𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑫𝑶𝑴 𝑶𝑭 𝑴𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑬 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐈 - 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒

KAGOME STOOD ON THE ROOFTOP OF THE BUILDING, the smell of smoke and burnt flesh still lingering in the air even after The Magistrate's quick cover-up. The night was cold and the air biting, Tokyo's lights blinking in the distance as the ghost hovered over the railing, eyeing the Keiyō Industrial Zone with a wary expression on her face. The place had been cleaned up by The Magistrate, the ichor they hadn't been able to scrub off the floor evaporating into the air and billowing into black clouds of smoke.

It was often like this with Jujutsu matters. They were there for a second, and the next it was all gone, the evidence up in the wind as the mortals continued with their mundane lives, unaware that their existence had been threatened only a mere seconds ago. It was a horrible way to live, in the shadows and in the blissfulness of ignorance. But it wasn't blissful, at least not to Kagome.

The ghost sighed, plopping down on the rooftop and turning to glare at her companion. Geto Suguru didn't bother to return the gesture, opting to lean against the railing and marvelling at the beautiful view in front of him. And it was beautiful, in a way that most things within the realm of Jujutsu could not be, but its charm was soon lost, the maggots who called themselves humankind crawling along the sidewalk quickly dissipating the elegance the image once held. Suguru wasn't particularly pleased by the mortals, they were a pest that had quickly overgrown their usefulness.

Their existence was enough to bother the man, and as he looked down at them like bothersome ants, Suguru couldn't help but wish he could smite them with his boot. Kagome noted the man's thoughts, hovering around him as her barely corporeal form floated in the air. It was nice, being a ghost. Kagome didn't remember much from her life as a mortal aside from the fact it sucked. This state of existence was certainly better than the alternative.

The girl looked down, watching the trails of golden blood still visible on the ground despite the pounding rain and The Magistrate's cleaners scrubbing the whole place clean. Some things could only be erased by time.

"I thought you were going to handle the Kinzoku heiress." Kagome complained, her gaze turning hard as she watched the gold being washed away by the rain.

Suguru stilled, as if somehow, he'd been expecting those words for a while. He had – despite Kagome's best efforts, she was still a preteen in everything but name, and as such her behaviour was somewhat predictable, at least to someone as powerful as him. Geto cleared his throat, words failing him for a moment before he finally turned to face the ghost.

He had no business justifying himself to someone – something, he quickly corrected himself – who was merely a tool to be used for his plans. Still, for the sake of his endeavour, he could continue to pretend to be less than he truly was. Concealing himself and his true motives was certainly safer than playing the fool, which was something he'd become quite good at.

"And I will, but–"

Kagome didn't give him the decency to let him finish his sentence, pushing into his space with what little strength her translucent corporeal form had. The push was so light Suguru could barely feel it, the girl's hands going through his chest as she cursed loudly, annoyed at her lack of effect on the earthly plane.

"But what?" Kagome parroted, mocking the man with a harsh tone. "Her existence is a direct threat to our plans, she already knows far more than she should." The girl turned her stare to the city below, shoulders sagging almost immediately. "She and Gojo are a nuisance that must be dealt with."

Suguru sighed, resting beside the girl as he too settled his gaze on the world below. Tokyo truly was a beautiful city, even with the maggots crawling around it, running like headless chicken to their meaningless lives. Suguru wasn't a well-travelled man, but the entity currently holding his body had seen the world, everything it had to offer – and everything he'd gladly take away.