𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲

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𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲

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𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

--ALL THE KIDS WERE CURRENTLY IN THE BACKSEAT OF IJICHI'S CAR. Gojo stated that he would meet them at the entrance as he had other business he swiftly had to attend to. Misa, personally, didn't mind as she was having a blast in the backseat, although the car ride was off to a predictably chaotic start.

Yuji was squished in the middle of the backseat between Misa and Nobara, while Megumi occupied the far side besides Misa, looking like he deeply regretted his life choices. Misa had her eyes fixated outside the window, watching the Tokyo skyline blur past, while Nobara scrolled through her phone, muttering about losing signal every five minutes.

At the wheel, Ijichi's hands were gripped tightly at ten and two, his face already shiny with nervous sweat as the noise level in the car steadily climbed.

"Do we have to talk so loud?" Megumi groaned, leaning his head against the window and glaring at the reflection of Yuji's animated face.

"Come on, Fushiguro," Yuji said, nudging him playfully with his elbow over Misa. "It's a car ride. You're supposed to talk and have fun. Road trip rules!"

"This isn't a road trip," Megumi muttered. "It's a mission."

"Road trip mission!" Misa chimed in with a grin. "I'm with Yuji on this one. We should be playing music or something."

"Absolutely not!" Ijichi's voice rose from the front seat, panic clear in his tone. "The last time I allowed Gojo to play music during a mission ride, he hijacked the system with elevator jazz! Never again."

Misa blinked. "Elevator jazz?"

"It was awful," Ijichi muttered, his voice shaking as if reliving a traumatic memory. "Two hours of saxophone solos and ding ding ding ding."

Yuji burst out laughing. "Man, Gojo-sensei really knows how to keep things interesting."

"I don't know," Misa said, her grin turning mischievous. "I think elevator jazz has potential. You just need the right mindset."

"Yeah, no," Nobara cut in, finally looking up from her phone. "If anyone's in charge of music, it's me. I've got playlists for every occasion."

"Oh really?" Yuji said, leaning over to peek at her phone. "What's the playlist for? 'Haunted Death Park'?"

"Probably 'Power Girl Anthems,'" Misa teased, earning a sharp glare from Nobara.

"You wish," Nobara retorted. "It's 'Unstoppable Queen Energy,' thank you very much."

Misa snorted. "That's basically the same thing."

"Okay, okay, but hear me out," Yuji interrupted. "What if we did karaoke? Like, right now? In the car."

"Absolutely not," Megumi said immediately, but his voice was drowned out by Misa and Nobara groaning in unison.

"Oh no," Nobara said, holding up her phone defensively. "If you start singing that terrible song you were humming this morning—"

"It wasn't terrible!" Yuji exclaimed. "It's a classic!"

"It's literally the theme song from some old kid's anime," Nobara shot back. "Not exactly motivational."

"I liked it," Misa said with a shrug, earning a grin from Yuji. "Catchy chorus. Kind of sticks in your head."

"See? Misa gets it!" Yuji said triumphantly.

"Of course she does," Megumi muttered. "Because chaos attracts chaos."

"Relax sour patch," Misa said, smirking at him. "You're just mad because you secretly like road trips but don't want anyone to know."

Megumi rolled his eyes. "You don't know anything."

"Oh, I know plenty," Misa shot back, leaning closer to him. "Like the fact that you're probably thinking about how much you'd rather be reading right now."

Megumi turned his face toward the window, clearly trying to ignore her, but the faintest smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Meanwhile, Yuji and Nobara had started squabbling again over Nobara's playlists, with Yuji insisting that his "feel-good classics" were the superior option.

"I swear, Itadori, if you try to play that cheesy love song again—"

"It's not cheesy! It's inspiring!"

"You just like the part where they scream the lyrics!"

"It's the best part!"

"Can we please focus on the mission?" Ijichi pleaded, his voice high-pitched and panicked. "This is a serious situation. You're supposed to be preparing!"

"Don't worry, Ijichi," Misa said with a casual wave of her hand. "We've got this. What's the worst that could happen?"

The car hit a bump in the road, jostling everyone slightly, as if the universe itself wanted to challenge her statement.

"Don't say that," Megumi muttered, crossing his arms. "You're jinxing it."

"Come on, Megumi," Yuji said, "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Buried under layers of common sense," Megumi deadpanned.

"Okay, fine," Misa said, sitting up straighter. "Let's talk strategy then, since that's apparently what we're supposed to be doing. What do we know about this curse?"

Ijichi cleared his throat, seizing the opportunity to steer the conversation back on track. "The curse seems to have taken control of the amusement park's rides. We're dealing with high-level cursed energy, so it's likely that the environment itself will be hostile. Expect moving structures, attacks from unexpected angles, and possibly illusions."

"Moving structures?" Yuji asked, his brow furrowing. "Like... a roller coaster that comes to life?"

"Precisely," Ijichi confirmed grimly.

"That's actually kind of cool," Misa said, her grin returning. "I mean, terrifying, but cool."

"Speak for yourself," Nobara muttered. "If a Ferris wheel tries to eat me, I'm quitting."

"Don't worry," Yuji said, puffing out his chest. "I'll protect you!"

Nobara gave him a flat look. "Yeah, no thanks. I'll protect myself."

The car began to slow as they neared their destination, the eerie silhouette of the abandoned amusement park looming on the horizon. Misa's eyes sparkled with a mix of excitement and determination as she leaned forward to get a better look.

"Well," she said, a hint of a smirk tugging at her lips, "this is either going to be amazing or an absolute disaster. Either way, I'm in."

Yuji grinned. "Same."

Megumi sighed, bracing himself for whatever chaos awaited. "Let's just get this over with."

"Remember," Ijichi said as he pulled into the lot, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. "This is a dangerous mission. Be on your guard at all times."

"Don't worry, Ijichi," Misa said, patting his shoulder reassuringly as she hopped out of the car. "We've got this."

As the group filed out, Yuji nudged Misa with his elbow. "So, bets on who gets attacked by the first ride?"

"Definitely Megumi," Misa said, her grin widening. "He's got that whole 'serious protagonist' energy."

Megumi glared at her. "I hate you all."

The abandoned amusement park loomed ahead, its entrance marked by a towering, rusted arch with faded letters that once read "Wonderland of Joy." The paint had long since peeled, and a faint creaking echoed as the wind swayed the sign back and forth. The air was thick with a faint chill, not entirely from the breeze, but from the unmistakable hum of cursed energy that clung to the park like a second skin.

Gojo stood casually in front of the gates, leaning against one of the weathered columns as if he didn't have a care in the world. His blindfold was firmly in place, but his ever-present grin gave away his amusement.

"Ah, there you are!" he greeted, spreading his arms wide like a host welcoming guests to a party. "Took you long enough. What, did you stop for snacks?"

"We were debating whether pancakes or waffles are superior," Misa replied with a smirk, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket.

"And waffles won," Nobara added smugly, earning a loud groan from Yuji.

"They did not!"

"Fascinating," Gojo said, his tone completely disinterested. "Now, let's talk about something that actually matters—like how much fun you're going to have in there!"

"Define fun," Megumi said flatly, echoing his earlier skepticism from the car ride.

Gojo chuckled, clapping a hand on Megumi's shoulder. "Oh, you'll see soon enough. Think of it as a bonding exercise! Nothing brings people closer than mortal peril."

"Great," Nobara muttered. "That's exactly the vibe I was hoping for."

Gojo ignored her sarcasm and pushed open the creaking gates with a dramatic flourish. "Alright, kids, follow me. Try not to get eaten by anything."

As the group filed in, the park seemed to come alive—or rather, more alive than it should have for a place that had been abandoned for years. The rides stood frozen in time, their colors faded but their shapes still menacing in the eerie stillness. A faint sound of distant laughter echoed through the air, though no one was there to make it. The atmosphere was oppressive, the cursed energy so thick that it made the hair on the back of Yuji's neck stand on end.

"So," Misa said as she walked beside Yuji, her voice low enough not to draw attention from the others. "You nervous?"

Yuji glanced at her, his expression a mix of excitement and mild unease. "Not really nervous. I mean, maybe a little? It's just... you never know what to expect with stuff like this, you know?"

Misa nodded, her blue eyes scanning the area ahead. "Yeah, I get that. But hey, you've got us. We'll figure it out."

Yuji smiled at her, his usual warmth shining through. "Thanks. You know, you're pretty good at this whole 'team morale' thing."

Misa smirked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't let it go to your head, Itadori. I'm only nice when I feel like it."

"Oh, so this is a rare occasion?" Yuji teased, nudging her lightly with his elbow.

"Don't push your luck," she shot back, though there was no bite in her words. If anything, her grin widened slightly.

Their quiet exchange went unnoticed by the others, who were too busy taking in their surroundings—or, in Gojo's case, enjoying the chaos he'd orchestrated. Megumi was already on edge, his gaze darting toward every shadow, while Nobara muttered complaints under her breath about how creepy the place was.

"Alright," Gojo announced, stopping in the middle of what had once been the main plaza. The cracked pavement beneath their feet was littered with broken glass and rusted bolts, remnants of the park's former glory. "This is where we split up."

"Split up?" Megumi echoed, narrowing his eyes. "That's not a great idea."

"Oh, relax," Gojo said with a dismissive wave. "I'll keep an eye on everyone. You've got your team, you've got your skills, and you've got your charming leader—what could go wrong?"

"A lot of things," Nobara muttered, crossing her arms.

Gojo ignored her and pointed toward the ominous silhouettes of the rides looming in the distance. "Alright, your job is to locate the source of the cursed energy and neutralize it. I'll step in if things get really dicey, but I've got faith in you kids. Teamwork makes the dream work, right?"

"More like teamwork gets us killed," Megumi grumbled, earning a laugh from Misa.

"Don't worry, Fushiguro," Misa said, throwing him a wink. "If anything tries to eat you, I'll freeze it first."

"Thanks," Megumi replied dryly. "That's very reassuring."

As Gojo continued to explain the details of the mission, Yuji glanced over at Misa again. "Hey," he whispered, leaning slightly closer so only she could hear. "If we do find something creepy, just stay close, alright? We'll handle it together."

Misa blinked at him, surprised by the quiet confidence in his tone. Her grin softened into a small smile, and she nodded. "Deal."

And for the briefest moment, as the others argued over who was leading which part of the mission, Misa felt a little less like the new kid and a little more like part of a team.

The group trudged forward, their footsteps crunching on the cracked pavement. The sound of Gojo's humming faded as he hung back near the entrance, likely already planning how to make the mission harder for them under the guise of "teaching."

Yuji glanced over his shoulder. "Think he's actually going to help us if things go south?"

"Not a chance," Nobara said, rolling her eyes. "He's probably taking bets with himself on how fast we'll figure it out."

"Comforting," Megumi muttered, his eyes scanning their surroundings like a hawk. His entire posture screamed "ready for battle," though Misa noted his slight frown deepening every time a piece of rusted metal creaked in the wind.

"You need to relax, Fushiguro," Misa teased, falling into step beside him. "You're going to give yourself wrinkles."

"Noted," he replied dryly, not taking his eyes off the looming rides. "I'll relax when we're not surrounded by things that might try to kill us."

"Fair enough," Misa said with a smirk. She shifted her gaze to the faded carousel they passed, its once-bright colors dulled to muted pastels. One of the horses' heads had broken off, leaving only a jagged stump where its neck should have been. "Though, to be fair, this place is kind of... cool. In a creepy way."

"Cool? Really?" Nobara gave her a look, gesturing toward a nearby ride. "That's a death trap waiting to happen. Look at that thing—it's barely standing."

Misa shrugged, her grin widening. "Yeah, but don't tell me you wouldn't want to ride it if it wasn't possessed."

Nobara paused, her mouth opening to argue before she stopped herself. "...Okay, maybe. But only if it was safe."

"See? I knew you had a reckless side," Misa said, earning a half-hearted glare from Nobara.

"Let's just focus," Megumi cut in, his tone sharper now. "The cursed energy is getting stronger the deeper we go."

Yuji tilted his head, squinting at a nearby ride—a teacup spinner frozen mid-motion, its chipped porcelain cups tilted at odd angles. "Hey, do you guys feel that? Like... it's watching us?"

Nobara shivered. "Great. Now I'm imagining possessed teacups."

"It's not the teacups," Misa said, her voice quieter now. She stopped walking, her blue eyes narrowing as she scanned the area. "It's... everything."

The group fell silent, each of them feeling it now—the weight of the cursed energy pressing down on them, subtle but insistent. The air grew colder, and not in the way Misa's ice techniques did. This chill was unnatural, sinking into their bones and making the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.

Misa frowned, her breath visible in the sudden drop in temperature. "This place is alive. Or at least it feels that way."

"Fantastic," Nobara muttered, gripping her hammer tighter. "Any other creepy observations you want to share?"

Yuji stepped closer to Misa, his expression serious but calm. "You good?"

She glanced at him, her tension easing slightly at the concern in his tone. "Yeah. Just... on edge."

"Same here," he admitted, his voice low enough that the others wouldn't catch it. "But don't worry—we'll figure this out. We've got each other's backs, right?"

Misa nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Right."

Before she could say more, Megumi's voice cut through the moment. "Guys. Over there."

They all turned to where Megumi was pointing. In the distance, the towering Ferris wheel creaked ominously, its rusted frame groaning as if under some invisible weight. At first glance, it looked like it hadn't moved in years, but then one of the cars swayed—a deliberate motion, not caused by the wind.

"Did that thing just move?" Nobara asked, her voice rising slightly.

"Definitely," Megumi said, stepping forward. His cursed energy flickered around him, ready for whatever was coming. "It's not just the Ferris wheel. Look."

The rides around them—the carousel, the teacups, even the bumper cars in the far distance—had all started to shift. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, they creaked and groaned to life, their movements unnatural and wrong.

"Okay, this is officially creepy," Yuji said, gripping his fists tightly. "What's the plan?"

Misa stepped forward, her icy breath swirling in the air as she raised one hand. "We find whatever's controlling this place and take it out. Fast."

"Easier said than done," Nobara muttered, pulling out her nails. "It could be hiding anywhere."

"Then let's start by not dying," Megumi said, his voice sharp. "Stick together and don't split up unless we have to."

Yuji nodded, stepping closer to the group. "Right. No splitting up. Got it."

As the four of them moved deeper into the park, the cursed energy pulsed again, heavier this time, like a heartbeat echoing through the air. Misa glanced at Yuji, who gave her a reassuring nod. She returned it, gripping her hands tighter.

Whatever was waiting for them, they were ready—or so they hoped.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚