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Ronin Warriors 1/2: Part 2
Sage groaned mentally as her two friends gaped at her. "It's not what it looks like, believe me it isn't," she stuttered. "It's not my fault, something happened in China—"
"I'll say it did, buddy," Ryo finally managed to choke out, approaching her cautiously. "So this is why you sounded so different on the phone!"
"Well, yeah . . ."
"And how could it not be what it looks like?" Wildfire continued with the same unavoidable forward advancement as his namesake. "I mean, Sage, look at you! You're a girl!"
"I-I think he's noticed that already, Ryo," Mia said, sitting down heavily on the couch. "Oh Sage, why didn't you tell us? We could have talked to you . . ."
"Talked to me about what?" For a moment Sage was utterly confused, wondering what the two were getting at. Then if possible, she blushed harder than before.
"That's not what I'm talking about! I didn't—I wouldn't—not on purpose!"
"Then explain these!"
And with that, Ryo yanked open Sage's shirt, revealing the two perfectly proportioned mounds there. Sage's violet eyes grew wide with rage and she immediately threw him across the room.
"Hands off, you hentai!"
As Ryo landed with a crash against the wall, Sage clutched the edges of her shirt to her and reopened the door. "Okay, you guys can come in now, it's going about as well as expected."
[Which really doesn't mean anything.] The large wooden sign that poked through the opening was preceded by a six-foot tall panda wearing a familiar yellow headband. A quick flip revealed the message on the other side. [You okay, Sage?]
"Fine, Kento, now get out of the doorway so the others can come in."
The panda obligingly moved aside, though its new sign said, [I dunno, you'd think Sai would want to stay out there, the way it's pouring.]
"Not in this form he doesn't," the blonde retorted back as the doorway was vacated. For a moment, Mia had to look around to find the next figure, since the size of the panda led one to expect another hulking brute shoving its way through the now minuscule looking portal.
Instead, a small, pitiful meow alerted her attention to a shivering mass of soggy fur as it slowly crept into the house, looking at her with big green eyes. The kitten's medium length coat was incidentally the same color as Sai's auburn hair, as it pushed along a light blue armor-orb along with its pink nose. It was absolutely adorable.
"S-sai?" Mia's heart plummeted as the kawaii little cat nodded with human like actions. "Oh dear god . . ."
A movement from the doorway riveted her attention on the last of the little parade: a walking pile of clothing. Or so it seemed, anyway. About two feet lower than she'd last remembered it being was a head of blue hair topping an almost-familiar face, sticking out from where an oversized t-shirt drooped and clung wetly to thin shoulders. The features were less lean, more child-like in nature, and the stream of obscenities cascading from the pouting mouth belied the fact that the kid looked ready to cry. The voice was an adolescent's treble, but with that same accent.
Sage shook her head at the darkly muttered oaths. "Got your armor?" she asked mildly. Chibi-Rowen stopped swearing for a second to show her the glittering blue sphere locked tightly in his fist.
Mia finally fainted.
==========
Sage sighed and picked up the kitten from where it had been cowering under a table, then ushered chibi-Rowen in front of her as they headed for the nearest bathroom.
[Told you it wouldn't work,] Kento commented as he followed the trio.
"Well I didn't hear you coming up with any better ideas, Ken!" Sage shot back as she turned on the hot water in the shower stall and shoved her two charges inside. The mental backlash rippled through the psychic link, the sensation of a previously locked closet opened up to the world: Sai's mind accepting that link once again. It was the direct opposite when one of the animal-cursed changed; the feeling of something put just out of reach, sensed but not accessible. Most of the time with only Rowen in his head for company, and Ryo out of reach, the past few days had been torture for Sage.
An instant later a naked Sai and a fully-grown, clothed, and sopping Rowen climbed back out, gratefully accepting the towels Kento handed them.
"Damn," Rowen said as he attempted to dry himself off. "And I don't think I need t' add any mo'ah."
"I agree with you, Ro," Sai muttered. "Damn."
Sage blinked. It wasn't often that he got to hear the gentle Torrent swear. "Kento, you go next, I'll be last." Sometimes having the kanji of Courtesy really sucked, but Sage couldn't find it in himself to begrudge Hardrock his quick shower.
Especially since the bathroom was beginning to smell strongly of wet panda.
Kento didn't need any further persuasion, almost shoving Rowen through the wall in his haste to get to the hot water. The archer yelped as he slipped on the slick tile floor, taking Sai down with him. Only a lucky dive by Sage saved both of them from cracking their heads on a surface harder than Kento's head; being the only one still in shoes, she had the traction to make such a catch whereas the others were in bare feet, most of their clothes left outside in the rain when they changed.
Kento came out dripping, shrugging apologetically as they glared at him. "Sorry, but you don't know how much wet fur sucks."
Sai glared at him while Rowen grumbled and tried to wring out his clothes. "I seriously can't see what ya like about wata, Sai."
"Nor I at the moment," Torrent admitted. "It was never a problem before China, you know that." He punctuated his sentence with another glare in Kento's direction.
"I said I was sorry! What more do you want?!"
"Stop it, you guys, and go get dressed." Sage shook her head as she moved to disrobe. "I'll be out in a minute; in the meantime, go see to Ryo and Mia." She looked at the floor. "I think I um, overreacted when Ryo, uh—"
"I heard all of it, Sage, even over the rain." Sai chuckled dryly, heading for the door. "Believe me, love, you didn't overreact."
As the rest of them left, Sage just shrugged and peeled her ruined shirt off her body, stepping into the blissfully hot shower. Once again the ancient magic came to life, instantly changing the female body to male. Sage sighed and rubbed a hand over his distinctly masculine chest, reveling in the sensation of not having that unfamiliar . . . weight there.
Thank god we got the secret of the change before Kento managed to flatten the Guide . . .
~Um, Sage?~ Rowen's careful inquiry was rather choked. ~ We got a slight situation he'a. ~
~What's wrong?~ Violet eyes sharpened with concentration as the blonde shut off the flow of hot water and groped for a fresh towel. Finding one, Sage gave his hair and body a quick once-over, before wrapping himself in the soft terrycloth and exiting the now steamy bathroom. ~Is it Ryo?~
~No . . .~
~Then what?~ Pushing open the door of his room, Sage flicked on the light, bathing his damp skin in golden radiance. ~Mia?~
~Kento's with both of them, he's reportin' nothing wrong.~ The repressed feeling was stronger in Rowen's mental voice, a hint of laughter threading its way through the cobalt blue sending.
~Then what?~ A little irritated, Sage pulled on some clean clothes and stalked over to Sai's room, where Rowen's end of the conversation was originating. ~Just tell me, Ro.~
~Nuh-uh, ya gotta see this one.~ Laughter, real laughter, bubbled out from behind the partially opened door, as Sage entered and quickly scanned the room.
Sai-koneko was sitting on the edge of the chest of drawers that held his beloved fish tank, staring into the glassy depths with an intense expression on his feline countenance. Emerald green eyes tracked the movement of various fish with hungry concentration.
Rowen was doubled up on the floor, gasping for breath. Sage raised an eyebrow even as he chuckled. "When did he change?" A quick double check revealed that yes, the corner of his mind that was usually filled with Sai's presence was once again blurred and shut off. In his distraction, he hadn't even noticed it.
"He accidentally splashed himself when he was tryin' to feed his fish." Rowen shrugged as he stood up. "Don't know how it happened, but it did."
"That's just weird." Sage paused as he eyed the rumpled shirt and jeans on the floor, white fabric of the former sporting a darker water stain. "We've all had the worst luck with water since China."
"Tell me 'bout it," Rowen sighed, fetching Sai from the dresser. The kitten meowed in protest, then started as he seemed to realize what he'd been doing. Sage had to laugh at the perfectly sheepish look on his face.
"C'mon, let's get you some hot water," Rowen told him as he swept out the door. "Again."
"Niow."
~owari Part 2~
Notes: *snicker* awwww. Sai-kitty sittin' in front of his fish tank . . . too cute! *holds off the Azusa-like instinct to grab Sai and scream "Francois! Francois!"*
So. We find out all the curses, and Ryo's gonna have a really big ouch when he wakes up. I mean, training notwithstanding, how much do you think it would hurt if you got thrown into a wall? By a pissed off Date Sage, no less. Though, he did have it coming to him. *grins as the masses groan at the overused line*
Originally, I was going to have Rowen's curse be Spring of Drowned Falcon or something along those lines, then decided it was too convenient. I mean, Kento's a panda, Sai's this adorable little kitty . . . fits the stereotypes of their personalities I've seen—and regretfully, used—too much. So, me being me, I decided to be contrary and give Rowen the chibi curse. And here's something: all of these curses do exist in the Ranmaverse, so I didn't have to make up something new. Go me. =^_^=
But just think: Sai with the Yeti-Riding-Bull-While-Carrying-Crane-And-Eel curse! *grins evilly*
Next part: the explanations come out, and plans are laid . . .