kei_fic_diginibunoichi3

      Back at the tour guide's cottage, everyone settle down either on a chair or on the floor. The tour guide placed a large kettle of water on the stove, then provided towels for everyone to dry themselves off. He then told them about the terrible consequences of those who fell into the springs of Jusenkyo. "There was this Japanese boy a few years back, see, he fell into Spring of Drowned Girl, like you," he pointed at Taichi, "when he was training here with his father. His father fell into Spring of Drowned Panda. Terrible tragedy, terrible tragedy." He shook his head sadly. "Then a friend of his fell into Spring of Drowned Pig, like your brother," he nodded towards the little piglet, who was half-asleep. "Such sad story... the boy who turn into girl had a terrible time back home, like the rest of his friends. You won't believe some of the things that happened to them." Taichi began to look frightened, as did everyone else. "Such a shame," continued the tour guide, oblivious, "that there is no cure to the Jusenkyo curse."
      "You mean, we'll stay like this forever?!" Taichi cried out, voicing the concern everyone felt. The kettle whistled merrily. The tour guide got up, "Oh, no, you won't be like this forever. You can get back to your original forms by doing this." He poured some boiling hot water over Taichi's head.
      "EEEHHHHHHAGHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh!" everyone watched wide-eyed as the bumps on Taichi's chest shrunk to nothing and he grew taller right before their eyes. The boy turned furiously on the tour guide, "What the hell was that for! That water was hot! And I was nearly dry too!" the tour guide cowered.
"Uh... Taichi... maybe you should take a look in the mirror." Yamato pointed. The boy did a double take on seeing his reflection. "I'm back! I'm a guy again! Oh joyous day!" he hugged himself in glee. The tour guide proceeded to pour water on the Jyou the tortoise, who quickly pulled on his clothes before anyone could see. Restoring Takeru and Koushiro, he turned to Yamato and proceeded to wet him. Yamato jumped back before the scalding water could touch him. "Wait, I don't need that! I was already a guy!" The tour guide peered suspiciously at him, "Are you sure? I was pretty sure you were girl." Behind, Taichi smothered a laugh. The tour guide scratched his head, "Strange, usually I good at separating the girls from the boys..." Yamato glared daggers at Taichi, who was rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach in laughter. The tour guide handed the kettle to Palmon, "Here, you girls go into the other room to change."
      "Wait, how come Yamato didn't change, and the rest of us did?" Koushiro asked, wiping his laptop clean of water. The tour guide pondered this, then replied, "My guess is he fell into Spring of Drowned Man, so there was no change. Spring of Drowned Man and Spring of Drowned girl are right next to each other after all."
      "But how come the hot water changed us back? Why are the Cursed Springs so terrible if we can just change back?" Jyou spoke up.
      "Oh, it is terrible indeed! Here watch this." The tour guide took a ladle of cold water and threw it over Taichi. Immediately, he shrunk back into a girl. "NOOooo!! I'm a girl again! How did that happen?!" The girls filed out of the other room, dressed and normal again. They looked curiously at Taichi, who was clutching his head and shrieking.
      A light bulb lighted up above Koushiro's head. "Oh I see. Cold water triggers the curse, and hot water reverses the effects!" he exclaimed, looking pleased with himself for figuring it out. Everyone else just looked horrified. Taichi doused herself with hot water again and then grabbed the tour guide and pleaded desperately, "Please! Is there anyway to get rid of this curse?!" The tour guide looked doubtful for a moment, then, "You CAN try dipping in Spring of Drowned Man, but... ah, wait!" he called out to Taichi, who was already running out into the storm, and getting turned back into a girl in the process, "The springs are flooded right now, you might fall in wrong spring! It's dangerous!" The tour guide looked at Yamato, "You should go after him...her. You only one who won't change in cold water!" It was true. No one else would be big enough in their cursed bodies to stop Tai, nor will they willing to go back out in the storm. Yamato sighed and headed out into the storm. He'd just dried too.