Jujutsu Kaisen: The Sorceress of Control

Maki was almost ready to head to her morning class. She had finished adjusting her uniform, and with a deep breath, took hold of her naginata, feeling the familiar and comforting weight of the weapon in her hand. However, just as she was about to leave, a knock on the door made her stop dead in her tracks. She frowned, confused, as to who could be looking for her. With some distrust, she walked toward the door, and when she opened it, she froze.

There, standing, was Makima, her cousin. Those golden eyes, with a hypnotic and cruel glow that had haunted her nightmares for so long, looked at her intensely. Surprise and fear mixed on her face, and without being able to help it, her fingers unconsciously tightened around the shaft of her naginata, gripping it firmly.

Makima, looking at her from an imposing height, tilted her head slightly in an indifferent expression, evaluating her with that cold, calculating gaze that seemed to see through everything. "So it's true," she murmured as she looked her up and down, as if inspecting something insignificant.

Maki felt her pulse quicken at the sound of her tone, and although she wanted to maintain her composure, her eyes reflexively shifted toward the floor. "What are you doing here?" Makima asked with a calm that hid any trace of emotion.

Maki bit her lip, feeling a mix of anger and shame under her cousin's gaze, but managed to respond, albeit barely in a whisper. "That... I should be the one saying that." She could barely finish the sentence when Makima, with an impatient gesture, gently pushed her back into the room, forcing her to retreat as she entered without asking permission. Makima's presence seemed to fill the space in an oppressive way.

"Answer the question," Makima ordered, scanning the room with her gaze, as if analyzing every corner. Her eyes fell on the naginata Maki was holding tightly.

"I was accepted into the institute," Maki replied, trying to sound firm, though the tension in her voice was evident.

Makima nodded slightly, as if it barely mattered. "Did Naoya say anything?" she asked coldly.

At the mention of Naoya, Makima's brother and her own cousin, Maki felt a surge of contained rage. She tightened her grip on the weapon in her hand, recalling Naoya's endless disdain, the hurtful words, and the mocking that always belittled her. "No," she responded, her tone loaded with resentment. "He just made fun."

A slight smile appeared on Makima's face. That was so typical of Naoya that it didn't even seem to surprise her. After a brief pause, her gaze returned to the naginata Maki held in her hands. "And what are you doing with that?" she asked, indicating the weapon with a slight nod. "That belongs to the clan."

Maki looked down again, trying to stay calm and hide the anger she felt inside. "They gave it to me," she replied in a low voice, knowing that even if the clan had permitted it, none of that mattered to Makima. To her, everything Maki did seemed like a simple game with no real significance.

Makima remained silent for a few seconds, paying little attention to her answer. With a slight tilt of her head, she evaluated Maki once more, as if she were an animal on display. Suddenly, in a firm tone that allowed no opposition, she ordered, "Look up."

Maki felt a chill run down her spine. She didn't want to; she knew perfectly well the effect her cousin's eyes had on her. That intense gaze, those concentric eyes that seemed to pierce her mind and spirit, always managed to make her will falter. She took a deep breath, feeling a thin layer of cold sweat on her forehead, and very slowly raised her gaze, meeting Makima's hypnotic golden eyes.

Makima smiled, and in that smile, there was a touch of superiority that seemed to reinforce her control over Maki. "Good girl," she murmured in an almost condescending tone, enjoying the power she wielded over her.

Finally, Makima turned and headed toward the room's exit, but before crossing the door, she stopped and gave one last warning, without looking at her. "Don't forget who you are," she said in a soft voice loaded with meaning, before leaving and leaving Maki completely alone in the room.

As the door closed, Maki felt the contained tension overflow. Her jaw clenched until it hurt, and the frustration and anger she had been suppressing flooded her completely. She had come to this institute to escape the suffocating and disgusting control of the clan, hoping to break free from the chains of her past. However, in this place, the very source of her worst nightmares had reappeared, reminding her that she might never be able to free herself from the shadow of her family.

Makima walked down the institute hallway, her mind still dwelling on the unexpected presence of Maki at the school. She couldn't shake off the doubt produced by knowing her cousin was here, in a space Makima had considered hers. But after a few moments of reflection, she let her expression return to its usual impenetrable look. After all, Maki was still "the useless dog as always," that weak and brittle version she was ashamed to admit shared her genes.

As she exited the building, an unusual sight caught her attention. She looked up and, to her surprise, saw a huge panda walking calmly toward the first-year building. The peculiarity of the place drew a barely perceptible smile from her. "Definitely, this place is strange," she murmured with irony. But she didn't have time to waste on simple curiosities. She headed towards the second-year dorms, looking for certain students in particular.

Upon reaching the dorm area, Makima found Hakari leaning casually against the door frame. As soon as he saw her, his expression changed, frowning with obvious annoyance. "So early, and you're already here to bother?" he commented with a sarcastic tone, crossing his arms in a clear gesture of displeasure.

Makima barely smiled calmly, completely immune to his tone. "I'm glad to see you too, Kinji-san," she replied with an air of indifference that only seemed to intensify Hakari's disdain. "Is Kirara ready yet?"

Hakari scoffed and rolled his eyes, his patience at its limit. "Every time she trains with you, she ends up so exhausted she looks half dead. So yes, she takes her time. Why do you ask?"

Makima looked at him, evaluating his defiant attitude with a mix of annoyance and amusement. She knew Hakari had no qualms about showing his dislike towards her, but she saw no need to correct him. "I wanted to know if you have any upcoming mission assignments. I was told I'd be allowed to go as an observer." Her tone was neutral, and her words seemed to echo in the empty hallway.

Hakari let out an exasperated sigh and, in an attempt to avoid prolonging the conversation, nodded without much interest. "Yeah, I heard something about that. They haven't assigned anything to Kirara or me yet, so we don't know anything concrete."

Just then, a familiar voice sounded behind them. "Sorry for the delay! I had to stop by the bathroom," exclaimed Kirara, appearing hastily at the entrance, her hair still damp. Seeing Makima, her eyes lit up, and she ran towards her with palpable enthusiasm. "Makima-chan! What are you doing here?" she said as she approached to wrap her in a warm and effusive hug.

Makima allowed the hug, making no effort to pull away, and Kirara smiled happily, though she then pouted as she remembered the exhausting training sessions Makima often imposed on her. "Nothing important," Makima replied with her usual calm. "I just wanted to know about your next mission."

Kirara, still smiling, pulled away and clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, that's right! You're coming with us! Isn't it exciting? You're going on an exorcism mission without even being a student!"

Before she could continue, Hakari stood up impatiently. "Alright, alright, we need to go or we'll be late," he interrupted, his tone indicating he was tired of the conversation.

Kirara, with her carefree attitude, let out a protesting whine. "Eh, like it matters. It's just the two of us!"

"It doesn't matter. Let's go," Hakari insisted. As he passed Makima, he gave her a condescending look and bid her a mocking farewell. "Later, shorty."

Kirara, annoyed by the comment, elbowed Hakari in the stomach. "Don't call her that! See you later, Makima-chan!" she said with a kind and somewhat embarrassed smile before hurrying to catch up with her partner.

Makima watched them walk away down the hallway, her expression unchanged as she analyzed the scene in her mind. She remained silent, calculating possible scenarios for her next actions. The corridor was once again empty, and calm enveloped her as she processed her next move. "I guess I'll go see Rika," she thought aloud before turning and heading towards the medical area, immersed in her thoughts with a slight smile of satisfaction.