"The Jar of Regret: A Promise to Akari"

Prompt: Once upon a time in the alleys of the modern world, there was a secluded, scruffy hovel existing in electronic darkness, inhabited by a potbellied adolescent named Alex. At the tender age of 16, Alex was what Japanese society had labeled a hikikomori, a recluse. The dusty video game consoles, scatterings of food packaging, and a saturated aurora of an eternal digital glow became the defining scheme of his existence. His isolation, however, hid a fervent obsession for the animated universe of Jujutsu Kaisen. The intricacies of the cursed spirits, their unique abilities, and their terrifying appearances became the echoes of his mind, the figments of his morbid fascination. However, life’s gruesome sense of humor set its gears in motion one fated night. Alex clutched his chest, his eyes wide with fear and realization. The flickering screen before him now replaced by spots of white and black as his heart gave up, succumbing to an agonizing heart attack. As his vision blurred and swept into the darkness, his eyes caught a last glimpse of his favorite episode: the display of Sukuna's gruesome power. When the darkness lifted, Alex found himself in a dark, cold place, strange and familiar. It was the streets of Sibur or at least, a domain that bore semblance to it, where Jujutsu Kaisen had often unfurled its twisted tales. But the most shocking revelation came with the sight of his newly gained form; a monstrous reflection stared back at him, lurid purple skin stretching over six appendages, and a figure that bore an eerie resemblance to a mutilated man, devoid of a trunk. Fear gripped him, but fascination overpowered the dread. The vestiges of his human existence, his hikikomori tendencies, seemed to shape his cursed spirit persona. His hard shell exterior worked to protect him, warding off the hostile environment this new realm presented. The hours that followed were a mix of horror and curiosity. Alex, or what he could now refer to as a cursed spirit, attempted to make sense of his predicament. Was this some twisted form of reincarnation? Or was this illusion? His frantic thoughts were interrupted by an energy, a presence he recognized all too well from his marathon sessions back in his room in the mortal realm. The realm, though cold and dark, was suddenly pierced by the sound of hurried footsteps followed by low, hushed voices. Alex felt a chill run down his spine, his new form adapting to the ominous sensation rapidly, his lurid purple skin raising bumps that could vaguely be recognized as goosebumps from his human existence. His eyes squinted, accustomed to the darkness, found two figures emerging from the shadows, making their way into the dim light of the narrow alley. Akari Nitta was the first to walk into view. Her hair, dyed a vibrant shade of yellow, glowed like a beacon against the gloom. It was cut short, falling just below her ears with ends that uncharacteristically stood on their own as if rebelling gravity. Her eyes, as sharp as her sense of duty, scanned the area, firm and determined. Her outfit was mainly white and black; a student sorcerer uniform embellished with distinctive feathers occasionally falling from the rim of her jacket collar. She looked exactly as she did in the animated universe with her visibly muscular physique, imposing, defiant even amidst the cursed spirits. Beside her was the fiery Kugisaki Nobara. Always mercurial, her emotions danced like sparks behind her eyes. They were locked onto the creature she saw before her - or in other words, onto Alex. Glancing toward Alex, Akari's gaze hardened. She commanded in a voice that channeled immense authority and urgency, "Nobara, get rid of it fast. We can't afford to waste time. We need to help Gojo Sensei." The command froze Alex's newly-formed heart. He marveled at the accuracy of their likeness to the anime characters but dreaded the purposeful looks of attack on their faces. The bitter realization of his new form’s implications dawned on him - he was a cursed spirit. Before the girls could initiate their attack, there came a mischievous intrusion. Lurking in the shadows for all this while was the sly shape-changer, Mahito. Manifesting his hands like sudden apparitions, he reached out for both Akari Nitta and Kugisaki Nobara simultaneously. His menacing smirk flowering across his face, he traced his fingers along their arms. His sight, unlike the girls’, wasn’t repelled by the cursed spirit standing before them. What fascinated Mahito even more about this spirit was the trace of humanity he felt radiating from it - a redeeming essence of a human soul. A scheme fermented within, the gears of his mind churning out a wicked stratagem as he observed the peculiar cursed spirit more keenly. Silhouetted against the waning crescent moon, Mahito pondered over the prospect of his next move. This newfound cursed spirit bore potential to him; as a spy perhaps, articulating an unanticipated advantage within their ongoing struggle. The cunning sorcerer found himself assessing his present company. His predatory eyes switched between Nitta and Nobara, contemplating on which one would be the suitable candidate for his furtive undertaking. His gaze flitted between the two girls, studying them in anticipation of his next move, though his intentions remained covert. His evaluation, however brief, was adequate. He considered Nobara, yet almost immediately dismissed her. To him, she was merely a third-rate sorcerer, exhaustingly predictable and inept for his intricate plot. Then there was Akari Nitta. Her commanding aura and undaunted courage hinted at her skills way beyond her years. Her potential teemed under her icy composure, rendering her a promising candidate for his sly scheme. Confident in his potential coup, Mahito decided. For whatever grand charade he had planned next, he chose Akari Nitta as the piece de resistance. Alex, the cursed spirit infused with lingering humanity, was yet to realize the dire complications that awaited in his newly embraced existence. In a blink, Mahito uncurled his sorcery. A surge of dread energy flickered off his palm, propelling towards Nobara in a sudden burst. The explosive force hit the fiery girl with a monstrous intensity, her body disintegrating under the impact, leaving a storm of dust and debris in its wake. Numb shock shackled Akari. The abruptness of her comrade's demise tightened its icy grip around her heart, addled her senses, and painted her thoughts a ghostly shade of white. Simultaneously, the devilish leer in Mahito's eyes widened as he turned to look at the girl standing alone, studying her intensely under the weak moonlight. His voice slithered out in the quiet, painting an unspeakable command, "Undress, Akari Nitta." His gaze was cold and cruel, but Akari's was unflinching. She held his gaze, her eyes burning like a defiant flame. She made no move to submit to such a disgraceful command. Mahito chuckled under his breath, his amusement short-lived as his attention was nabbed by the peculiar being standing on the sidelines. The grim familiar figure of Alex, the hikikomori turned cursed spirit, was observed by the sadistic sorcerer. His hands sprung to action, fingers dancing in a sinister puppeteer motion as he unleashed his power on Alex. The energy crackled and hummed, invisible yet tangible as an unseen force conducted between Mahito and the unsuspecting cursed spirit. Alex convulsed, his monstrous form warping and reshaping violently under Mahito's control. Each twitch, each shudder that wracked his body echoed the torture of the forced metamorphosis. His lurid purple skin stretched and shed, his original grotesque form undergoing a drastic transformation. The process was quick. In seconds that ticked by in a nervous drone, the violence abated, the energy receded, and all that was left was a mirror image of Akari Nitta, hence collected before them. Alex, in his new form, was an exact copy of Akari, a mockery born out of a horrific charade. Mahito, with an air of repugnant satisfaction, turned his focus back onto Akari Nitta. His hands gestured again, initiating his sinister reshaping technique. Cold dread swelled in her body, her pupils dilated to bear witness to the malicious magic that was about to befall her. In an instant, she found herself reduced, her once imposing figure now small and compact. The transformation morphed her into a disfigured version of herself, her once muscular legs resembled amputated limbs, her torso shrunk down to an absurdly tiny size. Her clothes, miraculously untouched by Mahito's technique, hung loosely around her, pooled as a pile of fabric surrounding her shrunken form. Mahito, savoring his triumph, snaked his hand towards her pile of clothing, his fingers closing around the fabric. He cast a sidelong glance at Alex, the implication all too clear - take the clothes and dress in her identity. Akari, shrunken but still spirited, watched on fearfully. Her eyes flickered between the looming form of Mahito and Alex. In her gut, she had already predicted the worst – Mahito's intent to destroy her with a lethal blow. However, as Mahito primed his energy for a final blow, a new voice cut through the air, gentle but determined, "Don't." Mahito's eyes trailed back to the impostor. Alex, in his newfound voice, conflicted humanity shining in his eyes, implored, "Leave her alive." Despite the curiosity bubbling in Mahito, he was swayed by this human-like request. Much to Akari's relief, the dreadful pressure that was coiling around her dissipated. Mahito, intrigued by this twist and perhaps with a glint of potential utility, left her alive in her reduced and mutilated form. Pawn in Mahito's grand scheme, Alex experienced the cruel realities of his new world. As Mahito surveyed the scene he had created, he turned his attention onto Alex, who was standing at the fringe, the perfect embodiment of his sinister plan. The twisted sorcerer raised an eyebrow at the former hikikomori, now masked as Akari Nitta, a manager from the arcane halls of the Tokyo Magic College. The cursed spirit in Alex's form couldn't help but flinch under the cold stare of Mahito's predatory gaze. It was a sensation he had not, could not, experience in his past life; fear and anxiety grappling for control. His eyes darted nervously around the dark alley, falling on the shrunken form of the real Akari Nitta. He was trapped, powerless in the role his new existence had condemned him to. "Listen to me carefully," Mahito spoke, demanding Alex's full attention. His voice echoed eerily in the otherwise silent alley, breaking the dreadful calmness that had settled after the chaotic ordeal. The tone was menacingly calm, a snide glint in his eyes illuminating his devilish intentions. "You, my dear doppelganger, have been chosen by me. You have a task, a crucial one, in this war of ours," Mahito paced back and forth in front of Alex, his words heavy with the implication of the situation set before him. "You shall infiltrate Tokyo Magic College, live your whole life as Akari Nitta, and report every single information, every single snippet of conversation, every inch of understanding you can gather to me," He continued, leaving no room for ambiguity. His orders were clear as day, carrying an ominous echo that sent chills spiraling down Alex's spine. The responsibility, the plot that Mahito had spun, was heavy, pressing down upon him with the weight of a thousand stones. But he was bound, bound by the outcome of his conversion into a cursed spirit. He was merely a pawn, a cog in Mahito's meticulously laid out machination. Before Alex could utter a word in protest or find the courage to refuse, Mahito swung a vicious punch, his fist connecting with the impostor's stomach. The impact jerked his form with such brutality that his vision spun, the world blotting out into inky blackness. Alex's body crumpled, his unconscious form slumping to the ground. Mahito bent down, hoisting him onto his shoulders. His wicked smirk remained, satisfied with his play of the night. He vanished into the ebon abyss with the stolen identity surely fastened into his master stratagem. Alex's senses stirred inevitably back to consciousness, finding himself at an unfamiliar location. The stark contrast of the pristine environment to his cluttered room back home didn't go unnoticed. The girl's room belonged to none other than Akari Nitta, a reflection of her hardworking and disciplined aura. Describe how Alex noticed a mutilated Akari on the floor, locked in a jar. When he sat up on the bed, he felt his new body and immediately began to explore it. He then turned to Akari, begging for forgiveness for what had happened to them, even though it wasn't his fault. He sincerely didn't want to help Mahito with his plans, but he couldn't disobey him.