"I have the mail, Rezo-san."
"Thank you, Sylphiel." Rezo sat down at the living room table, as Sylphiel came to do the same. "Please read it to me."
"This postcard is from China. 'Dear Tendo Rezo-san, My little sister and I have just left China. We should be back in Japan soon. I will prepare my sister for the arranged marriage.' Arranged marriage, Rezo-san?"
"Yes, Sylphiel." The blind man nodded. "Before your father died and I took you in, I promised an old friend that one of my sons would marry her little sister. Speaking of which - " Rezo stood, taking his staff, and began wandering out to the hallways. "Listen up! Xellos! Zelgadis!" Rezo walked by one door and opened it. "Xellos."
The violet haired youth looked up from his calculator and smiled, eyes closed, of course.
Rezo continued down the hallway and opened another door. "Zelgadis." When no reply came and the room remained clearly silent, Rezo shook his head. "Where is that boy?"
Out in the dojo, Zelgadis took 2 deep breaths, then smashed his fist through 2 cinder blocks. He smiled at the thoroughly crumbled cement.
click Xellos withdrew his camera. "You've been practicing for 3 hours already, Zel. You don't have to tone up for the girls that much. You're already popular with all of them." Xellos smiled.
Zel grit his teeth. "I am not doing this to impress girls!"
"Oh, well then. I guess you won't want to prepare much for our vistors then." Xellos walked away.
Zelgadis stared after him for a moment, then followed his brother to the living room.
"Lina Saotome?"
"Yes. The daughter of a good friend of mine. If one of you," Rezo gestured to Zel, still in his dohki, and Xellos, all dressed up in a blazer and slacks [yum...^_^], "were to to marry her, then the Saotome's exceptional fighting style would be wed to our Tendo dojo."
"Wait a second!" Zel spoke up. "Don't we have some say in who we're going to marry?"
"Oh, don't be so pessimistic Zel-kun. She could be really cute!" Xellos winked.
Zelgadis rolled his eyes.
"Ne, Ottusan?" Xellos smiled.
Rezo began to laugh. "Well, they'll be here any minute. They should be returning from their training trip in China."
"Ooh, all the way to China!" Xellos chirped. "A woman of the world!"
Zel just shook his head in exasperation.
"How old is this Lina, Rezo-san?" Sylphiel finished pouring tea for the boys and sat down.
"Is she a cute one?" Xellos reitorated.
"Actually," Rezo gave one of those smiles that let Zel know something outrageous was coming. "I've never met her."
Sylphiel stared in shock.
Xellos waved his hand dismissingly. "Ah, well! That makes the surprise all the more interesting. Are you alright, Zel-kun?"
Zel was presently choking on his anger and disbelief. "I don't believe this!"
"Now, Zelgadis - "
"I told you! I don't want any part of this!" Came a shout from outside.
"Oh, someone must be at the door." Sylphiel moved to check.
"It must be Lina!" Xellos stood up, straightening his jacket. "Please allow me, Oneechan." Which was how the boys affectionately regarded Sylphiel.
"Saotome, my friend!" Rezo stood up and followed down the hallway.
"Well, this is interesting." Xellos lead their guests inside.
"What is it, Xellos?" Rezo asked.
"A giant panda?!" Zelgadis jumped to his feet.
"C'mon, Neesan! This is embarassing!" A boy with wild black hair squirmed while slung over the panda's shoulder.
"So, Ottusan, are these your friends?" Xellos asked, a joking expression on his face.
Rezo reached out and felt the furry tummy of a panda, not to mention the scent of animal fur. "Well I don't recall my old friend being covered with hair."
"So this panda just decided to come in, is that it?" Zelgadis crossed his arms, thoroughly annoyed.
The panda put down her squirming load. At the sound of feet touching the floor panels, Rezo reached out. He managed to find a shoulder and ask, "You wouldn't be Lina, would you?"
The boy looked sheepishly up at the blind man and replied, "Yeah... I'm Lina Saotome." Then he smiled, embarassed. "Sorry about this."
"Ah! I'm so glad you've finally come! Let me have a look at you." Lina held perfectly still, except for the curious expession he had at Rezo's hands wandering around his face. "Hm?" Rezo paused. That's odd... A larger jawline than any girl I've ever seen. Since the newcomer was already under scrutiny, Xellos decided to join in. He eyed Lina closesly. Then he began feeling his chest. He was immediately hit to the ground.
"Stop that!" Lina huffed.
Zelgadis took a look. "Ottusan. Lina isn't a girl! He's a boy!"
Rezo only stood there.
"Ottusan?"
"Rezo-san?" Sylphiel approached, concerned.
"Hmmmmm..." Rezo's head was bowed in thought.
"Ottusan, can't you tell the difference between a boy an a girl?" Zelgadis asked flatly.
"I assumed my friend Luna's sister was a girl."
"Excuse me," Xellos had gotten up and was rubbing the boy's chest again. "But does this look like a girl to you?" He was again punched to the ground.
"Stop that!"
Zelgadis sported a sympathetically annoyed expression towards Xellos. When Xellos was repeatedly annoying, the only thing to do was get away. "Hey, do you want to practice?"
"Hm?"
"I'm Zelgadis. Zelgadis Tendo."
"You've studied kempo?"
"Sure."
"How about a match, then?"
"I...don't know..."
"C'mon. I won't hurt you." Zel got into fighting position. "Alright." He warned before punching. Lina merely jumped. This was repeated twice before he tried different angles, kicks, and combinations. Zel was beginning to pant for breath, while Lina stood, perfectly relaxed. How can he be reading my moves so easily? "Alright!" Zel said through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes. Lina saw this and easily avoided his charge with a jump. The wall was a little less fortunate. But before Zel could retract his punch, Lina had already landed behind him, and tagged him on the back of the head with a slight tap. He began to giggle, as Zel turned, astonished. "Ah," Zel gasped. "I'm impressed!" Zel began to leave the dojo. "I'm just glad you're not a girl."
"Wha - ?"
"I mean, I'm glad I don't have to deal with an arranged fiancee."
Sylphiel lead Lina up the stairs. "You can stay in this room, Lina." As Lina let down his pack, Sylphiel handed him a towel. "You've been exercising. The bath is free right now."
"Arigato, Tendo-san."
Sylphiel smiled. "Oh, it's no problem, Lina. And you can call me Oneesan, if you like."
Lina took a look at the gentle-mannered woman in a frilly apron. Much more agreeable than her real oneesan. Lina smiled his thanks.
Sylphiel came downstairs and passed Zelgadis in the hall. "Zelgadis, take a bath before dinner, won't you?"
"Alright, Oneechan."
Lina sat in the tub, pondering the situation. "Well, they would have to find out sooner or later. Might as well come out as I am." Just as Lina stood out of the tub, the door to the bath slid open.
Zelgadis was very glad he was still wearing a towel around his waist. There was a girl, he had never seen before, in the bath. A very pretty girl with a petite figure and wild red hair - but very nude!
All at once, Zelgadis stared stupidly for a second, while turing beet red, Lina screamed, throwing a bucket, and Zel dashed for the other side of the door. Leaning up against the barrier thankfully, he tried to catch his breath and block out the image, lest he get a nosebleed or something. Trying to stay calm, he walked a steady pace to the living room.
"Ottusan, are you aware there's a girl in the bathroom?" Zel asked, trying not to die of embarassment, remembering what happened. Zel looked over to a woman sitting across from his father. "Hm? Who's this?"
"Zelgadis, I suggest you get dressed before we start with introductions." Sylphiel walked by, towards the kitchen.
Zel looked down at himself and realized he was still in just a towel. His face flashed red, and he dashed to his room for some clothes.
"Where is that pervert!?!" A voice boomed from down the hall. Girl-type Lina, now that she was dressed, was ready to stomp Zelgadis into the ground. If she could find him. She wandered into the living room. "Where is he!?!"
"Lina. Calm down." Luna warned.
"Hm? Is that a girl's voice I hear?" Xellos poked his head into the doorway. "My, my, my..." He smiled at Lina. "And who may I ask is this lovely young lady?" Xellos asked to the room.
"We better start with introductions." Rezo turned towards his son. "Xellos, tell your brother to come here. He should be in his room."
"Ohkay."
"This is my old friend." Rezo began.
"Luna Saotome." She bowed. "And this is my little sister, Lina." Lina continued glaring at Zelgadis, who shrank where he sat and turned red once again. "Lina, bow." Luna commanded.
Lina humphed once and bowed quickly - very much not at Zelgadis.
"Are you really that boy and panda from earlier?" Xellos asked.
"It's such a long story..." Luna sighed. "Well, let's start with this then!"
Before Lina knew it, her sister had grabbed her by her red Chinese blouse, and threw her out into the Tendo's garden. A great splash erupted from the koi pond, and out came a young man, with wet black hair.
"Ch-chotto..." Sylphiel slowly pointed. "Lina-san was a girl, and now she's...a boy?"
All further questioning was interrupted by a loud growling yell, as Lina-kun jumped out of the pond and charged at Luna, doing his best to pass his sister's defenses and toss her into the pond. Luna only batted Lina away, and he stalked off in frustration.
"As you can see," Luna turned back to the Tendos. "We two sisters have a pair of very strange curses - Mwwrrrr!"
Lina-kun made sure every last drop of water dripped out of the bucket, and onto Luna's head. Luna tried to punish Lina, but with her bulky panda form, Lina only dodged the swipe, pushed the bucket onto Luna-panda's head, and shoved her off her seat. Luna was sent rolling down the steps, into the garden.
"Serves her right!" Lina-kun sat down at the table again.
Rezo sighed. "I suppose I'll explain. You see," he turned to his charges. "Luna explained earlier that they trained in China, at a valley called Jusenkyo. There are many pools in that valley, each with it's own curse. Whatever last drowned in each pool of water, is the form taken by anyone unfortunate enough to fall in and become cursed. Lina fell in the Spring of Drowned Man. And Luna fell in the Spring of Drowned Panda."
"But how do you change back into a girl?" Xellos asked, not quite in as much shock as Zelgadis or Sylphiel.
Lina nonchalantly took their kettle of cooling tea and dumped a cupful onto her head. "Hot water changes me back. Cold water activates the curse." Lina-chan mumbled under a red head of warm water.
"Ah!" Xellos grinned. "Then I suppose Zelgadis has a fiancee afterall!"
"WHAT!?!" Zel and Lina both screamed at once.
"Why would I want to marry her!?" Zel burst out at Xellos.
"Well, Lina-chan came out of the bath earlier, screaming the someone had peeked. Zel-kun, I never knew you were that interested in her!" Xellos jabbed Zel repeatedly in the ribs.
Zelgadis grabbed Xellos's jabbing arm and threw him across the room.
"Why would I want to marry him!? He saw me in the nude!" Lina stood up.
"I didn't look that long!" Zel stood against her.
"Well, it sure seemed long to me!" Lina screamed back, her face a little flushed.
"Ah, I remember when my late wife looked at me for even an instant, it felt like eternity." Rezo mused off to the side of the room.
"Oh, really?" Sylphiel poured him more tea. The rest of the room ignored their side comments. Just as they ignored them, in favor of tea.
"Only because you were wasting time staring at me!" Zel continued to Lina. "You think I like walking in on people, AND coming practically naked!?"
"I don't know! Do you?!"
"Coming from a girl who changes to a boy, you've got no right to imply I'm the one that's perverse!"
"What's that supposed to mean!?"
"Ah, the perfect couple already!" Xellos declared, as everyone else sipped their tea and nodded at their bickering. Zel and Lina proceeded to pummel the smiling boy.
"What a jerk!" Lina-chan hopped into her futon.
"How so?" Luna murmmured in the next futon. "He was rather sweet on you earlier."
"Sweet?! OK. So maybe he pulled me out of an awkward situation, but now he's calling me a short-tempered pervert all of a sudden!"
"You were the one that got mad, Lina. Over an accident, no less." Luna turned. "Wait. He didn't call you short tempered."
"..."
"Lina? Are you just afraid of that?"
"Hmph!" Lina pulled her blanket over her head. "Well, he's definitely not sweet!" Lina muffled her voice under the covers. "Zel no baka..."