The Day the World Opens

The morning of the dreaded interschool meet came far too early and far too fast for a groaning, moaning Mutsuki.

The Misfit Academy courtyard buzzed like a hive of anxious spirits as the eight yokai children huddled beneath the shrine’s torii gate, each wearing their newly approved uniforms and custom enchanted helmets. All were individually tailored to their species, sized by Youchan, reinforced by Maria, and stamped with the school’s fresh name: Torii Heart School.

Youchan had lined them up with military precision.

‘Children, please don’t throw the manners and discipline we learned these past weeks out the window the moment you see your favourite sportsman, like Ahtani or Yukki.’

Honey and Akashi screamed and howled. Most sportsmen in the current world were either confirmed to have yokai spirit, like in Honey’s case, or transforming-strength yokai, like in Akashi’s case. The kids were very excited and anxious to meet such icons and idols. Some of them had already written in their journals about how they planned to become popular yokai as well.

Mutsuki looked pointedly at Mon, Gon, and, to his surprise, Kojiro.

‘WHY ME?!’ Kojiro yelped. For someone who openly judged others, he was surprisingly sensitive when he was on the other side of the coin.

‘You three are active on Supergram,’ Mutsuki began. ‘I don’t keep up with popular people news, but I’m sure you do. You three there! No freaking out when you see someone barely popular.’

Kojiro snorted. ‘That’s my mother and her haiku. I don’t have Supergram.’

Mutsuki had, in fact, found Kojiro’s Supergram, where he posted photos with cute poem captions. This was something he was keeping close to his chest for when he needed a trump card over Kojiro in the future.

‘You’re the only popular one for me!’ Gon launched himself into Mutsuki’s arms for dramatic effect. ‘Sensei,’ he purred, deploying a charm spell.

‘You’re too young to try to charm me, Gon.’ Mutsuki set him back in line. ‘Good try.’

He looked over each of them, and together with Youchan, ran through final inspections.

Mon’s hat had been recoloured and hardened to match everyone’s helmet. Gon’s helmet had kitsune-ear-shaped handles he insisted were ‘aesthetic’. Sumire’s was a lacquered jade-green masterpiece, adorned with elegant floral charms that sparkled no matter the level of shade.

Akashi’s was matte black and somehow made him look like a delinquent bodyguard. Honey’s made him resemble a cheerful baby construction worker. Meow’s was too big and kept sliding over her eyes until Youchan adjusted it for the fourth time. Kishin’s was dented before they even left the courtyard. Kojiro’s was pristine, of course. He had likely polished it at dawn, while taking sunrise photos for his socials.

Over their uniforms, each child held onto an enchanted safety rope, spaced and knotted meticulously, reinforced with shrine blessings, clan signatures, and Maria’s bureaucratic paranoia.

Gon tugged his section with pride. Mon tugged back. Sumire glared at both. Kishin trembled. Akashi puffed out steam. Meow had already tripped once. Honey hummed happily. Kojiro practiced judgmental stares for later deployment.

Mutsuki stood in front of them, adjusting his sleeves and tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, hyping himself and getting ready to carry the hopes of the children staring at him as if he were their last connection to survival.

‘Alright,’ he breathed, gathering his courage. ‘Remember: we walk in as a group. We will be polite and quiet. No running. No transformations. No spells. No stealing. No seduction.’

Gon blinked. ‘No what?’

‘Don’t charm anyone.’

‘I don’t try to, Sensei. It’s a natural phenome—’

‘No flirting,’ Mutsuki repeated with grave finality.

Gon pouted.

Youchan hid a smile behind her sleeve as she tied the last knot. ‘Everyone ready?’

Eight heads nodded, radiating pure, weaponised chaos disguised as discipline. That was when Maria appeared behind them with the presence of an eldritch warning sign.

‘Kyaaa!’ Mutsuki shrieked. ‘Can you appear normally, Maria? You can’t just spawn anywhere. Why did I even teach you that skill?’

‘It’s the most useful thing you’ve ever done for me,’ she retorted.

Youchan bowed and reported promptly to Maria.

Maria folded her arms. ‘Your portal is calibrated. I’ll meet you inside. Do not, under any circumstances, break anything belonging to the Dragon Court, the Fox Embassy, the Spirit Idol Agency, the Tengu High Council, or the Kappa Preservation Society. If you damage political property, I will—’

Honey raised a hand. ‘What about free snacks?’

Maria did not look at him. She simply continued, ‘Eyes forward. Mouths closed. Hands on the rope. And for the love of all deities, behave.’

The children straightened instantly. Even Mon’s hat behaved.

‘Step through,’ she commanded.

The torii glowed. The air rippled. And the world shifted.

The courtyard dissolved into a cascade of warm light, pulling them all forward. Together walking, drifting, tumbling through a shimmer-tunnel buzzing with ancient magic. They emerged into a place that felt wider than space, deeper than sound.

The Hidden Campus.

Not a building. Not a yard. A whole sealed dimension tucked beneath Shinjuku Gyoen.

To humans outside the barrier? Nothing but fog, strange lighting patterns, and a permanent ‘Closed for Maintenance’ sign that had apparently been accepted without question for thirty years.

But inside? A world of yokai education.

Kitsune heirs glided across the grass in silk uniforms. Three-meter oni teens leaned against living tree roots. Child tengu glided effortlessly above the cherry blossoms. Dragon Court students swooped overhead, cloaks rippling with elemental magic. Water spirits rose and fell in crystalline arcs from the pond. A pair of phoenix twins burst into flames mid-argument. Lanterns drifted like stars, whispering ancient names.

The air vibrated with mix of power and auras. And the Misfits gasped as one.

Mon dropped his jaw. Gon fainted dramatically for half a second. Sumire straightened as if expecting people to applaud her entrance. Honey clapped gleefully. Akashi was already scanning the area for someone he could pick on. Meow hid behind Honey like a trembling kitty cat. Kishin whispered, ‘So many… strong yokai…’. Kojiro looked like destiny had finally delivered his stage.

Youchan tightened her hold on the rope before excitement could physically sweep anyone away. Mutsuki swallowed. The density of magic in the air pressed against his skin.

‘It’s beautiful…’ he murmured.

‘Yes,’ Youchan replied softly. ‘Before Tokyo existed, spirits gathered here. Humans built a garden over the vein. The Bureau sealed the true campus underneath.’

Other students began noticing them. They whispered while pointing. Obviously curious about the “Misfit class” they heard so much about.

‘Look,’ Gon hissed. ‘We’re being admired.’

‘We’re being observed,’ Kojiro corrected.

‘We’re being judged,’ Kishin whimpered.

Sumire tossed her hair. ‘They are dazzled. Obviously.’

Chaos arrived in waves.

A group of fox teens gasped like Gon was a celebrity child. The reason he was expelled from his last school was common knowledge among young kitsunes. Two oni twins waved at Kishin like he was adorable. A merfolk girl squealed when she spotted Honey. The actual spirit idol walked past with security, and Mon began vibrating so violently Youchan had to yank him back before he got arrested.

Mutsuki nearly lost consciousness from stress and erecting invisible barriers in the case a child runs. So far, nobody did.

A Bureau attendant approached, bowing politely. ‘Welcome, Torii Heart School. Your homeroom station is prepared. Please follow the main path.’

The children nodded in terrifying unison and good manners, for a change. Mutsuki sagged in relief. They moved together across the campus like a single rope-bound organism, full of awe and reverence.

Honey greeted everyone who looked at him. Akashi flexed aggressively whenever someone stronger walked by. Meow tried desperately not to bump into anything. Mon and Gon elbowed each other under the rope, technically following the rules. Sumire greeted high-ranking water spirits with royal dignity. Kishin bowed to everyone. Kojiro glared at anyone who dared glance at Youchan for too long.

Mutsuki watched them proudly.

His glance fall on Youchan. Beautiful, serene and graceful with the rope in hand like she was guiding a holy procession.

‘Hey,’ he whispered to her, leaning slightly closer. ‘Thank you. For helping me manage them. And… for being here.’

Her eyes widened faintly.

‘I’m always here,’ she murmured softly.

He blinked, startled by the warmth in her voice. But before either of them could say anything more, the rope lurched as Mon tripped over absolutely nothing, dragging Meow sideways into a phoenix student, who sighed literal flames.

Youchan exhaled. Mutsuki facepalmed.

Still, the class held their formation. Torii Heart School marched forward beneath the ancient sakura trees, toward the first great test of their young lives.

The interschool meet had officially begun.

And the Misfits were ready. Or at least determined, to survive it.