Ellie and Harper were just beginning to settle into their sleeping bags. It had been a full night of hair-growing and fucking, and now it was more than time to get some rest. They tuned out the sounds of Ashlee, Zoey, and Dracona threesoming on the other end of Tatiana's room and focused on each other.
"Your bush looks really beautiful now," Ellie told Harper, gazing adoringly at her mate's pubes. "I mean, it always did, but now it looks like a bush that belongs on a werehyena."
"Thanks," Harper said, flattered. "Your new body hair looks amazing, too. Maybe I'll draw you in my sketchbook tomorrow."
Ellie laughed. "I'd prefer it if you waited until I wasn't so damn skinny anymore. Just look at my teeny-tiny boobs and my flat belly!" She patted her flat, muscular tummy for effect. "Nothing like as cute as my old one!"
"At least it has a treasure trail now," Harper smiled comfortingly. "That helps, right?"
"Enough to keep me sane," Ellie chuckled, squeezing Harper's hand. She smiled at the ticklish feel of the layer of hairs that now dusted the back of her mate's hand.
Ellie was suddenly jolted out of the moment by the sound of her ringtone coming from her discarded jeans that lay in a rumpled heap in the corner with her other clothes. The slimmed-down werehyena raced over to her clothes pile and snatched her smartphone out of the pocket of her jeans. She didn't recognize the number, but she decided to answer. At the rate her life was changing, it could very well be meant for her. "Hello?" she asked.
"Is this Ellie-san?" A gruff, Japanese-accented voice asked.
"Yes, I'm Ellie Rubenstein," a slightly perplexed Ellie answered.
"I am Kyūri-sensei," said the caller. "I am a kappa, and I am to be your instructor in the art of Sumo. I hope you appreciate my calling, because it took me all day to find a telephone and set it up."
"I do," said Ellie. "To what do I owe this honor?"
"As Morgana-san may have told you," Kyūri said, "I have very high standards for my pupils. I will not have them profaning the sacred art of Sumo with American flippancy. I will tolerate no laziness, and I expect you to study sumo for the love of sumo. I understand that you wish to regain your potbelly, but this cannot be your only reason for studying with me. Sumo was an invention of the kami, after all! It's not some therapy for fat fetishists. I am sure Morgana has already told you all of this, but I thought you should hear it directly from me... and that I should hear your answer directly from you."
"You don't need to worry about it, Kyūri-sensei," Ellie promised. "Sure, I hate being skinny and I'll do anything to be chubby again, but I'm also really excited about learning sumo. Maybe I can return and start an American werebeast sumo league, with official tournaments and everything."
"I admit, that would do my old, waterlogged heart good," said Kyūri. "But you must understand that being a good rikishi requires discipline. Are you prepared to do as I say without complaint, no matter how difficult? You only get my nice, fattening, metabolism-conquering chankonabe if you do! No effort, and I literally toss you out."
"I promise, sensei," Ellie agreed. "I always give everything I do a hundred and ten percent."
"And your mate," Kyūri went on, "the one called Harper. She's willing to do chores in exchange for room and board, correct?"
"Absolutely correct," Ellie said.
"Speaking of romance," Kyūri added, "I want you to understand that my sumo heya is split into two wings, one on each side of the river. There's a wing on one side for male rikishi, and one on the other side for shiyūdōtai rikishi. 'Shiyūdōtai' means 'hermaphrodite,' if you didn't know. Anyway, males and hermaphrodites are not to associate with each other under ANY circumstances. They aren't even allowed to look at each other except during the heya's annual wing-versus-wing sumo tournament. Understood?"
"That won't be a problem for me," Ellie said confidently. "I'm a lesbian."
"Good," Kyūri said, relief saturating his gruff voice. "I was worried about a bunch of entitled Americans barging into my school and making a mockery of my ancient traditions. Don't do that, and I'm sure you and I will get along just fine."
"No worries," Ellie smiled. "I'm actually really excited to learn more about Japanese culture."
"My pupils and I will do our best to acquaint you with them," Kyūri promised. "My little granddaughter Nariko-chan should also be willing to help. She's rather friendly with strangers. Talks them to death, she does."
"I hope to meet her soon," Ellie said.
"You should be with us the day after tomorrow," said Kyūri. "Morgana-san and her apprentices will be working on conjuring the portal for most of tomorrow, and it'll be ready for passengers by the next morning. That's what she told me, anyway. I'll be spending most of tomorrow selecting the six exchange students headed for America. I suppose I look forward to seeing you and Harper... if you put in the effort."
"I promise," Ellie nodded. "Anything to get my jiggly figure back and become a real sumo."
"Understood," Kyūri said. "Sayōnara, Ellie-san."
"Goodbye, Kyūri-sensei," Ellie said. She set her phone down after Kyūri hung up. She gave her flat, toned belly a loving pat. "Don't you worry, you'll soon be big and soft again."
"Talking to your tummy?" Harper giggled.
"Yeah," Ellie admitted sheepishly. "Can you blame me, though. That big ol' balloon was my pride and joy before my new metabolism mutilated it."
Harper gave Ellie's cheek a kiss. "Don't worry, sweetie. It'll be fixed soon. Just get to sleep and dream of magical chankonabe."