El-Hazard: Wandering Souls
An El-Hazard Altiverse by Spanner
spanner@visi.com
Spanner's Lightside Homepage

Foreward:

I'm not a very prolific writer. The main reason for this is because I generally refuse to place any of my works on the Internet until said work is completely written. This means that I have about half a dozen finished stories on the Internet, and about six bazillion stories sitting unfinished on my hard drive. That having been said, this story was somewhat of a departure for me, as I intend to release it to the Internet a chapter at a time. So when will the next be out? I can't really say - though I hope that having this sucker sitting out there all by itself will be enough motivation for me to write the next quickly.

Anyway, none of that is terribly important. Now, I'd like to add a couple of warnings, and a disclaimer. First off, this fic has been rated F for Fatora. Even though I'm really a pretty clean writer, this fic does feature Fatora in potentially lethal quantities, and so there's a fair bit of innuendo and implied naughtiness from time to time. Of course, if these sort of things really bothered you, you wouldn't be reading El-Hazard fanfiction at all, would you?

Secondly, this fic picks up in the El-Hazard timeline shortly after Makoto has stumbled into the ruins beneath the High School. I skipped the bits that introduced Makoto, Jinnai, Nanami, and Mr. Fujisawa, established Makoto and Jinnai's rivalry... basically, the first ten minutes of the show. All that stuff happened here pretty much identically to the way it happened in the anime. If you haven't SEEN the anime, then you might be a bit confused, as I make little effort to introduce each of the main characters myself.

Disclaimer: El-Hazard, and most of the characters mentioned here are the property of AIC, Pioneer, and probably a whole lot of other people who most definitely aren't me. This story is an independent work, and not intended for profit of any kind.

* * * * * *

Chapter One: The World of Shadows

Makoto stared in frozen amazement as the woman in the hexagonal sarcophagus slowly raised her head to look at him. The beautiful, alabaster face was streaked with fresh tears, but her eyes were filled with a desperate hope. That hope was transformed into joy, as her eyes met his own. "Makoto," she said longingly, "It really is you... I almost can't believe it..."

The woman stumbled the short distance between them, and wrapped her arms around a stunned Makoto, burying her head in his chest. "Oh, I've waited so long for you! I have been patient, these past ten millennia... Oh, Makoto, you have no idea how long that is!" She began to sob painfully.

Makoto finally managed to regain enough of his composure to ask the obvious. "Uh, hey, what's your name?"

"How could you have forgotten me?" She blinked, and then continued, "Oh, wait, you wouldn't know, would you?" The nameless woman paused a moment, then continued, "Through the endless nights, I dreamt only of you, my dear Makoto." She choked back another sob. "But we're out of time. It's been too long, and I'm almost out of power."

"Wha-?" Makoto began.

Before he could finish the question, however, the woman looked up into his concerned gaze and said, "You've got to get ready to go, Makoto." She pulled away from Makoto and stood facing him. "With my remaining strength, I shall send you to El-Hazard."

"What's El-Hazard," Makoto asked, more than a little confused.

The woman stepped backwards, eyes closed, and clasped her hands over her heart. Her hair and clothes began to move, as a seemingly sourceless breeze began to blow through the chamber. "Don't worry, Makoto," she offered. "You're going to love it there. Now, go..." Glimmering specks of light began to shower from her hands, and Makoto's skin began to tingle with an unnerving feeling, as though the room was becoming suffused with some kind of unseen energy.

"Wait a minute!" Makoto asked desperately. "Please tell me what's happening!" Jagged arcs of electrical energy began to play about the room.

"I know I can count on you!" the woman said. Tears were once again streaming down her face, which bore a pained expression. "I never had the chance to say it aloud before, and I can't let you go without saying it now: I love you, Makoto Mizuhara." Her face softened. "I love you," she said again. "I shall carry you in my thoughts and heart, until our paths cross again..."

Makoto could only stare at this stranger who had just professed her love for him, but his distraction was interrupted when the woman seemed to flare up with a blinding white light. "No!" he cried, but it was too late. The light enveloped him, and his awareness became hazy. He saw a montage of images tumble past, of strange people and creatures - and some familiar faces, as well. Then, there was an incredible sensation of falling, and finally blackness.

* * * * * *

The next sensation Makoto felt was severe discomfort. His breathing was labored, and his arms and legs felt stretched and sore. He could see nothing but blackness, but quickly realized that this was because his eyes were closed. He cracked them open, and immediately winced at the severe pain the light brought him.

"Take a note," a dry, disinterested voice spoke. "The subject has regained consciousness several hours earlier than anticipated. It may have a much higher tolerance for pain than initially speculated. We may be able to extend the duration of the next probe."

"Understood," said another voice, equally dry and disinterested. "I would recommend we increase the threshold only slightly at first. This could well be a fluke."

"That would be wise," the first agreed.

Finally, Makoto's eyes were able to stand the light. The first thing that he noticed was that the lighting was actually quite dim, in spite of his earlier pain. It was bright enough, however, to see the two men who had been talking, though their skin appeared bluish in the half-darkness. They were wearing what appeared to be lab coats, and were studying him curiously.

The second thing that he noticed was that he appeared to be floating. At least, he couldn't feel anything in contact with any part of his body. Somehow, though, his movement was restricted - he was completely unable to move his body from the waist down, and was currently bent over as if exhausted. Glancing around, he found that he was apparently floating within some kind of odd, metal framework. Experimentally, he straightened, and attempted to reach for a piece of the framework, but found it to be just out of reach.

"The subject appears to be testing its bonds once again," the first speaker said.

"Highly unusual. It had ample opportunity to test them during the first few hours of captivity. After that there were no more struggles. Why begin again now?"

"I would hypothesize that it is a reaction to the last probe. That probe was the most uncomfortable test we've run so far, and the subject may have felt that an additional attempt to escape was in order. Futile, of course."

"Of course."

Makoto barely heard the conversation. At the moment, he was stretching out his fingers, trying to grasp the nearest piece of metal frame. Perhaps if he could get a grip on one, he could pull himself free of...whatever was holding him still.

Makoto stretched and strained. The framework was so tantalizingly close, but the most that he could manage was to brush the metal with his fingertips. Much to his surprise, this produced a very interesting reaction.

Makoto's mind was suddenly flooded with information. He suddenly somehow knew that the metal framework was part of a larger machine, one designed to restrain a human being, monitor and sustain his or her vital bodily functions, and perform any of an extremely large number of medical procedures. Makoto sensed in his heart that the machine was intended for medical purposes. He could also sense that the purposes it was being put to now were a great deal less altruistic.

All of this, however, was less important than another tidbit of knowledge that Makoto picked up: he could sense exactly how to shut the machine off...

A mental tweak later, Makoto fell to the ground. He heard the sound of two men gasping in alarm. "I-I'm free?" he heard a female voice gasp. With a bit of shock, he realized that it was his own body that had produced the sound - and that he had not intended to speak at all.

"What happened? Why did the Medical just deactivate like that?" the second scientist's voice rang out.

"That is not important, at the moment!" the first voice said insistently. "We must restrain the test subject, now!"

"No... NO!!!" Makoto's body said again. Makoto gasped as he lurched to his feet, and backed into a corner. He felt like some kind of marionette - he was certain that he was not doing any of this.

Makoto felt his hand feel along a table, but his eyes were riveted on the two approaching men. One of them held some kind of hypodermic needle in his hand. Makoto was certain that he didn't want to have anything to do with it.

Makoto's wandering hand brushed a rectangular object, and once again, Makoto's mind was overwhelmed with a sudden burst of knowledge. It was an object designed for creating static shocks. The shocks were meant to be quite small, but Makoto could easily see how a slight adjustment here... and another here... could allow the device to expend its entire battery in one jolt.

Makoto seized control of his wayward arm, and grasped the box, holding it in front of himself defensively. "Don't come any closer!" he warned. He was momentarily surprised, when he realized that his voice sounded just like the feminine voice his body had been speaking with independently. "What the hell?" his body said, and he wasn't certain whether he had meant to say the words or not.

The two men paused. "It cannot harm us with that," one of them said. "Restrain it, and I'll administer the anesthetic."

The man without the needle lunged forward suddenly, and Makoto cried out. He flailed wildly at the man with his box, and managed to connect. There was a sharp snapping sound, followed by the smell of ozone, and the man crumpled to the ground, twitching slightly.

The other scientist was clearly very surprised by this, and Makoto used the distraction to grab his arm and plunge the needle into the man's chest. "But, how...?" was all the man managed to get out before crumpling into a heap. Both were still breathing, but quite unconscious.

Breathing heavily, Makoto jerked slightly when his body said, "How the blazes did I do that?!?"

"H-hello?" Makoto asked, feeling slightly silly for talking to the air.

"Hello?!?" Makoto's body replied. "Now I'm talking to myself?" Makoto's body sank to its knees. "Oh great, now I'm going crazy! First, those blue bastards tie me up and torture me, and now this."

"Where are we?" Makoto asked, trying to ignore exactly how surreal the whole situation was.

"How should I know?" his body replied testily. "I was unconscious when they dragged me down here."

"Hmm, maybe they have a computer or something here that I can use," Makoto mused, standing up. He began to walk toward a likely-looking bank of equipment.

"H-hey! Leggo of me!" his body protested, sounding on the verge of hysteria. Makoto felt himself lurch backwards. Surprised and unbalanced, he fell onto his butt.

"What the-?" Makoto began.

"Now listen here, you...you...whatever! This is MY body. And I'M the one that's gonna control it!"

"What do you mean! It's MY body!" Makoto answered, annoyed.

Makoto's eyes suddenly surveyed his body. "Sure looks like my body to me," his voice said.

Makoto could only goggle. The body that his eyes had just scanned was clearly female, if of somewhat modest proportions. The skintight black bodysuit he was clad in made that quite apparent. "I-I'm a girl!" Makoto gasped.

"So glad you noticed," his - or was it her? - voice replied sourly.

Now it was Makoto's turn to begin to get hysterical. "But I'm not! I'm a guy. A GUY!" And, suddenly, he was. With an abrupt shifting sensation, Makoto's body transformed into his usual self - albeit, his usual self clad in an ill-fitting skintight black bodysuit.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!" Makoto's body screamed, and abruptly turned female again. "Don't DO that," Makoto's voice gasped.

"Quiet!" Makoto said urgently. "Someone might hear you!"

"They're used to hearing me screaming in here," his voice replied shortly. "Now don't change the subject, you...spirit, or whatever you are. Why did you possess me?"

"How do I know you didn't possess me?" Makoto asked suspiciously.

"I'M the one that's been hanging in that machine for the past three days or however the hell long it is I've been down here," she snarled in reply. "So what's YOUR story?"

"Uh," Makoto thought for a moment. "Well, there was this woman, and she did something, and there was a bright flash, and suddenly I was here." It sounded like a pretty lame description, but he honestly could not think of any way to improve it.

"Hmph, you see? Sounds like YOU'RE the intruder here," the voice replied. "And I'll thank you to remove yourself from my body at once!"

"What?" Makoto asked. "But I don't know how! And where would I go?"

"I don't care where you go, just get OUT!" the voice said.

"Now wait a minute!" Makoto said. "We don't have time for this! We have to get out of here, before someone comes to check on us, or those guys we knocked out wake up! We can discuss this later."

Makoto's body pursed her lips a moment before grudgingly acknowledging, "Very well. What did you intend to do?"

"This place seems pretty high-tech," Makoto answered. "If there's a computer here, I might be able to find a schematic that'll tell us a way out."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" his body replied testily. "I want out of here, as soon as possible. The sooner you get US out, the sooner I can get YOU out."

Makoto's eyes narrowed. "All right, already." Somewhat irritated by imperious manner used by the body he was apparently occupying, Makoto stood and walked over to the bank of equipment he had noticed earlier. For a moment, he could feel resistance as he tried to walk, but that soon disappeared. Evidently the owner of the body had finally decided to cooperate.

It didn't take Makoto long to find what he was looking for. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that there was absolutely nothing he was going to be able to do with it. "I don't recognize these symbols," he muttered, studying the keyboard-like surface he had found. The strange, angular runes on each key area did not resemble any characters used by any language he was even remotely familiar with.

"I do," his voice replied disinterestedly. "They're symbols used in the language of the Shadow Tribe."

"Great!" Makoto replied eagerly. "Can you read them?"

"No, I can't," was the answer. "Very few can read the writings of the Shadow Tribe, other than the Shadow Tribe themselves."

Makoto was frustrated. "Well, that's just great!" he muttered, slamming a fist onto the keypad.

Suddenly, his mind was once again flooded with alien knowledge. This time, however, the flood was an ocean, rather than the mere lakes his previous two experiences had been. He knew, suddenly, that this object was, as he had suspected, a computer. He was also being bombarded with every piece of data that that computer had stored. Personnel files, tactical data, medical records, blueprints - all being crammed into his cranium at once. With a brief cry, Makoto staggered back. "The Eye of God," he muttered, only half-aware that he was speaking at all. The flood of information was abruptly cut off, and Makoto stood still, panting with relief.

"My hand..." his body whispered, horrified.

"Huh?" Makoto asked. "What about it?" He studied the hand, but could see nothing wrong with it.

"When you touched the machine, my hand... glowed."

Makoto considered this. "With all that information pouring in, you had time to notice your hand was glowing?"

"Information?" his voice questioned. "What information?"

Makoto hesitated. "You mean, you don't feel it? When we touched those different objects?"

"I have no idea what you're babbling about," his voice replied testily.

"It's how I got us free!" Makoto retorted. "I touched that medical device we were in, and I could tell everything about it. I could control it, too."

There was a pause. "That's... weird."

"So... your body doesn't normally do that sort of thing?"

"Of course not. Yours does?"

"I've never had anything like that happen to me until I arrived here," Makoto answered.

Another pause. "Well, you're a spirit, now. Maybe this sort of thing is normal for spirits. Did you get anything useful out of that information? I heard you mention the Eye of God." Her voice became slightly frantic. "What does the Shadow Tribe know about the Eye of God.

Makoto concentrated a bit, and then winced at what he saw. What a horrible weapon. But there was something about it that tickled his mind... "A whole lot," he admitted. "Not enough to build one, but they could certainly control one. The Eye of God... actually exists?" Makoto's voice weakened slightly at the thought.

Makoto's head nodded, thoughtfully. "But just knowing how to control it isn't enough," she answered. "Two members of the Roshtarian Royal family are required to operate the Eye. No one else can do it."

"So that's what they were trying to do with you..." Makoto mused, as his mind confirmed his suspicion by remembering a few of the other files Makoto had absorbed. "They were studying you, trying to figure out what it is about the royal family that lets them control - wait a minute, royal family? Are you telling me that you're a princess?"

"That's right!" his voice answered smugly. "I am Second Princess Fatora, of the Royal Family of Roshtaria. My sister and I rule all the lands of Roshtaria together."

A princess. Well, that could certainly explain the high-and-mighty attitude. Still, she had introduced herself, so Makoto felt obligated to do the same. "My name's Makoto Mizuhara. I attend Shinanome High School, in Japan."

"A commoner," Fatora replied airily. "I suspected as much. Now, enough small talk. Did your little trick happen to teach you how to get out of here?"

Makoto thought for a moment. There was a lot of stuff to sort through. "We're underground. I think I know a way to the surface," he said slowly. "But it's a long, long, way, and passes through some heavily guarded areas."

"Great," Fatora replied sourly.

"But there's something else closer that we can probably use," Makoto continued. "It's some kind of garage, or something, with a lot of vehicles inside of it. The garage has a shortcut to the surface."

"Now you're talking!" the princess said. "Let's go!"

"Wait a minute. There's still going to be a lot of people between here and there. We'll need a disguise." Makoto eyed the two fallen scientists. "We can take the clothing from one of them, and try to pass ourself off as a scientist."

"Yuck," was the response. "No way I'm wearing a Shadow Tribesman's clothes."

Makoto rolled his eyes. "Anything's better than what we're wearing now." The skintight black cloth left absolutely nothing to the imagination, and was rather insufficient in some areas. It was all Makoto could do to ignore the rather unnerving fact that he had breasts. It was much worse knowing that those breasts were half-exposed.

Fatora's mouth curved into a smirk. "What, don't you think I'm beautiful?"

"I haven't really gotten a good look at you," Makoto replied drily. "Anyway, that's not the point. We're too conspicuous."

Fatora sighed. "Yeah, I know. Fine, I'll wear the stupid clothes." She gingerly began to strip one of the unconscious men. As she did so, Makoto gasped. "His skin! It's blue!" What had seemed like an illusion of the dim lighting was revealed to be much more.

"Of course it's blue, you nitwit!" Fatora replied scathingly. "He's a Shadow Tribesman."

Makoto calmed himself, somewhat. "I-I've never seen one."

"Everyone knows the shadow people are blue-skinned when they're not using illusions to look like something else," the princess lectured.

"Illusions...?" Makoto inquired weakly.

"Where are you FROM?" Fatora asked, frustrated.

"Another world, I think..." came the even weaker reply. Makoto was beginning to feel extremely lost and isolated.

Fatora seemed to consider this, as she pulled the scientist's white coat on. "Fine. Whatever." A pause. "The Phantom Tribe are a race of blue-skinned warriors. They prefer the darkness, and so live underground. They also have the ability to cast lifelike illusions, illusions that are good enough to fool nearly anyone. Do you understand now?"

"I think so..." Makoto pulled his wits together. "If they're blue, we'll need to be blue, too." He scanned the room to see if there was anything he could use. His eyes fell upon a desk, with paper, quills, and a bottle of ink on it. The ink was blue, though a very dark shade of blue, much darker than the skin tone of the scientists. "This'll have to do," he said, snatching it up.

"Hey!" Fatora protested, as he began to smear the ink on his hands. "Oh, very well. Let me." Makoto let her take over, and she quickly finished smearing the stuff on her hands and face. "This better be worth it," she muttered. "And this ink had BETTER not be permanent!"

"Make sure that you get it everywhere," Makoto encouraged.

"I know what I'm doing," she snapped in reply. "I have more experience with makeup than you do. At least, I HOPE I do."

"Hey!" Makoto protested, offended.

Makoto wasn't really expecting an apology, and he didn't get one. "There, finished," Fatora said instead, turning her hand and forearm to inspect her work.

Makoto hesitated a moment, and then asked, "Princess, I noticed that both of the scientists are men."

"Yes, so?" Fatora replied.

Makoto shifted uncomfortably. "Well, are any of the scientists you've seen... well... women?"

"No. I haven't seen any females here at all. More's the pity." She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What are you getting at?"

Makoto's resolve firmed. "We'll have to be male, then."

"OH, no," Fatora said angrily. "That one time is going to haunt me for the rest of my days. There's no WAY I'm going to let you do that to me again!"

One of the scientists moaned, and began to stir. "Look, we don't have time to argue about this!" Makoto said desperately. "Do you want them to hang you up in that contraption again?"

Fatora's face paled. "Absolutely not-"

"A dark-skinned male scientist is going to be a WHOLE lot less suspicious than a dark-skinned female scientist, if there aren't supposed to be any female scientists!"

"Maybe there are, and I just didn't see them," Fatora hedged.

"Fatora, please!" Makoto begged. "We can't take that chance!"

Fatora bit her lip, and then snarled. "All right, then. Do it!" Makoto didn't wait for her to change her mind. With a thought, Makoto's body transformed into the male version far more familiar to him. "Oh, God, I can't believe I'm doing this," Fatora whimpered.

"Quiet," Makoto whispered, as he opened the door. "We don't want to attract any attention."

There were a pair of guards standing outside the door, each carrying a nasty-looking pike. However, neither one spoke or moved a muscle when Makoto walked past, attempting to look inconspicuous. He didn't relax until the guards were out of sight.

* * * * * *

It wasn't long before an alarm sounded. Pairs of guards began to run past the nervous escapees, but fortunately none of them spared him more than a passing glance. However, the increased security activity turned out to be a sizable blessing in disguise.

"There it is," Makoto whispered. "Behind that door is the garage I found."

"Are you sure?" Fatora replied. "There aren't any guards there, or anything!"

"Maybe they were called away to search for us," Makoto replied.

"Perfect!" Fatora cried. "My brilliant plan worked even better than I thought!"

Makoto didn't bother to answer, and hardly thought about what he was doing when he touched a keypad covered with more Shadow Tribe runes and mentally unlatched the electronic lock barring their path. He pushed his way through the door to enter the room beyond. Inside was an enormous cavern, filled with many, many vehicles. Most appeared to be hovercraft of varying types, but there were a few wheeled vehicles, as well as a few contraptions that Makoto couldn't really identify. 'At least, not without touching them,' Makoto mused.

"There!" said Fatora, as their eyes passed over one vehicle. "That's a Roshtarian hoversled! The Phantom Tribe must have stolen it. I know how to pilot it."

"Is it fast?" Makoto asked.

"Very," Fatora replied.

"Good, because you can be sure they're gonna follow us once we break out of here."

"What are you doing?" Fatora asked, as Makoto began walking toward a console built into the rock wall of the cavern.

"I have to figure out how to get the vehicle out," Makoto replied. "Do you see an exit anywhere."

"No," Fatora admitted. "Very well, spirit. Work your magic."

"I'm not a spirit!" Makoto insisted, a bit annoyed. "And my name's Makoto."

"Whatever," Fatora replied. Anything else she might have had to say was drowned in the torrent of knowledge that flooded Makoto's mind as he touched the console.

It only took a moment for Makoto to find what he needed and act on it. The far end of the cavern split open, letting the bright daylight sunshine pour in. Makoto wrenched his hand away and rubbed it. Then, he turned, and began to run. "C'mon, let's hurry! There's no way they missed that!"

Makoto and Fatora ran to and scrambled aboard the large hoversled. Looking back to the door, Makoto noted that several guards had entered the room, but were simply smirking at them. "That's not a good sign... Why aren't the guards worried that we're going to get away?" Makoto mused.

Fatora twisted their head back around to look at the controls for the hoversled. Her face fell in despair. "Here's why," she said. "No fuel. We're dead meat!" She began to get hysterical. "They won't take me alive! I CAN'T go through that again!"

"Quiet!" Makoto insisted. He placed his hands on what he guessed were the controls for the vehicle, and felt the now-familiar sensation of the odd ability he had recently begun to manifest. There was no fuel, but if he pushed HERE, and HERE with his own power, then...

The guards gathered gaped stupidly for a moment as the hoversled lurched to life. Finally, they surged forward, one of them remaining behind to slam the button intended to close the garage doors. It was, however, too late. The hoversled cruised out the closing doors with plenty of room to spare.

"Woohoo!" Fatora screamed exultantly as the hoversled left the mountain of the Shadow Tribe behind them. "I did it! I escaped!"

"You're welcome," Makoto grumbled, clenching the two hemispherical hoversled controls with a white-knuckled grip. He knew how to pilot the thing, but he was still inexperienced, and the terrain was rushing by at a fearsome speed.

Fatora was silent for a few moments, but then spat out, "Thank you. For getting me out of there."

Makoto could feel the princess clench her jaw as she spoke - clearly apologizing was not something she was used to. With that in mind, Makoto chose to ignore the acid Fatora had added to her words.

"It doesn't change anything, though," Fatora added cautiously. "When we get to Floristica, I'm going to get you out of my body as soon as possible. Got it?"

"Got it," Makoto sighed wearily.

* * * * * *

In the catacombs of the Shadow Tribe, Chief Biologist Siegurne was not anticipating being allowed to live to see another day. He and his associate had been brought before Lord Galus, to discuss the escape of the Princess of Roshtaria. Those who crossed Lord Galus had an unfortunate tendency to vanish - and with everything that Galus had riding on Princess Fatora, Siegurne imagined that his Lord must be very cross indeed.

"Chief Biologist," Galus intoned. Siegurne, kneeling before Galus with his eyes focused on the floor, nodded in response. "Chief Technician." Siegurne dared not look away from the floor, but knew that his associate had also nodded. "Did you obtain enough data from Princess Fatora to activate the Eye?"

"No, Lord Galus," Siegurne replied from his humble position. "We were only able to run the most basic tests."

"We did not have time to isolate the genetic factors inherited by the royal line, let alone determine any means of duplicating them," his associate added.

"Can you proceed using the tissue samples you extracted from her?" Galus asked.

"Only a little," Siegurne answered. "The tests we must conduct are... harmful, and the tissue we have will be quickly used up."

Galus brooded silently for a moment. Finally, he said, "Very well. Continue as best you can, and I will see that your specimen is returned to you. Dismissed."

Siegurne was surprised, but not foolish enough to question his good fortune. His associate, however, was not so wise. "You are letting us live, my lord?"

Siegurne winced, but was again surprised when Galus chose to answer the question, "There were... unusual forces at work here. The idea that a soft surface-dweller like Princess Fatora could knock out the both of you, walk undetected from your laboratory to the hanger past no less than three dozen guards, enter a locked door with a sixteen character passcode that she couldn't possibly know, and then fly an unfueled vehicle to safety is simply preposterous. And yet, that is precisely what occurred. To execute the two of you for your role in her unlikely escape would be a foolish waste of resources." He paused a moment. "But do not think that I mean by this that you are not replaceable. I wish to see progress made, even without the princess on hand, and you will suffer dearly if you fail to produce results. Now go."

The two scientists nodded, and rose to depart. Siegurne was mulling over the story his master had just told. The escape DID seem to be preposterous. Such a string of coincidences was beyond absurd. It was clear that the subject had had some help in escaping. But who among the Shadow Tribe would even think of helping a surface-dweller? And if not a Tribesman, who outside of the Tribe could possibly have orchestrated the escape? Siegurne made a mental note to himself to have his associate examine the static generator the subject had used to stun him. Perhaps a clue could be found there...

* * * * * *

"Oh, be a man about it!" Fatora berated Makoto as she swiftly stripped the Shadow Tribesman scientist's clothes from her body.

"Couldn't you at least shut your eyes?" Makoto begged.

"Not a chance!" she snorted, stripping out of the black bodysuit as well. "I haven't bathed in days, and I'm NOT going home until I've had a proper bath, and gotten this ink off! I don't want to be shot on sight, like some kind of Shadow Tribe spy! And I have to be able to see myself to bathe properly."

Makoto had his doubts that Fatora's people were quite so trigger-happy, but was in no position to doubt her words, either. Plus, he was now entirely too mortified by the fact that his female body was now completely nude and stepping into the freshwater lake they had found. He did take some comfort in the fact that they had almost certainly lost their pursuers, but fervently wished that Fatora hadn't decided to take advantage of that fact to engage in a little personal hygiene.

"C-cold!" Fatora shivered with a frown, as she slipped into the stream. "Couldn't you have found a warmer lake?"

"You're the one who wanted to stop," Makoto replied sourly. The sensations of the chill water on his new body were different from what he was used to - and in ways that he REALLY didn't want to think about.

"Oh, quit griping," Fatora smirked. "You know, you're the only man who's ever gotten to see me like this. You should feel honored!"

"I-I'm not like that!" Makoto protested, blushing profusely.

Fatora grinned, touching her reddened cheek. "How about that; I'm actually blushing! I can't remember the last time that's happened." She continued her cleaning, her expression melting into smugness. "Besides, 'I'm not like that'? Please. All you men are 'like that'. Some of you are just more honest about it."

"That's not true!" Makoto replied hotly.

"Really?" Fatora replied, still grinning. She began to examine her body in detail. "Are you telling me that this isn't turning you on?"

"No! Now, stop it!" Makoto forced his head up, breaking the gaze. "H-hey, what are you-"

"How about this, then?" Fatora added. She had begun doing something with her hand that caused sensations Makoto definitely didn't approve of. Fatora's free hand lashed out and grabbed the other, pulling it away from her body. Fatora frowned. "Hey, let go!"

"It just isn't right!" Makoto gritted out, straining against Fatora.

"It's my body, and I'll do what I want with it!" snarled Fatora, no longer amused.

It would have been a comical sight, had there been anyone to witness it. Princess Fatora thrashed around in the water, one arm grabbing the other like it was some kind of dangerous snake. Her face rapidly changed expression from indignant anger to embarrassed frustration and back again, and she seemed to be cursing at herself. This continued for quite some time, until the girl tripped on some underwater protrusion and fell face-first into the lake. She immediately lurched to the surface, coughing and hacking to expel some inhaled water from her lungs. After the fit died down she laid back in the water, exhausted. "Let's not do that again," she suggested wearily.

"Good idea," Makoto agreed, equally wearily.

Fatora finished up, and managed to remove most of the accumulated grime and blue ink. "Not perfect," she muttered, leaning over the water to observe her reflection in the still water of the lake, "but it'll do until I can get to a REAL bath."

Suddenly, Makoto gasped. "What is it?" Fatora asked.

"You look just like me!" Makoto said, his voice thick with wonder. He raised a hand to feel his cheek, watching as his reflection mirrored the movement.

"What?" Fatora asked flatly. "You have breasts?"

"No!" Makoto answered, annoyed. "Your face. It looks exactly like my face."

"So you're good-looking as a guy," Fatora answered, disinterestedly. "Come on, let's go. I can't wait to get home."

'And get rid of me,' Makoto added for her mentally.

* * * * * *

"W-what are you!" Katsuhiko Jinnai asked nervously. "S-stay back!"

Jinnai was not having a good day. One moment, he was well on his way toward securing his position as Lord High God of Shinnonome High School (well, Class President, until the title change was approved, but that was only a matter of time) by silencing that backstabbing wretch Makoto, and the next, he was in some bizarre crystal chamber, surrounded by strange, giant insects.

"Wa jobu buru?" one asked curiously.

"You can talk?" Jinnai demanded. "And what do you mean, Queen? Do I look like a Queen to you?" It was at about that time that Jinnai noticed that he was speaking with a rather higher voice than he was used to. With a blank stare, he studied himself. Orange, purple, and black chitinous clothing. Rather provocative chitinous clothing. Clothing a rather provocatively female body. "I see," he said, with the calm of impending insanity. "I DO look like a Queen, don't I?"

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!" Jinnai said, much to his surprise.

"What the-" he tried to begin.

"What manner of spirit are you that you would dare to try to control the Queen of the mighty Bugrom Empire?!?"

The direct challenge was enough to snap Jinnai back to reality (or, at least, back to what passed for him as reality). "I'm no spirit! And I dare whatever I please!" Jinnai found that his body was suddenly gripping the crystalline chair he was sitting on with crushing force. Indeed, small cracks were forming in the material. He elected to try a little diplomacy. "But in this case, I didn't dare to do anything. I have no idea how I got here. Who are you?"

"I am Diva," his body replied tersely. It was something that he was beginning to find fascinating, this independent speaking. "I am Queen of all you see here."

"Do dugo woobo do?" one of the strange insect creatures said suddenly.

"Silence!" Diva said, waving off the creature irritably. "Give me a moment to compose myself." Then, to herself, "Now, who are you, intruder?"

Jinnai smirked. "I am Katsuhiko Jinnai, Lord High God of Shinnonome High School!"

"Then you are a ruler as well," Diva mused aloud. After a moment, her eyes widened. "Could it be...? The legends were never specific... Could you truly be the one prophesied by the Gods? The one destined to lead my armies to victory over all of El-Hazard?"

"Conquest and victory? Now THAT'S my kind of prophesy!" Jinnai answered eagerly.

Taking this as a yes, Diva clapped her hands together joyfully. "Then the time has finally arrived for the Bugrom to rise again?"

"You got it, Diva my dear!" Jinnai confirmed happily.

Diva rose suddenly, taking Jinnai by surprise. "My children, hearken well! The Hero of Legend has arrived to lead us to victory!"

This seemed to catch the attention of all the insects present (not that any of them hadn't been watching their seemingly-insane queen with every compound eye peeled), though many still seemed confused. A muttering began among them. "Kiko jujobu?" one particularly bold purple Bugrom asked.

"He is here only in spirit, existing within me! But together, we will be unstoppable!" Diva cried.

Now the crowd seemed a bit more interested, some beginning to cheer. Jinnai decided to add his own two cents. "Yes, with me to lead you, all of El-Hazard will soon fall at our feet!"

The crowd was really roaring now. 'Ah, if only they could see the true face of their new god," Jinnai mused idly. And, abruptly, they could.

Unfortunately, the clothing Diva had been wearing was both rigid, and very poorly suited for a male of Jinnai's build. It was restricting him in a number of places, but particularly so in a very tender place indeed.

With an agonized scream, Jinnai fell to the floor clutching at his groin. A moment later, and his body had changed back to that of Diva's. The crowd was quite silent, now.

Through gritted teeth, Diva gasped, "That was most unpleasant. Let us never do that again."

"Diva," Jinnai replied. "We have GOT to get us some new threads."

* * * * * *

"OUTTA THE WAY!" Fatora snarled as she stomped through the palace halls. Exclamations of "Princess! You've returned!" and "Your Highness!" were utterly ignored, unless the unfortunate speaker happened to be in her way, in which case he or she was rudely shoved aside.

Makoto merely sighed mentally and enjoyed the ride. It wasn't as though he could take over - he had no idea where they were going. With little else to do, he pondered the girl whose body he was inhabiting. Fatora did not exactly fit his mental image of how a princess should behave, but he was becoming used to her. Frankly, the thought scared him.

"Big sister!" the rampaging princess exclaimed as she shouldered her way past a pair of confused guards and into a large chamber. Through her eyes, Makoto could see a beautiful woman in her twenties sitting on a throne at the far end of the room. She was wearing an elaborate kimono-like gown, and wore a cylindrical green hat. Upon seeing Fatora, she stood, mouth agape in shock.

"Big sister, I'm so happy to see you!" Fatora cried, dashing forward to grasp the older woman in a tight embrace. "It was the Shadow Tribe, sis! They were the ones who kidnapped me. And they tortured me! It was so awful!" Breaking away, Fatora gazed at her sister with hard eyes. "Sis, we have to declare war on them! We can't let them get away with an insult like this! Imagine, daring to harm me! A princess of Roshtaria!"

"Makoto?" the older princess blurted out suddenly.

"Huh?" Fatora said blankly.

"What?" Makoto echoed.

The older princess looked cross for a moment, and then said, "Makoto, when did your hair get so long?"

"H-how do you know about Makoto," Fatora asked, confused.

"This is NOT Makoto," Fatora's sister said, frowning. "This is my sister, Fatora. And I thought that we agreed to keep your presence a secret!"

"But I AM Makoto," Makoto said. "But how would you know about me?"

"What are you saying?" the older princess asked, surprised. "Makoto! It's me! Your sensei!" she said quickly after.

"My teacher?" Makoto blinked.

In answer, the princess's face transformed - into that of a squint-eyed, middle-aged, stubble-faced man that Makoto knew quite well. Makoto noted with relief that the gown Fatora's sister was wearing was sufficiently androgynous. He wasn't sure he could handle the thought of Mr. Fujisawa in a dress.

"WAAHH!" yelped Fatora, stumbling backwards and falling onto her rear.

"Mister Fujisawa!" the older princess said sharply, her face reappearing once more. "I must insist that you control yourself!"

"Please don't be too hard on him," Makoto said, picking himself up. "He was right - I AM Makoto."

"Not for much longer," Fatora said darkly.

Ignoring her, Makoto continued, "I sure wasn't expecting to find anyone I knew here!"

Ignoring him, Fatora continued, "You have one of these awful spirits inside you, as well, big sister? Can we get rid of them? Huh? Huh?"

With a gentle smile, the other princess said, "Do not worry, dear Fatora. Doctor Schtalubaugh is researching a way to send our guests home, even as we speak."

"Send them home?" Fatora whined. "Can't we just banish them, or something?"

"Fatora! That is a cruel thing to suggest!" her sister scolded. "I, for one, owe my life to Masamichi, and I will not tolerate such words." Fatora recoiled as if slapped - it was rare that her sister raised her voice to her. "Now, please, won't you introduce me to your guest?"

Fatora opened her mouth with an angry reply, but bit down on it, instead falling back on the court etiquette she had been trained in. "Sister, please allow me to introduce Makoto Mizuhara, of Shinnanome High School of Japan. Makoto, my sister, First Princess Rune Venus of Roshtaria."

"How do you do, your Highness," Makoto said awkwardly. Unlike with Fatora, when Makoto spoke with Rune Venus, he felt as though he were actually addressing royalty - and not just a stuck-up brat. Mentally, he scolded himself for the harsh train of thought, but could not find it within him to judge himself too harshly. Fatora had not given him a lot of reason to like her.

"A pleasure to meet you, Makoto," Rune Venus said with a warm smile. Then the smile lost a bit of it's brightness. "But can I not meet you face-to-face?"

Fatora jerked. "What? How could you ask something like that?!? You want me to turn into... that BOY?!?"

"You've been preventing him from assuming his true form?" Rune Venus asked with a disapproving frown.

"It's so DISGUSTING!" Fatora answered distastefully.

Rune Venus's expression softened. "Oh, Fatora. You must learn to be more considerate... Like it or not, we are each two people now, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. You are fortunate that he has allowed you to have your way so far. Now, return the favor, and let him use his own body for a change."

Makoto was cautiously hopeful. He was slowly starting to get used to Fatora's body, and that very fact scared him a little. Still, if he knew Fatora, this wasn't over yet.

"I don't see you timesharing with that teacher!" Fatora scowled petulantly.

Rune Venus merely smiled - and transformed. The familiar face of Mr. Fujisawa once again gazed at them. "Any more objections, my sister?" Rune Venus asked with Fujisawa's gravelly voice.

Makoto thought his face was going to sprain something with all the heavy scowling Fatora was putting it through. Finally, though it relaxed into a thoroughly disgusted expression. "Fine. Whatever. Knock yourself out, spirit."

"Thank you, Fatora," he said, hoping she didn't mean that literally. He wasn't about to give her a chance to change her mind, though, and quickly transformed.

"Well?" Rune Venus asked.

Makoto coughed. "This is me, your Highness. Your sister and I look very much alike."

Rune Venus's eyes widened. Well, Makoto presumed they did, anyway - it was very difficult to tell on Mr. Fujisawa's face. "The resemblance is simply astounding!" Rune Venus breathed. "Were it not for the hair, I would not have been able to tell..."

"Really?" Fatora asked, suddenly interested. Her voice repeatedly broke into a falsetto as she formed the words with a voice deeper than she was accustomed to. "He really looks that much like me?" Fatora smirked. "I'll have to see this for myself - I never imagined there could be a male as beautiful as I am!" She laughed haughtily.

"I'd rather you didn't describe me as 'beautiful', Princess," Makoto frowned.

"I wish we had time to discuss matters further - I wish very dearly to know the details of your capture and escape, Fatora." Rune Venus's form shifted back to that of the princess. "Unfortunately, we have no time at the moment. Much has happened while you have been gone. The Bugrom raids have been increasing in frequency, and the Allied Nations have been demanding that we declare our willingness to use the Eye of God upon them, if need be."

"You would use... that THING?" Makoto asked, revolted. He could still recall the details of the horrible weapon revealed to him by the computers of the Shadow Tribe. To actually unleash destruction of that magnitude... Nuclear weapons paled in comparison.

Rune Venus shook her head sadly, but seemed to approve of Makoto's disgust. "It is a terrible weapon, it is true, and to be used only as a last resort. But its presence brings comfort to many." Rune Venus focused a stern gaze on Makoto. "That comfort is needed now. The people are frightened. The Bugrom have never been this bold, and I fear that times are changing for the worse. At the very least, we need to reassure our people that we are willing to fight for their safety with all our might. And we WILL use the Eye, if that becomes necessary." Makoto frowned, but kept silent.

Rune Venus continued. "Both of the Princesses of Roshtaria must be present for such a declaration, and we were afraid that we would have to find a body double for you, Fatora. Your return is a very good omen, indeed."

"Of course it is!" Fatora said with a broad grin. "So, shall we get going? I can't wait to change out of these smelly Shadow Tribe clothes and into something more comfortable!" Suddenly, Makoto was female again. "And we gotta have the right body again. So sorry, spirit, but duty calls!"

"Please don't call me 'spirit'," Makoto griped.

"We will have more time to discuss matters after the meeting," Rune Venus said.

* * * * * *

Nanami awoke with a gasp. 'Where am I?' she thought wildly. Wherever it was, it was cold. And dark. And she was so very, very tired. "Makoto..." she murmured weakly. Her last sensation before drifting off into slumber was surprise at the odd voice she had spoken with.

* * * * * *

Fatora trudged wearily down the hallway. "I hate meetings of state," she muttered crossly.

"That was absolutely horrible," Makoto agreed. Roughly speaking, the entire meeting had consisted of various representatives of various nations whining about how awful the Bugrom were. Rune Venus, in turn, would offer various forms of reassurance, generally centering around promising to use the Eye of God if necessary. Fatora's job was to kneel next to her sister, smile, and occasionally add words of agreement to anything she said. Pretty much the high point of the meeting was when Rune Venus agreed to send Fatora to meet with the three Great Sages of Mount Muldoon. Then, Fatora gave a short speech agreeing to do so, and the meeting was adjourned.

Makoto had never experienced anything so excruciating in his life.

Fatora nodded, satisfied. "Now you know what we poor, unfortunate royal-types have to live with. You should be glad you're a commoner, spirit."

"PLEASE stop calling me that!" Makoto complained. Without waiting for a response, he continued, "And what about that guy we met? Galus."

After the state meeting, the two princesses had adjourned to a more private room so that they could swap stories. Rune's tale was interesting - she had been away from the palace, when she was attacked by a number of Bugrom. She had thought herself doomed, when, unexpectedly, she had thrown a punch at one of the monsters - and somehow blasted it through three trees. She learned later that the super strength was an ability bestowed upon the man who now shared her body. All she knew then, was that her body was out of control - and somehow completely thrashing the attacking Bugrom. Her few attempts to regain control during the fight were disastrous. Apparently, only when Fujisawa controlled the body did she possess super strength (though the shape of the body did not matter).

Fatora's explanation (which, to Makoto's surprise, gave him every bit of credit he was due for his part in the escape - evidently, Fatora respected her sister a great deal), was cut a bit short due to the unexpected intrusion of a man Rune Venus referred to as Galus.

"That man gives me the creeps," Fatora scowled in answer to Makoto's question. "I don't know what Rune sees in him. Oh, he's my sister's fiancee, if you were wondering."

"Fiancee?" Makoto.

"It's a political thing," Fatora replied. "Just another thing we royalty have to put up with." Fatora frowned darkly. "Not that I ever would put up with anything of the sort."

"He seemed awfully interested in our escape," Makoto wondered aloud. Indeed, Galus had grilled them for quite a few specific details. Fatora's usual arrogant posturing had come in very handy there - she evidently did not feel the need for honesty toward Galus that she felt for her sister, and quickly spun a self-aggrandizing tale emphasizing her own cleverness and the stupidity of the Shadow Tribe without giving away any real details of their escape. Makoto wasn't sure whether he felt like applauding her performance or retching at the sheer size of Fatora's ego.

"Galus has always been the nosy type," Fatora shrugged. She yawned a very unprincessly yawn and stretched her arms over her head, as she passed through a doorway into a darkened chamber. "Well, this is my room. I'm beat."

Almost before Maoko could blink, Fatora had stripped out of her clothing (she seemed to be very good at that, for some reason) and flopped down on the bed, pulling the covers around herself. "Ohhh, it's so good to be home," Fatora sighed, voice muffled by her pillow. "Good night, Makoto."

Not 'spirit'. Makoto would have blinked in surprise, were his eyes not already closed. "Good night, Princess Fatora," he responded, with some warmth. Perhaps this situation wouldn't be so bad after all.

Makoto relaxed along with Fatora, drifting slowly off into slumberland. They almost got there, too, when they suddenly became aware of the fact that their bed was being occupied by someone who was definitely not them.

Makoto became increasingly horrified as the figure beneath the covers slowly wriggled their way up his leg, rubbing against it an a very strange manner, moaning softly as it did so. Panicked, Makoto lifted the covers into the air, and gazed down at a head of purple hair. Large, violet eyes, turned up to gaze at him with an unidentifiable expression, before the girl (it was definitely a girl) turned back and began to... lick his thigh?

"Alielle," Fatora said suddenly, face curving into a wicked grin. "How wonderful to see you again, my love..."

To be continued...