There was perfect silence in the dojo as everyone stared at the floor, all unwilling to volunteer to do what might possibly be the solution to their predicament. Agitated with the group's reluctance, the first volunteer spoke up.
"If no one else has the gut to speak up." Megumi sweatdropped. "Then I will!"
A certain rooster looked at her oddly while the demon nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
"This has to do with you, Sano." Megumi pawed at the floor nervously. "Have you ever noticed how everyone's injuries heal so much quicker than yours?"
Sano glanced down at his shoulder to check a wound that Megumi had been healing for him for the past week. Unfortunately, his feathery form obscured the view and he resigned himself to glaring suspiciously at the woman doctor.
"I can't say that I've noticed," Sano ruffled his feathers. "But since you're bringing it up, I think you owe me an answer!"
Megumi looked away. If the fur hadn't obscured it, a deep blush would've been visible to all. She hated having to bring this little secret out into the open, but if it would cure the curse and return her to normal, she was willing to chance it.
"We're waiting!" Sano grumbled.
"I tend to your wounds differently, Chicken-head." she spat. "I don't tie the bandages as tight and I don't apply as much of the healing salve…"
"YOU WANT ME TO SUFFER LONGER???" Sanosuke squawked, exasperated.
"Will you let me explain!?" the foxy doctor barked.
"What's next? You're just gonna let me die?" Sano fumed.
"Sano! Please!" Kaoru said, quieting them both down. "I'm sure Megumi has a reason for doing it."
"Probably does want to kill me so that I don't remind her of about her little 'illegal talent.'" the rooster muttered.
"I just wanted you to come into the clinic more often." said Megumi softly.
"Eh?"
"You never come around unless you're hurt." the fox's tone was low and serious. "And I wanted you to come in more often than you were."
"I don't come around because you always call me Chicken-head!"
"And I treat you quickly because you always call me a fox!"
"There's got to be better reason for doing that, Megumi!" Kaoru edged in.
The doctor fidgeted in her place.
"As I said, I wish you'd come into the clinic a little more often, Sano." She forced out.
"Why?" Sano pressed.
"I like the company and…"
"And…?"
"I want YOUR company…"
"I thought you enjoyed everyone's company."
"I do, but I like YOURS…"
"I think what Megumi - san is trying to say, Sano," Kenshin chose to intervene. If this discussion escalated into an all-out argument, Sano and Megumi would be at each other's throats for straight answers, and if push came to shove, Megumi would obviously win and not necessarily in a good way. "is that she has feelings for you, that she does."
"Ah---!" Sanosuke's voice caught in his throat.
"Kenshin!" Megumi growled. "That was supposed to stay-"
"-a secret." Kenshin finished for her. "I know, and that's what has to come out if we are to be returned to our true forms, that it must."
"IS THIS TRUE!?" Sano squawked once he regained his voice.
"What does it matter to you!?" Megumi barked back.
"It matters PLENTY to me!"
"Why?"
"Because how am I supposed to know that you like ME when your hanging all over Kenshin all the time?"
"I'm just teasing Kaoru!"
"Funny! It looks more like flirting to me!"
"If I don't hang all over Kenshin, Kaoru will never show that she's jeal-oops!"
Megumi covered her mouth as best as she could, but it was already too late. The sound of paws scampering to and from the back of the dojo made the fox fear turning around to face the fiery assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin style. Wearily, she peeked over her shoulder and came face to face with a very ticked off tanuki carrying a shinai in its mouth. Megumi gulped nervously.
"Well, at least THAT secret's out." She sweatdropped.
"Hey yeah, that's right…" Sano chipped in. "Shouldn't that have reverted us back to normal?"
"Maybe it's some other kind of secret that you guys need to let out." suggested Yahiko.
"Oh come on! What could be more embarrassing than 'fessing up to the person ya love?" Sano uttered, quickly covering his face with his wing in disbelief of having said that.
Megumi leered in Sano's direction, causing him to gulp nervously at her nearness. A chuckle from Yahiko was silenced by a clumsy shinai strike.
"Oh!" teased Megumi. "So you DO care!"
"So?" What's it to you?" Sano raised his wings defensively.
"I care too, that's what!"
"Y-You do?"
"Are there any brains in that rooster-head of yours? I just said that I care about you!"
"Care about each other?" Yahiko giggled. "Try madly in love with each other!"
"Um… what he said!" Sano and Megumi said at once, glaring one another down.
*POOF!*
When a sudden burst of smoke dissipated, Sanosuke and Megumi were still poised and staring each other down, only now, they were back to normal!
"It worked!" cheered Yahiko.
"Alright!" Kaoru joined in.
"Congratulations you two." Kenshin smiled. "You're back to normal again!"
Sanosuke and Megumi stared at each other silently for a moment, perfectly still as a rosy blush rose to each of their cheeks. They promptly pulled back, looking away from each other as though they were not on speaking terms. Cautiously, Sano peeked one eye open.
"So…" he spoke gruffly. "When's the next time I need my bandages changed?"
"Later on tonight sounds about right." Megumi replied in like tone. "With the way you go around picking fights while you're still banged up, I'm sure your shoulder wound will have re-opened by then."
"Hmph!"
At this, the others could not help but laugh. Eventually, Sano and Megumi joined in as well, their blushes never entirely leaving their faces.
****************
This is Chapter 6. Where would you like to go next?
