Inescapable ...
"Did you say Jusenkyo?"
Raven stared at her friends in shock. She should have expected something like this. Of course her life could never be simple. She sighed irritatedly.
"Well, it's not so bad. Now I'll have a good reason for refusing to go swimming with you guys, and maybe you'll stop bugging me about it."
"What do you mean?" Robin seemed more confused by this statement than my attitude.
I turned to the guide. "Could you get me some hot water?" The guide nods and runs to his cabin. I turn back to the others. "A Jusenkyo curse is a shape changing curse triggered by water temperature. Cold water activates the change, and hot water reverses it."
The others relax. "That's not so bad. We were really worried." Cyborg wipes his brow exageratedly.
Starfire beamed at me. "Indeed! This could be most joyous, for you are just so-"
"I fyou call me 'cute' or 'adorable' even once, I'll throw your boy wonder into the spring of drowned girl over there," I said, pointing. "Don't think I won't."
Starfire and Robin both blanch. Cyborg stares at me funny. Beast Boy cracks a joke.
"Umm...dude? It's Robin. How will we be able to tell the difference?"
I crack up laughing. I can't help it. That one was actually funny.
Beast Boy grins hugely at me. "I told you I'd get you to laugh at my jokes someday!"
"Great," I said, "does this mean you'll stop telling them?"
"No way! Now I gotta keep telling them, to make you laugh again."
I glare at him. "You already managed it once. Going for double or nothing?"
"No," he says, "but you have a beautiful laugh, and I want to hear it more often."
I stare at Beast Boy for a while, stunned. Did...did BEAST BOY just say something charming?
The guide returns at that moment with a kettle of water, steaming. Eager for the distraction, I grabbed it and poured it over myself.
Nothing happened. Frustrated, and somewhat frightened, I dumped the kettle over my head.
Still no change.
I grabbed the guide by the collar of his shirt and pulled him inches from my face. "Why didn't it work?" I demand angrily, my eyes going demonic.
"Aiyah! You are magic using demon child, yes?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" I snarl at him.
"Jusenkyo magic aincient and strong, but so is demon blood. If your magic and blood fought the magic of Jusenkyo...it may have altered the curse."
I dropped him. "Altered it how?"
"It may have made curse stronger, but changed its form. That why you bunny girl instead of bunny, and why spring explode."
"Alright," I said, starting to calm down, "I guess that makes sense. So why can't I change back?"
"That just it. There is no back."
I stare at him in shock. "What are you talking about?"
"Instead of changing into rabbit, rabbit form fuse with your base form. COld water no turn you into rabbit, and hot water no turn you human. You stuck in this form...forever."
I continue to stare. I don't want to believe it. It can't be true. But deep in my mind, I know enough magic to recognize the truth of his words. I just can't accept it. I turn towards the others briefly, then turn away. I can't bear to face them just now. Turning, I leap away, wishing myself back to the tower, to my room. I see the portal open before me, and I pass through it.
I'm back in my room. I didn't think I could teleport that far in a single leap, but that doesn't matter now. Nothing matters now. Knowing how dangerous it might be, I let go. I throw myself onto my bed. I bury my face in my pillow.
And I let my tears fall.
"Did you say Jusenkyo?"
Raven stared at her friends in shock. She should have expected something like this. Of course her life could never be simple. She sighed irritatedly.
"Well, it's not so bad. Now I'll have a good reason for refusing to go swimming with you guys, and maybe you'll stop bugging me about it."
"What do you mean?" Robin seemed more confused by this statement than my attitude.
I turned to the guide. "Could you get me some hot water?" The guide nods and runs to his cabin. I turn back to the others. "A Jusenkyo curse is a shape changing curse triggered by water temperature. Cold water activates the change, and hot water reverses it."
The others relax. "That's not so bad. We were really worried." Cyborg wipes his brow exageratedly.
Starfire beamed at me. "Indeed! This could be most joyous, for you are just so-"
"I fyou call me 'cute' or 'adorable' even once, I'll throw your boy wonder into the spring of drowned girl over there," I said, pointing. "Don't think I won't."
Starfire and Robin both blanch. Cyborg stares at me funny. Beast Boy cracks a joke.
"Umm...dude? It's Robin. How will we be able to tell the difference?"
I crack up laughing. I can't help it. That one was actually funny.
Beast Boy grins hugely at me. "I told you I'd get you to laugh at my jokes someday!"
"Great," I said, "does this mean you'll stop telling them?"
"No way! Now I gotta keep telling them, to make you laugh again."
I glare at him. "You already managed it once. Going for double or nothing?"
"No," he says, "but you have a beautiful laugh, and I want to hear it more often."
I stare at Beast Boy for a while, stunned. Did...did BEAST BOY just say something charming?
The guide returns at that moment with a kettle of water, steaming. Eager for the distraction, I grabbed it and poured it over myself.
Nothing happened. Frustrated, and somewhat frightened, I dumped the kettle over my head.
Still no change.
I grabbed the guide by the collar of his shirt and pulled him inches from my face. "Why didn't it work?" I demand angrily, my eyes going demonic.
"Aiyah! You are magic using demon child, yes?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" I snarl at him.
"Jusenkyo magic aincient and strong, but so is demon blood. If your magic and blood fought the magic of Jusenkyo...it may have altered the curse."
I dropped him. "Altered it how?"
"It may have made curse stronger, but changed its form. That why you bunny girl instead of bunny, and why spring explode."
"Alright," I said, starting to calm down, "I guess that makes sense. So why can't I change back?"
"That just it. There is no back."
I stare at him in shock. "What are you talking about?"
"Instead of changing into rabbit, rabbit form fuse with your base form. COld water no turn you into rabbit, and hot water no turn you human. You stuck in this form...forever."
I continue to stare. I don't want to believe it. It can't be true. But deep in my mind, I know enough magic to recognize the truth of his words. I just can't accept it. I turn towards the others briefly, then turn away. I can't bear to face them just now. Turning, I leap away, wishing myself back to the tower, to my room. I see the portal open before me, and I pass through it.
I'm back in my room. I didn't think I could teleport that far in a single leap, but that doesn't matter now. Nothing matters now. Knowing how dangerous it might be, I let go. I throw myself onto my bed. I bury my face in my pillow.
And I let my tears fall.