I laughed to myself as I watched the battle start. The curse from under the bridge had Megumi and Nobara in some kind of whack-a-mole game, popping out from under the ground in various places as they tried to attack.

This shit is priceless. I quickly took a video and sent to to Satoru.

[video of whack-a-mole]

lollll

AZJSJXNSK

i really needed that laugh

you doing ok?

how's your mission?

we can talk later

you really should be paying attention

i was told not to interfere!!!

oh shit... just kidding

gotta go

what happened!? everything ok!!?

whack-a-mole is special grade

I watched with wide eyes as Kugisaki was pulled out of the domain. I was getting frustrated with how complicated their missions always turned out to be... Was this on purpose again?

"I'll go after her!" Yuuji yelled and disappeared behind the veil, the other curse chasing after him.

Ok, so now there's three cursed spirits. Ones a special grade, and I can't really get a good grasp on the other two.

Dammit Y/n, you should've been fucking paying attention.

"Alright Megumi," as I called out and started to approach him, ready to lend him a hand.

"No!" he yelled back. "Let me do this!! Stay out of it!"

"Fine," I huffed as I leaned back against the bridge, zoning in on Megumi, trying to get a grip on his thoughts.

This cursed spirit carries Sukuna's finger? Not good...

I quickly closed my eyes and focused in on Yuuji, trying to see if I could get a glimpse of his mind or if I could see what he was seeing, even from a distance.

It wasn't very effective but I caught a small picture of the two curses him and Kugisaki were fighting.

The Death Painting Wombs? Were they sent here for Sukuna's finger? Who stole them to begin with?

I sighed loudly...

This is getting a lot more tangled than I was hoping it would be.

Sukuna's body is split into 20 fingers... How many has Yuuji eaten? 3? 4? 6 were stolen from Jujutsu High. 1 is with this cursed spirit. So that leaves 11 or 12 unaccounted for.

And it looks like we're not the only ones after them.

"It's ok to be selfish as a sorcerer, right Y/n-sensei?" Megumi called out, breaking my train of thought.

I didn't quite understand his question, but I tried to be as honest as possible, "Right now you're on a team, but as a full-time sorcerer, all you really have is yourself Megumi."

"Right."

I watched in shock as Megumi's eyes went wild, and he activated a domain expansion.

"Domain Expansion: Chimera Shadow Garden!"

The domain wasn't complete, but the floor flooded with shadows, casting more of Megumi's shikigami.

"It's incomplete!! How pathetic!" Megumi let out a loud cackle. "Yet still, it should be enough!"

His wild cursed energy was sending chills through me. I still didn't know him very well, but his raw, untapped potential was shocking.

The cursed spirit used his own technique to disperse of the domain and thought he had won, but Megumi still had another plan. He appeared behind the cursed spirit with his Divine Dog, and exercised the spirit immediately.

Megumi's crazed and frantic face faded into exhaustion as he dropped to his knees and the Divine Dog disappeared.

"Y/n-sensei," he muttered out as he looked at me with desperation before vomiting and collapsing fully to the ground.

"Oh Megumi," I sighed as I crouched down next to him. I looked at Sukuna's finger that laid on the ground and quickly put it in my pocket.

I picked up Megumi and walked a couple steps away from where he had thrown up before laying him back on the ground. I took off the sweater I was wearing and walked over to the river, getting part of the shirt wet.

I sat down next to the brave first-year and positioned myself so that his head rested on my lap.

"Let's get you cleaned up," I whispered as I washed his face off gently, removing the sweat, blood, and bits of throw up on his face. I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to calm down his breathing.

"How did I do?" he muttered out softly.

"You were truly incredible, Megumi. I'm so proud of you."

His eyes were closed, but he kept talking to me, "Gojo-Sensei said that as sorcerer's we always die alone... so if I die now, I'll be one of the lucky ones. I'll die next to someone who cares for me. Thank you, Y/n-sensei."

My heart shattered as he said those words. Why the hell would Satoru ever say that to a student?

"You're not going to die here, Megumi. I promise," I smiled softly at the young boy.

He had looked so fearless and frantic during his battle, but now, resting on my lap, he looked like a small child.

"You remind me of my sister. She's kind and a good person... So good that she makes me want to be a better person too. That's how I feel whenever you're around. I hope she wakes up."

I bit my lip as I tried not to cry, "Megumi, do you remember when I kissed Yuuji's forehead when I met him?"

"Mm."

"Is it ok if I do that with you now?"

"W-why?" he asked softly.

"It'll help me understand how to help you. And in battles, I'll be better able to fight along side you."

"Does it hurt? Because I don't think I could handle that."

I laughed softly, "No, it doesn't hurt."

"Ok then."

I leaned down and kissed his forehead gently, letting all of his memories, experiences, and emotions flood into me.

His family abandoned him. He was sold to the Zenin family and then traded over to Jujutsu High. His sister, his only family, in a curse-induced coma.

There's not a sorcerer in this world who's had a normal life... How sad is that...

"Megumi," I called softly as I looked at his face through blurry eyes. I was so grateful he had fallen asleep. I didn't want him to see me cry.

I moved carefully and picked him up in my arms. We needed to get moving and find Yuuji and Kugisaki, but I definitely couldn't leave him alone.

It would've been so much easier to carry him on my back or over my shoulder, but he was sleeping, and he needed it. So I walked as gently as possible, holding him closely.

•••••

**a/n: Sukuna can see everything through the finger Megumi was fighting for and that is now in Y/N's pocket... Just some background for this next section in case you didn't know**

Even spirits who consume and hold fragments of my powers are weak. What a waste.

But you know what's not a waste? Megumi Fushiguro.

Seems like he's finally taken my advice. That's good. Very good.

"Wait," I leaned forward slightly in my chair, observing the scene. "It can't be..."

I let out a loud laugh.

Oh how perfect this is.

There's no mistaking it. That must be Y/n L/n, the one I keep hearing about.

So someone from the Sato clan survived after all.