A Good Dad, A New Goal

Dropping the body to the side Atlas stretched his arms out as he stepped over another unconscious member of the gang he had just beaten. It was a bit freeing just beating down people he knew deserved it, not that it made him feel amazing. It wasn't a good fight at all so there was nothing to feel amazing about. But it was a way to get money. And surprisingly, a lot of it.

Some of the gangs around here really had some dark businesses going on that reflected this entire area. Trafficking, drugs, fight clubs. There was quite a bit of terrible things happening. It made his stomach twist. He knew that he wasn't going to be able to solve all the problems, hell some people wanted them. But he sure as hell could make it a bit easier on everyone.

It had been months now since he had first fought Toji, it was almost September now. The warm weather slowly teetered off as the leaves became stunning shades of oranges and reds.

Feeling the heat however that still persisted Atlas sighed as he looked at someone who was sitting in the corner cowering, trying to stay out of sight. His hand shakily holding a pistol, the weapon clattering as he shook. "Whatever your thinking mate, don't do it. It's not going to end well for you. Stay put, and I won't knock you out. Got it?" Atlas said, ignoring the member after that as he made his way down a set of steps.

Coming to a thick metal door that was locked thoroughly he just flooded his body with positive energy and let a fraction of it leak out into the air around him and the door, and stepped through it as the door folded into itself like a bunch of mirrors before the shards once more realigned into a solid door behind him.

It didn't take him long to find where most of the money was being stored. Taking it as well as the valuable items in the vault he figured he could at least pawn them off.

Just as he was leaving he saw mounted on the wall a set of three katana at least one of them was he didn't know swords well enough to know the names of the other ones.

Staring at it for a moment he walked up to it before taking it off its stand and holding it in his hand. The weight felt nice, the blade shining in the white led lights that reflected along the razor-sharp edge. Pushing some cursed energy into the blade he felt it smoothly flow into it, without any resistance. Filling each part of the metal blade evenly, aligned with the flow.

The blade hummed as a soft blue aura started to flow off it.

This was a cursed tool. That had somehow ended up here. Picking up the sheath he put the blade away before tying it to his side. It had a nice weight to it on his hip, it felt right. He needed some new clothes though.

He had gotten some training from Toji in the blade but he would need some more…

Once again, fate seemed to put something in his path.

---

Feeling cleaned up Atlas walked out into the 'living room' of the run-down floor they were using. Most of the walls were mostly gone though so it wasn't really a closed room. Hell, he could see outside from all four directions right now and he was in the bloody centre of it.

"Your looking fancy. Got a date or something?" Frank said as he leaned back into his plastic chair even further, the man had been bitter ever since he lost his camping chair.

"Oh and what would you say if I did have one?" Atlas responded with, he wasn't looking fancy either, he was just clean. Frank didn't seem to understand the difference, well… mostly clean. A white shirt and a pair of jeans as well as black sneakers that actually fit.

"Who's the lucky guy?" Frank responded with a small smirk pulling at his lips.

"Oh fuck off old man," Atlas said as he walked past. "Just going to go say hello to the Jujutsu society, the end of the year is coming up…" Atlas said, his voice actually hesitating as he looked up at Frank to see how the man was responding.

"It's like watching your kid go off to college ey lad? You're still gonna visit your old man though ain't cha?" Frank said, his voice actually choking up a bit at the idea that Atlas was leaving. At least for a while. His accent came out more as he got caught up with emotion.

"Yeah… course I am, gotta make sure that you're eating properly. Make sure to have a stew ready for when I do come over alright? I don't want any more rats." Atlas responded, keeping his tone heavy. Looking at the floor there was a moment of silence between them before Atlas spoke up again. "You know, I'm grateful that your the person I found first, could have had to fight someone… just. Ah, you've done a good job helping me. You're a good dad." Atlas said, his voice catching a bit as he said that.

Frank kind of was his dad, in a way at least. Or a positive male influence in his life at least. More positive than his own father at least.

Nodding Frank replied after a bit, "What's with this sappy stuff lad… it's not like you're leaving just yet. Have fun… be back before midnight alright or I will come searching." Frank said, staring into the fire not trusting himself to look at Atlas right now. Damn, the smoke was getting in his eyes. "And that wasn't a joke, I will," Frank said.

"Alright, I'll be back by then. Thanks, Frank…" Atlas responded with, his voice catching in his throat a bit. Turning and jumping out of the building, a sudden crash sounded, telling that he landed before he ran off into the abandoned district towards the city.

Staring at the fire that he kept burning Frank shook his head, "You're welcome Atlas, you are more than welcome lad." His voice was surprisingly steady since he couldn't decide what emotion to put in it, the waves of them passing through him.

The words ringing in his head, 'You're a good dad.'

Atlas had never talked about his parents, he assumed it was because he didn't remember them at first but throughout the time he spent with the boy it was clear that he did have memories that he was hiding, memories he never talked about. He never pried, but it meant something to him, whatever he was doing was better than what Atlas had suffered through before.

So he was proud of that at least. Looks like an old dog can learn new tricks.

---

Atlas had thought long and hard about how he would introduce himself to the Jujutsu Society, he had started with his interactions with Toji. Through the spars he got his ass kicked in. Spars that he had started to learn a lot from.

Turns out there were fluctuations in the air and the faintest sound of chiming bells when he went in and out of dimensions so he was never actually able to surprise Toji. Also Frank had stated that if one was observant enough they could see the cursed energy appear before he did. So it wasn't nearly as good of a sneak strike as he thought it would be.

Also the distorting space and time a bit was rather difficult to the point that he thought it may be impossible to do without finer control. Or his technique… at least he almost kind of had one with his special property. Since it really could do a lot.

How he was going to introduce himself, however, was walking up to the school. He honestly didn't know any other way that he could do it so… why not? Really, like if they had a problem with him he would fade into another dimension and run away. And if they didn't then he would join them. And as discussed he would just be a bad student, constantly being away on missions like Yuta.

Honestly knowing how Yuta worked with them was kind of the only reason that he was doing this, despite once being a special grade and being ordered to be executed he was able to become someone that the higher-ups trusted. So that meant that he could too. He just needed to be cautious and play his cards right.

And he didn't think it would be that hard to just walk into the school, after all. As long as he knew about its existence the barriers were not nearly as effective as all they did was change its appearance and hide it from the public. Not really protect against infiltration.

Continuing his walk he ended up in the mine that he normally fought Toji in, the shaken and destroyed stone of the once square-cut walls clear signs of the countless battles that they had in this pit. And it wasn't only him learning, he had tried to teach Toji what he knew about the technical fighting style. He didn't know much more than Toji, but his style was different. So it did help a bit.

In turn, Toji had taught him and helped him grow accustomed to his new abilities in hand-to-hand combat. Helping with his control so that his energy stayed staying more steady in his body and he could adjust it fast enough. As well as get used to his new physical prowess that was steadily growing along with his control.

Getting to the old quarry he pulled his phone out, something he had managed to buy himself and sent a message to Toji, pocketing the old flip phone a moment later.

Sitting down in the centre of the stone pit, his eyes gazing towards the Zenin clan's land, he knew that it wouldn't be long now before Toji left them, taking a new name and starting to work as a mercenary. At least if things proceeded as they did originally. He was excited about it. There was a lot that he needed to think about but he wasn't really that bothered by all of it.

He would deal with it when it came up, events that he would change would be changed when they came to pass and he would deal with the results of that when they happened.

"What did you want brat?" Toji said as he slammed into the floor in front of Atlas, sending a few shocks through the stone that made some of the piled-up rubble slide down from where it sat.

"Nothing much, just want to know where Jujutsu High is. I plan on finally seeing if they really are involved with me or not." He said, looking at Toji who clearly tensed a bit.

"And what if they were?" He said, his head tilting to the side at the question.

"Then I kill them probably, not now, but later." His voice was calm, he had thought about this.

"And if they aren't?" Toji asked finally his gaze cold and unreadable. Atlas knew this man's hate for the society that had rejected him despite his strength. His disdain for his own family. His disdain at how the world worked, and his want to spite them for what they did. It was what got him killed.

"I have my reasons to be involved, it will only be a little, to be honest. There is someone I am curious about, someone that will be in the same year as that Gojo brat. I think he is special. So I simply want to observe…" Atlas said, seeing Toji's expression shift.

"I have the same disdain for them that you do, this society that toyed with me and rejected you. But to me, I see no reason to care about it all, they can live or die, I just don't want to be involved with them more than I have to. But I do have things that I want to do. So I will do them. I think you know what I am talking about. You're planning on leaving them and I am planning on joining right? It will be like our positions changed. That is it. And to be honest I don't care if you want to kill and spite sorcerers, go right ahead. Hell, I might even take out a few myself." Atlas started to speak, going off what his thoughts were saying. His mind is currently a bit of a mixed-up mess. He didn't know what to say honestly. And it was getting annoying.

"Look. We have the paths we want to walk and I think by now we could consider ourselves friends?" Atlas asked as he looked up at Toji who sat down in front of him.

"How did you know I was thinking of leaving?" His voice was cautious like it had been the first time they had met.

"How could I not guess? You hate them and they hate you. Why would you not think of leaving? It is what I would do. I would leave them and start a life away from it all. Sadly, I can't do that right now. Let's just say I have had some visions that I want to make sure will not come true. I'm not going to say more than that though. But I have reason to dip my toes in. But once I am done I will leave just like you will." Atlas said as he looked at the man before him.

"Yeah, I would consider you a friend, the first person that really treated me like I had talent and power was an outsider who didn't know who they were. A kid no less, not really though, you don't act like a brat at all." Toji said as he looked up at Atlas, his body was relaxing again.

"Didn't think of killing sorcerers, however. I heard that there is a lot of good money in it, however. Might do that, get rich and live a life outside of this whole society. Turn 'invisible man' into something good instead of bad." His voice was solid, unwavering and without a hint of emotion. Hiding what he was feeling.

"Being 'invisible' is one of your greatest talents mate," Atlas said as he smiled, shaking his head. He had just been able to fight toe to toe with this man a month back. But it was still challenging, but ever since then, they had grown… closer but at a comfortable distance. An understanding of each other's situation helped them form mutual respect.

"You should see how my family jumps when I sneak up behind them." He said with a chuckle, clearly recalling some fun memories.

"That would be amusing," Atlas responded. His gaze went back to the ruined wall of the mine, his mind running through countless thoughts.

"I'll tell you where they are if you land a good hit, how about that," Toji said as he slowly stood up. His gaze settled on Atlas.

Knowing the man's tricks he prepared positive energy in advance before nodding. As soon as he finished his nod he didn't even have time to stand up before a kick was being shot towards the top of his head. Pushing positive energy out into the world around his head Toji's kick simply travelled through empty air.

Jumping back Atlas fell into the folding mirror shards of the gap between dimensions and was once more gone. His voice rang through the air as he allowed it to enter the 'original plane.' "Only a good hit? You're giving it away for free at this point."

An unseen grin spread across his face. This was going to be fun.