SET IN STONE - Prologue | jjk
synopsis. accused of committing an act of war against the Japanese Jujustu Sorcerer Division, a young girl and her friends have been summoned into questioning. contents. fluff, angst, minor character death, pre-canon, slow burn, alternate universe but still follows canon events, will add others later
notes. I’m pretty new to posting on here, so please let me know if any mistakes + tips that I can improve my fic writing skills with <3
3:40 p.m. — Shinjuku City – 2017
The hall was filled with a deafening silence.
“I’m afraid I’ve heard your statement wrong.”
Neither side of the room moved from their quarters, the statement still left up in the air for some daring soul to answer it, fearing that one wrong move could cause an all out brawl in the meeting space.
The tension wafting through the air tasted thick on her tongue as the girl swallowed to attempt to shove the lump in her throat down from her growing anticipation, shifting weight on each foot while subtly scanning the room for any escape despite being the topic at hand.
Even with that being said, she knew that only two possibilities lied where on one end, she’d accept a deal that would – in turn – lock the fate of her school into a future of anguish and deceit, burned ashes remaining as the only evidence of misconduct for the future to see.
The other, was quite risky even in its proposed glory, as underneath the stretched smiles and claims of protection, she’d just be jeopardizing the fragile lives that wielders of a cursed technique such as herself were tasked to preserve.
It was all so sudden for her to bear such a responsibility that for once, she was granted the ability to answer on her own without feeling suffocated in the pressure to appease someone or concur the most mature answer that she’d usually utter for validation.
Still, the feeling of danger looming in both directions of the pathways she could take out of this situation left her at a blank conclusion.
There was always something waiting in the shadows for the wrong person to stumble upon, unknowingly holding the playing cards that would determine the outcome of another person’s life, its placement there only serving to make that person suffer just for the fun of it.
Evil has always existed in mankind before it chose to manifest itself one day to turn its purpose back to the owner rather than to affect a person, whether innocent or guilty, in the process.
It was not easy being born into a world forced to take care of the problems of others, especially not where you would lean on anyone in fear of manifesting the one thing they’re meant to destroy for the greater good of humanity.
However, a question she can never seem to answer:
What is humanity?
Where does the line get drawn at where people get to decide who is a human and who is not, even with being a player set in the same game?
All it gives her is a headache; definitely not something to dwell on now, especially considering where she now finds herself currently.
The voice rang out again; the strain of the speaker was easily detectable with how the sound echoed off the walls, protruding poorly concealed aggression that was dying to seep out.
“After considerations and evaluations of schools worldwide, we have requested for your three most valuable students – I am sure you are already familiar with who I am referring to – to be removed from their sections and register themselves into our program.”
There it was again.
Since about 2 years ago, her school, practically across the globe, had been receiving numerous, pressing emails for the summoning of the three individuals that had become a concern threat to Japan despite never truly being there for more than a few days at a time, barely scratching the surface of leaving trails of their cursed energy behind.
She still wonders how they even discovered that knowing her own was compressed so much that even a double take wouldn’t reveal anything to be skeptical about to the average sorcerer.
It could be said the same about her counterparts, except they had a little less to account for with their channeling of energy into their more inactive techniques that were already stored away.
They were only an issue to be monitored — that was until one of the higher members, unbeknownst to the others, sent out a band of assassins on a “secret” mission, namely for the purpose of exterminating the group.
The worry with this situation less sits with the potential murder of a couple of innocent kids – no – rather the more notable, frightening aspect to these people were the shattered remains the size of a large splinter being left on the veil, one that allowed the targets to escape, which was unheard of in the history of jujutsu (as far as most sorcerers were concerned).
This is unbelievable, she shook her head as the commotion transpired, turning slightly to her two classmates beside her. They gave an equally solemn look as she imagined reflected her own facial expression, still unfamiliar with why they’d even be desired despite just barely entering into their teens.
“Miss [ ], the head council has a question for you.”
One of the sub-teachers of the administration had made his way through the crowd, staring down at her sitting figure.
Without a hint of hesitation, she rose, her footsteps airy but noticeable in her movement, a sound she focused on while moving through the seemingly parted walkway to appear at the front.
Then finally, she appeared in vision of the entire room, something that almost made her shiver with how frigid the air had become.
Making sure not to make eye contact with the side that was practically drilling holes through her head to possibly grip at any thought she may accidentally reveal, her attention was fully turned to the illuminated court to the left.
Not that there was much to observe in the first place, but their dark shadows hiding behind a mask type translucent wall only proved to ease her worries.
Who would be so frightened at the consequences of their collective actions in which they’d choose to conceal their identities for no one but themselves to gaze upon?
What importance did they truly hold where they should feel the need to create a barrier from whoever came to converse with them. It’s pathetic.
“I was summoned?”
A sliver of apprehension was felt deep in her soul at the unsettling environment; however, she refused to let her voice waver to embarrass herself and the cause she was determined to stay by.
“Foolish girl.”
“Did you not hear a word that was spoken of why you were called here? Do not act clueless to the question our administration has proposed.”
“Thinking so highly of yourself will only prove to weigh down your other already lacking qualities. So don’t make me repeat myself; you have been summoned as well as the 2 other people involved in the “accident” to our district here under the guise of supervision.”
The voice sounded extremely sure of themselves, as if they had all the right in the world to judge her or her friends, of whom did not ask to be brought into a situation that was set up for them to die.
She grit her teeth and released a venomous glare towards the blank sheets in front of her, astonished at the cowardice masked in arrogance that was displayed in front of her.
“No.”
“No?”
If the room could feel more frigid than the mood already set for, she’d have been hypothermic already.
Although her strive for validation stretched to immeasurable lengths in her nature, as it was the one thing that she could attain in pleasing her family, knowing that she or even those close to her were being taken advantage of with the additional likeliness of little reward was never something she would stand for.
In reality, accepting their deal wouldn’t allow them to receive any advantages over the situation nor gain any sort of importance outside of the proclaimed “supervision,” another sign leading to likely misconduct against herself and her friends without a valid standing point being under laws in a society they couldn’t combat against.
Deep down in the nature of this society was that each layer in the social hierarchy of sorcerers were all merely puppets in the quests they are assigned, of which they have to mindlessly follow through to not disrupt the fate that would naturally follow its course in either letting them live or die.
It’s practically like being an item to fall into a grinder, except they themselves are pulling the level to let themselves fall to be grinded up (for the greater good of something that would never end).
Some come up better than others, however, the remnants of scars and the absence of their smooth sleek innocence is a telling that they would never be able to escape the future that they knew of since they decided to label themselves as such: a sorcerer.
Eventually, someone will fall in and be able to break the machine, eliminating this endless cycle of death just to earn a title that would be erased in the history books if their impact was deemed “not good enough.”
What good is a shield if it breaks easily?
Even one that is resilient is bound to welt and bend in uncomfortable ways until it too gets crunched up into nothing but tiny bits to be disposed of. What a sad life that would be if she chose to agree.
This is for the best.
END OF PART 1
