are heading out!" I blushed and ran to tackle him for embarrassing me, but Toge grabbed me while I wriggled around in his grasp.

"Assigned?" Yuta asked.

"He's the lone grade two among us first-years. He gets 'solo' missions, but since Satsuki and he became partners they're a package deal, and since she's a special-grade no one can really complain if she tags along with him, or he her," Panda explained.

"Wow! That's amazing," Yuta said. He does know he's a special grade right? I asked myself as Toge put me down.

"Actually, Yuta you tag along too. Observe, and support them. Learn from their fight," Dad said.

"Support?" He asked, looking nervous.

"Just watch and learn. Every sorcerer is unique, and there are just as many different techniques as well. Toge's cursed speech, and Satsuki's cursed eyes are good examples. Try to learn what you can," dad explained. "Unravelling curses requires understanding curses."

After that Toge and I left Yuta to gather our things for the mission, or rather Toge came with me to get my real chain scythe from my room.

"Do you think I scare Yuta?" Toge asked. I glanced up at him for a moment before returning my attention to putting my belt holster for my chain scythes on around my uniform; a long sleeve slightly baggy white shirt closed with a golden button, and tight black leggings with white sneakers, which I had quickly changed into.

"Can't say. He's pretty skittish anyway though so I honestly just can't tell," I said looking back at him finishing getting ready so we could head to the car to meet Ijichi.

"You're no help at all you know," he said, shaking his head at me.

"No one said I had to be helpful," I said, sticking my tongue out at him, winking and running away.

"Mentaiko!" He yelled running after me.

"I don't know anything!" I laughed running crashing into Yuta by the door knocking both of us to the floor. "Oof, sorry about that Yuta! I should pay better attention."

"Salmon," Toge said, lifting me off the poor boy. "Kelp," he said to Yuta as he got up.

"Er... um... I'm sorry?" Yuta asked, looking to me for help.

"He just said hi," I said looking at him as if he were stupid. Was it really all that hard to figure out? Toge was just worried about the poor kid since he showed up, but he looked terrified every time he opened his mouth. Toge tossed me into the car walking around the back to get in, leaving me with the middle seat while my father spoke to Yuta.

"I knew it he's terrified of me," Toge said, sulking in his seat.

"We're here," Ijichi said. "Hapina Shopping Centre. It's pretty much abandoned, there are plans to demolish this entire area to build a large shopping mall. An inspection revealed a group of low level curses, grade two sorcerer Inumaki, and special grade sorcerer Gojo, your job is to exorcise those curses. What?! Where'd they go?" Ijichi yelled looking for us. Toge needed throat medicine since we forgot to stop at Shoko's and grab some before we left.

"What- what'd you buy?" Yuta asked. Toge held up the bottle with a small smile on his face. "Throat medicine?"

"Buildings can become a nuisance later on because of their history, hence the request for an exorcism now," Ijichi said.

"Salmon," Toge said.

"I'll cast a curtain, good luck," Ijichi said.

"Curses... he said a group of low-level ones right?" Yuta asked. I nodded.

"Salmon cod roe," Toge said. Before we knew it a swarm of low-level fish-like curses swarmed in front of us. I stood with my hands in my pockets while Toge pulled down his scarf to reveal his pretty mouth with the snake and fangs symbol gracing the corners.

"Hey, don't get too close," Yuta said, stepping forward.

"No, stand back and watch, he'll be just fine," I said, holding my arm out so he couldn't move any closer. He looked at me and then back to Toge.

"Explode," Toge said and then the entire swarm did just that. I looked to Yuta.

"I told you he'd be just fine. You don't need to be scared, Toge's super nice once you get to know him," I said as I smiled softly at him my hair slightly swaying from the explosion Toge caused.