Allo! I put in a sorta explanation for Ryouga, and added something with
Malkon (theses are pretty much all in chap 29)

Comments and corrections welcome! Wanted, even! B>

| Twister (also known as Darren Steffler ;)
| 		     e-mail at twister@tendo-dojo.ranma.net
| Big Heapum Fan of: Ranma 1/2, Bubblegum Crisis, Dirty Pair, Gundam, and
| 		     the rest of the known anime universe.

Chapter Twenty-Six 
------------------ 

     The column of purple energy was easily visible from the sky. Charcoal
the dragon spotted it immediately. He would have known even if he hadn't seen
it with his draconic eyes; it was of the same power that flowed through his
own body.The source was also simple enough to figure out. His creator. It
felt like she needed his help.
     Good. He wanted to please her.
     His rider was only weakly cursing now so he needed to let her off soon;
other strange and bizarre sounds had been heard during his erratic and
crazed-looking flight. Char was no ordinary dragon, a result of his unique
awakening, and had demonstrated that often during the flight. Accelerating
until he could barrel through one of those steel skeletons rising from the
ground on sheer speed alone had been fun.
     A pity Char didn't know much about Mach speeds; he broke quite a few
windows during his flight through those "skeletons"(construction sites). The
weather was turning bad anyways and his creator needed help now so he dived
towards her position.
     "Not again, you speed freak of a dragon!" his rider protested in vain
when she felt the course alteration. "I'm already going to have to clean up
the damn helmet, inside AND out!"
     Char grinned as only dragons could grin.
     But as he got closer, he could feel the intense despair of his creator,
igniting an equally intense protective feeling in himself. When she was in
sight, he saw many unknown humans beginning to approach her. Annoyed, he
roared to order them away.
     They retreated not quite fast enough for the dragon's liking so he
exhaled some fire to quicken them, and quicken they did.
     "You stupid lizard! That's ADPolice!" His rider paused, then added
disgustingly to herself, "Yeah, right, Priss, as if a dragon knows or cares
about cops."
     Char decided then that his rider was not as stupid as he had thought.
     Therefore, when he landed and could not get a response from the crying
elf, he lowered his neck and allowed his rider off to get his creator so they
could take her away to a safer place. His rider seemed to be unsteady when on
the ground again(who knew why?;) and, when she too failed to get a response
other than crying, picked up his creator.
     After some strange reluctance, and a little growling persuasion, his
rider got back on his neck, and he took off again. He would return to the
place he had picked up his rider.
     Char wondered what distressed his creator so. 

     Leon stared disbelievingly through the heavy rain at the huge dragon
that had taken away Darlene. And with a Knight Saber too! With Priss, as he
knew, or at least suspected strongly, who the blue Saber was, at that!
     "What are you going to tell your superiors?" Madagan asked from behind
him, her pose recovered and in a reflective mood, sensing that the current
danger was over. She wore a borrowed jacket to help shield her from the rain.
     "I'll list the damages, injuries, and say that... the culprit got away."
That it was by dragonback would be better off not said.
     "Nothing else?" she said, curious about the lieutenant's response.
     Leon sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "They'll
never believe me. Hell, _I_ don't believe me. Even if we had arrested... the
elf, I doubt we'd have been better off." He turned to look at the men packing
up the barricade behind Madagan. "As it is, I'm going to have a heck of a
time explaining how one of my men is now a woman. And... it's a good bet the
elf would've had an excellent case for temporary insanity."
     "Maybe if you see her again you can ask her to help you, and Genom,"
Madagan added. "Remember what she said about the tower."
     "I do."
     "Then I'd best be going home." Sudden weariness was reflected in the
Genom exec's eyes. "I have to think about some things. You can get my
statement tomorrow, by vid-phone."
     Leon didn't bother to protest, it was more than he had hoped. "And what
about your superiors? What will you tell them?"
     "As little as possible," she said flatly, surprising him. "Some things
are best left alone, at least, that's my opinion now. What do you think?"
     "Hmm..." Leon peered up through the wind and rain, and said, "I'll tell
you later."
     "Perhaps that's best. Good-bye, Inspector McNichol." 
     Still wondering about events that night, Leon silently watched her
disappear into the rain.

     "Sylia, I'm getting really, really, REALLY sick of these things!" Linna
said crossly as the rain poured down. Nene's frustrated snort told everyone
that the red-headed hacker agreed wholeheartedly.
     "This is so EMBARRASSING!!" she said, thumping futilely with her one
free arm at one of the purple bodies pinning her down.
     The pudgy purple things had proven to be more resistant to their attacks
than appearances led them to believe. Five each had swarmed around each
Saber, bloated bodies smiling emptily at them. Linna had knuckle-bombed one
and sliced another into pieces, but while she worked on the other three the
two she had taken apart regenerated somehow and bounded to the attack once
more. Sylia had similar bad luck, and Nene's suit didn't do much damage at
all.
     Fortunately, the things seemed to want to hug and dance with them more
than slashing with their finger blades. When they did hit, it was by
accident, not design. Still, being whirled around and crushingly hugged was
taking their toll. Disgusted, Sylia had finally ordered them to get away so
they could get Priss and Darlene. That was a mistake, for as soon as they
tried to make a serious attempt to leave, the purple things, moving faster
than Sylia had thought they could, tackled them all en masse like pro-
football players. It was pretty much only their helmets that were not covered
by the things. Unable to get any solid leverage on the soft weights upon
them, the three Knight Sabers could do nothing but wait.
     Sylia was thinking of blasting the things on top of her just on
principle when she saw something descending rapidly from the stormy sky. It
came closer and she saw it was... "Priss!!" she cried once she recognized the
dragon and the hardsuited figure on its neck. As it landed, Linna and Nene
also crying out their friend's name when they saw her too, Sylia noticed
someone else cradled in Priss' arms. When the singer carefully leaped off the
dragon's neck and gently placed the person on the ground, she could see who.
It was the still transformed Darlene and she appeared to be crying miserably.
     "Priss!" Nene and Linna chorused.
     The singer took in the scene with no little disbelief. "What the hell
happened?? What ARE those stupid-looking things?"
     "Never mind, Priss," Sylia said, feeling foolish at their current state.
"We've tried getting free, but the constructs just regenerate and we can't
get a grip on them. Can you see if Darlene can get rid of them?"
     Priss dubiously looked at the purple pile, then at the mage. "I'll try."
She slowly knelt by her transformed friend and softly said, "Hey. Do you feel
like talking?" The only response was a lessening of the heavy crying. "It's
important, Darlene. We need to get those purple whatevers off the others."
     The elven-looking woman made a half-sob, half-laugh. "Tell them you hate
them."
     Priss blinked. "What??"
     "Tell them you hate them."
     After staring at her changed friend, she turned around. "Um, Sylia..."
Priss began to say.
     "I heard." Sylia heaved a sigh at the utter absurdity of this impossible
situation, but her next words were very satisfying as she directed her
attentions to the purple bodies above her. "Barney... Barnies, we hate you."
     The result was immediate. All fifteen of the things wailed in apparent
pain and their features became softer, more mushy, as they melted into a
disgusting and sticky mess. The three newly-freed Knight Sabers stood up,
covered in purple gunk.
     "Oh, yuck!!" Nene said, repelled by the stuff on her and the others'
suits and tried to wipe it off to little effect. "This is icky!"
     "Ditto," Linna agreed, repulsed as well by the mess on her. "How come
Priss is the only one clean?"
     "Wanna bet?" Priss retorted. "Damned crazy dragon is worse than any
amusement park ride." Char snorted behind her and she edged a little away
from the beast.
     Feeling slightly apprehensive about the draconic entity, Sylia
nevertheless started approaching their purple-haired friend. "Darlene, you'd
better come with us and we can..."
     The rest was drowned out by a thunderous bellow from the red dragon,
making all the Knight Sabers retreat a little. The dragon shrank a little in
size and pawed closer to its creator. Lowering its head, it gently nudged the
sorrow-filled Darlene and made a questioning rumble.
     Lifting her head, Darlene gazed with tear-filled eyes at the dragon she
had brought to life, and whispered, "Store." At that, the cat-slitted eyes of
the scaly form glowed and in a burst of flame both Charcoal and Darlene
vanished.
     The Knight Sabers stood silent for a moment as they digested what had
just happened. Finally, Priss spoke up.
     "Sylia, either I'm having one goddamned strange dream, and I hope I wake
up damn well bloody soon, or else I have to clean off my helmet and confront
one of my friends about what happened tonight. Somehow, I don't think that
thrill of a task will be a piece of cake."
     "This feels too sticky to be a dream," Nene commented, futilely trying
to get the purple gunk off her suit. "But... what are we going to do, Sylia?"
she asked in a worried tone.
     "Yes," Linna added. "What HAPPENED tonight?"
     Sylia sighed and shook her head. "First, let's get home and clean up.
Then we'll all go over to Darlene's shop. I don't think it would be wise to
delay that any longer than we have to. Hopefully she won't do anything rash
before we get there."
     "Shouldn't we go right now?" Linna asked.
     "No!" Sylia flatly rejected that action. "The less threatening we look,
the better. Let's go." She activated her jump jets and bounded off.
     The others quickly followed. 

     "Sylvie?"
     "Hmm?" the brown-haired woman murmured curiously as she leaned on the
wall, not wanting to sit as she would had a hard time getting up. Anri sat on
the cashier's table, having managed to hop up onto it.
     "How much longer do you think we'll be like this?" There was no need to
tell her fellow sexaroid what 'this' was. The bonds of light still bound them
tight after Darlene's disappearance.
     "Hopefully soon. Darlene was..."
     As if saying her name had summoned her, the elven Darlene and Charcoal
the dragon burst into existence where the wyrm had normally rested when he
had been merely a statue.
     "Darlene!" both Sylvie and Anri cried.
     The magic-user did not respond verbally, but instead stood, using the
red dragon to steady herself. Her face was tear streaked and, with eyes
closed, slowly came over to the two worried sexaroids. When she stood before
them she tried to talk but could only utter a half-sob. Frustrated, she
swiped at the magical bonds with her hands and the bindings vanished with
bursts of light. With her two friends freed, Darlene stepped back and hugged
herself desperately, not saying a word.
     Able to move once more, Sylvie hesitantly approached her friend.
"Darlene? Are you okay?" She immediately regretted saying that as the
purple-haired woman looked anything but okay.
     "I'm... I'm s-sorry," Darlene managed to get out, face to the floor and
voice laden with grief. "I... I don't... I didn't..."
     "It's all right, Darlene," Sylvie said, trying to calm her friend down.
She reached out and placed her hand on the elven woman's shoulder. Darlene
twitched, but accepted it. "You should get some rest. Come on, look at me."
The hypnotic devices in her optics would harmlessly put the other woman to
sleep.
     Darlene knew about them too, but still lifted her head and opened her
eyes.
     Anri had been looking in slight apprehension and wonder at the dragon,
who was looking back just as curiously, when she heard Sylvie gasp. Worried
that something else had happened, she quickly turned around and saw Sylvie
staring at Darlene's face. No... At her eyes. Why was she...?
     Then Anri SAW and gasped too.
     Noticing their reactions, Darlene looked rapidly at both. Fear rippled
across her face before she turned and ran, cloak flying behind her, for the
entrance to her upstairs home.
     She slammed the door behind her.
     The blue-haired girl shook her head to clear it. "Wha... what was that,
Sylvie?" Anri shakily said, there was no fear in her voice, but there WAS
wonder.
     "I... don't know," Sylvie replied, a similar tone in her own voice, "but
I wish I did."
     Charcoal lazily stared at the scene, then exhaled semi-softly and
reassumed the posture he had been positioned in as a statue. There was no way
to tell now that he had changed as he looked exactly the same as before, save
for a glint in his eye that could be mistaken for a reflection of the lights
above, but was not.
     He would wait until his creator needed him again.
 
     Leon gritted his teeth and counted to ten.
     Slowly. Very slowly.
     He had just gotten back from the mess that the confrontation between his
and Daley's squad, and the Elf. (How could she be Darlene??) The Chief had
immediately demanded what had happened. Leon told him. During his report the
Chief had gotten more and more red in the face from his growing anger. When
he had finished, the Chief had given him a dressing down about taking police
work seriously and not to 'play the damn fool' with his superiors. After ten
minutes, The Chief finished shouting at Leon and was waiting for his reply.
     Leon took a deep breath to calm himself, and said, "Everything I said is
true... sir." Other than omitting Darlene's name; he was sure no good would
come of ADPolice confronting her again. "Daley, as well as EVERY OTHER
OFFICER THERE will give you the same story. There was an elf. She destroyed
three AD-15s easily and sent the remains somewhere else. She destroyed a fair
portion of street with lightning bolts and blocked off the other three roads
of the intersection we were in somehow. AND one of my MEN is now a member of
the opposite SEX!!" he finished with a shout, making the chief retreat a
little. "I'M still having trouble believing it! Verify it yourself if you
want, but IT. IS. TRUE!!" Not caring at that point what the Chief thought,
Leon turned and started walking away. "Right now I have to talk to the one
who was changed," he said over his shoulder. "I'll give you the report for
THAT later."
     "LEO...!" was all the inspector heard before he closed the door.
Sighing, he continued walking through the corridors making a mental note not
to get within shouting distance of the Chief until the jackass found out that
Leon was telling the truth.
     Eventually, he came to the medical section of ADPolice and walked into
one of the waiting rooms. Bochinski was waiting here and was seated in a
chair, finished with his own examination but waiting for his less fortunate
friend. Daley was still cleaning up a few things so he wasn't here, nor were
the rest of Leon's team, which was puzzling.
     "Where are the others?" Leon asked Bochinski.
     The other held up his hands. "Much as they wanted to, the doctor told
them to leave. Felt it would be too much for hi... her," he finished,
correcting himself. "I guess the doctor was right, but I dunno. Doc said I
was just fine and in perfect health."
     "Lucky you," a sullen voice said.
     Both men turned and saw that Wadderson had come out. Leon did a double
take at what he saw as he hadn't seen the transformed officer yet and was
considerably surprised. More like stunned from what he saw. Long and flowing
blonde hair, striking green eyes, and delicious looking lips on a sensuous
face. This along with a perfect complexion and body any female would die to
possess, not to mention the other sex, albeit in a different way. One of the
female ADPolice personnel had obviously given the unfortunate officer some
ill-fitting clothing, but the full breasts and hourglass figure were still
very noticeable. This heavenly vision was only marred by the morose
expression she wore, and even then only by a little.
     Ignoring Leon's hanging jaw, Wadderson walked around him and slumped
down into a chair, staring at nothing. It was very apparent that she wasn't
in any mood to talk.
     Snapping his mouth into place, Leon tried to say something reassuring.
"Ah...I'm sure everything will turn out all right." Bochinski raised
incredulous eyebrows at the lame attempt.
     "I'm sure my girlfriend will agree with you," Wadderson replied levelly,
not looking at Leon having fixed her vision at a point on the far wall.
     "Ahrm..." This was getting worse and worse. Leon stepped back towards
the door. "Maybe later... we can talk... Tomorrow then."
     He fled.
     "Well, that was good, my friend," Bochinski commented.
     "Shut up!" Wadderson said angrily, looking at him with her flashing
green eyes. "And I don't give a damn!"
     "It WAS your fault," he pointed out.
     "Shut...UP!" she repeated furiously. Her hands formed claws at her
sides. "If I EVER see that BITCH again I'll..." Wadderson trailed off, unable
to continue in her angry state.
     "I hope not," Bochinski said quietly to himself. He hadn't mentioned it
to the doctor since she hadn't seen anything unusual but he felt...
different. More... alive.
     His partner might not have been the only one changed. 
     He wondered if he should be worried.
     Nah.

     "And that is what happened, you say?" Quincy said, no emotion betraying
his true feelings on this rather unusual matter.
     "Yes, sir," Madagan replied. Despite what she had told Leon, Madagan
felt that at least the director should be told the whole story, whatever he
believed.
     He was silent, quietly looking at the blank monitors. Holding off
judgement. Waiting.
     Then one screen blinked to life showing a rather panicked face. "Sir!
There IS something... or rather nothing... on the roof of the tower! It's
a... a... It looks like it's disintegrating what it touches! There's a
largish hole now and it seems to be slowly GROWING!!"
     Quincy's face tightened minutely. "Did you send in a Boomer?"
     "Yes! And... and half of its arm is gone so far! It's spreading faster
on it than the roof!"
     "Try to find a way to solve this problem as quickly as possible. Quincy
out." The screen blinked off before the scientist could protest. "So it's
true," he said, considering Madagan thoughtfully.
     "As I said, sir."
     "Indeed. And what do you recommend?"
     "Do nothing." Seeing Quincy not react, she added, "I cannot predict what
the consequences would be if we continue with... the store's owner."
     "And if we cannot find a solution to the problem already starting above
us? Do you recommend we evacuate?"
     "I... don't know, sir."
     The chairman steepled his fingers together, and considered the new
Madagan. Whatever she had gone through, it had strengthened her. He approved
that in those loyal to him. But this new dilemma... "I shall tell you what I
decide tomorrow after I see what can be done about the tower." He narrowed
his eyes. "Be prepared."
     "Yes, sir." She wished she felt as certain of that as she sounded.
Another encounter like the one tonight...
     Perhaps different tactics were required.
     The other way certainly had not worked. 

Chapter Twenty-Seven 
-------------------- 

     Linna's van slowed as she carefully guided the vehicle into the parking
space. When she was done, she looked apprehensively at Sylia, who was sitting
in the passenger side. Her leader's face was expressionless; a sure sign that
Sylia was thinking about something unpleasant, and most likely about Darlene.
     Darlene...
     Linna still had trouble believing what had happened earlier that night.
     "Let's go," Sylia said, opening her door and stepping outside into the
night air, Linna doing the same. Priss and Nene, who had been sitting in the
back, looked at each other nervously before copying the others. Together,
they all walked towards the store's side entrance, and upon reaching it Sylia
knocked firmly on the door.
     It was an anxious minute before there were noises on the other side of
the door. Then it opened wide and revealed a worried-looking Sylvie, who
seemed relieved that they had come.
     "Priss!" She rushed forwards to hug her friend briefly, then stepped
back to view all four friends. "Thank God you came; I'm not sure what to do."
     "So Darlene did come back here with the dragon?" Sylia said.
     Sylvie gave her a startled look. "You know about Charcoal?"
     "We only stared at its very ALIVE looking face for a while," Priss
sarcastically answered her, then peered cautiously around the sexaroid. "It
that thing here?"
     "Well, yes," Sylvie replied, then quickly added "But it hasn't moved."
when she saw Priss backing up. It was unnecessary as Linna had firmly placed
a hand on the singer's shoulder, preventing the retreat and earning her a
glare. "Darlene is too, and I guess you know what she now looks like." Seeing
them nod she sighed helplessly. "She freed us and then ran upstairs. We've...
not tried to go up yet. She crashed around for a time and then... nothing.
I'm starting to get more worried than when this whole thing started." After
telling the group that, Sylvie beckoned them inside.
     Sylia immediately entered. Priss, Linna, and Nene exchanged worried
looks before following. 

     "Darlene?" Nene hesitantly called her friend, knocking on the
apartment's closed bedroom door. There was no response.
     "She's got to be in there," Linna said, as concerned as Nene about the
lack of activity. "We've gone through every other room."
     All the Knight Sabers had cautiously climbed the stairs to the upstairs
apartment where Darlene lived. Smashed furniture and dents in the walls,
floor, and ceiling! told them all how badly their friend seemed was taking
her recent predicament. In looking for her, the four had warily searched
through the house, leaving only one room remaining.
     Surprisingly, it was Sylia who reached forwards between the startled
Nene and Linna and gave the doorknob a firm twist to open it. The other three
drew back a bit,  uncertain as to what would happen, but nothing did. The
leader of the Knight Sabers opened the door fully and stepped inside. One by
one the others followed and saw that the changed Darlene was indeed here.
     Her room was like the rest of the apartment, walls battered, objects
smashed, and generally looking like a tornado had been through the place. The
bed, however, seemed to have been warped, melted, and stretched like taffy.
A strange incongruity in the mess. And sitting in a corner of the room was
the cause of all the destruction.
     From what they all knew about her, she was in a strange position for
someone who should still be angry, desperate, and despairing. Still wearing
that strange armour-like garb, Darlene was hugging her legs close to her
body, knees just below her bowed face, purple hair concealing it as it fell
down the sides of her head. The still figure didn't react to their presence.
     "Hey... Hey," Priss said, in a rising panic, unconsciously moving
forwards before Sylia could stop her, "I don't think she's breathing!!"
     "WHAT?!" Nene and Linna shouted, then instantly rushed over to Darlene
as well, Sylia walking quickly behind them, a trace of growing worry on her
face.
     Priss grabbed Darlene with both hands and violently shook the elven
figure. "HEY!! DON'T DIE YOU STUpid..." her voice died in her throat.
     Startled, the perfectly healthy Darlene had jerked her head up to stare
eye-to-eye with Priss. Then what was revealed to Sylvie and Anri before was
now shown to Priss and the others. For now that the eerie purple glow was
gone from Darlene's eyes one could see the normal-seeming eyes. The irises
were purple, half expected, but faint flecks of light slowly drifted through
them. And the lights were strange, wonderful, and compelling. They seemed to
bring forth all the roiling emotions within Priss' heart, all together,
blended in a cacophony that she could feel, smell, taste, and, most
importantly, see. It grew, and then...
     Darlene put her hands over her face, making a sound of dismay, cutting
off the sight of her eyes and Priss broke out of... of... whatever she had
been under. Shaking her head, she noticed that the others had seen Darlene's
eyes as well and were in various phases of recovery from the bizarre, yet
oddly wonderful, experience. What the hell had happened?
     "No!" Darlene shouted, voice slightly muffled while trying to hide her
face in her hands. "Go away! Quickly! Please!!" she pleaded behind her hands.
     "Let us help, Darlene," Nene said, starting to reach over to hug the
distraught magic-user.
     "GET OUT NOW!!!" Darlene shouted, panic and desperation in her voice,
reflexively pushing them away by whatever means available.
     It was like a whirlwind, whatever she did. Suddenly, before they had a
chance to brace themselves, gales of force dragged the startled Knight Sabers
out of the room, Nene giving a shocked scream, and were dropped
unceremoniously in a pile outside the door, which slammed shut.
     "This isn't going well," Linna groaned, picking herself off the floor.
     "No shit," Priss said, doing the same and moved to open the door again.
Swearing, she jerked her hand off the knob and gripped her palm as if in
pain. When the others looked at her curiously, she explained, "Damn thing's
electrified!"
     "I'm sorry," Darlene's downcast and muffled voice came from behind the
door, "but... but that's why I didn't... want you near me."
     Sylia spoke up. "What do you mean?"
     "I can't... I can't fully control my increased powers yet," Darlene
explained. "When I was... out of control, I could, and after I was too...
depressed, but when I tried to calm down I found that my control... wasn't
perfect. You saw what happened to my bed? I didn't mean to do that." A hint
of hysteria was present in her voice.
     Chills went down Sylia's spine. And they had been standing right in
front of her... "Is that why you were sitting on the floor like that?" she
asked in a steady voice. "To get rid of distractions and not damage anything
else?"
     "Yes."
     "Isn't there anything you can do?" Nene pleaded to both Sylia and
Darlene.
     "I don't kn..." Darlene stopped in puzzlement. "I'll be back to normal
in two days?" she suddenly said. It sounded like she was sure, but wondering
why she was.
     "How do you know that?" Sylia asked curiously.
     "I don't KNOW!" Darlene shouted, obviously frustrated. "I just... DO.
What's happening to me??" she pleaded.
     "I don't know," Sylia said, echoing Darlene. "But if you will be back to
normal in two days then we'll be able to talk safely?"
     "Yes... Maybe sooner." It sounded like another certainty from unknown
reasons. "And... I'm sorry about tonight," she added, sounding miserable. "I
couldn't help myself."
     "We'll forgive you," Linna said, frustrated to have to talk to a door.
"But I'm still wondering if I'm dreaming. Magic, Darlene?" she said,
plaintively.
     "Sorry," the voice on the other side replied weakly.
     "I can handle it, I think, but please tell me that damned dragon isn't
still working," Priss said, hoping for a pleasing answer.
     "He's not a watch," Darlene irritably replied, lifting out of her
depression at Priss' tone. "And yes, he still is."
     "Damn."
     "What did he do?"
     "Never you mind. But I'll give YOU the cleaning bill."
     "I think we'd better go," Sylia finally said. "Until Darlene either
returns to normal or gets enough control, we'd best not disturb her. It's
been a long night." As they started to go, Sylia added, "And one day we'll
have a talk about your sense of humour."
     There was puzzled silence from behind the door, then a loud musical
giggle as Darlene realized what she was talking about. "Um... sorry?"
     "We'll talk about it later," Sylia said ominously.
     "Right," the other sighed.    

     Anri and Sylvie were anxiously waiting downstairs and were relieved when
they saw the four coming back down unharmed, if worried.
     "Is she alright?" Anri asked Priss.
     "Oh, yeah, she's fine," the singer replied, but then continued with a
grimace, "for a goddamned ELF, for crying out loud!" She shook her head,
unable to dismiss the worry she felt. Who she was worrying for was unknown,
which made her even more uncertain about her own feelings. "This is just too
bizarre," she complained.
     Sylia's face was studiously composed as she stared at one of the walls.
"Nene," she said, and the concerned red-head turned her green eyes to her
leader, "tomorrow I want you to find out what happened when Darlene fought
ADPolice."
     "Sure, Sylia. It'll probably be all over the station anyway. But what
are you going to do?" When Sylia didn't reply immediately, Nene felt dread
seeping into her heart. "You're not planning on doing something to Darlene,
are you?"
     "Nene..." Linna began, but Sylia waved a hand, stopping her.
     "I don't like thinking about it, Nene, but I must make some hard
decisions on this matter. I have gotten fond of her," she admitted, "and even
consider her a friend, but if she ever loses control again..." her voice
trailed off, letting her listeners' imaginations fill in the details and not
feeling very pleasant for having to do so. "We may have to do something...
drastic in order to prevent even more destruction, even if I don't know what
yet."
     Then an angry, bitter voice that came from nowhere in particular,
snapped, "If you MUST plot my capture or death, do it elsewhere!" All six
women froze as they realized Darlene must have heard every word. "I'm feeling
suicidal ENOUGH without you saying I'm the Herald of Doomsday! And right now
with these damn ears of mine I can't help listening to it so do it SOMEWHERE
ELSE!!" She stopped talking, and an accusing silence filled the room.
     Sylia's face was ashen as she realized she might have worsened matters,
and damaging whatever trust there was between them. "I am sorry, Darlene,"
she said quietly.
     No one expected a reply, but Darlene surprised them. "I know. You had to
say it," her voice said, no longer angry and just as quiet as Sylia's
response. "Besides, I was thinking along the same lines for a while. Good
night, everyone." There was a brief pause, then, "Live long and prosper."
There was a disembodied giggle that accompanied the various groans and sighs
that filled the room. "Sorry, it's these ears. Night."
     Priss pushed off the wall she had been leaning on. "Let's go. She's
gonna be okay."
     "Are you sure, Priss?" Linna queried.
     "If she's making bad jokes about it, then she's recovering just fine,"
was Priss' sour response, albeit with a small grin on her lips.
     The audible "Hmph!" as they left the store brought smiles to the rest of
the group. 

     Darlene sighed after her indignant response, then irritably brushed an
errant strand of newly lengthened hair out of her face.
     She supposed she was recovering, but one look at the floor told her she
wasn't over it yet, far from it. There were gashes made in the floor's
material, done by her bare fingers when Sylia had made that comment and anger
had flared high. She had gotten a hold of herself quickly, the night's events
as a result of that fiery anger fresh in her mind had acted as a reminder of
the consequences from lack of control. Darlene shuddered.
     "Well, I'm not tired at all," she observed aloud. "Might as well fix up
the place."
     Looking down at the damaged floor, her eyes narrowed in concentration
and slowly the carpet reformed back into its original, whole state. Darlene
shook her head when finished, amazed still at not having to speak a magical
rhyme, even for something as minor as fixing a few scratches. Something
larger would still require it without the Wild Magic filling her, save when
her emotions ran high as when she had thrown the Sabers out of her room.
     A sudden shift surprised her. She looked down at herself, and stared.
     Her elven armour getup, that she hadn't figured out yet, had vanished
only to be replaced by more ordinary clothes. Gone was the cloak and upper
clothing, replaced by a white blouse and...purple ribbon?!? The deceptively
less armoured purple pants were now just blue jeans. The belt for them had a
stylized dragon on a largish belt buckle. Her gloves were gone, as too the
boots but white socks with purple stripes replacing them. She frowned, and
shifting slightly she felt something she had never worn before underneath her
shirt. What was there she decided she really didn't want to see after
noticing the damn ribbons.
     Darlene hadn't done this.
     Or rather, she had. Only her magic had acted on a faint desire to get
out of the fantasy armour and likely some subconscious part of her had
decided what to do about it. And her subconscious had some decidedly funny
ideas her conscious didn't approve of.
     This was why she didn't want company around her at the moment. This was
the second time her magic had reacted without her full control, true she was
more comfortable, save one... erk... no, TWO aspects, but the way it had been
done was unnerving to say the least. She sighed, it was doubtful full control
would come in only two days. Maybe if she worked on control tonight she
wouldn't have to worry. At least fixing her home would be distracting.
     There were still a lot of things for her to think about. Namely: why
wasn't she tired? Would she feel it later? And what was with her eyes that
everyone found so fascinating? She had looked in a mirror and didn't notice
anything odd other than the newly purple hue to her irises, but SOMETHING
must be there.
     She thought up a partial solution to the eye problem as she went on to
clean up the damage she had caused.
     Simple really.
     She felt slightly ridiculous, but it should work.  

Chapter Twenty-Eight 
--------------------  

LATE(10 A.M.) THE NEXT MORNING... 

     BRRRIIIINNNGGGG!!!
     "Hello?"
     "Darlene? I see you've turned off your monitor." Nervous laughter. "I
guess I can understand why."
     "Leon..."
 
     An hour later, one purple-haired elf opened the doors to ADPolice
headquarters wondering if this was really a good idea. She thought her magic
was behaving now, even after a few minor mishaps late at night, so she had
given in to Leon's persuasive arguments. A pang of guilt also prodded her on.
     She still wore the clothes that had been conjured, more out of fear of
what might replace it than anything else. And one addition.
     A young female officer, who was on reception duty behind the transparent
plastic, looked up to see who had come in, and stared. Darlene's unusual
nature was not obvious due to two things. One was her long, flowing purple
hair that hid her pointed ears nicely. Another was the pair of dark
sunglasses she had created to hide her eyes. She felt silly; 'Elf Wearing
Dark Shades Confesses to Crimes.' Yaright. Still, the movements of her taller
and lithe new body were flowing and graceful, attracting unwanted eyes. And
this was also the reason the girl at the desk was looking at her with an
expression of mixed admiration and awe, something Darlene wasn't terribly
comfortable with.
     She finally reached the clear plastic(bullet-proof) barrier and smiled.
"Hi, I believe Inspector McNichol has arranged a visitor's pass for me?"
Darlene said, wincing internally at the musical quality of her voice that she
was unable to repress.
     The girl blinked once, then blushed crimson with embarrassment as she
realized she had been blatantly staring at Darlene. "Right! Ah... just a
second while I verify this... um...?" She looked up again, inquiringly.
     "Valanna. Valanna Ellantora" Darlene replied while sighing internally,
giving the name she had made up and given to Leon to use. Yet another alias;
she would need a list to keep track of them all at this rate.
     The girl blinked at the rather unusual name but typed it in anyway and
got an affirmative response. "Okay, it'll take just a second."
     "No hurry," Darlene said, smiling once she thought about this whole
conversation.
     Out of Darlene's sight, elevator doors opened and a man and a woman
stepped out. The woman being stunningly attractive but with an angry scowl on
her face. The man had to hurry to keep up with her as she stormed out of the
elevator.
     "'We'll inform you if we find anything positive.' Hah!" the woman
muttered bitterly. "Like what?!"
     "Calm down, bud. You aren't making things any better," Bochinski said,
trying to calm his radically altered friend.
     They were at the doors when he finished and there Wadderson whirled
angrily on his friend. "And HOW do you suggest I make things better?"
     "Buying a new wardrobe for one," her friend replied, pointing at the
ill-fitting clothes she still wore upon her newly-curvaceous form. "The baggy
look isn't in."
     Despite her negative feelings about her recent changes, Wadderson shook
her head disbelievingly at her partner's comments. "Doesn't anything damn
well faze you? I mean..." Her voice died.
     "Hey, it's a survival trait. If I let everything bother me, I'd be
Boomer chow," Bochinski responded glibly, then noticed the wide-eyed look of
shock on his altered partner's face. "What?"
     "It's HER!" she whispered.
     "Her?" Turning his head, he saw the elevator begin closing but not
before he glimpsing a beautiful, purple-haired woman standing inside...
Waitasec. PURPLE-haired? "Oh, shit," he said softly, finally recognizing the
woman and knowing what he would see once he turned his head back to his
partner. Twisting his head back around, he looked.
     He was right. 

     Outside the building, a man picked up the phone in his parked car.
     "Someone matching the description just went into ADPolice," he reported
to his superior. "Orders?"
     "Wait to make sure she stays there," came the prompt reply. "There may
be some wait but you will be joined by more operatives. Under NO, and I mean
NO circumstances do you make contact."
     "Understood. Out." 

     "Leon, just who are we waiting for that's got you so tense?" Daley said,
wondering what was going on. His partner had told him that someone important
was coming to talk with them, but had been very tight-lipped about details on
who the person might be.
     Leon looked up at his partner as he was sitting behind his desk and
Daley standing beside it, and gave his red-headed friend a slightly uncertain
smile that was supposed to reassure. It failed miserably. "I'm expecting
someone who might give us more info on what happened last night."
     "Who?"
     "Ah..." Leon began, then stood up from his chair when he saw something.
"She's just arrived."
     Daley turned around to the same direction Leon was looking, and his jaw
almost dropped to the floor when he realized who had walked into the semi-
busy room. She was wearing shades, hair concealed her ears, and wasn't
wearing fantasy armour, but it was definitely the Elf. Wearing a visitor's
pass?? As well as looking a lot less sure of herself and slightly nervous,
Daley noted to himself, which was the only reason he wasn't shouting for
everyone to clear the room.
     "I'm sure I'll love the story about how you managed this," Daley said in
a low voice to Leon as the graceful movements of the Elf brought her closer
to them. He hoped no one else would notice who had just waltzed in.
     Leon wasn't able to manage a retort before the Elf walked up to his
desk, looking at the two detectives anxiously before settling on Leon. She
hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Does he know?" she asked him, Leon
shook his head and Daley's eyebrows rose as he wondered at the familiarity
between the two. She turned to face Daley. "Okay then." She took a deep
breath and began, "Daley, as my cover is blown, you deserve to know the whole
truth. I am the elven High Lord for this planet and Leon is an undercover
satyr, if you knew satyrs this would have been obvious. Our mission is to
secure this world against the forces of the evil Grytophs. You know these
magical beasts in their disguised forms as Boomers. Unfortunately, one of
their High Potantors drove me temporarily insane after shattering my disguise
and I went on a rampage after her. Now that I have returned to my senses, I
see that we need help. We need you, Daley, to join the Yaniuu," she finished,
trying to stifle her laughter at Leon's own surprised amusement and at
Daley's stunned disbelief at what he had just heard.
     "Say WHAT?!" Daley exclaimed, incredulous.
     That did it. Darlene couldn't stop her laughter though she tried
stifling it with her hands, Leon joined in a second later. Slowly it dawned
on Daley that he'd been had.
     "I... I'm sorry," she managed to gasp out. "I just couldn't resist!"
     "That was bad, even for you, 'Valanna,'" Leon said, using the alias and
grinning despite the reasons she had come here.
     "All right, all right, so I fell for that, but how do you know her,
Leon?" Daley said, getting increasingly confused by their familiarity.
     Darlene's laughter died, and soberly her shades turned to him again.
"You know me too, Daley. But last night I did more than breaking a table in
half. I WAS insane; that much was true," she finished despondently looking
down at the floor.
     It took a second for the reference to make sense to him, but when it did
it hit him like a hammer on the head. "DAR..." he started to say, but she
quickly put a finger on his lips, silencing him.
     "Please don't," she pleaded after taking her finger back. "I feel bad
enough about last night."
     "Like what you did to Wadderson?" Leon said with a level tone.
     Darlene blinked. "Who?" she asked, confused.
     "Remember when two of my men were about to escort you?" he clarified,
not able to completely suppress the anger he felt about that, but she still
shook her head. He frowned, and Daley, recovering from the shock of finding
out who the Elf really was, widened his eyes and shook his head minutely.
Leon realized that Darlene actually didn't remember, and tried to backtrack.
"Well, I'll go into that later but..."
     "No," Darlene interrupted fiercely, "I need to know what I did! It
sounds bad but I don't remember what you're talking about!" She paled a
little. "I didn't kill anyone, did I?" Before Leon could answer her there was
a commotion at the large room's entrance.
     "YOU!!!!" a furious female voice screamed. Leon swore, recognizing the
voice, and started around his desk. But the one who had shouted was already
running straight for Darlene.
     Who had turned around, ready to defend herself, but froze at the sight
of the transformed Wadderson. Memory flashed through her mind like a
lightning bolt and if she had been pale before, she went bone-white as she
remembered what she had done to the woman rushing her.
     Faster than those watching thought possible, the furious blonde
barrelled right into the stunned elf. To everyone's amazement, they shattered
Leon's desk with the force of impact and continued on to the wall where
Darlene was slammed into the re-enforced wall, making a crater in the
structure. None of this fazed Wadderson, who was too deep in her own fury to
notice what she had accomplished. She immediately started pummelling her
opponent with rapid-fire punches to face and torso. "Changemeback!
Changemebackchangemebackchangemeback!" Wadderson rapidly kept repeating over
and over, tears she had refused to shed before now flowing freely.
     "Bud! Stop it!" Bochinski cried out, and tried to restrain his partner
by gripping her shoulder. Blinded by fury, Wadderson swung a backhand at him,
and connected with bone-crushing force. There was the sound of bones breaking
and he flew backwards over the heads of the frozen audience to slam into the
other side of the wall.
     Not comprehending what she had done, she turned back to the elf ready to
begin again, but stopped.
     Despite Wadderson's obviously increased strength, Darlene seemed quite
fine other than a few bruises and cuts on her face, which were already
starting to fade for her new body was built far stronger than her normal one.
Still, she had done nothing to defend herself and her eyes were closed for
the glasses were crushed on the ground.
     "Damn you," the blonde grated, and she grabbed the elf, pulling her out
of the hole they had made in the wall. Angrily, she shook the other at the
shoulders. "Why aren't you fighting me!? Am I too far beneath your damn
notice!?" she shouted.
     Darlene shook her head. "No," the captive whispered.
     "Look at me, damn you! Look me in the eyes!"
     Slowly, the elven face rose, and Darlene obeyed.
     Wadderson froze as the effect that had gripped everyone who saw
Darlene's new eyes took hold. ALL her feelings rose to the fore, reducing the
anger to merely one emotion of many. The feeling was indescribable as she
continued to stare at Darlene's sad eyes, which were filling with tears.
     "I'm sorry," the elven woman said, a bead of moisture fell from one eye.
"I wasn't myself when I did this to you." Her gaze lowered slightly. "And I
don't think I can reverse it either because I think I remember doing...
something to make it permanent. I know what I did was... wrong and that you
probably hate me. I can understand that all too well. But I can only say that
I am sorry." Between her hands she created another pair of dark glasses and
put them on.
     That broke the eye contact, but Wadderson was slow to come out of her
trance. She had looked into Darlene's eyes longer than anyone else and had
begun to see something that appeared both wonderful and terrible. She dazedly
wondered if it was good or bad that it was gone now. The elf's words came
back to her. 'I can understand that all too well'? Did that mean...? Then
Wadderson's eyes opened wide in horrified remembrance and realization.
"Bochinski!!" she shouted, paling, remembering the sound of bones breaking.
     "Finally snap out of it, bud?" was her partner's concerned and
unexpected reply. Wadderson whirled around and saw him in front of the
audience of cops that had been watching the confrontation. Standing
unsupported when he should have been a broken wreck.
     Stunned, Wadderson released the elf and slowly came over to the now
grinning Bochinski. She stopped in front of him and looked at every part of
his body. His clothes were a little blood-stained but that was it. "How...?"
was all she was able to manage, indicating his unbroken body.
     He could only shrug helplessly, grinning. "Got me. I still feel sore
though. Remind me never to spar with you when your angry again."
     Before Wadderson could respond to that, the Chief arrived.
     "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!?" he bellowed and every police officer
in the room suddenly felt hesitant to explain what had happened.
     However, Darlene wasn't an officer and remembered that the Chief had
insulted her a long time ago. Therefore... "We were having a little
disagreement," she answered him sweetly, and caught him off-guard with her
musical voice. "I phoned Mr. McNichol to apologize for last night, because it
wasn't really my fault but I still felt sorry for all the damage I caused."
She sighed dramatically, getting incredulous looks from everyone in the room,
save Leon and Daley who were grinning slightly
     "And who the devil are you?" the Chief demanded, trying to get back the
high ground he sensed he had lost.
     "Well.... People have been calling me the 'Elf,'" she grinned. "I wonder
why?" she said, brushing back her hair to reveal her pointed ears.
     The Chief, however, was not so ready to believe this and he rounded on
the grinning Leon. "McNichol! Are you still trying to get me to believe that
crazy story of yours?! Elf, my ass!" He didn't notice Darlene's frown and the
subsequent gesture she made. "It's all a crock of bullshit!"
     "Chief, I didn't lie before and I'm not lying now," Leon said, defending
himself. "I..." He stopped talking and stared at the Chief's head.
     "'I' what, McNichol?" the Chief demanded, then noticed Leon's wondering
stare. He then noticed his scalp felt... odd, like a half-forgotten memory
trying to make itself known. Everyone was staring at him now, or rather, his
head. The female, who had called herself the Elf, giggled. "What the
hell...?" he wondered and reached up to feel the top of his head, and
encountered much more hair than there had been ten minutes ago. Disbelieving,
he used both hands to confirm that his hair, that had been absent from his
head save that at the sides, was growing once more and was now beginning to
gain respectable length.
     "Hair to the Chief?" the Elf said innocently, and grinned.
     "McNichol," the Chief said, voice level and hands still on his head.
     "Yes, sir?"
     "Take care of this case, and don't tell me anything more about it."
     "Ah...yes, sir."
     "I'm taking the rest of the day off." And with that, the Chief left.
     Daley released the breath he had been holding. "That went well," he
commented.
     "Right," Leon said, unable to repress a chuckle. "Okay, Bochinski,
Wadderson, and... Valanna, you'd better come with Daley and me to a more," he
looked around at the interested observers, "private location." He looked at
his destroyed desk and sighed. "Oh, well," he mourned.
     Darlene looked at him curiously, then shrugged and said,

               "Damage done by fires of rage,
                Become undone at this my rhyme,
                Fury now contained in cage,
                Turning back the sands of time."

     Before everyone's disbelieving eyes, the shattered pieces of Leon's desk
reassembled themselves and reformed whole. The hole made in the wall pushed
itself back out and plaster, like a puzzle, returned piece by piece to where
it originally had been. Soon, not a trace of the damage done by Wadderson's
attack remained.
     Leon stared for a long while, before saying, "Maybe we'd better hurry." 

     "So you want me to repair the street?"
     "NO!"
     Darlene recoiled in her chair at Leon's vehement response. They had all
moved into one of ADPolice's interrogation rooms and were all seated around
the room's single table. Darlene and Leon on opposite ends; Daley and the two
altered officers on the other two sides. "Do you need a megaphone to make
that any louder?" she said, dripping sarcasm. "My ears ARE a little
sensitive, Leon. Why not?"
     "Sorry, but last night and the display in the office should be the
limit." Wadderson shrank in her seat a little because the latter was mostly
her fault. "There's no telling what more public display might do, even if you
fix it enough people have seen the damage so that if it magically disappears
they'll REALLY start wondering. Once they might disbelieve, twice..." He
shook his head.
     "Getting back to closer topics," Bochinski said. "Just what DID you do
to us two, miss?" He indicated the female Wadderson and himself.
     Darlene sighed. "I was operating more on instinct than any actual
knowledge so I'm not sure HOW I did it, but what I actually did... I know
something about that. It felt like poetic justice at the time, for I used the
insult as the basis of what I did." Seeing the two's confused looks, she
explained, "You said 'bitch'. A bitch is a female dog... or wolf. I said I
split it in twain and I did. One part to shape Wadderson, another to shape
Bochinski. I added my own changes to that of course, but I'm foggy on most."
     "Wait," Bochinski said. "I think I'm getting this. You split the meaning
of the word bitch and made Wadderson female for the female half of the
definition. But that leaves the other and I certainly don't look like a dog."
     "Wolf," Darlene softly corrected, "and I expanded on that."
     He shook his head. "I still don't get it."
     "Let's just say you only have to worry about silver bullets now, instead
of normal ones," she said, hinting at the truth.
     "Wolf..." Bochinski's eyes widened as he finally realized what had been
done to him. "WEREwolf!"
     "Bingo." She gave him a sad smile. "And don't worry, you have, should
have anyway, full control over it so don't worry about going berserk when the
moon is full." She considered him thoughtfully. "I'm not sure how powerful
your healing abilities are but you recovered from broken bones pretty
quickly."
     Bochinski was silent for a moment, absorbing this news, then said, "Will
I be needing flea collars?" Darlene stared at him incredulously.
     Wadderson groaned, and whacked her partner lightly on the head. "That's
the absolute least of your concerns, idiot!"
     "You never know..." he protested.
     "Oh, shut up!" she said, exasperated at her partner's lack of reaction
to their predicament. "I didn't think of this at the time but knocking you
THROUGH a desk is a little hard to swallow. How strong am I now? And how come
I didn't notice it?"
     Darlene shrugged helplessly. "I have no idea to either question. I don't
know how that happened. As to the second, I can only guess that somehow you
must have been given the ability to control it."
     Leon stepped into the conversation then. "Alright then. You two," he
said, pointing at the changed officers, "go down to the gym and find out what
you can do." He held up a hand to stop their protests. "I know the docs said
you should go home, but don't you think you'd feel better if you know more
about what happened?" At their reluctant nods, he smiled. "Hey, at least
you'll have an easier time against Boomers."
     Wadderson snorted. "Small consolation, sir," she said before she left
the room, a thoughtful Bochinski behind.
     There was uncomfortable silence in the room for a minute after they
left, then Leon cleared his throat. "Do you mind telling us what's going on?"
     "Leon, Daley," Darlene began, then sighed and began again. "I can't
promise to tell you everything, but... I'll tell you what I can."
     "One thing," Leon interrupted. "Will this happen again?"
     "I didn't know this COULD happen in the FIRST place," Darlene snapped,
frustrated. "It surprised me too and it only happened because Madagan got me
so... so furious." She shook her head. "Now that I know I should be able to
prevent it. I DON'T like losing control of myself," she stressed that before
continuing, "and I'll be relieved when I change back."
     "Does Nene know?" Leon asked quietly.
     "Nene?" Darlene squeaked, caught off-guard. "Ah..."
     "She does," he said. It wasn't a question. Suspicion grew in him.
     "She didn't know I could cast magic!" Darlene protested. "Besides, I've
had some trouble with my spells since I got tossed into this universe." She
paused when she saw Daley's eyes widen at that piece of news. "Maybe I
shouldn't have said that," she said weakly.
     Leon managed to ignore that last revelation. "Are you human?"
     "Yes!" She glared at his chuckle, flushing slightly. "Not that you could
tell at the moment," she muttered. "Are you enjoying yourself?" she added
with an ominous voice.
     "Well, I have to admit this is refreshing, in it's own weird way, now
that I'm getting used to the concept."
     "Glad you think so," she sighed, putting elbows on knees and placed her
chin on her palms.
     "What about the Knight Sabers and the Crystal Knight?"
     Darlene sighed internally; she'd better start acting (the word sounded
better than lying) or else Leon would start finding out more than she wanted
him to know. "The Knight Sabers know the Crystal Knight and the Crystal
Knight knows me."
     Leon exchanged looks with Daley. "How do you know him?"
     "Because he comes from the same universe I do, except he has psionic
instead of magical powers. Because the same thing that was SUPPOSED to have
killed us changed us instead and gave us our powers. Because in that way
we're... related in a strange manner, having both survived the impossible.
Because while he made his armour, I enchanted it to give it its power, and if
you say anything about 'aiding a vigilante', Leon, I'll turn you into a
frog."
     "You mean a toad," Daley corrected.
     Darlene gave him a withering glare, felt even through the dark glasses,
then stood up. "I could talk all day, Leon, but I'd rather do it when I'm
back to normal. Besides, I think you'll be busy with the two I... changed."
Sadness flickered on her face before she got a hold of herself. "I'll be
staying at home for the next two days."
     "Before you go," Leon said, "what did you do about Genom's problem?"
     "Genom? What are... you... Oh no, not again," she moaned. "What did I
DO?! Did I block out everything?!" she cried out, then slumped her shoulders.
     "You weren't exactly yourself," Daley said soothingly.
     "Yeah. Small consolation." Darlene shook her head and braced herself.
"What did I do, Leon?"
     "You mentioned something about a disintegration spell," he stopped when
she staggered a bit, the memory returning to her, but continued when she
waved a hand, "but before that you made some kind of monster and sent it
somewhere. That's about it. Are you all right?" he said, concerned, as all
color drained from her face.
     "Yeah," she said, weakly. If he survived, Malkon was going to be very,
very pissed. Great. "I'd better get going. To Genom first, I suppose."
     "Are you sure?"
     "Do you want Genom tower?"
     Leon and Daley turned to each other and exchanged a startled look. "Is
what you did THAT strong?" Leon asked, feeling slightly numb.
     She gave him a long, sober look, answering him.  

Chapter Twenty-Nine 
------------------- 

     "You didn't have to escort me out of the building," Darlene protested as
she, Leon, and Daley walked out of the elevator.
     "We're still fixing Headquarters from an attack a few days ago," Leon
cast a wry look at Darlene, "we don't want anything else happening to it."
     She stuck her tongue out at him as they passed through the glass doors
outside.
     Daley was the first to notice, and stopped. "Hey, Leon."
     "What?" Then he saw too, and swore. "Damn."
     "What's the..." Darlene began, then saw the man in a suit and dark
glasses who practically had 'Genom' stamped on him walking across the street,
heading for them. "Oh."
     The three stayed where they were and warily let the Genom messenger come
to them. When he got within a meter, he stopped and bowed to the elf, which
surprised Darlene. "On behalf of my superior, I humbly ask that you please
come with us to Genom tower."
     Exchanging looks with Leon and Daley, Darlene inquired, "Superior?"
     "Yes," the man waved to where several cars were parked. One of the car
doors opened and a familiar figure stepped out.
     "I'm surprised SHE came," Leon said quietly.
     Darlene wasn't sure what she should be feeling seeing Madagan again.
Certainly she had a range of options to choose from, but... there was still
that matter of the spell on Genom tower.
     "I guess I've got my ride," she said, sighing. 

     Needless to say, it was an uncomfortable trip with only the two of them
riding together in the back of the limo. Darlene was still angry about the
way Madagan had treated her, but was feeling guilty over what she had done
after, even knowing Madagan might have killed her. Madagan, on the other
hand, knew she needed Darlene's help to counteract whatever was destroying
Genom tower, but realized she still felt afraid of the elven woman and was
angry with herself about that, even though she had good reason. They stayed
silent the whole way, with only occasional glances at the other.
     Finally they arrived at the tower and both got out of the vehicle.
     Darlene looked up, and up, and up, at the massive structure. "You know,
it really doesn't need to be so BIG. Get a neckache just trying to see the
top. Sheesh!"
     Madagan blinked at her, surprised at the comment, then smiled slightly,
surprising herself. "It's supposed to be a refection of how much importance
Genom has in the world," she said dryly but with some pride.
     "SOMEone has a big ego," Darlene muttered. Then giggled at something
that occurred to her. When Madagan frowned at her, puzzled, she said, "Um, I
don't know if anyone's ever thought of this, but if you imagine Mega-Tokyo as
the face of the world, then Genom tower could be seem as one big zit."
     "Really," Madagan said in icy tones.
     "And I might be the facial cleanser," Darlene continued, imitating the
Genom exec's cold manner. A look of sudden fear arose on Madagan's face, but
the elven mage sighed and shook her head. "Don't take things so personally.
I didn't mean to insult you. Lighten up, Miss Doom and Gloom." Then she
placed a hand over her face, and grimaced. "Look who's talking. Well, at
least I'M making an effort." She sniffed haughtily.
     Madagan pursed her lips, uncertain how to respond. Then started walking
for the tower entrance. "We'd better hurry," she said, not looking back
behind her.
     Darlene quickly arrived at her side. "Sourpuss." Madagan's back muscles
twitched. "No wonder I was thinking of doing that to you when I was insane."
     Pausing as she swung open the door, Madagan said, "Doing what?"
     "I was toying with the idea of turning you into a panther. Purple fur,
jewelled collar. The works. You would've been my puddy tat," Darlene said,
coyly sweet, lightly tapping a suddenly pale Madagan on the nose with a
smile.
     The purple-haired exec jerked away, face slightly pale, and fled through
the entrance.
     "What? The idea of becoming a cat not to your liking?" Darlene said
sarcastically, following close behind. "Oh, boo hoo. Tsk tsk. I'm SO
heartbroken. What's the matter? Don't like feeling heeeeelpless?" she sniped
wickedly at Madagan.
     Who furiously turned around, face wrathful from Darlene's remarks. "WILL
YOU STOP THAT!!" she shouted, finally fed up. Several people around them
looked at her, startled, and those who knew Madagan's cool reputation,
shocked. None were more surprised than Madagan when Darlene glided
uncomfortably close to her and wrapped slender, but strong, arms around her
body, drawing them close together.
     "But I don't want to," Darlene purred seductively, Madagan's eyes flew
wide open, horrified. "You really are a very attractive woman, Madagan. We
should let bygones be bygones. And maybe take things a little further, hmmm?"
she said suggestively and dissolved her dark shades, letting them see eye to
eye at last.
     Madagan, on the verge of panic, wondered momentarily why the elven woman
had been covering her eyes, but when she began to see deeper things in the
purple orbs that unnaturally evoked feelings within herself she jerked her
head away, not wanting to fall under some spell. "Let me go! Have you gone
mad again?" she cried, struggling to get out of the elf's too-solid embrace
and trying not to look at those eyes.
     Darlene blinked.
     Shook her head.
     Then realized who she was holding, and why.
     "AAAAHHHHHH!!!!" If she had hugged a white hot flame, Darlene would have
removed her arms less quickly than from around Madagan. Stepping back
quickly, she hugged herself tightly and shivered violently. "W-What the HECK
am I DOING?!?"
     Backing up slightly and regarding her nervously, Madagan said, "That's
what I'd like to know."
     "My magic isn't acting up anymore," Darlene said to herself, getting
over the shock of what she had tried to do, "but now my emotions are! Damn!"
she swore angrily. "I thought I didn't have to worry about anything else!"
     "This is because of your change?" Madagan asked warily.
     "No, I always try seducing women who've tried to kill me," Darlene
replied caustically, and Madagan's cheeks colored slightly. "Of course it
is!" Trying to get a hold of herself Darlene took a deep breath to calm down
and let her arms down to her sides. "I'd better remove that spell then leave
as soon as I can. Elevator?" she asked Madagan, creating a new pair of
glasses, strangely difficult to do but she dismissed it, and wearing them.
     "This way," Madagan said, and started walking again, "lover."
     Darlene nodded, following her, then did a double-take when she realized
what Madagan had said.
     "Great," she muttered sourly, "NOW she gets a sense of humor."
     In front of the elven woman, Madagan smiled at the comment. 

     "Y'know," Darlene commented as she stared at what her spell was doing,
"I didn't think so at the time but this is REAL disturbing."
     She and Madagan, along with a few technicians nervously watching at the
sides, were at the very top of Genom tower. The top was mostly a large flat
platform. However, a huge spherical pit was being gouged from the center of
the metal platform, and if you watched carefully you could see it slowly
growing.
     "It's continuing to accelerate," Madagan informed the creator of the
destructive spell.
     "Just great. Well, better stop it," Darlene said and raised her hands.
She began to cast a spell to nullify the destruction, but staggered after a
moment, almost collapsing.
     "What's wrong?" Madagan asked in a worried manner, for the pit WAS
starting to gain worrisome speed.
     "Can't cast a spell," Darlene panted.
     "WHAT?!" Madagan screamed. "WHY NOT?!"
     "I've been up since early YESTERDAY morning, though I don't feel tired,
I've channelled raw magical energy of a degree I've never handled before, got
rid of it in an abrupt manner, and have been casting minor spells since then.
I guess I should've wondered why I'm not flat on my back, not just unable to
cast a coherent spell. I'm almost at my limit." She looked worried as she
contemplated the growing pit.
     "Can't you think of anything?"
     Darlene paused. "Maybe..." she mused aloud, then held out a hand. A
moment later her sword appeared.
     "What good will that do?"
     "My sword is linked to me and was made to act as a focus for spells,"
Darlene explained. "I can still direct power into IT and destroy the
disintegration spell with a burst of greater power. I think." She frowned.
"This is purely by instinct, but I think it'll work. My instincts have gotten
a lot better in this form, but in any case I suggest everyone get back. This
might not be very neat."
     "Do we have a choice?" Madagan dryly replied, and waved all personnel
away from the ever-growing pit.
     Darlene didn't reply, she was too busy concentrating. Suddenly, her
sword blade burst into purple flames and, after flipping the blade so that it
pointed down, with both hands gripping the handle leaped high and fell, the
burning blade's point first, into the exact center of the pit.
     From Madagan's viewpoint, Darlene vanished from her sight, followed by
a moment's silence. Then the pit vanished as a burst of intense violet light
erupted out of the crater.
     KKKKK-TOOOOOMMMM! 

     A slim hand came over the edge of the now-glassy pit, dragging Darlene
up with it. "I'm definitely staying home for a while after this," she
muttered as she came over the lip of the hole. She had been wondering why she
hadn't felt tired before; now she knew as she felt weariness like a big black
cloud approaching on the horizon. Darlene had told the others that it would
be two days before she changed back, but that was when she hadn't cast many
spells. Somehow she must have retained some kind of residual charge from the
Wild magic. If she had done nothing it WOULD have been two days. Now...
     "Stop right there, girl," someone, no, she knew that voice, said.
     Darlene looked up for the first time, and swore explosively. What
remained at the top of the tower was now practically filled with wall-to-
wall Boomers, both the combat models, BU-12s and the more general purpose
55-Cs. Quincy was the one who had spoken, but given his preference for
android duplicates she highly doubted he was actually here. Madagan didn't
look too happy about this development, a surprise in itself, from concern for
Darlene or for the Chairman she didn't know.
     "An impressive display of power you gave us last night, and today as
well," Quincy commented.
     Darlene was not in the mood for talking with Quincy, not now, all she
wanted was to get back to her store and damned if she was going to put up
with this bullshit any longer. Her patience quota was gone. "MR. Chairman,"
she grated out, Madagan stepped back a bit, having a better idea of what was
going to happen than Quincy, "I'm sorry I almost destroyed your tower, even
though it was pretty much Genom's fault. But now, I just want to go home and
relax, and if you think this bunch of Boomers is impressing me one bit,
you're dead wrong. If you WANT to discuss something with me, do it later."
That said, ignoring all the androids around her, she began heading for the
elevator.
     Quincy frowned, and gestured at two blue 55-Cs. They ran to grab the
elven woman.
     Darlene didn't halt her forward momentum, but her sword arm BLURRED when
her would-be captors got within striking range. She might be unable to cast
spells at the moment, but her physical abilities had been greatly improved in
her new form and her sword was a very formidable weapon. In effect, it was
akin to putting a hand into a food processor.
     Totally ignoring the stunned Quincy as the pieces of sliced Boomer fell
behind her, she nodded to Madagan. "Shall we go?" she said as she passed the
gaping Genom exec.
     "Sir?" Madagan hesitantly asked her superior.
     "Get that... woman out of the tower," Quincy replied, having no
illusions that someone who dispatched two regular Boomers that swiftly would
have much trouble avoiding and destroying the rest.
     "Yes, sir." Madagan hurried after the departing mage.
     Not at all angry, Quincy looked over the remains of the two destroyed
Boomers. "Impressive indeed..." he mused quietly. "So. Magic." The Chairman
thought for a moment. 
     Then chuckled deeply.

     It was about an hour later when Darlene and Madagan arrived at the
magic-user's store. Darlene heaved a sigh of relief and was about to open the
door when Madagan stopped her with a hand gesture.
     "Wait." It took her a few seconds to compose herself, but Madagan asked,
"I know you must have SOMETHING to do with the Crystal Knight. Will you tell
me?"
     Darlene grimaced, another 'my brother the Knight' story, but nodded. "If
it'll get Genom off our backs, sure." She ran a hand through her purple hair
before starting. "I guess we're kinda like brother and sister, in a way. We
both survived something that should have killed us but changed our bodies and
gave us our powers instead. Don't try finding it," she emphasised flatly,
"it's not even in this universe. I, and he you call the Crystal Knight,
arrived in your universe involuntarily. I started a shop to keep myself busy
and support myself, he likes fighting Boomers." Darlene shrugged at Madagan's
disbelieving stare. "It's true.  And if I can change into a more powerful
form then he probably can too. I'd remember that if I were you." The elven
woman made a mental note to remember that sudden notion herself. "Oh, yeah,
while he made his armor, I enchanted it to give it its power. There's no
technology involved; even if you got his suit you wouldn't get anything from
it. Anything else?" She arched an elven eyebrow.
     "No," Madagan said, trying to digest the information she was given.
     "Good, because if Genom comes even SEMI-near to my shop again I'll be
REAL pissed." Darlene grinned rather nastily at the Genom exec, past events
giving force behind her words, before opening the door and leaving Madagan to
dwell in her own juices; SHE just wanted some truly desired sleep.
     Opening the first door, she felt a sudden, yet intense, twinge of pain
that seemed to have originated somewhere in the vicinity of her guts. It left
her momentarily breathless and pale, but she quickly shook it off. "Damn,"
she whispered, feeling dread, "I hope I didn't push myself TOO far." She
opened the second door rather quickly. 
     Anri was the first to see her and almost shouted her name aloud, then
remembered the former red-head's changes and rushed over angrily instead.
Seeing Anri move led Sylvie to notice Darlene too, and the brown-haired
sexaroid frowned. Both their reactions left the transformed mage somewhat
bewildered. She was certainly surprised when normally mild Anri gripped her
wrist firmly and near-dragged Darlene over to Sylvie.
     "Anri, what...?!?" Darlene began, but Sylvie cut her off.
     "WHAT were you doing?! You shouldn't have gone out like THAT!" the
taller sexaroid said, whispering furiously and giving Darlene a glare hot
enough to melt steel, Anri nodding fiercely in agreement.
     The mage wilted a bit under the double barrage. "I had to do a few
things..." she said weakly. "They just couldn't wait."
     Sylvie didn't let up her glare. "We were ALL worried when Anri went up
and found that you weren't there!" When Darlene's eyes widened in
realization, she nodded. "Of COURSE we called Sylia and the others; we
thought you might have gone to one of their places. Imagine OUR surprise when
Nene, who was at work today, reported the rather shocking news that you were
at ADPolice! She's not very happy, and neither are the rest of us. As a
matter of fact, Priss is upstairs, keeping guard in case you showed up there.
We have all been worried sick considering what happened to you!"
     "I'm sorry," Darlene replied, looking down at the floor slightly
ashamed. "I just thought...that if I left secretly then came back you
wouldn't worry. There WERE things I HAD to do."
     Sylvie frowned, noting something wrong with Darlene's explanation. "If
you got past us without us knowing why didn't you do the same thing you used
before?"
     "I...can't," Darlene answered reluctantly.
     "You can't? Why not?" Anri demanded.
     "I overextended myself doing the things I did and..." Darlene's eyes
opened wide with shock when a greater wave, not a twinge this time, of pain
hit. She staggered forwards and a startled Sylvie and Anri caught her.
"...And I think I'll soon be making a full payment for what I did; a little
earlier than the two days I predicted," she finished weakly as she got her
breath back.
     "Upstairs! Quickly!" a worried Sylvie ordered Anri and the two, with one
of Darlene's arms around each sexaroid, dragged her upstairs.
     Priss had been sprawled on Darlene's couch, but quickly got off when she
saw the two dragging Darlene up. "What the hell happened?" she demanded.
     The elven woman weakly laughed. "An exhausted elf, that's what." Her
arms and legs were beginning to feel like lead, a bad sign. While she could,
she tore off her glasses and looked at Priss. "See anything there?"
     Priss was puzzled. "No, not like last time."
     "Oh, shit."
     Those were the last words Darlene got out before the main wave of pain
that the previous two were mere heralds of arrived. She jerked, nearly
throwing Sylvie and Anri off her, then went absolutely rigid, eyes wider from
the sudden pain than they could normally go. All her nerves were afire;
muscles screamed in protest; bones pulsing in agony; and her skin felt like
she was being flayed alive. Every cell in her body was in torment and it was
only the sheer intensity that kept her from screaming like a banshee. Even
so, she did manage a high pitched whistle that made her friends wince, not
that she was able to notice them at the moment.
     "Jesus Christ!" Priss whispered in horror, sensing how much pure agony
her friend was going through. Darlene was staring at nothing while her body
vibrated like a guitar string freshly plucked. Sweat was beading on face and
neck, and tears were beginning to fall from her eyes. And to Priss the worst
thing about it was that the only thing she could do was wait.
     Sylvie and Anri were just as horrified, but Anri noticed something
first. "She's starting to change back!" she cried, and indeed, the elven
features were disappearing. Her hair become shorter and lost color, eyes
turning bright blue once more. They had seen this before but Priss hadn't,
and the singer was stunned at the rapid age reversal. Gaining speed,
Darlene's body became younger and younger until she was as she was before.
     And collapsed.
     Priss caught Darlene, swiftly grabbing her before the once-again
red-head fell and absently noted that the mage's clothes had changed to match
her size. Looking at her friend's face, she was more than a little dismayed
to note how gaunt it was and just how LIGHT the body she held had become.
     "Fuck! We have to get her to Sylia!" 

     Existence has many forces that beings, intelligent or not, may use or be
used by. They sometimes interact in odd ways, especially when uncontrolled.
Such was the case when a powerful crystal with great magical forces attuned
to space/time for the purpose of transportation exploded. It connected two
universes together for a brief instant, a mage was caught in that convergence
and crossed over, then the tear closed.
     But for a time, that uncontrolled tear affected a weakness in the walls
of reality for those two universes. And, with uncanny luck unique to him, a
traveller managed to step right into that weakness, such was the power of his
aura and innate ability for ki-travel(an ability used by some beings in other
universes). 
     The transition was unnoticed by him, as it appeared seamless to his
perception; his ability was fine-tuned, if uncontrolled. He left his universe
mere hours after the mage, but he also arrived at a slightly different time
and space compared to the first traveller and so he suddenly appeared in the
forested regions outside Mega-Tokyo a day after the mage's collapse. The
weakness healed itself immediately after, trapping him in this second
universe.
     The bandanna-wearing traveller looked up and sighed.
     I wonder where I am now, Ryouga wondered.
     
     Darlene came to semi-consciousness, moaning, wondering what had
happened. Her eyelids were being stubborn, crazy-glue stubborn to be
accurate, and couldn't open them at the moment. Then she felt that there were
several presences around her, and mumbled, "Wha...'m I?"
     "That sounded like two questions, so I shall answer both," Sylia's
familiar voice replied. "What happened is that it appears you badly
overexerted yourself to the point of unconsciousness for about, despite an
I.V. feed, five days. Where you are should be familiar as you have visited
the infirmary in Doctor Raven's garage before, as I could not risk normal
hospitals with your unique metabolism and body structure."
     "Oh," was all Darlene could say, still feeling very weak. She tried
again to open her eyes, and succeeded. There was Sylia, smiling faintly at
her at the foot of the bed, Linna, by the side of the bed, and Nene, beside
Linna. Both of them were smiling too, Nene's eyes being oddly bright for some
reason. 
     "God, this week's been pure pain. I REALLY don't want to do that again,"
Darlene moaned, then smiled weakly, "but thanks for helping, even when I
upset you guys before I... um... collapsed," she finished, a little abashed.
     "Hey," Linna said, shrugging off the worry, "at least you're almost back
to normal now."
     "Right, a male psionist/female mage combo in one is normal," Darlene
mumbled, then sighed with a small smile of her own. "I guess that's normal
for me." She shuddered. "I hope I don't have to go through anything like THAT
anytime soon."
     "Priss described it; I can imagine," Sylia said, sympathetically.
     "Did it hurt as much as after you beat that Overlord thing from Hell?"
Nene asked, wide-eyed.
     The recovering mage almost bolted upright, but was still too weak to do
so. "Wha...?!" Darlene said, very much surprised. "How did you...??" Her gaze
immediately swivelled to Sylia, who was quite unrepentant.
     "It was about time," Sylia pointed out, "so I told them."
     "Great," Darlene sighed, going limp. "As a matter of fact, Nene, no, it
hadn't been this bad because I hadn't had the chance to overdo it." Sylia was
an excellent interrogator, a fact the bedridden red-head had found out when
telling her story, and now she regretted it.
     "So you actually did fight demons from Hell?" Linna said, disbelieving.
     "Yeah. Trust me, it's a pleasure I'd rather forgo. With one exception,"
she amended, remembering Malkon. She saw Nene's awed look, and grew
irritated. "Nene, if you keep looking at me like that I swear I'll create a
spell that will embarrass you a LOT. When you're working, at that. Static
hair? Glued shoes to the floor? Vanishing undergarments?" she finished with
an evil grin when she saw Nene blush beet red.
     "Darlene! You wouldn't!"
     "I WILL if you keep looking at me with starry eyes. I'm still ME. You
just...know a lot more about me now. Which," she added with a twinkle in her
eyes, "doesn't mean we can't have a little fun now that my spells work
properly now." Nene perked up at that, Linna too a little.
     "Darlene..." Sylia said, frowning ominously.
     "What?" the mage replied, looking innocently at the Knight Sabers'
leader, trying to make her tired face as cute as possible. "I'll be the soul
of discretion. Really, I will. And," Darlene turned serious, "I could use
some laughs for a change, Sylia."
     Sylia sighed, giving in. "Very well. But only when you're recovered and
NOTHING in public. Is that clear?"
     "Crystal," Darlene agreed.
     "Now sleep! Priss will come later to feed you."
     Darlene felt a chill as she remembered something. "Sylia..."
     "What?"
     "When you told my story... Did you mention when Malkon tried to... ma...
ma..." she couldn't finish the word but Sylia understood.
     "Yes."
     "Oh, God. Priss is gonna TORMENT me over that," Darlene wailed. Linna
and Nene burst out laughing at the horror in her voice.
     "Consider it an...incentive to get better."
     Darlene's glare told her what she thought of that.

     Malkon was not in a good mood. 
     He wasn't even in a bad mood.  
     No, what he was experiencing was a furiously ANGRY mood as he looked
over the ruin of his castle from his favorite, semi-intact study chair. The
upper portion of the backrest had been sheered off by what looked like a set
of very large claws. It would take weeks to fix everything that had been
destroyed by that... THING.
     The arch-demon suppressed a shudder; it had been a near thing, and it
was all the more enraging that he had so dismissed the powers of that golem,
or whatever it had been.
     He remembered it vividly...
     ...Casting the lightning bolt spell at the creation and watching with
amazement as the bolt cascaded harmlessly around the metal frame...
     ...The thing turning towards him, freezing momentarily, as if finding
its prey at last, before sending beams of energy laced with chaotic magic!
The name most beings used for such magic was Wild, and it played havoc with
spells. Malkon remembered this later as dodging the ravenous beams had been
of a more immediate priority at the time...
     ...Having 'scented' him, the thing had dogged him relentlessly in his
frantic retreat, sending bolts of energy that tore through his shields like
wet paper and trying to disembowel the arch-demon whenever it got the
opportunity. His own spells affected it minimally and not for long...
     ...The chase through the levels of his castle. If he had been watching
and not being the one chased Malkon was sure it would have been highly
amusing. It wasn't like he could leave his domain, THAT move would have been
as disastrous as waiting for the thing to get him as the other arch-demons
would relish him being helpless and easy prey... 
     Malkon sourly looked at the doors to this chamber; every one had a large
humanoid-shaped hole in them, and that had been done mere seconds after he
had slammed them behind himself. He hadn't been that terrified since his
first millennium of existence.
     Then his gaze turned to a sword that laid upon the remarkably untouched
table in front of him. The thing had nearly cornered him when he had come
across the sword, and for some reason picked it up. 
     Malkon examined the weapon, remembering its 'feel.' It wasn't magical
and he hadn't known about it being in that room; it shouldn't have been in
his castle at all. No, not magical, he thought, it has the taint of Order.
     It certainly proved that to him for it had guided his hand with prefect
precision to strike the monstrous creation directly into the 'chest' region.
The weapon's orderly energies had clashed with the wild forces in the golem,
which without a true will of its own had little chance of resisting. For the
sword had completely assimilated and absorbed the raw power of the metal
thing, leaving an empty inanimate shell behind.
     Where the sword had come from was a mystery to be solved. Even if it had
saved him, he disliked hidden allies. Especially one who obviously dealt with
Order energy, which was not one of his realms of experience.
     But where that creation of Wild Magic had come from...
     THAT being would soon find him/her/itself finding out how angry they had
made a certain arch-demon of Hell.