Possession 13: Forbidden Grounds

Rei walked slowly to her seat, trying to look as innocent as possible. Maybe it’s better if I didn’t tell this to Tenshi… He might get a bit… upset…

Kai was slumped over his desk, head resting on folded arms. The blonde boy watched with sleepy eyes as the priestess moved up the aisle and sat in her assigned seat. He raised his head and leaned back in his chair, still watching the girl. Rei fidgeted nervously.

“So,” he finally whispered, “where are you from?”

“Northern Japan,” A sweat drop rolled down the side of her face as Rei whispered, trying to keep her voice low so that the teacher wouldn’t hear them over his lecture. Her heart was pounding.

Kai flashed a smile. “You look tense. Relax. I don’t bite.”

“Heh… guess it’s just the school... My last one was… smaller…” Well, at least it’s the truth… I was taught at home, after all…

Rei! What’s happening now?

Erm… Well… nothing much…

Oh no, now what?

Eh… Well…  I’m talking with your best friend…

What? Kai? They put you in his class?!

Yeah… I sit right next to him…

And you didn’t object?!

That would look even more suspicious!

Things can’t possibly get any worse…

Rei bit her lip, taking notice of the tugging sensation in her stomach. I can’t tell Tenshi that I’m going to be forced out of his body soon… Not yet, at least…

 “You know, you look kind of familiar,” Kai was saying.

“Oh, really? I, um, get that a lot.” Rei smiled. Her heart skipped a beat.

“I see.” The blonde boy regarded her with an arched brow before he slumped back over his desk. A moment later, his breathing told the priestess that he was completely asleep.

Rei closed her eyes and raised her hands to cover her face. I need to get out of here… A desperate idea suddenly struck her. Opening her eyes, she raised her hand. “Um… Ikuraka-sensei? May I be excused?”

The short teacher blinked and looked over. “Whatever for? You just got here.”

“Yes, but I have to go to the restroom. I didn’t have any time to go before I came.”

“Hm… alright, fine. But just this one time, because you’re new.”

Rei stood and bowed. “Thank you very much, Ikuraka-sensei.” Moving quickly, she made way to the door and out into the hall. Okay… Now I just need to pretend I don’t know where the bathroom is and make my way to the gym… Well, I don’t know where the bathroom is anyway, so I suppose I’m set on that… She walked close to the wall; keeping careful watch to make sure no teachers surprised her like Principal Kenji had. At first she got lost, taking too many turns, but she eventually found her way back to the girl’s locker room.

It happened just as she placed her hand on the door handle. A sudden jerking that sent her reeling. It wasn’t painful, exactly, but it felt like it was. She was being forcefully drawn out, her body finally retaliating against the foreign spirit. Even though it looked like her, it was still Tenshi’s.

Rei gasped and doubled over. Tenshi! Take over!

What? Hey, what’s happening?

Just do it! I can’t hold on anymore!

Rei’s body went numb. She could feel herself loosing control, watched as her body began to move under another’s control. Finally, her consciousness began to dim. She let go of her hold on the body and felt herself swept away.

Tenshi sat against the door, trembling. What happened? Blinking, he looked around but didn’t see the priestess anywhere. Rei? Where are you? Are you okay?

Yeah… I’m okay. Her response seemed faint, almost far away. I’m… I’m in the Astral Plane… I need to relax...

Tenshi let out a sigh of relief. At least she’s okay, he thought to himself. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking another breath. When he opened his eyes, he looked down at himself. Tenshi leapt to his feet, suddenly alarmed. Rei! My body! It’s yours! I mean mine, but… GAH! I still look like you!

No time to change back… so tired… you need to find Kawari…

Uh-uh. I’m changing back right now. Tenshi began to form a picture of his natural body in his mind.

You’re in a girl’s uniform, Rei’s tired voice pointed out.

That stopped him short. No way would he be caught wearing a girl’s outfit in his normal body. With a numbing despair, he realized that he didn’t know where his normal clothes were. Hey… where are my normal clothes…?

Don’t know… so tired… can’t remember…

Try! I need those!

Find Kawari… With that, her presence seemed to vanish from Tenshi’s mind.

He stood in the hall, a feeling of helplessness slowly creeping over him. I’m stuck in a girl’s body, Tenshi thought miserably, in a girl’s school uniform… outside the girl’s locker room… Tenshi paused. His eyes lit up as he backtracked. Hey… I’m in a girl’s body, in a girl’s school uniform, outside the girl’s locker room… Hell, a chance like this doesn’t come around very often! He looked at the door one more time.

But it’s wrong, he pleaded with himself. I shouldn’t take advantage of Rei like this… But… I do have to find Kawari, right…? Nothing wrong with enjoying the circumstances… Taking a deep breath, Tenshi gripped the door handle and twisted it, pulling the metal door open and slipping inside.

A shiver raced through Tenshi’s spine as he gazed slowly around at the room. He didn’t know what to expect, but he was surprised that it was all so… plain. Lockers built against the walls. Aisles that lead to more lockers or to the bathrooms. Nothing particularly impressive. Tenshi drifted along, staring in awe at his surroundings. I can’t believe it… I’m actually in here…

Tenshi moved into the bathroom. Wow… no urinals… He was actually in disbelief over that simple fact. And… it’s clean… No paper on the floors or anything… Tenshi blinked and turned away, looking at himself in the mirror. Actually, he looked at the reflection of Rei that stood in the mirror. This is so weird…He could almost forget about his anger towards the priestess and the wave of despair he felt for the situation she had gotten him into.

Hm… Tenshi glanced down at the two lumps on his chest. Biting his lip, he wondered about how appropriate this was. Well… I might look like Rei, but this is still my body, right…? Sure… Slowly reaching up with one hand, he cupped it over one of his breasts. Curious, he squeezed. Huh… kinda squishy… Firm, yet supple… Taking a shuddering breath, he reached up with both hands to unbutton his collar. He pulled his shirt forward, trying to get a glimpse inside.

Noise! Voices filled the air and feet trampled the ground. Gym was over, and the girls were now moving back into the locker room to change. Tenshi choked and quickly buttoned up his collar, dashing around a corner to try and get out in time. Too late! He nearly crashed into a girl as she stepped out from behind a locker.

Tenshi stumbled for words. “I-I-I’m s-sorry! I’m not supposed to be in here, I-I’m not….please don’t freak out, I’ll g-get out of here right away!”

The girl looked at him as if he was insane and moved past.

Tenshi blinked. What…Oh! Yeah, I’m in Rei’s body! I’m okay!  “Yeah, I’m just another girl,” he said with a sigh of relief. He laughed and moved around more confidently. Some of the girls, like the first one he had bumped into, just stared.

Let’s see… I needed to find Kawari… Tenshi rounded another corner but froze in his tracks, face going first pale then a burning red. In the aisles before him and to the side, girls were changing, laughing and talking with each other. But they were changing. Tenshi stared at girls dressed in nothing but bras and panties. For a moment, he swayed, barely conscious.

The next moment he was back in the bathroom, trying to stem a flow of blood that threatened to kill him.

Get a hold of yourself! You have a mission to do! Focus on that! A mission! Right! Taking another breath and summoning up his nerve, Tenshi steeled himself and walked out.

And walked back in, stemming another nosebleed provoked by a girl who bent over to pick up her shoes.

Okay… so I just wait here. Give them a few minutes to change before I walk around trying to find Kawari. Tenshi leaned against the wall next to the trash bin and closed his eyes. Relax, be cool. Everything will be fine. He went through some breathing exercises as he waited, smiling and nodding to the girls who went to and from the bathroom. I can’t decide if I want to kill Rei or thank her…

After about five minutes had passed, Tenshi decided to venture out once more. With a pocket full of tissue, he left the relative safety of his wall to find Kawari. Thankfully, most of the girls were dressed and waiting near the door for the bell to ring. Tenshi avoided the few stragglers who were still changing, using his tissue when appropriate. He drifted from aisle to aisle, trying to catch a sight of dark green hair. She’s got to be somewhere around here…

There! Yes! In the corner, at the very end of a row of lockers. There stood Kawari, buttoning up her shirt as she listened to her friend’s gossip. They kicked me, Tenshi thought resentfully as he gave the talking girls a dirty look. Moving out of sight, he leaned against a locker and tried to reach Rei. Hey, Rei? Can you hear me?

…Tenshi? It took a few moments for her to answer. Go away… I’m having a good dream…

Snap out of it! I need you. I found Kawari.

Kawari…? Who’s he…?

Come on! You’re supposed to be the responsible one! Now’s no time to sleep! Tenshi wondered how to snap her out of her daze. He finally settled on an idea that was sure to get a rise out of her. You know, I’m thinking of taking this body of yours out for a …’test drive’… Try a few things…

A blurry image seemed to take form before him. Don’t you DARE, came the firm response to his off-hand comment.

Finally. Look, I found Kawari. What do you want me to do?

The blurred form of the priestess was faint and indistinct. I still don’t have enough strength to return to the spirit world… Tenshi could actually feel the weariness in her thoughts. You’ll have to confront her without me. Just tell me what she says and I’ll tell you how to respond.

Alright… I’ll try my best.

Okay… Um… Tenshi?

Yeah?

Are you still mad at me…?

That caught Tenshi off guard. He hadn’t expected Rei to ask him something like that at a moment like this. I haven’t decided yet… He would have said more, but the girls in Kawari’s aisle were moving out. Okay, she’s leaving. What do you want me to do?

There was a moment of silence before the priestess spoke. Bump into her. See if she recognizes you.

Nodding to himself, Tenshi walked out from behind the row of lockers he was leaning on and moved over to Kawari’s aisle, turning the corner just as the green-haired girl came walking out. The two collided and were nearly knocked to the floor.

“Watch where you’re going,” Kawari snarled. She glared at Tenshi but froze, eyes widening slightly. A sense of recognition and anger crossed those emerald eyes and then the mask was back up.

She recognized me, Tenshi quickly told Rei.

Alright. One final test. Try to act confidant, like you’re sure that she’s the demon. Say exactly what I tell you to say.

With Rei’s prompting, Tenshi forced a smirk and hoped it looked authentic. “Surprised to see me, Kawari?”

The other girl feigned disdain. “Who are you? Do I know you from somewhere?”

Tenshi leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. “I just came to deliver a message to you. You may know I’m hanging around Saishi but I still have my own body. I know you for what you are, demon wench, and you can be sure that everything you think about Saishi and I, I know just as much about you. Your days are numbered, demon. Watch your shadow.” Tenshi watched for just a second more, catching the seething rage just beneath the surface of Kawari’s face. He then smiled and giggled. “Have a nice day.”

I can’t believe you made me giggle! Tenshi growled at Rei as the bell for lunch rang. He walked out of the locker room with all the other girls. Do you know how embarrassing that was?

Somehow I doubt anyone would know that it was you. Now come on, we need to get to Tobias’ shrine.

The shrine? Why do we have to go there?

I need to see if he has some parchment and ink. Marker and that ‘computer paper’ of yours do not make good talismans.

Tenshi sighed. Alright. I skipped one class, I might as well skip the rest… Hopefully Kai will cover me…

Alright. And make sure you stop by your house, too.

Why?

If you want to see Tobias as a boy in a girl’s school uniform, that’s up to you. I don’t think you would want to, though.

Oh! Yeah, right. Tenshi laughed nervously to himself then sighed, making his way towards the entrance to the school.

Tenshi brushed past a girl with short blonde hair as he made his way to the exit. The girl narrowed her eyes and glanced around, falling into step a good distance behind him. Threaten me, will they, she thought to herself. Fine… your death will come sooner than I planned.

The girl’s hazel-colored eyes swirled and became yellow, almost lizard-like, before turning a jade emerald. She smirked to herself as she followed her prey.