Chapter 3: Kitsune and the Special Grades

Summary:

The aftermath of Jinichi Sakuraba's exorcism takes a toll on Sachiko's dangerous reputation.

As the Exchange event looms near, she gains unexpected allies whose motives are placed in question.

Despite inhibitions, she finds solace in the company of the tactless boy with the dark rimmed glasses.

"You did well. I'm sure Jinichi would've said so too,"

Yaga was sewing on the ears of a cursed doll that looked like it came out of a Ghibli movie. He had just finish debriefing Sachiko about her mission a day after they performed what seemed like an attempt to give the deceased temple priest a send-off.

Sachiko was still left with questions regarding how the school had treated Sakuraba but it was difficult to find the words to start and instead, Yaga tried to fill in the blank spaces in her mind.

The vice principal's callused fingers cut through the thread sealing the stuffing inside the cursed doll. He lifted the doll then turned it in all sides to inspect his work then set it back on the table,

"Jinichi made a binding vow with this school. He said that he was going to spend the rest of his term honing and guiding generations of sorcerers and lead them away from the wrong decisions that he has made but we knew he was waiting for something-someone- to set him free. He has lived longer than you and I and it was only until recently that he recovered his hope,"

"I wasn't the first sorcerer to join him in Hongu?"

Yaga shook his head, "But you are the only one who succeeded," he released a small amount of cursed energy towards the doll, and it quickly began to animate.

"I exorcised him," her eyes flocked down as he clutched the side of her arm. Sakuraba Jinichi was well loved in their school, and she had no idea about his ordeal. The guilt went over her quickly as she realized that she may have missed something and could have avoided his death. He was after all, just a mediator for the vengeful spirit.

Yaga lifted the doll as he stood up then allowed it to patter on the floor, "You released him from his curse. You see, thanks to you, he can finally move on." He crouched by the side of his creation, "Just like this little guy,"

She didn't say anything else. The vice-principal's words gave her the wisdom she longed to realize but it was still a tough pill to swallow knowing that their line of work would involve countless unprecedented deaths but at least for this one, his deliverance gave him peace.

Sakuraba's words still resonated within her daily, "You are treading correctly," he said.

After the announcement that Sakuraba-sensei wasn't going to resume his activities at school, rumors flourished after confirming that Sachiko was the last person who saw him.

It had already been more than a month after he was laid to rest, but others were acting like she had just committed a crime. Everyone was aware of her instability and used it as means to create a story of her accidentally killing her teacher.

She was unphased because she knew the truth and figured that she'd rather resign to their thoughts not to mess with her.

Her aunt had called her earlier that day as if to check in on how she was taking the gossip. Despite appreciating her sentiments, she thought that it was unnecessary. These weren't new labels. It was just plain annoying to her.

She had excused herself from the infirmary and walked the halls with her head high, "High school is the same everywhere I guess, sorcerer or not,"

"Ooof!"

One of her classmates, a brunette with short hair and a distinct mole on her eye accidentally bumped into her on her way to the infirmary, "Sorry!" she said while massaging her back-side. Upon realizing who she clashed with, the girl flinched.

"It's alright," Sachiko patiently picked-up the medical supplies splayed on the floor as her classmate straightened herself and joined her. She avoided meeting her eyes in an attempt to keep their encounter short.

Shouko Ieri quickly caught sight of what seemed like tattoos etched on her skin as Sachiko's sleeves rolled up when she handed her the medical textbook. Upon noticing that her nails had lengthened, Sachiko placed a glamour on her hands before Shouko took the book from her.

"Thanks," Ieri remarked.

Her classmate gave her a nod and went on her way. Sachiko was already straightening her rolled sleeves when Shouko's voice trailed behind her.

"Miura-san," Shouko tried her best not to give in to her curiosity, but she wasn't one to just let things go especially since her mentor was related to the six-tailed Kitsune. She hoped that since her mentor was such a kind and collected woman, she might be too.

Sachiko turned half-way, "Yes?"

Shouko clutched her book and medical supplies tightly before speaking, "Y-you didn't do it right?"

Sachiko didn't wait for her to expound. The context was clear. Her tone wasn't malicious, but it did take her a minute to respond, "No." She couldn't quite read Ieri's expression, but she decided it was best not to wait for it.

She heard her classmate sigh in relief, "I knew you didn't."

Sachiko looked back but only caught sight of her rushing towards the infirmary.

She rested a hand on the side of her waist and sneered, "Well that's a first."

The common room housed a lot of first years and second years that same day to listen to the briefing for the Exchange event. This year, they were encouraged to win the title against their sister school who had a standing 3-peat.

"Great, another social gathering," she whispered to herself.

Upon entering, Sachiko just went on her usual path and took her seat. One of her upperclassmen stopped in front of her and slammed a talisman in front of her and glared.

"Oi," he was a large guy with a half-shaven head who was known to use his cursed energy to transform his arms into concrete, but his brazenness didn't live up to his level as a 2nd grade.

Sachiko didn't budge and kept her poise as she sat, "Yes, senpai (upperclassman/senior)?"

"Tch," He pointed at her face directly and slammed the talisman again making everyone inside the room tense, "Don't even think about cursing me! I heard what you did to Mr. Sakuraba!"

Sachiko reflected on her next course of action. He was getting on her nerves, but he wasn't worth any sanctions, "I'm not sure what you mean senpai, but I have no reason to curse you," she lifted her shoulders up and down and leaned back on her seat.

Hanba was set off by her sarcasm that he took out a thick set of talismans and threw it at her face. This made her wince behind her mask and instinctively made her narrow her eyes at him.

She felt her hand on her lap slowly curl but she displaced her anger as she exhaled. Some pieces of parchment continued to dance its way as it fell on the floor which was followed by a brief silence.

Getou and Gojo were about to interfere as they felt a wave of cursed energy from her increase, but they could only exchange glances as they witnessed her catching the talismans without any problem before they landed on her mask. She stood now making Hanba double back. She handed back the talismans, "You dropped this senpai,"

Gojo smirked and directed his attention at Hanba then back at his friend, "Hey Getou, wanna make a bet?" he whispered to which Suguru replied with a shrug.

Hanba felt a surge of her cursed energy flock towards him that he merely turned and made his way back, "Keep it you bitch. You deserve it,"

She scoffed and loosened her hold on the talismans, "Senpai-" Hanba looked back and watched as she burned the talismans in one move which normally would have taken a whole day to consume, "Thank you."

The blonde-haired boy with the sharp eyes also contemplated on interfering but also quickly realized that there was no need for him to get involved, "Interesting," he slowly excused himself from the rest and made his way out. Unlike the others, his attendance wasn't regular nor required.

Hanba dragged his posse to hide his fury. The other people inside the class made sure to keep their distance from the Kitsune. Sachiko didn't mind the stares coming from around the room and instead sat back down.

One of the faculty came inside the room to break the tension and only took a few minutes to explain the mechanics of the Exchange event. Not long after his announcement the attendees rushed to leave the room, including Hanba who awarded her with another glare before he left.

Sachiko was already tidying her things when a tall figure dragged the chair in front her and sat down.

The silver haired boy raised his right hand to greet her and grinned, "Hello Miura-san! I'm Satoru Goju, yo-ro-shi-kuuuuuuu! (nice to meet you)," he sung.

Sachiko cringed at his care-free demeanor but decided not to fight it. Gojo Satoru raised his brows. His dark glasses loosened on top of his nose and he slowly wiped away his grin. His raised hand went to the back of his head as he waited for her to respond.

"…Miura Sachiko," she nodded to acknowledge him which made him relax and return his smile. She'd never seen his infamous eyes up close but it was easy for her to feel his presence. They were the kind of blue that reflected the skies but also mimicked the crystalline formation of ice. It was both beautiful and terrifying.

Gojo leaned closer to see if she was still paying attention to him and as soon as he met her red eyes, he cleared his throat, "So, Miura-san, what do you say we team up for this exchange event?"

Sachiko never intended to participate in the event. She didn't see the point to it as there were already a lot of students capable of winning for their school, "No thanks,"

"Eh? B-but-"

"I don't mean to be rude but-" she expected him to display some sort of disappointment but instead she was rewarded with an even bigger grin.

What the hell is wrong with this guy?

"-I don't intend on participating in the exchange event."

"Hm…is that so? But, its compulsory." He spoke to her very casually. It was the kind of comfort that made her question his true motive.

She gave out a sigh, "Of course it is…"

"I know it sounds tedious but there's more to it than it sounds." He continued, "Why don't you join me and win?" he shot a peace sign towards her direction which did nothing to lighten her mood.

She crossed her arms, "Why me?"

He held up one finger and took a breath, "Because, you're strong and intelligent. And so am I."

This guy is something else.

"You seem to be favored to win on your own though. I don't think you need my help."

"The exchange event is a team event and if we both make our mark, we'll get the credit."

Sachiko couldn't help but smirk, "For credit huh?" she paused to edit after eyeing his ID, "I don't see how we'll get anymore promoted."

Among their class, there were only three special grades which is basically the highest rank you can get as a sorcerer so it puzzled her that he wanted to get in better standing.

Gojo pushed back his glasses and crossed his legs, "That's part of it. And yeah, ranking is one thing but respect is another,"

I think he met glory.

She gestured for him to continue.

"There's a special grade curse involved in the event and you and I can easily take it down."

"I see,"

"What do you say?"

She relaxed her shoulders and took a minute to fix the alignment of her mask before speaking, "If it's a team event, why are you partnering up with me? Shouldn't we-oh I see."

There were very few people left inside the room and if she had to make any assumptions from the past few months it would be that the he wasn't good at befriending others except for a select few. The raven-haired boy with pierced ears and long hair began to approach them. He was among those who communed with the cyan-eyed boy.

"None of the others are quite comfortable with you yet but we're willing to partner with you." He nodded at her before taking a seat beside them.

Gojo snarled at his friend, "Hey! I thought you were going to skip the event!"

Sachiko muttered under her breath, "I thought you said that it was required," Gojo heard her whisper and laughed nervously.

The raven haired boy placed one hand on his chest and smiled, "Hello, I'm Suguru Getou," He tilted his head towards Gojo but didn't make eye contact with him, "I'm here to make sure this guy," he used his thumb to point towards the confident one, "-doesn't get us killed."

She also had never been within short distance from the other special grades but it was easy to recognize the amount of cursed energy they were e quipped with. Her own registered a strong frequency but it was a pleasant change to be among those who weren't too offset by it.

Unlike the Gojo boy who was tall, lean, with big-eyed and cheerful for his own good, his friend was more laid back but also more collected. He was not as tall as Gojo but towered over her anyway. He had squinted eyes and a pointed nose. But more importantly, he had better manners.

Her eyes bounced from one to the other, "So let me get this straight, the three of us are going to team up so we can all get credit if we win for the school?"

Getou shrugged, "Getting credit has its perks like he said. You'll get days off and have access to some cursed weapons. Not mention, this could land great recommendations once we graduate."

Gojou snapped his fingers, "Sounds like a sweet deal for me. What do you say?"

Sachiko felt like she was being offered an easy way to get the event over with. These were two of the most skilled sorcerers-in-training offering her a slice of glory. But she also thought that they were using her to save their own efforts.

Create allies. Her grandfather's voice lingered in her thoughts as she pondered on her decision.

It might be a gamble but what wasn't?

She pursed her lips and placed one hand on the table where she let her fingers dance as if to tap it rhythmically, "If you guys aren't concerned about my wavering cursed energy then, okay."

Surprised by her frank answer, the two boys' faces plastered an enthused expression. They looked at each other momentarily and sneered.

Gojo pointed towards the both of them, "We're special grades too. No need to worry about us."

Getou's lips curled up as he gave her another nod, "Thanks for accepting our offer, Miura-san."

Sachiko then noticed that they were the only people left in the room making them follow her line of sight, "I'm guessing, no one really intended to get us in any of their groups huh?"

Getou laughed, "Intimidation is a blessing." He then began to excuse himself as soon as she straightened her uniform and stood.

Gojo kicked himself off the chair, "We'll see you after class to plan and train until the exchange event. Is that okay with you?"

"Alright." She took her bag and made her way towards the door before giving them one last look. They were both smiling and waving at her which made her feel uneasy.

What the hell did I just sign up for?

The two boys waited for her to leave first before exiting the classroom. They didn't have to ask for help with the event but they still knew, without saying, that befriending her was key to their future as sorcerers.

They weren't quite sure if it was the guilt of spying on her when she was deployed or if it was pity for how she was being treated.

What was very apparent was that they knew that she didn't really need them as well.

That late afternoon, they made their way across the academic building to the training field. They opted to proceed to one of the private areas where special grades were permitted to use to give Miura the privacy she didn't ask for. The private training grounds was just veiled parts of the whole area where only special grades were given permission to enter but even if the event was looming near, there were very few students undergoing training.

Riiiiing!

Getou answered the call, "Yes sir, I'll be right there." He sighed, "I've been summoned."

Gojo used his hands to shoo him away, "Go then,"

"Hey," he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and changed his tone to warn him, "Behave yourself around Miura,"

"Tch," he swatted Getou's hand away and turned his back, "Yeah-yeah,"

A few paces away, he spotted Sachiko in her training uniform. She looked at their direction and nodded to acknowledge Getou's wave, "I thought you were leaving," Gojo spat.

Getou smiled and began walking away, "Don't do anything stupid Satoru,"

He didn't mind his friend's remark and continued walking towards their new ally. As soon as they were aligned, they entered the veil. He noticed that she was still wearing the Kitsune mask which continued to intrigue him,

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

Sachiko gave him a short glance but continued walking, "Sure,"

Gojo scratched the side of his face then pointed towards hers, "Your mask, its meant to be an energy dampener right? It seems to me like you emit strong waves with or without it. Isn't it a bother?"

Damn. I couldn't hold out that one. The silver-haired boy said within his thoughts.

"The Miuras are very superstitious people which is the main reason why I wear it."

"How so?"

"Kitsune masks are traditionally worn as a symbols to declare filial protection to all living things. They're meant to draw in reassurance and piety. Which, in my opinion, isn't registering as they hoped."

She paused to edit, "However, you are quite correct. This mask," she began to trace the shape of it with her fingers before tapping on it, "-is meant to suppress my cursed energy to some extent." She felt the weight of his stare now as if he was expecting some sort of vague answer.

Sachiko stopped her footing and turned to face him, "You probably have an idea why. I mean, that's why you were in Hongu right?"

Gojo blinked owlishly before letting out a nervous chuckle, "We were there on orders. Sorry, you have a-" he paused midway to clear his throat, "Reputation…but," he couldn't read her through her mask but it didn't take a genius to sense her annoyance, "Clearly we were wrong."

"Sure this isn't some sort of test?" she spoke with minimal displeasure to Gojo's relief. He could tell right away that she was used to that kind of trash treatment.

Placing his hands on his pockets, Gojo thought carefully of his next reply, "Nah. I don't really give a rats-ass about the higher-ups and frankly, I just thought that since we both just wanna breeze through the event its best if we work together. I mean, isn't that why you agreed?"

She raised both her hands, "You got me there,"

He half expected her to curse at him or at least display some sort of outburst. Usually, rogue-sorcerers were gloomy hot-heads. Miura, he thought, was turning up to be a pleasantly chill kind of person.

They finally settled within the training area where it was wide enough to host a soccer match. Numerous sparring equipment was splayed across the field including some access to basic cursed weaponry.

Sachiko set down her bag then proceeded to tying her hair neatly. Gojo was merely waiting for her to get ready but also steadily observed her. It was still difficult for him to focus on her figure. Her cursed energy filtered his sight with different intensities of gray and white that he had to affix his glasses and rub his eyes if he looked at her for too long. Her mask though registered clearly so in a way it was helping with the overstimulation. But not his attempts at building rapport.

Gojo took three steps toward her and tapped her shoulder, "Hey Miura, you don't have to wear it here you know. Your energy doesn't bother me."

His farce was easily discounted but he figured that it was worth the venture. Gojo was curious as to how much of her cursed energy he could take.

"You sure about that?" her tone was playful. She pushed his glasses towards his nose which caught him off-guard. He didn't expect her to respond mundanely.

His hand slid on the side of his neck to the lateral side of his shoulder. His tone turned wary, "Besides," her gesture gave him enough courage to give her a playful taunt. He took a step forward and leaned in towards her. He towered over her as he squinted his cyan eyes and peeked inside the mask, "I've seen what you like, you're face isn't scary at all."

Sachiko was quick to flick his forehead to create a distance between them, "You. What?"

Gojo massaged his temple, "I-teeee (it/that hurts)" he shook off what little pain he endured from her retaliation and decided to continue his speech after giving out a loud groan, "I'm sure you've noticed that I peek at you sometimes when you arrive early. You have excellent intuition and reflexes. I mean, that's why you're fine being with me right now."

"Wow." Sachiko could only utter in disbelief at how tactless he was. He seemed unperturbed by the words that left his mouth that she couldn't help but hold back a snicker, "Aren't you nosy."

Her jest only made him feel more comfortable around her.

Cool, she's not offended. Getou owes me.

He continued, "By the way, didn't that bother you?"

"Which part? Your creepiness or your blatant invasion of my privacy?" she jeered but didn't wait for him to reply. She did note that he held out an expectant look, "You didn't seem to be bothered by my Kitsune features and you didn't disrupt my morning routine so, I figured it was fine if you saw my face. "

"I'm nothing but considerate!" His face was plastered with smugness that left her wondering if he was weirder than she was.

Seriously, this guy is on another level of crassness.

"Now that you know that I'm not a jerk, why don't you take breather from it? You can trust that your secret is safe with me," he grinned at her to which he received no reproach.

Sachiko placed one hand on her waist, "Good point from the guy who's always hiding behind his shades,"

Gojo rebutted, "My glasses aren't for style but its purpose is kinda like your mask,"

Sachiko remembered her orientation from her grandfather. Gojo Satoru was a legacy sorcerer. He was declared among the strongest the day that he was born. He had not only inherited significant techniques but also developed unique ones of his own. Among his inherited skills was his affinity to identify immense cursed energy and utilize it to create a domain. Admittedly, she was also curious about it but never bothered to ask or even observe. "Six eyes right? That's a Gojo family skill," she spoke matter-of-factly.

He snapped his fingers, "That's right! I guess I'm pretty famous myself," he chirped, "So, as a gesture of goodwill," He placed two of his fingers at the curved end that rested on top of his nose and began to slide it away from his face, "I'll remove them for now. I'm fine with showing of my eyes 'cause I trust you." He closed his eyes immediately upon removal of his glasses but decided to show off his teeth as he awaited to recover from the shock of her cursed energy. It only took him a few seconds until he reopened them.

Sachiko was struck by his words. Trust was a difficult thing to give for her. Her own family has proven that it didn't matter if they were bound by blood, they could easily break it. Except for her grandfather and aunt, she never found herself trusting anyone else.

All you need is the right people to help you do that.

Hideo's voice echoed clearly in her thoughts that very moment. She needed allies. She needed mentors. She needed help. She needed to be careful.

Sachiko observed the boy in front her. Sure, she was a little intimidated by his reputation but his actual presence didn't bother her as much. It was strange. She could have easily been him had she enough experience to control her power. He was the embodiment of what she had to be, a well-rounded jujutsu prospect sans the bad manners. She was pretty sure she could learn a thing or two from him if she could get past his attitude.

Maybe he could be trustworthy. He seemed sincere enough but-what about his allies?

"Do you…trust Getou Suguru?"

Gojo cocked a brow, "Oh him? Yeah sure. He looks suspicious but he's fine." Her question was quite unprecedented but he didn't mind her asking. He knew what she implied.

Sachiko knew that the two special grades already had great rapport and if she were to join them, she'd be forcing them into a new, unpredictable treaty.

Sachiko grew silent which made Gojo fluster.

"H-Hey, if you don't want to, there's no need but just saying, you can start with just one person. Doesn't have to be me," he shrugged.

The next moment became pivotal for the rest of the time they would spend fighting together. It was the first sign of Sachiko's acceptance of building alliances outside of her clan.

Her pale fingers travelled to the knots behind her head holding the Kitsune mask in place. As soon as it became loose, she lifted the mask by the chin to reveal the lower half of her face and her cupid's bow where on the left side were pale, red, swirls and markings that mimicked the make-up of the mask. When she finally removed the whole mask in front of him, Gojo flinched at the cursed energy that was released forced him to squint until he adjusted. Her image slowly sharpened and his eyes darted towards the markings on her cheeks and her crimson eyes that floated against her pale skin. Black and white strands of her hair that were tucked in the mask fell on the sides of her face and shoulders. She slowly placed the mask on top of her bag and looked back at the light blue eyes in her direction. Eager for resolve, she looked away and cleared her throat.

"I'd appreciate it if you stopped staring…I-I'm not always like this…except for my eyes, they go away," she hated the fact that she reflexively had to explain the runes on her body but it helped give him some sort of resolve.

Gojo looked to his side and flicked the side of his cheek, "S-see? You're fine. You look decent."

She went to his side, pouted and jabbed the side of his arm with her elbow, "Thanks. I got that from you not wanting to make eye contact."

Gojo's hand went to his arm, "You gotta cut me some slack, it's the first time I've interacted with you!"

She sighed, "Fine."

"Anyway," she rolled her sleeves which revealed similar markings that were on her face, "Let's train shall we?"

Gojo grinned, "Don't worry Kitsu-chan, I'll take it easy on y-" Sachiko went for his legs by crouching using her right leg to sweep him off from where he stood.

"Eh…" Gojo's line of vision slanted as he was slowly nearing the matted floor. Before Sachiko landed another blow, he was quick to retain his balance and dodge her movement.

"You're fast!" he commented, "I guess we're doing hand-to-hand combat today then?"

"Problem?" Her lightly painted lips curled into a half smile as she sped up her punches which were beginning to land on him. As soon as she closed in on his torso, she readied to land another kick using her left but feigned her movement and hit him with her right. This made him double back, "Keeping up, Gojo?"

Gojo wiped his upper lip and scoffed, "You really expect me to hit a girl?"

His statement made her frown, "I'm not like other girls."

He hunched forward and slid one of his feet to prepare to attack, "Of course, my apologies. Well then," in the next second, he moved so fast that Sachiko couldn't even blink but she sensed him behind her right away. He wasn't trying to land any punches but was trying to close in on her. His hands were in his pockets the whole time he moved around her.

"Take this seriously six-eyes,"

Appearing in front of her, he flicked her forehead making her squirm lightly, "I am!"

This guy is underestimating me. Why is he holding back? She thought.

In all actuality, it was proving tricky for Gojo to plan any direct attacks as he was having difficulty in locating her precise location due to the high surge of cursed energy she was emitting. He was at a clear disadvantage. His tolerance was time-limited.

She's quick but she may be overthinking it. She also seems to favor some movements so-

As soon as he saw an opening, Gojo waited until she was a few feet away, instead of evading her attack, he waited for her attempt at his face. He caught her left fist before she hit his face making her shift her attention to his unguarded torso. She flexed her left knee and attempted to land a blow on to his side when he read her movement and instead used her move and swept her off balance. Sachiko's eyes met his as she prepared to land on her back from the fall. She closed her eyes to brace herself but quickly found herself in a standstill. She opened her eyes only to be greeted by blue ones piercing through hers. She felt his breath on her face and soon noticed that the reason she didn't feel any impact against her back was that he caught her by her nape before her head hit the pavement.

Her palpitations were apparent as she was left stuck in their stance.

"You okay Miura?" Gojo spoke with some concern towards his sparring partner. He caught sight of her flushed face and looked away when he realized how awkward their position was. Careful with his touch, he lifted her head and helped her sit.

She nodded without looking at him directly, "Yeah, uh, thanks,"

His hand left her nape and was about to give her some distance when he noticed that she was still holding unto his shirt, "Hey, uh, Miura, could you-" he pointed towards her hand making her jerk back as she released it.

"R-right. Sorry,"

Gojo waved his hand but also found himself a little flustered by how she reacted, "Its nothing…maybe we should take it easy for now. Its only our first day of training,"

She nodded and quickly collected herself. Her line of comfort was shattering each minute they stayed together.

The boy with the light eyes was surprisingly sensitive to the girl he was training with. To lighten the mood, he shot her a grin, "But that was fun!"

Sachiko noticed that they were both a little out of breath. Despite him holding back on her at the beginning, she felt that he was challenged by her. Which was the point after all. They both had reputations to hold up on to. And there was also the Exchange event.

"You're not too bad." Sachiko quipped making him burst in laughter.

The silver haired boy couldn't help but give her an amused look, "Wanna call it a day Kitsu-chan?" he kicked himself off the floor and held out a hand towards her.

Normally, she didn't care for nicknames given to her by people she hasn't known for long but she was still trying to process what had happened and didn't want to sound like a snob. As a sign of her good sportsmanship, she accepted his gesture and softened her expression.

They packed up their bags and made their way outside of the veil. Before leaving, Sachiko decided to return her mask to eliminate the need to explain who she was and how she looked differently from people she might pass by.

Gojo wasn't surprised by it. He respected her decision but also didn't see the point to it. To him, she was just like everybody else but he also understood that if she didn't hold back like she did when they were training, she was a considerable threat if she didn't learn to harness her cursed energy properly.

It took him the stroll back to the academic building to notice that half-way through their sparing, his eyes didn't really bother him despite not using protective eyewear. He wasn't certain if it was his own cursed energy that dominated the fight or her unconscious ability to balance hers.

The vice-principal had encouraged him and Getou to befriend her because of her status as a Jujutsu sorcerer but he always believed that it was because they were her signal-fires incase she goes berserk but it seemed like he had other plans for them.

To break the silence of their tread, he begun whistling to a song that had been his earworm for quite a while.

Sachiko seemed to recognize it and turned to him, "Yume, yume…(Dream, Dream),"

He was pleasantly surprised and continued whistling before replying to her, "You know the song?"

"Kinda hard to miss One OK Rock," she shrugged.

He smiled at his discovery of a similar liking and had wanted to make small talk about it. This was an unexpected side to the rogue. She didn't know it but to him, the rumors and warnings were dispelled in that instant. Their cheerful exchange was halted when they spotted a tall figure with a ponytail smiling and waving at them.

Suguru waited for them to approach but before he could speak Gojo lifted his chin and snarled, "Took 'ya long enough,"

"I had to drop off a window on the way back. Sorry I couldn't join you both." He turned to Sachiko now, "I'd like to apologize for his behavior in whatever way if he offended you today,"

Gojo winced, "The hell?!" he clicked his tongue, "I was a complete angel! Right Miura-chan?" he pleaded for her to agree but despite not seeing her expression through the mask, he knew instantly that she wasn't easily persuaded.

"Everything went well." The last bell for the day went off which signaled the official end of their day, "I better get going," She nodded towards Getou, "Getou-san," he turned to her new sparring partner, "Six-eyes,"

They both watched as she walked away but didn't look back until they made their own exit. Getou crossed his arms and looked at Gojo sinisterly, "Looks like someone made a new friend,"

Surprisingly Suguru and Satoru weren't stingy when it came to their techniques from simple advise to major comments regarding how they would deal with curses given their experience. Sachiko noted that despite the fact that they were her contemporaries, they had a better grasp on what it meant to train as sorcerers. Admittedly, she initially treated her admission as a formality but both of them were doing a good job in convincing her that what they were doing had better meaning.

Suguru was the more articulate of the two but it was Satoru who didn't hold back on pointing out what his friends lacked or needed to improve on. In return for their honesty, she was always welcoming their questions about her training at the Miura dojo. Teaching them what she learned didn't bother her but in silence, they knew how to hold back just enough about their own personal skills.

Sachiko initially didn't remove her mask around Getou. He was polite enough not to push her or prompt her to do it. The Getous were rumored to be connected to fox hunters after all. She doubted the rumors though. She didn't see any gain from him being one. He was decent company but he wasn't the type to be as open as the other one.

It didn't take long for the reverse-jujutsu trainee of their class to join in. It was during their lunch break that she approached the boys with a bribe of an assortment of snacks to which, Gojo nonchalantly accepted.

Shouko asked the boys to allow her to observe Sachiko as they were being assigned to a mission prior to the exchange event.

She admitted her apprehensions to the two boys, "If she's cool with me hanging around and talking to her, I'd appreciate it."

"Huh? Why are you asking our permission?" Gojo was in between chewing the caramel candy when he looked towards his friend.

Getou snickered, "I think she's asking for our unnecessary protection,"

"Are you still afraid of her?" Gojo asked.

Shouko shook her head, "What? No, she said she didn't kill Mr. Sakuraba and I believe her,"

The two boys flinched but it was Suguru who dared to ask her, "Shouko, did you ask her if she killed Mr. Sakuraba?"

Shouko nodded unapologetically making Satoru choke as he tried to suppress his laughter, "You're unbelievable!" he pointed towards her and continued to laugh.

Shouko crossed her arms and pouted, "So, will you let me in the training area or not?"

"I think you'll fit right in," Suguru gave her a thumb's up and took one of the sodas she offered them and released its pressure.

Shouko Ieri changed into her training uniform and walked in between the boys to enter the veil. Upon her arrival, she spotted Sachiko already stretching and quickly went to her and introduced herself.

Suguru and Satoru were pleasantly surprised that Shouko's behavior didn't rub off Miura the wrong way. If anything, they noticed that they were getting along pretty well. Miura was very patient when instructing her with basic combat skills and Shouko was quick to snap back at the two for teasing her form and strength. They also felt that Miura was more at ease with them even outside of training.

Sachiko often contemplated on removing her mask around them, when she asked Gojo if they asked about it, he just told her that she shouldn't feel pressured about it.

Weeks passed and it was drawing close to the Exchange Event. Shouko had asked Sachiko to hang around after they trained to talk about preparations for the upcoming deployment. The two boys didn't really pry into their talks but both of them were happy about the growing ties within their-square.

Shouko arrived late one afternoon as she had gone off to buy refreshments for each of them which signaled their break. Sachiko accepted her share and excused herself to freshen up. When she returned, the three were sitting on the grass and hydrating. She took a seat beside Shouko and closed the water bottle she was holding.

In an unexpected turn, it was Suguru who broke their silence. He diverted his attention to Miura, "So, Sachiko-san, will you wear your mask during the exchange event?"

Shouko and Satoru spat out the water they were drinking and impatiently braced themselves for Miura's response.

Appalled by his crass statement, Shouko glared at Suguru, "That's kind of rude to ask! She hasn't even shown me her face yet-"

Gojo's nose flared, "You've never seen her face? But you two hang out very often,"

Shouko whispered towards Gojo, "I'm scared I might offend her if I did." She shifted towards Suguru, "Have you seen it Getou?"

Getou's brows were raised, "No-not really. Just a glimpse."

Sachiko waited for them to stop talking and shifted her position. She was actually amused by their banter. It was their own way of being considerate towards her. Gojo remained unbothered by their exchange but he was trying his best to read Sachiko's aura.

Noticing his relaxed position, Shouko's suspicion grew, "Gojo, you've seen it?"

"Hmm…" he tapped his chin, "I come to class early so-"

Shouko plastered her face in front of Sachiko and leaned in with widened eyes and gritted teeth, "I WANNA SEE! YOU CAN TRUST ME! I WONT JUDGE! AND GETOU WONT TOO!" she was flapping her hands then turned to shaking Sachi by her shoulders.

Miura raised both of her arms in defeat, "Oh alright…it's not that big a deal,"

Shouko laced her hands together and gave her an intense expectant look, "It is!" Her tone was grim which gave Miura a slight chill. She looked towards Suguru who was equally etching a curious expression. Satoru just sighed and stretched his legs.

Sachiko leaned back and dropped her shoulders in defeat, "Prepare to be disappointed," she said under her breath. Her fingers quickly travelled to the occipital side of her head where she quickly pulled on the strings keeping the mask in place. Slowly, some strands of her hair dropped to her chin but there was very little hesitation left for her to separate it from her face.

Suguru was bewildered by the fair, kind, face and keen ruby eyes shifting back and forth at them. He couldn't resist tracing the markings on the side of her face with his eyes but turned away to wash his expression to seem more composed. Satoru simply gave her an encouraging smile but before she could reciprocate, Shouko cupped Miura's face in between her hands and grated,

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE GORGEOUS! You'll be really popular during the exchange event!" she had spoken so fast that none of them really caught on. Sachiko thought that even for Shouko, she was acting out of character.

She was left mute at her friend's reaction but was relieved that it was close to normal.

Gojo downed his soda and blinked, "Then she should keep her mask on,"

Suguru's lower lip twitched, "Huh? What's the matter Satoru? She has a pleasant face and it would be more comfortable for her if she removed it,"

Satoru adjusted his shades and crossed his legs before using his lips to point Sachiko, "If she grabs too much attention, it could be too much of a hassle,"

Shouko rested her curled up hand over her palm, "Or it could just be enough to distract the others!"

Sachiko's brows weaved as she tried her best not to roll her eyes, "Are you guys seriously pretending that I'm not here?" she uttered.

Gojo continued to converse with the other two, "Doubt that,"

Sachiko cleared her throat before finally interjecting, "I'd rather keep it on," she didn't pout but she didn't smile either. She was just eager to end their bickering.

Shouko placed one arm on each of the boys and whispered in their attempt at a huddle, "Now you made her insecure!"

Sachiko raised a hand to catch their attention, "Not at all. It's a personal preference Shouko. I'm not offended,"

Dropping her hold on the boys she slid to her side and took a deep breath which was heralded her approach towards her new friend , "You look so cool! Are your face markings a Kitsune thing? Were you born with them? Do you have fox ears?"

Sachiko made a small distance between them and answered calmly, "Yes. My face markings, claws and fangs can go away though. My eye color is likely permanent," She pointed towards her eyes now, "Different Kitsunes have different eye colors. As for the ears, well, I have regular human ears but I have heightened senses. But if you're curious, yes, I can manifest fox ears if I utilize the Kitsune form," she was hoping that by anticipating some questions she'd be spared from a few but she knew better than to expect her to hold back.

The brown haired girl raised her hand, "Can I ask you another question?" Shouko's brown eyes began trailing Sachiko's back from her neck towards the end of her spine. The boys quailed as they both reached an understanding as to what she was implying.

Getou placed one hand on Shouko's shoulder and smiled nervously, "Don't ask her that Shouko," he laughed nervously at Sachiko and began to pull her away but Shouko wasn't having any of it.

Gojo also noticed her line of sight and quickly went to cover Shouko's mouth, "That's right. That's enough questions for now!"

Shouko broke free and inhaled deeply and burst, "DO YOU HAVE A TAIL?"

As if by reflex, the boys in the group dragged Shouko to a safe distance as they saw Sachiko turn to them with a blank expression.

It was a few seconds of silence and immobility but Sachi took her question in without offense, "All Kitsunes have tails,"

Sweat continued to drip at the side of their faces as they kept their hold on Shouko but her statement seemingly dragged their eyes towards her lower back making her double back and race towards them. They were all rewarded with flicks on their temples before she stomped a few feet away from them and crossed her arms, "NOT LITERALLY!"

Suguru and Satoru drew their backs towards her to hide their embarrassment but both of them sent piercing stares towards each other and was silently cursing. Shouko took baby steps towards Sachiko who was still fuming. It took another minute for her to realize that the markings on her face lifted and all that was left was disdain. She reacted and looked exactly like any other person would in that situation. It was refreshing for her but also quite hilarious.

Shouko muffled her giggle and waited for Sachiko to calm down. Her attempt to hide her laughter made Sachiko turn towards her. Instead of getting mad, her squared shoulders relaxed and sighed.

Sachiko went to her side and nudged her arm, "Kitsune's don't have literal tails and instead our tails are kind of like extensions of our souls and they represent the gifts or powers bestowed unto us by the celestial guardian," She watched as the guys reluctantly approached them but decided to continue speaking, "On the other hand, in our family, you may be born with a fox shikigami called an Inari. Inaris can also have more than one tail but are very rare."

Suguru noted that this was probably the most that he has heard her talk and perhaps it was the only time she was given the chance to be heard. He still had a lot of questions but figured that it was best keep it to himself for now except for one curiosity. He was enjoying their conversation fully that he couldn't help but speak,

"I heard that the more tails you have, the stronger you are and the more jujutsu techniques you have," Getou quipped.

"Well that's correct,"

Suguru anchored his chin with his left thumb and index finger then turned to Sachiko's eyes, "So, how many do you have?"

Gojo snarled, "Why are you interested in that?"

Suguru dropped his hands and shrugged, "Just curious,"

Shouko noted the expression on Miura's face become avoidant that she decided to veer off the topic.

Miura placed her hands behind her back, "I'd rather not say,"

Shouko placed a hand in between the guys and Sachiko as if to shut them up, "Okay then that's that. That's enough for now,"

Gojo frowned and shoved his hands inside his pockets, "Hey, you're the one who started this,"

Getou bowed at Sachiko, "Sorry if we're being too intrusive,"

Sachiko waved them off, "It's alright. I know more about you guys than you know me so I don't mind…but," her eyes trailed at the color of the sky that transitioned from blue to orange. Satoru followed her direction of view but was caught by the reflection of it seemingly setting her eyes ablaze.

"I guess we should all call it a day," she continued.

Shouko, not minding the gentlemen, placed a hand on her arm and began to sway it, "Hey, let's go and grab dinner. My treat,"

Before Sachiko could decline, Shouko was quick to grab their stuff and ran off ahead of the boys barely giving Sachiko enough time to return her mask. She turned towards her friends whom they left behind to excuse herself leaving them with a rather stunned expression.

The two walked out of the training field after returning the equipment with a lightened mood. Both of them understood the progress of what had just transgressed but they also pondered on the critical aspects of it.

Gojo crossed his arms behind his head, "Hey buddy, so-just so you know, I've heard the same rumors as you. You think it's true?"

Getou smirked. Both of them were actually paying attention to what Miura said. They've heard rumors-no—legends about her clan. They were briefed about her so any sort of confirmation was vital, "-that to date, she's been born with the most tails?"

Gojou raised his index finger, "It's interesting right?" he paused to edit, "But anyway, its none of our business,"

Getou could only nod. Clearly, both of them had different interpretations of what they had learned but despite it, she was still for the most part, a mystery.

Meeting up in the afternoons became part of their routine. To say that they were used to each other's company would be too early to tell but as someone who was very keen on bettering herself in a short period of time, she decided to set-aside some of her reservations.

They had just finished sparring. Getou and Shouko were out on assignment which was providential for her. She set down her water bottle and joined Gojo by the rails where he was leaning on, "Hey, nosy," Gojo looked at her immediately, not minding the satirical quip, "Mind if we switch characters for once?"

He shrugs.

Sachiko clasped her hands together and leaned as she collected her thoughts, "As someone who was also born with immense cursed energy, how exactly are you able to control it? I mean, how do you handle shifting from one technique to another?" she folded her lips before continuing, "How do you stay in control?" Her crimson eyes met his and he felt it pierce through him at that instant that he felt pressured to give an intelligible answers.

Breaking her gaze, he tucked one arm in front of the other, "Hm…I just do." He lowered his head making the glasses slide down to the tip of his knows before ruffling his hair, "I dunno. Maybe I just believe that I can do it so I just do it,"

Sachiko blinked before turning away, "Is that so?" his words actually made sense to her. His confidence wasn't a ruse. He knew himself well which reflected in his performance.

But Satoru wasn't stone-hearted. Cocky, sure, but he was actually very thoughtful. He sensed a bit of disappointment emanating from her despite the silence and as someone who wasn't that articulate, he could only speak in truths.

Gojo lifted his tone, "I also practice. A lot." Sachiko remained in silence and listened in, "I ask Suguru and Shouko to try stuff with me so I could perfect them. Though, most of the time they're not willing to be collateral," he paused to let out a cackle, "Yaga helps me but uh, most of the time, I just figure it out along the way,"

At his peripheral, he watched as Sachiko shifted towards him, "Can you-help me?"

She was being serious. Despite her tough exterior, she had insecurities. He admired her bravery but also questioned in his mind her real motive behind it. She didn't seem to be interested in glory but she wasn't interested in making comrades before. He was beginning to consider if he and the other two were influencing her to think differently and that perhaps, he also contributed in her change in demeanor.

It was a welcome surprise and opportunity. Gojo Satoru was not one to shy away from the chance to improve himself and retain his title so he had an inkling that she might help him with the ropes as she came from a prominent figure in the Jujutsu world.

Satoru wasn't comfortable with serious settings so he couldn't help but crack the weird aura with his even odder humor, "Does that mean you'll show me your tails?" He clasped his hands together and grimaced, "I've always been curious about your techniques as well. Getting experience from a Kitsune could help me grow! Will you teach me too?"

Sachiko's serene mode was instantly wiped away as if it was his special skill to make it so, "Yeah, I guess…but uh-will you be a willing victim? I mean, I promise I won't kill you but I can't say I have it all in check yet, you could get real damage," she mirrored his expression.

Gojo gave her a double thumbs up and showed his teeth, "That's part of the fun!"

Sachiko gave in to his humor and unweaved her eyebrows. She turned towards him and bowed, "Thank you,"

This made him fluster, "Aaahhh, Don't sweat it, I'm sure those two would be happy to help,"

"Oh uh, I don't want to practice my tails too much around Shouko, and I'm not sure how to read Suguru yet so, can we, for the meantime work on it separately?"

"I don't see why not. I do have one condition-"

"Name it,"

He poked Sachiko on her right cheek, "Trust in yourself."

She half expected him to ask her to teach him some Miura fighting secrets. She was well aware that he was very ambitious and hungry for honing and discovering new skills. What he said was quite thoughtful and important that she felt like that was what she needed to hear. She was about to give him a pat in the back but she held back as soon as he opened his mouth to continue,

"Also, give me some intel on your family's style of fighting,"

Her upper lids dropped to cover half of the upper limbus of her eye. She shot him a disappointed but unsurprised look, "Sure, like what?" she said monotonously.

He tapped his chin, "You're a strategic fighter and you seem to understand spirits more than I do, I'm guessing it's your training as a Miura that gives you an advantage so some tips would be nice,"

"Done," she turned away and began to bid him goodbye. As she stalked away, Gojo trailed behind her and continued speaking to her displeasure.

"And if I learn how you do your techniques, maybe I can do them too!"

Sachiko increased her speed to match the gap that was closing in on them, "Grow tails first," she groaned.

End of Chapter

Next: Shouko, Sachiko and Reverse Jujutsu

Time to rejoin the Tokyo crew. :) Thanks for dropping by and hope you enjoy! I'd love to hear from you all. I appreciate all comments.

Anyone here have twitter? I just started one: MiuraChronicler

This is a work of fan-fiction. All rights reserved to the creator of JJK, Gege Akutami.
This is simply an output of my 'what-ifs' in the JJK world and Juju-fever. My timeline and interpretation of concepts behind the franchise may not be consistent with the current published works but I tried.

Concepts and characters behind the Miura clan came from my own research and imagination. I tried my best to tie them in the main plotline.

The first few chapters may focus on the OC for now but rest-assured, the characters you all love and cherish will fill the pages. Its a bit of a slow burn so bear with me.

This may contain anime and manga spoilers.