Noriko groaned, dropping her head back and staring up at the ceiling above her. The light was harsh and white... and it was already starting to give her a headache. Apart from the crisp clacks of keyboard keys, the room was silent. She began to swing her legs.

"What do you mean I can't go?"

"I just told you that you had heart arrhythmia and your main concern is not being allowed to go on an exorcism mission?" Shoko Ieiri scolded, glancing over her shoulder to the student - who nodded vigorously. "I'm talking along the lines of ventricular fibrillation - you do realise you could drop dead at any moment?"

The black-haired girl blinked for a second before shrugging nonchalantly. It wouldn't be 'any second', she mused internally, Shikishi would surely give her some kind of sign for when she'd begin to run out of time. She'd - or they - or whatever - had used the word 'cursed' and in her experience (which was a lot of romance/mystery novels), that usually meant there was something that could be done to break it. All she had to do was to figure out what it was.

Noriko sort of felt like one of those teenage detectives in some manga she'd picked up from the local convenience store and suppressed a squeal. Much more exciting than returning lost items and banishing minor curses amongst the shrine grounds - it was her first real big fish. The mystery of Shikishi's curse... perhaps if sorcery didn't work out for her she could always write a novel on it.

"Miss. Kamo!" The school doctor snapped her fingers in front of her students face, drawing her out of her thoughts. "Were you listening to me at all?"

She shook her head.

"Well, as I said, I've already tried Reverse Curse Technique and it's variations on you to no avail - which indicates that this something serious. From the looks of it, it could be Brugada syndrome, but I'll have to recommend you to the local hospital for an ECG. I've contacted a hospital in Kyoto for your mother's records as it's highly likely this could be hereditary." Elaborating, the doctor slumped in her chair, dropping the clipboard into her lap. "Please refrain from all strenuous activities, any excessive use of your cursed energy, and if you develop any of the following: shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, or a fever, please inform me. I'll prescribe you some antiarrhythmic medication to keep your pulse steady, however, if my theory is correct, you'll be moved onto Quinidine by the hospital."

Noriko buttoned up her white shirt again, peeling the sticky pads off her chest and watching the monitor beside her fall into a flatline. Pushing herself off the bed, she gathered up her items, pulling a lavender-coloured hoodie over her head and untangling her ponytails from within it. Ieiri scribbled something down on a scrap of paper before unlocking the top draw at her desk. Reaching for a bottle of pills, she jotted down a name on the cylinder before handing it to Noriko - who gave it a once over before chucking it in her schoolbag.

"Once a day, with a meal." The older woman instructed, giving the girl a steely look as she began to leave the infirmary. "And I'll arrange an appointment with the hospital for the ECG; Gojo will probably let you know when - he should be back tomorrow."

Noriko threw a lazy hand over her shoulder, turning down the relatively empty hall. Gojo was out on 'business' and so were her classmates, which meant there was no one exactly to keep tabs on her. She headed back to her dorm and began to shrug off her uniform once she was finally in her room. Pulling off her hoodie and shirt, she slipped on a baggy graphic t-shirt and began to unfurl the bandages that kept her long ponytails... well... contained. Noriko simply pulled her lose hair up into a high pony, smoothing out her bangs, and pulled on a short skirt.

Ah, she hummed as she continued to get changed, finally time to herself.

Repacking the handbag by the end of her bed, she checked she had everything necessary such as her phone, purse, keys, holster and ink brush, and sanitary products in case she miraculously started her period when she was out. She slung the bag over her shoulder and tore a sheet off clean paper out of one of her school books on her desk - which she then stuck to her room door as she left.

'Out shopping - text me if you need anything.'

Noriko made her way out of the school compound, pulling a light novel out of her bag as she began to walk down the steep steps down the mountain. The air was light and crisp and her footsteps were accompanied by soft crackling noises as the first autumn leaves crunched under her feet. Dog-earing the page she was on, she lifted her dark gaze to her surroundings. It was peaceful, and she couldn't help but wonder if her surroundings were similar to the autumnal scenes described in Shikishi's poems. Her hand clenched instinctively at the fabric above her heart.

Perhaps she wasn't that fazed because she'd never really been able to envision a life of freedom; she couldn't be too sad because she didn't know what she was missing out. Getting her own place, a family, maybe even a job... such things were hard for her to imagine.

Continuing her steady pace, she reached the feet of the mountain within the hour. Something she couldn't do when she first arrived. Noriko took a left at the crossing and strolled among the busy streets. There was a small bookstore in the town and while not always the best stocked, it had a varied selection.

She paused at the door, feeling a tell-tale vibration from her bag. Pulling out her mobile, she clicked the answer button with a painted fingernail.

"Hello?"

"Is this Miss. Kamo? " A frantic Kiyotaka Ijichi asked on the other side of the line, his voice shaking. Noriko blinked, moving out the path to the bookshop's door as a couple awkwardly coughed behind her.

"Uh, yes? Is something matter?" She furrowed her eyebrows - it wasn't exactly standard practice to call students.

"You're needed immediately as backup at Eishu Juvenile Detention Centre." From his tone, she could tell it was serious. "Where are you right now? I can pick you up."

"I'm at the village at the foot of the mountain - ah, no, I can probably get there quicker. Do I have time to get my blade?" Noriko began to run from her place tucked into the side of the street. Moving her free hand, she began to search her bag for her holster - pausing to quickly buckle it around her thigh, long black hair falling around her face as she bent slightly.

"No, it's an emergency. A cursed womb hatched - we think it's a special grade; Kugisaki, Fushiguro and Itadori are in danger." What the hell did he think they could do against a special grade? Or even her? Noriko wondered frantically, slipping down a dim alleyway and out of the view of the slow pedestrians. She was perhaps the most gifted in combat, but even then she was only a semi-Grade 1 - barely stronger than Fushiguro. Ijichi'service dropped and the call ended. The dark-haired girl gave her mobile a scowl before chucking it into her bag.

Noriko knelt to the ground, flicking open the cap of her ink canister and dipping Shikishi's brush into the black ink, and began to write furiously.

'"Bring me forth the sparrows borne from the resentment of the banished attendant's poisoned heart," asked the pitiful human to the Gods, bowing her head in reverence. "Let me borrow Sanekata's* temper and bid them to enact their terrible vengeance once more."' - she started a new paragraph, crossing the fingers of her left hand as she prayed she could bring about something as strong as she needed - 'A dark swarm of russet sparrows descends from overhead - their individual flesh meshing together to create one nebulous entity that blazes with versed indignation. This cast-out spirit of thousands of eyes and thousands of tongues fuses from a thousand feathered forms as they seek their callous reprisal.'

That would have to do, she thought, stepping back as the ink began to seep into the ground. There was a silence before their came a sharp series of bird cries - overlapping to become a high-pitched shrieking - as a dark shadow ducked over the alleyway. It doubled back and a semi-opaque form dived down to land across from her. A thousand russet sparrows made up the form of a much large hazy avian entity - their thrumming wings blowing Noriko's ponytail back in the wind and numbing her ears with a deep murmuring.

"Well, here goes nothing right," she took a sheepish look at the flock of birds - she could feel the heat of their anger from there - and moved forward, raising a foot to step onto the back of the outline. It was surprisingly solid and she knelt down for better balance, sinking her hands into the ambiguous creature. The large bird let out a cry - formed from it's thousand smaller counterparts - and with a quick motion rocketed itself into the sky. Noriko could feel harsh wind cut at her cheeks as she scrunched her eyes closed and bowed her head - which only served to sink her further into the shadowy bird. "Oh, shi -"

She was fully engulfed by the dark form, her senses fried by the rhythmic beating of the sparrows wings as she found herself sunken beneath the outer layer and in a feathery cavity. She really did wonder what in the world she'd created. The tale of Sanekata was a pretty harmless influence to draw on: just some guy banished from the palace who grows angry and when he dies, flocks of sparrows enact his revenge by ruining harvest, eating food - the standard. But, she'd taken a little creative liberty with her description, which she'd never done before. However, it seemed to be working just fine? Apart from her extremely possible idea that the creations could dispel at any moment after reaching the extent of it's given power and she'd be sent plummeting to the ground, it wasn't too bad.

Her fear was, however, realised perhaps five minutes later and Noriko felt the feathery cavity disappear from around her and she was once again a victim to gravity. As her vision gave way to a dark stormy sky, she found herself high in the air and beginning drop. She thought fast, using her still saturated ink brush to sketch on her leg as she felt an immense pressure against her front as she plummeted. So, that's what they meant when they said you're more likely die mid-fall, she mused, wincing when she felt her abdomen fight it's compression. Her leg glowed and she reached down into the white blaze, wrapping her hand around a handle.

The large rainbow umbrella opened without a hitch, and Noriko's form jolted at the sharp decrease in speed. She clutched tightly at the handle, still in complete free fall, just at a slower pace. It gave her more time to gauge whether she'd die upon impact, and that's all she needed.

A familiar energy rushed over and through the dim light she finally began to see the scene below her. Fushiguro's energy was flared uncertainly, while Yuji's was almost completely diminished - giving way to Sukuna's powerful force. It was oppressive and she had to remind herself to breathe. The two hazy figures looked up and she could vaguely see the black lines covering Yuji's body. Ah... she mused, so that's what's happened.

She was even more likely to die.

Bringing her brush down again, she spent some time sketching out her newer creation - squinting her eyes as the light enveloped her again and blindly reached a hand down. Her descent stopped even more with an immense host of balloons and she groaned when her umbrella melted into a pool of ink in her other hand - drenching her in the black liquid.

"Uh, hey, Fushiguro," she shouted, drifting slowly down into the conflict. She was within shouting distance now, which meant close enough to see Fushiguro's expression of disappointment and disbelief but also Sukuna's loud laughter. "Ijichi called, said something about a cursed womb... but I think this is something above our paygrade."

Her feet gently came to settle on the stone wall and she flung the balloons as far away from her before she cancelled them - not wanting to be further covered in ink (though her clothes were already ruined). Noriko took a deep breath to compose herself.

"Ah, the miserable priestess," the half-curse purred and Noriko couldn't help the grimace on her face as she leapt down from the wall - paintbrush in hand as she came to stand next to Fushiguro. "I suppose I should bring you up to speed - I've taken Itadori hostage."

Blood poured out of an open wound from his chest, and Noriko spied the open cavity in distaste. Even after her own 'heart-tearing out' session with Shikishi, she found herself surprisingly not disgusted. However, she did clench her jaw as a slow anger began to build her chest: Yuji couldn't come back.

"He's coming back," Noriko trained a careful gaze at Fushiguro's head as he lowered himself into a combat stance. They'd lose. Sukuna was too powerful; too fast for Noriko to begin any kind of prep for any technique (and she really didn't want to risk busting out her Domain, because then she'd be dead in an instant), and too strong for Fushiguro. "Even if it means he'll die. That's just who he is."

Good, he's acknowledged that Yuji probably won't leave this encounter alive, Noriko thought, steeling her gaze as she too moved into a crouch, ink cannister open.

"You give him too much credit. This guy's just a little tougher and denser than other humans. Just a moment ago, he was scared out of his mind, on the verge of death-" Noriko let out a snort, fighting the urge to shrink back and retreat when Sukuna moved his stare to her.

"Mm... sorry, don't mind me. I was just wondering how you can spend all that time in someone's head and still not be aware of their personality," she let a grin pull at her lips as her opponent narrowed his eyes. "You're not as smart as I thought you - "

Noriko leapt up, the ground crumbling inward where she previously stood; her hand moving furiously across her skin as she began to write paragraphs upon paragraphs in her smallest handwriting. A clawed hand snatched the back of her neck and she winced as the sharp nails dug into her neck, drawing blood. The movement of her hand slowed to a subtle twitching, as she brought her free one up to try to pry the hands off her.

"Ah, I didn't expect you to be such a pain," Sukuna chuckled, his secondary eyes squinting into a grin as he shook his head. "But, I know for a fact he doesn't have the guts to kill himself."

The was a moment of steady silence as Fushiguro's eyes flickered between the incapacitated Noriko and the form standing across from him.

Ah, Shikishi, now is about time to make yourself useful, Noriko let her eyes flutter shut as she purred at the spirit within her mind, don't tell me you're going to live another life of inaction. She waited in that numb abyss for a second, before a jolt of energy shot through her and the hand released from her throat. Stumbling forward, Noriko lurched to a crouched position - a hot feeling behind her eyes, which quickly began to numb her face.

Sukuna pulled his hand back, staring down at the singed palm of his hand and then up to a set of red-ringed eyes.

"Ah~! You men are all the same," the boundary where Noriko's dark brown irises gave way to the white of her eyes was now hazed with red as a thick band of crimson layered the outer ring of her iris. "You're so callous in your pride and your blind confidence."

A new entity grinned.

Nyunai suzume has the appearance of an ordinary russet sparrow, but in reality it is the ghost of an imperial attendant named Fujiwara no During the time of 960-1011 CE, Fujiwara no Sanekata was a nobleman who worked as a palace attendent. One day he got into a quarrel over some gossip started by Fujiwara no Yukinari, and in a rage, Sanekata snatched Yukinari's hat and threw it away. For his bad temper, Sanekata was demoted and exiled far away to a solitary island in Mutsu province in the northeast. There, Sanekata nursed his resentment towards those back in the court at Kyoto, growing ever more resentful of them. Three years into his exile, he died, with thoughts of vengeance poisoning his heart. When the news of Sanekata's death reached Kyoto, a strange thing began to happen: every morning, when the servants would place food out for the imperial court to eat at the Seiryōden palace, the nyūnai suzume would swoop in and gobble up all of the food in an instant, and then fly off. No matter how much food was laid out, the sparrow would devour every grain of rice, leaving nothing for the palace inhabitants. It began destroy all of the crops in the fields, as well, and nobody knew how to stop the sparrow's attacks. Rumors began to spread that the sparrow could only be the vengeful ghost, or onryō, of Fujiwara no Sanekata, desperate to return and take revenge upon the imperial court.