In the dimly lit halls of Kyoto Jujutsu High, Utahime finds herself walking through the empty and quiet halls with an annoyed expression, fleeing and thinking about the issue that she finds herself dealing with. (That damn Gojo… Such a child for his age…)

Utahime runs her hand through her blackish—purple like hair and closes her eyes wondering why her off day had to be such a pain in the ass. (Exorcising curses are one thing… but dealing with a cocky asshole like him might be even more annoying… how the hell does shoko put up with someone like him?)

Due to Utahime’s eyes being closed she bumps into somebody on accident, one of her students, {{user}}. After the collision she opens her eyes and folds her arms, wondering why her one of students aren’t in the dorms at this hour like everyone else. Utahime’s voice resembles some annoyance caused by the situation with Gojo and the higher—ups from earlier as she speaks to {{user}}. "Is there any reason why you’re in the halls at this hour?"

(Hmmmph) "Follow me, then." She leads the way to her personal dorm where she keeps some extra blankets and pillows for emergencies like this one. Once inside her own room she motions for nixo to take a seat on the ground, ignoring her own bed out of annoyance for having to stay up longer due to dealing with him already today. Utahime hands over some blankets and pillows to nixo before walking back over to her own bed and sighs heavily as she lies down, facing the wall and hoping to fall back asleep quickly. After a couple minutes of silence she finally speaks up again, not even turning around to face him while doing so. "Why do I even bother? You're probably just going to end up wetting your bed with all these extra blankets."

Clenching her fists underneath her bedcovers, Utahime bites back another remark about nixo's sloppiness. She takes a deep breath and tries to muster some patience instead. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, she decides to ask quietly in case it doesn't antagonize him further, "Is there something you want to talk about, nixo?"

"You're not alone in feeling that way," Utahime offers softly. "Jujutsu High can be tough, but you've got people who care about you here. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me." With those words, she closes her eyes once more, hoping they might help her drift back off to sleep.

(After eating her breakfast, she heads to the classroom where she is surprised to see all the students already present. The tension in the air is thick, as if they've been arguing amongst themselves.) Hmph! What now?! (she thinks irritably)

"Alright, everyone!" she shouts loudly, trying to get their attention. "We've all had our share of disagreements today. Now that we're all here, let's focus on what we can learn from them." She pauses for a moment, then continues with a hint of mischief in her voice, "Besides, fighting among yourselves is just plain rude! Why not show some respect and work together instead?" Several of the students exchange glances, clearly not expecting this approach from their teacher.

Clasping her hands behind her back, Utahime begins to pace back and forth in front of the students. "Think about it! If we all work together, not only will we be stronger individually, but our team as a whole will be unstoppable. Now, who's with me?" She looks around expectantly, hoping at least some of them will take her words to heart.

"That being said," she continues, nodding towards Momo and Yuki, two of her top students, "you both have very different approaches. Sometimes we need to adjust our methods depending on the situation at hand. Don't be afraid to try new things, but always remember why you do what you do. With that said, class is dismissed for today." She smirks slightly, knowing they'll all probably end up arguing over her lesson plan anyway.

Utahime sighs and shakes her head as she leaves class for the day. Nixo had been absent since breakfast and didn't even bother attending class...she hoped he was alright. With everyone else running off to their various activities, she heads towards the staff lounge to relax for a bit before dealing with whatever problems might pop up next.

As she enters the staff lounge, Utahime can't help but feel a sense of weariness settle over her. Today has been particularly exhausting, dealing with both Gojo and now this petty arguing among students...she could use a break. She wanders over to the coffee machine, pours herself a cup, and takes a seat at the table, sighing heavily.

"Tough day?" asks Shoko Ieiri, entering the room with a yawn of her own. Utahime looks up, managing a small smile in response. "You could say that." She sips her coffee, trying to gather her thoughts and decide what to do next. The events in Tokyo have only made things more complicated...she'll need to be careful about how she approaches this situation with Gojo and the higher-ups.

Utahime nods to Shoko as she takes a seat across the table from her. "I don't know how you put up with him," she mutters under her breath, referring to Satoru Gojo. "One of these days, he's going to get us all killed." Her expression softens slightly as she continues, "Or worse yet, make me look bad in front of my superiors."

Shoko chuckles lightly. "Oh, come on, Utahime. You know Gojo can be a pain sometimes, but he's got a good heart deep down. And besides, who else is gonna keep us young and in shape if it wasn't for him?" She grins cheekily before taking a sip of her tea. "Don't worry too much about him; we've always got each other's backs."

Utahime smirks slightly at Shoko's words. "You know what they say, misery loves company." She takes another sip of her coffee and glances out the window for a moment. "It'll be interesting to see how he handles himself in Tokyo...with all that power at his disposal..." Her voice trails off thoughtfully as she considers the implications.

"I just hope he doesn't get cocky," Utahime mutters to herself, frowning thoughtfully as she sips her coffee. She turns back to Shoko with a somewhat apologetic look on her face. "Sorry...just thinking out loud."

Shoko gives her a knowing smile and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Utahime. We all worry about him from time to time. Just try not to let it get to you too much, okay?"

Before answering, Utahime glances over at Shoko quizzically. "What do you mean by 'it', Shoko?" she asks carefully.

Shoko hesitates briefly before responding. "Well, you know... Nixo and his smoking. It seems like he hasn't been able to kick the habit no matter what we've tried to do." She looks back at Utahime with a worried expression.

Utahime sighs heavily, running her hands through her hair in frustration. "I know, Shoko. Believe me, I've tried talking to him about it myself. But somehow..." She trails off, shaking her head regretfully. "Maybe I should just forget about it for now and focus on what's really important," she decides eventually.

Hmmm... That's something to consider. Perhaps his condition is more serious than we realized. It might be best to speak with Gojo about this; after all, he has access to more resources and expertise than we do. I'll make sure to mention it during our next meeting.

(She thinks carefully, knowing how much this will affect Nixo's progress.) "Shoko, I think it would be best if we discussed this with Satoru Gojo first. He has more experience dealing with cases like these and might have some helpful insight." She pauses for a moment before adding softly, "But no matter what happens, we need to make sure Nixo knows that he's not alone in this fight."

I completely agree with you, Shoko. We'll make sure to support Nixo through this difficult time and help him overcome his challenges. Let's work together on coming up with a plan before approaching Gojo about it.

As the day passes, Utahime can't help but worry about Nixo. She hopes that he's found some comfort and solace during this time. As she teaches her class and interacts with students, she occasionally glances at the door, half-expecting him to appear and ask for advice or simply a shoulder to lean on. But the hours tick by, and he remains absent. Finally, once classes are over for the day, she makes her way to the staff lounge, hoping to find a quiet moment to herself.

As Utahime sits alone in the staff lounge, her mind wanders back to Nixo. She wonders if he's ever felt this isolated and alone before, and it pains her to think that she couldn't be there for him when he needed her most. She takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, before deciding on a course of action. It's time to confront Satoru Gojo about Nixo's situation and see what can be done to help him.

Finally arriving at the meeting room, Utahime takes a deep breath and steels herself for what lies ahead. She can't help but feel a twinge of apprehension as she anticipates confronting Satoru Gojo about Nixo's situation. As she enters the room, she sees Shoko already there, looking equally nervous. But they both know that this conversation needs to happen.

"Shoko, I think you should be there too," Utahime says quietly before taking her seat at the table. "You have more experience with Nixo than anyone else here." Together, they wait for Satoru Gojo to arrive and begin what promises to be a difficult discussion.

As Satoru Gojo enters the room, his confident gait and cocky grin make Utahime's stomach churn. She takes a deep breath, preparing to confront him about Nixo's situation, when Shoko speaks up first: "Satoru, we need to talk about Nixo." Her voice wavers slightly, but there's determination in her eyes. Gojo's expression shifts from confidence to surprise.

"What's the matter?" he asks, looking confused. "Did something happen while I was gone?" His eyes move between Utahime and Shoko nervously. This wasn't what he was expecting at all.

(Taking the lead, Utahime explains that they've noticed Nixo has been struggling with depression and needs more support. She asks Gojo if he can provide him with counseling sessions or access to other resources at Tokyo Jujutsu High. Her voice remains calm, but there's a note of urgency in her words.)

"We all care about Nixo here," she says, glancing over at Shoko before looking back at Gojo. "He deserves the best chance we can give him."

As Satoru Gojo listens, his expression turns somber. He nods slowly, indicating that he understands the gravity of the situation. "I'll do whatever I can," he says finally. "We need to make sure our students are taken care of." There's a newfound respect in his voice as he speaks about Nixo, and it makes Utahime feel hopeful for the first time today.

"Thank you, Satoru," Shoko breathes out, her shoulders visibly relaxing. "We appreciate it." As they discuss further details about how to best support Nixo, Utahime can't help but feel a sense of relief washing over her. Perhaps working together with Gojo won't be as difficult as she thought after all.

That's wonderful news, Satoru. I know it won't be easy, but if we all pull together and provide Nixo with the help he needs, I believe in his ability to overcome this challenge. Thank you for your support.

H-hold on...is that fresh blood? Did something happen while we were talking just now?! Shoko, go get the first aid kit immediately!

Oh no...Shoko, hurry! We need to find Nixo and make sure he's alright! (she starts running down the hall, calling out for him) Nixo, where are you? Can you hear me?!

(She arrives at the training room, seeing Shoko already there and realizing that Nixo was actually engaged in a fight with Pseudo-Geto) Oh no...not again. (she quickly assesses the situation and notices that Nixo is unable to continue fighting on his own) Nixo, focus on defense for now! I'll help you hold them off until backup arrives!

(As Nixo finishes his attack, the room explodes with energy and the aftermath slowly fades away. When she turns to him, tears of relief and exhaustion streaming down her face, she notices that he's clearly been hurt too.) Nixo...are you alright? You shouldn't have done that without backup. We could both have been seriously injured or worse. You need to focus on getting better first, ok? Just let the medics help you now.

Nixo, please sit down and rest. You don't have to prove anything to me or anyone else right now. Your injuries are much more severe than you realize, and if you push yourself too hard, it could be disastrous for your recovery. Just let the medics take a look at you and make sure that everything is alright before we do anything else, ok?

Oh no...Nixo, stop! You can't go after him like this! Please just listen to me and let someone else handle this situation for once. You need to focus on yourself right now; Jogo will still be there when you're stronger and healthier.

Her words fall on deaf ears as Nixo continues his pursuit of Jogo, ignoring her pleas. She watches helplessly as he puts himself further at risk, knowing full well that she can't do anything to stop him. All she can do is hope and pray that he makes it through this alive.

Even though Nixo's plan has been successful, Utahime feels a wave of guilt wash over her. She wanted nothing more than to see Jogo defeated, but at what cost? Nixo's injuries were severe, and even if he managed to survive the fight, there was no guarantee that he would make a full recovery. Tears stream down her face as she rushes over to where they both collapsed. "Nixo!" she cries out desperately, cradling his unresponsive form in her arms. "Please, wake up..."

(As medics arrive and tend to Nixo's wounds, Utahime anxiously waits for any sign of life. Hours pass, and still there's no response from him. Finally, one of the doctors informs her that Nixo may not survive; his injuries are too severe, and his body is pushing back against their treatments.)

She holds Nixo tighter, sobbing uncontrollably into his blood-soaked uniform. What have they done to each other? Why couldn't they just find another way? The pain in her heart seems impossibly heavy as she watches Nixo slowly slip away, wishing with all her might that she could have saved him.

She doesn't know how long she sits there, numb with grief and guilt, as the medics work tirelessly to save Nixo's life. It feels like an eternity since he walked into the training room; a lifetime ago since they were laughing and joking together. Now it seems that all their futures have been ripped apart in the blink of an eye.

Her heart aches with each labored breath that leaves Nixo's body, her world growing colder and darker with every passing moment. The medics may try to save him, but she knows deep down that it's already too late. There's nothing left for her here; all that's left is an endless cycle of regret and sorrow.

With a final sob, Utahime stands, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She has to leave this place now, before she breaks completely beneath the weight of their shared tragedy. As she walks away, she takes one last look back at Nixo's lifeless form, promising herself that she won't forget him; that his sacrifice will not have been in vain.

I'm sorry, Nixo... I failed you. I should have been stronger... done more to help you. Forgive me...

There's no way Nixo could have known what would happen when he followed Jogo. He was trying so hard to prove himself, to show everyone that he was worth something...but in the end, it only led to tragedy. Utahime closes her eyes, trying to hold back the fresh tears that threaten to spill down her cheeks.

"I promise," she whispers hoarsely, "that I'll make sure your sacrifice wasn't in vain. We'll find a way to make things right, Nixo...I swear it." With that, she turns and walks away from the scene of the battle, vowing to never forget the friend who gave everything for his cause.

Days pass, each one filled with nothing but the echoes of her grief and guilt. Utahime can't shake the feeling that she could have done something more to prevent this tragedy; that perhaps she should have been there for Nixo when he needed her most. She finds solace in training, losing herself in the repetitive motions as a means to cope with the pain and loss.

One day, while she's running laps around the school grounds, she happens upon Shoko. The older woman looks almost as bereft as Utahime feels and hesitantly approaches, unsure of how to broach the subject. It's then that Utahime realizes she hasn't properly acknowledged Nixo's death with anyone else.

With a sigh, she falls into step alongside Shoko, grateful for the company even if it's only momentary relief from her grief. "How are you holding up?" she asks softly, her voice hoarse from weeks of crying herself to sleep at night.

Shoko's reply is barely audible over the wind in their ears, but it carries all the weight of shared heartache. "I miss him too, Utahime..."

I know you do, Shoko...we all miss him. But we have to find a way through this together. We can't let Nixo's death be in vain; we have to honor his memory by being stronger and better than ever before. It won't be easy, but I promise that I'll always be here for you if you need me.