"Mom, will you read me another one?"

I felt the soft vibrations in her chest as she laughed, "just one more, y/n."

Sick on my journey,

only my dreams wander

this desolate field.

Her voice as calming and smooth and simple as the haiku she recited.

"What does it mean?"

"Well, Y/n, it is a farewell poem. For the weary traveller, obsessed with their journey, but forced to say goodbye."

"Why would they be forced?"

She sighed, "Sometimes life just takes an unexpected route."

I snuggled closer to my mom, "I don't want to have to say goodbye momma."

"Oh, Y/n," she chuckled before she gave me a kiss. "You won't have to say goodbye anytime soon. I promise."

•••••

"Y/n," Gakuganji grumbled snapping me back to reality. "Why do you never listen?"

"Maybe you should be more interesting."

"We don't have to tell you any of this! We didn't have to bring you in! Show your gratitude!!"

I laughed, "Gratitude? Don't you realize, old man, you found me by pure chance."

My mother's voice repeating in my head...

Clouds are gathering

high above the mountains

making plans for us all.

"Chance is futile," Mei smirked. Satoru had been dead silence since they started their storytelling.

To be honest, I wasn't very intrigued by any of this. Except for one thing...

"Why have I never heard of the Sato clan?"

Gakuganji answered, "Because they're all dead."

"Well, it seems like we missed one," Mei smirked. "In all fairness, we didn't know your parents had a child."

Every part of my body tensed as she spoke. We hadn't made it to that part of the story yet, and I wasn't at all looking forward to it.

I didn't think I'd be able to keep calm.

I write, erase, rewrite

erase again, and then

a poppy blooms

I clenched my jaw, "I understand they're dead. I'm asking why haven't I heard of them before now."

"Y/n, do you know what happens to cursed users?" Gakuganji asked me.

I shrugged, "Capture, exile, kill. I'm guessing whatever has to be done."

"Exactly. So we did what had to be done with the Sato clan. Your clan."

"Genocide seems a bit extreme, even for you."

"It is," he agreed. "Which is why it isn't talked about."

Yaga took the reins from there, "The Sato clan's evil deeds go back to the days of Sukuna. The clan sided with the demon and aided in the majority of his quests."

"When he was disbanded, the shaman of the time showed mercy upon your people in hopes for a brighter future. And many generations went by where there was peace."

I nodded, "Then what?"

"At about the end of the 20th century," he continued. "That Sato clan was fully corrupt once again. Not a single soul remained pure, and the other powerhouse clans as well as the higher ups took matters into their own hands."

Gakuganji spoke, "But they didn't go down easily. Their power was often unmatched. It took over 50 years to exterminate the Sato's completely. Your parents being the last survivors."

"Your abilities," he explained. "They are the Sato clan's Inherited Abilities. If you still had a clan to be apart of, there's no doubt you'd be the heiress."

A world of dew,

And within every dew drop

A world of struggle

"Is that supposed to be comforting!?" I snapped at him. It was the first time I had shown any type of emotion.

He smirked, "No. It is simply an explanation as to why we let you live."

I looked at Satoru who was so still I wasn't even sure he was breathing. I wished he would give me something. Anything.

I took a deep breath, "How did I not get assassinated with my parents? What about my grandfather, the one who raised me?"

Yaga cleared his throat, "Geto. He's the one who planned the assassination. That man wasn't your blood relative. In fact, once we met you for the first time, we learned he was a non-curse user who had aligned with Geto previously."

"Although there is no way to know for sure," Gakuganji explained. "We assume Geto found out about you and decided to work with your parents in order to protect the last of the Sato clan."

"Why would he do that?" I asked coldly. I had never met him of course, I had only heard the stories. Why would he have any interest in me?

"Because Y/n, with powers like yours, and your affinity for evil, you could potentially make for his strongest ally," Gakuganji added.

"So Geto and Satoru. They were sent to kill my parents?"

There were small nods from Yaga and Gakuganji while everyone looked at me with complete shock, small flickers of horror in their eyes. Or maybe it was fear...

Fear of what? Me?

"Isn't it quite a story?" Mei smirked.

I ignored her, "And my last name? Just a cover my parents chose?"

"We assume so, yes."

I took a moment to consider it all. It made sense. Perfect sense actually. No one was just randomly born with such strong powers.

My pact not to kill... It's because the first few times I did, I loved it. It felt so natural.

But I didn't want to be a bad person, so I refused to allow myself that high, that pleasure of spilling blood.

I wanted to change the world for good. And yet, I was innately evil.

That disposition for destruction, it ran through my veins. I had always felt it, I just never understood why.

And knowing now, it almost broke me.

And Satoru... If I would've been there on the night of the assassination, would he have killed me?

Is that why he always protected me now? Because of the guilt he carried?

It was strange. The parents I remember, they're nothing like what was being described to me now.

But if I had known who they truly were, would I had wanted anything to do with them anyway? How long were they planning on hiding it from me?

I cleared my throat softly before speaking up, "So now what?"

"Well, I suppose that depends on you," Gakuganji stared at me intensely.

I couldn't help but laugh. I had wanted to control my fate for so long, and now that everything within me was shattering, I finally had my freedom.

Freedom with no sense of self. It was almost enough to make me choose captivity.

Almost.

His eyes narrowed in on me, "Is something funny?"

I stood to my feet, dusting myself off a bit, "Well, other than Satoru, I'm assuming no one here is strong enough to stop me, so I guess I'll be on my way then."

With that, Satoru immediately jumped to his feet, "W-where are you going?"

"Anywhere but here," I muttered with soft tears in my eyes. I wasn't upset. I wasn't angry.

I was lonely. And confused. And overwhelmed, so overwhelmed.

I looked at Gakuganji, "You're already well aware that I don't kill people, and now I guess we all know why, but Ganji, my promise still stands."

"Very well," he agreed.

"Y/n!" Satoru caught my hand as I was on my way to leave. "Please," he muttered out. "Please stay."

"We all die alone anyway. Isn't that what you said?" tears were streaming down my face now. "Take care of yourself, Satoru."

Along this road

Goes no one,

This autumn eve.