Chapter 7!
This fic is really fun to just write random stuff for. I'm going part hard on the ideas so expect more of this.
Enjoy, more notes at the end!
Being from Beyond, Heed my Call!
*Itsuka POV*
It was true that Itsuka was the class representative, and de-facto leader, but she was certain that she wasn't qualified for whatever this was.
She had heard some noises and muttering down the hall from an open door so she had gone to investigate what was going on. When she got to the doorway and peered in, she found the Occult Club, with Yanagi and Kuroiro at the helm and Midoriya as a bystander, performing some kind of strange ritual. Itsuka had no clue what they were trying to accomplish but before she could speak up to question it there was a flash of light and then shocked yelps from Yanagi and Kuroiro. The class rep was about to charge in and see if they were alright but she froze in place alongside the two of them when she realized what was occurring.
Midoriya had appeared in the middle of what looked to be a summoning circle but only her upper half was there while her lower body was still off to the side where she had been. There was now a glowing purple portal above her lower half and she had a mildly surprised expression while she also held up a raised arm that was seemingly being tugged by an invisible force. The fox girl looked around towards the stunned students and then at her misplaced lower body and her ears twitched a bit as she made a curious noise.
The bit of silence that followed was quickly broken as Yanagi and Kuroiro both gained looks of wonder and once their initial shock broke they erupted into amazed shouts. Itsuka still had little clue for what had brought them to...whatever was transpiring but the pair of ecstatic students suddenly took off while shouting about astounding discoveries that needed to be written down. The sudden outburst had left Itsuka alone with the still separated Midoriya and the orange haired girl groaned.
"So," the class rep began, staring down the other girl. "How'd you do it," she demanded as Midoriya took her free hand and snapped her fingers.
"Not hard," the greenette mused, her illusion of herself fading until she was back to where she had originally been, and Itsuka shook her head.
"They'll keep thinking it works you know," she reminded Midoriya who had a thoughtful look on her face but the fox girl whistled softly.
"It might," she replied, pointing back over to the circle, and Itsuka realized that her other hand was still there and being dragged by that prior invisible force.
"You're joking right?" she had to confirm since it was likely another illusion for another prank but the greenette appeared undeterred.
"If I meddle too much or too little it'll definitely work," Midoriya informed which only served to further concern the class rep.
"Please tell me you're joking," Itsuka demanded this time around but again was met with a serious expression.
"I'll keep them from summoning something I can't handle," she promised confidently and the orange haired student placed a hand to her forehead.
"You can lie, just please say you're joking," she reiterated, really needing to hear what she wanted for her own sanity, and this time Midoriya paused momentarily.
"I'm joking," she answered after her stint of silence and Itsuka sighed in false relief and resignation.
"I'm gonna choose to believe you," she informed honestly while the other girl made some noise of agreement.
"I have to get rid of this now," Midoriya then told her, pointing towards the ritual site that still held her portal detached hand, and Itsuka nodded.
"Please do," she responded, "and you can stop your illusion," she added since seeing Midoriya's hand not on her body wasn't exactly comforting. However, the fox girl was actually point strangely above the circle and her hand and Itsuka grew nervous again. "The circle right?" she tried but did not receive an answer. "Okay, leaving now," she spoke stiffly.
Itsuka backed off without looking away and closed the door cautiously, a spike of anxiety welling up inside of her, and the second it clicked she heard muffled crashing and unsettling growls coming from within the room. The class rep straightened herself out hastily and briskly went on her way without sparing any more thoughts to whatever was happening in there.
She really didn't want to know.
[The Occult Club. Kuroiro Shihai, Yanagi Reiko, and Midoriya Izumi explore the complex art of summoning circles and what comes with them.]
-break-
Looking Glass
*Juzo POV*
"What are you all up to?" Juzo curiously called while the other four turned his way.
The Fitness Club members had all just finished their respective activities and were cooling down together as they talked. So as the support man of the group, Juzo came over with drinks and towels for them before leading some stretches for those who wanted to do so. The group met up in one of the training gyms as always but a ways off from them was the Occult Club who were waiting on some of the members for other club activities. Midoriya was eating sushi while waiting on Komori, Yanagi was beside her tapping at her phone for when Kendo was done, and Kuroiro was waiting for him so they could meet with the Literature Club. The three occult members weren't paying them any mind but Juzo was brought back as someone answered his earlier question.
"Ever heard of a 'Fox Window' before?" Kamakiri asked while helping Tetsutetsu stretch and Juzo glanced over.
"Yeah, of course" he confirmed, "Isn't it that thing were you can supposedly see a yokai's true form?"
"Exactly!" Tetsutetsu grinned enthusiastically as if there was some plan to this.
"So..." Juzo urged, turning from them and quickly directing Komori on her technique as she gave a light shoulder massage to Kendo, and the mushroom girl gave a playful smirk.
"Aren't you curious if it would work?" Komori tried, still attending to Kendo, before pausing and putting a finger towards her grinning lips. "Say, on someone like Midoriya?"
While there were a few rumors circulating about Midoriya secretly being over 200 as well as something about a summoning circle, Juzo wasn't exactly convinced since he knew how tricky the fox girl could be. They were in the Broadcasting Club together so he regularly interacted with her and he himself was someone who took things in stride and played along well so he recognized that the tall girl was the same. That being said, a harmless little thing like a fox window wasn't going to cause any foul, especially not with Midoriya.
"See? You are curious!" Tetsutetsu piped back up and his gym buddy Kamakiri crossed his arms.
"It is kind of hard to tell if Midoriya has a quirk or is secretly a yokai," the mantis boy admitted reluctantly but their class rep finally chimed in.
"It's definitely got to be a quirk," Kendo stated firmly, taking the most logical explanation, but there was a hint of doubt there. "She's just teasing and playing along with you guys," she assured, likely on the same line of thinking as Juzo had been, but it was as if she was trying to convince herself more and the support man of the group interrupted with a soft clap of his hands.
"Well there's no harm in checking," Juzo reminded.
"Alright!" the metal student cheered and Kamakiri looked over to the brunette girl.
"So how do we do this, Komori?" he asked while said girl moved over to guide all of them along.
"First, make two fox faces with your hands and aim one forward and the other towards yourself," she directed, bringing her elbows in and her hands up while making the two faces and turning them and the other four followed her lead. "Then, turn your elbows out horizontally," she ordered, "cross the set of 'ears' from the outward looking face over the other one."
Juzo and the others did as they were told and Komori glanced them over to make sure everyone was doing it correctly before continuing.
"Now, undo the faces so your fingers lock while leaving a space to look through in the middle," the brunette explained slowly. "Finally, aim your 'window' at your target," she finished and the entire group did as they were told and lined their fox windows on Midoriya.
"See," Kendo proclaimed. "No...thing..." she trailed off with a hushed disbelief.
Where Midoriya had been was now occupied by a black furred kitsune sitting in her place as its three tails swayed behind it. Its maw moved as it chewed, showing off its sharp teeth, and its startling green eyes almost glowed against the black of its coat. The edges of the beast's fur also seemed to shift along like wisps of energy or flames flickering along its body and the group of students remained deathly quiet as they kept their gazes transfixed on their classmate's changed form. No one dared utter a peep as they collectively took in the reality of things but eventually they managed to pull their eyes away. The group shared a look before dropping the fox windows and staring back at Midoriya whose form returned to human once more in their eyes.
As Juzo predicted, there had been no harm but there certainly were now questions.
-break-
*Reiko POV*
"For what purpose were your brief illusions, Midoriya?" Reiko quietly inquired, unsure of what the greenette was up to now or what it had been since she didn't look, and her friend whispered back.
"Prank," she answered directly and their other member looked up from his book.
"Would you care to enlighten us further?" Kuroiro prodded but again there was only a shrug and a bare twitch of Midoriya's lips.
"It'll be a funny rumor later," she claimed and the two just hummed.
"I suppose we shall wait for that fruit to bear then," Reiko relented but a smirk touched her face as well.
She had no doubt of that.
[The Fitness Club. Honenuki Juzo, Kendo Itsuka, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, Komori Kinoko, and Kamakiri Togaru keep in shape through daily training.]
Notes and Stuff
I find it really funny to have Izumi mess with them just cause it's harmlessly entertaining. The fox window idea came from when I was browsing manga and stumbled upon one called 'Fox Window' that covers this premise. It's a short and amusing read.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and look forward to more updates from me!