This is Sanosuke's story, and due to... circumstances... even though Megumi is in Sano's body and vice versa, I shall still call them Sanosuke and Megumi. Their bodies are different, but their personas and minds are the same. Just imagine their minds switched and their voices and mannerisms the same.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pandora's Box- Sanosuke and Megumi's Switch
By: Karina Kineshi

Idiots, I know my Megumi inside and out. There is nothing more to be known...

Sanosuke smacked his lips together. There was a bitter taste in them, as if he'd been sucking on a lemon all night long.

Speaking of lemons...

He smirked; those two were probably falling all over each other to get their girls' attention, how pathetic. The most feared fighters in all of Japan, stumbling to catch an under-aged woman's interest.

Sad.

Sanosuke scratched his head, taking special care not to move the futon too much. He could feel the tell tale bump on the other side; Megumi had not yet gotten up. It was odd though; she was normally the first one to rise in the morning.

Must have been a long day at the clinic...

The first peculiar occurrence was when Sanosuke laid his arm on his forehead. His bandana was missing. No wonder he felt even more naked.

Damn, Megumi must've taken it off... He wasn't concerned as of yet; he was sure that it was in the room somewhere.

The second sign was the fact that his hands were—

"What the hell?!? My nails!! They're... painted red! I..." Sanosuke clamped his mouth shut. Instead of the gruff and low voice that was his, what came out was...

Megumi's voice.

In a panic, Sanosuke tumbled over the side of the futon, in the process stepping over long black hair atop his own head.

Megumi's hair.

Sanosuke felt his face and head, as if rubbing it long enough would give him an answer. "Holy shit! I'm..." He whirled around, and saw himself lying down on the bed. Where Megumi was supposed to be.

"Fox! Get the hell up!" Sanosuke closed his eyes at the shrillness of his voice, it sounded just like Megumi's when she was pissed off at him. That was him lying there! That was Sagara Sanosuke sleeping there! "Fox!"

A muffled groan came from Megumi, er, Sanosuke's body. "Sano... let me sleep... I'm really tired..."

Sanosuke felt tears coming to his eyes. Tears?!? How the hell did this happen? He repeated over and over again, "It's some kind of joke... some kind of joke... some kind of..."

I know my Megumi inside and out...

Holy shit...

Sanosuke watched in horror as his body rolled over in the futon, mouth gaping wide open with a great yawn. He felt a tear sliding down the corners of his face, or rather, her face. He flicked it away with one of his red fingernails, too stunned to move.

"San-chan... did you have a good—"

Oh God. Here it comes...

He didn't fail to notice that Megumi had called him "San-chan", one of the more recent nicknames that she had devised for him. After all, being called "rooster" all the time can interfere in some of the finer moments of the night. He appreciated the way she said it, it sounded so... loving. Like they had known each other forever, and not just for the past year—

"WHAT THE HELL?!? My voice!!!" Sanosuke watched as Megumi reared back and stared at her body in disbelief. "My hands!" She brushed the loose bangs out of her face, brown bangs. "My hair..." she moaned. "And..." As if to confirm her situation, she looked down at her chest and nearly fainted. All that was there was smooth muscle.

"My... m... they're gone..." Megumi seemed oblivious to Sanosuke even being in the room, until he realized that he was cowering in a corner, shaking.

And crying.

Crying!!

Megumi's head shot up when her ears picked up a sniffling sound. All the medicine in the world could not have cured the heart attack that resulted when she saw... herself. She tried speaking, but nothing came out except ragged gasps. And... Sanosuke's voice. "Sanosuke?"

The body known as Megumi's looked up with red rimmed eyes. "Y-Yes?"

Maybe it was the sight of her tears flowing down her own face, maybe it was the revelation that she was no longer part of her body, or maybe it was the sheer absurdity of the situation, but Megumi mechanically pointed her finger at herself and...

"I think... I think God likes to pick on us."

The desired effect= "Sanosuke" smiled. In fact, he brushed his tears away with the back of his hand and looked down at it ruefully. "What... what the fuckin' hell is going on?"

"I haven't the slightest idea..." Megumi smiled; it seemed that they had actually switched bodies. Switched bodies!! How utterly preposterous! But that wasn't what was so amusing; Sanosuke hadn't lost his vulgar mouth.

She told herself to get up and walk, but was halted by the look in her eyes. "Gods Meg, put some pants on..." Megumi uttered a small cry of surprise as Sanosuke turned his face to the wall. "It's not like I like to see myself first thing when I get up. Literally."

What a great start to the morning.

Sanosuke didn't know whether to break down in hysterics or laugh at the situation. Judging by the steady stream of tears running down his current body's face, the former had already occurred. He forced a short laugh, "Can you believe it?"

"Somehow, this doesn't surprise me anymore. About 3 weeks ago, this would have seemed really strange to me."

Sanosuke nodded in total agreement. What with all this mind reading and handcuff nonsense going on, who knows what exactly would happen next in their lives? It's as if The Big Man Himself had a list of people he would like to torture, and they were always at the top.

He's probably got people in a room just thinking this crap up for Him!

Megumi sighed as she looked at Sanosuke's pants with utter distaste, obviously it didn't meet her "cleanness" standards. "What I'm wondering is why this happened in the first place..."

Oh man...

"... there has to be a reason..."

I won't say it...

"... He only punishes those that are bad..."

Ack! She's on to me!!

"... and I've been good, so that means..."

"I swear fox, I can tell you the whole story."

Megumi walked over to where he was crouched with long strides. "Start talkin' rooster." It reminded Sanosuke of a rat being cornered by a very big, and very tall, cat. Or shall we say, fox.

Sanosuke cracked under Megumi's icy glare. It looked even scarier when it was coming out through his body's eyes. Whoa, does he really look that way when he's angry? It was enough to make any living animal stop breathing.

"Um, well, you... you know..." Judging by the evil glare he was getting, the long version of the story was unnecessary and could even be disastrous to his health. "It all started when Kenshin was complaining about his non-existent love live..."

***********************

"C'mon fox, why do we have to do this?"

"Shut up rooster! Have you forgotten we are in public now?" Megumi hissed through clenched teeth. "If I'm going to be you and you're going to be me, act like it!" Her voice dropped, "Do anything to embarrass me and I'll pay it back, tenfold."

Sanosuke immediately shut up; the threat was very real. He nonchalantly flipped his hair over his shoulder, an almost perfect imitation of Megumi's trademark. "I make this look better though."

"Make this look better my... ass." Sanosuke saw his own face blush, then Megumi covered it with her hand. "I might as well use the language too... though I must say, I can have lots of fun with this situation! Ohoho—"

She was stopped by an elbow to the side, along with Sanosuke glaring at her. Megumi raised her hand to hit him, but all that it took to stop her was the wide grin plastered on her body's face. "Now you know what it feels like to be hit and you can't hit back."

So true. All the people in the street had stopped their conversations to look at the odd couple walking down the center. They saw the giant hand poised and ready to strike the seemingly frail woman, and Megumi saw the eyes of many women glitter with fury.

How dare a man hit a woman! How dare he?

Megumi whispered angrily. "You... fox... we are so not sleeping in the same bed when we get out of this..." The heads of several men in their impromptu audience snapped up in surprise. The great gangster Zanza admitted sleeping with their prominent physician? The eyes of those same women softened and their hands went up in a prayer-like position.

They seemed to be saying, "Too bad honey, can I have him tonight?"

Sanosuke swelled up like a toad, proud to be walking around with what people considered a great object of desire.

Himself.

A sharply dressed young man that she recognized as one of her former patients approached Sanosuke. Suffered from a stomachache once... "Takani-sensei?" Megumi had to bite her tongue to keep herself from answering, and Sanosuke was so lost in his own little world that he didn't even notice. He was staring off into space.

"Oi, kitsune!" Megumi tried her best to imitate Sanosuke's name for her, and she didn't realize she was failing so miserably until that same patient gave her a glare that could freeze oil.

"Stay out of this, you impudent moron. I'm trying to talk to the doctor."

"Impudent... moron?" Megumi saw a vein on her body appear on the back of her head, the comment had hit home. Thankfully, Sanosuke composed himself and put on the face that she used with her patients. "Yes? What is it?"

The man squirmed, then procured a bundled package from a pocket in his long, red coat. Sanosuke blinked; this guy looked to be loaded with money. He even smelled like money. What the hell is he doing with...

"For your services, Takani... chan."

Takani-chan?!? What the fuckin' hell is that supposed to mean? What services?!?

Sanosuke fumed, and Megumi was ready to burrow into the ground. Sanosuke's reaction now would be unstoppable. He was wondering exactly what he should be wondering, what services does he mean? And Takani-chan? It was such an informal suffix to an honorable doctor.

The man smiled weakly, then Megumi even saw a faint blush on his cheeks. "Do give me an answer soon, I can make you so much happier than..." With a shake of his head, he indicated that he meant Megumi's new body.

Sanosuke.

Megumi's former body was shaking, but Sanosuke somehow regained his composure. He looked him square in the eyes and said, "I'll let you know when I'm feeling like myself."

The answer seemed to please the young man, as he smiled a dazzling smile that displayed all his perfect teeth. "Until then, I'll wait for you..." He turned smartly on one heel and gave Sanosuke a small salute. Megumi could have sworn he said something when he was turned away:

"I'll wait because you are worth it..."

Megumi saw a flash of jealousy in her own eyes; Sanosuke was not taking the comment too well. She spoke, "Isn't that just... sweet? Megumi, don't you agree, darling?"

Sanosuke had dropped the animosity in his body's eyes and looked up at her with a smirk. "Aren't I such a guy magnet?" He all but spat the words out. Megumi simply smiled; there would be enough time to explain the situation later.

Ha!! Who's the object of desire now rooster boy!?

Megumi's genuine smile outshone Sanosuke's plastered on one. She decided to egg him on, "Yep, I must be the luckiest guy on earth to be walking with such a gorgeous, talented, impressive, and lovely woman."

Sanosuke snorted, then did another hair flick. "You forgot flirty and..." His eyes darkened. "... we're here, rooster."

They stopped in front of Kaoru's dojo, but it was strangely quiet. Normally, the air would be pulsing with life; sounds of wood hitting wood, air being cut in two by the practice swords, Kaoru's insistent counting.

But now...

"Where is everyone?"

"Maybe they went on to the Akabeko already."

Sanosuke snorted; it was an odd sound coming from Megumi's body. "And they left without me?"

"Left without you? Megumi-san?"

The new voice made Megumi jerk back in surprise, but Sanosuke kept his cool. "Try not to sneak up on us jou-chan." He realized what he had said after the fact.

Shit!

Kaoru raised an eyebrow at him quizzically. Sanosuke tried to look unaffected but was failing miserably. Megumi simply put her head in her current body's hands and wanted to shrink into herself. She'd never really noticed how incredibly tall Sanosuke was until she actually towered over everyone in the street. From her former body's height, it was a giant leap.

"You two are sharing the same nickname for me now? I must admit, it's really scary coming from you Megumi-san... did Sanosuke put you up to this?"

Megumi and Sanosuke both looked at each other, trying to figure out what was going on in each other's minds. The question was: Tell her? Or not? They had discussed before they left the house that they would tell no one, and pretend that nothing was wrong.

But just after they had reached the gate of the clinic, Megumi got a glint in her eye and said it would be rather fun to toy with people and go to the places she normally wouldn't go. Gambling halls, drinking parlors... the world was limitless...

Sanosuke, of course, refused. "Those places are not fun and games Megumi. You can really get hurt in there."

She pouted and crossed her arms, fully aware that Sanosuke would be surprised. This is the position that he always took when he wanted something from her. "Which is why I'll take you with me."

He shook his head furiously, not believing what was coming out of her mouth. This was Megumi! Didn't she give a rat's ass for her own safety? He tried another approach. "I don't want to look stupid. A woman saving my sorry ass from being beat the shit out of? I'll never hear the end of that..."

She grinned ferally. "All the more reason to go."

"Fox! Be serious here for a minute!" He grabbed his former body's shoulders and shook them violently. Of course, this had little effect. A revelation hit him. "How would you like me to shatter your wrist?"

"..."

"After all, to protect you, I have to Futae no Kiwami some of these morons..."

"... um..."

"You'd look so lovely with a splint all down your lovely arm..."

"...Sanosuke?"

"And some of these guys are pretty... what's the word I'm looking for..." He paused to let the effect sink in and finished. "Horny." He grinned. That was sure to change her mind.

"... I'm still going."

"WHAT?!?" Sanosuke's voice had reached the highest decibel possible without shattering the eardrum. "What the HELL are you thinking?!?"

Megumi raised a finger in the air as if to make an emphasis. "You brag to me all the time about how 'people fear me when I walk into bars and dive under the tables when I crack my knuckles. Women swoon at the very sight of me'." She grinned again. "I for one want to see just what kind of women you attract and as long as what you're telling me is true, no one will lay a finger on me or you."

Sanosuke sighed; whenever Megumi wanted something, Megumi got it. He knew why she wanted this so badly, this was—

"—going to be fun! Where's your sense of adventure?"

The look in both of their eyes said the same thing: Tell Kaoru now.

"Kaoru-san—"

Kaoru's eyes widened alarmingly. "Sanosuke! Don't toy with me, I've got some serious problems." She bit her pinkie nail; this really was serious. Megumi decided to hold off on her announcement after seeing Kaoru's red-rimmed eyes. How come she didn't notice that before? That was very unlike Megumi; she always noticed things like that... "Kenshin never came home last night."

"Oh?" Megumi shot a look at Sanosuke, he most likely knew why. She shoved Sanosuke towards Kaoru, "I think he knows why."

"M-Megumi? What..." The flash of realization awakened in Kaoru's eyes, and Megumi saw nothing but fury.

Sanosuke put his hands up when it looked like Kaoru was ready to rain hell . "It's not what you're thinkin' jou-chan!"

"Kaoru-chan, don't hurt him!"

Kaoru looked ready to faint. Either that, or she was ready to summon demons from hell to curse them to an eternity of torture. "Stop joking with me already! Don't you have any feelings at all?"

Megumi was going to burst into tears; how in the world could she get her to believe? Ridiculous it may sound; it was the truth...

"Kaoru-san!!! Oh my God... where are you?!?"

Sanosuke winced; Misao's voice could sure carry far. Was it just him, or was he particularly sensitive to sounds today? Must be that switch thingie...

"Misao-chan! Keep your voice down."

"I thought I told you not to call me "chan", Aoshi-sama. I'm not a kid anymore!!"

"I'm not God either, don't call me Aoshi-sama. Just Aoshi is fine with me."

Kaoru quickly wiped a lingering tear on the corner of her eye with her sleeve. How embarrassing it would be to show weakness in front of her visitors! Everyone is sure acting odd today, and now... She glared at Megumi. Megumi knew something about Kenshin's disappearance, and by God, she would find out what. Is this how best friends treat each other? "Welcome, Aoshi-san. Misao-ch—"

"Don't even think about it."

"Fine, Misao-san."

Misao beamed. "Well, we have so much to tell you! First off..."

Megumi sighed while Sanosuke flicked his hair. It didn't seem like she was going to listen anytime soon, especially with Misao here. She slipped her hand into Sanosuke's and cocked her head towards the door. If they left now, they could leave unnoticed.

Kaoru grabbed Sanosuke's shoulder. "Not so fast vixen. You'll tell me about Kenshin even if it kills me—"

"—Kaoru! Are you listening to me?!?"

"Misao, stop being so loud."

"Sanosuke, we have to leave right now!" Megumi hissed.

"Fox, I'm working as fast as I can!"

"Who are ya' callin' loud, Aoshi-sama?"

"Misao now is not the time to act up."

"My God, everyone just SHUT UP!!!" Kaoru shouted at the top of her lungs and without even thinking of it, the three visitors watched in horror as Misao was slapped.

Hard.

Well, almost. She had blocked it with her arm just before the hand came in contact with her face. Despite the guard, the force behind it was stronger than Misao anticipated, and the back of her arm was pushed into the side of her face. The young okashira's eyes watered for a second, wide-open more from surprise than from pain.

No one knew what to say for a minute, until Aoshi finally cut through the silence. "Misao, I'm impressed that you saw that one coming. Very impressed. Next time though, if Kaoru ever tries that again..." Aoshi glared darkly at Kaoru, there was no need to finish the sentence.

Kaoru stammered, "I'm so sorry Misao-chan, I r-really d-didn't mean to..." She buried her face in her sleeve, and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the day's events had pushed her to the breaking point.

"Kenshin's gone, you say?"

Kaoru stopped sniffling long enough to cast a harsh glare at Sanosuke's new body. "Yes, and—"

Aoshi spoke in an uncharacteristically loud voice, "Let's go to that restaurant you like to eat at and discuss the events of last night. I know where he is. As does Sanosuke."

Kaoru's eyes gleamed with happiness under her tears. She rushed over to Sanosuke's body, otherwise known as Megumi, and hugged her. "You can tell me where he is, right Sanosuke?"

Megumi's body, otherwise known as Sanosuke, cleared his throat. "I'm right here, jou-chan."

***********************

"WHAT?!?" Kaoru stared in disbelief at Sanosuke. "You mean to tell me that you two have actually switched bodies?"

"Unfortunately." Sanosuke did a Megumi trademark laugh.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow, "But it sounds like Megumi, not Sanosuke..."

Megumi explained with her hands, a habit that she picked up since she was small. There was a long-standing joke in the Kenshin-gumi that if you tied up Megumi's hands, she would be incapable of orally speaking. "We've only switched bodies, just think of it as we have the same minds, just in another person's figure."

"And so... that means you're really Megumi, and you..." She pointed at Sanosuke. "Are really Sanosuke. Right?"

"Got it, jou-chan."

"This is almost as ridiculous as Aoshi's predicament, but this tops it all off..." She crossed her arms. "I don't believe it. I still think that you're trying to play a joke on me."

Aoshi rolled his eyes, "C'mon woman, what's so hard to believe?"

"Aoshi!" Misao chided him. "I didn't think that those kinds of thoughts existed in your head."

"It certainly surprises me." Megumi sipped a cup of tea and nearly shattered the cup. She hadn't learned how to control Sanosuke's immense strength yet, but there was still time. "I always thought that you never thought at all."

"What's that supposed to mean, Megu—"

Megumi slammed the cup down as she would do in her own body. Instead, this made the cup break in two. She hissed at Aoshi, "If you don't want to give away our secret, then for God's sake at least pretend I'm something I'm not!"

"Please calm down Sanosuke-san..." Tae appeared out of nowhere, shook her head, and proceeded to wipe up the fragments of ceramic all over the table. Megumi mumbled a quick apology and started shoving rice into her mouth with anger.

Sanosuke smiled and put a hand on Tae's. "The rooster is my responsibility. Let me clean up after him." He was pleased at the look of shock on the waitress's face. This was an open declaration of responsibility! Wait until she told Tsubame and Yahiko about this!

"Damn you..." Megumi growled into her rice.

Misao perked up and looked around after Tae left. "By the way, where is Yahiko, anyways?"

Sanosuke smiled and did a hair flick. Everyone at the table was impressed at his skills of mimicry. "He's been spending all his time around that other little girl." The insult shot right over Misao's head.

Kaoru sighed, "Yeah, I hardly see him around at the dojo anymore, just in the mornings when he wakes up and in the evenings when he comes back home to sleep." She paused, then grinned. "Tae-san says that he makes a wonderful dishwasher. He's so preoccupied with Tsubame that he doesn't care if he gets paid."

"That's his nature you know, he wouldn't accept money for service..." Misao's eyes gleamed with love. "How romantic..." she swooned.

"Romantic? That's your idea of romantic?" Aoshi asked.

Misao snapped out of her trance. "Why, what's yours?"

"Must we discuss this here, Misao?"

"No."

He smiled tenderly. "Good."

Misao blushed, then refilled her plate with more rice. From the way she was spooning the grains onto her plate, you could tell her mind was somewhere else.

Young love, how cute...

Sanosuke stole a glance at Megumi, he still hadn't gotten used to the fact that the love of his life was trapped in his own body. And those quiet looks at her... it was like making eyes at himself. Now that was odd. Young love was sure odd in itself, of course, he was young, but Megumi sure wasn't. There had to be a million guys out there, older, richer, why out of all of them did she choose him?

He felt his mind becoming shady. Just like that earlier rich punk... she never did tell him what her affiliation was with that man. Maybe she didn't have one. Maybe she did and just wouldn't say...

Maybe he was becoming unreasonable.

"Misao, let's go for a walk. The sky is beautiful now..."Aoshi held out his hand, which Misao graciously accepted. Sanosuke recognized that look; it was the look women have when they are flying. That mind reading experience did offer him some good...

"Wait! What about Ken—" Kaoru started

Too late, the two Oniwa Banshuu were already out the door of the restaurant, lovingly gazing at each other until they disappeared from sight.

Kaoru sighed and put her elbow on the table.

"Kaoru-chan! That's bad manners..." Megumi chided. Then she felt like her head was going to explode when she saw the position that Sanosuke was sitting in. "Oh God! Just kill me now!"

"What? What's the problem?"

Megumi face was flushed from a mixture of both embarrassment and anger. "You're not in your body anymore Sanosuke! You're a fuckin' lady now, sit like one!!!" Sanosuke blinked for a minute, then realized why Megumi was such in a rage. Kaoru just sat with her head in her hands, wondering why one earth she was cursed with such bad luck. Sanosuke was sitting in his characteristic one leg up, one leg down position he loved...

With a kimono on.

"You've only been flashing everyone in the restaurant! What indecent exposure!! You embarrass me..."

"C'mon fox, no one noticed... I didn't do it on purpose!"

"If I noticed, so would every other hot-blooded man in this place! Do you take me for an idiot?" Most of the patrons in the Akabeko lifted their heads form their meals and stared in fascination at the ruckus.

How in the world could he be that stupid?!? He does take me for an idiot!!

Kaoru stopped them with a wave of her hand, eyes flashing angrily. She meant business. "You can argue all you want when you get out of here. I just want to know where Kenshin is."

Sanosuke and Megumi stopped glaring at each other for two seconds while Sanosuke turned away with a humph. Megumi just picked up the bowl and shoveled more rice into her mouth.

My, they certainly have changed... Kaoru thought with amusement. "Now then, what did he wish for last night?"

"Wish? Lemme' think..." Sanosuke started to sit more comfortably until Megumi gave him a death glare. He settled with his elbows on his knees. "He said that he wishes you'd give him a clear answer."

"Clear answer? About what?" Kaoru seemed confused.

Megumi stopped eating the rice and calmly set the bowl down. "Isn't it obvious? He wants you to quit toying with him. If you love him... then just tell him." Sometimes she pitied the poor red head, after about 3 years of living together, he still hasn't got the go ahead from Kaoru. Megumi would have told Kenshin herself, but her best's friends wishes were more important than her own.

Kenshin was going to ask for Kaoru's hand in marriage.

"Tell him...?"

"Yes, tell him."

Kaoru was lost in thought. Sanosuke looked at Megumi again, it was time to leave her. "We'll be at my apartment if you need me, Kaoru-san."

"We?"

Sanosuke nodded at Megumi. "Yes, we. Ohohohoho!!"

"Heeeeyyyy, not bad fox." Megumi stood up and put an arm around Sanosuke, all the while smiling that cockeyed grin Sanosuke used when he knew something everyone didn't. "Let's go then."

Kaoru nodded, still thinking. After about three seconds of silence, she sat up and beamed. "I just know he's all right. I know it."

"Thatta' girl." Megumi escorted Sanosuke to the door, feeling the urge to giggle but knowing that it would make Sanosuke look like a fool. She loved the way she felt so free in his clothing, how you could feel air rush all around his body. It certainly was a new experience. She felt a twinge of jealousy; this was the same thing that made her fall for him in the first place. She was pretty sure his most redeeming visible feature was his chest.

Visible, at least... she thought with a sly grin.

Megumi wanted to cover that chest up, almost saying, "Back off ladies! You only see this thing by appointment only." She didn't want any other woman making eyes at her Sanosuke...

Which reminded her...

"Oi fox, where are we going to now?" Once safely outside the restaurant, Sanosuke assumed his casual tone of voice with her. Kaoru didn't even suspect, how would anyone else? Plus, it was getting dark; most people were inside eating their dinners. Megumi didn't pay attention to him and just kept on walking. "Hey!"

Sanosuke was rather taken aback when Megumi kissed him right then. She was so fast and so unexpected that Sanosuke didn't even have time to blink. The next thing he knew, Megumi had her arms wrapped around his waist and was kissing him passionately.

When the kiss had finally ended, their eyes met, and all they saw there was shock. For one brief moment, they forgot they were in each other's bodies, and it was a rude awakening to be staring into their own eyes. "That was... was..."

"... fucked up." Sanosuke finished. "It's like kissing myself."

Megumi nodded, and then wiped off her mouth with the back of her white sleeve. "Plus, I missed."

"Missed?"

Megumi gave a sheepish grin. "Because of the height difference, I forgot to compensate for that. I didn't kiss you straight on the lips like I was aiming for." She blushed again, and then observed an interesting phenomenon. Megumi's trademark fox ears had popped up on the back of her former body. "What do those mean Sanosuke?"

"I was too busy with you, I didn't notice about me."

***********************

Despite his earlier resistance, Sanosuke had agreed readily to their earlier plan after they left the Akabeko. There was no doubt in her mind that this was just one of those 24 hour curses, and she wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.

"I still can't believe I'm saying yes to you..."

"It must be my manly powers of persuasion!" Megumi tried something new, flexing her muscles the way Sanosuke did when he proved her wrong. It happened only very, very rarely. In the year or so they'd been together, he'd only proved her wrong once.

Once.

How pathetic. Well, at least once was better than never.

"Manly powers of persuasion my ass, fox. That's my line."

"I suppose—"

"—what was the deal with that guy who came up to me in the street?"

Megumi blinked. There went another one of Sanosuke's quirks, changing the conversation when you least expect it. She could see that he had clutched in his hand the package from that...

"Recognize this?" In the darkness, Megumi could see his eyes flashing with anger. "What is it?"

Megumi's heart almost stopped. "I-I don't know. He was just one of the patients I treated once. I think it was dengue fever. This must be his payment."

"Oh, a gift huh..." Sanosuke said sarcastically. "Maybe it's a marriage proposal."

Megumi rolled her eyes, "You're being a child Sanosuke. That man means nothing to me—"

"—but you obviously mean something to him."

It was one thing to be ridiculed by Sanosuke, but quite another when it looked like she was ridiculing herself. She said angrily, "So what if I mean something to him? Why should you care? I only have eyes for you!"

That comment took Sanosuke off his guard. It felt like a leaden bullet just slammed into his body and disoriented his senses. "You... you do?"

"You idiot. If I was in my body right now, I'd pummel you into tomorrow. Why do you think I bother sticking around with you?" The blank look in Sanosuke's eyes told her that he didn't know. Her voice lowered, "I do it because I love you, I do. Don't you think it hurts me just as much when women make eyes at you?" Her voice was pleading. "Don't you think it hurts me when you tell me of 'women swooning at my feet'?"

He'd never thought of that before. It wasn't the fact that he wasn't aware of it, he just didn't know that it bothered her so much.

I know my Megumi inside and out. There's nothing more to be known...

Gods, he felt like a fool.

Megumi snatched the package away from his hands and started to carefully unwrap it. She saved the rough twine that it was held together with and then moved on to the brown paper. She unraveled it, and revealed...

"God... I've never... so much..."

"We're rich!" Inside the inconspicuous package was the largest amount of money Megumi had ever seen in her life. It was the largest amount of money she'd owned up until now. At least 6 bundles of 100 yen bills tied together with twine. Thick bundles too...

But that wasn't the only thing in there: a note. "'Megumi-chan...'" Sanosuke began. "'This is my payment for treating my illness. Not only that, but it is a testament to how I can provide for you in your later years. I have not only what you need, but also what you want. Please consider my offer, but the money is yours to keep, no matter what you decide. Until we meet again... Honmaru Ichihan'."

The two sat silent for a minute, Megumi was stunned speechless at the sight of all that money. And despite her answer, it was hers... all hers...

"What are you going—"

"No. I don't think he can give me what I want..." She took the note from his hand, looked over it for a moment, and then let it flutter to the ground.

Sanosuke smiled graciously. Whatever she saw in someone like him, he'd probably never know. His attention was shifted to the large bundle of cash. "Oi, what're you going to do with it?"

She thought for a moment, then inspiration struck. "I'll gamble with it, of course."

It made Sanosuke's heart ache just to hear those words coming out of his own mouth. "What if you lose all of it?" He paused before opening the door to the gambling hall. Shouts of delight and anger filled the air; and Sanosuke even see things flying around in there.

"What if I gain twice as much?"

He smiled, hooked an arm around her waist, and slid the door open. "I like the way you think." Slyly, he grabbed a wad of yen from her hand and put it inside his "evil" jacket's pocket. "Just in case we lose it all, we've got to be safe."

"You're worrying about safety? You aren't acting like yourself today..."

He smirked. "Neither are you."

The sudden light of the gambling hall temporarily blinded Megumi, but Sanosuke was used to it in an instant. The place was a total slob hole and Megumi's nose wrinkled in distaste from the smell of sake and money. Buxom ladies draped themselves over men with money, seductively whispering in their ears to leave the game and come with them upstairs. The place was packed with young men mostly, sake in their breath and women on their minds.

How utterly disgusting. This is what he does for fun?

He pulled her close to him and whispered, "Just take my lead and introduce me like you've know them for years, which technically, you have. You'll learn their names this way..."

A man's voice cut through the air, "Sano-san!" Three scruffy looking men approached the two and slapped Megumi on the back. She didn't take kindly to that, but she smiled and laughed as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "We never see you around here anymore Sano-san, she must be the parlor babe who's keeping you."

Megumi snickered, "Hey, go easy on her. She ain't no parlor girl that I picked up somewhere, she's Takani Megumi. The foxy doc."

Astonishment registered on all three of their faces. Megumi was proud of herself; she had established the line just like Sanosuke would. Whatever she said had that power. It was amazing.

One man kissed Sanosuke's hand very gentleman-like. "I remember you, you're the one who saved my life after those yakuza shot me with their damn cannon. You're even more pretty than I last remembered you."

Sanosuke didn't know whether to smile or cry; he'd never gotten kissed on the hand by a man before... "Sorry, I don't remember your name... I've got so many people coming in and out each day..."

"I'm Izumi. This is Kinji and Tomo." He pointed at the two men standing next to him, their smiles covered almost all of their faces. The man known as Tomo jerked a thumb at Megumi's new body and whispered, "If you ever get tired of this loser, you know where to find us."

Megumi laughed. Scummy as they were, she was actually starting to like them. They were cute in that gritty kind of way. "Don't be putting the moves on fox, for your sake. I don't think she'll take kindly to that." She grinned at Sanosuke, "She's lethal."

Sanosuke made his sultriest face. "Of course."

All four men seemed to roll in one continuous laugh. "I think there's a table up over there. Wanna' play?" Kinji nodded his head towards the other side of the room.

Megumi tapped her nose with the side of her hand. "That's what I'm here for." Kinji led them both to the table that was open and sat Sanosuke down first. That made Sanosuke's friends climb another notch in Megumi's eyes. They were polite as well. And they only joked about keeping "that parlor babe" all to themselves, they didn't try to make any move on him whatsoever.

Good call in their eyes. If Sanosuke found out that one of his friends was going after his girlfriend, when he got out of his body...

"...oi, ya' with us Sano?" Sanosuke looked at her funnily, he was sitting in the proper position. So was she. "When'd ya' get so prissy on us?" She had her legs tucked underneath her, it was very uncomfortable, but she forgot for a moment that she could splay like Sanosuke does.

She shifted and went to the one leg up, one leg down position Sanosuke loved. It felt so much freer than that old leg tuck! Men are so lucky! "Let's play." She threw down an entire wad of cash on the table, and it was as if a gunshot exploded in the room. It seemed like the men knew the sound of money hitting the wood, so everyone in the parlor stopped their games to watch what was happening at the table with the "big money".

"Where the hell ya' get so much money?" Tomo's mouth started to water and his jaw almost hung to the floor. "I hope lady luck isn't with you tonight."

She maneuvered her hand to Sanosuke's leg. "Megumi's my lady luck." A collective grunt of approval echoed in the room, and Sanosuke didn't miss all the looks that he was receiving. Did he not tell Megumi this would happen? Did he not say the exact words, "Some of these men are horny?" Did he not?!? "Two and five, han."

Izumi threw the slightly yellow dice into the earthenware bowl and everyone breathlessly awaited the result. Sanosuke closed his eyes and squeezed Megumi's hand; he didn't want to witness such a huge loss of money.

The pink-pink-pink of the dice stopped. "Two and... five! Han!" Whispers of fascination circulated around the table.

Megumi smirked confidently while all of the women in the vicinity crowded around her. One particularly enigmatic girl with a tight western corset on hugged her neck. "Hey, how about dumping that foxy lady for a real lady luck?" she breathed in her ear.

Sanosuke received an icy glare hidden behind a cheerful smile. "No thanks, I'll keep this one until she wants to leave." Megumi pried the girl's arms from her neck, all while assuming a nonchalant attitude. "No thanks."

The girl pouted, but persisted. She became so bold even to sit in her lap as Megumi called out the next dice roll. "Three and three... chow."

"Ne Sano-chan, you act like you don't even know me. Don't you recognize me anymore? Or are you going to let this... this..." She haughtily pointed at Sanosuke. "... this rich girl to come between us?"

Megumi would have said something, but Kinji cut in. "Leave him alone Ruri, he's not interested tonight." He shrugged. "Too bad girl, looks like you're out of luck." The feather on top of Ruri's head trembled with anger. She removed herself from Megumi lap and went upstairs, but not before glaring at Sanosuke.

Shit! We're in deep now...

Sanosuke put a hand on Megumi's fingers and tried not to sound panicked. "Let's leave after this hand."

"Three and three, chow!" came a gruff voice.

Megumi sensed the urgency in her own voice and gathered up the winnings. "Sorry guys, duty calls."

Tomo cooed. "Aww, c'mon Sano, we're just getting started! You're haven't even taken a sip of sake!" The people in the room nodded their agreement with Tomo.

As Megumi scooped the winnings up and shoved them in one of Sanosuke's pockets, she decided to guess at what Sanosuke would say in this situation. He was probably risqué around his friends, so she settled on, "She can't wait until we get home." She winked, and all the guys in the room yelled their approval.

"Way to go tiger!"

"Go Sano-chan!"

"Hubba hubba!!" Izumi smacked Megumi on the shoulder.

Sanosuke got a small mark of annoyance on his face. He didn't like his friends touching her, even if she was in his body. Jealousy? No time to think. They needed to get out of there, now. "Let's go to your place. Yours."

Cheering, much slapping on the back, hoots and hollers. The mob had grown unruly, and Megumi felt herself getting pressed in between lots of bodies. The force of everyone moving around in such a constricted space tore her away from Sanosuke's hand. She panicked. "Megumi, where are you?"

No sound from her voice, except the cheers. She scanned over everyone's heads, Sanosuke was no where in sight. After politely trying to get people to move for about a minute, she shoved her way through ferociously. "Get the hell out of my way! Fox! Where are... move it!"

"Sano-san!" Tomo emerged through the crowd, breathless. He pointed up the stairs. "He took her up there."

"Who?" Gods, if anything happened to Sanosuke, she'd never forgive herself. Megumi started to shake Tomo's shoulders. "Who!" she demanded.

The fear in his eyes was evident; he didn't dare say his name out loud. "But, he's in the third room down the hall. Go, save your woman." Megumi didn't even hear the last part of his sentence; she was on her way up the stairs. Taking three, four at a time until she got to the very top, where the hallway meandered to the left. It stank of sake.

She kicked down the third door, and it fell over with not so much as a flutter, being made of reeds. What she saw astounded her. "Hey, it's about time you got here rooster."

Megumi couldn't believe her eyes. Sanosuke was sitting on top of the western style bed, lazily drawing pictures in the air with his slender arm. Scattered all around him was the bodies of three men. Of course, they were just knocked out. Megumi bent in closer to inspect the damage, one was felled by a punch to the face, another to the stomach, and the other was thrown against the wall. "Who... who are they?"

Sanosuke shrugged and continued drawing. "Ruri's men. Every girl here has her own posse of guys who defend her honor."

"Honor?"

Sanosuke nodded. "You turned her down, and she's just a crybaby. If she can't get the guy she wants, she whines to her mob and they can try to beat the crap out of the guy who 'violated her'."

"What were they going to do to you?" Megumi asked, fearing the answer.

"What do you think? Three versus one... violate me probably..." He stopped and glared at her. "Did I not tell you this would be trouble?

Megumi felt her stomach turn. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for it to go this far..." She came over and sat beside Sanosuke on the bed. "I really am sorry. I thought I could handle it."

Sanosuke smiled warmly. "You did. I told the guys if they messed with me, they mess with Sagara Sanosuke's wrath. That gave me enough time to punch the daylights out of all of them."

"Punch?!? Oh God..." Megumi frantically looked over her own body.

Sanosuke waved his hands, "Don't worry, these idiots were so full of sake I barely flicked them with my finger before they fell over. I didn't shatter your wrist."

Megumi breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think this is the part where the hero who saves the day and kicked down the door carries the girl all the way to his apartment and they live happily ever after." Sanosuke grinned and stretched his arms above his head. Megumi just stared at him blankly. "Well? Have at it!"

Megumi sighed. "Can't you carry your own lazy bum to your apartment?"

"Nope."

She grinned and hoisted Sanosuke over her shoulder. She looked like a giant sack of flour with his derriere sticking up in the air near her face.

"Put me down Megumi!! This is not proper! I can't let you have this reputation here!" Sanosuke squealed.

Megumi laughed, a deep and dark sound. "Too late, lady luck."

"Fox!!!" he shrilled. He obviously didn't like being carried around like cargo on his own back.

"Fine... fine..." She grudgingly put him down just before Izumi, Tomo, and Kinji rushed into the room.

"What the hell happened in here?" They demanded in disbelief after seeing the bodies strewn all around the area. "Geez, you two are vicious!"

Megumi and Sanosuke smiled at each other. Knowing smiles.

It was true both ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's notes: This is the hardest of the three couplings to write because of their situation, so bear with me. If I didn't adore SxM so much, I would have trashed this project ^_^ It's long, but dammit, I love it! Review kiddies!

Aoshi and Misao or Kenshin and Kaoru next?