Reincarnated as a Phoenix

Chapter 114 - Ariza

"So Miss Penelope... what was that story about you and the potion again?"

During breakfast at a nice café, all us phoenixes, Penelope and Ria are around a table. Me and Petra have already finished eating so I'm slightly cuddled up to her while those three are finishing or are now talking apparently.

"Ah, Ariza was it? Petra has told me about your plight a while back so there's no point asking about how I made a right blunder! I really wouldn't recommend what happened to anyone unless you're willing to be literally turned inside out! That week really wasn't fun!"

You're probably thinking, Miss gender bender has been around quite a lot these days and you would be right, she seems to linger like a bad smell. Sure, I get that's she's got nothing else to do since her guild isn't actually here just yet but still. Ah, can't forget the dryad as well but she comes and goes as pleases, did say thanks for the picture she drew of me and Petra for my birthday but by the sounds of it, there was no need since Zeki's paying the price. Ria's basically been cuddled up to him as well and he's yet to push her away like normal, clearly this must be the debt he's in.

Oh, that reminds me something about the mages as well, the Magi guild haven't actually moved in properly yet. They're currently off the coast on the main continent simply because it made little sense to move everyone in until a building was created. It also seems that once Penelope finds a suitable place, it will go up pretty quickly due to it being 'magical based', have no idea what that means but fuck it. I just hope a new tower doesn't look stupid on our islands.

You should be able to tell what Ariza was curious on though. Even though she says it's not a big deal, you can definitely sense if given the choice, she would prefer to have a female body. I'm unsure if those two hundred years without potions made it worse or better for her but it's just her 'curse' I guess. All four of us have one except me now since I'm cured. Petra with her pain, Ariza with her gender and Zeki with his dryad apparently.

"Uh huh... that's a shame I guess"

"Lighten up brother, there's some perks to it like pissing standing up and all that, orangey also got forced the other way round"

'He's so unbelievably crude at times, it may be true but still'

"Zeki, I've already told you long ago it's fine. Was just curious on the story behind it, that's all"

Talking about this sort of thing of thing always seems to bring Ariza down a little, it's not as noticeable as Petra's sadness but Ariza has always been pretty sensitive. Thinking about it though, Petra does seem to be thinking on something now.

"Hmm... what happened to the original way of doing that Penelope?"

"You mean the way that the potions were made Petra? The old guy behind such a thing simply just stopped living so the knowledge was lost!"

Zeki did say that he used to buy a load of gender changing potions for Ariza way back before they stopped being sold so it always sounded like that wasn't an option. I guess Petra seems to think there might be more of a story to this.

"You think he had any notes left over from his work? He always was a bit of a pervert but he was intelligent after all"

"Tell me about it older sis, that place of his really was a playboys dream... wish I was allowed multipl-... Ouch... stupid cow!"

Heh, Zeki receives a punch from the dryad for that pointless comment, it should be pretty obvious what he was referring to. It actually makes me wonder though, does Zeki even cheat? My father is clearly different since he just can't help himself at this point but ever since the dryad has taken hold of him, I've heard nothing about Zeki creeping off with women of the night. It did used to happen despite me never bringing it up when we used to travel and you'll be surprised just how easy it is to find that sort of thing basically anywhere you go... remember him saying something about an elves tail once before whatever that means. I guess Ria does look pretty similar to an elf as well, at least her ears are pretty elf looking.