Gale nodded his head at Seiichi, and glanced nervously at the scene before them. There were bloodstains on the floor, and a few spent shell casings on the floor around the crates. Bullet holes peppered the pillars and walls. Even if they weren't coming back, Gale did not feel safe around the place.

"Don't go there," whispered Gale. Seiichi walked towards one of the crates, clearly ignoring what he said.

"No, don't!" yelled Gale. He rushed forward, and as Seiichi placed a hand on one of the black crates, a needle sprang out of the black crate and pierced Seiichi's hand. He yelped loudly. The sight prompted Gale to look at the position of the other crate, which was just beside him at this very moment.

"Bugger," whispered Gale. The hypodermic needle from the other crate sprang out, the needle shining off a small ray of sunlight as it pierced his arm. He screamed. The needle shot a green liquid into his veins, and he could feel the cold liquid in himself. It paralysed him, though perhaps most of that was out of fear. As the needle emptied, it backed out of his arm and pointed itself away from Gale, a little drip off the tip almost like a spit of disgust that followed a man turning his head away.

Gale looked at the hole the needle left in his skin, and sighed. He thought about seeing his doctor later, and his father would probably get angry at Gale for getting jabbed by random needles. Seiichi probably needed to see a doctor too, considering that he just fainted from the injection. He ran towards Seiichi and bent down to at least, drag him out by his arms. Gale's strength was just below average for a man, and he considered lifting Seiichi up to be impossible.

"Strange..." mumbled Gale, looking at Seiichi's head. He wasn't sure, but it seemed like Seiichi's hair was growing. Longer and longer. He placed his hand upon the strands of hair, and in a few moments the hair upon Seiichi's head grew to engulf his hand in red hair. Gale reached to his own head, grasping the back strands of his hair.

"Nothing."

When he looked back down again, the hairbands that appeared on Seiichi's head rang alarm bells in his head. Injections might be able to grow hair, but growing hairbands was definitely out of the question. Gale looked up and down Seiichi's body and saw all the changes. Seiichi's face had shrunk, and grown more feminine. His hands became smaller, and smoother, and his arms and legs had shortened as well. A bulge upon Seiichi's chest made Gale press his own hand to his chest to check, but it didn't bulge any more than usual. He sighed in relief, and looked back at what was left of the guy he knew.

It was the part about the clothing that scared Gale. Turning into a girl was bad enough, but having your clothing change with yourself seemed like something from the realm of fantasy.

Seiichi seemed to stir a little, groaning in a soft, girly voice that never matched Seiichi's male form. With a sigh, Gale plucked out his own smartphone, switching on the front camera. He glanced quickly in his own image, smiling at his own masculine face. Gale frowned, though, as he pushed the camera in front of Seiichi's face. If this girl was still Seiichi, she, or he, would hate to see what happened.

"S—Seiichi?" whispered Gale.

The darkness surrounding Seiichi started to fade and very slowly conscious thoughts were possible again.
'What the heck happened...?
As gradual as his awakening, his memories from before his fainting returned to him and let him realize what exactly had happened.
I got hit by a needle...

A small groan escaping his mouth made him perk up shaking away all signs of the lingering period of unconsciousness.
It didn't sound like him groaning, to be honest, more like a teen girl with a rather rough voice.
Still a bit lightheaded he grabbed his right temple, but to his astonishment his hair felt far softer than ever before.
To his sense of touch, it had the texture of expensive silk, something a lot of girls nowadays desire to have.

Following these discoveries it seemed only natural to open ones eyes and, to nobody's surprise,
Seiichi opened his eyes wide just to see a phone's camera stuck into his face shooting a picture at that exact moment.

"What the heck, Gale!", an upset, rough, raspy girl responded instead of Seiichi.
Naturally he was quite shocked by that.
"What happened with my voice...?" Frantically Seiichi shook his head try to attempt the impossible and remove the voice from his throat by shaking his head, however he only achieved his new pigtails hitting him squarely in the face.
"Pigtails? This is becoming weirder and weirder by the second...", he exclaimed when he grabbed both pigtails and held them in front of his eyes.

This incident made him look down on the rest of his body. Whatever he might have thought before, when he saw the small bulge on his chest and the skirt hiding his hips and his crotch, his whole mind went completely blank and even without caring that there was someone watching him, he shoved his hand underneath the skirt's hem and groped his way to where his primary male organs usually sat.

Finding absolutely nothing there his hand continued further downwards and they soon found a slit sitting neatly between his legs.

In utter disbelief his hand rested there for a while as he exclaimed with a breathy voice.
"Holy... I'm a girl... fuck..."
His subconsciousnees took it a bit better than his consciousness. 'No more "he", I guess...

Quickly she withdrew her hand from underneath her skirt and she blushed red in embarrassment.

Looking up at Gale, she only now noticed how incredibly short she actually had become. He now towered above her and made her feel even more uneasy.

"I'm freaking tiny...", she murmured, still not used to the raspy voice escaping her mouth.
"Gimme that phone... I need to see what I look like...!", she snapped at Gale and without asking she tore it from his hand.

Good, I still have a good amount of strength left...

She opened the photo Gale had just taken.
"At least, I'm very cute... does this make it better...?"

Gale scowled and snatched his phone back. The fact that Seiichi just felt himself up in front of a guy felt wrong.

"Depends on how you have to explain things to your parents..." Gale mumbled, staring into the screen of his phone. There was a new message, and he tapped on it. Facebook announcements irritated Gale, but this one drew his attention for a reason.

Sayuri Nakao sends her regards to everyone who cheered them on the final stretch of the 2014 volleyball tournament!

Gale tapped on a few other buttons. He didn't know if Seiichi had a sister, but he looked at the post anyway. And there, standing with a few other girls, was a smiling red-haired girl with two pig tails. Sayuri Nakao.

"I hate to alarm you again, Seiichi..." muttered Gale, flipping his phone to face Seiichi. "But I think history has been changed by those weird crates."

His other hand reached to his chest. Maybe the effect was delayed on him. His father would be most displeased if he turned into a girl, even if history changed.

A panicked Seiichi just tore the phone back into her hands staring at its screen.

"What...no...what...?!"
Her voice didn't seem to function properly and she had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down enough to restore her ability of logical thinking.
Finished with this, she focused on the screen again.

"I'm in the volleyball team? And an ace at that? And my name is freaking 'Sayuri'!"

Quite a bit astounded by the amount of new things charging at her mind she quietly handed the phone back to its rightful owner.

"Sayuri sounds cute, though... If I had been a guy right now, I would totally have the hots for the new me... which sounds weird and creepy all day, every day..."

With a heavy sigh she sat herself upright and scratched her head.
"Volleyball, though... It's the sport where the guys sit on the sidelines and simply gaze at the girls backsides..."

More than that, however, she was surprised by a realization, she just made.
"Gale, do you think it's weird that I like the name Sayuri? That I find, it has a nice ring to it and I wouldn't mind it being my name?"

Gale shrugged. The changes from Seiichi to Sayuri might have been more than physical.

"If this is permanent, you'll probably have to get used to it, Seii— Sayuri." Gale's hands began pressing against his chest, waiting for the first sign of expansion. A few moments later, he sighed.

"I'm not turning into a girl, even though I got jabbed with that weird thing. What do you think happened to me?" Another hand reached for the hair at the back of his head, touching the end tips of his back hair.

"My father is going to be horrified if I turn into a girl, history change or no history change," sighed Gale. He felt a little glad that nothing was happening to him, but perhaps the changes were slower, and subtler. He tried to picture Seiichi's body, comparing it to a mental image of his own. Seiichi was a bit shorter, maybe that changed things. Red hair could also have been the difference.

Gale's hands went down to his lap, and he sighed again. A off-hand thought about replacing hygiene pads crossed his mind, but his thoughts quickly went back to Sayuri.

"Can you walk?" asked Gale. "I could try to carry you."

On wobbly legs, Seiichi, or Sayuri now, she guessed, tried to stand up but she had to grab Gale's shirt to secure herself.
Now more than before it became obvious how small of a stature she had standing next to him, or actually more clinging onto him for necessary support.

"Wow... I'm really tiny", she muttered. "And my balance is completely off... so, yes, I'd highly appreciate you carrying me, even if it might be very embarrassing for me..."
Her legs were still wobbling uncontrollably and she clung to Gale even tighter to not fall over.

For anyone watching this scene as an outsider, it must have looked incredibly cute. A small, 1.58m girl clinging to a bigger guy as if her life depended on it.

Gale patted her head and smiled. Sayuri's hair smelt nice. Gently allowing her to lean on him, he walked out of the abandoned school building. Lunch time was over soon, and they had to head back to class soon. Gale could head to the Club instead of class, since they had something to do, but the vice president of the club said that they didn't need everyone to be present.

Class it was, thought Gale. Class was a chore. Surrounded by other students who looked at him with eyes he did not comprehend, it felt like he was being squeezed together in class. But at least, there was someone to talk things to. He knew her secret, and maybe, she could grow to understand his own.

The players upon the basketball court smiled and cheered at Sayuri as she stumbled across the court.

"Fuck off, you wankers!" yelled Gale.

To be honest to herself, Sayuri was a lot more embarrassed than she had anticipated walking down the school yard.
Sure, she needed the help right now and didn't need to be flustered, just because a guy was touching her.
Oh goodness! Did that really mean, she was incapable of touching guys now without feeling uncomfortable? If so, that sucked, but on the other hand, it could also mean, she could touch girls now without feeling uncomfortable and also without it being weird or being called out a pervert.
'Oh, the fun I'm gonna have!

Anyway, Gale was headed towards the basketball court where a few guys were playing.
Unexpectedly, however, Gale crankily yelled at them using an arsenal of swearwords that made Sayuri cringe.
She looked up, right into his face.
"What the heck was that about?"

Gale blushed and said nothing. He got protective of Sayuri, and swore in the heat of that. His father always told him to act like a gentleman and protect the ladies, but he took it too far.

One of the guys upon the court jogged up closer to the pair, and Gale identified him as Arthur the moment he stuck out of the medley of basketball players. Arthur was one of the members of the Club of Gentlemen, but he acted quite 'normally' when not in his role in the club.

"Whoa, both of you don't look alright. Did something happen?" asked Arthur.

Gale sighed mentally in relief. At least he didn't insinuate something rude.

"Nope. Right, Sayuri?" replied Gale, looking down at Sayuri.

Sayuri shook her head.
"Nope, I just, uh, hurt my leg a bit, so Gale's helping me walk to class and stuff..."

In all honesty, she actually liked that bloke, although she didn't really know whether she'd like him now.
Anyway, she, in a sort, pulled Gale forward and left the basketball court. She didn't know why, but staying here crept her out like crazy.

After she was sure they were out of hearing range of most, never knowing, though, if Arthur had followed them or not, she whispered to Gale:
"I don't know why, but I felt sort of crept out with those guys... Did you see them staring at me?!"
A shudder ran down Sayuri's back.

Gale felt Sayuri's arm tug at his shoulder, and he was a little surprised that Sayuri snatched the lead from someone taller than her. As the pair left the basketball court, the worried-looking Sayuri whispered something that raised a different thought in Gale's mind. Perhaps Sayuri was now attractive to the male mind. Gale felt that Sayuri was pretty, too, but the implication of her previous maleness made that thought sink over and over again inside Gale's mind.

He had to admit it though, at least in private.

"You're kind of pretty. If I didn't know that you were Seiichi..." Gale's voice trailed off, and he facepalmed. It sounded a lot better in his mind, he thought.

"Let's just go to class," mumbled Gale.

Involuntarily, Sayuri blushed madly.
"Gosh, Gale... so cheesy...", she mumbled not feeling very confident at all.
Nevertheless, she still stumbled onwards determined to make it to class with as little help from Gale as possible.

The walk to the classroom stayed awkwardly quiet and neither of them said anything until they had arrived at the classroom.

One certain student noticed Sayuri's indisposition and he came straight for her.
Before the change Takumi Ikeda had been a childhood friend Seiichi had always hung out with. Now, it seemed, not much had changed in that regard.
"Hey, Sayu, are you alright?" Masterfully he had just taken Gale's place without him being able to do anything about that. Right then he slung his arm around the tiny Sayuri and led her to her seat whispering to Gale: "Thanks, but I'll take it from here..."

Anyhow, Sayuri was still feeling rather weak from her episode of unconsciousness and, of course, the bodily changes, too.
With extreme caring Takumi tried his best to alleviate her faintness pumping her full with energy drinks and vitamin cocktails.

All his effort brought him at least a weak smile and a "Thank you, Taku."
Subsequently Takumi reacted differently to her stammering than Sayuri had expected.
"Wow... you're really sick... normally you'd punch me, or at least give a snappy commentary. I want my Sayu back. The Sayu I'm friends with."

Unnoticed by the tiny red head, Takumi mouthed "Don't try anything funny with her" towards Gale.

The rest of the trip to the classroom involved as little words as possible. Gale also guessed that it involved Sayuri half-walking, half-stumbling, the rest of the way. Shorter legs making it harder to walk seemed counter-intuitive, but perhaps Sayuri was exhausted from the body shift. Considering that she slept through most of it, Gale could not understand why.

Seiichi's best friend must have also been Sayuri's, and Takumi Ikeda swooped it effortlessly to shoulder Sayuri's burdens. Gale didn't mind, at least, until Takumi mouthed something in his direction. He didn't catch what he meant, but a momentary defensive scowl said enough.

Gale cocked his head at Takumi. He saw him go back to hovering around Sayuri and did not seem to notice Gale's confusion. Perhaps Takumi was referring to sex. Gale's father expressly prohibited him from doing anything sexually, but Gale got the idea that sex was something intimate. Nothing that would result from a day spent together.

Sighing, Gale took his seat, just beside Sayuri's table, and looked at the whiteboard. Class passed by with not much that went into his mind. He kept stealing glances towards his own chest, fearing even the slightest bulge that formed.

During class Sayuri's strength started to return and she felt a lot more happier and everything. New hormones rushing through her body made her feel more aware of her newly gained femininity.
Still she opted to keep walking the tsundere path, apparently just like Sayuri was supposed to be in this reality.

When class ended, Takumi wanted to go home with her, but Sayuri needed to confirm things, so she shook her head.
"Sorry, Taku, I still need to rough up Gale here." She laughed and jumped on her feet marvelling at her new agility.
On a quick foot she slithered to Gale and grabbed him dragging him out of the room while happily waving to Takumi.

When they both were out of sight from anyone she knew, she let Gale go again.
Without apologizing, Sayuri pointed down the road.
"Let's head to my home. I want to know what happened to my room and what happened to you."

She shouldered her schoolbag and turned to walk down the road not minding that she exposed her backside to Gale with her pigtails dancing on her back with every swift and agile-looking step she took.

She turned her torso back towards him putting her hand on her hips.
"You're coming?"

Gale glanced at Sayuri and cocked his head. She was acting weird, dragging him off like that with a cheeky grin on her face.

He walked up beside her and looked down, imagining Seiichi in Sayuri's place. Seiichi wouldn't place his hand on his waist like that. Seiichi wouldn't sway his hips as he walked. And his footsteps weren't as light and cheery.

"You're acting weird, Seiichi," Gale whispered.

Responding to Gale's statement, Sayuri swirled around on the tips of her feet.

"Maybe that's because I'm not Seiichi anymore... It's awfully confusing, but this feels so natural to me... it's scary but wonderful at the same time"

With a long step back towards Gale, which, of course, ended up being not as long as one would define a long step to be, she playfully punched him in the chest.
"Even if I seem different to you, I assure you, I'm still the same... just... just... my body does things, you know... it's automatic. I can't control it."

She snorted and spat on the ground next to her.
"But don't worry, I'll never end up being a girly girl....", she exclaimed happily and winked, grinning at the same time.

Gale grunted softly when Sayuri punched him in the chest, but he sighed. Mentally adjusting from Seiichi the guy to Sayuri the girl seemed to be doing more of a number on his own mind. Sayuri seemed to get into the role extremely well.

He shrugged. "Lead the way."

Nevertheless, after Gale had pointed it out, Sayuri started to walk more careful and tried to watch how she walked, but the swaying of her hips was almost inevitable. She did, however, succeed in walking a bit more manly than before.

A little bit later, they arrived at Sayuri's house.
A big sigh of relief overcame her as she saw it.
"It still looks the same as before..."

Gingerly she opened the door and entered.
"Mom, I'm home and I brought a friend!"
She pointed for Gale to take off his shoes and wear the slippers for guests.

Just as she entered the lounge, two flashes of lightning stopped right in front of her face.
"Ne, ne, nee-chan! Can we use your baseball gloves? We want to play catch in the backyard!"
Sayuri smiled at the twins.
"You can use them, but Kenta, leave the baseball bat alone and Miho, don't hit your brother too hard, okay?"
Both nodded vigorously and dashed off leaving Sayuri and Gale alone again.
"Those two... it's really strange. Miho is the strong one and Kenta is softer than his sister, but they're an unbelievably good team... I really love them both."
A gentle smiles appeared of her face, just to vanish a couple of seconds later.
"Anyway... let's head upstairs, shall we?"

Sayuri took Gale's hand again and pulled him upstairs to a door with the tag "Sayuri's fortress" on it.
Opening the room, it really was a fortress...albeit a pillow fortress.
Pillows were lining every corner in her room, except for the walls. The walls had pictures of vintage aircraft, warships and tanks as well as the picture of a male volleyball player, playing beach volleyball with bare torso.

Not caring about Gale for the moment, she walked to her drawers and wardrobe to open them.
Apparently Sayuri loved to wear short, pleated skirts and shorts as well as T-Shirts, because the whole wardrobe was full of them...

Gale smiled gently when he saw the two kids. He never had young siblings, though he occasionally wondered what having one was like. Sayuri's little moment of interaction with them showed the positive sides of it.

The idea of a pillow fortress weirded Gale out, though he said nothing. Did Seiichi even have something like that, he wondered. Gale sat down, crosslegged, just beside Sayuri's bed, watching her do whatever she did in her room. To Gale, Sayuri was a tomboy, but definitely a girl.

Wait, was he supposed to visit a girl's house, just like that? It was Seiichi, or Sayuri's, but she was still a girl nonetheless.

"A guy visiting a girl's house..." Gale muttered under his breath.

Sayuri turned around.
She had heard Gale's muttering and now, she realized it, too.
"Oh... crap... uh..." She started to blush like crazy especially when her wardrobe currently showed about 20 different pairs of panties, a bikini and a one-piece swimming suit.
Quickly she closed the door, but her blush stayed.
"Uhm... I'm sorry... I hadn't thought that through... wait..."
She just noticed something.
"You do see me as a girl...? Am I right?"