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The first thing he noticed was that his center of gravity was off.
Staying coordinated was one of his most deeply ingrained instincts. His training had honed his sense of proprioception to a pinpoint, so when he woke up, he could immediately tell that his body wasn't in its usual balance. It didn't feel as though he had put on weight— although he'd been eating better and exerting himself a lot less, lately— but as though his weight was distributed differently.
He sat up, and a rush of cold air hit his bare back.
Huh. That was odd. He could've sworn he had been in his teppo-sode top when he went to sleep. It felt like whatever he was currently wearing was made of the same material, but his back and shoulders were exposed for some reason. And the kerchief around his neck, to his surprise, had some sort of cape now. He batted at it curiously, like a cat playing with a string.
Meanwhile, his wife walked in the room with breakfast. "Good morning, de— huh?"
Yui was looking at him like he had three heads. He flushed.
"What is it?" he asked, with a voice that came out sounding nothing like his own. He cleared his throat, his flush growing deeper.
There was a moment's pause.
"So it is you," she said. "Perhaps I should just show you? Here."
She set down her tray and handed him a large bowl of clear soup from it. He took a look at his own reflection.
Or rather... at her own reflection?
"I'm... a girl," she said, and as soon as she said it, something somewhere deep down clicked into place. It wasn't just that her body had changed: some nebulous, intangible, psychological aspect of her had too.
And she didn't feel off-balance anymore.
"Yes, you are," her wife observed, "and quite a pretty girl at that."
"Y-Yui!"
Yui giggled at her blushing face, then quickly added, "Oh, don't worry, I'm not laughing at you. You're just so cute, Saku.... ko? Saku-ra? Shall I call you Sakura? After all, right now you look as pretty and pink as a cherry blossom."
She made a face. "No flower names, please."
"Well, what name would you like, then?"
"That's not exactly the first thing on my mind right now." As a matter of fact, her head was racing with a hundred different questions. Why'd this happen? Is it an aftereffect of fusing with the flower tao? Are its roots still in me? What are we gonna tell everyone? Can I switch between yin and yang now, like the Tensen? Does that mean I can learn to control it? Is the same thing happening to Chobe right now somewhere, if he's even alive? Why did my clothes change too? Is this going to cause arborification? If it does, how much time do I—
"That won't do," Yui huffed. "I have to call you something. Just 'wife'?"
The word she used for "wife" was formal and distant, as if she were referring to someone else's wife. A doubt surfaced. Yui had used formal terms back when she had called her "husband," too, but...
"Yui," she asked trepidatiously, her heart pounding, "if I stay... like this, do you still... I mean... would you still...."
"Still love you? Still want to be married?" She blessed her a heavenly smile. "Yes, darling. Yes to both."
The shinobi girl let out a shaky breath of relief.
Yui knelt at her side and tucked a lock of her wife's hair behind her ear. Hair that was longer now, but still white and fluffy as a dandelion. "May I?"
She nodded, and Yui kissed her, soft and tender. Both womens' cheeks were glowing like morning sunlight, pink as the dawn. They held each other, and Yui's fingertips caressed her bare back, tracing her shoulder blades. She shivered, suddenly unable to remember any of those thoughts that had been hounding her moments before.
"Hatsue," she whispered, the warm breath of each syllable brushing her wife's lips. "That's my name. 'Beginning.'"
**********
Sagiri and Yuzuriha made it all the way out to visit her and Yui's homestead within a month of receiving Hatsue's letter. All their other business had been hastily put on hold.
"Woah! Had to see it to believe it, but now I do," Yuzuriha said. "Loving that mesh fabric up top! Where can I get an ensemble like that?"
"Nice to see you too," Hatsue said flatly.
"H-hello... old friend," said Sagiri, eyes wide as saucer plates.
"Hatsue," said Yui, while Hatsue added, "but 'Gabimaru' is still fine."
"You've neeeever looked better, Gabi," Yuzuriha singsonged. Even after learning that "Gabimaru" was just a title, she'd insisted on calling her that this whole time. But Hatsue couldn't judge, not when she never bothered using the code name "Sumire."
"'Hatsue,' then?" Sagiri ignored her partner and gave her friend an understanding nod. "Yes, that sounds right. So, Hatsue, I take it you haven't been able to undo or control this transformation?"
"Nope. Tried focusing my tao, meditation, ninjutsu, tai chi, acupuncture— basically, whatever I could think of to see if anything worked, and no dice."
"Does that bother you?"
"I don't know." She fidgeted with her kerchief, pondering. "Honestly, not really. It hasn't amounted to much of an inconvenience."
"And my feelings for my wife haven't changed," said Yui. "She's the same kind and gentle person I married three years ago, regardless of what she wears or looks like. I've always known that. And I know better than to worry what others will say— you and Yuzuriha showed me that."
"That's... the sweetest thing I've ever heard," said Sagiri, almost tearing up.
"Sagirin, you big softie," said Yuzuriha, not one to be outdone, "I'd still love you if you woke up as a different gender too, you know!" She hugged Sagiri and nuzzled her cheek affectionately.
"Anyway," Hatsue interrupted, "Sagiri. Are you gonna see if you can get the last of Mu Dan's tendrils out my body to stop them from causing this, or what?"
"Well, I can certainly attempt a restorative tao connection," said Sagiri, "but if nothing else has undone the transformation, I doubt that my efforts would have any effect."
"Whatever, it'll put my mind at ease," Hatsue replied. "Go on."
Sagiri placed a hand on Hatsue's shoulder, focusing her mind into a balance of turbulence and calmness. She perceived the contours of Hatsue's tao. It was definitely more yin than yang, unlike before, but there was no hint of flower tao to speak of. She told the other women as much.
"But I can take you to Edo to see our new medical research specialist, if you like," she added. "My father finally recruited someone to the Yamada clan to take over Fuchi-dono's former duties. Someone extremely talented. If anywhere in the world holds the key to understanding this change, it's his laboratory. Or I could try to bring him to you, if a trip to the heart of the city is too dangerous."
"Definitely not as dangerous as it used to be, now," Yuzuriha pointed out. "I don't think anyone would recognize Gabi as the man the shogunate is looking for."
"Y-yes. That is an excellent point."
"So, how about it?"
Yuzuriha, Sagiri, and Yui all looked expectantly at her. She turned toward Yui.
"It's up to you, dear."
Hatsue took a breath.
"I think... I'll pass," she answered. She took Yui's hand. "I am a little curious, but in the end, it doesn't matter that much to me.
She looked at her wife, her house, and her friends, and smiled.
"After all... everything important is the same."