Go Inside the Room
You creep into the room easily, eyes scanning the ninja artifacts that line its walls. Of all of them, a sapphire headdress catches your eye the most; something that looks more suited for Egyptian culture than this dojo's Japanese heritage.
Then again, it is thanks to an Egyptian body that you were able to make it this far; so perhaps this is more than a coincidence. Perhaps it is fate. A smile crosses your feminine face, and you pad towards it with delight; only to freeze at the sound of a man clearing his throat.
You wince and turn slowly, your tail instinctively falling between your legs as you see none other than the master of the Lotus Pond Dojo himself, Tobuo Kokoemetsu.
"Um... Hello." You begin, only to blink at the sound of that delightfully female voice passing your lips.
He smiles at that, his creased face lighting up with a glint of pearl-white teeth. "Congratulations. You've passed."
His words send a spike of delight through you and you grin with delight.
Then a purr escapes your throat.
Your hand flies to your face to cover your mouth with embarrassment, only it's not exactly a hand anymore. You yelp in shock at the sight of a lion's paw attached to your golden-furred arm, and your wings beat in surprise; alerting you to their presence.
"Calm yourself!"
Your master's voice cracks through the air, and you snap to attention as though you've been struck by a whip. Though you think your new body is an impossibility, your master seems to hardly care. The thought is a reassuring one, and you wait for him to provide you with an explanation.
The pause stretches on for almost a full minute as he glares at you, making sure that you've still your inner emotions. Though you're nowhere close to attaining true inner peace; at least you're not hyperventilating-though it feels exceptionally odd to be standing on all fours like this.
You shift anxiously, and he breaks back into that proud smile he sported just a few moments ago. "As I was saying... You have passed the trials, and in doing so; you have discovered your spirit form."
"Spirit form?" You ask, a little incredulous. You hadn't heard anything about this from anyone at the dojo; and you thought you knew all of its secrets!
Master Kokoemetsu chuckles and nods. "All forms on this planet are closely linked to another; though few can truly claim the other as their own. The true purpose of this trial is not to simply retrieve an artifact; but to attune yourself with your real body; that which lets you rise to your greatest heights... In your case, literally."
You watch in shock as he laughs at the joke; then purse your lips and raise a paw. "Um... So you're saying that my spirit body is some sort of... Sphinx?"
He nods as his chuckles dim, returning to his steady, low breaths. "I am indeed. In truth, I suspected your wisdom would lend itself to a raven; or perhaps an owl. But I suppose your physical prowess had to play into this somehow; no?"
You nod a little dubiously, another question spilling from your lips with ease. "Okay, so what now? Am I going to be stuck like this forever?"
The wizened man chuckles to you and shakes his head. "In time, you will be able to shift between your two forms as easily as you can open and close your eyes."
"In time?" You ask, a little incredulous.
Your master laughs again. "Yes, in time. I'm afraid that while your time as an apprentice has ended; your time as an adept has only begun."
"An adept? What kind of riddle is that?" You ask, unable to restrain your curiosity.
"The kind a sphinx should find out for herself." Master Kokoemetsu smiles as he speaks.
"Now, unless there are any questions..."
"The artifact." The words pop from your lips before you can restrain them, and you hurriedly nod towards the headdress. "I think it called to me..."
"I rather think so too." Your master looks at it curiously, then looks back to you. "Though I don't think it will allow you to wear it... At least, not until the day that you can place it on your head yourself."
You open you mouth to ask him what he means by that; then you remember that your hands have become large and cumbersome paws.
The wizened man smiles as he sees you've run your inquisitive mind out. He speaks once more, softly addressing you. "I am afraid that your change of status necessitates a change of housing, as well."
You nod. You've noticed that while the black belts of this school frequently roam all the halls; the red belts are never seen, only spoken of. You always thought it curious, but now you have your answer. "Lead the way." You say, adding a quick "Sir" to that for good measure.
He only laughs and turns, slipping quietly from the room.
Written by SketchySeraph on 08 March 2016
The end (for now)