"Jedah," Celica sneered.
"Celica," Jedah said, grinning widely. "I'm so glad you could make it!"
"Stop this, Jedah! There is no need for violence!"
"Nonsense," he sneered. "You know as well as I do that you're not going to give up your soul without coercion."
"Give up your soul?" asked Boey. "What is he talking about?"
"Celica would never!" said Mae. "Bite me, Jedah!"
"Please be quiet," Celica said. "I don't want you two to injure yourselves."
"Huh? But Celica-"
"Mae. Please."
Mae kept her mouth shut.
Jedah glared at Mae. He looked to Celica. "Now that you've tamed your kitty cats, are you ready to have a private discussion, girl?"
Celica nodded. "Let's meet in that, er… tree." She pointed to an eerie, pale white tree that - despite the poison water - managed to be thriving and alive. Jedah nodded and the two met under its branches, somewhat hidden.
Celica was nowhere to be seen.
"She should be back by now," said Boey, glancing worriedly in the direction of the tree. He turned to Mae. "Do you think she's all right?"
"You know…" Mae twiddled her thumbs. "Normally I'd say you were worrying too much and Celica was gonna be fine. But I think you might be on to something here. We should really check on her."
And thus, the pair did just that – they snooped near the tree, trying to remain stealthy.
Each of their steps were calculated, and each breath withheld.
Unfortunately, each footstep was not watched, and so when the pair walked towards the tree's roots, they tumbled over – right into Jedah.
"Who dares-?" He looked to the intruders and snarled. "You again! Snooping, are you?"
"W-we just wanted to make sure Celica was safe," Mae quickly said. She nodded to Celica. "She's safe. I can see that! Ha ha! So we'll just be going now-"
Mae and Boey tried to make a run for it, but Jedah lifted his palm upwards. They remained static, and a magical force held their legs in place. They twisted, but both remained firmly in Jedah's magic grip. "You have been irritants twice today," he snapped.
"You are both less like annoying kitty cats… and more like bunnies!" He raised his palms in the air, directing them at Boey and Mae.
"Boey!" Celica cried. "Mae!"
"Celicaaaaaaa!" Mae yelped.
"Milady…"
Boey fainted, as did Mae.
Mae awoke with a start. Frantically, she tried to call out for Boey – but, much to her surprise, nothing came out – only a squeak. Not only that, but she was in a completely new place – now there was a giant white tree and two giants – one purple with a mage's outfit, another with red hair and a regal dress.
Strange, Mae thought. That giant looks a lot like…
She gasped – it was! Celica had turned into a giant!
Mae tried to walk over to Celica, but wobbled over onto all fours. Her legs felt shorter and stubbier, and much less like she could walk on them. Time was of the essence, however, so she just did what felt right – strangely enough, it was to run on all fours, twitching her nose all the while.
The giant Celica nodded to Jedah, who shook his head. After a moment, Jedah disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving only the giant Celica.
Mae waddled over to the giant Celica. She tried to make noise to alert the giant to her presence. Said noise came out as squeaks, and Celica finally looked down, gasping as she did.
"Mae?" Celica cried. She used her huge arms to lift Mae up, and wow. Mae had never seen Celica's face in such detail before! Gee, Mae wished she looked as womanly as that. Celica was so regal and so beautiful. She was…
Wait, was that a pimple on Celica's cheek?
"Chirp," said Mae.
"Awwww," cooed Celica. She grabbed the bunny Mae by the butt, cuddling it against her chest. "I know this is tragic and terrible, but you're just too adorable!"
Celica thinks I'm adorable? thought Mae. If Celica thinks that, then perhaps Boey would… She gasped. Boey!
"And look at the little Boey!" Celica squealed.
Mae turned – was that…
Was Boey a rabbit?
Oh gods, Mae thought, and she laughed. He's a rabbit! Boey is a rabbit! Oh gods, this is the best thing ever! I am going to tease the heck out of him!
"You're both such cute bunnies!" Celica cooed.
Wait - both?!
Celica tried to grab Boey up by the neck. He nipped her.
"Be nice," admonished Celica. Boey drooped his head, and Celica grabbed him by the underside – Boey let her, and in fact seemed rather content with it.
"I bet Saber will know what to do," said Celica. She grinned and smushed her face into Bunny-Boey. "Besides hugging you two, because you are so adorable! Oh, yes! Yes, you are!"
"We are NOT eating my retainers!" said Celica.
Mae and Boey were being kept in a small enclosed box to make certain they didn't get lost. It'd long been established that each had kept their sentience, especially when they started to make chirping noises with one another, so Celica insisted they be treated well.
Leon and the others thought Mae and Boey were being cute.
They were arguing.
"This is your fault!" Mae screamed in Bunny at Boey. "If you hadn't tripped on that branch, Jedah would have never caught us!"
"May I remind you," said Bunny-Boey, "that we bothtripped on the branch? This is not my fault alone!"
"Yeah, well… You started it."
"Did not."
"Did too!"
"Don't make me bite you. I'll do it."
"Oh yeah? Well, so will I!"
"Look at them!" Leon pushed his hands together and squealed. "Oh, I bet they're talking about carrots!"
"Yes… That definitely seems like something Mae and Boey would do." Celica forced a grin. "Saber, do you know if the spell will wear off?"
Saber shrugged. "You're the magic expert. Why don't you tell me?"
"You're the worldly one. I just thought…"
"Well, I didn't. Be prepared to keep them like this until we find someone who can help."
Celica sighed. "At least they're cute."
"Oh, that?" Luthier asked. "The spell is very easy to fix. Simple transfiguration – even I can do it in five seconds. I don't need Delthea for this."
"Too bad!" Delthea snapped her fingers, and Mae and Boey spilled out of the cardboard box, mangy and dirty, but very much alive and human.
"Wait," said Alm. "Are you telling me that your retainers have been bunnies for the entirety of your journey?"
"Only the last section," groaned Boey. "And trust me when I say that it was not pleasant."
Mae grinned and looked at him. "Well, there was that one thing…"
"Shush!"
Celica smiled at the pair. "As cute as you two were, I'm glad to have you back as people. You're much better friends like this."
"Thank you, milady," said Boey. He offered a hand. Mae took it, helping herself up.
"Whoa," muttered Alm.
"M-Mae…" A lump formed in Celica's throat.
"What?" asked Mae. Even Boey was staring. Did she look funny? "Is it my face?"
"I think it's your stomach," Boey said softly.
Mae looked down. Horrified, she noticed it was much, much bigger than when she was a human. Her face began to heat, and she felt like throwing up.
"Oh," Luthier murmured. "While they were rabbits, did you two…?"
Boey nodded. "We were locked up in a box, and we were both rabbits! Boy and girl rabbits. I… I didn't know this would happen! I didn't think it'd carry over!"
Luthier smiled politely, patting Mae on the back. "Congratulations, Miss Mae."
Mae vomited on Luthier.
Author's Notes:
The request was "Boey and Mae but as literal bunnies, please? Cameos of other characters and bunny puns would be a bonus."
Confession: I only posted this on this site because I'm really, really proud of the closing line.
