PoT Fic: Recombinant Chapter 3
I've decided to post this a little sooner than I was planning to. This is a rather long story with an actual plot, and so it doesn't start out as quickly as some stories do. So, I'm posting the first few chapters quicker in hopes that it will be more attention catching. Honestly, I'm kind of bummed by the glaring lack of readers. Even my plotless, pairingless 600 word Saiyuki ficlet and my PG-rated Star Wars prequel trilogy fics with an unpopular pairing have gotten more reviews in one chapter than this whole fic has so far. ^^; And since I know my writing style hasn't suddenly gotten worse, I guess it must be the way I write Tenipuri characters specifically. A depressing thought, since I'm pretty happy with how I write them and don't think I could change my style that drastically even if I tried. Sigh.
Title: Recombinant
Author: Dolly (universal_doll)
Rating: PG to PG-13
Characters: Echizen, Tezuka, Fuji (primary); Tachibana An, Tachibana Kippei, Momoshiro (secondary); and the rest of Seigaku.
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, AU (or rather, Alternate History/Timeline)
Summary: “Why couldn't you have been magical girls?”
Previous: Full Story Notes and Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2
New:
Chapter 3
Ryoma looked at Ann in utter horror, and took a step back in the small public restroom that she'd shoved him into to change in at the park.
“No,” he said flatly, eyeing the clothes in her hands warily.
“Well, you can't go around in public in that! You don't want anyone to notice you, but a girl in a boy's school uniform just looks weird,” she told him. “And if you try to pass for a boy, then you'll look almost like you normally do. And then what if someone you know sees you, hmm?” She said pointedly, hands on her hips.
Ryoma let out a small, defeated sigh. He really, really didn't want to wear that horrifyingly cute thing that An called a school uniform. But he wanted to be discovered even less, and he had to admit that An was probably right. Dressing as a girl was the best way to avoid anyone recognizing him, however terrible a prospect it was.
“Fine,” he said resignedly, taking the clothes from An. He took off his uniform pants and shirt and pulled the loathed garments on hastily, reluctantly allowing An to fasten the navy-trimmed sailor top for him.
An gave him a critical look. “It's kind of big, but it'll do,” she said approvingly, and then began to root around for something in her bag. “Now pull up your socks.” As Ryoma bent down and did as she said, An cried out, “Ah, here it is.” A red neck kerchief dangled between her fingers, and she thrust it into his hands. “Can't forget this!” Ryoma looked at it dubiously, then back at An.
“Go ahead, put it on!” she prompted. “No self-respecting girl goes around in her uniform without the tie,” she explained. “You'll just make yourself stand out if you don't wear it.”
Ryoma scowled. “Fine.” Though he had his doubts as to his friend's motives, he allowed her to put the thing around his neck anyway, as his annoying hair got in the way too much for him to manage it himself the first time.
“Since you're dressing me up as a girl, don't I get to put my hair in a ponytail or something?”
An looked thoughtful for a moment. “No,” she said decisively “Your long hair makes you look more feminine, and helps hide your face from the side. But don't worry, you look super cute! I'm sure no one would ever recognize you.” An flashed him a grin. “Its a good thing I changed into my tennis clothes after school today so you could wear my uniform.”
Ryoma did not agree; even An's tennis dress would have been better than her sailor fuku. “I hate being a girl,” he grumbled, and allowed An to pull him outside. She latched onto his arm, then, and led him out of the park, looking far too cheerful for his taste. As they entered the more crowded underground train station, Ryoma became increasingly aware of how embarrassed he was, and it took all of his willpower to resist the urge to hide behind his slightly taller female friend.
“Oh! I'd better call home, just in case someone's there.” An pulled out her phone while they waited and began to dial, which reminded Ryoma that he should call his house as well. Taking out his own phone, he dialed and listened to the rings, hoping that Nanako would be the one to pick up. Luck was with him, and his cousin was the one to answer. And though he wasn't sure what she thought about the arrangement, she did agree to cover for him.
Ryoma stared blankly at his phone for a moment after she hung up, and wondered if Nanako really would keep the promise she had first made to him. And if it would even be necessary, anyway.
As if sensing his down turning mood, An gave him an encouraging smile. “Don't look so down, Ryo-chan! Let's go get some burgers, my treat.”
Ryoma shook his head. “I'm not hungry.”
“Well, its close to dinner anyway. We usually get take-out, I can call for some when we get home . . .” An trailed off abruptly, and unceremoniously yanked Ryoma back behind one of the support pillars. He was about to protest, until An hissed, “Tezuka's here!” Ryoma looked up in surprise, and unintentionally caught sight of said senpai before ducking his head down. An grabbed his hand, leading him to the other side of the platform, but Ryoma knew that Tezuka had seen him. Risking a glance back, their eyes met for a moment, and for the first time in his life Ryoma was grateful to be swallowed up in a crowd.
~*~
Air whirled and sparked on the ledge of his balcony, and Orias watched with anticipation as a small feline form materialized on it. Reaching his hand out, he stroked the small ball of energy, all the while listening to its report.
“Poor kit, did the little tenshi send you away?” He smiled amusedly. “I suppose you won't do anymore for that job, though I'm very glad that you found her for me.” He had known that her presence would manifest itself soon after the initial ceremony, though she had been unbelievably difficult to find. That she had another form to mask her true self and aura was unfortunate, as she could very well be impossible to track down while in it. But his little watcher had seen her other form, so while she couldn't be tracked down by magical means while in it she would be far from unfindable. “Let the game begin,” he murmured, and then directed further inquiries to the creature.
The news it brought him was good. The first point had gone down marvelously; but then, he'd expected no less from Mara. Only four more to go before the center . . .
~*~ *~
“Tadaima!” An called as she stepped through the front door. Toeing off her shoes, she placed them in the cubby and stepped into a pair of slippers, and indicated that her guest do the same.
Though Ryoma had visited her house once before when 'it' had first happened more than a week ago, the younger tennis player still looked somewhat uncomfortable here. Though An suspected that the uneasiness was probably due more to the fact that he was in girl form again than anything else. She wasn't quite sure how, but whatever had caused Ryoma to change had happened again, and though it was not permanent it seemed to take a full day before he could change back. This time, though, it must have been something more than a deranged looking cat that had caused him to change, as Ryoma had come to her sporting several livid bruises on his pale face and arms. But An didn't mind having Ryoma as a house guest at all. Despite his quiet, somewhat prickly temperament, she found his company a refreshing change from her usual girlfriends.
Smiling, An motioned him - her? -- into the rest of the house, which at first glance appeared empty. Ryoma sat down stiffly beside her on the sofa, and then, to An's surprise, asked if she wanted to do their English homework together. English had never been her best subject, and she accepted gratefully.
“I'll just go get us some snacks first,” she told him, rising.
An padded into the kitchen, and her jaw dropped at the sight that greeted her.
“Oh, hello, An-chan,” her mother said, smiling brightly as she looked up from the vegetables she was chopping. “I didn't hear you come in! How was your day?”
“Okasan! You're home,” Ann said disbelievingly. “And is that dinner you're making?” Being a successful businesswoman, her mother worked long hours and was rarely home to spend time with her family, let alone to cook for them.
“We closed that big account ahead of schedule today, and since you and your brother will both be home early I thought we could all have dinner together. And didn't you say you were bringing a friend home?” she asked, dumping the pile of vegetables into a simmering pot. Despite her apparent absence from her children's lives, Tachibana Junko insisted that they call and leave her phone messages at work to let her know what they were doing. Since their father was away so often on business, An appreciated the sentiment.
“Uh-huh! She's in the living room.” An replied. The kitchen door swung open then, and bright golden eyes peeked in and looked inquiringly between An and her mother. “Ah, I didn't forget about you, Ryo-chan!” An assured him, figuring that Ryoma had probably wondered where she'd disappeared to. “Okasan, this is my friend Ryo-chan; Ryo-chan, this is my mother.” An introduced them, feeling both pleased and apprehensive about the meeting. But, knowing her mother's rampant but under-utilized maternal instincts, her accepting Ryoma into their house would not be an issue. And if this little problem of Ryoma's continued, that would definitely be a good thing.
“Oh, you're so cute!” her mother exclaimed, and An grinned. “It's nice to meet you, Ryo-chan,” she said kindly. “Please make yourself at home.”
“Thank you, Tachibana-san,” Ryoma replied politely, averting his gaze. An still couldn't get over how strange it was seeing him as a girl like this. Somehow, the same traits that seemed standoffish and rude in him as a boy only made him seem withdrawn and shy when he was a girl, especially since he was so embarrassed to be one.
“Please, call me Junko!” She beamed. “There are too many Tachibanas in this house for formalities.”
Ryoma nodded, and then left the kitchen as An suggested that he put his bag upstairs. An frowned then, as she was reminded that her brother would be home soon. An had managed to not have the two meet the last time Ryoma had visited, but it looked like it would be inevitable this time. “Okasan, is aniki going to have dinner with us too?”
“Yes, Kippei-kun will be coming home early today as well,” Junko confirmed. “But don't worry, I'm sure he'll get along just fine with your friend, she's such a sweet girl! Poor thing looks like she could use a steady environment, and goodness knows how Kippei can be so protective of anything that he thinks needs it,” she remarked.
Poor thing? What did her mother mean by that? Ryoma was rather small as a girl, but that couldn't be it . . . suddenly, comprehension dawned on An as she realized how Ryoma must look to someone who didn't know him otherwise. They would see only a thin, delicate-looking girl with bruises, wearing borrowed clothing and seeming painfully shy. An nearly sighed aloud, but figured, at least, that there was no way her family would ever refuse to let Ryoma stay if that's what they thought of him.
Excusing herself from the kitchen, An went upstairs to her bedroom and worked on her English with Ryoma, who proved to be quite helpful despite his seeming intolerance for mistakes. Dinner came all too quickly, and An observed anxiously as her brother turned a critical eye on Ryoma. Ryoma, for his part, simply ignored Kippei after their brief introduction, though fortunately his behavior probably came across as shyness rather than rudeness.
Her mother spoke animatedly with her and her brother, also trying to draw Ryoma into the conversation at times with little success. An had to hand it to Ryoma; he certainly could be evasive. It was nothing short of a miracle that he had managed to tell An's mother virtually nothing about himself besides a first name. And judging by the way Kippei was looking at Ryoma, he had taken note of this too, and looked more than slightly curious.
“An, why don't you come help me in the kitchen?” her mother said with a smile as she stood up and began to clear the table. Whenever Junko cooked, An always helped her clean up, and she cherished the time alone with her mother. She was more than a little nervous about leaving her brother and Ryoma alone, though.
“I can help,” Ryoma spoke up, perhaps feeling the same.
“Nonsense!” Junko brushed off his offer. “An and I can take care of it. Come on, sweetie,” With a helpless shrug, An followed her mother to the kitchen, reluctantly leaving the two boys alone.
~*~
Tick - tock - tick -
The room was pleasantly silent, save for the ticking of the Tachibana family's grandfather clock. Though Ryoma had the unpleasant notion that it might not stay that way for long, if the looks Tachibana was giving him were any indication. Excusing himself, he stood up and started for the stairs, sure that An wouldn't mind if he made a quick escape without her.
“Did you know,” Tachibana began, and Ryoma's footsteps slowed. “That with a little practice, some people can see auras?” Tachibana paused, and Ryoma stopped with his back turned. “I was never one of them. But I can still see yours; you have beautiful wings.”
Ryoma stiffened and remained silent, not liking where this line of thought was going at all.
“What are you?” Tachibana asked boldly, and though his tone was challenging Ryoma could hear undercurrents of uncertainty in his voice. Ryoma's eyes narrowed as he turned to face the other boy, but his face quickly resumed its usual impassive expression as he decided that Tachibana was no threat to him. Even if he had somehow noticed something unusual about 'Ryo-chan', he certainly didn't know what was going on -- even Ryoma didn't know that. But still, he figured that Tachibana would be easier to deal with if he knew that his little sister's new friend wasn't a threat.
“Nothing you need to be worried about,” Ryoma answered smartly. “After all, I'm just another person, like you.”
Tachibana's expression relaxed slightly at this, though the concern had not left his face. “I see,” he replied thoughtfully. Satisfied, Ryoma started back towards An's room, but faltered as Tachibana's strong voice followed him up the stairs.
“You draw attention to yourself, just by existing as you do,” came his quiet warning. “You should be careful.”
Ryoma quickened his pace, unnerved by Tachibana's words. And if someone as normal seeming as a junior high tennis player noticed something strange about him . . . who else was out there that would too?
~*~*~
Japanese Vocabulary:
tadaima - announcing that you're home
okasan - mother
aniki - older brother
oniichan - affectionate name to call your brother
Chapter 3 Notes:
This chapter may have seemed a little long-winded, but I really felt the need to explain why Ryoma behaves the way he does as a girl (and how he could possibly be convinced to put on a skirt!), and how he is perceived based on his behavior vs. how he actually is. I'm really trying to keep him in character!
A word on pronouns: I will be using male pronouns to refer to Ryoma in girl form in scenes that are from Ryoma's POV, or from the POV of someone who knows who Ryoma really is.
Fudomine girls' uniform consists of a navy blue pleated skirt, a white sailor top with navy blue trim, and a red neck kerchief, as seen in episode 53 of the anime.
I have no idea what the Tachibana family dynamic is like, so I completely made that part up to suit my purposes.
*gives hugs and cookies to her few but appreciated readers*
Title: Recombinant
Author: Dolly (universal_doll)
Rating: PG to PG-13
Characters: Echizen, Tezuka, Fuji (primary); Tachibana An, Tachibana Kippei, Momoshiro (secondary); and the rest of Seigaku.
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, AU (or rather, Alternate History/Timeline)
Summary: “Why couldn't you have been magical girls?”
Previous: Full Story Notes and Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2
New:
Chapter 3
Ryoma looked at Ann in utter horror, and took a step back in the small public restroom that she'd shoved him into to change in at the park.
“No,” he said flatly, eyeing the clothes in her hands warily.
“Well, you can't go around in public in that! You don't want anyone to notice you, but a girl in a boy's school uniform just looks weird,” she told him. “And if you try to pass for a boy, then you'll look almost like you normally do. And then what if someone you know sees you, hmm?” She said pointedly, hands on her hips.
Ryoma let out a small, defeated sigh. He really, really didn't want to wear that horrifyingly cute thing that An called a school uniform. But he wanted to be discovered even less, and he had to admit that An was probably right. Dressing as a girl was the best way to avoid anyone recognizing him, however terrible a prospect it was.
“Fine,” he said resignedly, taking the clothes from An. He took off his uniform pants and shirt and pulled the loathed garments on hastily, reluctantly allowing An to fasten the navy-trimmed sailor top for him.
An gave him a critical look. “It's kind of big, but it'll do,” she said approvingly, and then began to root around for something in her bag. “Now pull up your socks.” As Ryoma bent down and did as she said, An cried out, “Ah, here it is.” A red neck kerchief dangled between her fingers, and she thrust it into his hands. “Can't forget this!” Ryoma looked at it dubiously, then back at An.
“Go ahead, put it on!” she prompted. “No self-respecting girl goes around in her uniform without the tie,” she explained. “You'll just make yourself stand out if you don't wear it.”
Ryoma scowled. “Fine.” Though he had his doubts as to his friend's motives, he allowed her to put the thing around his neck anyway, as his annoying hair got in the way too much for him to manage it himself the first time.
“Since you're dressing me up as a girl, don't I get to put my hair in a ponytail or something?”
An looked thoughtful for a moment. “No,” she said decisively “Your long hair makes you look more feminine, and helps hide your face from the side. But don't worry, you look super cute! I'm sure no one would ever recognize you.” An flashed him a grin. “Its a good thing I changed into my tennis clothes after school today so you could wear my uniform.”
Ryoma did not agree; even An's tennis dress would have been better than her sailor fuku. “I hate being a girl,” he grumbled, and allowed An to pull him outside. She latched onto his arm, then, and led him out of the park, looking far too cheerful for his taste. As they entered the more crowded underground train station, Ryoma became increasingly aware of how embarrassed he was, and it took all of his willpower to resist the urge to hide behind his slightly taller female friend.
“Oh! I'd better call home, just in case someone's there.” An pulled out her phone while they waited and began to dial, which reminded Ryoma that he should call his house as well. Taking out his own phone, he dialed and listened to the rings, hoping that Nanako would be the one to pick up. Luck was with him, and his cousin was the one to answer. And though he wasn't sure what she thought about the arrangement, she did agree to cover for him.
Ryoma stared blankly at his phone for a moment after she hung up, and wondered if Nanako really would keep the promise she had first made to him. And if it would even be necessary, anyway.
As if sensing his down turning mood, An gave him an encouraging smile. “Don't look so down, Ryo-chan! Let's go get some burgers, my treat.”
Ryoma shook his head. “I'm not hungry.”
“Well, its close to dinner anyway. We usually get take-out, I can call for some when we get home . . .” An trailed off abruptly, and unceremoniously yanked Ryoma back behind one of the support pillars. He was about to protest, until An hissed, “Tezuka's here!” Ryoma looked up in surprise, and unintentionally caught sight of said senpai before ducking his head down. An grabbed his hand, leading him to the other side of the platform, but Ryoma knew that Tezuka had seen him. Risking a glance back, their eyes met for a moment, and for the first time in his life Ryoma was grateful to be swallowed up in a crowd.
~*~
Air whirled and sparked on the ledge of his balcony, and Orias watched with anticipation as a small feline form materialized on it. Reaching his hand out, he stroked the small ball of energy, all the while listening to its report.
“Poor kit, did the little tenshi send you away?” He smiled amusedly. “I suppose you won't do anymore for that job, though I'm very glad that you found her for me.” He had known that her presence would manifest itself soon after the initial ceremony, though she had been unbelievably difficult to find. That she had another form to mask her true self and aura was unfortunate, as she could very well be impossible to track down while in it. But his little watcher had seen her other form, so while she couldn't be tracked down by magical means while in it she would be far from unfindable. “Let the game begin,” he murmured, and then directed further inquiries to the creature.
The news it brought him was good. The first point had gone down marvelously; but then, he'd expected no less from Mara. Only four more to go before the center . . .
~*~ *~
“Tadaima!” An called as she stepped through the front door. Toeing off her shoes, she placed them in the cubby and stepped into a pair of slippers, and indicated that her guest do the same.
Though Ryoma had visited her house once before when 'it' had first happened more than a week ago, the younger tennis player still looked somewhat uncomfortable here. Though An suspected that the uneasiness was probably due more to the fact that he was in girl form again than anything else. She wasn't quite sure how, but whatever had caused Ryoma to change had happened again, and though it was not permanent it seemed to take a full day before he could change back. This time, though, it must have been something more than a deranged looking cat that had caused him to change, as Ryoma had come to her sporting several livid bruises on his pale face and arms. But An didn't mind having Ryoma as a house guest at all. Despite his quiet, somewhat prickly temperament, she found his company a refreshing change from her usual girlfriends.
Smiling, An motioned him - her? -- into the rest of the house, which at first glance appeared empty. Ryoma sat down stiffly beside her on the sofa, and then, to An's surprise, asked if she wanted to do their English homework together. English had never been her best subject, and she accepted gratefully.
“I'll just go get us some snacks first,” she told him, rising.
An padded into the kitchen, and her jaw dropped at the sight that greeted her.
“Oh, hello, An-chan,” her mother said, smiling brightly as she looked up from the vegetables she was chopping. “I didn't hear you come in! How was your day?”
“Okasan! You're home,” Ann said disbelievingly. “And is that dinner you're making?” Being a successful businesswoman, her mother worked long hours and was rarely home to spend time with her family, let alone to cook for them.
“We closed that big account ahead of schedule today, and since you and your brother will both be home early I thought we could all have dinner together. And didn't you say you were bringing a friend home?” she asked, dumping the pile of vegetables into a simmering pot. Despite her apparent absence from her children's lives, Tachibana Junko insisted that they call and leave her phone messages at work to let her know what they were doing. Since their father was away so often on business, An appreciated the sentiment.
“Uh-huh! She's in the living room.” An replied. The kitchen door swung open then, and bright golden eyes peeked in and looked inquiringly between An and her mother. “Ah, I didn't forget about you, Ryo-chan!” An assured him, figuring that Ryoma had probably wondered where she'd disappeared to. “Okasan, this is my friend Ryo-chan; Ryo-chan, this is my mother.” An introduced them, feeling both pleased and apprehensive about the meeting. But, knowing her mother's rampant but under-utilized maternal instincts, her accepting Ryoma into their house would not be an issue. And if this little problem of Ryoma's continued, that would definitely be a good thing.
“Oh, you're so cute!” her mother exclaimed, and An grinned. “It's nice to meet you, Ryo-chan,” she said kindly. “Please make yourself at home.”
“Thank you, Tachibana-san,” Ryoma replied politely, averting his gaze. An still couldn't get over how strange it was seeing him as a girl like this. Somehow, the same traits that seemed standoffish and rude in him as a boy only made him seem withdrawn and shy when he was a girl, especially since he was so embarrassed to be one.
“Please, call me Junko!” She beamed. “There are too many Tachibanas in this house for formalities.”
Ryoma nodded, and then left the kitchen as An suggested that he put his bag upstairs. An frowned then, as she was reminded that her brother would be home soon. An had managed to not have the two meet the last time Ryoma had visited, but it looked like it would be inevitable this time. “Okasan, is aniki going to have dinner with us too?”
“Yes, Kippei-kun will be coming home early today as well,” Junko confirmed. “But don't worry, I'm sure he'll get along just fine with your friend, she's such a sweet girl! Poor thing looks like she could use a steady environment, and goodness knows how Kippei can be so protective of anything that he thinks needs it,” she remarked.
Poor thing? What did her mother mean by that? Ryoma was rather small as a girl, but that couldn't be it . . . suddenly, comprehension dawned on An as she realized how Ryoma must look to someone who didn't know him otherwise. They would see only a thin, delicate-looking girl with bruises, wearing borrowed clothing and seeming painfully shy. An nearly sighed aloud, but figured, at least, that there was no way her family would ever refuse to let Ryoma stay if that's what they thought of him.
Excusing herself from the kitchen, An went upstairs to her bedroom and worked on her English with Ryoma, who proved to be quite helpful despite his seeming intolerance for mistakes. Dinner came all too quickly, and An observed anxiously as her brother turned a critical eye on Ryoma. Ryoma, for his part, simply ignored Kippei after their brief introduction, though fortunately his behavior probably came across as shyness rather than rudeness.
Her mother spoke animatedly with her and her brother, also trying to draw Ryoma into the conversation at times with little success. An had to hand it to Ryoma; he certainly could be evasive. It was nothing short of a miracle that he had managed to tell An's mother virtually nothing about himself besides a first name. And judging by the way Kippei was looking at Ryoma, he had taken note of this too, and looked more than slightly curious.
“An, why don't you come help me in the kitchen?” her mother said with a smile as she stood up and began to clear the table. Whenever Junko cooked, An always helped her clean up, and she cherished the time alone with her mother. She was more than a little nervous about leaving her brother and Ryoma alone, though.
“I can help,” Ryoma spoke up, perhaps feeling the same.
“Nonsense!” Junko brushed off his offer. “An and I can take care of it. Come on, sweetie,” With a helpless shrug, An followed her mother to the kitchen, reluctantly leaving the two boys alone.
~*~
Tick - tock - tick -
The room was pleasantly silent, save for the ticking of the Tachibana family's grandfather clock. Though Ryoma had the unpleasant notion that it might not stay that way for long, if the looks Tachibana was giving him were any indication. Excusing himself, he stood up and started for the stairs, sure that An wouldn't mind if he made a quick escape without her.
“Did you know,” Tachibana began, and Ryoma's footsteps slowed. “That with a little practice, some people can see auras?” Tachibana paused, and Ryoma stopped with his back turned. “I was never one of them. But I can still see yours; you have beautiful wings.”
Ryoma stiffened and remained silent, not liking where this line of thought was going at all.
“What are you?” Tachibana asked boldly, and though his tone was challenging Ryoma could hear undercurrents of uncertainty in his voice. Ryoma's eyes narrowed as he turned to face the other boy, but his face quickly resumed its usual impassive expression as he decided that Tachibana was no threat to him. Even if he had somehow noticed something unusual about 'Ryo-chan', he certainly didn't know what was going on -- even Ryoma didn't know that. But still, he figured that Tachibana would be easier to deal with if he knew that his little sister's new friend wasn't a threat.
“Nothing you need to be worried about,” Ryoma answered smartly. “After all, I'm just another person, like you.”
Tachibana's expression relaxed slightly at this, though the concern had not left his face. “I see,” he replied thoughtfully. Satisfied, Ryoma started back towards An's room, but faltered as Tachibana's strong voice followed him up the stairs.
“You draw attention to yourself, just by existing as you do,” came his quiet warning. “You should be careful.”
Ryoma quickened his pace, unnerved by Tachibana's words. And if someone as normal seeming as a junior high tennis player noticed something strange about him . . . who else was out there that would too?
~*~*~
Japanese Vocabulary:
tadaima - announcing that you're home
okasan - mother
aniki - older brother
oniichan - affectionate name to call your brother
Chapter 3 Notes:
This chapter may have seemed a little long-winded, but I really felt the need to explain why Ryoma behaves the way he does as a girl (and how he could possibly be convinced to put on a skirt!), and how he is perceived based on his behavior vs. how he actually is. I'm really trying to keep him in character!
A word on pronouns: I will be using male pronouns to refer to Ryoma in girl form in scenes that are from Ryoma's POV, or from the POV of someone who knows who Ryoma really is.
Fudomine girls' uniform consists of a navy blue pleated skirt, a white sailor top with navy blue trim, and a red neck kerchief, as seen in episode 53 of the anime.
I have no idea what the Tachibana family dynamic is like, so I completely made that part up to suit my purposes.
*gives hugs and cookies to her few but appreciated readers*