Pickles ||Inumaki x Reader||

Twenty || Flames

-Art by 90_UN_ on Twitter-

[Reference to chapter 119]

Wincing, I wiped the blood from the fresh cut on my cheek, smearing the red liquid across my skin. That was a close one.

"Are you girls okay?" I asked the two ladies who were holding each other in fear.

The one with the shorter hair nodded shakily. "Y-you saved us. Thank you," She gulped, still trying to process what she just witnessed.

I smiled reassuringly, "The rest of the survivors are being kept safely in the shopping district underground. I'll take you there so follow me." Helping the two to their feet, I held one of their hands in each of mine and walked slowly to the entrance of the underground mall.

They were a pair of sisters who had been caught up in the Shibuya incident and were wandering around, trying to find a way to escape the transfigured humans, until a building nearby suddenly collapsed. If I hadn't rushed in to save them, they would have died.

But they were only two out of the many I had saved from the chaos. It was eleven p.m., meaning I had been doing this for almost an hour already.

Toge was there too but we were currently split up. He was positioned at the center of the district where the ruckus was mainly going on, using his megaphone to curse the transfigured humans into stopping while also guiding the innocent civilians underground where they would be safe. On the other hand, I remained closer to the outskirts of the area where I looked for anybody who needed help. Although it was a lot more deserted where I was, it was just as dangerous for the people I did find wandering around.

When we reached the mall, the sisters relaxed as much as they could with the rest of the crowd gathered there. Faces lit up the minute we walked in, mainly due to people recognising me as the one who was saving them along with 'the megaphone guy'. It was pretty dark in that hall but I could still clearly see the smiles on their faces.

"You're back!" A little boy stood up with glee. He was the one I saved when I was on the bridge with Yuji. Despite being in such a terrifying situation, he was surprisingly optimistic.

Crouching down, I placed a hand on the boy's head, ruffling his curly hair. "I have to go back now to see if there's anyone else whose lost. Just stay here, okay? You'll be safe here." He nodded eagerly at my words and gave me a hug of farewell.

I repeated the same to all the other civilians who were sitting in fear. I told them there were still many more cursed spirits out there but Toge and I were doing everything we could to keep them safe and that they all needed to remain there for a little while longer until we were sure we had saved everybody.

They nodded understandingly, knowing how much pressure we were under for just two people. As I left the mall, I could hear their shouts of 'be safe!' and 'thank you!'s.

Contrary to what they may have thought, I was no hero. I was barely holding myself together in the first place.

I couldn't even put into words how worried sick I was. For not only my friends but my teachers and all the other sorcerers on our side. I was worried for Gojo too. Was he okay? Would we even manage to break the seal? Because as much as I poked fun at him, he was still my sensei. He was the one who recruited me into Jujutsu High, pulling me away from the horrible life I lived before to became a new person- a shaman- who could fight for herself and make the world a safer place as a result. He was the one who gave me purpose. And I wanted nothing more than to see him again, hug him, cry to him, tell him I'm sorry for each and every time I stole his stupid credit card.