We Are The Mountain Boys
Title: We Are The Mountain Boys
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Matsumoto Jun/Sakurai Sho
Summary: There really had been magic in Meisa's vial. Sakurai Sho had jumped in front of the vial's contents as a male and had found himself lying on the ground as something different.
Notes/Warnings: For je_otherworlds. A fantasy/vaudeville AU with some magical genderswitch.
Matsumoto Jun frowned when he peeked out from behind the curtain, spying tonight's crowd. There was seating for at least 250 people, but maybe a fourth of the seats had been taken. These were leaner times, and Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe was struggling because of it.
He left the stage behind, hurrying down the stairs and out to the performers' waiting tent just outside the main troupe tent. He dodged the Kanjani Boys, all seven of them suited up in their sushi costumes for their act. The soy sauce bottle gave him a dirty look as Jun squeezed around him. Aiba tried waving for his attention, his arms full of the apples he was planning to detonate for his own performance. Jun ignored him in favor of the people he needed to find.
Higashiyama-san, the troupe's leader, had already cut half the talent for this tour, and if the small crowd for tonight was any indication, it meant more acts were going to disappear from the bill. It seemed like people were tiring of troupes like Higashi's. Apparently singing, dancing, magic, and comedy were not enough. They couldn't compete with the traveling circuses since they had animal performers. And with this year's drought many people were simply staying home, saving their silver for something else.
Jun wasn't really worried about his own job. It was the talent, and one in particular, that he couldn't bear to see leave the troupe.
He finally found Sho and Ohno at the rear of the tent. They were already dressed and ready to go in their matching suits, Ohno's voice rising beautifully over the noise of the other performers readying themselves for the stage. It had been a long journey to Rose Petal Village, and their tents were set up for a two-week long engagement. But if they couldn't even fill seats on opening night...
"Matsujun!"
Jun tried not to react too eagerly when Sho called his name. As the years passed by, it had grown much harder not to. The Mountain Boys were a singing duo - the joke of their act was that Ohno-kun, the elder of the two, was a great singer and dancer. Sakurai Sho, on the other hand, was a passable singer and completely hopeless at choreography. It wasn't so much an act as it was the truth. While audiences fell in love with the talented Ohno-kun who danced circles around his partner, Jun had gone for the hopeless case. For Sho-kun with his winning smile and his big, clumsy feet.
It had been four years now that Jun had been working backstage for Higashi's, three of those years as the personal assistant for the Mountain Boys. It was Jun's job to talk them up to Higashi, to help coordinate their performances, to design and promote merchandise, and to get the two of them moved from town to town. He did all that without letting on how badly he wanted Sho-kun to notice him as something more than just an assistant.
"Hey Matsujun, what's it look like out there?" Sho asked, straightening his bow tie.
Audiences only seemed to pay attention to Sho's singing voice, to Sho's stiff legs when he tried to follow along with Ohno's dance steps. Nobody except Jun ever seemed to notice how handsome Sho was. He had bright friendly eyes, a kind smile, and despite its lack of coordination, a really great body. Audiences never bought Mountain Boys goods from the troupe's souvenir tent unless Ohno-kun's face was on them. But Sho's lack of popularity never seemed to bother him. He knew he was the walking, talking joke of Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe.
"Not good," he replied honestly, seeing Ohno and Sho's faces fall. "Maybe half the house tonight." He was being generous with that estimate.
It was a constant worry. The troupe might fold, putting them all out of work. And where could Sho find work anyhow as something other than half of the Mountain Boys duo?
Ohno tried to look tough, clenching his fists. "We'll still perform at 8000%," he assured Jun. "Maybe we could swap out 'Baby, I Love You' for 'Get Up and Dance' tonight?"
Jun caught the twitch of Sho's nose. For Ohno Satoshi, it was nothing to switch up their set list for the evening. He could perform any song or dance in their catalogue from memory without thinking. But for Sho, who was already pretty bad, he didn't like many changes to his routine. He was already the butt of jokes, the loser of the act. He didn't need to be at a complete loss in front of the audience.
Jun shook his head. "I think your current set is perfect as it is. You're up after Aiba tonight anyway, so you'll already have to deal with the stench of rotten eggs in the air."
Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science was a scientific experiment act based on the flimsiest science Jun had ever seen. It mostly consisted of their friend Aiba Masaki blowing things up and screaming in excitement (or in pain - he'd singed off his eyebrows a few months back and they'd only just grown in again). But it was a crowd pleaser. If there was one act Higashiyama-san kept on the bill it would be the Storm of Science.
Ohno nodded. "Alright. Hopefully he won't leave anything slippery behind on stage this time."
Sho looked to Jun gratefully, mouthing "thank you" when his partner wasn't paying attention. This time, Jun did blush.
***
With the dozens of empty seats under the tent, Higashiyama-san had ordered most of the troupe to switch out of their costumes immediately after their acts to fill in seats. Jun had waited until the middle of Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science to leave Sho and Ohno to their last minute preparations, taking a seat towards the back of the tent.
Aiba had already splattered the front row with the remnants of his butter bomb, and staff were handing out free towels to them emblazoned with the Storm of Science logo on one side and the Higashi logo on the other. Jun could only dream of the Mountain Boys selling a third of what Aiba managed to. Finally Aiba's various burners and bottles and other paraphernalia were wheeled off stage, Aiba himself taking a curtain call with a mop as he cleaned up after himself.
Jun found himself nibbling on his fingernails as the Mountain Boys took to the stage to the polite applause of the audience. It was always tough to follow the crowd's favorite, especially when they only had their voices and feet to appeal to them and no butter bombs.
As Sho and Ohno launched into their opening song, 'We are the Mountain Boys,' that included Sho's first choreographed pratfall of the evening, Jun heard snickering coming from either side of him. He sat up more firmly in his seat as the chair to his left and the chair to his right were filled with two people he didn't want to see.
To his left was the chuckling and beautiful Keiko-chan, Higashiyama-san's assistant for his own magic act that ended every show. To his right, top hat in hand, was The Stupendous Nino, the troupe's other magician who specialized in card tricks and in cutting his pretty assistant Maki in half.
Once the two of them had discovered Jun's crush on the Mountain Boys' less talented member, they'd teased him about it mercilessly. Keiko-chan was always trying to play matchmaker, dropping hints to Sho about Jun that he never seemed to pick up on. And the Stupendous Nino was mostly a Stupendous Jerk, chiding Jun perpetually about his "bad taste in men."
The audience roared with laughter (as much as an audience of their size could roar) as Sho tripped over his feet and landed on his backside with a theatrical "oof!." Ohno then launched into a series of pirouettes around him, looking as graceful as a swan.
"You going to offer massage services later tonight?" the Stupendous Nino teased, elbowing Jun in the side.
"Are those new bow ties?" Keiko asked, watching the stage through a pair of Storm of Science binoculars. "Ah, so cute!"
Jun fumed in between the two of them. It took a lot of skill to fall on cue like Sho did, to fall and get right back up to keep going. He always kept up as best he could, and his smile never wavered. As 'We are the Mountain Boys' ended and 'Falling for My Best Girl' began (a song with at least two planned stumbles and one crash into the upstage set for Sho), Jun looked around hoping to find a seat where he could watch his friends in peace.
But it was only when he turned back, looking to the rear corner of the tent, that he saw some of the colorful stage lights illuminate the very back row briefly and he saw her. His sudden sharp intake of breath alerted even the Stupendous Nino, who turned and followed Jun's line of sight.
"Oh crap," the magician murmured, turning back immediately and trying to hide underneath his top hat. "How did she get in?"
It was definitely her, Jun realized as the lights flashed over that section of the tent once more. Long black hair, piercing eyes, and an eternal sneer. Kuroki Meisa-chan, otherwise known as the Fabulous Meisa, had once been a member of Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe. A skilled magician in her own right and the first female-led magician act in recent memory, she specialized in tricks of illusion. Smoke and mirrors, deception, and the occasional "wear a blindfold, fling knives at the assistant" routine. Jun could see Meisa's husband and assistant, Jin, by her side. He looked better than he had the last time Jun had seen him.
With their leader Higashiyama-san atop the bill as Higashi the Great, there wasn't much room for three magic acts in the troupe. It had come down to the Fabulous Meisa and the Stupendous Nino. They'd both performed for the troupe one night with Higashiyama-san having final choice over who stayed and who was dismissed.
The Stupendous Nino had gone first. He'd worn his most dazzling vest, and Maki-chan had worn her most innocent expression as Nino locked her in a glass case of water. While the troupe screamed for him to let Maki out, he only stood there staring at his watch. Then suddenly the lights had gone off and the Stupendous Nino clapped his hands. Maki was back at his side, dripping wet, but unharmed and smiling brightly. It was a trick even Jun couldn't figure out despite watching it from backstage nearly every night.
The Fabulous Meisa had gone second, and after a few impressive sleight of hand tricks, Jin was tied to a wheel that was set in motion. While he struggled to keep down his dinner, his wife blindfolded herself and took hold of her knife set. Knives one, two, and three lodged into the wooden wheel just shy of his ears, earning Meisa a ton of applause. But then she'd hesitated with the fourth knife, as though some strange spell had come over her. Knife number four missed its mark, lodging itself firmly in Jin's thigh.
The decision was unanimous. The Stupendous Nino would stay with the troupe, and the Fabulous Meisa had to go (once her husband had been treated for his injury). Jun could still remember that night as though it were yesterday, Meisa screaming and cursing Nino's name as men from the bodybuilder act hauled her off stage. "You did this!" she'd cried. "Nino, you did this!"
Nino had only rolled his eyes, shouting after her. "And that's why girls are the assistants!"
Well, now she was back. She caught Jun's eyes, offering him a wave. He looked away, petrified. He felt Keiko shivering at his side, her hand gripping his arm. Nobody had investigated the incident. Nobody had taken Meisa's side that night. Did she hate them all now?
"I'm going to tell Higashiyama-san," Keiko whispered. "Don't let her out of your sight."
She snuck out of the aisle and hurried off, timing it perfectly as Sho crashed into the set and let out a noisy "that hurt!"
***
Meisa and her husband had paid for their tickets and were not causing a scene, Higashiyama-san decided. They were allowed to stay for the remainder of the performance. Staff were posted, however, to keep an eye on the woman and her assistant, especially with the two magic acts still remaining on that night's program.
The Stupendous Nino was looking increasingly nervous as his act approached. Jun had gone backstage after the Mountain Boys' performance to let them know what was going on. Ohno-kun, who had occasional bouts of obliviousness, failed to see why Meisa's attendance might be a problem. But Sho, thankfully, was as concerned as Jun was.
He was toweling the sweat from his face in the waiting tent, out of his suit jacket with his shirt sleeves rolled up. Jun looked away politely as Sho moved for his belt to change out of his slacks. "You think she's here to take revenge on Nino?"
"We can't prove he did anything to sabotage Meisa-chan," Jun said, crossing his arms and watching Nino shuffle his cards in his hand while Maki put the finishing touches on her hair and makeup. "We're not magic experts."
"He did add insult to injury though," Sho pointed out. "Didn't he say something about girls only being good as assistants?"
Jun nodded. "Yes, a paragon of equality, that guy."
The Stupendous Nino had long ruffled feathers in the troupe. Half the things he said were a joke and the other half simply sounded that way. It was the signature of a person who spent his life playing tricks on people. But if Maki-chan, who Jun considered to be a smart and level-headed person, still worked with him, he couldn't be a complete jerk.
"Ah, I ripped them again!"
Jun turned, seeing Sho was standing there in his underwear, examining his slacks with a forlorn expression. Ohno-kun was already back in his casual clothes, wiping off his stage makeup. People changed in and out of clothes in the waiting tent every night. He'd seen every possible body part by now whether it was attached to a man or a woman, but still the sight of a pants-less Sakurai Sho set him on edge.
He gulped a bit, taking the slacks from Sho's outstretched hand. "I'll mend these," he said, hoping Sho didn't notice Jun's quick look at his bright red trunks, at the shape of his backside in them. "They'll be good as new."
Sho smiled at him, oblivious to his distress. He reached out a hand to pat Jun on the shoulder. "Where would Satoshi-kun and I be without you?"
At that the Stupendous Nino's nervousness across the room seemed to snap. The magician let out a loud guffaw that made Jun furious. Sho, thankfully, was already busying himself with his sweatpants, changing into his casual clothes. Jun sent a rude gesture across the tent, seeing Nino smile. It was finally time for his act and he offered Jun a smug little salute as he and Maki departed for the stage.
Ohno and Sho headed for the audience while Jun took a seat near the Mountain Boys' costume rack, sighing at the state of Sho's trousers. The fourth pair he'd ripped in a month. He'd started keeping a sewing kit in the waiting tent just for these situations. As the crowd applauded the Stupendous Nino's performance, Jun spent the remainder of his evening mending Sho's trousers back into shape, putting all the feelings he had into every stitch.
***
The audience filed out of the main tent, laughing and smiling. Despite the small crowd, it seemed that Rose Petal Village had truly enjoyed the show. Jun hoped that would translate into merchandise sales and more tickets sold for the coming nights.
As the grounds cleared out and the troupe staff set to cleaning up the performance tent and things shut down for the night, Jun headed for his tent. He shared with Aiba, only because most other people were afraid to. They expected him to perform experiments on them in their sleep, but Dr. Aiba the stage star was not the same as Aiba the tent-mate, who merely told bad jokes before falling asleep every night. Aiba was also the only person who knew about Jun's feelings for Sho and didn't make fun of him.
Their tent wasn't far from Ohno and Sho's, and tonight Aiba had decided to throw a small barbecue to start their time off in Rose Petal Village right. He already had a small grill set up, and he and Ohno were roasting meat on top of the grill rack, turning it with precision. With others from the troupe gathered around, Jun discovered that the only seat remaining was next to Sho. He considered sitting in the grass before Aiba caught his eye, inclining his head just slightly to let Jun know it was intentional.
He found Sho already shoving food into his mouth, grease dribbling down his chin. Soon his tongue poked out to lick his lips, and Jun crossed his legs as he sat down in the chair. "Trousers are fixed," he informed Sho.
Sho grinned, holding out his plate full of grilled pork. "You're the best, Matsujun. Here, eat some."
Jun shook his head. "I can wait."
Sho sighed, picking up a piece with his fingers and moving it towards him. His eyes were sparkling. "Come on, eat it. Open up and say 'aaaahhhh'."
"What a romantic evening," the Stupendous Nino said, snatching the piece of pork from Sho's fingers and shoving it in his own mouth. "Delicious, my compliments to the chef!"
Ohno lifted his grill tongs in acknowledgment. With no other chairs, Nino seated himself on Sho's lap, picking more food off of his plate, his eyes challenging Jun to do something about it. Instead Jun got up, gesturing for Nino to take his seat. He grumbled to himself as he stomped over to the grill, offering to take over for Aiba.
The barbecue was a big hit. As soon as Jun replaced Aiba and Aiba settled in Jun's chair, Nino immediately moved to uncomfortably situate himself on Aiba's lap instead. It seemed like Meisa's appearance that evening had made the Stupendous Nino extra mean today. The smells of grilled meat and vegetables perfumed the air, and even Higashiyama-san stopped by to have a few bites. Jun was happy when their leader made no mention of the small crowd. He only encouraged everyone to work hard the following night.
Eventually people headed for their tents, and Ohno and Aiba began to clean up. Nino invited Sho over to his and Maki's tent to show him some card tricks, and Jun watched them walk away.
He was too cowardly. Always too cowardly. He never asked Sho to just hang out because what did he have to show him? More merchandise designs that featured Ohno-kun's face more prominently? Notes on his performance and how to improve for the next time? He was too cowardly to tell Nino to leave him alone, too cowardly to let Keiko-chan give Sho a hint or a push. He'd always be nothing more than Sho's assistant, a friend. The guy who fixed his pants.
He was preparing to go to bed when he heard a commotion coming from the direction of Nino's tent. He pulled on a shirt and hurried outside, seeing people running. "It's Meisa-chan," Keiko shouted as she passed, pulling Jun along.
There was quite a crowd gathered around outside of Nino's tent. Maki came hurrying over, panic in her eyes. "Jun, help him. Please!"
Jun moved swiftly through staff and performers alike to find the Fabulous Meisa, face furious. It seemed like her husband was trying to stop her from doing something, Jin's panicked shouts urging her to calm down. Across from her stood Nino, though Sho was standing in front of him with his arms outstretched.
"Stand aside, Mountain Boy!" Meisa screamed. "I have nothing against you."
Sho shook his head. "Meisa-chan, be reasonable. Do you want him to apologize?"
"I won't apologize for her being an awful magician!" Nino was able to shout from the relative safety of his position behind Sho.
Jun didn't know what to do. Maki was pleading for him to interfere, but that was something Jun had always been terrible at doing. "Stand aside," Meisa said again. "I want to show that sniveling little freak that girls can do whatever they want."
"Girls can apparently invade private property and issue threats," Nino said. "How admirable!"
"Badmouth women one more time, Ninomiya, and you'll regret it!" Meisa warned him.
"I only badmouth women who give magic a bad name!"
That was the final straw. Meisa hurried forward, breaking away from her husband. Jun thought she might have had a knife in her hand, and she pushed her way past Sho. Nino took off running with a rather cowardly scream, and Meisa gave chase. She threw whatever it was, and if it was one of the knives from her act it was spiraling quickly towards Nino's back.
But instead Sho, always a better runner than a dancer, had run alongside and cut in front at the last second, putting himself in the line of fire. Jun heard someone shout "Sho-kun!" only to realize it was his own voice, crying out in anguish.
Where he expected to see Sho go down with the knife embedded between his shoulder blades, something else happened instead. There'd been a vial in Meisa's hand, if the sudden shattering noise of glass hitting the dirt was any indication. Nino had gotten away in time, and nobody else had chased after. Sho was the only victim. Jun saw a dark cloud engulf him, heard Sho's agonizing scream as whatever had been in the vial overwhelmed him.
Magic, Jun realized. True magic.
Everyone ran away in a panic, worried that whatever had gotten on Sho would soon get on them. Jun was the only one who ran forward, seeing Meisa's horrified and almost guilty expression before Jin grabbed her hand and pulled her away. Maki went running after Nino, and soon Jun could hear a frantic Ohno calling Sho's name.
The cloud seemed to evaporate into the air, and Jun nearly tripped over his own feet in his hurry to crouch down at Sho's side. "Sho-kun, Sho-kun can you hear me?"
Sho was on the ground, curled up in the fetal position, his whole body seizing up. Ohno skidded to a halt, standing behind Jun and breathing heavily.
An unfamiliar voice spoke, higher-pitched and frightened. "What's going on? What's happening?"
Because of the panic, it was only Jun and Ohno-kun who saw Sho move, rolling in the dirt and onto his back.
Or, Jun should have said, onto her back.
Because there really had been magic in Meisa's vial. Sakurai Sho had jumped in front of the vial's contents as a male and had found himself lying on the ground as something different. Jun's eyes widened. Sho's face was less round, his eyes smaller. His hair had somehow grown down to his shoulders, and there were two tell-tale bumps hidden under his t-shirt. The entire shape of his body had changed in an instant, and even his t-shirt and sweats couldn't hide it.
"My voice," Sho muttered, hand to his throat. "What...what happened to my voice?"
"Holy cow, Sho-kun," Ohno gasped. "You're a girl!"
***
They managed to get Sho back to the tent Jun shared with Aiba, and Sho let out the most horrifying howl at the sight of his face in a mirror.
Her face.
Because there was no denying it. Meisa's revenge had been potent indeed. It seemed that she'd wanted to get Nino back for his cold, thoughtless opinions on lady magicians. It had backfired, and Sho was paying the price. Jun didn't know how such a thing was possible. But all he knew was the frightened look in his friend's new eyes, and he wanted to help.
"Change me back!" Sho screamed. "Change me back!"
Sho looked up, seeing Jun, Aiba, and Ohno staring down. The woman that was Sho, or rather, the Sho that was a woman (Girl Sho? Lady Sho?) instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, hands grasping her shoulders. "Don't you even think of looking!"
Aiba leaned down, poking Sho's cheek. "Amazing! Super amazing!"
"Pervert!"
This wasn't funny, not funny at all, and yet Aiba and Ohno still couldn't keep from snickering at the sight of their friend. Sho hadn't been stabbed or hurt, but instead this miraculous transformation had happened. Jun, however, looked away as requested.
"What do we do?" Ohno asked. "I mean, we can't perform as the Mountain Boys now."
"That's the first thought that enters your head?" Sho complained, yanking Aiba's blanket from his bedroll and draping it around herself. "Singing and dancing and not chasing that crazy bitch down?"
But it was true. If whatever Meisa had done was a permanent change, the Mountain Boys were finished.
They could hear more noise outside of the tent, and Jun knew that Higashiyama-san was going around, asking what had happened. At the sound of the troupe leader's voice, Sho dove under Aiba's blanket to hide.
"What do we tell him?" Ohno asked. "We can't lie to him, he's fired people for less than that."
"He's a magician," Aiba reasoned. "Maybe he'll know how to fix things? He can change Sho back."
But Jun knew that wasn't going to happen. Higashiyama-san and Nino relied on misdirection, on tricks. Neither of them had actual magical abilities. "What about you, Storm of Science? Don't you have a scientific explanation?" Jun argued right back at his tent-mate.
Aiba blushed. "That kind of science is a little beyond me."
The tent flap opened and Higashiyama-san was there, looking furious. "Where's Ninomiya?" their leader fumed. "I hear he's the cause of this chaos?"
Ohno, Aiba, and Jun exchanged glances before finally Aiba spoke. "He, um, he ran away. When Meisa was chasing him. We haven't seen him."
"Well," Higashiyama-san said. "You send him to me if he comes crawling back. He and I have a few words to exchange."
"Of course," Jun said.
Higashiyama looked around the tent, seeing the Sho lump on the floor. "Sakurai, that you down there?"
"He's not feeling well," Ohno blurted out, lying even though he'd been the one to caution against it. "I think he had some bad meat at the barbecue."
"Show goes on tomorrow night with or without the Mountain Boys and with or without the Stupendous Nino," their leader warned. "So man up, Sakurai."
He left in a huff, shouting for Nino, and Sho poked her head up from under the blanket.
"Man up, he says," Sho muttered angrily, shaking her head. Somehow Jun was already coming around to the idea of Sho as a 'her,' if only because the person before them really looked so different. But yet there was no mistaking the fear in Sho's eyes, the worry over what had happened. No matter what, it was the same person Jun loved, the same person Jun needed to help.
Sho was kind-hearted and decent to everyone. Of all the people in the troupe to protect, the Stupendous Nino should have been the last one Sho should have helped. And yet he had, and what had he gotten for his trouble?
"Matsujun, we need to find Meisa," Sho said. "We need to find out where she got that vial."
"But how? She ran away."
"And chasing her down means leaving the troupe," Ohno argued. "If we leave, Sho-kun and I might get fired."
Sho rolled her eyes, poking at the soft mounds under her shirt. "Listen to me, you think I can just tape these things down and keep going? And what about singing? The Mountain Boys don't have a soprano in the act. We'd get fired for that too. And the last thing I want to do is explain this to Higashiyama-san."
"Maybe I can help."
They turned, spying a rather shaken Stupendous Nino hovering near the tent flap. He'd probably been lurking around the whole time. Jun wanted to strangle him, but a look of caution in Sho's eyes stopped him. Nino shoved his hands in his pockets. "She used forbidden magic to make that vial," Nino explained. "Blood magic. Only a handful of people can do it."
"And you aren't one of them," Jun said angrily. "You just stand up there and lie, trick people and laugh about it later."
For once, Nino nodded apologetically. "You're right. I can't do it. I can't change Sho-kun back."
"Then how can you actually help?" Aiba asked.
Nino looked at his feet. "Blood magic is just what it sounds like. She had to use her own blood to make that potion, and whoever is affected by the spell is forever bound to the magician who used it. So Sho can track her, and I can help."
"So Meisa wanted to do this to you, to bind you to her?" Sho asked tentatively, looking unsure. "Because I don't feel anything. Aside from feeling completely and totally strange."
Nino snorted. "Apparently. She certainly is petty. Count your lucky stars, Sho-chan, because she could have wanted to change me into a toad or a flea or something."
"So we track her down," Jun said, ignoring Nino's remarks, "And then what? Meisa changes Sho back?"
"Forbidden magic is forbidden for a reason. There's a fine line between a card trick and actual, real magic. It's a dark path that no reasonable magician takes, and it might actually kill her to do such an elaborate thing again if we force her."
Sho looked down. "Well, I don't want her to die..."
"Being a lady's not so bad," Aiba offered. "Maybe we can just introduce you as Sho's sister or Ohno-kun's girlfriend. You could be the Mountain Boy and Girl..."
"We track her down, and Nino will apologize to Meisa. And then she won't have to be forced," Jun decided, staring Nino down. "This is all Nino's fault, anyway."
The Stupendous Nino looked at Sho. "I'm sorry, alright? For what it's worth, you make a really cute girl."
Sho dove under the blankets again, swearing.
"But how will we be able to get away, change Sho back, and still save everybody's jobs?" Ohno wondered. "You heard Higashi-san. The show goes on with or without us."
Aiba raised his hand, looking a bit gleeful. "Why don't we leave that to Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science?"
***
Three of them left just before dawn, sneaking past the guards Higashiyama had posted around their camp to look out for Meisa and Jin. It was an odd trio - Girl Sho, the Stupendous Nino, and Jun. Nobody had trusted Nino to travel with Sho alone, fearing he'd run off again and escape in case Meisa was still hunting him down. Ohno and Aiba were staying at camp to pull off the most unfortunate Storm of Science experiment yet.
If the Stupendous Nino and the Mountain Boys missed a performance, it was almost guaranteed that they'd be cut from the troupe. But if the whole troupe was ill, then the entire show would be postponed. With the troupe's financial situation already precarious, it was a big chance they were taking - but if Higashiyama-san himself was sick, there was no way he'd risk a mediocre performance.
And so, much as neither of them were looking forward to it, Ohno and Aiba were planning to put something in the troupe's breakfast to make everyone ill. It wasn't magic - this time it truly was science. Aiba had been a little too excited to use something from his act, a bottle of some chemical or another that was guaranteed to induce indigestion. Jun was rather grateful that he'd volunteered to travel along with Sho and Nino.
Of course avoiding an upset stomach was not the only reason Jun had volunteered. Though he could have easily allowed Ohno to travel with his partner instead, Jun felt partly responsible for what had happened. He'd been too late to help Sho the night before. He'd been too cowardly to intervene when Sho alone faced Meisa down. He would do anything he could to help Sho now.
They didn't dare go to Rose Petal Village. The Stupendous Nino might be recognized by the townsfolk, and he was certain Higashiyama was still looking for him after the chaos the previous evening. They instead moved on down the road, reaching Moonflower Village by midday.
Jun used money from his small savings to book a room at an inn, and the three of them headed upstairs. According to Nino, tracking down Meisa would require a minor sacrifice on Sho's end. Blood magic only led to more blood magic.
Sho was pacing, looking a bit worried. She was dressed in Sho's usual t-shirt and sweatpants, but the pants hung loose and the t-shirt clung to her chest. It was still a bit odd to look over at her, to know that inside it was the Sho Jun had known for so long. Nino had been right, of course, though. Sho really was beautiful as a woman.
"What are you looking at?" Sho muttered, frowning in Jun's direction while they waited for Nino to gather everything they needed. "I expected it from Nino, but not from you."
Jun looked away, mortified. For four years he'd stared at Sakurai Sho, the man, and he'd never noticed. But within hours of turning female Sho was finally starting to pay attention. Too bad Sho didn't actually know the reasons behind Jun's constant gaze.
"I'm sorry," Jun murmured just the same.
Nino returned to the room with some supplies from the village market. Some odd smelling spices, pinches here and there of ground-up plants, a nasty-smelling liquid, and a jar to mix it in. Though Nino himself apparently had no talents in blood magic, he knew enough of the basics to get them started. Sho and Jun watched nervously as Nino unrolled a parchment map of the region. He then dumped the ingredients he'd gathered into his jar and mixed them.
He pulled a switchblade out, holding it out to Sho handle first. "Because of what she's done, some of her power should still be in your bloodstream. Cut across your palm and add some to the mixture here."
Jun watched, heart clenching as Sho took hold of the knife and turned her left hand over, palm up. Where Sho's hands only a day before had been rough with bitten fingernails, they were more delicate now. Elegant almost. Jun had to look away at the sound of Sho's sharp intake of breath, the sudden slash of red across her pale skin.
"There," Nino was saying. "Just a bit more. Jun-kun, here."
A handkerchief fluttered into his hands followed by some gauze, and while Nino got to work with more mixing, Jun cleared his throat. He concentrated only on the sight of Sho's hand as he cleaned and bandaged the wound and wrapped it in the handkerchief. He looked up when he was finished, meeting Sho's eyes.
A woman stared back, biting her plump lip the same as Sho usually did when he was nervous before going out on stage.
Nino held out the jar. "It's going to tingle a bit when you touch it," he said, gesturing to the mixture inside the jar that now contained Sho's blood. "You smear it on your other hand and then you focus. The answer should come to you, and you draw an 'x' on the map. We'll find her there."
Sho dipped her fingertips tentatively into the jar. Her eyes fluttered closed almost immediately, her breathing suddenly growing heavier. Nino looked almost jealous of the power coursing through Sho, something he'd never have himself. Jun watched as Sho slipped into an odd sort of trance. Her fingers slipped from the jar, eyes still closed as she hovered her right hand over the map. Bypassing Rose Petal Village, moving in the opposite direction of Moonflower.
Sho's fingers drew an 'x' to the southwest, to small Serendipity Island in the center of the Greatwater. "There," Sho whispered, opening her eyes. "She's going there."
Nino and Jun exchanged glances. Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe had never crossed the Greatwater, even where it narrowed. There were no bridges, no places to ford it and drag their wagons across. It was a fast-moving river, and it was a three days' hike away.
"That's a lot of indigestion," Nino said with a frown, all three of them clearly hoping Ohno and Aiba and the Storm of Science would give them the time they needed.
***
As they moved south they saw signs posted along the road. A reward set out by Higashiyama, 200 silver to the first person who told him the whereabouts of Kuroki Meisa.
"200 silver," Nino mused. "Maybe we should just go tell Higashi where she is and save ourselves the trouble. I could custom order a whole new water escape box...or some new handcuffs..."
Sho walked on ahead, her longer hair blowing in the breeze as she stomped along angrily. Jun elbowed the magician. "How many times do I have to remind you that this is all your fault?"
Nino grinned, watching Sho walk along the road. "I would have made for a rather ugly woman. Maybe it's fate that Sho-chan stepped in at the right moment. Although I suppose the appeal has lessened now...she's actually rather graceful, and you always liked Sho's clumsiness."
"It's still Sho. It's still the same person, and you're still a jerk."
The magician laughed. "I don't think Sho sees it that way."
It was rather true. The Sakurai Sho Jun knew was friendly and outgoing, chatty and open. The new Sakurai Sho was mostly quiet and clearly uncomfortable in different skin, and Jun could only imagine the frustration a transformed body might bring. Even that morning at the inn, Jun had seen Sho return from the washroom looking utterly embarrassed. To look in the mirror and see a stranger staring back, that had to be frightening.
Sho stuck close to them when they stopped for meals and when they checked into inns. Otherwise men's leering eyes followed, looking at Sho's body without shame. Sho's self-consciousness grew, translating into a quicker pace of walking. Serendipity Island couldn't come too soon.
Jun wasn't too sure what lessons Nino was being taught by this incident, but Jun was receiving a rather thorough education. Everyone in the troupe was friendly and open with one another, but being out in the world was different. In the troupe the women were part of the group, working with the acts. There was little protection afforded them out here, especially on the road.
Maybe this was what Meisa had wanted Nino to discover. That it was almost too easy to be a man. That she'd worked hard to get where she was, to perfect her magic in a world that didn't afford women the same respect. Jun was learning that instead, and Sho was too.
By the next night they would be at the Greatwater, and they headed into the town of Cloudy Valley, the last major stop before the vast river. At the inn two rooms were requested, and Jun could see the confused look in the innkeep's eyes as his gaze moved between Jun and Nino. The man was curious as to which of them was Sho's partner, as though it was odd for a woman to travel with two men.
As they had the nights before, Nino and Jun stayed in one room and gave Sho the other to herself. Nino fell asleep quickly - he'd grown used to traveling from town to town in the wagons on account of his relatively high status in the troupe. Walking all day exhausted him. But Jun lay awake, thinking about what was happening in Rose Petal Village. Wondering if Meisa would even be willing to change Sho back if they found her.
And what exactly did Sho think about it?
It seemed a completely different life, back inside the tent with the usual worries. Sho splitting his pants, the troupe in dire financial straits, Jun's worries about the merchandise not selling properly. Now they were dealing with true magic, with its consequences.
He heard sound coming from the other room beside them, and he got up from the bed, ears straining to hear. He finally pressed against the wall, listening close. It was singing. Not a familiar singing voice, but the words themselves were familiar. It was 'We are the Mountain Boys,' ringing out in a completely different pitch.
He left Nino to his bed, unable to stop himself. Jun went into the hall, knocking gently on the neighboring door. When Sho answered, she wiped at her eyes. She'd been singing the Mountain Boys songs and crying. "I'm sorry," Jun said. "I just...I heard you singing."
Sho nodded, allowing Jun inside the room and shutting the door. "I was doing the dances. Some of the steps, you know. Satoshi-kun would want me to keep practicing before I started forgetting stuff. Show must go on and all that."
It seemed like Sho was resigning herself to the possibility that Meisa wasn't going to help her change back. "It would be a little strange, seeing a woman falling all over the place. And I suppose we'd have to change the lyrics," Jun admitted, taking a seat on the bed. "But we could do it, no problem."
Sho lifted one of her arms, revealing a massive purple bruise on the inside of her arm. "This body can't take the same amount of punishment. I can't sing right because I can't come close to any of my low notes. I'd have to learn how to fall all over again. I guess it would look weird if I was in a suit and bow tie."
"Maybe you'd be more popular than Ohno-kun," Jun said, trying to stay positive. "You could keep the bow tie but we could put you in a skirt. I can make all new goods, a complete image rebranding. We'd outsell Masaki, hands down."
Sho looked at the mirror, turning around slowly. "Maybe." She was quiet then, staring at her unfamiliar body, at her daintier feet, the softness of her skin.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, Sho-kun, I'm on your side. If you can't change back and Higashiyama-san lets you and Ohno-kun go, I'll go too," Jun said. "Mountain Boys, Mountain Boy and Girl, you'll need an assistant wherever you go. In case you rip your pants...or a skirt. I could learn to mend skirts. Same idea."
Sho's eyes were glimmering a bit with tears, looking at Jun indirectly through the mirror. "You've always looked out for me. From day one."
Jun found himself looking away, blushing. "You make a living falling on your butt. People like you need looking after."
"I've never known what to say. How to thank you. And here you are, when you could be back with the troupe, you came along on this silly journey. The journey to turn me back into a man. It sure sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud." Sho chuckled. "Then again, anything sounds ridiculous when the voice that comes out of you belongs to you and at the same time doesn't."
"You don't sound ridiculous," Jun argued. "You sound like Sho. You may not sound the same or look the same, but you're Sho. You're my friend, and that's not going to ever change. If you're a guy, you're still Sho. If you're a girl, you're still Sho. The stupid blood magic didn't change what really matters."
The floorboards creaked, and Jun's heart raced as he heard Sho approach. He felt a gentle caress, delicate fingertips along the side of his face. "How long?"
"How long what?" Jun asked, unable to look up and meet Sho's eyes.
"How long have you loved me and never said anything?"
His hands were sweaty, and he shrugged his shoulders. "Does it matter?"
"Since I'm trying to return your feelings, I'd say it matters." Sho's hands rested on his shoulders. "I always thought it was Satoshi-kun you liked. You always make his face so large on our shirts and posters..."
Jun looked up, almost gasping in shock. "That...that's just marketing! Sho-kun, it's always been you. And it still is you, no matter what you look like."
She smiled. "I'd kiss you, but I suppose it would be weird. In case you had, I don't know, expectations."
But it wasn't weird when he got to his feet. Sho's body was softer in places, smelled differently, but he knew it was Sho he was kissing, Sho the person he'd doted on for all these years. Sho, the person he loved inside and out. Jun had never expected to even reach such a happy moment, had contented himself with the idea of watching Sho from afar for years to come. That such a bizarre occurrence had brought them together didn't much matter.
Because when their noses clumsily bumped, he knew it was the person he'd fallen for.
***
The following morning Nino again had Sho perform the blood magic ritual, confirming once more that Meisa was on Serendipity Island and hadn't gone elsewhere. Since few people ventured across the Greatwater, she hadn't seen much need to come back and put herself in harm's (or Higashiyama-san's) way.
At the banks of the river Nino reluctantly parted with the remaining contents of his coin pouch to procure them a boat ride across. The choppy waters left him ill, lying on the bottom of the boat grumbling about magic and men turned into women and which troupe he and Maki might try to join up with once Higashiyama fired him.
But Jun only had eyes for Sho, for the feeling of her hand in his as they stood together near the front of the boat and watched Serendipity Island grow closer with each passing minute. It wouldn't be the end of the world if Sho was stuck in a woman's body forever. After all, it was much better than a frog's or any other creatures for that matter. Human was human. "Even if I'd have to get used to not standing when I pee," Sho had lamented with a chuckle.
The cut on Sho's palm throbbed as soon as they set foot on the island, a place that was sparsely populated and mostly covered in dense forest. As they moved from the shore to the edge of the trees, Sho nearly doubled over from the pain in her hand.
"It means we're close," Nino said. "Meisa should be feeling it too. She'll know we're coming."
"Do we need to worry about her being really damn skilled with throwing knives?" Sho wondered aloud, cradling her hand as they kept walking.
"I can always hide behind Jun-kun this time," Nino reasoned, still not seeming all that apologetic about everything that had occurred. Typical smartass magician.
But their worry had been needless. They found a small cabin in a forest clearing, spying Jin outside chopping firewood. He lodged his axe in one of the tree stumps nearby as he saw them approach. He held up his hands in surrender. "She's been waiting for you."
Inside they found Meisa looking incredibly embarrassed and ashamed. The walls of the cabin were adorned with woodcuts and newsprint of her time in the troupe, headlines for the Fabulous Meisa, the world's best female magician. Her glory days long behind her, the cabin had a rather sad air. There were trinkets and padlocks and chains of handkerchiefs tied together, remnants from her old act.
Nino had politely opted to stay outside while Jun sat at the table with Sho. "He's here," Jun said, eyeing the lady magician a bit nervously. "Nino. He's waiting for us. I'm not sure he's learned from his mistakes, but I have. He sabotaged your act, didn't he? He made you lose focus that night."
Meisa nodded. "Nino can't do any actual magic, but he slipped something in my drink that night. Something that wouldn't affect anyone but someone who followed the darker paths. He knew all along that I had embraced forbidden magic. But I had no choice but to go down those roads, to search for the mysteries. For the things that can't be explained so easily. I wanted to be good at my act, and I was willing to do anything to be the best. I couldn't just be content with mirrors and tricks. I'd never get far, not as a woman."
Sho looked sympathetic. "He was wrong to do what he did that night. And we were wrong to ignore what he'd done, to let him cheat his way into a permanent spot with the troupe."
Meisa looked down. "I am truly sorry, Sakurai-san. I wanted him to see through different eyes, to see that women aren't just accessories to be cut in half for the crowd's applause. I hurt you, and I apologize."
"Thank you for not, you know, wanting to turn Nino into a rat or something," Sho said, and Meisa chuckled.
"The important thing is whether or not you can turn Sho back," Jun interrupted. "Can you do that or not?"
She nodded. "It was painful, I assume, your transformation? Well, I'm afraid you'll have to endure it again. Transformative magic on that scale isn't easy on your body. I must admit, I gravitated to a spell that would hurt Nino as much as possible."
"You could have just thrown a knife at him, you know," Jun said. "You're plenty good at that, and it hurts just the same."
"Jin advised me to try that too," Meisa admitted. She turned to Sho. "I have everything I need here to change you, if that is your wish. Unless you've grown attached to the new you?" She looked over at Jun. "I can see that Jun-kun's certainly grown attached..."
Sho turned crimson. "Ah, it's not really because of that..."
Meisa put the pieces together, nodding in realization. "Keiko-chan really had been telling the truth all that time...oh gosh, that's so cute!"
Sho turned to Jun angrily. "Did everyone in the damn troupe know you liked me before I did?"
Jun was ready to sink through the floor in embarrassment, but luckily Meisa got to her feet, clapping her hands.
"Let's get started!"
***
It was difficult to watch Sho swallow the contents of the vial Meisa had put together. Instead of inhaling the fumes, it was more direct and assured that the transformation would take place if Sho drank the potion. Meisa sat there watching Sho writhe on the floor, swaying in her chair. She'd had to do a lot more than add a few droplets of blood to create the concoction. Jun was worried she was going to keel over, but Jin was by her side, an arm around her.
The Stupendous Nino, meanwhile, was finally being punished. While Sho endured the transformation a second time, Nino was made to watch, tied up in one of Meisa's straitjackets and wrapped in locks and chains. He had yet to offer Meisa a formal apology, keeping his head high and assuring the magician and her husband that he would surely break free of the trap in minutes.
What he didn't know, of course, was that while Meisa had been making the potion for Sho she'd gone to the trouble of casting some sort of forbidden enchantment on the locks that now kept Nino in place. She had promised not to do Nino any further harm. It would be up to him to get himself out of his predicament, which she estimated would take him days of wriggling around uncomfortably. She had her revenge, at least, and was looking forward to watching Nino's shame grow as he failed over and over to release himself.
Jun crouched down, stroking Sho's shoulder.
"Testing...testing," came the sound of Sho's voice, his old voice. He still sounded a bit pained, but he laughed. "Am I back?"
When Sho turned over, Jun smiled. Though he'd definitely miss the soft skin he'd only just started to learn, he supposed that Sho felt more comfortable in the body he'd always known. He was back, with his big feet, his muscled arms. Meisa looked away, laughing even in her weakened state as Sho tugged on his pants to check inside them.
"Come on then," Nino grumbled, eyebrows knitting in confusion as he continued to struggle. "We have a troupe to get back to now that Sho has balls again. Fantastic news all around, hurray."
Jin patted the helpless Nino on the head. "Mess with my wife again, and we'll cut you in half. And there won't be a second person in the box serving as the legs."
"Wait, there's always someone else in the box with Maki? Every single time?" Sho cried, completely stunned.
Nino rolled his eyes while Meisa shook her head and sighed. "Don't ruin all our secrets," Meisa chided her husband.
They had to wait a full day for a boat back to the mainland, and Jun and Sho offered no help whatsoever to their companion. They had only intervened briefly the night before so Nino hadn't wet himself.
It was a long walk back to Rose Petal Village, and they were surprised to see that Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe was still there, the tents still set up. They returned at midday, finding a sign out front that announced half price tickets due to a reduced talent roster. The Mountain Boys along with The Stupendous Nino and Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science were not on that evening's bill.
They snuck in, Sho tugging Jun by the hand while the still bundled up Nino toddled and clunked after them. They made it to Aiba and Jun's tent, pulling up the flap.
"Oh thank god!" Aiba shouted from where he sat tinkering on the floor with one of his strawberry shortcake grenades, loading it up with cream filling. "Oh thank god you guys are back!"
The commotion led to Ohno's arrival from the tent nearby. "Sho-kun, your boobs are gone!"
Sho greeted his partner with a roll of his eyes and a hug. "What the hell happened while we were gone?"
"Long story," said Aiba, patting his belly. "Two days in the bathroom, and some of us are still just getting back to normal. You should have seen Higashiyama-san staggering around, Keiko begging him to stay away from the stage."
"I never thought I'd hear a man his age shouting at his body, screaming 'don't you poop your pants!'" Ohno informed them gleefully, scratching at his head. "He eventually gave in and postponed things. But once he got better and you guys weren't back we had to come up with some crazy lies."
"The first was that Meisa-chan had kidnapped Nino, so you'd gone looking for him," Aiba explained.
"But then he figured out it was a lie a day later since nobody in their right mind would actually go looking for Nino," Ohno continued.
"I am standing right here listening to this," Nino complained with a stomp of his feet.
"So then Higashiyama-san was going to fire Nino and the Mountain Boys both for unreliability and lack of diligence, something like that," Aiba said, passing the baton back to Ohno.
"So out of the goodness of his heart, Aiba-chan said he wouldn't perform. That he was standing in solidarity with us. That not one butter bomb would explode while his friends were away. That the Storm of Science would be reduced to a mere drizzle!"
"And how did Higashiyama-san take that?" Sho asked, flabbergasted.
"Oh," Aiba and Ohno said simultaneously, their earlier enthusiasm dying away.
"He fired all of us, didn't he?" Nino interrupted, wriggling in his chains.
Aiba and Ohno nodded. "Ah, yeah he did," Aiba said sheepishly. "This morning. Um, we have until the end of the day to pack up and go."
"The whole point of this was so we didn't lose our jobs!" Jun pointed out.
Aiba wrapped an arm around Jun's shoulders, laughing cheerfully. "So we make a new troupe. Higashiyama-san knows how much money the Storm of Science brings in, but his pride wouldn't allow him to fire you guys and not fire me too. So basically we're all free agents. We can go where we want, stay however long we want, and we'll always be together. The Storm of Science and the Mountain Boys! With Jun-kun as our manager. Although I must admit I was hoping Sho-kun would stay a girl because I've kind of always wanted a sexy assistant..."
"A troupe with two acts?" Sho asked. "But that's not going to do well!"
"What do you mean two?" Nino shouted. "What about me?"
"What about you?" Ohno asked, crossing his arms sternly. "We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you."
Nino looked forlorn, his chains and locks clinking. "Well what about Maki-chan? She's out of a job."
Aiba tapped his finger against his chin. "Well, troupe? Suggestions?"
Jun and Sho exchanged a glance, snickering to themselves. Sho spoke first. "Nino, how well does Maki-chan know your routine?"
***
Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science was the featured performer of the new Dr. Aiba and Friends Talent Revue. Though their relative newness kept them in smaller towns, the really dusty out of the way towns people never heard of, they always had a decent crowd. Jun was busier than ever now that he was the manager for the entire troupe, responsible for merchandising, marketing, and the logistics of their travel.
He was also happier than ever now that he was sharing a tent every night with Sakurai Sho of the Mountain Boys, the handsome man who still crashed into the set without fail multiple times a night. But the highlight of the Mountain Boys' act was their brand new song and dance hit, 'When the Queen Comes to Town.' This song required Sho to crossdress and stumble through the routine as a queen with little grace dancing with talented pauper Ohno-kun. Needless to say, but audiences were riveted by how well Sho was able to dance around in imitation of a female.
And then of course there was the opening act on the nightly bill, the newest sensation of the Dr. Aiba and Friends Talent Revue. Jun was backstage, grinning from ear to ear, as the performers took to the stage to the sound of applause.
Jun signaled and the spotlight panned across the stage from the female magician to her male assistant, clad in the gaudiest vest ever. Always the consummate professional, at least on stage, Nino was finally settling into his new role. He bowed to the audience and dutifully climbed into the box, looking appropriately frightened when the magician lifted the saw that was nearly as big as she was, letting it gleam in the footlights.
"For my first trick," the Incredible Maki announced to the crowd. "I'm going to saw my lovely assistant in half."
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Matsumoto Jun/Sakurai Sho
Summary: There really had been magic in Meisa's vial. Sakurai Sho had jumped in front of the vial's contents as a male and had found himself lying on the ground as something different.
Notes/Warnings: For je_otherworlds. A fantasy/vaudeville AU with some magical genderswitch.
Matsumoto Jun frowned when he peeked out from behind the curtain, spying tonight's crowd. There was seating for at least 250 people, but maybe a fourth of the seats had been taken. These were leaner times, and Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe was struggling because of it.
He left the stage behind, hurrying down the stairs and out to the performers' waiting tent just outside the main troupe tent. He dodged the Kanjani Boys, all seven of them suited up in their sushi costumes for their act. The soy sauce bottle gave him a dirty look as Jun squeezed around him. Aiba tried waving for his attention, his arms full of the apples he was planning to detonate for his own performance. Jun ignored him in favor of the people he needed to find.
Higashiyama-san, the troupe's leader, had already cut half the talent for this tour, and if the small crowd for tonight was any indication, it meant more acts were going to disappear from the bill. It seemed like people were tiring of troupes like Higashi's. Apparently singing, dancing, magic, and comedy were not enough. They couldn't compete with the traveling circuses since they had animal performers. And with this year's drought many people were simply staying home, saving their silver for something else.
Jun wasn't really worried about his own job. It was the talent, and one in particular, that he couldn't bear to see leave the troupe.
He finally found Sho and Ohno at the rear of the tent. They were already dressed and ready to go in their matching suits, Ohno's voice rising beautifully over the noise of the other performers readying themselves for the stage. It had been a long journey to Rose Petal Village, and their tents were set up for a two-week long engagement. But if they couldn't even fill seats on opening night...
"Matsujun!"
Jun tried not to react too eagerly when Sho called his name. As the years passed by, it had grown much harder not to. The Mountain Boys were a singing duo - the joke of their act was that Ohno-kun, the elder of the two, was a great singer and dancer. Sakurai Sho, on the other hand, was a passable singer and completely hopeless at choreography. It wasn't so much an act as it was the truth. While audiences fell in love with the talented Ohno-kun who danced circles around his partner, Jun had gone for the hopeless case. For Sho-kun with his winning smile and his big, clumsy feet.
It had been four years now that Jun had been working backstage for Higashi's, three of those years as the personal assistant for the Mountain Boys. It was Jun's job to talk them up to Higashi, to help coordinate their performances, to design and promote merchandise, and to get the two of them moved from town to town. He did all that without letting on how badly he wanted Sho-kun to notice him as something more than just an assistant.
"Hey Matsujun, what's it look like out there?" Sho asked, straightening his bow tie.
Audiences only seemed to pay attention to Sho's singing voice, to Sho's stiff legs when he tried to follow along with Ohno's dance steps. Nobody except Jun ever seemed to notice how handsome Sho was. He had bright friendly eyes, a kind smile, and despite its lack of coordination, a really great body. Audiences never bought Mountain Boys goods from the troupe's souvenir tent unless Ohno-kun's face was on them. But Sho's lack of popularity never seemed to bother him. He knew he was the walking, talking joke of Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe.
"Not good," he replied honestly, seeing Ohno and Sho's faces fall. "Maybe half the house tonight." He was being generous with that estimate.
It was a constant worry. The troupe might fold, putting them all out of work. And where could Sho find work anyhow as something other than half of the Mountain Boys duo?
Ohno tried to look tough, clenching his fists. "We'll still perform at 8000%," he assured Jun. "Maybe we could swap out 'Baby, I Love You' for 'Get Up and Dance' tonight?"
Jun caught the twitch of Sho's nose. For Ohno Satoshi, it was nothing to switch up their set list for the evening. He could perform any song or dance in their catalogue from memory without thinking. But for Sho, who was already pretty bad, he didn't like many changes to his routine. He was already the butt of jokes, the loser of the act. He didn't need to be at a complete loss in front of the audience.
Jun shook his head. "I think your current set is perfect as it is. You're up after Aiba tonight anyway, so you'll already have to deal with the stench of rotten eggs in the air."
Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science was a scientific experiment act based on the flimsiest science Jun had ever seen. It mostly consisted of their friend Aiba Masaki blowing things up and screaming in excitement (or in pain - he'd singed off his eyebrows a few months back and they'd only just grown in again). But it was a crowd pleaser. If there was one act Higashiyama-san kept on the bill it would be the Storm of Science.
Ohno nodded. "Alright. Hopefully he won't leave anything slippery behind on stage this time."
Sho looked to Jun gratefully, mouthing "thank you" when his partner wasn't paying attention. This time, Jun did blush.
***
With the dozens of empty seats under the tent, Higashiyama-san had ordered most of the troupe to switch out of their costumes immediately after their acts to fill in seats. Jun had waited until the middle of Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science to leave Sho and Ohno to their last minute preparations, taking a seat towards the back of the tent.
Aiba had already splattered the front row with the remnants of his butter bomb, and staff were handing out free towels to them emblazoned with the Storm of Science logo on one side and the Higashi logo on the other. Jun could only dream of the Mountain Boys selling a third of what Aiba managed to. Finally Aiba's various burners and bottles and other paraphernalia were wheeled off stage, Aiba himself taking a curtain call with a mop as he cleaned up after himself.
Jun found himself nibbling on his fingernails as the Mountain Boys took to the stage to the polite applause of the audience. It was always tough to follow the crowd's favorite, especially when they only had their voices and feet to appeal to them and no butter bombs.
As Sho and Ohno launched into their opening song, 'We are the Mountain Boys,' that included Sho's first choreographed pratfall of the evening, Jun heard snickering coming from either side of him. He sat up more firmly in his seat as the chair to his left and the chair to his right were filled with two people he didn't want to see.
To his left was the chuckling and beautiful Keiko-chan, Higashiyama-san's assistant for his own magic act that ended every show. To his right, top hat in hand, was The Stupendous Nino, the troupe's other magician who specialized in card tricks and in cutting his pretty assistant Maki in half.
Once the two of them had discovered Jun's crush on the Mountain Boys' less talented member, they'd teased him about it mercilessly. Keiko-chan was always trying to play matchmaker, dropping hints to Sho about Jun that he never seemed to pick up on. And the Stupendous Nino was mostly a Stupendous Jerk, chiding Jun perpetually about his "bad taste in men."
The audience roared with laughter (as much as an audience of their size could roar) as Sho tripped over his feet and landed on his backside with a theatrical "oof!." Ohno then launched into a series of pirouettes around him, looking as graceful as a swan.
"You going to offer massage services later tonight?" the Stupendous Nino teased, elbowing Jun in the side.
"Are those new bow ties?" Keiko asked, watching the stage through a pair of Storm of Science binoculars. "Ah, so cute!"
Jun fumed in between the two of them. It took a lot of skill to fall on cue like Sho did, to fall and get right back up to keep going. He always kept up as best he could, and his smile never wavered. As 'We are the Mountain Boys' ended and 'Falling for My Best Girl' began (a song with at least two planned stumbles and one crash into the upstage set for Sho), Jun looked around hoping to find a seat where he could watch his friends in peace.
But it was only when he turned back, looking to the rear corner of the tent, that he saw some of the colorful stage lights illuminate the very back row briefly and he saw her. His sudden sharp intake of breath alerted even the Stupendous Nino, who turned and followed Jun's line of sight.
"Oh crap," the magician murmured, turning back immediately and trying to hide underneath his top hat. "How did she get in?"
It was definitely her, Jun realized as the lights flashed over that section of the tent once more. Long black hair, piercing eyes, and an eternal sneer. Kuroki Meisa-chan, otherwise known as the Fabulous Meisa, had once been a member of Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe. A skilled magician in her own right and the first female-led magician act in recent memory, she specialized in tricks of illusion. Smoke and mirrors, deception, and the occasional "wear a blindfold, fling knives at the assistant" routine. Jun could see Meisa's husband and assistant, Jin, by her side. He looked better than he had the last time Jun had seen him.
With their leader Higashiyama-san atop the bill as Higashi the Great, there wasn't much room for three magic acts in the troupe. It had come down to the Fabulous Meisa and the Stupendous Nino. They'd both performed for the troupe one night with Higashiyama-san having final choice over who stayed and who was dismissed.
The Stupendous Nino had gone first. He'd worn his most dazzling vest, and Maki-chan had worn her most innocent expression as Nino locked her in a glass case of water. While the troupe screamed for him to let Maki out, he only stood there staring at his watch. Then suddenly the lights had gone off and the Stupendous Nino clapped his hands. Maki was back at his side, dripping wet, but unharmed and smiling brightly. It was a trick even Jun couldn't figure out despite watching it from backstage nearly every night.
The Fabulous Meisa had gone second, and after a few impressive sleight of hand tricks, Jin was tied to a wheel that was set in motion. While he struggled to keep down his dinner, his wife blindfolded herself and took hold of her knife set. Knives one, two, and three lodged into the wooden wheel just shy of his ears, earning Meisa a ton of applause. But then she'd hesitated with the fourth knife, as though some strange spell had come over her. Knife number four missed its mark, lodging itself firmly in Jin's thigh.
The decision was unanimous. The Stupendous Nino would stay with the troupe, and the Fabulous Meisa had to go (once her husband had been treated for his injury). Jun could still remember that night as though it were yesterday, Meisa screaming and cursing Nino's name as men from the bodybuilder act hauled her off stage. "You did this!" she'd cried. "Nino, you did this!"
Nino had only rolled his eyes, shouting after her. "And that's why girls are the assistants!"
Well, now she was back. She caught Jun's eyes, offering him a wave. He looked away, petrified. He felt Keiko shivering at his side, her hand gripping his arm. Nobody had investigated the incident. Nobody had taken Meisa's side that night. Did she hate them all now?
"I'm going to tell Higashiyama-san," Keiko whispered. "Don't let her out of your sight."
She snuck out of the aisle and hurried off, timing it perfectly as Sho crashed into the set and let out a noisy "that hurt!"
***
Meisa and her husband had paid for their tickets and were not causing a scene, Higashiyama-san decided. They were allowed to stay for the remainder of the performance. Staff were posted, however, to keep an eye on the woman and her assistant, especially with the two magic acts still remaining on that night's program.
The Stupendous Nino was looking increasingly nervous as his act approached. Jun had gone backstage after the Mountain Boys' performance to let them know what was going on. Ohno-kun, who had occasional bouts of obliviousness, failed to see why Meisa's attendance might be a problem. But Sho, thankfully, was as concerned as Jun was.
He was toweling the sweat from his face in the waiting tent, out of his suit jacket with his shirt sleeves rolled up. Jun looked away politely as Sho moved for his belt to change out of his slacks. "You think she's here to take revenge on Nino?"
"We can't prove he did anything to sabotage Meisa-chan," Jun said, crossing his arms and watching Nino shuffle his cards in his hand while Maki put the finishing touches on her hair and makeup. "We're not magic experts."
"He did add insult to injury though," Sho pointed out. "Didn't he say something about girls only being good as assistants?"
Jun nodded. "Yes, a paragon of equality, that guy."
The Stupendous Nino had long ruffled feathers in the troupe. Half the things he said were a joke and the other half simply sounded that way. It was the signature of a person who spent his life playing tricks on people. But if Maki-chan, who Jun considered to be a smart and level-headed person, still worked with him, he couldn't be a complete jerk.
"Ah, I ripped them again!"
Jun turned, seeing Sho was standing there in his underwear, examining his slacks with a forlorn expression. Ohno-kun was already back in his casual clothes, wiping off his stage makeup. People changed in and out of clothes in the waiting tent every night. He'd seen every possible body part by now whether it was attached to a man or a woman, but still the sight of a pants-less Sakurai Sho set him on edge.
He gulped a bit, taking the slacks from Sho's outstretched hand. "I'll mend these," he said, hoping Sho didn't notice Jun's quick look at his bright red trunks, at the shape of his backside in them. "They'll be good as new."
Sho smiled at him, oblivious to his distress. He reached out a hand to pat Jun on the shoulder. "Where would Satoshi-kun and I be without you?"
At that the Stupendous Nino's nervousness across the room seemed to snap. The magician let out a loud guffaw that made Jun furious. Sho, thankfully, was already busying himself with his sweatpants, changing into his casual clothes. Jun sent a rude gesture across the tent, seeing Nino smile. It was finally time for his act and he offered Jun a smug little salute as he and Maki departed for the stage.
Ohno and Sho headed for the audience while Jun took a seat near the Mountain Boys' costume rack, sighing at the state of Sho's trousers. The fourth pair he'd ripped in a month. He'd started keeping a sewing kit in the waiting tent just for these situations. As the crowd applauded the Stupendous Nino's performance, Jun spent the remainder of his evening mending Sho's trousers back into shape, putting all the feelings he had into every stitch.
***
The audience filed out of the main tent, laughing and smiling. Despite the small crowd, it seemed that Rose Petal Village had truly enjoyed the show. Jun hoped that would translate into merchandise sales and more tickets sold for the coming nights.
As the grounds cleared out and the troupe staff set to cleaning up the performance tent and things shut down for the night, Jun headed for his tent. He shared with Aiba, only because most other people were afraid to. They expected him to perform experiments on them in their sleep, but Dr. Aiba the stage star was not the same as Aiba the tent-mate, who merely told bad jokes before falling asleep every night. Aiba was also the only person who knew about Jun's feelings for Sho and didn't make fun of him.
Their tent wasn't far from Ohno and Sho's, and tonight Aiba had decided to throw a small barbecue to start their time off in Rose Petal Village right. He already had a small grill set up, and he and Ohno were roasting meat on top of the grill rack, turning it with precision. With others from the troupe gathered around, Jun discovered that the only seat remaining was next to Sho. He considered sitting in the grass before Aiba caught his eye, inclining his head just slightly to let Jun know it was intentional.
He found Sho already shoving food into his mouth, grease dribbling down his chin. Soon his tongue poked out to lick his lips, and Jun crossed his legs as he sat down in the chair. "Trousers are fixed," he informed Sho.
Sho grinned, holding out his plate full of grilled pork. "You're the best, Matsujun. Here, eat some."
Jun shook his head. "I can wait."
Sho sighed, picking up a piece with his fingers and moving it towards him. His eyes were sparkling. "Come on, eat it. Open up and say 'aaaahhhh'."
"What a romantic evening," the Stupendous Nino said, snatching the piece of pork from Sho's fingers and shoving it in his own mouth. "Delicious, my compliments to the chef!"
Ohno lifted his grill tongs in acknowledgment. With no other chairs, Nino seated himself on Sho's lap, picking more food off of his plate, his eyes challenging Jun to do something about it. Instead Jun got up, gesturing for Nino to take his seat. He grumbled to himself as he stomped over to the grill, offering to take over for Aiba.
The barbecue was a big hit. As soon as Jun replaced Aiba and Aiba settled in Jun's chair, Nino immediately moved to uncomfortably situate himself on Aiba's lap instead. It seemed like Meisa's appearance that evening had made the Stupendous Nino extra mean today. The smells of grilled meat and vegetables perfumed the air, and even Higashiyama-san stopped by to have a few bites. Jun was happy when their leader made no mention of the small crowd. He only encouraged everyone to work hard the following night.
Eventually people headed for their tents, and Ohno and Aiba began to clean up. Nino invited Sho over to his and Maki's tent to show him some card tricks, and Jun watched them walk away.
He was too cowardly. Always too cowardly. He never asked Sho to just hang out because what did he have to show him? More merchandise designs that featured Ohno-kun's face more prominently? Notes on his performance and how to improve for the next time? He was too cowardly to tell Nino to leave him alone, too cowardly to let Keiko-chan give Sho a hint or a push. He'd always be nothing more than Sho's assistant, a friend. The guy who fixed his pants.
He was preparing to go to bed when he heard a commotion coming from the direction of Nino's tent. He pulled on a shirt and hurried outside, seeing people running. "It's Meisa-chan," Keiko shouted as she passed, pulling Jun along.
There was quite a crowd gathered around outside of Nino's tent. Maki came hurrying over, panic in her eyes. "Jun, help him. Please!"
Jun moved swiftly through staff and performers alike to find the Fabulous Meisa, face furious. It seemed like her husband was trying to stop her from doing something, Jin's panicked shouts urging her to calm down. Across from her stood Nino, though Sho was standing in front of him with his arms outstretched.
"Stand aside, Mountain Boy!" Meisa screamed. "I have nothing against you."
Sho shook his head. "Meisa-chan, be reasonable. Do you want him to apologize?"
"I won't apologize for her being an awful magician!" Nino was able to shout from the relative safety of his position behind Sho.
Jun didn't know what to do. Maki was pleading for him to interfere, but that was something Jun had always been terrible at doing. "Stand aside," Meisa said again. "I want to show that sniveling little freak that girls can do whatever they want."
"Girls can apparently invade private property and issue threats," Nino said. "How admirable!"
"Badmouth women one more time, Ninomiya, and you'll regret it!" Meisa warned him.
"I only badmouth women who give magic a bad name!"
That was the final straw. Meisa hurried forward, breaking away from her husband. Jun thought she might have had a knife in her hand, and she pushed her way past Sho. Nino took off running with a rather cowardly scream, and Meisa gave chase. She threw whatever it was, and if it was one of the knives from her act it was spiraling quickly towards Nino's back.
But instead Sho, always a better runner than a dancer, had run alongside and cut in front at the last second, putting himself in the line of fire. Jun heard someone shout "Sho-kun!" only to realize it was his own voice, crying out in anguish.
Where he expected to see Sho go down with the knife embedded between his shoulder blades, something else happened instead. There'd been a vial in Meisa's hand, if the sudden shattering noise of glass hitting the dirt was any indication. Nino had gotten away in time, and nobody else had chased after. Sho was the only victim. Jun saw a dark cloud engulf him, heard Sho's agonizing scream as whatever had been in the vial overwhelmed him.
Magic, Jun realized. True magic.
Everyone ran away in a panic, worried that whatever had gotten on Sho would soon get on them. Jun was the only one who ran forward, seeing Meisa's horrified and almost guilty expression before Jin grabbed her hand and pulled her away. Maki went running after Nino, and soon Jun could hear a frantic Ohno calling Sho's name.
The cloud seemed to evaporate into the air, and Jun nearly tripped over his own feet in his hurry to crouch down at Sho's side. "Sho-kun, Sho-kun can you hear me?"
Sho was on the ground, curled up in the fetal position, his whole body seizing up. Ohno skidded to a halt, standing behind Jun and breathing heavily.
An unfamiliar voice spoke, higher-pitched and frightened. "What's going on? What's happening?"
Because of the panic, it was only Jun and Ohno-kun who saw Sho move, rolling in the dirt and onto his back.
Or, Jun should have said, onto her back.
Because there really had been magic in Meisa's vial. Sakurai Sho had jumped in front of the vial's contents as a male and had found himself lying on the ground as something different. Jun's eyes widened. Sho's face was less round, his eyes smaller. His hair had somehow grown down to his shoulders, and there were two tell-tale bumps hidden under his t-shirt. The entire shape of his body had changed in an instant, and even his t-shirt and sweats couldn't hide it.
"My voice," Sho muttered, hand to his throat. "What...what happened to my voice?"
"Holy cow, Sho-kun," Ohno gasped. "You're a girl!"
***
They managed to get Sho back to the tent Jun shared with Aiba, and Sho let out the most horrifying howl at the sight of his face in a mirror.
Her face.
Because there was no denying it. Meisa's revenge had been potent indeed. It seemed that she'd wanted to get Nino back for his cold, thoughtless opinions on lady magicians. It had backfired, and Sho was paying the price. Jun didn't know how such a thing was possible. But all he knew was the frightened look in his friend's new eyes, and he wanted to help.
"Change me back!" Sho screamed. "Change me back!"
Sho looked up, seeing Jun, Aiba, and Ohno staring down. The woman that was Sho, or rather, the Sho that was a woman (Girl Sho? Lady Sho?) instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, hands grasping her shoulders. "Don't you even think of looking!"
Aiba leaned down, poking Sho's cheek. "Amazing! Super amazing!"
"Pervert!"
This wasn't funny, not funny at all, and yet Aiba and Ohno still couldn't keep from snickering at the sight of their friend. Sho hadn't been stabbed or hurt, but instead this miraculous transformation had happened. Jun, however, looked away as requested.
"What do we do?" Ohno asked. "I mean, we can't perform as the Mountain Boys now."
"That's the first thought that enters your head?" Sho complained, yanking Aiba's blanket from his bedroll and draping it around herself. "Singing and dancing and not chasing that crazy bitch down?"
But it was true. If whatever Meisa had done was a permanent change, the Mountain Boys were finished.
They could hear more noise outside of the tent, and Jun knew that Higashiyama-san was going around, asking what had happened. At the sound of the troupe leader's voice, Sho dove under Aiba's blanket to hide.
"What do we tell him?" Ohno asked. "We can't lie to him, he's fired people for less than that."
"He's a magician," Aiba reasoned. "Maybe he'll know how to fix things? He can change Sho back."
But Jun knew that wasn't going to happen. Higashiyama-san and Nino relied on misdirection, on tricks. Neither of them had actual magical abilities. "What about you, Storm of Science? Don't you have a scientific explanation?" Jun argued right back at his tent-mate.
Aiba blushed. "That kind of science is a little beyond me."
The tent flap opened and Higashiyama-san was there, looking furious. "Where's Ninomiya?" their leader fumed. "I hear he's the cause of this chaos?"
Ohno, Aiba, and Jun exchanged glances before finally Aiba spoke. "He, um, he ran away. When Meisa was chasing him. We haven't seen him."
"Well," Higashiyama-san said. "You send him to me if he comes crawling back. He and I have a few words to exchange."
"Of course," Jun said.
Higashiyama looked around the tent, seeing the Sho lump on the floor. "Sakurai, that you down there?"
"He's not feeling well," Ohno blurted out, lying even though he'd been the one to caution against it. "I think he had some bad meat at the barbecue."
"Show goes on tomorrow night with or without the Mountain Boys and with or without the Stupendous Nino," their leader warned. "So man up, Sakurai."
He left in a huff, shouting for Nino, and Sho poked her head up from under the blanket.
"Man up, he says," Sho muttered angrily, shaking her head. Somehow Jun was already coming around to the idea of Sho as a 'her,' if only because the person before them really looked so different. But yet there was no mistaking the fear in Sho's eyes, the worry over what had happened. No matter what, it was the same person Jun loved, the same person Jun needed to help.
Sho was kind-hearted and decent to everyone. Of all the people in the troupe to protect, the Stupendous Nino should have been the last one Sho should have helped. And yet he had, and what had he gotten for his trouble?
"Matsujun, we need to find Meisa," Sho said. "We need to find out where she got that vial."
"But how? She ran away."
"And chasing her down means leaving the troupe," Ohno argued. "If we leave, Sho-kun and I might get fired."
Sho rolled her eyes, poking at the soft mounds under her shirt. "Listen to me, you think I can just tape these things down and keep going? And what about singing? The Mountain Boys don't have a soprano in the act. We'd get fired for that too. And the last thing I want to do is explain this to Higashiyama-san."
"Maybe I can help."
They turned, spying a rather shaken Stupendous Nino hovering near the tent flap. He'd probably been lurking around the whole time. Jun wanted to strangle him, but a look of caution in Sho's eyes stopped him. Nino shoved his hands in his pockets. "She used forbidden magic to make that vial," Nino explained. "Blood magic. Only a handful of people can do it."
"And you aren't one of them," Jun said angrily. "You just stand up there and lie, trick people and laugh about it later."
For once, Nino nodded apologetically. "You're right. I can't do it. I can't change Sho-kun back."
"Then how can you actually help?" Aiba asked.
Nino looked at his feet. "Blood magic is just what it sounds like. She had to use her own blood to make that potion, and whoever is affected by the spell is forever bound to the magician who used it. So Sho can track her, and I can help."
"So Meisa wanted to do this to you, to bind you to her?" Sho asked tentatively, looking unsure. "Because I don't feel anything. Aside from feeling completely and totally strange."
Nino snorted. "Apparently. She certainly is petty. Count your lucky stars, Sho-chan, because she could have wanted to change me into a toad or a flea or something."
"So we track her down," Jun said, ignoring Nino's remarks, "And then what? Meisa changes Sho back?"
"Forbidden magic is forbidden for a reason. There's a fine line between a card trick and actual, real magic. It's a dark path that no reasonable magician takes, and it might actually kill her to do such an elaborate thing again if we force her."
Sho looked down. "Well, I don't want her to die..."
"Being a lady's not so bad," Aiba offered. "Maybe we can just introduce you as Sho's sister or Ohno-kun's girlfriend. You could be the Mountain Boy and Girl..."
"We track her down, and Nino will apologize to Meisa. And then she won't have to be forced," Jun decided, staring Nino down. "This is all Nino's fault, anyway."
The Stupendous Nino looked at Sho. "I'm sorry, alright? For what it's worth, you make a really cute girl."
Sho dove under the blankets again, swearing.
"But how will we be able to get away, change Sho back, and still save everybody's jobs?" Ohno wondered. "You heard Higashi-san. The show goes on with or without us."
Aiba raised his hand, looking a bit gleeful. "Why don't we leave that to Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science?"
***
Three of them left just before dawn, sneaking past the guards Higashiyama had posted around their camp to look out for Meisa and Jin. It was an odd trio - Girl Sho, the Stupendous Nino, and Jun. Nobody had trusted Nino to travel with Sho alone, fearing he'd run off again and escape in case Meisa was still hunting him down. Ohno and Aiba were staying at camp to pull off the most unfortunate Storm of Science experiment yet.
If the Stupendous Nino and the Mountain Boys missed a performance, it was almost guaranteed that they'd be cut from the troupe. But if the whole troupe was ill, then the entire show would be postponed. With the troupe's financial situation already precarious, it was a big chance they were taking - but if Higashiyama-san himself was sick, there was no way he'd risk a mediocre performance.
And so, much as neither of them were looking forward to it, Ohno and Aiba were planning to put something in the troupe's breakfast to make everyone ill. It wasn't magic - this time it truly was science. Aiba had been a little too excited to use something from his act, a bottle of some chemical or another that was guaranteed to induce indigestion. Jun was rather grateful that he'd volunteered to travel along with Sho and Nino.
Of course avoiding an upset stomach was not the only reason Jun had volunteered. Though he could have easily allowed Ohno to travel with his partner instead, Jun felt partly responsible for what had happened. He'd been too late to help Sho the night before. He'd been too cowardly to intervene when Sho alone faced Meisa down. He would do anything he could to help Sho now.
They didn't dare go to Rose Petal Village. The Stupendous Nino might be recognized by the townsfolk, and he was certain Higashiyama was still looking for him after the chaos the previous evening. They instead moved on down the road, reaching Moonflower Village by midday.
Jun used money from his small savings to book a room at an inn, and the three of them headed upstairs. According to Nino, tracking down Meisa would require a minor sacrifice on Sho's end. Blood magic only led to more blood magic.
Sho was pacing, looking a bit worried. She was dressed in Sho's usual t-shirt and sweatpants, but the pants hung loose and the t-shirt clung to her chest. It was still a bit odd to look over at her, to know that inside it was the Sho Jun had known for so long. Nino had been right, of course, though. Sho really was beautiful as a woman.
"What are you looking at?" Sho muttered, frowning in Jun's direction while they waited for Nino to gather everything they needed. "I expected it from Nino, but not from you."
Jun looked away, mortified. For four years he'd stared at Sakurai Sho, the man, and he'd never noticed. But within hours of turning female Sho was finally starting to pay attention. Too bad Sho didn't actually know the reasons behind Jun's constant gaze.
"I'm sorry," Jun murmured just the same.
Nino returned to the room with some supplies from the village market. Some odd smelling spices, pinches here and there of ground-up plants, a nasty-smelling liquid, and a jar to mix it in. Though Nino himself apparently had no talents in blood magic, he knew enough of the basics to get them started. Sho and Jun watched nervously as Nino unrolled a parchment map of the region. He then dumped the ingredients he'd gathered into his jar and mixed them.
He pulled a switchblade out, holding it out to Sho handle first. "Because of what she's done, some of her power should still be in your bloodstream. Cut across your palm and add some to the mixture here."
Jun watched, heart clenching as Sho took hold of the knife and turned her left hand over, palm up. Where Sho's hands only a day before had been rough with bitten fingernails, they were more delicate now. Elegant almost. Jun had to look away at the sound of Sho's sharp intake of breath, the sudden slash of red across her pale skin.
"There," Nino was saying. "Just a bit more. Jun-kun, here."
A handkerchief fluttered into his hands followed by some gauze, and while Nino got to work with more mixing, Jun cleared his throat. He concentrated only on the sight of Sho's hand as he cleaned and bandaged the wound and wrapped it in the handkerchief. He looked up when he was finished, meeting Sho's eyes.
A woman stared back, biting her plump lip the same as Sho usually did when he was nervous before going out on stage.
Nino held out the jar. "It's going to tingle a bit when you touch it," he said, gesturing to the mixture inside the jar that now contained Sho's blood. "You smear it on your other hand and then you focus. The answer should come to you, and you draw an 'x' on the map. We'll find her there."
Sho dipped her fingertips tentatively into the jar. Her eyes fluttered closed almost immediately, her breathing suddenly growing heavier. Nino looked almost jealous of the power coursing through Sho, something he'd never have himself. Jun watched as Sho slipped into an odd sort of trance. Her fingers slipped from the jar, eyes still closed as she hovered her right hand over the map. Bypassing Rose Petal Village, moving in the opposite direction of Moonflower.
Sho's fingers drew an 'x' to the southwest, to small Serendipity Island in the center of the Greatwater. "There," Sho whispered, opening her eyes. "She's going there."
Nino and Jun exchanged glances. Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe had never crossed the Greatwater, even where it narrowed. There were no bridges, no places to ford it and drag their wagons across. It was a fast-moving river, and it was a three days' hike away.
"That's a lot of indigestion," Nino said with a frown, all three of them clearly hoping Ohno and Aiba and the Storm of Science would give them the time they needed.
***
As they moved south they saw signs posted along the road. A reward set out by Higashiyama, 200 silver to the first person who told him the whereabouts of Kuroki Meisa.
"200 silver," Nino mused. "Maybe we should just go tell Higashi where she is and save ourselves the trouble. I could custom order a whole new water escape box...or some new handcuffs..."
Sho walked on ahead, her longer hair blowing in the breeze as she stomped along angrily. Jun elbowed the magician. "How many times do I have to remind you that this is all your fault?"
Nino grinned, watching Sho walk along the road. "I would have made for a rather ugly woman. Maybe it's fate that Sho-chan stepped in at the right moment. Although I suppose the appeal has lessened now...she's actually rather graceful, and you always liked Sho's clumsiness."
"It's still Sho. It's still the same person, and you're still a jerk."
The magician laughed. "I don't think Sho sees it that way."
It was rather true. The Sakurai Sho Jun knew was friendly and outgoing, chatty and open. The new Sakurai Sho was mostly quiet and clearly uncomfortable in different skin, and Jun could only imagine the frustration a transformed body might bring. Even that morning at the inn, Jun had seen Sho return from the washroom looking utterly embarrassed. To look in the mirror and see a stranger staring back, that had to be frightening.
Sho stuck close to them when they stopped for meals and when they checked into inns. Otherwise men's leering eyes followed, looking at Sho's body without shame. Sho's self-consciousness grew, translating into a quicker pace of walking. Serendipity Island couldn't come too soon.
Jun wasn't too sure what lessons Nino was being taught by this incident, but Jun was receiving a rather thorough education. Everyone in the troupe was friendly and open with one another, but being out in the world was different. In the troupe the women were part of the group, working with the acts. There was little protection afforded them out here, especially on the road.
Maybe this was what Meisa had wanted Nino to discover. That it was almost too easy to be a man. That she'd worked hard to get where she was, to perfect her magic in a world that didn't afford women the same respect. Jun was learning that instead, and Sho was too.
By the next night they would be at the Greatwater, and they headed into the town of Cloudy Valley, the last major stop before the vast river. At the inn two rooms were requested, and Jun could see the confused look in the innkeep's eyes as his gaze moved between Jun and Nino. The man was curious as to which of them was Sho's partner, as though it was odd for a woman to travel with two men.
As they had the nights before, Nino and Jun stayed in one room and gave Sho the other to herself. Nino fell asleep quickly - he'd grown used to traveling from town to town in the wagons on account of his relatively high status in the troupe. Walking all day exhausted him. But Jun lay awake, thinking about what was happening in Rose Petal Village. Wondering if Meisa would even be willing to change Sho back if they found her.
And what exactly did Sho think about it?
It seemed a completely different life, back inside the tent with the usual worries. Sho splitting his pants, the troupe in dire financial straits, Jun's worries about the merchandise not selling properly. Now they were dealing with true magic, with its consequences.
He heard sound coming from the other room beside them, and he got up from the bed, ears straining to hear. He finally pressed against the wall, listening close. It was singing. Not a familiar singing voice, but the words themselves were familiar. It was 'We are the Mountain Boys,' ringing out in a completely different pitch.
He left Nino to his bed, unable to stop himself. Jun went into the hall, knocking gently on the neighboring door. When Sho answered, she wiped at her eyes. She'd been singing the Mountain Boys songs and crying. "I'm sorry," Jun said. "I just...I heard you singing."
Sho nodded, allowing Jun inside the room and shutting the door. "I was doing the dances. Some of the steps, you know. Satoshi-kun would want me to keep practicing before I started forgetting stuff. Show must go on and all that."
It seemed like Sho was resigning herself to the possibility that Meisa wasn't going to help her change back. "It would be a little strange, seeing a woman falling all over the place. And I suppose we'd have to change the lyrics," Jun admitted, taking a seat on the bed. "But we could do it, no problem."
Sho lifted one of her arms, revealing a massive purple bruise on the inside of her arm. "This body can't take the same amount of punishment. I can't sing right because I can't come close to any of my low notes. I'd have to learn how to fall all over again. I guess it would look weird if I was in a suit and bow tie."
"Maybe you'd be more popular than Ohno-kun," Jun said, trying to stay positive. "You could keep the bow tie but we could put you in a skirt. I can make all new goods, a complete image rebranding. We'd outsell Masaki, hands down."
Sho looked at the mirror, turning around slowly. "Maybe." She was quiet then, staring at her unfamiliar body, at her daintier feet, the softness of her skin.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, Sho-kun, I'm on your side. If you can't change back and Higashiyama-san lets you and Ohno-kun go, I'll go too," Jun said. "Mountain Boys, Mountain Boy and Girl, you'll need an assistant wherever you go. In case you rip your pants...or a skirt. I could learn to mend skirts. Same idea."
Sho's eyes were glimmering a bit with tears, looking at Jun indirectly through the mirror. "You've always looked out for me. From day one."
Jun found himself looking away, blushing. "You make a living falling on your butt. People like you need looking after."
"I've never known what to say. How to thank you. And here you are, when you could be back with the troupe, you came along on this silly journey. The journey to turn me back into a man. It sure sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud." Sho chuckled. "Then again, anything sounds ridiculous when the voice that comes out of you belongs to you and at the same time doesn't."
"You don't sound ridiculous," Jun argued. "You sound like Sho. You may not sound the same or look the same, but you're Sho. You're my friend, and that's not going to ever change. If you're a guy, you're still Sho. If you're a girl, you're still Sho. The stupid blood magic didn't change what really matters."
The floorboards creaked, and Jun's heart raced as he heard Sho approach. He felt a gentle caress, delicate fingertips along the side of his face. "How long?"
"How long what?" Jun asked, unable to look up and meet Sho's eyes.
"How long have you loved me and never said anything?"
His hands were sweaty, and he shrugged his shoulders. "Does it matter?"
"Since I'm trying to return your feelings, I'd say it matters." Sho's hands rested on his shoulders. "I always thought it was Satoshi-kun you liked. You always make his face so large on our shirts and posters..."
Jun looked up, almost gasping in shock. "That...that's just marketing! Sho-kun, it's always been you. And it still is you, no matter what you look like."
She smiled. "I'd kiss you, but I suppose it would be weird. In case you had, I don't know, expectations."
But it wasn't weird when he got to his feet. Sho's body was softer in places, smelled differently, but he knew it was Sho he was kissing, Sho the person he'd doted on for all these years. Sho, the person he loved inside and out. Jun had never expected to even reach such a happy moment, had contented himself with the idea of watching Sho from afar for years to come. That such a bizarre occurrence had brought them together didn't much matter.
Because when their noses clumsily bumped, he knew it was the person he'd fallen for.
***
The following morning Nino again had Sho perform the blood magic ritual, confirming once more that Meisa was on Serendipity Island and hadn't gone elsewhere. Since few people ventured across the Greatwater, she hadn't seen much need to come back and put herself in harm's (or Higashiyama-san's) way.
At the banks of the river Nino reluctantly parted with the remaining contents of his coin pouch to procure them a boat ride across. The choppy waters left him ill, lying on the bottom of the boat grumbling about magic and men turned into women and which troupe he and Maki might try to join up with once Higashiyama fired him.
But Jun only had eyes for Sho, for the feeling of her hand in his as they stood together near the front of the boat and watched Serendipity Island grow closer with each passing minute. It wouldn't be the end of the world if Sho was stuck in a woman's body forever. After all, it was much better than a frog's or any other creatures for that matter. Human was human. "Even if I'd have to get used to not standing when I pee," Sho had lamented with a chuckle.
The cut on Sho's palm throbbed as soon as they set foot on the island, a place that was sparsely populated and mostly covered in dense forest. As they moved from the shore to the edge of the trees, Sho nearly doubled over from the pain in her hand.
"It means we're close," Nino said. "Meisa should be feeling it too. She'll know we're coming."
"Do we need to worry about her being really damn skilled with throwing knives?" Sho wondered aloud, cradling her hand as they kept walking.
"I can always hide behind Jun-kun this time," Nino reasoned, still not seeming all that apologetic about everything that had occurred. Typical smartass magician.
But their worry had been needless. They found a small cabin in a forest clearing, spying Jin outside chopping firewood. He lodged his axe in one of the tree stumps nearby as he saw them approach. He held up his hands in surrender. "She's been waiting for you."
Inside they found Meisa looking incredibly embarrassed and ashamed. The walls of the cabin were adorned with woodcuts and newsprint of her time in the troupe, headlines for the Fabulous Meisa, the world's best female magician. Her glory days long behind her, the cabin had a rather sad air. There were trinkets and padlocks and chains of handkerchiefs tied together, remnants from her old act.
Nino had politely opted to stay outside while Jun sat at the table with Sho. "He's here," Jun said, eyeing the lady magician a bit nervously. "Nino. He's waiting for us. I'm not sure he's learned from his mistakes, but I have. He sabotaged your act, didn't he? He made you lose focus that night."
Meisa nodded. "Nino can't do any actual magic, but he slipped something in my drink that night. Something that wouldn't affect anyone but someone who followed the darker paths. He knew all along that I had embraced forbidden magic. But I had no choice but to go down those roads, to search for the mysteries. For the things that can't be explained so easily. I wanted to be good at my act, and I was willing to do anything to be the best. I couldn't just be content with mirrors and tricks. I'd never get far, not as a woman."
Sho looked sympathetic. "He was wrong to do what he did that night. And we were wrong to ignore what he'd done, to let him cheat his way into a permanent spot with the troupe."
Meisa looked down. "I am truly sorry, Sakurai-san. I wanted him to see through different eyes, to see that women aren't just accessories to be cut in half for the crowd's applause. I hurt you, and I apologize."
"Thank you for not, you know, wanting to turn Nino into a rat or something," Sho said, and Meisa chuckled.
"The important thing is whether or not you can turn Sho back," Jun interrupted. "Can you do that or not?"
She nodded. "It was painful, I assume, your transformation? Well, I'm afraid you'll have to endure it again. Transformative magic on that scale isn't easy on your body. I must admit, I gravitated to a spell that would hurt Nino as much as possible."
"You could have just thrown a knife at him, you know," Jun said. "You're plenty good at that, and it hurts just the same."
"Jin advised me to try that too," Meisa admitted. She turned to Sho. "I have everything I need here to change you, if that is your wish. Unless you've grown attached to the new you?" She looked over at Jun. "I can see that Jun-kun's certainly grown attached..."
Sho turned crimson. "Ah, it's not really because of that..."
Meisa put the pieces together, nodding in realization. "Keiko-chan really had been telling the truth all that time...oh gosh, that's so cute!"
Sho turned to Jun angrily. "Did everyone in the damn troupe know you liked me before I did?"
Jun was ready to sink through the floor in embarrassment, but luckily Meisa got to her feet, clapping her hands.
"Let's get started!"
***
It was difficult to watch Sho swallow the contents of the vial Meisa had put together. Instead of inhaling the fumes, it was more direct and assured that the transformation would take place if Sho drank the potion. Meisa sat there watching Sho writhe on the floor, swaying in her chair. She'd had to do a lot more than add a few droplets of blood to create the concoction. Jun was worried she was going to keel over, but Jin was by her side, an arm around her.
The Stupendous Nino, meanwhile, was finally being punished. While Sho endured the transformation a second time, Nino was made to watch, tied up in one of Meisa's straitjackets and wrapped in locks and chains. He had yet to offer Meisa a formal apology, keeping his head high and assuring the magician and her husband that he would surely break free of the trap in minutes.
What he didn't know, of course, was that while Meisa had been making the potion for Sho she'd gone to the trouble of casting some sort of forbidden enchantment on the locks that now kept Nino in place. She had promised not to do Nino any further harm. It would be up to him to get himself out of his predicament, which she estimated would take him days of wriggling around uncomfortably. She had her revenge, at least, and was looking forward to watching Nino's shame grow as he failed over and over to release himself.
Jun crouched down, stroking Sho's shoulder.
"Testing...testing," came the sound of Sho's voice, his old voice. He still sounded a bit pained, but he laughed. "Am I back?"
When Sho turned over, Jun smiled. Though he'd definitely miss the soft skin he'd only just started to learn, he supposed that Sho felt more comfortable in the body he'd always known. He was back, with his big feet, his muscled arms. Meisa looked away, laughing even in her weakened state as Sho tugged on his pants to check inside them.
"Come on then," Nino grumbled, eyebrows knitting in confusion as he continued to struggle. "We have a troupe to get back to now that Sho has balls again. Fantastic news all around, hurray."
Jin patted the helpless Nino on the head. "Mess with my wife again, and we'll cut you in half. And there won't be a second person in the box serving as the legs."
"Wait, there's always someone else in the box with Maki? Every single time?" Sho cried, completely stunned.
Nino rolled his eyes while Meisa shook her head and sighed. "Don't ruin all our secrets," Meisa chided her husband.
They had to wait a full day for a boat back to the mainland, and Jun and Sho offered no help whatsoever to their companion. They had only intervened briefly the night before so Nino hadn't wet himself.
It was a long walk back to Rose Petal Village, and they were surprised to see that Higashi's Traveling Talent Troupe was still there, the tents still set up. They returned at midday, finding a sign out front that announced half price tickets due to a reduced talent roster. The Mountain Boys along with The Stupendous Nino and Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science were not on that evening's bill.
They snuck in, Sho tugging Jun by the hand while the still bundled up Nino toddled and clunked after them. They made it to Aiba and Jun's tent, pulling up the flap.
"Oh thank god!" Aiba shouted from where he sat tinkering on the floor with one of his strawberry shortcake grenades, loading it up with cream filling. "Oh thank god you guys are back!"
The commotion led to Ohno's arrival from the tent nearby. "Sho-kun, your boobs are gone!"
Sho greeted his partner with a roll of his eyes and a hug. "What the hell happened while we were gone?"
"Long story," said Aiba, patting his belly. "Two days in the bathroom, and some of us are still just getting back to normal. You should have seen Higashiyama-san staggering around, Keiko begging him to stay away from the stage."
"I never thought I'd hear a man his age shouting at his body, screaming 'don't you poop your pants!'" Ohno informed them gleefully, scratching at his head. "He eventually gave in and postponed things. But once he got better and you guys weren't back we had to come up with some crazy lies."
"The first was that Meisa-chan had kidnapped Nino, so you'd gone looking for him," Aiba explained.
"But then he figured out it was a lie a day later since nobody in their right mind would actually go looking for Nino," Ohno continued.
"I am standing right here listening to this," Nino complained with a stomp of his feet.
"So then Higashiyama-san was going to fire Nino and the Mountain Boys both for unreliability and lack of diligence, something like that," Aiba said, passing the baton back to Ohno.
"So out of the goodness of his heart, Aiba-chan said he wouldn't perform. That he was standing in solidarity with us. That not one butter bomb would explode while his friends were away. That the Storm of Science would be reduced to a mere drizzle!"
"And how did Higashiyama-san take that?" Sho asked, flabbergasted.
"Oh," Aiba and Ohno said simultaneously, their earlier enthusiasm dying away.
"He fired all of us, didn't he?" Nino interrupted, wriggling in his chains.
Aiba and Ohno nodded. "Ah, yeah he did," Aiba said sheepishly. "This morning. Um, we have until the end of the day to pack up and go."
"The whole point of this was so we didn't lose our jobs!" Jun pointed out.
Aiba wrapped an arm around Jun's shoulders, laughing cheerfully. "So we make a new troupe. Higashiyama-san knows how much money the Storm of Science brings in, but his pride wouldn't allow him to fire you guys and not fire me too. So basically we're all free agents. We can go where we want, stay however long we want, and we'll always be together. The Storm of Science and the Mountain Boys! With Jun-kun as our manager. Although I must admit I was hoping Sho-kun would stay a girl because I've kind of always wanted a sexy assistant..."
"A troupe with two acts?" Sho asked. "But that's not going to do well!"
"What do you mean two?" Nino shouted. "What about me?"
"What about you?" Ohno asked, crossing his arms sternly. "We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you."
Nino looked forlorn, his chains and locks clinking. "Well what about Maki-chan? She's out of a job."
Aiba tapped his finger against his chin. "Well, troupe? Suggestions?"
Jun and Sho exchanged a glance, snickering to themselves. Sho spoke first. "Nino, how well does Maki-chan know your routine?"
***
Dr. Aiba's Storm of Science was the featured performer of the new Dr. Aiba and Friends Talent Revue. Though their relative newness kept them in smaller towns, the really dusty out of the way towns people never heard of, they always had a decent crowd. Jun was busier than ever now that he was the manager for the entire troupe, responsible for merchandising, marketing, and the logistics of their travel.
He was also happier than ever now that he was sharing a tent every night with Sakurai Sho of the Mountain Boys, the handsome man who still crashed into the set without fail multiple times a night. But the highlight of the Mountain Boys' act was their brand new song and dance hit, 'When the Queen Comes to Town.' This song required Sho to crossdress and stumble through the routine as a queen with little grace dancing with talented pauper Ohno-kun. Needless to say, but audiences were riveted by how well Sho was able to dance around in imitation of a female.
And then of course there was the opening act on the nightly bill, the newest sensation of the Dr. Aiba and Friends Talent Revue. Jun was backstage, grinning from ear to ear, as the performers took to the stage to the sound of applause.
Jun signaled and the spotlight panned across the stage from the female magician to her male assistant, clad in the gaudiest vest ever. Always the consummate professional, at least on stage, Nino was finally settling into his new role. He bowed to the audience and dutifully climbed into the box, looking appropriately frightened when the magician lifted the saw that was nearly as big as she was, letting it gleam in the footlights.
"For my first trick," the Incredible Maki announced to the crowd. "I'm going to saw my lovely assistant in half."