"That was something else, eh Colonel?" I heard a voice ask behind me. Turning around, I spotted Maniac, as well as Blair and Flint, staring out at the stars in surprise.
"Interesting, isn't it," I said, absently, before turning back to the viewscreen, "SHODAN, see if you can find the Victory. No need to keep Captain Eisen waiting any longer than needed."
"Victory is already within hailing range. They don't seem to have noticed us."
"Keen. See how well this stealth armor works. Get as close as you can undetected," I said, grinning suddenly.
"Err, I doubt very much the Captain would appreciate something so.. childish." Blair said, hesitantly.
"I know, but I do need to know how well I can sneak into a place before being noticed. Besides, I have to get in range to beam you three back over, don't I?"
"I suppose..." Blair mumbled, reluctantly. He suddenly looked up at me, "How are you feeling, anyway? I head you had an accident."
I blanched, then shrugged, realizing that the secret would come out eventually, so why bother pretending it hadn't happened.
"Ahh. Yeah. Well... Shit happens, right? I'll deal," I finally replied.
"Actually, I wasn't told what, exactly, happened, just that there'd been an accident that had you down for a day." Blair stated. Maniac and Flint nodded, and I shrugged again.
"Jusenkyo got me. Just girl water. I'll be cured in a couple hours. Actually, that reminds me..." I said, moving over to the intercom. A low chuckle interrupted me, however. SHODAN's laugh was insane-sounding, and despite having grown somewhat used to her voice, hearing her laugh almost surely at me, was unnerving.
"You think it was girl water. You weren't exactly Hispanic when you splashed yourself, were you?"
"'Hisp-'" I repeated, trailing off. I didn't look like a feminized version of myself, to be sure, but... "what are you implying?"
"Girl water is located on the lower right, if you recall. You were nowhere near that container when you got splashed."
"What?" Makoto asked, surprised. I frowned at the only visible camera, waiting for her to elaborate. SHODAN elaborated with silence. Finally, a nearby screen flickered to life, showing...
"Cantrell here, My Lord. The report has been sent to the data terminal nearest your chair. And... err... I'm afraid there's a bit of a problem with the video, so we can't tell for certain which water you came in contact with."
"Right... gimme a minute to read the report." I said, dazed. I made my way to my chair, my mind spinning with different ideas. Hopefully Cantrell had listed all the springs, but... I glanced down, and skimmed through the note, taking in the details as quickly as I could.
"Hmm.. okay.. numbers... Ha!" I shouted, spotting an apparent Spring of Drownd Ranma Saotome Fiance. No wonder Ranma had so much trouble. I wonder how Genma figures into each one, though? Shrugging off the thought, I resumed reading, paling at the meaning behind the numbers.
"That's not good..." Makoto said, her face inches away. "YAH!" I jumped back, stumbling over the arm of my chair and landing on my butt. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" I said, climbing to my feet.
"If this is right, your curse would have to be... mythical?"
"I dunno. I didn't feel any different in thought or anything, so It wasn't a personality and form one... Maybe Juraian?"
"No, you changed sex. That would just do your species."
"So... Gah! Angel or Demoness?" I cried, looking at the monitor. Cantrell nodded, shakily, and I frowned.
"I don't have any wings or horns or tattoos or.. anything," I said, "maybe it's a screw up? A Jusenkyo Glitch?"
"No, My Lord... Here, this is what video we have of the incident. Two of the cameras went down with the power, but the third captured the moments. Albeit at a bad angle..."
The screen switched to a view of the wall-o-water from across the way. It was obviously enhanced for darkness, but was still remarkably clear. I watched as I prepared to leap, Then groaned as My leap carried me into a spray of water from above, originating off screen. I watched as I changed mid-leap, arms ahead of me to ward off any barriers, and then I disappeared off the bottom of the screen moments before the camera wobbled slightly.
"Oh, man. That was..." I said, gloomily.
"Yeah," Makoto said, looking a little irked as well.
"Hah! That was hilarious!" Maniac said, chuckling to himself, "I've never seen someone move like that, and then, to get hit in the end. Talk about sucky. Glad I'm not you pal," my eyes narrowed briefly, then I shrugged it off, dismissively.
"Right. Someone please Space the Major." I said, seconds before Maniac disappeared. A moment later, he reappeared on the far side of the viewscreen, turning blue almost immediately. Blair and Flint both gave surprised shouts, and I blinked at the sudden situation.
"Belay that order." I said, not having expected SHODAN to act on my previous 'order.' Maniac disappeared again, and suddenly landed at Blair and Flint's feet, curled up in a fetal ball. The other pilots looked shocked, and a little scared, but I saw them both glare at Maniac for a moment before helping him to his feet.
"I'm.. look, Kyle. I'm Sorry, I didn't think it was such a touchy subject." Maniac said, hoarsely. I nodded, then turned my back to them.
"Go get something to drink. The moisture in your lungs and on your skin evaporates rapidly in a vacuum. You'll need to replace it." I said, finishing up the report.
The trio left, and I turned to the wall, where Cantrell waited patiently.
"What was it? Angel? Demoness?" I asked, softly, "And why are there no outward.. doohickeys, that give it away?"
"Well, My Lord, volunteers who tried out those curses appeared relatively normal, until after a thirty-minute period. It seems they have to charge up somehow before they can call forth their powers. Subsequent activation of those curses required no charging period, but physical manifestations of their nature only showed during times of stress."
"Stress..." I muttered, sinking into my chair. Apparently, after 30 minutes in my form, if I got stressed, I'd pop horns or wings. Well... "Someone get me some water."
"Kyle?" Makoto asked, beside me. I smiled at her, nonchalant-like.
"Might as well find out. Apparently the camera angle makes it impossible for even SHODAN to see which of the two curses I received. And both those are type 2, meaning merger, no cure. So.. I might as well..."
Makoto nodded, taking the water from a crewmember, and handing it to me carefully. I smiled at the irony, knowing that it was going to be spilled on my anyway, purposefully if not accidentally, then took it and poured it on my arm.
There was a moment of dizziness, and suddenly the world shifted around me as it had before. Concentrating, I could feel the physical changes, and ignored them for a moment as I tried to feel for any mental or metaphysical changes. After a moment, I felt something I'd not noticed, a barely perceptible feeling of impending... something. And as I concentrated on it, I could feel it slowly growing.
"Kyle?" Makoto asked, waving her hand in my face. I jumped, then smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, what?"
"Geez, you just zoned out for a couple minutes. You alright?"
"Yeah. Fine. Sorry. Cantrell?" I said, turning back to the monitor for a moment.
"Yes, Lord Kyle?"
"Add this to whatever report you have on... whatever spring it is I fell into. There's a subtle, barely-noticable feeling of impending... something going on during that charge up session."
"Ahh, one of the volunteers mentioned that, but he thought it might have been anticipation, since he knew about the 30 minute wait. I'll add that at once."
I nodded, looking at Makoto, the crew, and then space outside the window. "Ack! How close are we to the Victory?" I asked, staring at the ship that was rapidly filling the viewscreen.
"Definitely within their sensor field. Should we continue in? Or initiate communications?" SHODAN stated.
"Communications." I said, slumping in my seat. Makoto took my hand in hers, and I frowned as I realized her hands were slightly larger than mine.
'how quaint,' I thought to myself, 'I'm dainty.'
Makoto, apparently picking up on my unease, gave my hand a squeeze, and shot me a 'Don't worry' grin. I smiled back, softly, before the Monitor overhead flickered to life, Captain Eisen's face staring into the ship but apparently not seeing anything.
"Kyle, I'm going to have to inquire as to why a ship as intimidating and obviously new as yours is currently suffering a failure of video-transmittance."
"Ahh, well, things happen, even in new ships." I said, realizing after I'd spoken that I sounded absolutely nothing like my usual self.
"And who would this be? Another AI?" Eisen asked, frowning.
"No, I'm... Another Captain. When Kyle is... err... Indisposed, I suppose, I take over for him."
"You're the ship's XO, then?" He asked, giving his camera a questioning glare.
"No, the XO aboard the Thunder would be Makoto."
"So a ship that large requires two CO's. Interesting. By the way, Please tell your Helmsman you needn't approach quite so closely next time you wish to communicate. You nearly gave my Sensors Officer a heart attack when the telemetry from your transmission was finalized."
I chuckled, and turned to Makoto, smiling. She smiled back, but it looked a little forced, and I let it drop, resolving to question it later.
"Captain, I've got a few friends of yours I think are ready to get back onto familiar ground... or deck, whatever the case may be."
"You managed to retrieve Peters and Blair then?"
"Yes. And one other."
"Another? The only other person out there was Maniac. We have visual confirmation of his fighters destruction."
"If you have that, you might have noticed a flash from within his helmet moments before it, and the rest of his null-g suit was pulverized. That was me beaming him aboard."
"Mitchell is Alive?" Eisen asked, surprised. Then, "You can Teleport!?"
I laughed, and nodded, before realizing that he couldn't see me. Rolling my eyes at SHODAN's attempts to "protect" me, I spoke: "Yes, he's alive and.. well.. he's himself."
Eisen nodded, and I stretched, feeling parts of me move in ways they usually don't, and collapsed into the chair, the stretch ending in a rather unsatisfactory manner.
"Captain, We need to shut down our Communications array for a few minutes while we attempt to repair the video feed. I'll see about retrieving your Wing Commander for you, and get you two in contact."
"I'd appreciate that, Captain...?"
"Just call me Lyla." I said, spitting out the first name that came to my head.
"Lyla it is. TCS Victory out."
"Jupiter's Thunder out." I said, jumping to my feet. I paused, then frowned, staring down at the two objects that felt they should bounce when I moved rapidly. Sighing, I turned towards the door.
And bounced to the door. They may not be big, but they had enough weight to be effected by the way I walk. Frowning, I covered them quickly, then yelped slightly as I realized how sensitive they were. Sudden pressure, while fine for a pair of pecs, just didn't sit well with a pair of breasts. Scowling at the world, I started back to the door, only to stop again as the bouncing resumed.
There was something else, though. I could feel it, something I'd forgotten, but it was a growing... Ah!
"I think the thirty minutes are almost up. I feel like something's about to burst," I told Makoto. Realizing she was smiling widely at me, I frowned.
"What?"
"You walk like a guy."
"I do not!" I paused. "I mean.. I do?" I paused again. "Well.. wait. Of course I do! How else should I walk?"
"Like a girl?" Makoto ventured. I shrugged, turning to go again.
"I walk like I want to walk. I refuse to be a slave to this curse. Just as I refuse to freak out about it."
"Oh? Then you don't mind the fact that you're glowing?"
"No, I don- WHAT?" I shouted, turning around. Unfortunately, with my new center of balance, spinning wasn't quite as simple as it should have been, and I fell on my ass again.
There was a sudden (POW) noise, and the room suddenly seemed a bit drafty. Looking down, I realized all the buttons on my shirt had burst, revealing my pale stomach, and the inside of my breasts, though my nipples were apparently still covered. The gasps around me, however, made me turn, and I jumped as I realized there was something big and white directly behind me.
"What the!" I shouted, jumping to my feet, Turning, I realized whatever I'd seen was gone, then realized my balance was suddenly better. Turning my head, I spotted the white object over my shoulder, and I sighed, staring at the ground.
"I'm an angel?" I muttered, looking at my hands. They weren't mine, but they were, and I could feel the conflict begin in the back of my mind as I came to grips with this latest revelation.
"I'm an Angel. A good thing. What the hell." I said, softly.
"Good? Maybe. Obviously no modesty, though." Makoto muttered, stepping up beside me and pulling my short closed. Frowning at the loss of buttons, she sighed, and tied the shirt in a knot while I grew redder and redder.
"I'm.. err... was a guy. Covering my bare chest wasn't something I was taught growing up." I said, trying to walk out the door. Makoto finished her alterations, before examining me from all angles as she circled me.
"What?" I asked, finally.
"You're cute." She replied.
"No I'm not! I'm an Angel! AN ANGEL!" I cried, punching the doorframe.It didn't buckle, but it groaned slightly, and I winced, knowing I'd feel that in a second. Cracking my eye open a second later when no pain was forthcoming, I glanced down at my hand, which looked perfectly normal. A surprise, considering I'd just put almost all my strength into a punch that connected with a metal wall about a foot thick.
"Apparently, a rather tough angel, at that," Nabiki deadpanned, standing on the other side of the doorway.
"Why are you so against being an Angel? Would you rather be a Demon?" Makoto asked, reaching for one of my wings. She paused, and I thought about making them move, which they did. The wing whipped out and popped Makoto on the head. I snorted, trying to hold back a laugh, and Makoto frowned at le.
"Hey!"
"Sorry, I'm rather new at using them." I replied, relaxing them as best I could. Nabiki and Makoto both reached out ant touched a wing, tentatively at first, then stroking it gently.
"Wow. They're so.. soft." Makoto said, eyes wide.
"Yeah. Heavenly, even," Nabiki quipped. I ignored the odd sensation, thinking it felt like someone was running a finger over the back of my shoulder, only it a was detached feeling, like the shoulder was a few feet behind me.. or maybe it was a pair of curious girls rubbing a new angels wings. I signed, and they both pulled away reluctantly.
"I'm not saying I'd rather be a Demon, but... I'm just not the kind of person that is.. angelic."
"Sure you are!" Makoto said, smiling warmly at me, " I wouldn't have married you if you were evil."
"Be that as it may, I do have my moments... And... I mean, really. Angel wings on a guy that liked to torture his own pet cat by chasing her around with plastic bags..."
"You tortured your cat?" Makoto asked, frowning.
"Only on occasion. When she clawed me up. It was rare."
"I bet Ranma would look up to you if you told him that story." Nabiki said, smiling a little.
"Probably. I wish I'd gotten a change to lay Genma out." I said, shrugging. This cause my wings to mimic the shrug, and the two girls stared at them in surprise.
"So.. you think you're more worthy of the Demoness spring than the Angel spring..." Makoto said, sighing.
"Well.. kind of. I mean, I'd have preferred no spring at all, or just guy water if it had to be one... This is kind of.. I dunno. Contrary to how I view myself."
"Well, you should go for a fly, before you dismiss it as totally crappy," Nabiki offered, looking at me for a moment. When her gaze didn't let up, I frowned.
"Something wrong?"
"Aside from the white wings currently growing out of your back, or the rather effeminate way you've done your shirt up?"
"Err.. Makoto did that," I said, quickly.
"Makoto gave you wings, eh?" Nabiki asked, smirking. I frowned.
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, yes I do. You don't look like Ranma did. A female version of his original, male self."
"So I've noticed," I said, dryly.
"Well, do you look like the Angel that drowned, or did it just randomly create this look?"
"I.. I dunno." I muttered.
"Well, at least it's cute." Makoto offered, quietly. I smiled at her, then looked down at my hands again.
"Flying, eh?" I said, glancing over my shoulder at the wings that were currently folded on my back. They didn't seem large enough to support 175 pounds. But then, I didn't weigh 175 pounds anymore, and they were angel wings, so maybe they were mystically able to support me?
"Kyle?" SHODAN asked, suddenly. I jumped, and Makoto and Nabiki stepped out of the way of my wings as they unfurled and struck the walls before folding back up.
"Yeah?" I asked, frowning.
"Captain Eisen just asked for you or Lyla. Apparently, Confed intercepted a transmission from the Kilrathi detailing the Thunder, and are asking Eisen about it. He'd like to know how you would prefer the reply is handled."
"Ah.. Right. Well, give me a few minutes to get some Hot water... in fact, have some hot water taps spread out throughout the ship, when we get the chance... and I'll be right there to talk to him." I said, walking towards my room.
"Interesting, isn't it," I said, absently, before turning back to the viewscreen, "SHODAN, see if you can find the Victory. No need to keep Captain Eisen waiting any longer than needed."
"Victory is already within hailing range. They don't seem to have noticed us."
"Keen. See how well this stealth armor works. Get as close as you can undetected," I said, grinning suddenly.
"Err, I doubt very much the Captain would appreciate something so.. childish." Blair said, hesitantly.
"I know, but I do need to know how well I can sneak into a place before being noticed. Besides, I have to get in range to beam you three back over, don't I?"
"I suppose..." Blair mumbled, reluctantly. He suddenly looked up at me, "How are you feeling, anyway? I head you had an accident."
I blanched, then shrugged, realizing that the secret would come out eventually, so why bother pretending it hadn't happened.
"Ahh. Yeah. Well... Shit happens, right? I'll deal," I finally replied.
"Actually, I wasn't told what, exactly, happened, just that there'd been an accident that had you down for a day." Blair stated. Maniac and Flint nodded, and I shrugged again.
"Jusenkyo got me. Just girl water. I'll be cured in a couple hours. Actually, that reminds me..." I said, moving over to the intercom. A low chuckle interrupted me, however. SHODAN's laugh was insane-sounding, and despite having grown somewhat used to her voice, hearing her laugh almost surely at me, was unnerving.
"You think it was girl water. You weren't exactly Hispanic when you splashed yourself, were you?"
"'Hisp-'" I repeated, trailing off. I didn't look like a feminized version of myself, to be sure, but... "what are you implying?"
"Girl water is located on the lower right, if you recall. You were nowhere near that container when you got splashed."
"What?" Makoto asked, surprised. I frowned at the only visible camera, waiting for her to elaborate. SHODAN elaborated with silence. Finally, a nearby screen flickered to life, showing...
"Cantrell here, My Lord. The report has been sent to the data terminal nearest your chair. And... err... I'm afraid there's a bit of a problem with the video, so we can't tell for certain which water you came in contact with."
"Right... gimme a minute to read the report." I said, dazed. I made my way to my chair, my mind spinning with different ideas. Hopefully Cantrell had listed all the springs, but... I glanced down, and skimmed through the note, taking in the details as quickly as I could.
"Hmm.. okay.. numbers... Ha!" I shouted, spotting an apparent Spring of Drownd Ranma Saotome Fiance. No wonder Ranma had so much trouble. I wonder how Genma figures into each one, though? Shrugging off the thought, I resumed reading, paling at the meaning behind the numbers.
"That's not good..." Makoto said, her face inches away. "YAH!" I jumped back, stumbling over the arm of my chair and landing on my butt. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" I said, climbing to my feet.
"If this is right, your curse would have to be... mythical?"
"I dunno. I didn't feel any different in thought or anything, so It wasn't a personality and form one... Maybe Juraian?"
"No, you changed sex. That would just do your species."
"So... Gah! Angel or Demoness?" I cried, looking at the monitor. Cantrell nodded, shakily, and I frowned.
"I don't have any wings or horns or tattoos or.. anything," I said, "maybe it's a screw up? A Jusenkyo Glitch?"
"No, My Lord... Here, this is what video we have of the incident. Two of the cameras went down with the power, but the third captured the moments. Albeit at a bad angle..."
The screen switched to a view of the wall-o-water from across the way. It was obviously enhanced for darkness, but was still remarkably clear. I watched as I prepared to leap, Then groaned as My leap carried me into a spray of water from above, originating off screen. I watched as I changed mid-leap, arms ahead of me to ward off any barriers, and then I disappeared off the bottom of the screen moments before the camera wobbled slightly.
"Oh, man. That was..." I said, gloomily.
"Yeah," Makoto said, looking a little irked as well.
"Hah! That was hilarious!" Maniac said, chuckling to himself, "I've never seen someone move like that, and then, to get hit in the end. Talk about sucky. Glad I'm not you pal," my eyes narrowed briefly, then I shrugged it off, dismissively.
"Right. Someone please Space the Major." I said, seconds before Maniac disappeared. A moment later, he reappeared on the far side of the viewscreen, turning blue almost immediately. Blair and Flint both gave surprised shouts, and I blinked at the sudden situation.
"Belay that order." I said, not having expected SHODAN to act on my previous 'order.' Maniac disappeared again, and suddenly landed at Blair and Flint's feet, curled up in a fetal ball. The other pilots looked shocked, and a little scared, but I saw them both glare at Maniac for a moment before helping him to his feet.
"I'm.. look, Kyle. I'm Sorry, I didn't think it was such a touchy subject." Maniac said, hoarsely. I nodded, then turned my back to them.
"Go get something to drink. The moisture in your lungs and on your skin evaporates rapidly in a vacuum. You'll need to replace it." I said, finishing up the report.
The trio left, and I turned to the wall, where Cantrell waited patiently.
"What was it? Angel? Demoness?" I asked, softly, "And why are there no outward.. doohickeys, that give it away?"
"Well, My Lord, volunteers who tried out those curses appeared relatively normal, until after a thirty-minute period. It seems they have to charge up somehow before they can call forth their powers. Subsequent activation of those curses required no charging period, but physical manifestations of their nature only showed during times of stress."
"Stress..." I muttered, sinking into my chair. Apparently, after 30 minutes in my form, if I got stressed, I'd pop horns or wings. Well... "Someone get me some water."
"Kyle?" Makoto asked, beside me. I smiled at her, nonchalant-like.
"Might as well find out. Apparently the camera angle makes it impossible for even SHODAN to see which of the two curses I received. And both those are type 2, meaning merger, no cure. So.. I might as well..."
Makoto nodded, taking the water from a crewmember, and handing it to me carefully. I smiled at the irony, knowing that it was going to be spilled on my anyway, purposefully if not accidentally, then took it and poured it on my arm.
There was a moment of dizziness, and suddenly the world shifted around me as it had before. Concentrating, I could feel the physical changes, and ignored them for a moment as I tried to feel for any mental or metaphysical changes. After a moment, I felt something I'd not noticed, a barely perceptible feeling of impending... something. And as I concentrated on it, I could feel it slowly growing.
"Kyle?" Makoto asked, waving her hand in my face. I jumped, then smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, what?"
"Geez, you just zoned out for a couple minutes. You alright?"
"Yeah. Fine. Sorry. Cantrell?" I said, turning back to the monitor for a moment.
"Yes, Lord Kyle?"
"Add this to whatever report you have on... whatever spring it is I fell into. There's a subtle, barely-noticable feeling of impending... something going on during that charge up session."
"Ahh, one of the volunteers mentioned that, but he thought it might have been anticipation, since he knew about the 30 minute wait. I'll add that at once."
I nodded, looking at Makoto, the crew, and then space outside the window. "Ack! How close are we to the Victory?" I asked, staring at the ship that was rapidly filling the viewscreen.
"Definitely within their sensor field. Should we continue in? Or initiate communications?" SHODAN stated.
"Communications." I said, slumping in my seat. Makoto took my hand in hers, and I frowned as I realized her hands were slightly larger than mine.
'how quaint,' I thought to myself, 'I'm dainty.'
Makoto, apparently picking up on my unease, gave my hand a squeeze, and shot me a 'Don't worry' grin. I smiled back, softly, before the Monitor overhead flickered to life, Captain Eisen's face staring into the ship but apparently not seeing anything.
"Kyle, I'm going to have to inquire as to why a ship as intimidating and obviously new as yours is currently suffering a failure of video-transmittance."
"Ahh, well, things happen, even in new ships." I said, realizing after I'd spoken that I sounded absolutely nothing like my usual self.
"And who would this be? Another AI?" Eisen asked, frowning.
"No, I'm... Another Captain. When Kyle is... err... Indisposed, I suppose, I take over for him."
"You're the ship's XO, then?" He asked, giving his camera a questioning glare.
"No, the XO aboard the Thunder would be Makoto."
"So a ship that large requires two CO's. Interesting. By the way, Please tell your Helmsman you needn't approach quite so closely next time you wish to communicate. You nearly gave my Sensors Officer a heart attack when the telemetry from your transmission was finalized."
I chuckled, and turned to Makoto, smiling. She smiled back, but it looked a little forced, and I let it drop, resolving to question it later.
"Captain, I've got a few friends of yours I think are ready to get back onto familiar ground... or deck, whatever the case may be."
"You managed to retrieve Peters and Blair then?"
"Yes. And one other."
"Another? The only other person out there was Maniac. We have visual confirmation of his fighters destruction."
"If you have that, you might have noticed a flash from within his helmet moments before it, and the rest of his null-g suit was pulverized. That was me beaming him aboard."
"Mitchell is Alive?" Eisen asked, surprised. Then, "You can Teleport!?"
I laughed, and nodded, before realizing that he couldn't see me. Rolling my eyes at SHODAN's attempts to "protect" me, I spoke: "Yes, he's alive and.. well.. he's himself."
Eisen nodded, and I stretched, feeling parts of me move in ways they usually don't, and collapsed into the chair, the stretch ending in a rather unsatisfactory manner.
"Captain, We need to shut down our Communications array for a few minutes while we attempt to repair the video feed. I'll see about retrieving your Wing Commander for you, and get you two in contact."
"I'd appreciate that, Captain...?"
"Just call me Lyla." I said, spitting out the first name that came to my head.
"Lyla it is. TCS Victory out."
"Jupiter's Thunder out." I said, jumping to my feet. I paused, then frowned, staring down at the two objects that felt they should bounce when I moved rapidly. Sighing, I turned towards the door.
And bounced to the door. They may not be big, but they had enough weight to be effected by the way I walk. Frowning, I covered them quickly, then yelped slightly as I realized how sensitive they were. Sudden pressure, while fine for a pair of pecs, just didn't sit well with a pair of breasts. Scowling at the world, I started back to the door, only to stop again as the bouncing resumed.
There was something else, though. I could feel it, something I'd forgotten, but it was a growing... Ah!
"I think the thirty minutes are almost up. I feel like something's about to burst," I told Makoto. Realizing she was smiling widely at me, I frowned.
"What?"
"You walk like a guy."
"I do not!" I paused. "I mean.. I do?" I paused again. "Well.. wait. Of course I do! How else should I walk?"
"Like a girl?" Makoto ventured. I shrugged, turning to go again.
"I walk like I want to walk. I refuse to be a slave to this curse. Just as I refuse to freak out about it."
"Oh? Then you don't mind the fact that you're glowing?"
"No, I don- WHAT?" I shouted, turning around. Unfortunately, with my new center of balance, spinning wasn't quite as simple as it should have been, and I fell on my ass again.
There was a sudden (POW) noise, and the room suddenly seemed a bit drafty. Looking down, I realized all the buttons on my shirt had burst, revealing my pale stomach, and the inside of my breasts, though my nipples were apparently still covered. The gasps around me, however, made me turn, and I jumped as I realized there was something big and white directly behind me.
"What the!" I shouted, jumping to my feet, Turning, I realized whatever I'd seen was gone, then realized my balance was suddenly better. Turning my head, I spotted the white object over my shoulder, and I sighed, staring at the ground.
"I'm an angel?" I muttered, looking at my hands. They weren't mine, but they were, and I could feel the conflict begin in the back of my mind as I came to grips with this latest revelation.
"I'm an Angel. A good thing. What the hell." I said, softly.
"Good? Maybe. Obviously no modesty, though." Makoto muttered, stepping up beside me and pulling my short closed. Frowning at the loss of buttons, she sighed, and tied the shirt in a knot while I grew redder and redder.
"I'm.. err... was a guy. Covering my bare chest wasn't something I was taught growing up." I said, trying to walk out the door. Makoto finished her alterations, before examining me from all angles as she circled me.
"What?" I asked, finally.
"You're cute." She replied.
"No I'm not! I'm an Angel! AN ANGEL!" I cried, punching the doorframe.It didn't buckle, but it groaned slightly, and I winced, knowing I'd feel that in a second. Cracking my eye open a second later when no pain was forthcoming, I glanced down at my hand, which looked perfectly normal. A surprise, considering I'd just put almost all my strength into a punch that connected with a metal wall about a foot thick.
"Apparently, a rather tough angel, at that," Nabiki deadpanned, standing on the other side of the doorway.
"Why are you so against being an Angel? Would you rather be a Demon?" Makoto asked, reaching for one of my wings. She paused, and I thought about making them move, which they did. The wing whipped out and popped Makoto on the head. I snorted, trying to hold back a laugh, and Makoto frowned at le.
"Hey!"
"Sorry, I'm rather new at using them." I replied, relaxing them as best I could. Nabiki and Makoto both reached out ant touched a wing, tentatively at first, then stroking it gently.
"Wow. They're so.. soft." Makoto said, eyes wide.
"Yeah. Heavenly, even," Nabiki quipped. I ignored the odd sensation, thinking it felt like someone was running a finger over the back of my shoulder, only it a was detached feeling, like the shoulder was a few feet behind me.. or maybe it was a pair of curious girls rubbing a new angels wings. I signed, and they both pulled away reluctantly.
"I'm not saying I'd rather be a Demon, but... I'm just not the kind of person that is.. angelic."
"Sure you are!" Makoto said, smiling warmly at me, " I wouldn't have married you if you were evil."
"Be that as it may, I do have my moments... And... I mean, really. Angel wings on a guy that liked to torture his own pet cat by chasing her around with plastic bags..."
"You tortured your cat?" Makoto asked, frowning.
"Only on occasion. When she clawed me up. It was rare."
"I bet Ranma would look up to you if you told him that story." Nabiki said, smiling a little.
"Probably. I wish I'd gotten a change to lay Genma out." I said, shrugging. This cause my wings to mimic the shrug, and the two girls stared at them in surprise.
"So.. you think you're more worthy of the Demoness spring than the Angel spring..." Makoto said, sighing.
"Well.. kind of. I mean, I'd have preferred no spring at all, or just guy water if it had to be one... This is kind of.. I dunno. Contrary to how I view myself."
"Well, you should go for a fly, before you dismiss it as totally crappy," Nabiki offered, looking at me for a moment. When her gaze didn't let up, I frowned.
"Something wrong?"
"Aside from the white wings currently growing out of your back, or the rather effeminate way you've done your shirt up?"
"Err.. Makoto did that," I said, quickly.
"Makoto gave you wings, eh?" Nabiki asked, smirking. I frowned.
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, yes I do. You don't look like Ranma did. A female version of his original, male self."
"So I've noticed," I said, dryly.
"Well, do you look like the Angel that drowned, or did it just randomly create this look?"
"I.. I dunno." I muttered.
"Well, at least it's cute." Makoto offered, quietly. I smiled at her, then looked down at my hands again.
"Flying, eh?" I said, glancing over my shoulder at the wings that were currently folded on my back. They didn't seem large enough to support 175 pounds. But then, I didn't weigh 175 pounds anymore, and they were angel wings, so maybe they were mystically able to support me?
"Kyle?" SHODAN asked, suddenly. I jumped, and Makoto and Nabiki stepped out of the way of my wings as they unfurled and struck the walls before folding back up.
"Yeah?" I asked, frowning.
"Captain Eisen just asked for you or Lyla. Apparently, Confed intercepted a transmission from the Kilrathi detailing the Thunder, and are asking Eisen about it. He'd like to know how you would prefer the reply is handled."
"Ah.. Right. Well, give me a few minutes to get some Hot water... in fact, have some hot water taps spread out throughout the ship, when we get the chance... and I'll be right there to talk to him." I said, walking towards my room.