Forget Me Not (Discontinued)

Chapter Forty Three: Shapes of the Soul

Early in the morning we receive another uninvited guest; a tall blonde man with odd glasses and an intense pessimistic energy about him. He immediately gave me the vibe that he did not want to be here.

"Good morning, I am Kento Nanami and I am here to speak with the Kubo head and I was told she would be here. Are you her by chance?" The man gives me a straight to the point introduction at our kitchen table.

Yes, I'm the head of the Kubo clan Takara Gojo. I write on a piece of paper.

"Oh...I take it you're married to Gojo. Then allow me to first offer my condolences and my friend's number." I must've looked confused because he whispers to me, "He's a fantastic divorce lawyer, met him back in university. Mention I sent you to him and he might cut you a deal in the likely hood of Gojo fucking up."

"So what brought dear Nanamin over to our humble abode?" Satoru places an arm around my waist; while his lips are smiling, his eyes are not. 

"I've heard that Kubo heads can change themselves into giant snakes...is that true? Oh and feel free to sign if that's faster for you to do." He tells me.

Yes I can change my shape into a snake. I study him from across the table trying to predict what exactly he's getting at. If I had to guess my abilities must seem useful to him somehow; but how they're useful is beyond me.

"And would you describe your transformation as changing the shape of your soul?"

I freeze, not expecting anyone to know how the Kubo's inherited technique truly worked. Most people outside of the clan assume we change our body's shape which isn't true; it's the shape of our very soul that we can change, but it's limited to the form of a giant snake. I'm nearly stunned that this random man could've somehow known that.

How do you know that? Who told you that? I answer his question with my own questions.

"A couple months ago Yuji and I had a run in with cursed spirit. One time he asked me an odd question. He asked which I thought came first the body or the soul, I answered the body. He told me that I was wrong, that the body formed itself around the soul and that soul determines the body's shape. So I take it you do know the shape of your soul and how to protect it from an attack?" I nod and wait for him to continue. "Would you mind helping with searching for Mahito, the special grade I just told you about?"

Can you explain to me why my ability to protect my soul is needed?

"Mahito can distort other people's souls and alter their shapes. This has killed and horribly disfigured a lot of people...it would be helpful to have someone who intimately understands the concept of Idle Transfiguration."

"And what makes you think that my wife will agree to such a request, hmm?" Satoru's glare only worsens. "She just got back from a fucking mission so do really you need to harass my wife? Or are jujutsu sorcerers really so useless these days?" On instinct I pinch Satoru's side and he yelps, "Owie! Takara!" 

Let me answer for myself. I sign to him; I turn my attention onto Nanami. I'll do it, I need the distraction. 

"But Takara...the last mission was so fucking intense. Don't you want to take a break?"

I can't stay still right now, standing still is no different than being dead to me. I tell my husband. 

"Fine, then I'm coming with you." He immediately declares.

Nanami pushes up his glasses, "Actually you can't. Yaga has a new mission for you."

Satoru leans back in his chair and groans at this news, "And here I wanted some fucking down time with my wifey."

"Well, are you ready to head out Mrs. Gojo?" He asks me.

My husband immediately sits up straight in his chair, "What? Are you taking her with you right now?"

"I'm going to have your wife accompany me while we look for Mahito."

His sulking only worsens, "So it'll just be the two of you...alone..."

"I do not know what you're trying to imply but I need someone like Kubo with her specific powers and techniques. I need people who knows how to properly defend themselves against an attack from Mahito."

I tug on his shirt and sign, Don't worry Satoru, I'm sure we can handle this just the two of us. I'll come back home safely.

"Takara that's not what I was..." he trails off, his pale cheeks tinting a light red, "Never mind. But you better take care of my wife and if I find out that you even try anything funny with her I will fucking kill you." He jovially declares with a menacing smile. I don't know why he thinks that Nanami would try to hurt me. We're on the same side after all.

Nanami sighs, "Seriously? Is that who you take me for? I wouldn't do anything inappropriate to someone I'm working with. Even an idiot like you should realize that by now."

Well I'll be ready after I get dressed. I sign to him.

🏙🏙🏙🐍🏙🏙🏙

I walk beside Nanami down desolate alleyways and around abandoned buildings till we finally reach an abandoned apartment building. "A lot of random people have been going missing in this area. This building is one of many that I want to check out today. Are you ready to head in?" I nod and we cautiously make our way inside. He turns back to me, "Under normal circumstances we would split up...but this opponent is far too much for only one of us. So we will stick together while we look around."

We venture around the first floor, the only sound that can be heard is our echoing footsteps resounding around us. All of my senses are on high alert but the last thing I expected to hear from my mostly silent companion was, "Why did you agree to marry a man like Gojo?"