Chapter 13

Transformation

Kaoru turned a bit green at the thought of being ripped apart, but then she thought about going back to the way things were. She had always been a drifter, trying different things and moving on if it didn't fit her. She had never really belonged but she'd always been impulsive. When else would she get a chance like this? She found Kenshin attractive, which helped considerably, and she liked every one around her.

"Honestly," Kaoru began, looking over to Megumi and Misao, and then turning to Kenshin. "I like it here. I like it with you. I would like to stay."

"You may certainly do that." Kenshin said kindly, "Whatever you decide."

"I want to stay with you."

Kenshin nodded slowly. Kaoru let out a slow breath as she could feel Megumi and Misao watching. She wondered if he was being thick on purpose.

"I want to repair our bonds. Together." Kaoru tried again, spelling it out for him. "If that is still what you want."

With wide eyes Kenshin barely dared breathe. Finally, he smiled, taking her hands. "I would like that very much."

"Oof!" Kaoru had gone to hug Kenshin, but Misao had flung herself over the couch to hug both of them.

"I'm so happy!" She cried while squishing them into a big hug while Megumi went to answer a knock at the door.

Misao was laughing with relief and still attached to Kaoru's neck, who was still being held by Kenshin when Sano walked in with a rather small, black dragon.

"Sup." He said. "I found Kaoru's brother." He indicated the small dragon in the doorway.

Everyone was dead silent for half a heart beat.

Then the room exploded.

Magic is fickle, and Kaoru's energy was so unstable all it had needed was a spark. Sano had done the equivalent of throwing a Molotov cocktail on dry kindling and dynamite.

"Yes" Sano had decided "Wrong place, wrong time." He'd barely managed to pull Megumi and the young dragon out of the doorway after the first blast. He still didn't feel it was completely his fault.

Kenshin and Misao were both caught up in the energy that ripped through Kaoru like a firework. It was blindingly hot fire magic and it was only Kenshin's much stronger magic that kept her from ripping herself and everyone else apart. Megumi had not even begun the spells that would have tempered the release of her dragon energy. It was pure, and raw and wounded and acting on nothing but instinct. Kaoru had shifted to dragon almost instantaneously, followed quickly by Kenshin and Misao. Kenshin didn't even have time to grimace at the destruction around him and barely had time to throw his power around Kaoru to try and stabilize the fire coming off her in waves and keep Misao from being burnt to a crisp. He was thankful for her bond with the ice dragon because he couldn't do much about the blinding heat radiating off Kaoru. Aoshi's ice through the bond would help protect her where he could not.

It was only Kaoru's inexperience that saved them. She wanted flight. She wanted to escape. Had she been in complete control of the release of her magic there was no doubt in Kenshin's mind that he and Misao would both be dead. He finally turned his magic to not just surround Kaoru, but to touch her with it and see how badly she was hurt.

All magic did was cause Kaoru's dragon to lash out more in anger and rage and confusion. Kenshin threw his weight on top of her and it was only that he had thought to curl around her wings that kept her grounded. It was Misao wrapping her body over Kaoru's neck that kept her from biting them. Kenshin was actually impressed that the smaller dragon had kept from getting crushed in Kaoru's rampage while being burned by her magic.

After Kaoru's first attacks and explosions of power and fire, it did not take her long to burn herself out. The two dragons on top of her were a physical presence she could understand and the weight had actually begun to calm her. As Kenshin reached out with magic, she once again began fighting against them as he quickly pulled his magic back and leaned more of his weight into her.

He kept his magic bound as close to himself as possible, and tucked his body close to Kaoru. Misao, though still keeping pressure on her neck, was nuzzling her in a calming way as if she was a new fledgling. Kaoru knew nothing of energy and it scared her, but on some fundamental level she recognized them.

She was, however, still wounded and scared, probably assailed by senses she didn't even have names for, let alone comprehend. She was stiff beneath him and he barely shifted. She tensed, eyes wide with terror and growled, panting, but calmed slightly as Misao rubbed her neck with hers and Kenshin pressed more of his body against her back, even letting his tail curl around hers. She could understand the physical and allowed her body to relax slightly against them and she pressed her eyes together and tried to hide her head under Misao. It was the reaction of a brand new fledgling. Kenshin could feel his anger building as he tried to calm her. He didn't need to scare her with anger tinged magic.

It was Kaoru's magic that sought out what it knew as Kenshin's warmth after a time. She was hesitant and unsure and probably completely unaware of what she was doing. Her energy was finally tied to her, but it was still raw and new and only hesitantly seeking his out. Kenshin slowly let loose a bit of magic against hers, and then she stilled. For a second, her energy latched on to his in a display of trust like that of a baby.

Kenshin almost completely lost his temper and glanced at Misao, catching her eyes. She understood, it was the combination of her understanding and water magic that kept his temper in check.

What they had done to her, to Kaoru, was nothing short of disgusting.

In dragon terms she was a baby, though her magic and human form were adult. Remembering the human, Kenshin knew that had she been allowed to develop properly as a dragon she would have been his complete equal. Her fire magic was full of life against his, and that comforted him, but her reactions, her inexperience had him gritting and baring his teeth by turns. Even in his anger her magic was too trusting, too childish. He was furious, but at least he could keep himself from reacting in complete anger so he could help her.

She had given him permission to form to bond, and he would to save her but it angered him that she would not be able to develop her dragon-magic outside of the bond. He had no idea how that would affect her and her dragon development. It worried him.

Once she was sure Kaoru wasn't going to attack and Kenshin had control of his emotions so that he could help his future bond mate, Misao left the room and shut the now damaged door as well as she could. She followed her bond to Aoshi, tasting his immense displeasure. It had been quite dangerous, but she wasn't about to leave her friend while Kenshin was still battling for control over his anger. Damned if she was going to stay for the reforging of the bond after things were settled, however. As much as she loved both of them, he was on his own for that.

At least the others had the knowledge to stay back. Anything Megumi could have done before was useless with two angry dragons and despite Sano's stupidity he at least had some sense self preservation.

Aoshi was waiting for her as soon as she walked into the room and she went for a hug.

"Your arms are burnt." He said, sending soothing ice magic to her. They were bright red and blistered.

"I was in the middle of hugging her when someone" She whipped around to stare at Sano "who hadn't checked in with us brought in the last thing Kaoru needed to know about at that moment. Could you not have waited two more hours?" She had been angry at seeing Kaoru's transformation as well. It had just been wrong and now she was taking it out on Sano. Sano just sulked across the room.

"Here, I can get you something for that." Megumi directed her to a chair. Sitting across from her was the young dragon who had taken the form of a young boy. She tasted earth and fire magic from him. Much older magic.

"So you're her brother?" She asked the boy who was watching them all silently. There was something in the way he sat back and observed that reminded her of Kaoru, despite the very different coloring. "She's a lot more fire than you." she commented when the boy didn't say anything and sucked in her breath as Megumi started applying a cream to her arms.

"Half brother." He shrugged and didn't elaborate on their elements besides that.

"The kid here was a bit hard to get because…"

"I'm not a kid!"

"Well, kid, you were…"

"Shove it Sano." Misao interrupted the budding argument. "I'm not in the mood to hear it yet. Kenshin should be here for anything you could say. Kaoru too. Just. Shove. It." Everyone seemed a bit shocked at Misao's reaction. The normally bubbly dragon was drained and in pain. She wasn't going to take it out on the young fledgeling, but Sano was fair game. Maybe he was right though. Maybe they should stop sending him to do the legwork. He did have incredibly bad luck.

A/N: The transformation was a bit hard to write. I know how I wanted it to come out, but I'm a bit out of practice. I might go back and make some changes, but all in all, I'm okay with it as is. I'm sure everyone can figure out who the kid is, and he's got some interesting insight into what happened. I get to explain some more of the dragon magic in the next chapter. And of course Kenshin and Kaoru are going to have to deal with everything that has happened. I wasn't going to have Misao be part of the transformation, but one thing I've learned is that friends are just as important as potential bond mates.

And Hani, I hope things are going better! I'm glad my story is helping. And Assassel and kokoronagomu, thank you for your reviews! It's so good to be back writing and I hope this will help the gluttony some! 3