It was the last practice before the game. Kyle had so far shown no signs of planning to expose anything. He might have been aware that with Shiro on the team, their win was practically secured.

“He will most likely wait until after we win to say anything to the coach. Or is probably still looking for some sort of evidence. If we win, though, which we will if you perform even half as good as in practice, he may not even need hard evidence. He could plant doubt in the coach and the team, offer some half-arsed proof and that would be enough for him to get closer to the captain position.”

Him, Hendrick and Jacy were the only ones left in the locker room. The lights were all off, but Shiro could still clearly see them. Jacy was all dressed, only tying his shoelaces on a bench, while Hendrick, deep in thought trying to come up with a ‘game strategy’ as he called it, was taking an uncharacteristically slow time getting dressed.

“So do you suggest we do not win on the off-chance Kyle somehow convinces people of something that isn’t even true?”

“Yes, if that means covering up the real reason why we could have won.”

“Come on, Hendrick, give us more credit. We could win even without Shiro.”

“No, you couldn’t. Statistically speaking, of course.”

There were times when him asserting his superiority was seen as vanity. What most did not understand was that he was merely stating the truth. That people read more into his words could not be helped, he supposed, but this did often mean that his attempts to blend in rarely proved successful. This time, however, his last try, it seemed that he had found the right people. Jacy might have liked to scoff at him from time to time, but would simultaneously defend him if anyone else judged him for his attitude, while Hendrick, despite their tense dynamic, was never too prideful to admit what was true. And Shiro being above everyone else, at least on the field, was very much a fact.

“Then what do you propose?”

He had considered this before, figured out the best way to go about it – or at least his favorite solution - so he was prepared to answer Hendrick’s question. He just wasn’t sure if they would think as highly of his plan as he did.

“We can loose and still make it to the next round. As long as we get to the destination, who cares if we choose the road less taken?”

***

Competing was thrilling for a number of reasons. First, all senses had to be employed and used at full capacity. From the moment the sound of the horn signals the start of the game, to the lights on the field illuminating the moving players against the night. Second, it reminded Shiro of hunting. 2 minutes into the game and he already knew the weaknesses of his opponents. He intended to make the most out of that information, but not for his team’s victory. He had to start light, however. He couldn’t just ‘half-arse’ it (to quote the Brit) after being flawless during practice. The first half, then, went exactly as expected, with him and his team dominating the field and Kyle watching him much like he watches his prey.

And he was watching his pray indeed, looking for a guy to play the main part in the carefully-constructed scenario. He had to admit that, while revealing his identity was not ideal, he knew he could find ways to undo it. Erasing memories was a skill he often loved to use. But the others didn’t know that, nor did they need to, simply because he found it more fun to plot and scheme. After all, it was what he had been doing his whole life: creating elaborate illusions, altering people’s realities. This was no different, only less magic was involved.

“12 o’clock,” he indicated to Hendrick as they gathered during the break. “Tall, blond, easy-going. Athletic, but lacks the intellect to play tactically. He’s our guy.”

The two were joined by Jacy who seemed to have heard what Shiro whispered. They noticed Nik waving from the stands. He got down and Hendrick updated him on the situation. Shiro was listening to their exchange, but his eyes were rather focused on the cheering team as they performed their break time number. While cheerleading and football (soccer for some) was an unusual combination, he was thankful for whoever allowed it to happen because Iv and the others were fantastic.

“Hey, so what type of kitsune are you? Jabari told me there were like a bunch of them.”

 “Kukan kitsune. Dark. Ironic, considering my name means ‘white’. They may often be considered evil, but I for one have tried to be good for so long. Some are indeed kind by nature despite being associated with the darkness. I, however, sometimes find it hard to be good.”

He expected fear, and was surprised to find he dreaded it. He looked as if he wasn’t paying attention, but all his senses were attuned to the three boys and ready to catch any sign of it. But there was none. Instead, he got what felt like permission to reveal himself truly, and that from the student vice-president himself, the only person he had ever allowed himself to be tricked by:

“You don’t have to be good tonight. Or any other night from now on, as long as you’re with us.”

***

Before the start of the second half, he approached the guy, who also happened to be the rival team’s captain. No one would bat an eye if the two captains were exchanging words. At least the guy knew to keep it all polite, just like he was doing.

“Hey, man, all good?”

“Yeah, but I figured since you’re a bit behind us, you might use an advantage if you know what I mean. At the start of the game, I can loosen up a bit. You might be able to tackle me then…if you use enough force.”

As a born trickster, he knew that the secret to making people do his bidding was to appeal to their greatest weakness. Shiro figured that a guy like him was almost entirely dependent on his athletic abilities and any insult to those meant an insult to his ego – the universal weakness. He wasn’t certain he would take the bait, but he figured by the way his face had fallen after their exchange that he had at least hit a nerve.

And wouldn’t you know it, as soon as the game started again, he could smell the rage pouring off of the guy. He muted all his instinct that would have helped him defend himself against the incoming attack and just waited for the incoming fault. And when it came, he used all the antics that made Jacy call him dramatic on a daily basis. He made sure to twist the shoulder he fell on in a way that looks anything but natural and with that, he was out of the game. He made sure to look for Kyle’s reaction and as expected, he was shocked. Still, he was most likely cheering on the inside at the prospect of being the star on the field and winning it all. However, that was not the plan.

The guy was allowed back on the field, much as they hoped would happen. Their plan was working, but scheming can only take you so far. From then on, magic had to be involved.

Possessing someone was like walking in a different building. He hadn’t left his ‘home’ in a long time, but it still felt natural. He would not remember as clearly his actions after returning from the boy’s body, but he knew to expect two things. One, he would fall unconscious. Two, the rival player would be as skilled as Shiro on the field.

***

Come with me.  

When he woke up again in his own body, the game was already over. They lost. He could see Kyle’s barely contained anger, as well as the disappointment in the other player’s faces. The guy he had possessed on the other hand was hailed and celebrated as the star of the game, as he probably would have been if not for the plan.

Speaking of which, Hendrick and Jacy had gotten out of sight as soon as the game ended. He couldn’t spot the others, either. While Phase 1 of the plan was his doing, Hendrick assured him that they had Phase 2 under control. He could only trust them and do as he was instructed.

Join me.

He recognized the voice, though he had never heard it quite like this before. It was like a siren call, similar maybe in its tone inflection to when Svea invited him to the ball, yet it now seemed almost inhuman.

It’s okay. I know a place.

The only thing he was told was that he should be in his fox form. Yellow eyes, four tails, dark red fur. Just like when he revealed himself to them for the first time, he strolled down the dark hallways towards the gym, ears attuned to the voice leading him there. Him and another person. Those words were as much for him as they were for the boy who he had taunted and possessed. Right at that moment, he smelled of lust and adrenaline from the win, a dangerous combination.

Even before stepping into the room, his eyes zeroed in on the two, Svea caged in against the wall by the nameless guy. And even in the utter darkness, he clearly distinguished his hand dragging up her thigh. So when she said ‘stop’, he once again understood it was directed at both, except for him ‘stop’ meant ‘go’. Running at full speed and baring his teeth, he jumped on the boy’s back, claws out. Svea ducked just in time, while the two tumbled down. The loud scream pierced the silence. He detached himself from the boy, hissing just for good measure and watched him scramble out of the room. He wanted to go at it again, but Svea’s quiet ‘hide’ made him snap out of the predator headspace he got in.

He went into the bleachers and shifted back to his human form, fully aware that there was another presence in there. He stalled, wanting to experience the smell of blood and hyacinths in his fox form and not in its diluted form as his human body would have perceived it. However, he saw from the corner of his eyes that the guy never made it out of the gym, as his exit was blocked by Kyle, with Hendrick and Jacy right in tow. He wasted no more time and shifted, feeling Iv approach his naked form. She covered him with his jersey and handed him his other clothes as well.

“Just in time for the show,” she whispered in his ear.

They sneaked in closer to the entrance, where Shiro saw that Nik and Jabari were also hiding. They all watched as the guy, trembling and crying, tried to convince Kyle that a fox had attacked him.

“There is no fox, are you sure that’s what you saw?”

“He’s mad, truly mad! I told him to stop but he didn’t! Maybe he hit his head when I pushed him, but he was acting crazy way before that!”

The three guys turned their eyes and saw Svea, crying and holding herself, truly putting on an excellent performance. From seductress to victim, Shiro had to admit that she rivalled some of the best kitsune he had met.

“He looks like he’s on something, you should go check his bag,” suggested Hendrick. The line could have been delivered more smoothly, but Shiro appreciated the attempt. He was more curious anyway to know how, if they had indeed, planted any such evidence, as the guy was clearly not the type to do drugs.

The irony of the situation was also hard to miss, most likely for Kyle, who was hoping for such an outcome, though not from the opposing team’s star player. He nevertheless did his duty and dragged the guy out with him, probably to check for substances in the locker room, despite the boy’s repeated pleas that he would do no such thing.

“You can come out now.”

They all rose to the bleachers. Before anyone had a chance to get a word in, he approached Hendrick, who he guessed was the mastermind behind this little show.

“Explain yourself.” Judging by his laugh, Shiro figured he was right in his assumption.

“Svea was kind enough to let me know that in our neighboring forest there grows a plant very similar in looks to what people will think that guy is on. Sneaking in to plant the evidence while she lured him in was easy enough, as the other players from the guy’s team were scheduled to take to the showers before us. Now our hope, much like Kyle’s before the game dare I say, was that the guy’s flawless and frankly improbable performance on the field, combined with the fabricated evidence, would be enough to warrant for an immediate disqualification and thus for our team’s advancing in the tournament. I expect Kyle will come in bearing the good news any time now, so congrats to us!”

They all started cheering. It became clear to Shiro then that this was not really about protecting his identity, as, even if Kyle resorted to something similar and planted evidence, it would be hard to draw any evidence. And losing the position was also not detrimental to him. When they had found out about Svea, the panic felt real, because she accidentally hurt someone. This was different, definitely not accidental. This was them letting themselves go, causing chaos in their wake. And it was just the beginning.