~9~


. . . . . . . . .

"So what are you made of?"

"Ehh?"

"Is your regular form like mine?" She asked, inspecting her hand with a critical eye.

Ioryogi held in a chuckle.

"Yes, flesh and skin and all six senses."

Kobato did not notice the deliberate mistake and he sighed, glaring at her.

"I'd like to see it!" She chirped. "Do you think maybe I'll get to? Maybe when I'm done and the bottle has all the candy and I get to go where I want to?" She blinked and glanced at him, young face gentle and earnest.

"Sure, why not?" He waved his paw lazily. A minute passed and he watched Kobato check her nails.

"Ioryogi-san!" She suddenly gasped, sitting up, a light breeze weaving through her hair and making the edges of her hat undulate slightly. "Do you remember how you look?"

"Every day," he groaned, casting a dark look at the mirror propped up by the wall.

"So are you handsome?" He turned, taken aback but her face was rosy, not flushed and she was not embarrassed at all.

"Of course! Very handsome," he grunted, avoiding her enthusiastic gaze.

"I knew it!"

"What do you think I look like?" He muttered, curious in spite of the reluctance tugging on the question.

"Hmm, that's hard. Maybe…short and you'd wear lots of blue and maybe small, black eyes-"

"You idiot, that's what I look like right now!"

"Oh yes!" She flinched instinctively. "Then maybe…really tall and lots of hair and it'd be spiky! And you'd have nice eyes and you'd be really strong and-"

"…And?"

"You'd breathe fire!" She exclaimed and Ioryogi rolled his eyes, walking away without another word.

. . . . . . . . .