IC Inbox [Folkmore]

[adherencetofacts]

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[adherencetofacts]

[ Nanami nods. If Yuki's still out there, they might be able to recruit her if it gets bad enough. ] If you need her help, work with Todo. She scouted him.

[ A damn good reason. No doubt the Elders say the same thing about everyone they order executed. He even understands many of their fears. Not all of them, but some of them. In Maki's case, he knows it would be something personal. ] I understand. I do not mean to diminish whatever happens, whatever we both don't know about. I am looking at the bigger picture. Naobito's a drunkard and an ass, but he was useful in Shibuya all the same. We probably would have died in that domain if he hadn't been there to take the brunt of that certain hit attack.

[fuckthefamily]

Maybe he didn't make it after all of that. I know I had no plans of challenging him directly, but something must have happened. [Because she'd worked with the old man during Shibuya. She didn't fly off the handle either. So something had changed.]

I probably won't know unless I go back myself.

[adherencetofacts]

Maybe he didn't. It would surprise me if we walked away from Shibuya with only the assistant managers' deaths, two sorcerers' deaths and Gojo sealed, along with all the injuries. [ The assistant managers are a big blow. Sorcerers will lack the support they rely on regularly. It'll be harder to do their jobs. ]

Likely. We don't need to worry about it. It is what it is. If we want to determine how you all can win, it's enough to know they're dead and not an option.

[fuckthefamily]

I'm not worried. At least not about them. Yuta did mention Mai and...I don't know what happened there but- [She exhales a breath, shakes her head.]

I know we can't do anything from here but I want to... I can't lose Megumi and I don't know what I'm even here for with everything that's going on back home.

[adherencetofacts]

[ Mai? That has to be something after Shibuya, certainly. Very few students from Kyoto were brought into the Shibuya mission. He focuses on Maki here and now in front of him. ]

Everything back home is happening quickly and urgently. You don't have the time to stop, think, and plan as well as you'd like. This place gives you the chance to do that, so when you go back, you can save him.

[fuckthefamily]

[Saving him is the only goal she has right now, although if it comes down to a choice, it's not one she's sure she'd be able to make.] I don't..

I mean you're right, but- [Breathe, Maki. You don't have to solve everything at one time. And she's completely unaware of the claws digging into the table, gaze focusing on Nanami. ]

I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

[adherencetofacts]

[ Claws, typically associated with Myths, though Familiars can also manifest claws as an animal feature. Knowing what he does about Maki, however, Nanami doubts she's a Familiar. Myth then and... emotional likely, if that's causing a trait to manifest. Like his eyes. ]

You don't have to figure it all out at once. That's the first step in fact, to figure out what it is you need to do. Then you break that task into steps and determine the best way to accomplish them. Then you go about that steps.

At the end of the day, everything is that simple, no matter how hard it is.

[fuckthefamily]

I need to go home and save Megumi! [She hasn't actually snapped since arrival, although she's had annoyed moments. But this is honestly more than she'd really expected to find out. With all her abilities, she's still not strong enough to do what she needs to do and the fact that she's here while the people she cares about are going through yet another layer of hell- ]

[adherencetofacts]

[ Nanami's calm in the face of her exclamation. ] That's a goal, not a plan, Maki.

[fuckthefamily]

So what if it is?! [She's out of her chair now.]

Stop being so damn calm about everything! It's not helping!

[adherencetofacts]

[ Nanami stands and tucks in his chair. He motions toward the door. ] Lets talk outside, Maki.

[ The restaurant hasn't done anything wrong. ] I'm here to help you find a way to save Fushiguro. Exactly what you say you want. It's far easier when I'm calm, than when I'm upset.

So which is it you need from me—my help with Fushiguro or my emotional reaction to everything that's happening?

[fuckthefamily]

I don't know! [ But she does at least follow him outside.] This is so fucking stupid. All of it. I'm trapped here and I can't do anything and I need to know that people are safe!

I know Yuta and Toge are here, but what about Panda? Sukuna's going to take over Megumi. I'm losing everything and I don't know what I'm supposed to do! [Aside from hitting things, that's what she wants to do but it's not going to help anything.]

[adherencetofacts]

[ Nanami listens and lets her talk. He is also curious about Panda but hasn't heard anything about him. He assumes Panda survived Shibuya because Okkatsu would have mentioned otherwise, to Inumaki and Maki if not to Nanami. After that however? Nanami has no idea. He suspects Panda isn't dead, if only because he wasn't with Yaga in the afterlife. If... Panda has an afterlife.

Regardless, he has no more information about Panda. The information he has about Sukuna and Gojo won't help. Save he won't counsel her to rely solely on Gojo to save them. ]

Letting your emotions out is useful. Once they're no longer boiling over, we can figure out what you can do.

So what do you want this instant? Do you need to fight?

[fuckthefamily]

I don't know! [ And for her, that might be the worst part. It's not like fighting is going to change anything that's happened or do anything but distract her.

Which is fine in the short term but not in the long term ]

I don't know. [ This time it's quieter, at least.]

[adherencetofacts]

[ Wow, Maki honestly doesn't know how to handle her emotions. It's a simple fact, one Nanami hadn't expected. No matter how emotional teenagers get, they have many years of life experience with their emotions. Hmmm, that's a different problem.

He doesn't know the answer, but Nanami suspects it resembles what other people he's known have needed. Even if, ideally, it's from someone else. He's the adult who is here.

Nanami steps close slowly, wraps his arms around her, and pulls her into a tight hug. It's only awkward on the inside. ] I got you.

[fuckthefamily]

[That's honestly the last thing she expected and Maki goes stuff in the embrace because it's not...

And then she just lets her eyes close.] I hate all of this. I'm better than this...

[But she's not fighting it.]

[adherencetofacts]

Even the strongest people need support, Maki. [ She probably knows who he means. ]

[fuckthefamily]

[She's not hugging him back, not sure if she should but she does seem to be relaxing, at least.] It's stupid. I'm supposed to be able to do this myself.

[adherencetofacts]

[ He holds on until she is calm. Then Nanami lets go and steps back a few steps. ] You will still do it. We are all stronger with others supporting us. I was glad to have your support in Shibuya.

[fuckthefamily]

"I wasn't any use at the end. I couldn't even move when he- [Maki trails off, hands curling into fists.]

I should have tried harder. You deserved better.

[adherencetofacts]

We'd just survived one special grade, and he was even more powerful. You're in your second year. You haven't finished developing. Keep going and some day you can reach the level where you could do something about it.

[ Nanami pauses. ] He didn't kill me, Maki. I woke up. I survived that attack.

[fuckthefamily]

Someday isn't going to be enough to protect the people who matter though.

[adherencetofacts]

That's why it's good you're here, Maki. Time doesn't pass back home while you're here. You can make someday the day you need it. [ Nanami sees if she'll come around to this point from another direction, now she's calmer. ]

[fuckthefamily]

[ He does have a point but it still feels like she's made a mistake in leaving like she did. But time will tell, if Nanami's correct or if there's no way to change the future. ]

I just didn't think he'd actually leave Itadori.

[adherencetofacts]

Itadori is a stable vessel, but he doesn't add much in way of a cursed technique. He could always mean to go back to Itadori once he's handled the biggest threats to him. [ It isn't a pleasant line of thinking, but it's a compliment to Gojo that even Sukuna, king of curses, wanted a little help to deal with him. ]