Mentioned Characters: Tojiko, Ichirin

Answering the desperate cries of cheerleaders in need, Soga no Tojiko found herself joining the cheer squad. Thanks to her ghostly body, she's incredibly light on her feet―or rather, her ghostly tails. Her daring routines have become especially popular with the youkai crowd, who love a good show.

"One, two, three, four!" Tojiko moved in perfect time, her motions light and snappy. Maybe it was because she was a ghost, but she looked almost weightless. Since she was already floating, she covered far more ground than the other cheerleaders with every move. The other girls couldn't help but stare at her performance, and before long, a small crowd had formed around her. "H-Hey, quit staring at me like that! I don't wanna be the center of attention!"

"Um...you know that move you did earlier? Could you show it to me one more time?" Ichirin, a fellow cheer squad rookie, called out to Tojiko. She was usually very composed, but her voice lacked its usual punch. That alone told Tojiko her practice hadn't been going well. (It's not exactly my job to look out for her...) With the competition drawing closer, Tojiko knew she should focus on polishing her own routine. But she figured she could spare a little time to help a squadmate. "Sure. I'll teach you how to do it. Let's run through it together."

Cheering Saga: Genso-Rig Showdown "Hey, could you teach me next?" "You're practicing the routine, right? Please let me join in!" Tojiko felt something was off. Whenever she showed off a move, people gathered. Even when she tried to practice alone, a crowd would somehow form around her. Ever since she'd become a cheerleader, she'd been constantly surrounded. She was still getting used to the outfit. Still getting used to the performances. She herself felt awkward about the whole thing. And yet, it seemed her natural instinct to look after others kept drawing people in. And so, once again, she helped them―all of them.

The day of the competition. The cheer squad's vibrant routine had the crowd fired up. Tojiko glanced around at her squadmates. One hadn't been able to get the steps right. One had struggled to stay in time. One had practiced more than anyone else. They had all looked worried in the build-up to the competition, but now, they were all smiling. Tojiko was smiling, too. She'd spent hours practicing with them, building their confidence. She didn't realize she'd been building her own confidence, too. The embarrassment she'd once felt about cheering in front of a crowd had vanished. She performed boldly, without fear. A roar of applause swelled through the venue, and her squadmates rushed together to share in the joy. Amid the cheers, another voice drifted in from the stands. "My, my. It looks like you've made even more friends."