"KOJURO!" A shrill cry rang out through the Oshu camp.
It was the voice of Date Masamune, calling for his trusted Right Eye. The urgency in his voice is what caused the other man to hurry. They were in a time of piece now; while it would be wrong for someone to attack it wasn't unlikely.
"Yes, Masamune-sama..." Kojuro burst in to find Masamune hunched over himself, "What's wrong?"
The young dragon held his hand up shakily. Instead of it being it's normal pale color it was covered in blue scales, "What is this?"
Kojuro was just as shocked as he was. He sat down next to him to examine the hand. After a bit of talking, they decided that it would be best to take him to the healing women of the village. Even she was stumped and had to call in some of the elders in order to figure out what was wrong.
"The legend was true," one elder said.
"What legend?" Kojuro asked.
"That the one who can take over the world would take on the name they were given. In other words, because you took over the world you are turning into the dragon you were destined to be."
"That makes no since." Masamune huffed, "Seriously what's happening to me?"
"It's as I said. Before the end of the month you will be a full dragon."
"How far is the transformation going to go?" Kojuro asked.
"There's no telling. He could be humanoid or he could make a full transformation."
Masamune resided to his quarters for the next few days only allowing Kojuro to come in on occasion. The scales had spread from his arm to most of his upper body, and a few patches were starting to form on his leg. Even his face was starting to make the transfer.
"There's still no sign of a tail so that's good." He mumbled as he inspected himself for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Yukimura is here," Kojuro announced though the sliding door, "He wants to challenge you. Should I send him away?"
Masamune groaned; he forgot that besides the people of Oshu he would eventually have to face the world like this. Though, if anyone were to take this in stride it would be Yukimura; the other man didn't have it in him to be rude.
"You can send him in." He decided.
"Are you sure?" Kojuro asked.
"Yes I'm sure."
To say that the Tiger was shocked to see his rival in such a state was an understatement. He didn't know what to make of his new appearance. There was only skin visible on his face and feet from what he could see.
Still, he stayed as polite as he could in this situation, and accepted the sake that was offered to him while making small talk. The dragon had a look of relief on his face relaxing as they continued their conversation about much of nothing.
"Do you mind me asking about the discoloration of your skin?" Yukimura finally asked, "I-I mean if you don't want to tell me..."
"It's fine," Masamune waved it off telling Yukimura what the elders had told him.
"So, if I were to have taken over the world I would of become a tiger," the older man's eyes lit up at the thought.
"Apparently."
"Do you think you'll get wings? In all the stories I was told as a child, that dragons had wings."
"I hope not," Date sighed. Seriously, the nickname it's self was cool, but if he knew he would have to go through this he would of changed it to something different; or only taken over most of the world instead of all of it.
"I guess the name One-Eyed Dragon really wasn't for show."
"I guess not."
A silence lapsed over as they both took a sip of sake at the same time.
"Kojuro tells me that you haven't left you quarters in days," Yukimura said.
Masamune shrugged, "I just haven't felt much like moving." Actually he was ashamed of what he looked like now. He felt like a child all over again. After he recovered for his small pox he had gone outside not caring about the disfigurement of his eye, until the other kids said something. Then when he went to his mother for comfort, and she told him he was hideous. He locked himself away in his quarters until Kojuro put on a bandage to cover the eye and eventually they just removed it.
There was no way for him to cover up something like this. He'd tried to remove the scales by pulling them out, but it only led to more pain then when he plucked out his eye.
"I thought that you of all people would flaunt a great triumph such as this," Yukimura looked completely appalled, "You have finally lived up to what you have expected of yourself. At this point you have literally become indestructible and yet you hide away. I do not understand."
"I'm not expecting you to."
"Then surly you will at least come out for enough time to spar with me?"
"I just..." he fiddled with his cup, "I don't want it to get out to the other lands."
"Is there someone in particular," Yukimura fished. He really wanted to help Masamune out. He'd was a good friend and he could tell that whatever it was really bothering.
"You have to promise not to tell Kojuro."
"Sure, but I thought that you were the leader of the Date. Doesn't he have to listen to you?"
"He goes against my orders sometimes. He's like a father and he treats me like I'm still a child."
"Okay, what we say won't leave this room."
"Motochika and I have been together for some time now and things have been good. I'm just not sure how he'll react to this."
"If he can't see passed it then he's not worth your time."
"I know."
"Then why are you so self-conscious about it."
"I don't know," Masamune leaned against his wall like he used to, but this time his view was blocked by the door that he used to keep himself shut in. He hated how insecure he felt. He was no different than the young maidens in the village when it came to his feeling to Motochika.
"You know what, you're right," Masamune decided.
"See," Yukimura beamed. "Can we spar now?"
"All right."
~.~.~.~.~
He took Yukimura's words to heart when Motochika made his way to Oshu.
The pirate had heard the rumors that Masamune had come down with some sort of skin disease.
"Are you okay?" Motochika asked the moment he pulled open the sliding door.
"I'm fine," Masamune looked him straight in the eye. He was sitting topless of in his room. His wings had sprouted a few weeks back and the rest of his scales had grown in. They had worked up his neck and around his chin.
Motochika didn't say anything as he sat down in front of his lover resting his hand on Masamune's chest. His hand moved to his slightly covered scale cheeks.
"What happened to you?"
"The name One-Eyed-Dragon isn't just for show," Masamune tried to smile.
"It's not painful is it?"
"No, they itched when they were first growing in, but I've gotten used to them."
"I heard you were dying."
"I'm not."
Motochika kissed him softly, "Are you going to tell me what happened."
"You're not going to believe me if I told you."
"Try me."
Masamune explained the story to his lover once he settled into his arms.
Motochika took the news pretty well, "Are you going to keep changing."
"I'm pretty sure it stopped a while ago."
The pirate let his hands wander Masamune's body. He scales were smooth, and cool to the touch. What he found fascinating was the wings. Their hands intertwined.
"I'm glad you're okay."
So I started editing this when I realized that I didn't finish it yet. XP Sorry if the ending seems rushed (they always do) and I feel like Chosokabe might have just been thrown in there…
Hope you enjoyed