Mirrors ◇ Joji x Reader

XIX. Untapped Power

Joji sighed, leaning against the headboard of the bed.

"That day was like normal... we were just watching TV in the living room when the floor just... opened up."

He stared at the floorboards as if it were happening again.

"A-and there it was... Gehenna Gate... just... in the floor. It was like Grandpa always said... with all the eyes and the oozing and... the screams..."

His eyebrows furrowed as he slowly shook his head.

"Then, all of a sudden, hundreds of grimy hands reached out to grab... well, the air. We didn't know what they were reaching for, but they weren't close enough to grab it. From below the hands came Satan himself... he took a good look at me and smiled wickedly. Said something about how he's been looking for me and my bloodline since almost the beginning of time."

His eyes didn't budge from where they rested on the floor.

"I knew this already of course, but I acted like I didn't. He threatened me, because of course there's no way that the single most important bloodline in the two dimensions would let a single person stay ignorant about their heritage. I barely even got a chance to respond... he took you before I could do anything. And I'm no exorcist, I can't drive him back without my sword. Speaking of..."

He removed the sword from his back and unsheathed it. The intense glow illuminated his face.

"This was made with his blood in the beginning, to make sure he'd never be powerful enough to return. He was too weak to hold open the gate for more than 2 minutes. If I was able to stall for just a few seconds..."

He teared up, lip quivering as he rested a clenched fist against his forehead, palm facing up.

"I was too comfortable... Mom said to always be ready for anything. I didn't believe her... and now that fucker has your soul trapped in that gross shell of a body..."

He bit his lip in an attempt to maintain his composure. I knew it was insensitive of me to keep asking questions... but I really wanted to know more, I needed to.

I sat in the bed next to him and wiped his tears. After calming down a bit, he continued.

"I tried... so hard... to just try. But living life without you was too painful. It wasn't that I couldn't make it on my own, it was the fact that every morning I woke up to an empty bed. And... it was my fault..."

Joji sighed shakily, taking deep breaths so that he could keep going.

"And then... I remembered the reflection incantation. That some version of you was still free in Gehenna. But it raised so many questions... like why Satan chose my (Y/N)... was there some distinction? Was it a trap to get me to run after him? It had to be something..."

That had me going too. Eyebrows furrowed, I tried to piece things together as Joji continued his story.

"But I didn't think it through. One night, I took you while you were sleeping. I forged a note from 'Satan' saying that he took you. It wasn't that good apparently, because eventually he figured it out." He rolled his eyes.

"I've got it!" My eyes widened in realization. "There's something that Satan is afraid of, and it has something to do with you two joining together. Maybe some untapped power that the both of you don't know about!"

Joji stared at me in confusion, but didn't say anything. Instead, he processed the possibility in silence.

"Satan wanted you to take me so that you two would hate each other, and never tap into your full potential! Why it had to be the other me doesn't matter, he just took whichever one he felt like."

I could see the gears turning in his head through his eyes.

"So... what now?"

"We have to find a way to get Gehenna Joji's body back under his control so we can find out about this untapped power. Whatever it is, it's clearly a threat to Satan!"

He nodded and scratched his chin.

"That's easier said than done... I'm only one person and I'm not even an exorcist."

"So where do we find more exorcists?"

Joji paused for a long time. I opened my mouth to repeat myself, but then, he answered.

"We have to go to Japan."